Politics latest: Starmer repeatedly avoids questions on Mandelson as Badenoch presses him over scandal at PMQs

Political editor David Maddox writes:

The Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey seems to have gone off piste during PMQs to ask about the UK building its own nuclear weapons and GB News.

He is currently facing his own whispering campaign from Lib Dem MPs who are concerned about his leadership and failure to make a breakthrough with the public.

His fondness for fringe topics is part of the problem.

No wonder Sir Ed is advertising for a new chief of staff who will be “responsible for short, medium and long term strategy”.

Apart from falling into water and dancing at conferences there seems to be little strategy at the moment.

Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:

The Tory leader has pushed on the bruise that is Angela Rayner for Keir Starmer.

In response to attacks on her leadership from Sir Keir, Kemi Badenoch told the Labour leader: “The PM wants to talk about my leadership. I’m shocked, because his former deputy has just fired the starting gun on the race to replace him, for this weak man to be replaced by a strong woman.”

Last night Ms Rayner warned Labour is “running out of time” to deliver change and cannot “go through the motions in the face of decline”, in a speech at an event held by the campaign group Mainstream.

To add to Sir Keir’s woes, Ms Rayner’s comments were defended by the Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, also seen as a possible successor to the PM, who said she had raised a “moral question” about new immigration curbs.

Sir Keir Starmer has repeated his pledge that the UK “will not be drawn into the wider war” in the Middle East.

The PM told the Commons: “I want to see this war end as quickly as possible. The longer it continues, the bigger the impact on the cost of living.”

Political editor David Maddox reports:

This is a good PMQs for Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and a bad one for Keir Starmer.

She has noted that three times she asked him if he spoke to Mandelson about the vetting documents ahead of his appointment as ambassador to the US and three times he just changed topic and refused to answer.

The PM is desperately trying to pin questions over issues in the Tories on Iran or Islamophobia rather than answer questions about his conduct or judgement.

The problem for Starmer is that it just looks evasive and a little embarrassing as a man who appears to have no answers to the questions about his leadership and judgement.

So bad is his performance that the Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has intervened to remind him “it’s not opposition questions”.

Political editor David Maddox reports:

Kemi Badenoch smells blood on the ongoing scandal regarding the appointment of Peter Mandelson as ambassador to the US.

She asked him directly whether he had a personal meeting with Mandelson before his appointment.

She lists all the things that the vetting process came up with including his relationship to the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.

The reason she is going after this issue is because of the gaps in the documents published so far including the apparent removal of Sir Keir’s written remarks on concerns being raised.

Sir Keir seems unwilling to directly answer the questions and instead talk about Ms Badenoch’s judgement on the war with Iran.

Political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Sir Keir Starmer has paid tribute to the two young people who died of meningitis in Kent this week, urging anyone who attended a nightclub in Canterbury on specific dates in March to come forward to receive antibiotics.

Opening PMQs, the prime minister said: “Our deepest condolences are with the families and friends of the two young people who have died following the outbreak of meningitis B in Kent. Others are seriously ill and this will be a deeply difficult time for their loved ones.

“Mr Speaker, health experts are working to identify close contacts and distribute antibiotics, and will begin a targeted vaccination programme in the coming days.

“And can I take this opportunity to ask anyone who attended Club Chemistry on March 5th, 6th or 7th to come forward please to receive antibiotics.”

Sir Keir Starmer has called for de-escalation in the Middle East as “the quickest way to reduce the cost of living”.

He told MPs: “Anyone who advocated for the UK to rush headlong into the offensive without a clear picture of what it meant for our forces, or without thinking through the economic impact for families, should stand up and apologise.”

Sir Keir Starmer is facing MPs at PMQs today.

The Middle East conflict and its domestic impact are likely to dominate the agenda.

Kemi Badenoch’s party will use an opposition day debate to call for “real interest” on student loans to be stopped, as well as calling for the salary repayment threshold to be lifted. It comes after the chancellor suggested the issue was not a priority for the government.

Political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:

Athena Stavrou reports from North London:

Zack Polanski was asked once again about his comments suggesting hypnosis could increase a woman’s breast size.

The current Green Party leader made the controversial remark to a Sun newspaper journalist in 2013 before entering politics.

The Green Party leader said he “apologised 13 years ago” when he first made the comments and “I apologise again”.

“And I think people largely see that we’re more than one mistake….I think it’s important when you make mistakes that own up to it, and I apologise for that.”