Rishi Sunak will face Prime Minister’s Questions today ahead of the Chancellor, Jeremy Hunt, unveiling the 2023 Budget.
The Budget is likely to be the core focus of today’s session as the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, looks to poke holes in the Tories’ economic plans.
Sir Keir has challenged the Chancellor to get the UK “off this path of managed decline” ahead of the Budget, pointing to to data showing there are 3,000 fewer high-growth businesses in the UK than there were five years ago.
Here’s how to watch today’s PMQs and what you can expect.
What time is PMQs today?
PMQs will take place on Wednesday 15 March starting as always at midday from the House of Commons. The session will last about half an hour. The Chancellor will then unveil his Budget to MPs, starting at around 12.30pm.
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 criticised the Tories over the stalling economy ahead of a visit to a fuel cell manufacturing plant in Surrey on Monday. “These are challenging economic times. But I know the spirit of enterprise, of creativity, of endeavour are as present in Britain today as they ever have been,” he said.
“This week the Government has a real opportunity to show they have the ambition and competence to govern. Either they show some proper leadership and get our country off this path of managed decline or stand aside for an incoming Labour government.”
A central theme of the Chancellor’s Budget will be getting more people back into work. Mr Hunt is expected to announce an increase to the pension cap in a bid to stop professionals retiring early, and increases to childcare allowances for benefit claimants to enable parents to work more hours.
He is also set to increase corporation tax, and confirm the extension of the energy price guarantee until June – though Labour has contested how this will be funded.
Labour has been pushing for the existing windfall tax on oil and gas giants to be strengthened and backdated in order to pay for the help, but the Prime Minister is reluctant to do this.
Away from the Budget, this will be Sir Keir’s first chance to question the Prime Minister since the row over Gary Lineker and the Government’s new immigration policy erupted last week.
The Labour leader criticised the BBC for “caving to whingeing Tories by suspending the Match of the Day host for Saturday’s show.
Wednesday will also see half a million workers across various sectors strike in disputes over pay and conditions. Teachers, junior doctors, civil servants and Tube workers are among those walking out.
