Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has demanded an apology from Sir Keir Starmer after gender-critical MP Rosie Duffield was "hounded out of Labour" by trans activists.
Badenoch, who appeared emboldened following last week's Supreme Court ruling, said: “He spoke about respect and dignity and compassion and lowering the temperature.
"So will he now apologise to the member for Canterbury [Rosie Duffield], the very brave member for Canterbury, for hounding her out of the Labour Party simply for telling the truth?”
The Prime Minister replied: “I have always approached this on the basis that we should treat everyone with dignity and respect, whatever their different views, and I will continue to do so.”
He also warned against turning the Supreme Court ruling into a “political football”.
However, Badenoch later demanded an answer as to where the Prime Minister was in the six-days following the Supreme Court's ruling.
She asked: “What about the abuse I faced from his MPs calling me a transphobe for supporting what the Supreme Court has now clarified?
“And where was he? He hid for six days without commenting on the Supreme Court judgement.
“Why did it take him so long to respond? Isn’t it because he was scared?”
Starmer, who later claimed Badenoch "did precisely nothing" as Equalities Minister, quipped: "The only fiction here is the idea that she delivered anything in office."
However, Badenoch later fumed: “This is a question about moral courage, about doing the right thing, even when it is difficult. And the truth is he doesn’t have the balls.
“The Prime Minister only tells people what they want to hear.”
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Keir Starmer faces Donald Trump grilling as Lib Dems warn of farmers' fury
Keir Starmer has been issued with a major warning about a potential trade deal with Donald Trump as he returned to the House of Commons for the first time since the Easter recess.
Sir Ed Davey asked whether a bad deal with the US could see American agricultural business undercut the British beef market with inferior meat.
"We will negotiate, as he would expect, in the national interest and uphold the highest animal welfare standards," Starmer said.
"We are making progress on that and then there will be a process if a deal is reached."
'He wants your job!' PM swipes at Robert Jenrick and Nigel Farage over 'coalition' comments
Sir Keir Starmer has swiped at Robert Jenrick and Nigel Farage after comments appeared to show the Shadow Justice Secretary supporting an alliance with Reform UK.
The Shadow Justice Secretary, who allies claim was only talking about brining together the 2019 Tory coalition of voters, said: "I want the fight to be united.
"And so, one way or another, I'm determined to do that and to bring this coalition together and make sure we unite as a nation as well."
However, the Prime Minister claimed Jenrick was a man "doing everything he can" to replace Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.
"The man who most of her party want to replace her has admitted that Reform and the Tories are working together," he told MPs.
"He said I want this fight to be united. He said he's determined to bring this 'coalition, as he calls it' together one way or another. Well, I think we know what that means."
"They're not Conservatives, they're a con."
Starmer also surprisingly appeared to admit that he thinks Reform will soon become the leading party on the right of British politics.
He said: "The Clacton MP is going to do what he always does: eat the Tory Party for breakfast."
Kemi Badenoch demands apology from Keir Starmer after MP 'hounded out of Labour'
Sir Keir Starmer has refused to apologise to Rosie Duffield after Kemi Badenoch turned up the heat to demand the Prime Minister speaks out about how the Canterbury MP was "hounded out of Labour".
Badenoch said: “He spoke about respect and dignity and compassion and lowering the temperature.
"So will he now apologise to the member for Canterbury [Rosie Duffield], the very brave member for Canterbury, for hounding her out of the Labour Party simply for telling the truth?”
The Prime Minister replied: “I have always approached this on the basis that we should treat everyone with dignity and respect, whatever their different views, and I will continue to do so.”
He also warned against turning the Supreme Court ruling into a “political football”.
Keir Starmer welcomes Supreme Court ruling but faces PMQs grilling
Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the Supreme Court's ruling and claimed it brings "clarity, and will give confidence to women and service providers".
"And we will also ensure that trans people are treated with respect and we will ensure that everybody is given dignity in their everyday lives," he added.
"I do think this is the time now to lower the temperature and to move forward and to conduct this debate with the care and compassion that it deserves. And I think that should unite the whole house."
PM pays tribute to 'extraordinary' Pope Francis ahead of Saturday's funeral
Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the late Pope Francis, hailing the pontiff as an "extraordinary man".
Speaking in the House of Commons, Starmer said: "His lifelong work on fairness will leave a lasting legacy.
"And people of all backgrounds and beliefs were inspired by his humility and compassion."
The Prime Minister also wished English MPs a happy St George's Day.
‘Delusional!’ Richard Tice blasts Rachel Reeves’ borrowing claims as Reform UK fear ‘cash pouring out the door’
Reform UK MP Richard Tice has lashed out at Chancellor Rachel Reeves after the UK Government’s borrowing costs were revealed.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) reported that borrowing exceed its forecast in the last financial year by almost £15bn.
Borrowing is the difference between total public sector spending and income - it amounted to £151.9bn over the 12 months to end of March.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves defended the spending, saying: “We are in a different economic circumstance than in a few months ago.
“We are set to be the fastest growing European economy in the G7.”
Tice responded: “She’s dreaming. She is entitled to, I suppose. But she is delusional."
'Embarrassing!' David Lammy humiliated as US negotiators pull out of London's Ukraine peace talks
Foreign Secretary David LammyPAForeign Secretary David Lammy has been dealt a humiliating blow after US negotiators pulled out of London's scheduled Ukraine peace talks this morning.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and special envoy Steve Witkoff both opted against attending the crunch meeting.
The US will instead be represented by Keith Kelogg, the White House’s Ukraine envoy.
Representatives from Ukraine, the UK and France will still meet today, but it will no longer be primarily hosted by Lammy.
'They lied!' Kemi Badenoch ramps up pressure on Labour as Starmer urged to apologise
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has accused Labour of lying over its stance on transgender women following the Supreme Court's landmark ruling last week.
Speaking ahead of Prime Minister's Questions, Badenoch said: “Yesterday, the Education Secretary claimed she’d always backed single-sex spaces for women.
“She lied. This is footage from last year where she says the exact opposite: that men should use women’s spaces if they have a certificate.”
The Tory leader showed footage of Bridget Phillipson, who also serves as Women's Minister, suggesting that transgender women who had gone through the formal gender recognition process could use ladies’ toilets.
Badenoch also urged Sir Keir Starmer to apologise to women.
She said: "The Prime Minister should apologise to the many women who have been harassed and hounded out of their jobs by groups who have misapplied the Equality Act.
"If Keir Starmer’s Government really do respect the judgment, they should take a stand against the extremists who still believe it is acceptable to intimidate women."
WATCH NOW: Eamonn Holmes grills Labour Minister Dame Diana Johnson on police vetting measures
Police officers who fail background checks will be automatically sacked under new rules, the Government has confirmed.
The measures, which have been brought to Parliament to improve confidence in policing, will make it a legal requirement for serving officers to pass vetting procedures.
It will also mean police chiefs given will be able to get rid of officers unfit to serve from next month.
The move comes after head of the Metropolitan Police Sir Mark Rowley accused officials of dragging their feet on giving police chiefs stronger powers to sack rogue officers.
Explaining the vetting changes, Policing Minister Dame Diana Johnson told GB News: "What the procedure is at the moment is if they don't fulfill the vetting procedure, then there's no way of dismissing them, getting rid of them.
"That would seem to me - and I'm sure the public would agree - to be wrong. This is about providing a way for chief constables to make sure that, if someone cannot hold vetting, they can be dismissed."
Streeting to announce 'world leading' cancer blood-testing plans as NHS unveils trial
The NHS is "broken" and cannot be "fixed overnight", Wes Streeting has warnedPAHealth Secretary Wes Streeting will today announce a "world-leading" cancer blood-testing service as the NHS unveils its trial.
Streeting, who was previously treated for kidney cancer, is expected to say: "From my own experience, I know the devastating toll cancer can take on patients and families.
"We know that the key to surviving cancer is catching it as early as possible, so this Government is taking the urgent action needed," he added.
The Government has announced funding of £2.4million to develop the AI-driven blood test, known as miONCO-Dx, in collaboration with the National Institute for Health and Care Research.
'Eyewatering!' Borrowing surge sends shockwaves across UK as Tories warn Britons 'paying price' for Reeves's choices
Shadow Chancellor Mel Stride has warned Britons will "pay the price" for Rachel Reeves's fiscal choices amid a surge in borrowing costs.
Responding to the figures released by the ONS this morning, Stride said: "This morning’s figures lay bare the price the British people are paying for Rachel Reeves' choices.
"By fiddling the fiscal rules, increasing borrowing by £30 billion a year and piling up debt - these figures are alarming but not surprising.
"These eyewatering sums are being paid for by hardworking people through higher taxes, higher prices and higher mortgage rates."
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper added: "This is a damning set of figures that should be ringing alarm bells inside the Treasury.
“After years of Conservative economic vandalism the Labour Government has completely failed to bring debt under control with a series of blundering missteps."
'You've made a bigger black hole!' Nigel Farage takes aim at Rachel Reeves as borrowing spirals
Nigel Farage has taken aim at Rachel Reeves after the ONS this morning confirmed that borrowing had spiralled during Labour's first 10 months in power.
Taking to social media, the Reform UK leader said: "First of all Rachel Reeves's talk of a £22billion black hole inherited from the Tories, let’s see how she is getting on… At the time of the budget the estimate for yearly borrowing was £127billion.
"It has now been revised to £152billion. A £25billion black hole in just 10 months!"
'Sack him!' Kemi Badenoch under fire after Robert Jenrick hinted at 'grubby deal' with Reform UK
Kemi Badenoch has woken up this morning to calls for her to sack her Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick after a leaked recording showed the top Tory vowing to "bring this [Tory-Reform] coalition together" to block Sir Keir Starmer from returning to No10.
Speaking at a UCL Conservative Association dinner, Jenrick said: "I want the fight to be united.
"And so, one way or another, I'm determined to do that and to bring this coalition together and make sure we unite as a nation as well."
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper turned the heat up this morning by urging Badenoch to sack her Shadow Justice Secretary.
She said: “The cat is out of the bag, senior Conservatives are plotting a grubby election deal with Nigel Farage.
“Kemi Badenoch should sack Robert Jenrick now if she’s serious about ruling out a pact with Reform. Anything less would show she’s either too weak to sack him or that she agrees."
Just moments later, Labour Party Chairwoman Ellie Reeves added: “Kemi Badenoch needs to urgently come clean as to whether she backs her Shadow Justice Secretary in doing grubby deals with Reform behind the electorate’s back or if she will rule it out.
“If she disagrees with Robert Jenrick, how can her leadership have any credibility whilst he remains in her Shadow Cabinet?"
WATCH NOW: Tory MP blasts Labour over Supreme Court's gender ruling
UK borrowing costs surge to 'third-highest level on record' in ANOTHER blow to Rachel Reeves
The UK's borrowing costs soared higher than expected in another blow to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, according to the latest figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS).
Britain's statistics authority found that public sector net borrowing rose to £151.9billion in the year to the end of March despite Labour's attempts to manage the nation's finances.
This figure is £14.6billion higher than the £137.3billion projected by the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) ahead of the publication of today's figures.
Notably, the 12-month figure was also £20.7billion higher than the public borrowing costs from the same period the year earlier.
Robert Jenrick vows to 'unite the fight' against Labour with Tory-Reform pact
Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick has appeared to throw his weight behind a Tory-Reform alliance to stop Keir Starmer returning to No10 after the next General Election.
Speaking at a UCL Conservative Association dinner, Jenrick said: "I want the fight to be united.
"And so, one way or another, I'm determined to do that and to bring this coalition together and make sure we unite as a nation as well."
He added: "[Reform UK] continues to do well in the polls. And my worry is that they become a kind of permanent or semi-permanent fixture on the British political scene.
"And if that is the case, and I say, I am trying to do everything I can to stop that being the case, then life becomes a lot harder for us, because the right is not united."
In the recording, which was obtained by Sky News, the Newark MP added: "And then you head towards the general election, where the nightmare scenario is that Keir Starmer sails in through the middle as a result of the two parties being disunited. I don't know about you, but I'm not prepared for that to happen."
Jenrick has since denied the suggestion that the Shadow Justice Secretary was advocating for a pact with Reform UK.
A source close to Jenrick said: "Rob's comments are about voters and not parties.
"He's clear we have to put Reform out of business and make the Conservatives the natural home for all on the right, rebuilding the coalition of voters we had in 2019 and can have again.
"But he's under no illusions how difficult that is - we have to prove over time we've changed and can be trusted again."
WATCH NOW: Downing Street raises the flag of St George as PM leads celebrations
Rachel Reeves vows to 'defend Britain's interests' ahead of crunch Washington meeting
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has pledged to “defend Britain’s interests” ahead of a crunch meeting with Finance Ministers in Washington.
Reeves, who is expected to make a push for a UK-US trade deal, will spend three-days stateside for the International Monetary Fund's spring meeting.
She is also expected to hold her first face-to-face meeting with US counterpart Scott Bessant.
The Chancellor's visit to Washington comes as the IMF slashed the UK's growth forecast by 0.5 per cent, with almost all countries witnessing a downgrade.
PM meets with English icons at No10 St George's Day reception
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Gary Lineker looking at a football shirt during a reception to celebrate St George's Day
PA
Sir Keir Starmer has been snapped with a number of iconic English sportsmen and celebrities as No10 marked St George's Day with a reception yesterday.
Appearing alongside England rugby captain Maro Itoje, comedian Rob Beckett and BBC star Gary Lineker, Starmer said: "Moments like this, as we come together to celebrate St. George’s Day are a reminder of all our nation has been through over generations and the values that have endured. The creativity, resilience and good will and humour that have remained a constant through the ages and will endure for generations to come.
"So, let’s be proud of our national identity, let’s pay tribute to all those who keep our country going from the generations who laid down their lives to keep us free, to those serving our country today. Our armed forces, our NHS staff, our teachers and the small businesses who serve their community.
"Let’s remember our shared history, our shared inheritance and the values that have endured. And most of all, let’s hear it for England and for St. George! Thank you very much."
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