PMQs: Starmer attacks Johnson over social care plans as Tories insist prime minister is not losing grip – as it happened

Savanta ComRes has released some new polling showing Labour ahead of the Conservatives, but with its lead narrowing compared to earlier this month.

The polling also shows Boris Johnson well ahead of Keir Starmer on who would make the best PM.

Speaking at the Operation Pitting reception at the House of Parliament, to honour civilians and members of the armed forces who worked on evacuation of Britons and others at risk from Kabul in August, Boris Johnson described this as one of the greatest achievements of the armed forces in the postwar era. He said:

What really struck me talking to you was the professionalism, the care, with which you dealt with human beings in an extreme state of fear and distress and the diplomacy with which you worked with those Afghans, Taliban or otherwise.

And it was a quite amazing thing to see what you did, and I believe that the safe passage of 15,000 people - 15,000 people - to this country, as well as helping 36 other countries to move those to whom they owe their own debts.

That operation – Operation Pitting - will go down as one of the great achievements of our UK armed services in the whole of the post war era.

Johnson used a similar line in his party conference speech. His comment was judged hubristic and misleading, not because of any doubts about the professionalism of those involved in Operation Pitting, but because the airlift was only necessary after the Taliban swept to power, the 20-year Nato deployment in Afghanistan having ended in what was widely seen as failure.

Stephen Chandler, the president of the Association of Directors of Adult Social Services (Adass), has said the money pledged by central government for social care over the next three years is “grossly inadequate”.

As PA Media reports, Adass has called for £1.5bn emergency funding for the winter and a further £1.5bn to help family carers.

Speaking at this year’s National Children and Adult Services Conference, Chandler said his organisation was hearing reports from across the country of staff quitting for better pay and less responsibility, in sectors such as retail and hospitality, while unpaid carers are “buckling under the strain”.

He told the conference:

So far, our calls seem to have fallen on deaf ears.

Which is a tragedy, because that £3bn would be less than 1% of what the government has spent in response to the Covid pandemic and yet it would see us safely through the months ahead.

The government has pledged £5.4bn to social care over the next three years, out of a total £36bn to be raised from the new health and social care levy.

The latest edition of the Guardian’s Politics Weekly podcast is out. Heather Stewart and Polly Toynbee discuss the government’s narrowly approved social care plan and Boris Johnson’s bizarre CBI speech. Plus: Can Priti Patel solve the issue of Channel crossings? Rowena Mason is joined by Rajeev Syal and Sunder Katwala.

Angela Rayner, the Labour deputy leader, has accused Sir Geoffrey Cox of “taking the mick” after it emerged that today he has again been taking part in the British Virgin Islands commission of inquiry, via video link.

Revelations earlier this month about Cox working on the inquiry, on behalf of the BVI, from the Caribbean, and about the amount he was paid, were a major factor in persuading Boris Johnson to come out in principle in favour of tightening the rules on MPs having second jobs.

In evidence to the Commons international trade committee this morning, Anne-Marie Trevelyan, the international trade secretary, rejected suggestions that the free trade deal with New Zealand would disadvantage British farmers.

She said New Zealand farmers were unlikely to flood the UK market with their produce because currently they do not use the full tariff-free quota they already have. She told the committee:

In terms of New Zealand trade, they have a big WTO [World Trade Organisation] quota at the moment which they don’t use with us anyway.

In and of itself, this particular trade deal is not in any sense something that will cause great anxiety because they have tariff-free quota which they don’t use here because they are focused towards those Asia-Pacific markets.

And if New Zealand did export more beef to the UK, it would probably be at the expense of EU producers, she said. She said the UK currently imports more beef from the EU than from New Zealand, and she went on:

Any increased exports from New Zealand, should there be a shift away from other markets they want to use for their sales, it will be likely to displace those imports rather than hurt UK farmers.

The Foreign Office has issued a statement urging all Britons in Ethiopia to leave the country now, while commercial flights are still available, because rebel forces are getting closer to the capital. Vicky Ford, the Africa minister, said:

The conflict in Ethiopia is deteriorating quickly. In the coming days we may see the fighting move closer to Addis Ababa, which could severely limit options for British Nationals to leave Ethiopia.

I am urging all British Nationals – whatever their circumstance - to leave immediately, while commercial flights are readily available and Addis Ababa Bole International Airport remains open. Interest free loans are available to help British Nationals to return to the UK who may otherwise struggle to afford flights.

Those who choose not to leave now should make preparations to shelter in a place of safety over the coming weeks. We cannot guarantee there will be options to leave Ethiopia in the future.

Keir Starmer’s spokesman has said that Labour supports enabling parents to combine work with caring responsibilities, but that it is for the Commons to decide if MPs should be allowed to take babies into the chamber. Asked about Starmer’s personal views on this matter, the spokesman said:

If you look at our overall approach, you will have clearly seen that we are supportive when it comes to wanting people to be able to juggle their work and caring responsibilities.

And there are a whole range of measures on flexible working that the Labour party has proposed over the course of the summer, but specifically in terms of prescribing what should happen in the House of Commons chamber, then that is a matter for the procedure committee of the House of Commons to look at, as has been mandated by the Speaker. And so it’s right to let them report.

Nearly half of British adults lack confidence that the Government will succeed in levelling up parts of the UK over the next decade, PA Media reports. PA says:

The survey, from research agency Public First, found that a majority of people think their own area needs levelling up (65%), with the proportion highest in Yorkshire and The Humber (82%).

But only 23% are confident the government will successfully help level up areas in the UK in the next 10 years. Nearly half (48%) are not confident of this, and the remainder either do not lean one way or the other, or do not know.

Of all the British regions, only people in London were confident, on balance, that the government would succeed.

Here are the main lines from the post-PMQs Downing Street lobby briefing.

• No 10 signalled its support for a change to the rule banning MPs from taking babies into the Commons chamber. The PM’s spokesman noted that the Speaker has announced a review of the rule (see 11.40am) and he said this was a matter for the Commons, not the government. But he also said:

We want the workplace in any circumstances to be modern and flexible and fit for the 21st century. The exact way that operates is rightly a matter for the house.

• No 10 rejected suggestions that the prime minister and the chancellor’s teams are not working well together. Responding to reports covering this topic (see 9.31am and 11.47am), the PM’s press secretary said:

I’ve seen various anonymous source briefings that I’m not going to get into. But the prime minister and the chancellor and the entire government is focused simply on getting on with delivering on the people’s priorities.

Asked if No 10 and the Treasury were working well together, the press secretary replied: “Yes.”

• The press secretary would not comment on reports that some Tory MPs have written to Sir Graham Brady, chair of the 1922 Committee, asking for vote of no confidence in Johnson. (See 11.47am.) But Johnson has not spoken to Brady about the reports. “The prime minister is entirely focused on delivering his ambitious agenda,” the press secretary said.

Miriam Cates (Con) asks about funding in the budget for the start for life programme. Will it be extended more widely?

Johnson praises Andrea Leadsom for promoting this, and he says if it works it will be rolled out across the whole country.

John Nicolson (SNP) says the PM has abandoned his plan for a bridge to Ireland. Perhaps he will replace them with hot air ballons, that he can fill himself.

Johnson says the government is delivering the first thorough review of union connectivity.

Sir Mike Penning (Con) claims local NHS management is blocking a new hosptial for Hemel Hempstead.

Johnson says he will arrange a meeting on this.

John Spellar (Lab) says he will introduce a bill to ban the import of hunting trophies. Will the government let the bill go forward?

Johnson says the government will introduce its own legislation to ban this.

Layla Moran (Lib Dem) asks what the government will do to encourage businesses to give away spare food at Christmas.

Johnson says he thinks businesses do a good job already. He cites Iceland as an example. On supply chain problems, he claims they are starting to ease. He claims they are the result of the economy bouncing back, which would not have happened under Labour, he claims.

Sir David Evennett (Con) asks if the PM will continue to implement the 2019 manifesto.

Johnson says he will. He is delivering on his agenda for London, he says. And he will opposed the proposed outer London tax that would penalise motorists for driving into their own city, he says.

Alan Brown (SNP) asks the government to back a tidal power scheme in Scotland.

Johnson says the government will include support for tidal stream, to the value of £20m, in the forthcoming contracts for difference auction.

Matthew Pennycook (Lab) asks if plans for a Chinese company to operate a nuclear power station in Bradwell have been abandoned.

Johnson says the government does not want to allow potentially adversarial countries to have undue influence over national infrastructure. He says, on Bradwell, more information will be forthcoming. But he says he does not want to “pitch away” all Chinese investment.

Nigel Mills (Con) asks the government to speed up payments to people who have suffered very rare, adverse reactions to vaccines.

Johnson says more money is being put into the system for this.

Hannah Bardell (SNP) asks about the decision not to approve the Valneva vaccine.

Johnson says he was very disappointed when this could not be approved. But the government is investing massively in the country’s vaccine capacity ahead of a possible future pandemic, he says. And he says he hopes Valneva will be part of that.

Karin Smyth (Lab) asks why the government has relaxed the rules for people wanting a licence to tow a trailer.

Johnson says the government wants to free up time for driving test centres to focus on HGV drivers. But it will keep this under review, he says.

Johnson says the government will use freeports to suppor the processing of critical minerals in the UK.

Caroline Lucas (Green) asks why the government is proceeding with oil, gas and coal developments.

Johnson says the government is powering past coal and wants to end fossil fuel reliance.

Jonathan Lord (Con) asks if the government will protect BTechs.

Johnson says the government will keep some of them, but it is promoting T-levels, he says.

Ian Blackford, the SNP leader at Westminster, says the past few weeks have seen the Tories at their worst: a corruption scandal, broken promises, tax rises, and a cancelled bridge to Ireland. Has the PM considered calling it a day?

Johnson says people want to know what the government is doing for the people of Scotland.

He says on Friday, or later this week, the union connectivity review will be published, showing what the government will do for rail links to Scotland.

Blackford says, while the PM is hunting for chatty pigs (a nickname given for the person responsible for the anti-Johnson Downing Street briefing on Monday), people are giving up on him. Why is he clinging on?

Johnson asks why Blackford is asking about party politics when people want to know what the government is doing for Scotland. He claims the SNP are falling in the polls.

Starmer says working people are being asked to pay twice. They pay national insurance when they work, and when they retire they will have to sell their homes, because they will not be protected. He says it is a classic Covent Garden pick-pocketing operation. The PM entertains the crowd, while the chancellor picks their pocket. He quotes from what Tories have said attacking Johnson’s operating, and he ends with the words of the TV reporter after the CBI speech - is everything okay?

Johnson claims that line of attack is not working. He claims the government is fixing problems no one tried to fix. And he ends saying if we had listened to Captain Hindsight, the country would still be in lockdown.

Starmer says the only thing Johnson is delivering is high taxes, high prices and low growth. He says the social care plans will protect the wealthy. But everyone will have to pay for it. How could he have possibly delivered a working class dementia tax?

Johnson says the government is doing more for working people than Labour ever did.

Starmer says people will still be forced to sell their homes to pay for care. This is another broken promise, like his promise not to put up tax, his promise of 40 new hospitals, and his promise of a rail revolution in the north. He says if Johnson makes it to the next election, how will anyone take his promises seriously?

Johnson says he is promising three new rail lines. He says there has been nothing like this for a century. He says last week he learned that Starmer campaigned against HS2. It runs through his constituency too, he says, but he backed it, even though it caused his constituents problems.

Starmer asks who people will be able to afford £86,000 without selling their home.

Johnson says Labour has not put forward any plans.

He again defends his plan.

Starmer says Johnson is describing the broken system he claims to be fixing. With Tory MPs shouting, he jokes that this week they have turned up. (Last week many Tories stayed away.)

Starmer says Johnson used to say no one would have to sell their home to pay for care. Has he done that. Yes or no?

Johnson says your home will be disregarded. You will have to contribute if you have assets worth more than £100,000, but he says homes are not included.

(Johnson seems to have quoted the wrong figure. You start contributing at a level well below that.)

Keir Starmer asks the PM to confirm that, when he promised at the election that no one would have to sell their home to pay for care, that was a broken promise.

No, says Johnson. He says homes will be disregarded if people are still living in them. And there is a deferred payment scheme, that allows people to stay in their homes while they are alive. He says the government is taking away the anxiety around this.

Felicity Buchan (Con) says her Kensington constituency suffered devastating flooding this summer. Does the PM agree Thames Water need to invest in infrastructure to stop this happening again?

Johnson says she is right. He says he instituted the Thames tideway tunnel, which will address this.

Chris Bryant (Lab) asks about a constituent whose son has seizures from a brain injury. She backs the acquired brain injury bill, he says. He asks if the government will back the bill. He says 1.4 million people are affected.

Boris Johnson thanks Bryant for his commitment to this vital cause. The government is studying the bill, he says. He says he can pledge at this point that DHSC will lead on the development of a cross-departmental government strategy on this.

Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, starts by saying at the requiem mass for Sir David Amess there were many reflections on his kindness and decency. He says he hopes those qualities are reflected in the proceedings today.

And here are two of the more interesting columns in today’s papers on the situation in the Conservative party.

• Daniel Finkelstein in the Times (paywall) says it is absurd to expect Boris Johnson to change the way he operates. He says:

Just before Gordon Brown became prime minister I had lunch with Philip Gould, the strategic adviser who was central to the creation of New Labour, and reviewed what was to come. “Gordon knows he will have to change now,” he said. And the moment he said that I realised the whole thing was going to be a fiasco. Because people don’t change ...

Few people are less reliant upon their advisers than Johnson. People always say they want their politicians to write their own speeches and Peppa Pig is what happens when they do. Johnson finds it hard to let go of his script and doesn’t want to mouth platitudes written by someone else. So he scribbles all over the draft, shuffling the pages and adding in metaphors. It was a mess, but a genuine mess.

He also doesn’t have any close political friends, similar in age and status to him. He does have people who will tell him the truth to his face. That’s not the problem. The problem is whether he will listen, believing his own political instinct to be stronger than those of other people. I heard it said yesterday that it was the performance of someone who had lost confidence. This is utterly wrong. It was the performance of someone who has supreme confidence in their own ability. You’d have to have such confidence in order to wing it in front of the CBI.

• Sebastian Payne in the FT (paywall) says economic problems pose the biggest risk to the Conservatives.

While Farage and small boats are grabbing the most attention, another revolt on the right should not be Johnson’s chief fear. The bigger electoral challenges come from the fragile economy — rising inflation and interest rates, plus sluggish growth — and his seeming lack of governing grip, with a threat of winter shortages. Johnson’s policy outlook and style risks losing those voters his party picked up in 2005 and 2010. The battleground which may soon dominate British politics is the set of middle-class, middle-income, middle of the road, middle England seats which voted Tory because they were fed up with Labour. After 11 years in power, the cycle could be about to go into reverse.

As discussed earlier, there are plenty of stories in today’s papers relating to the Conservative party, and their ongoing difficulties. Here is a selection.

• Jason Groves in the Daily Mail says Boris Johnson’s allies are blaming the Treasury team for a hostile briefing given to the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg on Monday. He says:

Several sources yesterday pointed the finger at the unit’s chief Liam Booth-Smith, who is said to make little effort to disguise his disdain for the PM.

The former thinktank boss affects the same scruffy look as Mr [Dominic] Cummings and is said to share at least some of his criticisms of Mr Johnson.

One former colleague claimed he was ‘not discreet’ about his criticism of the PM.

Allies last night did not deny that Mr Booth-Smith has made disparaging remarks about Mr Johnson in the past, but insisted he is not the Chatty Pig.

One said that, far from being unhelpful, he had spent Monday afternoon ringing round MPs trying to help the Government win a crunch vote on social care. ‘This is not from Liam or anyone else at the Treasury,’ said one source. ‘That suggestion is just an attempt to deflect the blame.’

• The Telegraph says (paywall) there are claims that some Tory MPs have submitted letters to the chairman of the Conservative backbench 1922 Committee calling for a vote of confidence in Johnson.

One Tory whip told The Telegraph it was now an “assumption” that some disgruntled MPs had submitted no confidence letters to the 1922 Committee.

The committee, made up of Tory backbenchers, collects any no confidence letters. If 15 per cent of sitting Conservative MPs submit them, a leadership contest is triggered.

The Tory whip said: “There is an assumption someone has put in a letter. The rumour is persistently around. It will not get anywhere near the 50 letters you would need, but it does cause angst.”

A second Tory MP said several of the “usual suspects” were believed to have lost confidence in Mr Johnson and submitted letters.

• Harry Cole in the Sun says Johnson told Tory donors at an event last night: “We will cut taxes ... soon.”

• The Financial Times (paywall) says David Cameron lobbied a banker whom he had placed in the House of Lords on behalf of Greensill Capital. It says:

David Cameron lobbied Lloyds Banking Group to reverse a decision to cut ties with the ailing Greensill Capital, appealing to a board member whom he had ennobled while prime minister.

Cameron lobbied Lloyds in January, according to people familiar with the matter, when he contacted Lord James Lupton, a director of the bank who had previously been a Conservative party treasurer, in a successful attempt to persuade the bank to continue doing business with Greensill.

Lupton, Tory treasurer from 2013 to 2016, has donated more than £3m to the Conservative party and was appointed to the House of Lords in 2015, sparking accusations of cronyism against then-prime minister Cameron from rival politicians.

Cameron earned millions of pounds as a boardroom adviser to Greensill, the supply-chain finance company whose unravelling earlier this year dragged the former prime minister into Westminster’s biggest lobbying scandal for a generation.

Liz Kendall, the shadow social care minister, has announced that she will be taking maternity leave next year because she is having a baby through surrogacy.

The chancellor Rishi Sunak’s “tax cut for the low paid” announced in the October budget comes into force today with the promise that almost 2m low-income working households will get an average £1,000-a-year cash boost.

With many less affluent households struggling with a cost of living crisis driven by soaring food and energy bills, ministers will make much of the move, pointing out some beneficiaries will see an income boost before Christmas.

Sunak reduced the universal credit taper rate (the amount in benefits a claimant loses for each pound earned above the work allowance) from 63p to 55p in the pound – a policy actually floated two months prior to the budget by the Labour party.

The government move, costing £2.2bn, was supposedly a way to soften the blow to families of the reversal of the universal credit £20 a week uplift put in place for the first 18 months of the pandemic (a cut which saved the Treasury £6bn).

Critics point out the majority – 3m – families on universal credit will get zero financial benefit from Sunak’s taper rate “tax cut” adjustments – including those who can’t work, such as carers, parents of very young children, and sick and disabled people.

Meanwhile, latest data from the Trussell Trust highlights how the tide of UK destitution continues to rise. The trust’s UK food bank network gave out 935k food parcels between 1 April and 30 September – a 74% increase on the same period five years ago.

That’s the equivalent of 5,100 food parcels a day this year - up 11% on the same period in 2019 (though lower than 2020 lockdown crisis levels). And things aren’t getting any better: it expects to give out an average of 7,000 a day by December.