Keir Starmer’s first experience of facing the prime minister’s questions passed without the typical barrage of hostile questioning on Wednesday.
He however faced pressure over his new government’s approach to child poverty.
Labour leader Starmer won a resounding majority in Britain’s July 4 election.
He suffered his first rebellion on Tuesday when he was forced to temporarily suspend seven lawmakers. They had voted against the government’s position on keeping limits on welfare payments for some parents.
At the start of PMQs in parliament, former prime minister and leader of the opposition Conservative Party, Rishi Sunak spared Britain’s new Prime Minister the usual pointed questioning
Instead, Sunak focused on cross-party consensus around support for Ukraine.
The new British PM faced questions from members of the Scottish National Party over his refusal to abolish the two-child benefit cap.
The two-child benefit cap, imposed by Tory former chancellor George Osborne, prevents parents from claiming benefits for any third or subsequent child born after April 2017.
This prevents most parents from claiming welfare payments for more than two children.
The SNP’s leader in Westminster Stephen Flynn asked what had changed in Labour’s commitment to end child poverty.
“The last Labour government lifted millions of children out of poverty: something we’re very, very proud of. And this government will approach the question with the same vigour.”
He also mentioned the new child poverty taskforce
Seven Labour lawmakers were temporarily suspended for backing a SNP amendment to scrap the limit on Tuesday.
Labour suspended seven lawmakers for backing a SNP amendment to scrap the limit on Tuesday.
The suspended lawmakers are Zarah Sultana, Rebecca Long-Bailey, Apsana Begum, John McDonnell, Richard Burgon, Ian Byrne and Imran Hussain.
Opponents of the cap say the policy pushes children into poverty.
On the other hand, the government has said it cannot make unfunded commitments even if it sympathises with objections to the policy.
While Starmer once grilled Sunak each week on his government’s record, conviviality prevailed.
Both sides are adjusting to a new reality since Labour’s crushing election victory.
The new British PM accidentally addressed Sunak as “the prime minister” during a parliamentary exchange on Monday.
When both sides of the chamber laughed, Starmer quipped: “Old habits die hard.”
(With Inputs From Reuters)
