PMQs: Theresa May mocks Corbyn over Czech spy allegations

Jeremy Corbyn’s attempts to attack the Government’s official position on the Brexit transition were overshadowed by lingering questions over his meetings with a Czechoslovakian diplomat.

Using all of his questions at Prime Ministers Questions to grill the Prime Minister on her Brexit strategy, Mr Corbyn accused the Government of leading the country down the “road to nowhere”.

However, Mr Corbyn’s attempts to land a decisive blow were hampered by the ongoing controversy over his meetings with the Czech Jan Sarkocy, with Mrs May using recent press coverage to go on the offensive.

Turning onto the issue of continued European security cooperation after Brexit, Mrs May joked about the Labour leader’s alleged communications with a Cold War spy, claims which have been strongly rebutted by Mr Corbyn and his party.

Mrs May said the UK would remain "unconditionally committed to the safety and security" of Europe, adding: "Can I congratulate (Mr Corbyn) because normally he stands up every week and asks me to sign a blank cheque - and I know he likes Czechs..."

Mr Corbyn seemed less than impressed with the jibe, raising his hand to his mouth as if to yawn.

It came after Mr Corbyn challenged the Government to provide more clarity on its negotiating position, ahead of a crucial Cabinet away day to Chequers on Thursday, where ministers are due to come to a final position on Britain leaving the EU.

Taking aim at the lack of detail in two key Brexit speeches given over the past week, Mr Corbyn told MPs: "We're halfway through the six speeches we were told would set out the Government's negotiating position.

"So far, all we've had is waffle and empty rhetoric. Businesses need to know, people want to know, even her backbenchers are demanding to know - but it isn't clear from today's exchanges.

"This Government isn't on the road to Brexit, Mr Speaker, it's on the road to nowhere."

Mr Corbyn also singled out David Davis for criticism following his speech in Vienna yesterday, during which the Brexit Secretary urged business leaders to ignore EU scaremongering whilst reassuring them that Britain would not sleepwalk into “Mad Max-style” deregulation after leaving the bloc.

"Yesterday the Brexit Secretary assured the country that Brexit will not plunge Britain into a Mad Max-style world borrowed from dystopian fiction. Doesn't the Prime Minister feel he could set the bar just a little bit higher,” Mr Corbyn quipped.

Firing back, Mrs May said the Government intended to "take back control of our borders, our money and our laws" via Brexit, adding: "The only fiction around in relation to Brexit and the European Union is the Labour Party's frontbench who can't even agree with themselves what their policy is."

Mr Corbyn claimed the Government had "abandoned" its position of seeking tariff-free trade with Europe and replaced it with "as tariff-free as possible", something Mrs May refuted.

The Labour leader later asked: "Could the Prime Minister take this opportunity now to tell the House and the country what is the Government's desired outcome?"

Mrs May snapped back: "I'm very happy to - a bespoke economic partnership."

                                                                                                    

Theresa May urged to raise Holocaust revision with Poland

Tory MP Bob Blackman has asked the Prime Minister to speak with the Polish Government over its plans to pass a law banning any reference of Poland being involved in the Holocaust. 

Mrs May said the Government was already on the case. 

Charity sector needs to get its act together 

In the wake of the Oxfam scandal, Tory MP Nigel Evans asks the PM if she will tell the aid sector to shape up.

Responding, Mrs May said the reports of abuses committed by aid workers overseas were "horrific", but praises the Aid Secretary Penny Mordaunt for taking strong action to tackle the problem.

She  added: "This government maintains its commitment...to our international development budget, but we do want to work with organisations that meed the high standards we expect, and the behaviour of Oxfam staff in Haiti was not only horrific, it was well below those standards..."

 

PM denies Brexit will delay cancer treatments 

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq asks whether a hard Brexit would lead to lengthy delays in cancer treatments, amid claims that the time it takes to transport medical isotopes to the UK could be lengthened if the UK leaves Euroatom and the Customs Union. 

Mrs said that she wanted to protect trade and said that treatments would not be affected. 

Government urged to look at medicinal cannabis 

Tory MP Crispin Blunt calls on Mrs May to follow other EU member states in allowing British citizens access to the treatment. 

MPs debated the issue in parliament yesterday, with the case of Alfie Dingle, a six-year-old who is seriously ill with epilepsy, being highlighted as evidence that change is required.

Mrs May said: "Of course people with chronic pain and debilitating illnesses will always look to alleviate their symptoms but we do need to ensure that if medicines are permitted to be used that they have been through the most rigorous testing...we believe that cannabis should be subjected to the same regulations that apply to all medicines in the UK."

May pressed on cuts to local police forces 

Labour MP Anna Turley presses the Prime Minister on cuts to local police in her constituency of Redcar, which she says has coincided with a rise in violent crime. 

Ms Turley said Redcar had lost 500 officers since 2011 due to £40m being cut from the force's budget, as she called on Mrs May to apologise. 

However, Mrs May said that the Government was providing extra funding to police forces but it was up to local crime commissioners how the money was spent. 

SNP leader raises escalation of boming in East Ghouta

Ian Blackford MP uses his first question to raise the issue of the escalation of violence in Syria, where more than 200 people are reported to have been killed in the last 24 hours. 

SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford speaks during Prime Minister's Questions

Mr Blackford, who is the party's leader in Westminster, asked Mrs May if she would join him in calling for an urgent meeting at UN level to discuss the situation, which declines to commit to. 

Theresa May Czechs out 

In a well-prepared line, Mrs May dredges up the issue of European security co-operation in order to zero-in on news reports of Mr Corbyn's reported dealings with Czech 'diplomat', Jan Sarkocy. 

"Normally he asks me to sign a blank cheque, I mean I know he likes Czechs but really"

Corbyn attacks Government's Brexit negotiating position

The Labour leader accuses the Government of softening its pledge to maintain tariff-free access to the Single Market. 

On regulation, Mr Corbyn asks Mrs May if she has read The Daily Telegraph today, claiming that 62 of her backbenchers want a regulatory "bonfire" after Brexit. 

On Northern Ireland, he attacked the Foreign Secretary for his Brexit speech last week, in which he says he failed to mention the hard border issue once. 

Labour party leader Jeremy Corbyn looks on

"We are half way through the six speeches we were told would set out the Government's negotiating position. So far we've had waffle," Mr Corbyn says. 

"This Government isn't on the road to Brexit...it's on the road to nowhere". 

Taking on the role of headmistress, Mrs May reminded Mr Corbyn that his job is to ask "a question" rather than making a series of statements. 

Jeremy Corbyn is up 

As expected, Jeremy Corbyn jumps straight in with a question on Brexit. 

Looking for an easy laugh, Mr Corbyn asked whether the Brexit Secretary, David Davis, could have "set the bar a little higher" after saying that Britain would not be walking into a "Max Max-style" world after leaving the EU. 

Mrs May hit back, telling Mr Corbyn he should focus on his own party who "don't even know their own negotiating position". 

PM grilled on 'unlawful' air pollution

Labour MP Ruth Cadbury seized upon the opportunity to quiz Theresa May on the Government's plans to tackle air pollution, which was this morning ruled to be 'unlawful' by the High Court. 

The Government faced its third defeat in court today, following a long-running legal battle with environmental lawyers from the organisation Client Earth. 

Mr Justice Garnham said the Government's plan was "seriously flawed" in respect of 45 local authority areas which are not expected to reduce pollution to within legal levels until 2021.

However, Mrs May said the High Court had ruled in favour of the Government on two of three counts. 

Mrs May has left Downing Street ahead of PMQs

Brexit minister says UK will be able to sign free trade deals

Steve Baker says he is confident that the Government will be able to sign free trade agreements during the transition period ahead of PMQs. 

Speaking on The Daily Politics, Mr Baker said that the UK would also be able to pursue regulatory divergence , but is likely opt to remain close to the regulatory framework of the European Union. 

Asked when the transition would end, Mr Baker said that the Government agreed with the EU's time frame of around two years. 

Pressed on why, as a Eurosceptic, he was happy with that position, Mr Baker said he would support a time limit which allowed Britain to leave the bloc in an orderly fashion. 

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