UK politics - live: Starmer and Sunak in fiery PMQs clash over security and rainbow lanyard ban

15 May 2024 • 11:17 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

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Rishi Sunak faced off against Sir Keir Starmer in the first PMQs since ENatalie Elphicke’s defection last week.

The Prime Minister was branded by Starmer a “jumped up-milk monitor” obsessed with “confiscating lanyards”.

The Labour leader accused the PM of trying to grant high-risk criminals early release, but Mr Sunak told MPs serious offenders would not be freed from jail early as part of a Government bid to cut overcrowding.

The SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, demanded that Sunak apologises for comparing Scottish people to war criminal Vladimir Putin.

PMQs came amid a fresh crackdown on culture war issues, with a ban to be introduced on children under nine being taught sex education and about gender identity.

Policing minister Chris Philp said the new measures are expected to come into force soon.

Speaking today, he also called on police forces to increase the use of stop and search as part of tougher measures to tackle knife crime.