Oral Answers to Questions

Antonia Bance Excerpts

Wednesday 17th December 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

The hon. Gentleman is right to remind us of what was a terrible scandal, and I will ask the Water Minister, my hon. Friend the Member for Kingston upon Hull West and Haltemprice (Emma Hardy), to meet him and his constituents to discuss it. He and the public are right to be furious that companies are still polluting our seas, lakes and rivers. We have taken action by banning bonuses for bosses in six polluting companies, changing the law so that those who hide sewage spills can be locked up, and issuing almost £30 million in fines to clean up waterways. We are clearing up the mess that the party over there left, like everything else.

[Antonia Bance (Tipton and Wednesbury) (Lab)]

Q6. The west midlands car industry is world famous, and this Government back our automotive sector. We have a United States trade deal, and when criminals shut down production at Jaguar Land Rover we backed the supply chain—brilliant companies such as J.H. Lavender in my constituency. What a contrast with the hon. Member for Clacton (Nigel Farage), who, as usual, is not here. [Interruption.] He said:“I predict Jaguar will now go bust and…They deserve to.” Does the Prime Minister agree that the workers of the west midlands and the entire country need a Labour Government, and cannot afford the economic vandalism of Reform UK?

[The Prime Minister]

Apparently the leader of Reform is in the “lounge”. I know that he likes an early getaway at Christmas to get to his place in France. He lobbied for economic sanctions against his own country when he was in the United States, with no thought for British workers and zero patriotism. The difference is that our US deal secured the best deal for the car industry, providing certainty for the workforce at JLR—and there is more good news for the car industry this week, because Nissan is now building its new electric Leaf in Sunderland. That is the difference that a Labour Government make.