PMQs live: Starmer faces Badenoch after Labour insists India trade deal does not undercut British workers

Keir Starmer has defended winter fuel payment cuts as he was accused of digging himself a “black hole”.

Kemi Badenoch asked the prime minister at PMQs: Does the prime minister now admit he was wrong to remove winter fuel payments from millions of pesnisoners?”

The PM responded that his government’s “number one priority was putting the country’s finances back in order”, repeating his party’s claim that it had to plug the “£22 billion black hole” in the UK’s finances left by previous Conservative governments.

Ms Badenoch responded: “The only black hole is the one the prime minister digging.”

Keir Starmer has hailed the UK-India trade deal as the “biggest trade deal for the UK since leaving the EU”.

Speaking at PMQs today, the prime minister called the “landmark” agreement a “huge win for working people in the country”.

Keir Starmer is facing Kemi Badenoch at PMQs after Labour insisted the UK’s new trade deal with India does not undercut British workers.

It also marks the first session since both Labour and the Tories endured heavy losses in last week’s local elections.

The UK has been in talks with the Trump administration as part of an attempt to agree a carve out from tariffs, which are wreaking havoc on the global economy.

Trade negotiators have returned to Washington this week and officials told the Financial Times that the trade deal could be agreed in the next few days.

Political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Reform UK has also gained ground in Wales while support for Labour has collapsed, according to a new YouGov poll.

While Plaid Cymru leads the race for next year’s Senedd election, according to the YouGov/ITV Wales Welsh voting intention poll, Nigel Farage’s party is now in second place, with Labour far behind.

Plaid Cymru lead on 30 per cent of the vote for the May 2026 Senedd election, while Reform sits at 25 per cent, the figures revealed.

Meanwhile, Labour, who have won every previous devolved election, is in a distant third place on just 18 per cent, which is half the 36 per cent of the regional vote that they won back in 2021.

The Conservatives are even further back, sitting at only 13 per cent, which also marks half their vote share in the 2021 election.

Then the Lib Dems take 7 per cent, while the Greens sit at 5 per cent.

The government has refused to be drawn on reports the UK is closing in on a trade deal with the US.

The Financial Times reported an agreement could soon be reached that involves lower tariff quotas for cars and steel.

But a government spokesperson told The Independent: “The US is an indispensable ally and talks on an economic deal between the US and the UK are ongoing – but we are not going to provide a running commentary on the details of live discussions or set any timelines.

“We will continue to take a calm and steady approach to talks and aim to find a resolution to help ease the pressure on UK businesses and consumers.”

The government has insisted the new UK-India trade deal will involve “no impact” on the immigration system or immigration numbers.

The agreement includes some easing of rules on “business mobility” for temporary visitors and up to 1,800 chefs, yoga instructors and musicians providing contracted services.