Key events
PMQs is over. Lindsay Hoyle is now vacating his seat, because by tradition the deputy speaker takes the chair for the budget statement. Nusrat Ghani is now in charge of proceedings.
Josh Newbury (Lib Dem) asks if the government will take more action to crack down on on press regulation.
Burnham says press intrusion can be unacceptable. He offers to hold a meeting with Newbury on this.
Burnham says using North Sea reserves can ‘accelerate’ move to a ‘clean energy future’
Danny Kruger (Reform UK) asks Burnham if he confirms the budget numbers assume that the Rosebank oilfield will be allowed. (See 10.25am.)
Burnham says the Rosebank decision is a quasi-judicial decision that will be taken by the energy secretary.
But he says Kruger is right to say the use of the UK’s North Sea reserves can “accelerate” the move to a clean energy future.
[Kruger is] right in pointing to the fact that use of our reserves can support and accelerate a clean energy future. And that very much was the logic behind the decision that the government announced on Jackdaw last week.
Dave Robertson (Lab) says Royal Mail has a problem because it cannot compete with competitor companies that don’t give their workers equivalent rights.
Burnham says he will look at this issue.
Burnham ducks invitation to condemn Steve Witkoff for calling Putin a humanitarian
Johanna Baxter (Lab) asks if Burnham agrees that Steve Witkoff, Donald Trump’s envoy, was wrong to call President Putin a humanitarian.
She says:
The people of my constituency looked on in horror that our closest ally could use such words for a man wanted by the international criminal court for the systematic abduction of 20,651 Ukrainian children …
So will the prime minister remind our American partners that appeasement, flattery and sanction dodging deals will only embolden Putin and risk further aggression to our Nato allies?
Burnham says Baxter is “absolutely right” in what she says about Putin. But he does not comment on Witkoff calling him a humanitarian.
Davey asks Burnham if he will back the UK joining the EU single market and customs union.
Burnham says he wants to get a better relationship. And he says it is “extraordinary” that the Tories do not support trying to improve the Brexit deal.
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, says he welcomes the news that the carer’s allowance cliff-edge will be abolished. But he says he is not happy about the details. He says:
It won’t take effect for four years and, when it does, the government will claw back £1 for every £1 a carer earns – a 100% tax rate for working carers. That can’t be right.
Burnham says he wants to establish a cross-party consensus on care.
Burnham says he is “increasingly confident” that he will be able to meet his target of ensuring that all rough sleepers get the offer of a bed for the night before the end of the year.
Badenoch asks Burnham to rule out any referendum on the EU or the single market.
Burnham says he is “doing what I can do to get a better deal for Britain”. That is part of his job, he says. He says the CBI and other business organisations and big businesses support his drive to get a better deal.
Badenoch claims Brexit has been good for London. Does Burnham really think the country wants to reopen the Brexit debate.
She says Burnham was not in parliament at the time.
The country was paralysed. It was miserable, regardless of which side of the debate you were on.
Yes, says Burnham. He claims Badenoch has conceded that Brexit has been bad for growth. He says he wants a better deal.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/live/2026/oct/28/budget-2026-latest-updates-john-healey-andy-burnham-labour-uk-politics
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