Dominic Raab has been urged to “grow a backbone” and demand Boris Johnson’s resignation after the prime minister stated his intention to remain in office until the mid-2030s.
Angela Rayner, the deputy leader of the Labour Party, stated that “a million more people” would be living in poverty if Mr. Johnson were permitted to remain in his position, and that “working people will pay £500 billion more in taxes by 2030.”
She told PMQs that Britain cannot “swallow” another eight years of Mr. Johnson and urged him to “call a general election and see where the people are.”
She went on: “This week, for the first time in 30 years, the government lost two by-elections on the same day. It is not surprising that the Prime Minister has fled the country, leaving the honorable member to shoulder the responsibility.
“Wakefield and Tiverton conducted their vote of no confidence. The prime minister is not only losing the room, but also the nation.”
The Prime Minister was absent from PMQs because he was in Madrid for a NATO summit where world leaders are discussing how the alliance can protect itself from the growing Russian threat.
Since Thursday, the day his party lost two by-elections, he has been out of the country and will not return until Friday.
Sunday, while speaking from Rwanda, he stated, “At the moment, I am actively considering the third term and what might transpire then. However, I will review that when the time comes.”
He added that this could last until “the middle of the 2030s.”
Critics assert that he’s been attempting to act as an international statesman to divert attention from the intense political pressure he’s facing at home; he lost his party chairman Oliver Dowden over the election defeats and is under attack from his backbenchers over the Northern Ireland Protocol Bill.
And a dispute is brewing within his party following reports that he will abandon a campaign pledge to maintain defense spending at least 0.5 percent above inflation.
A senior government source acknowledged on Tuesday that an inflation rate of 11 percent this year could force the United Kingdom to abandon its commitment.
“The manifesto was written before £400 billion had to be spent on incarcerating people for their safety due to the global pandemic,” said a senior government source.
The only reasonable expectation is that things that were offered in a different era will undergo a reality check.
The 2019 Tory manifesto pledged to increase the budget by at least 0.5 percent above inflation each year of the new legislature.
To counter the growing threat posed by Russia, Defense Secretary Wallace urges him to significantly increase defense spending in the coming years.
According to reports, he has written to Prime Minister Johnson requesting a 20 percent increase in defense spending to address deficiencies in military capabilities.
Ms. Rayner said: “After confirming he will violate his campaign pledge to increase defense spending, the prime minister is at war with his defense secretary.
“Under this government, Britain will have fewer troops, fewer aircraft, and fewer ships. The only thing the prime minister cares about is protecting his position.
How many more military personnel must lose their jobs before he finally says enough?
Vice-Prime Minister Raab responded: “In actuality, an increase of £24 billion for the armed forces. Spending on the military is increasing to 2.3% of GDP, making the United States the largest military spender in the world “Europe.”
The first thing she did as an MP in 2016 was a vote against Trident, leaving us vulnerable, and she campaigned for Jeremy Corbyn to be prime minister, someone who would pull the United Kingdom out of NATO.
Ms. Rayner, who was allowed to take the place of Keir Starmer at PMQs to face her opposite number, hit back: “Talking about Nato, where was the honorable member when (during) the situation in Afghanistan? On a sun lounger, to be precise. When it comes to doing your job, I won’t listen to the honorable member’s advice.”
She added, “When will the deputy prime minister finally develop some backbone and tell the prime minister to stop playing?”
At the NATO summit, the Prime Minister will inform member nations that the alliance is strong and “daily keeps our people secure But over the next decade, the threats we face will only intensify “.
The prime minister is urging NATO members to increase military spending to more than 2 percent of their GDP.
“To restore deterrence and ensure defense in the coming decade, we require allies to invest heavily.
“The 2 percent was never intended to be a ceiling, but rather a floor, and allies must continue to step up in this time of crisis.”
