Rishi Sunak will face Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions today, as he seeks support over his new Brexit deal agreed with the European Union.
The agreement – dubbed the “Windsor Framework” – means most goods going from Great Britain to Northern Ireland will no longer need customs and regulatory checks as long as they are certified as not intended for the EU market.
The new deal must be voted through by UK Parliament to become official, but Sir Keir has already indicated the Labour Party will support it.
The deal will likely be a key topic of discussion at today’s PMQs, along with the long-running issue of strikes, as teachers in the East Midlands, West Midlands, and East of England walk out over pay. Here’s how to watch the session, and what to expect.
What time is PMQs today?
PMQs will take place on Wednesday 1 March starting as always at midday from the House of Commons. The session will last about half an hour.
How can I watch PMQs live?
You will be able to watch PMQs on a livestream here on this page. It will also be broadcast live on the UK Parliament YouTube channel.
PMQs airs live on BBC News and Sky News on TV, and is accessible online through BBC iPlayer and the Sky News live YouTube stream.
What should we expect from today’s PMQs?
Sir Keir will likely quiz the Prime Minister over his new Brexit deal, though he has already stated Labour will back it.
He said on Tuesday: “We’ve been working on these problems for a very, very long time and know what some of the solutions are.”
Mr Sunak is likely to find more opposition from Brexiteers within his own party and, most crucially, Northern Ireland’s unionist DUP.
Sir Jeffrey Donaldson, leader of the DUP, says the party would “take our time” deciding on whether to back the Windsor Framework.
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He told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Tuesday: “We recognise that progress has been made across a number of areas, about which we had concerns… the impact the Protocol had been having on businesses and consumers in Northern Ireland on our ability to access goods on our supply chains in Great Britain.”
Sir Keir may look to raise the issue of the economy, after launching details of his party’s “mission” to make the UK the fastest growing G7 economy.
He warned that, according to Labour analysis, Poland, Bulgaria and Romania could overtake the UK if current trends continue until 2040.
Asked by BBC News if he was talking down the UK with such comments, Sir Keir replied: “No, I think what’s talking down Britain is having absolutely no plan, burning through three prime ministers and four chancellors in one year.
“My main concern has been that we’ve got fantastic potential and talent and skills and innovation in Britain but we haven’t got the growth that we need. We need a plan for growth, a strategy for growth.”
