LIVE: British Prime Minister Starmer takes questions in parliament
TL;DR
Prime Minister Keir Starmer defended Labour's welfare reforms and cost-of-living measures while facing intense criticism from the opposition over defense readiness amid Iranian attacks on UK bases, insisting on lawful military action and prioritizing civilian evacuations over immediate offensive strikes.
🏠 Domestic Welfare and Cost of Living 3 insights
Abolition of two-child benefit cap
Labour scrapped the policy affecting 69,000 children in Wales and 1,700 in individual constituencies, projecting it will lift over 500,000 children out of poverty by 2030.
Interest rate and wage interventions
The government highlighted six interest rate cuts since the election alongside cheaper energy bills and minimum wage increases benefiting 60,000 Welsh workers.
Universal Credit and pension increases
Ministers announced the first permanent real terms increase to Universal Credit benefiting Welsh households and an increase to the state pension.
🌍 Defense and Middle East Crisis 4 insights
Iranian attacks on UK bases confirmed
Starmer confirmed attacks on British facilities in Cyprus and Bahrain, stating F-35 and Typhoon jets are defending regional partners including Qatar while HMS Dragon and Wildcat helicopters deploy to the Mediterranean.
Refusal to join US offensive strikes
Despite pressure to authorize RAF strikes on Iranian missile sites, Starmer refused to join the war without a lawful basis and a 'viable thought through plan,' relying on US operations from UK bases instead.
Civilian evacuation operations
Over 1,000 British nationals returned from the UAE on commercial flights with additional charter flights departing Oman later today and more planned in coming days.
Defense spending dispute
Starmer announced £270 billion defense spending over the parliament while opponents accused the government of cutting £2.6 billion from the MOD budget this year and delaying the defense investment plan until March 2026.
🚜 Agriculture and Economic Development 3 insights
Welsh farming support package
The government highlighted £337 million in Welsh farming support and defended against accusations of an 'anti-farming agenda' regarding family farm taxation while streamlining export bureaucracy.
TB vaccine research and EU trade
Starmer discussed ongoing EU SPS agreement negotiations concerning Aberystwyth University's BCG cattle TB vaccine research alongside trade deals with India and South Korea.
Manufacturing skills levy
The Growth and Skills Levy will deliver over £700 million to support thousands of apprenticeships in engineering sectors facing an aging workforce where one-third of engineers are over 60.
Bottom Line
Starmer prioritized lawful defensive military positioning and civilian evacuations over offensive action in the Middle East while defending Labour's welfare reforms against Conservative criticism.
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