Special relationship is not ‘hanging on to Trump’s words’, says Starmer – UK politics live

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Jarvis told MPs: “Let me be clear, if there is proven evidence of attempts by China to interfere with UK sovereign affairs, we will impose severe consequences and hold all actors involved to account.”

He said of this morning’s arrests.

The National Security Act provides our intelligence agencies and law enforcement with the modern legal tools they need to deter, detect and disrupt the full range of state threats.

The action counter-terrorism police have been able to take this morning is an example that that legislation is working well.”

Dan Jarvis said: “The government has been consistent and unambiguous in our assessment that China presents a series of threats to the United Kingdom.”

The security minister added: “We remain deeply concerned by an increasing pattern of covert activity from Chinese state-linked actors targeting UK democracy.”

Now PMQs has finished, security minister Dan Jarvis is giving a statement on the arrest of three men – including the partner of a sitting Labour MP – on suspicion of spying for China.

Partner of sitting Labour MP among three arrested on suspicion of spying for China

The partner of a sitting Labour MP is among three men who have been arrested on suspicion of spying for China, the Guardian understands.

The Met Police took the men into custody on Wednesday morning on suspicion of assisting a foreign intelligence service, and as part of a wider investigation into national security offences related to China.

Detectives from counter-terrorism policing London, which is leading the investigation, arrested a 39-year-old man in London, a 68-year-old man in Powys, Wales, and a 43-year-old man in Pontyclun, Wales. The police have not identified the men, who remain in custody.

However, sources told the Guardian they included the partner of a Labour MP. A second person is understood to be the partner of a former Labour MP. The identity of the third, or whether they have any links to parliament, is unknown.

The police said the arrests were part of a “proactive investigation” and that there is not an “imminent or direct threat to the public”.

As well as searches at the addresses where the arrests were made, counter-terrorism detectives are carrying out searches at what it understood to be residential addresses in London, East Kilbride in Scotland, and Cardiff in Wales.

Security services have been investigating foreign interference in UK democracy, including attempts to obtain information on policymaking and interfere with sovereign affairs.

Previous cases of alleged spying within parliament have caused deep concern in Westminster, prompting warnings of a serious “systemic challenge” to British democracy.

PMQs - snap verdict

Tom Ambrose

As expected, much of the time at today Prime Minister’s Questions was used to grill Keir Starmer over his response to Donald Trump’s strikes on Iran.

Opposition leader Kemi Badenoch made the early running, demanding the Starmer explain why the RAF is not following the US in attacking Iranian missile sites. She also called out the Labour government for not acting hard or fast enough, with HMS Dragon still in Portsmouth and unlikely to be in a position to defend Cyprus for at least one week.

Starmer, however, appeared calm and composed when he said he was not prepared to involve the UK in a war “unless satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought through plan”, a thinly-veiled suggestion that Trump had maybe not thought his war plans through.

And Trump was to rear his head once again, later in the session, when Tory MP Gareth Bacon thought he was setting some sort of trap in asking whether the ‘special relationship’ between the UK and US was stronger or weaker this week.

Starmer reeled off the copious ways Britain is assisting its American allies – including allowing them to use air bases and shooting down drones in the Middle East – before concluding:

Hanging on to president Trump’s latest words is not the special relationship in action.

A lesson there perhaps that some of the Trump acolytes on the opposition benches would do well to heed. The prime minister also reinforced several times over that everyday people watching PMQs were concerned how Trump’s latest war would hit them financially.

Badenoch, gracelessly, claimed Labour is “pathetic and weak” to spend money on welfare instead of defence, while Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey warned households could face a £500-a-year increase in energy bills.

Commentators have claimed throughout the week that the prime minister has essentially been caught between a rock and a hard place over how to respond to Trump’s war. Although choosing his words carefully and pragmatically, Starmer doubled down on his previous assertion that he does not believe in “regime change from the skies”.

Given that, according to a YouGov poll today, just one in 10 Britons believe the UK should join the US in attacking targets in Iran, perhaps the prime minister is more in tune with the public than the likes of Nigel Farage, who earlier advocated for Britain to join the war (see post 10.42).

Special relationship is not 'hanging on to Trump's words', says Starmer

Tory MP Gareth Bacon asks if the prime minister’s “dithering response” over Iran has made the special relationship with US stronger or weaker.

Starmer says American plans are operating from British bases, UK jets are shooting down drones and missiles to protect US lives in the Middle East and intelligence is being shared.

“Hanging on to president Trump’s latest words is not the special relationship in action,” he says.

Tooting MP Rosena Allin-Khan asks if Starmer agrees that an urgent review is needed into children living in temporary accomodation.

“Every child deserves a safe and secure home,” the prime minister says, adding the government has invested £950m in the local authority housing fund.

The DUP’s Gavin Robinson calls on Starmer to increase defence spending, saying getting to 2.5% by 2027 “is not enough”.

The prime minister says it is being increased to 2.6% of GDP during this parliament, which amounts to £270bn.

He adds that the government is going to “have to spend more and faster” after years of underinvestment under the Tories.

Labour’s Sam Rushworth, MP for Bishop Auckland, asks Starmer if he backs renewable energy as a way of ensuring food and energy security.

The prime minister says:

The sprint to clean energy is the only way to get off the volatile international fossil fuels markets, cut bills and deliver energy security.

He says over £90bn has been invested in clean energy under this Labour government.

Davey says Iran has previously plotted several failed terrorist attacks in the UK, targeting Jewish people, journalists and politicians.

“Now they are more desperate and dangerous than ever,” he says.

He asks if Starmer will table emergency legislation this week to proscribe to IRGC.

The prime minister says the government is working 24/7 to protect the country from terror threats.

He says the government does not comment on proscription, has put sanctions in place and is looking at the need to deal with state-backed terrorism.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey says experts are warning Trump’s “illegal war” on Iran could cost each household £500 a year.

He asks for a “cast-iron guarantee” that will not happen.

Starmer says he is glad to have brought energy bills down by £150 and will keep a close eye on the situation.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch asks if the prime minister is prioritsing his own job security over national security, in the wake of Labour’s humiliating byelection defeat last week.

Starmer responds:

Moments like this define a leader of the opposition, they can either up, act in the national interest and show they are fit to be prime minister or they can expose their utter irrelevance. She has chosen the second.

Labour 'pathetic' for prioritising welfare spending over defence, claims Badenoch

Badenoch says “this crisis goes beyond defence spending” and says Labour is “pathetic” to spend on welfare instead of defence.

“They’re not just pathetic, they are also weak,” she says. “This war is interrupting the supply of oil and gas. That is driving up the cost of petrol and making it more expensive to heat our homes.”

She says Starmer is blocking drilling in the North Sea and importing the same gas from Norway.

Starmer says “we are keeping in close contact with our allies and key industry players” but adds that if Ukraine and the last few days have taught us anything, it is that relying on the international market leaves the UK vulnerable which is why it is investing in renewable energy.

Starmer says that yesterday more than 1,000 Britons arrived back in the UK on commercial flights from the UAE, with another eight flights due to leave today.

The first charter flight is expected to leave Oman later today, as well as two more in the coming days.

“Family and friends are worried sick about people who are caught up in this,” he says.

British Airways are laying on an extra flight from Oman, he says.

Badenoch says she was asking about defence spending, not evacuations and tells him to focus on the question, “not the statement prepared in the bunker”.

Badenoch is attacking chancellor Rachel Reeves for giving more money to welfare, rather than defence.

“The country is not going to be distracted by Labour MPs moaning – the fact of the matter is the war in Iran is happening now,” she says.

She says the OBR says the government won’t hit 3% spend on defence for five years and accuses Starmer of a lack of urgency.

The prime minister appears angry at this and accuses the Tories of cutting the defence budget, “hollowing out” the armed forces according to former defence secretary Ben Wallace.

Starmer says that the UK has been liaising closely with the US to pre-deploy radar systems, ground-based air defence, counter-drone systems and F35 jets.

“That is why, since Saturday morning, multiple F35s and Typhoons have been in operation not just in the Middle East but across Cyprus,” he says.

Helicopters with anti-drone capabilities will be in Cyprus this week, while HMS Dragon will be sent to the Mediterranean, he adds.

Badenoch says this is not enough and that HMS Dragon is still in Portsmouth, while F35s cannot take out incoming missiles.

Starmer: Not prepared to join a war without lawful basis and viable plan

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch starts by asking why Starmer will not allow the RAF to attack Iranian missile sites, when the US is already.

He says the whole country is worried about the potential for escalation and the impact on their lives in relation to energy.

“We need to act therefore with clarity, with purpose and with a cool head,” he says, adding that the “protection of UK nationals is our number one priority”.

He says the government is taking action by sending reinforcements to Cyprus and allowing the US to use British airfields.

“What I was not prepared to do on Saturday was for the UK to join a war unless I was satisfied there was a lawful basis and a viable, thought through plan,” he says. “That remains my position.”