Oral Answers to Questions

Joe Morris Excerpts

Wednesday 15th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

The advantage, I suppose, of the Leader of the Opposition having no policies is that Opposition Members can say completely contradictory things without breaching their policy. They want the benefits of the Budget, but none of the tough measures to support the Budget. We have taken the decision in relation to pension credit and pension allowances, but because of our commitment to the triple lock, there will be an upgrade in April of this year of £460 for everyone. What I notice is that before Christmas, the shadow Chancellor said that the triple lock is “unsustainable”—unsustainable—so that is their position. Pensions are going up under this Government because we are committing to the triple lock; the triple lock being unsustainable is their argument.

[Joe Morris (Hexham) (Lab)]

Later this month, my constituency will mark the anniversary of the tragic murder of Holly Newton. Will the Prime Minister and the Home Secretary look urgently at the calls from Holly’s mother Micala Trussler to lower the age at which a person can be recognised as a victim of domestic abuse?

[The Prime Minister]

I thank my hon. Friend for raising that tragic case; it is a really important issue. We have seen an increase in violence in teenage relationships in the last decade, and I have been continually shocked by research that shows there is abuse in relationships at a younger and younger age. We do need to look at the earliest opportunity at how we properly protect girls.