Lead
Prime Minister Keir Starmer faced Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons today, debating the Chagos Islands deal, pressure over Greenland and a separate domestic crisis over water supply. The session also saw a Conservative MP, Richard Holden, asked to leave the chamber by Speaker Lindsay Hoyle during a question on special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Labour MPs raised a proposed consultation on restricting social media access for under-16s and flagged Ofsted work on phone use in schools. Starmer defended his Greenland position and said regulators would probe the South East Water outages affecting about 30,000 properties.
Key Takeaways
- Richard Holden was asked to leave the Commons by Speaker Lindsay Hoyle after interjecting while the prime minister answered a question about SEND.
- Starmer confirmed a consultation will examine the age at which children can access social media and measures on addictive features; Labour MP Fred Thomas said the average 12-year-old spends about 29 hours per week on a smartphone.
- Robert Jenrick made his first appearance at PMQs since defecting to Reform UK and raised a case involving the late prison officer Lenny Scott, whom he called “exceptionally brave”; Starmer said the matter would be reviewed urgently.
- Starmer said he “will not yield” to pressure over the UK’s Greenland stance after comments from former US President Donald Trump; Kemi Badenoch urged scrapping the Chagos deal and diverting funds to defence.
- About 30,000 properties in Kent and Sussex experienced water supply problems; Starmer described the outages as “totally unacceptable” and welcomed an Ofwat investigation.
- Badenoch cited a reported £28bn shortfall in defence funding and a £35bn payment related to the Chagos deal in urging a reallocation of resources to the armed forces.
Background
Prime Minister’s Questions is the weekly House of Commons session where the prime minister answers direct questions from MPs; it often highlights both domestic policy disputes and international rows. This sitting followed a week in which the Chagos Islands agreement and Greenland featured prominently in public debate, and came as some Conservative MPs have shifted their parliamentary allegiances to Reform UK.
The Chagos Islands issue stems from a long-running dispute resolved in 2019 when an international court found the UK’s administration of the territory unlawful; the UK later reached an agreement to return sovereignty to Mauritius while retaining access to the military base on Diego Garcia. The islands were separated from Mauritius in 1965 and the territory was bought by Britain for about £3m at the time, though modern arrangements include complex defence and diplomatic considerations.
Main Event
Kemi Badenoch opened PMQs by pressing Starmer on his recent conversations about Greenland and challenging him on the Chagos arrangement. Badenoch repeated criticism that the deal represented poor value and argued that funds should instead support defence spending; she referenced claims about a £35bn figure tied to the agreement and cited warnings about a £28bn shortfall in military funding.
Starmer framed the Chagos exchanges as part of a broader geopolitical contest, saying comments from Donald Trump were intended to pressure the UK on Greenland and that he would not abandon his principles under threat of tariffs. He noted ongoing contact with NATO allies and said the relationship with the United States remains important while also defending the government’s position on the Indian Ocean base.
On domestic issues, Fred Thomas asked about a possible ban on social media for under-16s; Starmer, speaking as a parent of two teenagers, said the government will consult on age limits and on restrictions for addictive features, and that Ofsted is reviewing phone use in schools. Separately, Katie Lam raised the South East Water outages affecting some 30,000 properties across Kent and Sussex; the prime minister called the situation “totally unacceptable” and welcomed Ofwat’s investigation.
Midway through proceedings Conservative MP Richard Holden interjected while the prime minister was answering a SEND-related question. Speaker Lindsay Hoyle intervened and asked Holden to leave the chamber, temporarily removing the disruption from the floor of the House. Later contributions included Robert Jenrick, newly sitting with Reform UK, urging urgent action over compensation for the family of Lenny Scott, a prison officer he described as “exceptionally brave”.
Analysis & Implications
The Chagos compromise and the Greenland row illustrate how foreign policy disputes can quickly morph into domestic political flashpoints. Badenoch’s attacks aim to portray the government as sacrificing defence priorities, a line likely to resonate with voters concerned about military readiness; the cited figures (£28bn shortfall, £35bn payment) are powerful political shorthand even as their contexts differ.
Starmer’s refusal to “yield” signals a priority on principle and alliance cohesion over short-term concession, particularly as the UK engages NATO partners over security in the Indo-Pacific and Russia’s war in Ukraine. That stance may shore up centrist and internationalist support but risks criticism from those who see tangible financial trade-offs as more immediately pressing for defence and veterans.
Domestically, the water outages and proposed social media measures point to intersecting governance challenges: regulatory oversight of utilities and the emerging politics of children’s digital safety. Ofwat’s upcoming investigation could prompt fines or stricter regulation for South East Water; likewise, the social media consultation could lead to legislative or industry-driven changes in platform design and age-verification practices.
Comparison & Data
| Issue | Figure | Context |
|---|---|---|
| Average smartphone use (12-year-old) | 29 hours/week | Cited by MP Fred Thomas during PMQs |
| Properties without water | ~30,000 | Supply outages across Kent and Sussex |
| Reported defence shortfall | £28bn | Quoted by Kemi Badenoch as head of armed forces warning |
| Chagos-related payment cited | £35bn | Referenced in Commons debate over the deal |
| Historic purchase of Chagos | £3m | 1965 transaction when territory separated from Mauritius |
The table collects the principal numbers discussed in the sitting to provide quick comparison. Each figure was cited in parliamentary exchanges or in background material presented to MPs; interpretation of fiscal totals and their implications varies between speakers and requires follow-up from official costing documents.
Reactions & Quotes
“I will not yield. Britain will not yield on our principles and values about the future of Greenland under threats of tariffs.”
Prime Minister Keir Starmer
Starmer used this phrase to underline his refusal to allow external pressure to change the UK’s position on Greenland, framing the matter as one of principle rather than short-term expediency.
“We didn’t need Trump to say that, we’ve been saying it for the past 12 months.”
Kemi Badenoch, Conservative leader
Badenoch echoed criticism of the Chagos deal and urged redirecting funds to defence, using the former US president’s comments to buttress her arguments.
“An exceptionally brave prison officer”
Robert Jenrick, Reform UK MP
Jenrick invoked that description of Lenny Scott when pressing the prime minister to address alleged failures to provide compensation to the officer’s family.
Unconfirmed
- That former President Trump’s comments were exclusively intended to force the UK to change course on Greenland — the PM characterized them as pressure, but direct intent is an interpretation rather than an independently verified fact.
- The precise allocation and mechanisms for any £35bn figure tied to the Chagos deal require official accounting; numbers cited in debate reflect political framing rather than audited disbursements.
- Details of any planned compensation for Lenny Scott’s children are pending review; Starmer pledged urgent consideration but no formal decision was announced during PMQs.
Bottom Line
Today’s PMQs fused international diplomacy with immediate domestic concerns. The Chagos-Greenland exchange underscored tensions in balancing strategic partnerships and national priorities, while the South East Water outages and the discussion on children’s social media use highlighted the government’s regulatory responsibilities at home.
Watch for three near-term developments: the outcome of Ofwat’s inquiry into South East Water, the government’s published conclusions from the social media consultation, and follow-up briefings or documents clarifying the fiscal details of the Chagos agreement. Each will shape both policy levers and political narratives ahead of the next Commons sitting.
Sources
- BBC Live coverage (media: live parliamentary reporting)
- UK Parliament — PMQs background (official: parliamentary information)
- Ofwat (official regulator for water services)
- Ofsted (official: schools inspectorate)