All change at PMQs

Wednesday, July 24, 2024 Bad news for Badenoch It was all change in the Commons as Sir Keir Starmer and Rishi Sunak settled in for the first prime minister's questions since the general election.  The pair had swapped sides and Sir Keir found himself flanked by hundreds of new Labour MPs with women in red dresses and men in red ties.  By contrast Mr Sunak cut a lonely figure opposite the PM, having lost hundreds of his own colleagues on July 4.  But it was not just the makeup of parliament that had shifted. The tone from the two leaders was a world away from increasingly bitter pre-election PMQs.  Mr Sunak focused on foreign affairs, an area with broad cross-party consensus, while Sir Keir thanked his predecessor, repeatedly agreed with him and said he was grateful for the tone.  The session passed by without a hitch.  Quiz question What is the title of Kamala Harris's memoir? Answer at the bottom of today's email Support The Independent At The Independent, nobody tells us what to think; we make up our own mind and aren't afraid to do things differently. Like our readers, we value honesty and integrity above outside influences.   With your support, we challenge the status quo, uncover crucial stories, and amplify unheard voices. If you like what we do, do take out a subscription and help support the best quality online-only journalism. SUBSCRIBE: £1 FOR 6 MONTHS SUBSCRIBE: £1 FOR 6 MONTHS Daily briefing Keir Starmer accused of 'authoritarian control-freakery' over two-child benefit cap rebellion Keir Starmer removed the whip from long-standing figures including former shadow chancellor John McDonnell Labour MP urges Hilary Benn to 'rebuild strained relations' with EU after Brexit disruption The Northern Ireland secretary defended the Windsor Framework as an 'important step forward' James Cleverly enters race to become next Tory leader  James Cleverly said he wanted to 'unite' the Conservative Party after their historic electoral defeat What else you need to know today David Lammy is arriving in India after his cabinet colleague Jonathan Reynolds ordered officials in the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) to reopen trade talks with the country Pressure is mounting on the Labour government to rethink its policy on smartphones for under-16s, after a new survey of 10,000 parents saw more than half say they wish they had waited longer before handing the devices to their children   Yvette Cooper mysteriously failed to show up for a Sky News interview this morning, with presenter Wilfred Frost accusing the home secretary of bottling the appearance after Sir Keir's suspension of seven rebel Labour MPs The Independent View 'Difficult decisions' won't fix Britain's finances – we must all brace for higher taxes Politics explained Why have the Tories opted for such a long leadership election campaign? Short of money after a bruising election defeat, the party may seek to use the autumn conference as a platform for hustings, my colleague John Rentoul says...   Read more MOST COMMENTED Trump files to block Kamala Harris from accessing Biden war chest as Musk U-turns on $45m pledge Tomorrow inside the Westminster bubble Our political commentator Andrew Grice on what to look out for  The Commons meets at 9.30am for Cabinet Office questions.  The business of the day is a bill introduced by Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, to release offenders early to ease prison overcrowding. This will be followed by Lucy Powell, the leader of the Commons, introducing a new Code of Conduct for MPs, and setting up a committee to (further) modernise parliamentary procedures.  Vince Cable and Greg Clark, former business secretaries, appear at the Post Office inquiry. Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, will attend the G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on Thursday and Friday.  QUOTATION FOR THE DAY "To be honest, I am probably not the first person Britain's Olympians want to hear advice from on how to win."   Rishi Sunak in his first PMQs as leader of the opposition Quiz answer: The Truths We Hold: An American Journey The Independent proudly partners with Refuge and the National Domestic Abuse Helpline: 0808 2000 247 Join the conversation or follow us Download the free Independent app Please do not reply directly to this email   You are currently registered to receive The Independent's View From Westminster newsletter.   To unsubscribe from The Independent's View From Westminster newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here.   This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345 Read our privacy notice and cookie policy