PMQs latest: Starmer confirms plan to scrap fuel duty hike as Badenoch brands watering down Russia oil sanctions ‘insane’

The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou writes:

Sir Keir Starmer has just confirmed his government will abandon a planned increase in fuel duty as costs continue to soar as a result of the conflict in the Middle East.

The chancellor announced in the November budget that the fuel duty reduction would be extended until the end of August 2026, with rates then gradually returning to previous levels over the next five years.

But prime minister said in the Commons that the increase of 5p will now not go ahead, after he was accused of a “u-turn” on the matter by Kemi Badenoch.

The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou writes:

Sir Keir Starmer has stood in the Commons to face his first PMQs since nearly 100 Labour MPs called for his resignation and his health secretary resigned ahead of an expected leadership bid.

He began with expressing his condolences to the family of Ciara Sullivan, a 24-year-old soldier who died at the Royal Windsor Horse Show.

He went on to celebrate Arsenal’s title win, after the team – supported by the prime minister – secured victory last night.

Sir Keir Starmer has started PMQs by congratulating Pep Guardiola on his achievements at Manchester City and his team Arsenal on winning the Premier League.

The boss of a leading trade association for retailers has said the government should focus on the “soaring cost” of its domestic policies rather than imposing price caps.

Helen Dickinson, the chief executive of the BRC, said: “Rather than introduce 1970s-style price controls and trying to force retailers to sell goods at a loss, the government must focus on how it will reduce the public policy costs which are pushing up food prices in the first place.”

She added: “The challenge facing retailers is a combination of higher energy and commodity costs resulting from the Middle East conflict, and the soaring cost of the government’s domestic policies.”

Ms Dickinson also said: “The UK has the most affordable grocery prices in Western Europe thanks to the fierce competition between supermarkets.”

Ministers have confirmed the publication of the highly anticipated final tranche of the Peter Mandelson files has been delayed.

The government has been under pressure to release all documents related to the former Labour peer’s appointment as US ambassador.

The next tranche of files was reportedly due to be released this week, but Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones has now confirmed they will now not be released until June, after Parliament returns from recess the week after next.

“Given the house is due to rise on Thursday and given the length of the publication, the second tranche will now be published after Whitsun recess to give to give the house sufficient time to review the material and to be able to ask me and the government questions,” he told MPs.

“It could have been published this Thursday but I thought that the House would deem that to be inappropriate, given it will be such a significant publication.”

Given the documents would have been ready to publish this week, they are likely to be released early in June – potentially threatening the Labour Party with fresh scandal ahead of the crucial by-election in Makerfield.

Sir Keir Starmer has been spotted leaving Downing Street for Prime Minister’s Questions.

He grinned at photographers the morning after his team Arsenal won the Premier League for the first time in 22 years.

With the writing seemingly on the wall for Keir Starmer, two contenders have already thrown their names into the ring for his job. Former Health Secretary Wes Streeting is suggesting “Brexit 2.0,” while “King of the North” Andy Burnham will be running to become an MP, with his sights set on No.10.In the latest episode of In The Room, ex-Whitehall insiders Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson reveal what Burnham is like to work with and the number one obstacle in Streeting’s way.

Sir Ed Davey said Labour MPs should “send a message” to leadership hopefuls by backing his amendment to the King’s Speech calling for a UK-EU customs union.

Asked whether he was just stirring trouble amid a row over whether to return to the trade bloc as Andy Burnham contends the Leave voting seat of Makerfield, he said: “I hope Labour MPs, realising their Prime Minister’s days are numbered, will send a message to the Labour leadership candidates and saying, ‘look, we expect you, if you want our votes, to be the next leader of the Labour Party, to back this amendment, to back a new UK-EU customs union as a way of renewing our relationship with Europe’.”

Marks & Spencer’s boss Stuart Machin has said reported proposals on enforced price caps are “preposterous”.

He said he had “no direct communication” with the government about the reported proposals on price caps and called for ministers to ease regulation.

“It’s completely preposterous,” he told reporters.

“I don’t think the government should be trying to run business.

“My advice is that the government should reduce some of the tax and regulatory burden and free us up in a very competitive market.

“With food inflation at 3 per cent, I think it actually demonstrates that food retailers are taking a big responsibility to try and minimise passing through prices.”

He stressed that the business is making a loss on the sale of a number of essential products, such as milk, bread and bananas.

Sir Ed Davey said the Government had got things “seriously wrong” and should be “promoting competition” to drive down prices.

Asked whether asking supermarkets to cap prices was the right approach, the Liberal Democrat leader told reporters in Westminster: “I think they’ve got some of these things seriously wrong, we need to be promoting competition, which will drive down prices for people who are really struggling with food bills.

“And they failed to act on the latest big rise in people’s bills, which is in petrol and diesel, as a result of Trump’s idiotic war in Iran.

“Only the Liberal Democrats have put forward an idea about how you cut the price of petrol and diesel at the pumps. That’s what they should be doing.”