Rishi Sunak blasts Keir Starmer over Labour's '£90bn black hole' in plans for UK economy
Rishi Sunak claims Labour has a "£90 billion black hole" in its spending plans
Parliament TV
Rishi Sunak claimed Labour has a "£90 billion black hole" in its spending plans as he blasted Sir Keir Starmer in the House of Commons.
During the first PMQs since the Tories lost nearly 1,000 councillors in local elections, the Prime Minister said Labour's Shadow Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, "has a lot of work to do".
Speaking to MPs, Sunak said: “We’re getting on with halving people’s energy bills, freezing fuel duty to help them with the cost of living.
"What is stopping him having a plan is that unfortunately his shadow chancellor recently said she’s discovered she’s got a problem.
Labour gained 635 councillors across England in last week’s polls
Parliament TV
“She realised that she actually, this is what she said, she actually has to, shock, horror, say where’s the money’s going to come from, with a £90 billion black hole in her plans, she’s got a lot of work to do.”
The Labour leader bounced back saying there was "only one party that broke the economy and they are sitting right there".
Starmer said that with Sunak "nothing has changed" and the Conservatives are "still blaming other people" rather than tackling the cost-of-living crisis.
He added: “It seems to me – to quote one of his more electorally successful predecessors, nothing has changed, still blaming other people, still refusing to take the necessary action, still not listening to the country."
The Prime Minister has been under pressure over recent days after the Tories shed 960 councillors across England in Thursday’s elections in a result approaching the party’s most pessimistic predictions.
Sunak has promised to work “night and day” to deliver, following the Conservatives’ dire performance.
During the debate in the Commons, Starmer said the Tories losing 1,000 seats in the local elections is “a Tory promise they haven’t actually broken.”
The Prime Minister responded: “It’s a bit rich to hear about mandates from the person who has broken every single promise he was elected on.
The Prime Minister said Labour's Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves 'has a lot of work to do'
PA
“I can go through the list: nationalisations, NHS outsourcing, universal credit, and now tuition fees. He was for them before he was against them. He’s not just Sir Softie, he’s Sir Flakey too.”
The Prime Minister accused Starmer of “all politics and no action”, adding: “While he is busy plotting coalitions, we are getting on and delivering for the British people.”
Labour gained 635 councillors across England in last week’s polls - winning control of councils in the Brexit-backing areas of Dover, Blackpool, Medway, Erewash, and Stoke.