Sir Jacob Ress-Mogg suggested Reform UK was responding to Kemi Badenoch’s Tory conference speech after Nigel Farage’s party abandoned previous tax-cutting pledges.

Speaking on GB News, the ex-Conservative MP said: “Is Reform finally serious about becoming the party of government? For a party once defined by protest politics and populist pledges akin to the Liberal Democrats, it now claims to be moving towards what Nigel Farage calls ‘rigorous and fully-costed policy’.

“Just a year ago, Reform’s manifesto pledged £90 billion in tax cuts, the promise to reduce taxes for working people. It promised to raise the personal allowance to £20,000, lifting the higher rate threshold to £70,000, while scrapping inheritance tax on estates under £2 million.

“It was ambitious, but according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies, unrealistic.

“Now, Mr Farage has said a government led by him would not make tax cuts before cutting public spending, shrinking the civil service and ending the practice of borrowing to fund government spending.

“This is a significant shift from Reform’s original tactics, and a sign that reform knows it needs to sound credible and practical. It wants to be more than a protest party.

“But the question must be asked, would Reform be talking this week about fiscal restraint and responsibility and credibility if the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch hadn’t announced last week a fully-funded Stamp Duty cut alongside £47 billion in expenditure savings and concentrating on fiscal responsibility and economic competence?”

Kemi Badenoch said the handling of the alleged spying case brought into question Sir Keir Starmer’s ability to keep the country safe.

The Conservative leader said: “This House deserves better than the evasive answers that we have had from the Prime Minister.”

Mrs Badenoch continued: “He’s blaming his civil servants, he’s blaming the media, he’s blaming the last government, he cannot explain why he could not see this case through. He should have seen this case through, and let me be clear, a serious case involving national security has collapsed because this Government is too weak to stand up to China.

“And if the Prime Minister cannot protect the members of this House, what does that say about his ability to protect this country?”

Kemi pointing at Starmer and repeatedly saying “withdraw” as he leaves the Commons amid allegations he misquoted James Cleverly in China row

James Cleverly says Keir Starmer has misquoted him. Who’s right? Here are the comments:

Keir Starmer today: “The then foreign secretary sitting, I think, over here (Mr Cleverly), one month after arrest, so absolutely the relevant time, gave a speech at Mansion House. It was called ‘Our Position on China’, setting out the government’s policy. He said in that speech, summing up China as a ‘threat’ in one word would be, his words, ‘impossible, impractical and most importantly, unwise’.”

James Cleverly in 2023: “I’m often asked to express that policy in a single phrase, or to sum up China itself in one word, whether ‘threat’, or ‘partner’, or ‘adversary’. And I want to start by explaining why that is impossible, impractical and – most importantly – unwise.”

“I have been misquoted” says James Cleverly, the former Conservative foreign secretary. He says Labour claims he said it was “unwise” to call China a “threat”.

Sir James said he actually said it was “unwise” to attempt to sum up China in one word.

Keir Starmer is asked about Nathan Gill, former leader of Reform in Wales, who took bribes to make statements in favour of Russia while a Member of the European Parliament and pleaded guilty to eight counts of bribery between 6 December 2018 and 18 July 2019.

The Prime Minister calls Reform “Putin’s cronies”

The Prime Minister is arguing the spy case collapsed because the last Conservative government did not call China an enemy.

Sir Keir Starmer has accused Kemi Badenoch of “playing politics with national security”, as the Conservative leader said the alleged “spies were charged under a Conservative government – they were let off under Labour”.

Responding to Mrs Badenoch’s first question, Sir Keir said: “I notice she didn’t indicate whether ministers were involved in that at the time.”

To protests from James Cleverly on the Opposition front bench, the Prime Minister also told the Commons: “The then foreign secretary sitting, I think, over here (Mr Cleverly), one month after arrest, so absolutely the relevant time, gave a speech at Mansion House. It was called ‘Our Position on China’, setting out the government’s policy. He said in that speech, summing up China as a ‘threat’ in one word would be, his words, ‘impossible, impractical and most importantly, unwise’.”

Sir Keir later added: “It wasn’t just him. The leader of the Opposition (Mrs Badenoch) was business secretary at the time. In September ’23, the leader of the Opposition said, her words, September ’23, the relevant year, her words, ‘we should certainly not be describing China as a foe’.

“It’s worth looking up the word ‘foe’ in the dictionary.”

The Prime Minister referred to comments which Mrs Badenoch made in September 2024, when she said “I have shied away from calling China a threat”, and added: “She is playing politics with national security.”

Mrs Badenoch replied: “Let me finish that quote. At the end of that quote, that he just read out, I did describe China as a ‘threat’. But this whataboutery that he is doing neglects the fact those spies were charged under a Conservative government – they were let off under Labour.”

Keir Starmer says “we certainly won’t be following the leader of the opposition” when asked if he will adopt the Tory policy of abolishing stamp duty

The Prime Minister is asked why he is failing to campaign in Caerphilly, where a by-election takes place next week. He responds by saying Welsh party Plaid Cymru “should be honest” about the cost of their policies.

Kemi Badenoch has responded to Sir Keir Starmer’s statement at the beginning of Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) by saying it “answers no questions”.

The Conservative Party leader told the Commons: “Exactly as I expected, the Prime Minister had to be dragged out at the top of PMQs to give a statement that answers no questions.”

Mrs Badenoch later added: “He had to be dragged out to repeat only more obfuscation. It is simply unbelievable that he is trying to say the last government did not classify China as a threat.”

She referred to several comments made in 2021 and 2024, attributed to the previous Conservative government, and added: “In 2022, the director general of MI5 in November classified China as a threat in his remarks. How is it possible that the Government failed to provide the evidence that the CPS needed to prosecute?”

Sir Keir replied: “The substantive evidence was provided in 2023 by the previous government. That is when the witness statement was submitted.

“I am going to disclose it, they will all be able to read it.”

The Government will publish the witness statement it submitted as part of the China spy case, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions, he said: “Last night, the Crown Prosecution Service clarified that, in their view, the decision whether to publish the witness statements of the (deputy national security adviser) is for the Government.

“I therefore carefully considered this question this morning, and after legal advice, I have decided to publish the witness statement.

“Given the information contained, we will conduct a short process. But I want to make clear, I intend to publish the witness statements in full.

“Let me say this, had the Conservatives been quicker in updating our legislation, a review that started in 2015, these individuals could have been prosecuted, and we would not be where we are now.”

Labour MP Baggy Shanker says “nasty Tory austerity” is responsible for knife crime in Derby.

Who would have thought Labour has been in power for more than a year with a massive majority?

Keir Starmer continues to blame the previous government and says Kemi Badenoch’s questions are “a pathetic spectacle”

“A serious case involving national security has collapsed because this government is too weak to stand up to China” says Kemi Badenoch

“This all stinks of a cover up”, says Kemi Badenoch.

She asks the PM to publish the meeting minutes and all the correspondence he has with the Crown Prosecution Service.

“I will have the statements out in full” says Keir Starmer. But he says there are “rules” about minutes of a meeting – in other words saying he won’t publish them.

Kemi Badenoch asks about reports that Jonathan Power, the PM’s National Security Adviser ‘convened a secret meeting’ to discuss the case.

Keir Starmer confirms there was a meeting, but that did not involve discussing the evidence related to the case.

The Prime Minister says he will publish witness statements from 2023 in full.

Tory Tom Tugendhat reportedly shouting “rubbish” at Starmer

Our Political Editor Martyn Brown is in the Chamber. He reports lots of angry Tories – James Cleverly, James Cartlidge, Chris Philp going bananas.

Kemi Badenoch says the alleged spies were charged under the last government, and the case collapsed under this one.

Shadow Ministrer Neil O’Brien takes seat next to Kemi to quickly brief her on Starmer’s China announcement.

Mrs Badenoch says it is “simply unbelievable” that Starmer is trying to blame the last government for the collapse of a case against people accused of spying on MPs.

She says China was repeatedly classed “as a threat” by the last Conservative government. She asks “how is it possible” that the Government failed to disclose evidence to the Crown Prosecution Service.

Starmer says evidence was submitted in 2023 (ie under the last Conservative government).

And he insists that Sir James Cleverly, the former Tory foreign secretary and now shadow communities secretary, had given a speech saying it was “unwise” to call China a threat, while Kemi Badenoch herself said China should not be called “a foe” says Sir Keir.

The Prime Minister says Government statements, when Conservatives were in government, were “careful” not to describe China as an enemy. He says this is why the spy trial could not go ahead.

The Prime Minister has condemned the death threats against Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and welcomed “the justice that has been done” after a man was convicted – Mr Farage was seen mouthing “thank you” in response

Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle welcomes the Chairman of the Parliament of Ukraine, who is listening to events

Q1 Tom Rutland (East Worthing and Shoreham)If he will list his official engagements for Wednesday 15 October. (905713)

Q2 Sir Julian Smith (Skipton and Ripon) (905714)

Q3 Mr Peter Bedford (Mid Leicestershire) (905715)

Q4 Baggy Shanker (Derby South) (905716)

Q5 Rebecca Smith (South West Devon) (905717)

Q6 Alex McIntyre (Gloucester) (905718)

Q7 Tom Gordon (Harrogate and Knaresborough) (905719)

Q8 Lloyd Hatton (South Dorset) (905720)

Q9 Susan Murray (Mid Dunbartonshire) (905721)

Q10 Ben Goldsborough (South Norfolk) (905722)

Q11 Sam Rushworth (Bishop Auckland) (905723)

Q12 Jim Dickson (Dartford) (905724)

Q13 Kirith Entwistle (Bolton North East) (905726)

Q14 John Whitby (Derbyshire Dales) (905727)

A group of MPs has written to housing minister Matthew Pennycook to raise a series of questions about the Government’s approach to ensuring new homes are accessible.

Florence Eshalomi MP, Chair of the Housing, Communities and Local Government (HCLG) Committee said: “Successive governments have been dithering over this question for too long. We need more homes, but they must be the right homes; homes our country needs.

“The number of people aged over 85 and over is expected to double before 2050.

“More and more people are living with a disability each year.

“When only 13% of homes in England meet accessibility criteria that helps make a home visitable for most people, it’s clear we have a long way to go to put things right.”

Elsewhere today, Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood will warn ministers have lost control of Britain’s borders.

And Ms Mahmood will admit they are struggling to stop Channel crossings.

The Home Secretary is expected to say today: “The public rightly expect that their government will be able to determine who enters their country, and who must leave. Today, in this country, and I know in many if not all of yours, that is not the case.”

Shadow minister Neil O’Brien has criticised the government for their handling of a case against two men accused of spying for China.

Kemi Badenoch’s Conservative Party has been pressing ministers over their handling of the collapsed trial of Christopher Cash, a former parliamentary researcher, and Christopher Berry, a teacher.

Both men, who deny wrongdoing, had been accused of passing secrets to China, but charges against them were dropped last month.

Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald is understood to have been prepared to publish a Government witness statement central to the withdrawal of espionage charges against the men.

Sources within the Government had claimed the Cabinet Secretary – the country’s most senior civil servant – had gone to the CPS to discuss the publication of the witness statement by Matthew Collins, the deputy national security adviser.

It was that statement the CPS deemed did not meet the threshold for proceeding with the trial of the two alleged spies because it did not show China posed a threat to national security at the time the alleged offences occurred.

Prosecutors concluded during their meeting with Civil Service chief Mr Wormald that publishing the evidence outside of a courtroom would be “inappropriate”, senior sources said.

But a CPS spokesperson denied the Government’s claims.

Shadow Chancellor Sir Mel Stride blasted the economic chaos under Labour.

He said: “Last year Rachel Reeves raised taxes by £40 billion. She said she wouldn’t come back for more.

“Now the Chancellor has confirmed she’s about to break her promise. Rachel Reeves doesn’t need to raise taxes.

“She needs to get a grip of government spending – including the welfare bill. Be in no doubt, this tax doom loop is down to the Chancellor’s economic mismanagement.

“Under Rachel Reeves we have seen inflation double, debt balloon, borrowing costs at a 27-year high, and taxes up – with more pain on the way in the autumn.

“A theme is emerging: when the numbers don’t add up, it’s never Rachel Reeves’ fault – but it’s always your family that pays the price.”

Sir Keir Starmer will face a Commons grilling over the China spy case, after his Government and the Crown Prosecution Service clashed over the release of vital evidence.

The Prime Minister is beset with mounting pressure over his administration’s handling of the collapsed case, after No 10 accused the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) of having blocked the publication of a crucial witness statement.

The CPS hit back, and insisted it was entirely up to the Government to release the evidence if it wanted to.

The latest twist in the row is likely to come under scrutiny at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday.

Chancellor Rachel Reeves comments about tax hikes comes as she heads to the United States for the International Monetary Fund (IMF) meeting.

The IMF warned UK inflation is set to surge to the highest in the G7 group of developed democracies in 2025 and 2026.

The IMF increased its UK economic growth forecast for this year but reduced its assessment for 2026 amid concerns over the labour market.

Britain is set to be the second fastest growing G7 country this year, the IMF also said, with only the US growing faster.

Shadow chancellor Sir Mel Stride said: “Rachel Reeves doesn’t need to raise taxes. She needs to get a grip of Government spending – including the welfare bill.

“Be in no doubt, this tax doom loop is down to the Chancellor’s economic mismanagement.

“Under Rachel Reeves we have seen inflation double, debt balloon, borrowing costs at a 27-year high, and taxes up – with more pain on the way in the autumn.”

Rachel Reeves has admitted she is set to hike taxes and cut spending in the upcoming Budget.

The Chancellor gave her clearest indication yet of more pain for families and businesses as she refused to abandon the Government’s fiscal rules.

This makes tax rises practically inevitable as she scrambles to close a financial black hole.

Read the full story here

Cabinet Secretary Chris Wormald is understood to have been prepared to publish a Government witness statement central to the withdrawal of espionage charges against the men.

Sources within the Government had claimed the Cabinet Secretary – the country’s most senior civil servant – had gone to the CPS to discuss the publication of the witness statement by Matthew Collins, the deputy national security adviser.

It was that statement the CPS deemed did not meet the threshold for proceeding with the trial of the two alleged spies because it did not show China posed a threat to national security at the time the alleged offences occurred.

Prosecutors concluded during their meeting with Civil Service chief Mr Wormald that publishing the evidence outside of a courtroom would be “inappropriate”, senior sources said.

But a CPS spokesperson denied the Government’s claims.

“The statements were provided to us for the purpose of criminal proceedings which are now over,” they said.

The spokesperson added: “The material contained in them is not ours, and it is a matter for the Government, independently of the CPS, to consider whether or not to make that material public.”