Oliver Dowden faces MPs as he takes over from Rishi Sunak at PMQs

The deputy prime minister is set to face MPs after calls from the right of the Tories for changes in policy.

17th May 2023

Deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden is facing a grilling from MPs as he takes over from Rishi Sunak at PMQs while he attends the G7 in Japan.

Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner is also taking over from Keir Starmer in the House of Commons.

It comes after growing calls from the right of the Conservative party this week to slash taxes and dramatically cut the number of migrants coming to the UK.

The calls follow days of criticism from senior Tories over the Government’s approach in the wake of a bruising set of local elections in England.

Home secretary Suella Braverman used a speech on Monday to push for lower migration.

In response, chancellor Jeremy Hunt insisted the UK Government was taking a “pragmatic” approach to migrant labour and a responsible stance on taxes and the public finances.

PMQs also comes after Rishi Sunak met with Ukrainian Prime Minister Volodymyr Zelensky on Monday.

Zelensky arrived in the UK to meet with Sunak amid Ukraine’s ongoing military resistance to the Russian invasion.

The trip was the latest in the Ukrainian president’s tour of western allies.

Zelensky said the two leaders would have “substantive negotiations” on the response to Russia’s invasion.

Watch all of the latest from the House of Commons in our above live stream.