PMQs: Sunak wins … as Starmer calls him prime minister

Prime minister’s questions: a shouty, jeery, very occasionally useful advert for British politics. Here’s what you need to know from the latest session in POLITICO’s weekly run-through.

What they sparred about: Conservative Leader Rishi Sunak had plenty to go on as speculation swirls in Westminster about budget tax-hikes — and as Keir Starmer’s government continues to bat away questions on freebies. But Sunak opted for a curveball, picking global affairs as Foreign Secretary David Lammy prepares for a China trip. Will Lammy use his visit to condemn China over aggressive exercises in the crucial Taiwan strait?

Critical friend? Starmer said Beijing’s activity in the strait is “not conducive to peace and stability.” But he trotted out a familiar refrain, balancing co-operation on issues like climate change while vowing to challenge China on human rights. Bookmark this page and see if it actually happens. Pressed on China’s detention of Hong Kong publisher Jimmy Lai, Starmer agreed the jailing was “politically motivated” — and answered in the affirmative when grilled on whether the government will sanction any Chinese business involved in Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

Lobbying rumble: Sunak pressed the PM on why Britain’s overseas lobbying register, meant to shield the U.K. from interference from foreign states has been “halted” under the new government. The set-up has been years in the making and was supposed to put the U.K.’s rules into line with allies like Australia and the U.S. But the Home Office said last month that it is “no longer expected that the scheme’s requirements will come into force in 2024.”

But but but: Starmer said the claim was “not correct.” Sunak insisted his question was indeed correct. So that’s all sorted then. One for intrepid lobby journalists to dig into.

Back to normal: The Tory leader then further cheered up his diminished band of backbenchers by going after the PM on a subject dear to their hearts: freedom of speech on campus. “British universities are increasingly a rich feeding ground for China to exert political influence,” Sunak said, and asked why the government had ditched Tory legislation on the subject. Starmer shot back: “I really don’t think party political points on national security are at all appropriate.” Party political points at PMQs? Never!

Nothing new under the sun: If any further proof was needed that PMQs is scripted, Starmer’s final answer saw him happily trot some … party political points on how Labour will — all together now — “fix the foundations” to “grow our economy” and “rebuild our country.”

Helpful intervention of the week: Labour’s Teesside MP Luke Myer celebrated investment in carbon capture and claimed to have met normal people applauding the government’s plans. That let Starmer bang on about his big investment summit earlier this week.

Unhelpful gaffe of the week: He’s only been doing this for 100 days now, but you’d think Keir Starmer might have learned he’s actually in charge. In an unfortunate slip of the tongue, however, Starmer called Sunak “prime minister.”

Totally unscientific scores on the doors: Starmer 6/10 … Sunak 8/10. Sunak just edged it. Although he studiously avoided the open goal of Labour’s pre-budget tax speculation and isn’t exactly getting his defeated troops cheering the house down, the PM had some awkward questions as the government tries to keep a lid on criticism of its China policy and gently re-engages with Beijing. The outgoing Tory leader has just two sessions left before he leaves the stage. Is he getting quite good at this?