Tory leader accuses PM of ‘whataboutery’ over Beijing stancepublished at 12:18 BST
12:18 BST
Back to Badenoch, who says the government should finish quoting her on how she thought China should be described.
She accuses the PM of “whataboutery”.
Can it be true that only one man had anything to do with this failure, she asks.
Yes, Starmer swiftly quips back – repeating the position on China was set by the last government.
Starmer says: “The deputy national security adviser Matt Collins, set out the then-government’s position in a substantive witness statement in 2023 which was subsequently supplemented by two further short statements.
“The Cabinet Secretary assures me that the DNSA faithfully set out the policy of the then-Tory government.
“I know first hand that the DNSA is a civil servant of the utmost integrity.
“Those opposite who worked with him, I am sure, would agree with that assessment.
“Under this Government, no minister or special adviser played any role in the provision of evidence.”