PMQs watch LIVE: Starmer says Sunak 'bullied by his own party' after Tory calls for him to go

Rishi Sunak is facing Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday as the Tories threaten to be consumed by yet another round of infighting.

The Commons showdown follows former Cabinet minister Sir Simon Clarke’s dramatic call for Mr Sunak to be replaced as leader to avoid a Conservative “massacre” at the general election.

Writing in the Telegraph, former levelling up secretary Sir Simon insisted “extinction is a very real possibility” for the party if Mr Sunak leads it into the election this year.

The move sparked an immediate backlash with Home Secretary James Cleverly saying it would be “foolish” to have further dissent within the party.

Former defence secretary Ben Wallace dismissed Sir Simon’s call to oust Mr Sunak, saying “division and another PM would lead to the certain loss of power”.

Follow latest updates below...

Live coverage of PMQs ends

12:50 , Josh Salisbury

PMQs has now ended. Thanks for joining our live coverage of the afternoon's developments.

Sunak: Government has protected thousands of steel-worker jobs

12:50 , Josh Salisbury

The final question comes from Labour MP Sarah Champion, who asks about support for steel-workers who are at risk of losing their jobs.

Mr Sunak responds: "I know this is an anxious time for steel-workers," adding that Government action has already protected thousands of steel-workers' jobs.

Labour MP accuses Sunak of 'blood on his hands' over Gaza conflict

12:47 , Josh Salisbury

Labour MP Tahir Ali accuses the Prime Minister of having "blood on his hands" for not pushing for an immediate ceasefire.

He says that Israel is committing war crimes in the Middle East, to audible opposition in the chamber.

Mr Sunak responds: "Mr Speaker, that's the face of the 'changed' Labour Party."

Sunak asked whether social media should be banned for children

12:45 , Josh Salisbury

Conservative MP Miriam Cates asks whether the Government will consider banning social media for the under-sixteens after a report that a 14-year-old London schoolgirl took her life following online bullying.

Reports last month suggested that Mr Sunak was considering that move.

Mr Sunak says the Government is bringing forward the Online Safety Act to protect children online from content such as bullying and content promoting self-harm.

12:41 , Josh Salisbury

Former Prime Minister Theresa May asks about support for Type-One diabetes.

Lady May was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes in 2013.

Mr Sunak says the Government will act on the recommendations that Ms May has outlined in a report published today.

MP: Why should we have to pay for Thames Water incompetence?

12:39 , Josh Salisbury

Liberal Democrat MP Layla Moran asks the Prime Minister about the performance of Thames Water, saying it is a "shambles".

The utility company supplies London and the south east.

She says they are putting up bills despite poor service and discharge of sewage from its pipes.

Mr Sunak says the volume of sewage being discharged is unacceptable, and that increased monitoring is in place in England.

Sunak: We need to right Post Office wrongs

12:36 , Josh Salisbury

Woking MP Jonathan Lord raises the Post Office scandal, using the example of Seema Misra, who was wrongly jailed after being falsely accused of stealing her branch.

He asks why an apology from Fujitsu and the Post Office has not been forthcoming for Ms Misra.

Mr Sunak repeats the Government's pledge to overturn the convictions of sub-postmasters which rely on Horizon evidence.

Sunak quizzed on child poverty figures

12:32 , Josh Salisbury

Asked by Labour MP Liz Twist on stats by the Joseph Rowntree about child poverty rates in the north-east, with one-in-four children living below the poverty line.

"Where does child poverty fall in his plan," she says. Mr Sunak says child poverty is falling, and this would not be helped by higher taxes under a Labour government.

Sunak: We want humanitarian pause in Gaza

12:28 , Josh Salisbury

The SNP leader in Westminster Stephen Flynn asks about ITV footage broadcast last night which appears to show a Palestinian man carrying a white flag being shot by Israeli forces.

He asks whether that's a war crime. Mr Sunak responds that Lord Cameron, the foreign minister, has been pushing for a humanitarian pause, and that the Government believes Israel should follow international law.

Starmer: Government is 'farcical' and 'incompetent'

12:26 , Josh Salisbury

Sir Keir says the biggest "practical issue" facing the country is the "constant, farcical incompetence of the Government" Mr Sunak leads.

The Prime Minister responds: "Another week with no ideas ... and absolutely no plan. He talks about the cost-of-living, the economy, but he never actually brings it up, and we all know why, because things are improving and we are making progress."

He adds: "That's the choice: It's back to square one with higher taxes with him, or a plan for delivering a brighter future with the Conservatives."

Sunak: Labour's green pledges 'mean higher taxes'

12:21 , Josh Salisbury

It's a noisy PMQs, with lots of interventions by the Speaker for calm.

Returning to his feet, Sir Keir Starmer says only one party crashed the economy and they're sitting in front of him, and they have introduced 25 tax rises.

On childcare, he criticises the Government for not noticing the "practical issues" before the rollout of extra free childcare hours.

"Is this really a practical issue, or is this just another example of him not understanding how life works for other people?" he asks.

Mr Sunak says millions of parents will benefit, and says Labour's green pledge would cost families more in taxes.

Starmer: I changed my party, but Sunak being bullied by his

12:18 , Josh Salisbury

Labour's Sir Keir says the difference between him and Mr Sunak is that he changed his party - while Mr Sunak is being bullied by his party.

He returns to the theme of childcare.

Reports suggest plans to provide 15 hours per week free childcare to some working parents from April are at risk due to technical glitches and delays.

He asks why thousands of parents won't get the free childcare the Government promised them.

Mr Sunak responds by criticising Labour's green pledge by 2030, saying it has been criticised even within Labour as an "albatross around their neck".

"We all know how they're going to pay for it - higher taxes!" he says.

Tory Party infighting is 'longest ever episode of Eastenders'

12:13 , Josh Salisbury

Returning to his feet, Sir Keir says in 2008 he was the director of public prosecutions, putting criminals behind bars. He says in contrast, Mr Sunak was spending his time making money in the private sector.

He says: "We've seen this story time and time again with this lot, party first and country second ... The country is forced to endure their division and chaos, the longest-ever episode of Eastenders ever put to film."

Mr Starmer says Mr Sunak should be "embarrassed" that the Conservative Party is focused on itself.

Mr Sunak replies that Labour doesn't haven't a plan for the country, pointing out criticism that celebrity Steve Coogan has recently levelled at Labour's leadership.

"Even the Labour Party know, he is not a leader, he is a human weather-vane," he jibes.

Starmer: Tory MPs don't think Sunak is right man for job

12:09 , Josh Salisbury

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer begins his questions by accusing Mr Sunak of "collapsing with laughter" when asked about NHS waiting lists.

In response to Tory jeers, he says: "I love this quaint tradition where the more they slag him off behind his back, the louder they cheer in here."

He grills Mr Sunak about Mr Clarke's call to resign, asking whether he was surprised by his claim he doesn't understand Britain.

Mr Sunak replies by referencing Sir Keir's past view that the monarchy should be abolished, and referencing him taking the knee.

"Looking at his record, it's crystal clear which one of us doesn't get Britain's values," he replies.

Sunak vows Royal Mail will continue six-day service

12:03 , Josh Salisbury

PMQs has just begun.

The first question concerns whether Royal Mail will be allowed to cut postal services, as suggested by Ofcom, to five days or three days a week.

Rishi Sunak says the service will remain as it is - i.e. a six day service.

Currently, Royal Mail has an obligation to deliver letters six days a week to all 32 million addresses in the UK for the price of a stamp, no matter where the letters are going.

Sunak to face PMQs after Clarke's call to resign

11:54 , Josh Salisbury

Good morning and welcome to our live coverage of PMQs.

Rishi Sunak is facing a tricky session, after a former Cabinet minister called for him to go before the election.

Writing in the Telegraph, former levelling up secretary Sir Simon insisted "extinction is a very real possibility" for the party if Mr Sunak leads it into the election this year.

"The unvarnished truth is that Rishi Sunak is leading the Conservatives into an election where we will be massacred," he said.

However, many other senior Tories have today made a show of supporting Mr Sunak, with Home Secretary James Cleverly saying it would be "foolish" to have further dissent within the party.