And now, the main event…

Starmer opens with a question of arms sales in Yemen.

The PM refers to the Yemen conflict as ‘tragic’, while not really answering the question. Starmer comes back with a claim that the UK has sold over $1b dollars worth of arms to the Saudi government to be used in Yemen, before challenging Johnson to justify it.

Johnson mumbles around from the UN to the Yemeni government and ‘humanitarian guidelines’, before appealing to the fact that the UK has given Yemen up to £1b in aid. Starmer hits back with a reference to a court case, over arms sales, that the government lost. ‘What will it take for the Prime Minister to suspend arms sales?’

Johnson limply condemns the Saudi government. Starmer then brings up the halving of international aid, asks the PM to justify. The PM mentions an increase in aid spending, says the UK will ‘step up to the plate’ for Yemen. Starmer repeats the claim the halving of international aid. He then uses the words of Tory MP’s against the PM.

Johnson repeats the figures. Starmer agues that Britain should be a ‘moral force' in the world. Johnson boasts at how much money the UK is spending. What a strange interaction this is. Johnson goes on the attack, using the rhetoric of the roadmap before the Speaker moves things along.