Office for Budget Responsibility Forecasts

Debate between Luke Murphy and Lindsay Hoyle

Monday 1st December 2025 Commons Chamber

[Luke Murphy (Basingstoke) (Lab)]

Having spent the past 18 months arguing that this Government have mismanaged the public finances, the Conservatives have now come to the House to argue that the public finances are fine after all. Their position is patently absurd. Due to the OBR’s productivity downgrade, which was a direct result of the Conservative Government’s decisions, the headroom available to the Government had been cut by 57%. Does the Minister agree that the Conservatives are right to be angry about the state of the public finances, but that they are on the Opposition Benches because they are responsible for it? The Chancellor is on our Benches, making decisions in the national interest.

[Mr Speaker]

Mr Murphy, I brought you in to ask a short question, not to give a full-blown statement. Please do not test the Chair too often.

State of Climate and Nature

Debate between Luke Murphy and Lindsay Hoyle

Monday 14th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[Luke Murphy (Basingstoke) (Lab)]

I welcome the Secretary of State’s statement, not least because I called for such a measure before I was elected to this House, under the previous Conservative Government. This is a really important thing to do, not least because it underscores the Government’s approach to clean energy, and to wider climate action to tackle and mitigate the many climate impacts that we already see; we have just had three heatwaves. This action will also lower bills, strengthen our economy and, in a patriotic way, ensure our national security. Does he, like me, lament the loss of the cross-party consensus that he mentioned? The leader of the Conservatives says that net zero is impossible, and the deputy leader of Reform says that climate science is garbage. One denies urgency, while the other denies reality, and both deny the evidence from the Met Office and climate scientists—and, indeed, the experience of their constituents. Does the Secretary of State agree that when young people and future generations ask who stood in the way of their precious inheritance of cleaner air and local green space, it will be the Conservatives and Reform—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. Please! I need Members to help me get colleagues in. All colleagues from all sides of the House want to get in on this statement. Without your help, that will not happen.

Oral Answers to Questions

Debate between Luke Murphy and Lindsay Hoyle

Tuesday 18th March 2025 Commons Chamber

[Mr Speaker]

I call Luke Murphy.

[Luke Murphy (Basingstoke) (Lab)]

Now that the Conservative party opposes large-scale solar, net zero and onshore wind, I am tempted to ask the Minister what he makes of that party’s new energy policy, which is to take us back to the past, rub two sticks together and hope for the best. Instead, will he update the House on the progress of Great British Energy in delivering our clean energy mission?

Public Finances: Borrowing Costs

Debate between Luke Murphy and Lindsay Hoyle

Thursday 9th January 2025 Commons Chamber

[Luke Murphy (Basingstoke) (Lab)]

I thank the Chief Secretary for his statement—

[Mr Speaker]

Order. It is an urgent question, not a statement.

[Luke Murphy]

I am sorry, Mr Speaker. During these exchanges on the urgent question alone, we have heard chuntering from Opposition Members about the cut in the winter fuel payment. We have heard them oppose the tax increases that have been introduced to pay for public spending, and we have heard them urge the Government to call off talks with economic partners including China. Is it any wonder that the GDP-to- debt ratio rose by a full 30 percentage points under the Conservative Government?