Starmer and Badenoch clash over economy at PMQs

Conservative person Kemi Badenoch has challenged Sir Keir Starmer implicit the government's handling of the economy, saying the UK was present "spending much connected indebtedness than connected schools and hospitals".

Speaking astatine Prime Minister's Questions, Badenoch told MPs: "His fund means less jobs, little maturation and higher borrowing costs", and she asked whether Chancellor Rachel Reeves was readying to rise taxes successful a March mini-budget.

Defending his chancellor, the premier curate said the government's fiscal rules were "iron clad", and the authorities "can't conscionable taxation and walk our mode retired of [the] problems".

And helium said Reeves would beryllium chancellor for "many, galore years to come".

Recent marketplace turbulence has meant the outgo of servicing UK indebtedness has risen, and the past fewer days person seen pressures connected the nationalist finances increase, aft authorities borrowing costs deed their highest level for respective years.

Attacking the Conservatives arsenic "economic vandals and fantasists", Sir Keir said his absorption was connected growth.

"They flatlined the system and near america with the worst outgo of surviving situation successful surviving past and a £22bn achromatic hole, truthful I won't beryllium taking acquisition connected the system from them," helium said.

Badenoch said the Office for Budget Responsibility "found nary specified achromatic hole" and said two-thirds of businesses person complained they volition request to rise prices arsenic a effect of Labour's archetypal budget, which raised nationalist security costs for employers.

"The premier curate claims helium has afloat assurance successful [Rachel Reeves] but the markets intelligibly bash not," she said, adding: "Labour congratulated themselves successful having the archetypal pistillate chancellor, alternatively of ensuring they had idiosyncratic who was qualified for the job."

The Conservative person besides highlighted that the PM has mislaid 2 ministers successful arsenic galore months, with the resignation of metropolis curate Tulip Siddiq, and the resignation of transport curate Louise Haigh astatine the extremity of November owed to an historical fraud conviction.

Sir Keir dismissed Badenoch's insults arsenic "cheap governmental points" and compared the resignations to the actions of the existent Conservative shadiness overseas secretary, Priti Patel, who remained successful station arsenic location caput despite being recovered to person breached the ministerial code.

And helium delivered his ain barb astatine the Tories' erstwhile person Liz Truss, who sent the PM a missive demanding Labour halt claiming she "crashed the economy" arsenic it was damaging her reputation.

Sir Keir said: "It wasn't written successful greenish ink but it mightiness arsenic good person been.

"It was really crashing the system that damaged her reputation."