Up next in 10
James O’Brien and LBC’s Political Correspondent Aggie Chambre reflect on Prime Minister's Questions as Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch go head to head.
‘Badenoch had a good week until the end’
'What is the Lloyds Bank Business Barometer?'
‘Keir was pleased with that report’
‘No media covered this story’
‘The questions he can but can’t answer are productive for Kemi Badenoch’
‘Conservatives ministers have serious questions to answer on Afghanistan’
‘She had a different tack on tax this week’
‘He blamed the Tories, again’
‘He sounded proud of these achievements’
‘The last PMQs of the summer….is it wrong to be a bit relieved?’
‘Comms aren’t bad on the business confidence thing’
‘It’s a bleak vista that Ed Davey describes on Gaza’
‘Davey is sounding very statesmanlike’
‘Who else gives Farage an easy ride….I can’t think of anyone’
Listen to the full show on Global Player: https://app.af.globalplayer.com/Br0x/LBCYouTubeLis
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0:00
I should begin with an apology
0:02
If I don't know, then would it be too outrageous for me to suggest that you probably don't know either
0:08
And Keir Starmer said there, and for the record, I thought Kemi Baden-Wantt had quite a good week until the very end
0:15
The business confidence in this country was at a nine-year high. I didn't know what he was talking about
0:22
And that is a reflection upon the state of the British media, isn't it? Because the first thing I did was check
0:27
Confidence levels, Reuters reported two weeks ago, among British employers hit a fresh nine-year high this month
0:32
as companies became more optimistic about the outlook for the economy, according to a survey published on Monday
0:38
I don't know the provenance, the Lloyds Bank business barometer. Reuters consider it important enough to report
0:45
I don't know how widely regarded or respected it is, but it hit the highest mark since November 2015
0:51
in other words, since before Brexit, after an 11-point jump in May
0:55
There was bad news in April, of course, when Trump introduced the tariffs, many of which have since been suspended
1:02
But I honestly didn't know that. And I think, Aggie Chombray, it's fair to say that Kemi Badenoch didn't either
1:08
Certainly the people on her benches shouting, withdraw, withdraw, would have been completely unaware of it
1:13
And that is because all of us, in a way, are victims of the bias in the media in this country
1:19
That story has barely, as far as I can tell, seen the light of day
1:23
and it took Keir Starmer to bring it to the attention of the population
1:28
Yeah, Keir Starmer obviously had read that report, was quite pleased with that report and thought he'd put that in his back pocket for PMQs
1:33
I can't see it in a single... So Reuters did it, and it was sort of international news on their business
1:39
I can't see a single national news for the BBC. It doesn't seem to have gone near it
1:43
We definitely didn't do it. Maybe the barometer, the Guardian reported in September of last year
1:50
about business confidence going to its lowest level, but I can't see anything. City AM did it, as perhaps you'd expect
1:57
But anyway, there we go. I think you were right, really. The questions he can but can't answer
2:03
are turning out to be very productive territory for Kemi Badenog. I think that's right
2:09
And actually, I think it's worth saying as well because we talked before PMQ started about Afghanistan
2:12
and how she would probably not talk about that data leak. But I have just read that just before we came onto it
2:18
when Sikir Stan was talking, before she started asking those questions, He did say something about Afghanistan and he said that conservative ministers have serious questions to answer over the handling of the data leak and the subsequent super injunctions
2:32
So even she wouldn't go anywhere near it at that point. No, indeed. But yeah, perhaps unsurprisingly, she went on the economy
2:39
She had a slightly different tact this week. But again, basically on tax, talking about growth
2:48
how her saying the policies that the government has brought in are bad for growth
2:53
He, as he so often does, James, blames the inheritance of the last government
2:58
which I think is a reasonable point. They were in power for 14 years. But I do wonder after a year whether that is slightly wearing thin which perhaps is unfair of me because if you in power for 14 years it has a long tail doesn it the inheritance
3:13
And as proved by yesterday, when we found out about this huge part of the inheritance
3:19
which I should stress they continued in an appeal against when the judge tried to end that super injunction
3:25
But back to PMQs today, Kemi Baden-Ock talking about inflation being up again
3:30
and taxes being up again, talking about his budget last year, and trying to get an answer of what a modest income is
3:38
That's after the Transport Secretary, Heidi Alexander, said on Sunday that people on modest incomes
3:44
would be protected from tax rises. So we're back in that back and forth
3:48
We saw so much in the election. What is a working person if these three categories of taxes are protected
3:54
National insurance, VAT and income, then what is left? and how is the government going to raise taxes
4:01
which it feels at this stage when you speak to people within government and around government, that does feel inevitable for the next budget
4:07
This is what I mean by questions that he can but can't answer, in that they probably don't know yet where the threshold is going to be
4:14
or where the inevitable necessity of introducing some new taxes is going to land
4:19
So when you're insisting on being told where and when they're going to land
4:22
and you can't, then, I mean, you know, to be fair to Kemi Badenok
4:27
the person not answering the question looks bad, even though the person asking it knows that they can't answer it
4:31
I genuinely think that is correct. I think they don't know. I was speaking to a Treasury official last week
4:36
about whether or not they were going to unfreeze or continue the freeze on income tax thresholds
4:43
which previously, remember, Rachel Reeves had said she was going to unfreeze by 2028
4:47
And we had an honest conversation where they basically said, I don't think we know yet
4:51
I think they are genuinely trying to work out exactly what they're going to do. Which would be true of any party
4:55
And any government, exactly. And, you know, with budgets, you basically are doing it until the line when you have to, that time period where you have to give it to the Office for Budget Responsibility to score it
5:05
Anything can happen. The day before, Donald Trump might have another sort of brain freeze and announce an enormous tariff on cheese or something, on everything, on air
5:13
On air. That could happen. Anything could happen. I think that's interesting because I think that is one of the frustrations with a lot of people that I've spoken to around government about that Donald Trump thing
5:23
because they think Rachel Reeves has boxed herself in so successfully with those taxes that I just talked about
5:29
And actually, when Donald Trump announced those tariffs initially and came into power
5:34
they think that people in government should have said, the world has changed, which they did say
5:39
The world has changed so much that we are going to have to change things around
5:43
We cannot possibly keep our manifesto commitments, which I think has made things more difficult for them in the first year
5:50
So on self-employed too, it's the same argument. Kemi Badenock asks, are self-employed next in line for a tax raid
5:56
And Sir Keir Starmer can't answer, which I suspect will be a bit of a story
6:01
Why would the self-employed? Surely it would be about how much the self-employed earned
6:06
You not going to have a tax that specific to self people regardless of income I didn understand that question to be honest No but it just I suppose another category of person that it impossible at this stage to rule out I don think you would just put a tax on
6:20
So it would be the high-earning self-employed. Exactly. But, of course, I can't tell you what high-earning is
6:24
And, James, it is... Thank you. That was the last PMQs before summer
6:29
Good Lord. Good Lord. So... Is it wrong to be a bit relieved
6:33
Yes. Does that make me a bad person? Yes. Okay. Kemi Badenock did talk about that
6:37
actually talked about the scorecard, end-of-term scorecard for the government. Said, the economy is contracting
6:43
inflation highest in the G7, unemployment up every month under this government
6:48
spending out of control, borrowing costs more expensive than Greece, and this is just the first year
6:53
And Sir Gierstarmer came back with his own scorecard and said, this is what we're going to be telling constituents
6:58
And I thought it was slightly new language for him. Yes, I did as well
7:02
I don't think he's very good at saying, this is what we've done, this is what we're going to do
7:07
and he had quite a comprehensive list. He didn't just mention the NHS appointments that he normally mentions
7:11
That's what I thought when I said that she was going brilliantly until the very end
7:15
and then he just took this opportunity to drive home several things
7:19
that people would have been either unaware of or unexcited by, but which he actually
7:25
I think the difference, Aggie, may have been he sounded genuinely enthused by these. He sounded proud of these achievements
7:30
rather than just offering them up as PMQ's fodder and they were all true
7:35
They were all true. I was speaking to some Labour MPs last night who said, we're done with stage one
7:39
I think they were speaking slightly tongue-in-cheek. We're done with stage one. I said, oh, what's stage one
7:43
And they said, start fixing things. And I said, well, what's stage two? And they said, start telling people about it
7:47
I said, what's stage three? And they said, become popular again. Well, good luck with that
7:51
But a couple of people pointing out the comms are bad. But the comms aren't bad on the business confidence thing
7:56
You can't force people to print or broadcast stuff, can you? You can't
8:00
You can get on the phone and say, can you give us a bit of coverage of this? No one got on the phone to me, so that would be comms are bad
8:05
No, and I didn't get an email about it. No one saw it. Maybe, as I say, the barometer that they've used is not that exciting
8:13
I think self-employed people, the changes to national insurance perhaps might be pertinent
8:19
A couple of accountants getting in touch with details and explanations that I don't fully understand
8:25
And a couple of you pointing out that the reason why I shouldn't be relieved that PMQ is over is that it's proper work for me now
8:31
Every Wednesday at 12 noon, I'll have to come up with another topic we can do a proper phone-in rather than just getting to knock about
8:36
with you and Natasha for half an hour. So what's going to come back then
8:41
How long are they away for? So they break up on Tuesday, but I have been told that Monday and Tuesday
8:47
for the government and for Labour MPs is a one-line whip, which basically means..
8:51
Take the time off. ...they will not be coming in. And how long do they get off? How many weeks do we know
8:55
So they come back at the beginning of September. Good grief. So I am committed to pointing out at this stage
9:02
They are not now going on holiday for six weeks. They are going back to their constituencies
9:06
which for many MPs is actually the more difficult work because they have to do lots and lots of case work, although I'm sure lots of them will be taking holiday at the same time
9:13
And some MPs won be seen in their constituencies at all of course such as their prerogative Ed Davey they going in on Gaza It a bleak vista that he describes where again the attention of the nation
9:27
the population, the fourth estate, the columnists, the commentators, reaches fever pitch
9:32
when we're talking about the Glastonbury Festival, but the needle barely moves now
9:37
when we're detailing the latest accounts of people being killed while waiting for the pathetic amounts of aid
9:44
that are actually available. Davey's sounding very statesman-like at the moment with every passing week
9:49
and again I stress I think Badenot had quite a good week until the end
9:53
but the contrast between the two is quite stark sometimes I think he has a bit more space
10:00
he's able to ask the more difficult questions as the third largest party leader
10:05
so he talked about Afghanistan at the beginning said Sakhir Starmer will have our support
10:10
if he chooses to do a public inquiry listening to John Healy as I know you did as well yesterday
10:14
it didn't sound like John Healy was minded to introduce a public inquiry, quite the opposite
10:19
But that conversation is already beginning. And then, as you say, urging the government to go further on Gaza
10:27
saying the Israeli plan for Gaza would amount to putting Palestinians in a prison
10:31
would be ethnic cleansing and suggest the UK should be sanctioning the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
10:39
So, Sir Keir Starmer responding, the government is appalled by what is happening in Gaza
10:43
and civilian deaths should be fully investigated. So, that is what Sir Keir Starmer has to say on Gaza at the moment
10:52
There is actually quite a lot of pressure on him from his own MPs to go further
10:57
not just MPs on the left of the party, but other MPs too. I think 60 of his own MPs writing to the Foreign Secretary this week
11:04
urging them to recognise Palestine, which is something that they said they would do
11:08
but the government's saying we're going to do it when it's conducive to the peace process. And I think there is frustration and worry about that on his own side
11:15
He's had quite a good day, Ed Davey, although sadly this is also something that you won't be seeing in any newspapers tomorrow
11:20
He criticised the BBC on the BBC for giving Farage such an easy ride
11:25
And where else does that happen? I'm trying to think of a broadcast studio in this country other than the BBC
11:31
where Farage gets an incredible eat. No, I've got nothing. Ed Davey's saying they need to raise their game to expose him
11:37
and he's just 100% correct on that, of course, but I'd be amazed if you see that in any newspapers tomorrow
11:43
So that's it then. I've got to come up with some proper topics between now and September at 12 o'clock on a Wednesday
11:48
I'm very happy to come back on midday. I shall accept all your submissions and enthusiasm and interest
11:52
Thank you very much, Aggie. And thank you to Mike in Manchester
11:56
for drawing my attention to that Ed Davey story because if I've learned anything today during PMQs
12:01
it is that I don't know what's going on sometimes because I can only rely upon the news outlets that exist
12:06
and none of them went near that huge rise in business confidence or the high level of business confidence in this country
12:14
the highest since six months before Brexit. And neither did I know that Ed Davey had been giving the BBC a bit of a schooling
12:21
in what its job should be when it comes to dealing with people like Nigel Farrow
12:26
So, well done, Ed Davey
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