Prime Minister's Questions live: George Osborne given chance to show off leadership credentials as he makes PMQs debut

Follow the action here as the Chancellor takes on another PMQs debutant - Labour's shadow foreign secretary Hilary Benn

George Osborne makes his debut at Prime Minister's Questions (BBC)

George Osborne gets his big moment in the spotlight today as he stands in for David Cameron at Prime Minister’s Questions.

Follow all the action in the live blog below.

The Chancellor's debut at Prime Minister's Questions comes as:

• David Cameron is away visiting Italian and Belgium counterparts as he continues EU renegotiation bid

• David Cameron suffers his first Tory rebellion of the new government - just six weeks after the election

• Labour lost general election because it 'lost the grey vote', study finds

• Downing St is accused of deliberate attempt to avoid Freedom of Information requests

• Nigel Farage says he is 'prepared' to lead No campaign in EU referendum

• Out campaign to use small firms to counter pro-EU big business

• 'Bring back Ed Balls' jokes George Osborne as he mocks Labour's new shadow chancellor

• If Labour can't take on Osborne and win, he'll be PM in 2020