Badenoch and Starmer clash over welfare spending at PMQs

Summary

Keir Starmer and Kemi Badenoch clash over welfare spending at the last Prime Minister's Questions before next week's elections - here's their exchange recapped
Badenoch says the UK is spending "so much on welfare, we cannot afford to defend the country"
Starmer hits back, saying Labour is delivering "the highest sustained spend" on defence "since the Cold War" - BBC Verify looks at the figures
The Tory leader also says 1.5 million "more people are out of work and claiming Universal Credit" since Labour took office, with Starmer's political secretary and senior minister Pat McFadden both hitting back at the claim
Badenoch chooses to move on from Lord Mandelson's appointment as US ambassador, conscious the cost of living remains foremost in the public's mind, writes our political correspondent
Reacting to news that two Jewish men are seriously injured after being stabbed in north London, Starmer says it's "deeply concerning" - follow our live coverage of that incident

Live Reporting

Edited by Nathan Williams and Sam Hancock

Cabinet ministers ringing round MPs before vote, BBC toldpublished at 07:01 BST 28 April

Image source, PA Media
Image caption,
Keir Starmer speaking to the Usdaw trade union conference in Blackpool yesterday
This afternoon, MPs will vote on whether Sir Keir Starmer should face a parliamentary investigation into the Mandelson vetting row.
Labour has a huge majority in Parliament, with 403 of the 650 seats, meaning a large number of MPs would need to turn on the prime minister for the vote to succeed.
But the BBC has been told that cabinet ministers have been ringing round Labour MPs to convince them to back the prime minister and vote against referring the matter to the Privileges Committee.
The BBC also understands that Labour MPs are likely to be whipped - i.e. told - to vote down the motion, rather than be given a free vote.
The prime minister has told the Commons that Lord Mandelson's vetting followed "due process"and that "no pressure whatsoever" was applied to officials at the Foreign Office. He has consistently denied accusations he misled MPs.
But Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said Starmer had misled Parliament "multiple times" on the subject.
She urged Labour MPs to "look into their consciences" and back an inquiry by the Privileges Committee.
A key day for Keir Starmer as Mandelson row rumbles onpublished at 06:48 BST 28 April

Image source, PA Media
Keir Starmer appointed Lord Mandelson as US ambassador in December 2024, before sacking him in September 2025 over his relationship with Jeffrey Epstein.
It's that appointment - and the vetting process that followed - that is at the heart of a major day in Westminster.
This afternoon, MPs will vote on whether Starmer should face a parliamentary investigation into if he misled MPs about the vetting. The PM has denied the claims and has called today's vote a "stunt".
Before then, two key figures will give evidence to the Foreign Affairs Committee.
Sir Philip Barton, up from 09:00 BST, is the former top civil servant at the Foreign Office. For those who watched Sir Olly Robbins' evidence last week - Barton was his predecessor.
After that, we'll hear from Starmer's ex-chief of staff. Morgan McSweeney - who left No 10 in February after advising the PM to appoint Mandelson as ambassador - is due up at 11:00.
You'll be able to watch all the proceedings on this page, alongside the key lines and analysis.