Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy will stand in for the Prime Minister (Image: PA)
David Lammy is standing in for Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs today. The Deputy Prime Minister will face the Tories for the weekly grilling session in the Commons although the party is waiting til later this morning to confirm who he will be up against.
It comes as the Prime Minister is attending the Cop30 summit in Brazil.
The Tories are likely to press Mr Lammy about tax hikes in the upcoming Budget after Chancellor Rachel Reeves laid the groundwork in a speech yesterday.
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Tories demand sackings in BBC Trump row
The Conservatives are demanding that Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy explain what she is doing to end bias in the BBC.
They have tabled an urgent question in Parliament and hope to summon Ministers to explain how they are dealing with the latest controversy, after the broadcaster was accused of misleading viewers over a speech by Donald Trump.
Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said “heads should roll”, adding: “Whoever did that should be sacked.”
Minister insists Labour takes manifesto promises ‘seriously’
A Cabinet minister has insisted the Government takes its manifesto promises “seriously” amid speculation Rachel Reeves will rip up Labour’s tax pledge in her Budget.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson told the BBC: “Where it comes to our manifesto, of course, we take the commitments we made seriously.
“And as the Chancellor was saying yesterday, we know that there are some big challenges in the economy. We’ve made lots of changes already that are putting things on a more stable footing.
“That’s why we’ve seen interest rate cuts, we’ve seen growth being the fastest in the G7 in the first half of the year.
“But there are some big global factors that remain a challenge, and that’s why we will do what’s what’s right, what’s necessary, both for the public but also for the long-term future of our economy.”
Reeves will need to hike income tax by at least 2p – think tank
Rachel Reeves will need to hike income tax by at least 2p at her Budget, a major economic think tank has warned.
The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (Niesr) warned that the Chancellor is facing a £50 billion black hole in the public finances.
It said that Ms Reeves will likely need to break Labour’s manifesto pledge and increase income tax in her November 26 statement.
Niesr said a 2p rise on the 20% basic rate of income tax was expected to be the minimum needed to repair Britain’s battered public finances, raising around an extra £20 billion.
A 5p rise on the 40% higher rate would add a further £10 billion, with around £500 million from a similar hike to the upper band, it added.
Government faces questions over tax rises
Ministers are facing questions about which taxes could rise in a matter of weeks after Rachel Reeves warned everyone will “have to contribute” to securing the country’s economic future.
The Chancellor was even told by the Tories to resign if she goes ahead with hiking taxes in the November 26 Budget.
In an unusual speech yesterday just three weeks out from the major fiscal statement, the Chancellor would not commit to Labour’s manifesto promises not to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT, fuelling speculation.
Lammy to stand in for Starmer at PMQs
Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy will stand in for Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs today as the Prime Minister attends the Cop30 summit in Brazil.
The Tories are holding off announcing who Mr Lammy will face in the Commons until later this morning to give him less time to prepare.
