Prime Minister apologises for 'overly rude' comment that North Wales MP 'talks rubbish'
During Tuesday's session at the despatch box, where he answered queries regarding the UK-EU deal, the Prime Minister extended an apology to Liz Saville Roberts, the Plaid Cymru Westminster leader and MP for Dwyfor Meirionnydd, reports PA.
Ms Saville Roberts addressed the Commons highlighting: "The Prime Minister once argued and we quote, 'we should retain the benefits of the single market'."
She then posed a question to reflect on his past views, asking, "Given his recent tendency to dismiss the views of others, what would he say to his younger self?".
To this Sir Keir responded with candour: "I think last week I was overly rude and I apologise." He continued, affirming respect for his colleague: "I do respect the honourable member."
Responding to her question, the Prime Minister described "red lines" on the single market in Labour's 2024 manifesto and added the Government had "kept those red lines and delivered a very good deal".
At last week's Prime Minister's Questions (PMQs), Ms Saville Roberts asked Sir Keir about a speech he made to launch the Government's Immigration White Paper.
She said Sir Keir "once spoke of compassion and dignity for migrants, and for defending free movement" but added he now "talks of 'islands of strangers' and 'taking back control'".
Ms Saville Roberts asked: "It seems the only principle he consistently defends is whichever he last heard in a focus group. So I ask him, is there any belief he holds which survives a week in Downing Street?" The Prime Minister replied: "Yes, the belief that she talks rubbish."
He also told the Commons: "I want to lead a country where we pull together and walk into the future as neighbours and as communities, not as strangers, and the loss of control of migration by the last government put all of that at risk, and that's why we're fixing the system based on principles of control, selection and fairness."
Launching the Immigration White Paper last week, Sir Keir said in a speech that "nations depend on rules – fair rules" and added: "Without them, we risk becoming an island of strangers, not a nation that walks forward together."
He said the strategy – including tougher English language requirements and a university degree threshold for skilled worker visa applicants – would help "take back control" of Britain's borders and "close the book on a squalid chapter for our politics, our economy and our country".
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
STV News
27 minutes ago
- STV News
Vance plays golf on Trump's Turnberry course during holiday in Scotland
US vice-president JD Vance has been playing golf at one of Donald Trump's golf courses on the first morning of his holiday in Scotland. Vance landed at Prestwick Airport in South Ayrshire on Wednesday evening before travelling to the luxury Carnell Estate near Kilmarnock. On Thursday morning he was at the Trump Turnberry resort on the Ayrshire coast and spent time playing on the golf course. It comes after the US president's own visit to Scotland last month, when he split his stay between Turnberry and his golf resort in Aberdeenshire. Vance was greeted by dozens of pro-Palestine protesters when he arrived at the Carnell Estate on Wednesday. The demonstrators waved Palestine flags and shouted pro-Palestine chants. Airspace restrictions are in place around the estate until Sunday. Vance will reportedly spend five days in Scotland – the same amount of time his boss Trump did during his trip to the country last month. Police Scotland previously said they have plans in place for a 'significant police operation' during Vance's time in Scotland. Vance had been holidaying in the Cotswolds but travelled to foreign secretary David Lammy's Chevening House retreat in Kent on Friday and joined him for some carp fishing. On Wednesday, Vance described the UK-US relationship as 'a beautiful alliance' during a speech at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
The Guardian
28 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Thames Water says new Abingdon reservoir could cost bill payers up to £7.5bn
Struggling Thames Water has said a new reservoir in Oxfordshire could cost more than three times the original budget, pushing the eventual cost to be covered by water bill payers to as much as £7.5bn. In a blow to government plans for an expansion in the number of reservoirs across south-east England, the heavily indebted utility said a review of the Abingdon project had sent the estimated cost of construction from £2.2bn to between £5.5bn and £7.5bn. Only last year, Thames told the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) that its assessment of likely costs was 'robust'. But the company has now told regulators that further tests, including of the ground and local waterways, had shown the final bill would be more than twice, and possibly three times, the current forecast. If the reservoir goes ahead, customers will pick up the tab. About half the costs are due to be recovered from Thames Water's 16 million customers across London and the south-east, with Affinity Water and Southern Water customers sharing the rest. Thames customers already face a 35% increase in bills over the next five years under a settlement by the sector regulator Ofwat, while those with Affinity face a 26% lift and with Southern the rise is 53%. The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has pledged to build nine major reservoirs – the country's first in 30 years – in her determination to take on 'the blockers' opposing construction projects and renew the UK's ageing infrastructure. In an article published in the Guardian this week, she said the government wanted to 'break down the planning system to get Britain building'. Ministers have backed the scheme, which will be capable of holding 150bn litres of water in an area the size of Gatwick airport, after assessments found Thames will need to find an extra 1bn litres of water every day by 2050. Regulators have accepted that Thames Water would be unable to reduce leaks or redirect watercourses to mitigate this extra usage as part of a 50-year plan. Last year, the Abingdon reservoir was designated as a nationally significant infrastructure project and fast-tracked through planning approval without a public inquiry. The move prompted local campaigners to challenge the decision in the high court, but the appeal was rejected last month. Derek Stork, the chair of the Group Against Reservoir Development, said Thames must have known 10 months ago when it responded to a Defra request for more financial details that its costs had risen steeply. Stork, a retired former head of technology at the Atomic Energy Authority, said Thames must also have been informed of the rising costs when it defended the civil action earlier this summer brought by local residents and the countryside charity CPRE. 'We predicted this would happen, but even I am astonished by the increase to £7.5bn,' he said. Sign up to Business Today Get set for the working day – we'll point you to all the business news and analysis you need every morning after newsletter promotion The reservoir has proved controversial after Thames Water said it would need to build walls up to 25 metres high to contain the mass of water inside. Local streams that run across the land will also need to be redirected close to homes in nearby villages, increasing the likelihood of local flooding, it is claimed. Most reservoirs are built in natural valleys or on substantial areas of clay, which are in short supply in the south-east of England. Thames Water said the reservoir remained a priority project despite the increase in costs. Nevil Muncaster, the firm's strategic water resources director, said: ''[Today] we published our Gate Three report for our proposed reservoir in Oxfordshire, in line with the regulatory process that we are following for its design and development. 'The report marks a critical milestone in our development of the reservoir. It reflects the extensive work we have done to evolve our proposed design and better understand what it will take to deliver it. 'Working through the development process, we are applying lessons from other major projects in the UK, wherever we are able. This has included providing an update on what we expect the reservoir to cost as early as possible and well before construction, when it becomes difficult to adapt to revisions. 'The reservoir is a critical piece of infrastructure for meeting future water demand in the south-east and remains one of the preferred options in our water resource management plan which sets out our strategy to protect water supply for the next 50 years and beyond.'' Thames has submitted the review amid a desperate struggle to avoid collapse. It has amassed a £20bn debt pile and a deal with private equity firm KKR to inject £4bn of funds to keep the company afloat was abandoned in June. The company's creditors have put forward a rescue plan contingent on regulators agreeing to waive hundreds of millions of pounds in sewage pollution fines. This week it emerged that Steve Reed, the environment secretary, has appointed City insolvency advisers to prepare for the company's potential collapse into a special administration regime (SAR) – a form of temporary nationalisation. It was also reported that if that situation arises, the Hong Kong infrastructure company CKI is a frontline contender to buy the company out of an SAR.
Telegraph
28 minutes ago
- Telegraph
Charity reported for asking children to write Valentine's Day cards to asylum seekers
The organisation behind the Valentine's Day cards to asylum seekers initiative in schools has been reported to the charities watchdog. The Schools of Sanctuary charity has run a programme in primary schools where pupils as young as five are asked to write Valentine's Day cards to asylum seekers. One group of children created heart-shaped messages with slogans such as 'You are welcome here'. Sir Gavin Williamson, the former Tory education secretary, has written to the Charity Commission urging it to investigate Schools of Sanctuary, a branch of the City of Sanctuary charity. He claimed the organisation is 'engaging in political activity and campaigning that is not consistent with its charitable purpose'. A spokesman for the watchdog confirmed that it was assessing a complaint into 'alleged political activity' linked to City of Sanctuary. The watchdog is currently at the early stages of its assessment and has not yet drawn any conclusions. The Schools of Sanctuary said on its website that it is 'a registered charity and therefore apolitical. 'Our primary focus is the dignity and humanity of individuals seeking safety and the creation of a kinder, more compassionate society – not the politics surrounding immigration policies,' it said. 'Overtly political activity' But Sir Gavin told the watchdog there were 'numerous examples of instances' where he claimed the charity was acting politically, including the Valentine's Day scheme. 'It encourages its beneficiaries to engage in overtly political activity: for example, a post on its website encourages schoolchildren to send Valentine's Day cards to asylum seekers, with examples depicting slogans such as 'Stop the Rwanda scheme'.' The former Cabinet minister also cited charity literature that said 'the UK asylum system is deliberately hostile' to asylum seekers, and that Government legislation contributed to 'feeding [...] racism and stressing community cohesion'. If the Charity Commission decides to launch an inquiry and it finds misconduct, it can order a charity to take steps to remedy its actions. The Birmingham branch of the Schools of Sanctuary group shared a group on its X account which showed images of three pupils holding a large card, which the network says will 'be given to refugee recipients'.
