PMQs live: Starmer faces Badenoch as government under pressure over China spy scandal

The Independent’s Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:

Keir Starmer started PMQs by making a statement on the China spy row – in which he said he had decided to publish the witness statement at the centre of the row over the collapse of the case.He came out fighting, telling the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch that were it not for the former government led by her party ”we would not be where we are”.

But his remarks merely opened the door to more questions.

And with the soon-to-be published witness statement yet to land, the PM failed to draw a line under the issue.

The Independent’s political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Hillary Benn has hit back at Tory Brexiteer Andrew Rosindell, who said “severedly restricted trade” between Great Britain and Northern Ireland is a “disgrace”.

The Northern Ireland secretary pointed to Mr Rosindell’s own record in advocating for Brexit.He said: “I’d just say to those who advocated that we should leave the European Union, this is the consequence of it. Because you had an open border two, two different jurisdictions. How are you going to deal with trade in those circumstances?

“Secondly, the goods are flowing, the goods are moving. If you look at the evidence, the Northern Ireland economy in the second quarter grew by 2 per cent. That is not indicative of a problem.”

The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:

Keir Starmer has used the start of PMQs to make a statement on the China spying scandal knowing that Kemi Badenoch is going to ask repeated questions on it.

With the support of the Speaker he is explaining why the case collapsed and is attempting to pin the blame on the last Tory government because of its policy.

“Had the Conservatives been quicker in updating our legislation this wouldn’t have happened.”

He insists: “No minister or special adviser played any role in this matter.”

Nevertheless he is still under pressure over why key evidence was not handed over.Starmer is now set to publish the witness statements in full to be transparent.

The Independent’s political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports:

Sir Keir Starmer has sought to cool rising tensions between himself and Nigel Farage, condemning a death threat made against the Reform UK leader.

The prime minister was accused by Mr Farage of fuelling violence against him after repeatedly criticising him during Labour’s conference in Liverpool.

Opening prime minister’s questions, Sir Keir said: “Today marks four years since the horrific murder of Sir David. Famous Sir David was much loved across the house, kind and generous, I know it was a huge loss to many members.

“As we remember, Sir David and Jo Cox, of course, I want to take this opportunity to condemn unequivocally the death threat made against the Honorable Member for Clacton [Mr Farage].

“I know that our house will welcome the justice that has been done, whatever our disagreements, we are all parliamentarians, and I won’t stand for violence or threats against our democracy.”

At the outset of PMQs, Sir Keir Starmer sought to explain the government’s position on the collapsed China spy case.

He said he was “deeply disappointed” in the outcome of the case and said in recent weeks there had been “baseless allegations” put forward by the Tories.

This week’s PMQs has begun in the Commons.

Sir Keir Starmer is facing questions from the Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch.

Topics likely to be raised include the government’s handling of the China spy case, potential tax hikes and more.

We will bring you the latest updates here.

Sir Keir Starmer is set to face questions in the Commons shortly.

It is the first time he and Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch have faced off in weeks.

We will bring you the latest updates here.

Downing Street has clashed with the Crown Prosecution Service over the release of evidence said to be vital to explaining why the China spy case collapsed.

Sir Keir Starmer’s government is at odds with the agency over a claim it blocked the publication of a witness statement at the heart of the case.

Cabinet secretary Chris Wormald is understood to have been prepared to publish a government witness statement central to the withdrawal of espionage charges against two men accused of spying for Beijing in Parliament.

However, lawyers in the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) were said to have blocked the move.

But the CPS hit back, and insisted it was entirely up to the government to release the evidence if it wanted to.

The government may now be forced to publish the key evidence in the case, with a minister saying they are “looking at what the options are”.

Britain has lost control of its borders and is fuelling a loss of trust in politics, the home secretary will warn on Wednesday.

Shabana Mahmood is to issue the warning as she hosts her counterparts from across the Western Balkans, as well as other European allies, at a summit in London.

In one of the most stark assessments of the impact of small boat crossings on public trust in government, Ms Mahmood is to say it risks undermining “the credibility of the state itself”.

She will insist that Britain can only stem the flow of migrants arriving on small boats through international cooperation.