Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

As it happenedended

PMQs live: May challenged by MPs over Brexit 'shambles'

Theresa May is taking questions from MPs in the House of Commons, with Brexit and the election of Donald Trump set to dominate 

Benjamin Kentish
Wednesday 16 November 2016 12:49 GMT
Comments
Theresa May said her government was pursuing the "best possible deal" on Brexit
Theresa May said her government was pursuing the "best possible deal" on Brexit (House of Commons)

Main headlines:

Theresa May is facing questions from MPs at the weekly session of Prime Minister's Questions, with Brexit once again likely to dominate.

Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn may highlight a leaked memo from Deloitte claiming the Government is lacking a plan for Brexit - a suggestion that was angrily dismissed by Number Ten. Mr Corbyn could also pick up on the Foreign Secretary, Boris Johnson, revealing in an interview with a Czech newspaper that the UK is "likely" to leave the EU customs market.

Mrs May is likely to have up her sleeve some quotes from yesterday's speech by John McDonnell, the Shadow Chancellor. Mr McDonnell said people needed to "be more positive about Brexit" - a line the Prime Minister may deploy should Mr Corbyn go on the attack over the EU.

Mr Corbyn may also ask about housing, with the Labour-commissioned Redfern Review into declining home ownership today reporting that falling incomes are largely to blame.

Other topics likely to be raised with the Prime Minister include the chaos surrounding the child abuse inquiry, with another of the investigation's lawyers reportedly having quit over concerns about the probe, and the UK's likely relationship with Donald Trump. Labour MPs may also demand the Prime Minister rules out introducing charges for NHS treatments after her health minister refused to dismiss the idea.

Liberal Democrat leader Tim Farron is looking very frustrated at not being called to ask a question. He is likely to want to push the Prime Minister on Article 50 and re-iterate his calls for a second EU referendum.

Kristin Hugo16 November 2016 12:39

Headline alert: "Such matters are normally never discussed in public." PM to George Kerevan on a peerage for Farage #PMQs

John Rentoul16 November 2016 12:42

Labour's Lisa Nandy says the government must "get a grip" on the child abuse inquiry that Theresa May set up when she was Home Secretary. The inquiry has lost three chairs and eight lawyers since it was created, Nandy says. The PM says the inquiry must continue and praises its current chair, Alexis Jay.

Kristin Hugo16 November 2016 12:45

The Prime Minister refuses to confirm or deny whether conversations have taken place about giving Nigel Farage a peerage. "Such matters are never normally discussed in public", she adds with a smile.

Kristin Hugo16 November 2016 12:49

That's it for this week's PMQs. More next Wednesday, with questions from MPs over Brexit showing no sign of going away.

Kristin Hugo16 November 2016 12:51

Join our commenting forum

Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies

Comments

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in