Badenoch presses Starmer on Mandelson appointment at PMQs – live updates

The prime minister and Kemi Badenoch attacked each other’s leadership style at PMQs.

The Tory leader took aim at Keir Starmer’s appointment of Peter Mandelson, while Starmer attacked Badenoch over her stance on the Iran war and comments by her shadow justice secretary.

Peter Mandelson’s appointment

Badenoch persistently pressed Starmer on whether he spoke to Mandelson about Jeffrey Epstein before his appointed as US ambassador. In response, Starmer reiterated that the appointment was a “mistake” and repeated his apology to Epstein’s victims.

Shadow justice secretary’s comments

In his exchange with Badenoch, Starmer called for shadow justice secretary Nick Timothy to be sacked over comments he made about Muslims praying in public (here’s what Timothy said). “If he were in my team, he’d be gone,” the PM said.

Angela Rayner’s warning

Badenoch also mentioned comments from former deputy PM Angela Rayner, who called Labour’s immigration proposals “un-British”. The Tory leader said she and Rayner agreed this “weak man” should be replaced by a “strong woman” – watch the moment.

On Iran

The prime minister reiterated that the UK would not be drawn into the wider Iran war, and said the longer it went on the more it would increase the cost of living.

The future of the UK’s nuclear deterrent

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey asked whether the UK should be reliant on the US when it renews its nuclear deterrent – the PM said he’d do what’s in the UK’s “best interests”.