Oral Answers to Questions

Steve Race Excerpts

Wednesday 9th July 2025 Commons Chamber

[The Prime Minister]

We are fixing the mess that we inherited, and we are working with other countries to ensure that we take the measures necessary to stop people crossing the channel. They are serious answers to serious problems. For 10 years, the hon. Member’s proposal—the tail wagging the Tory dog—has been to break everything and claim that it is how you fix things, and to stick two fingers up at our neighbours and then expect them to work with us. He voted against the borders Bill, which gives more powers to our law enforcement to deal with security at our border. The reason for that is that he has no interest in fixing the problem; he wants to milk it and exploit it. That is the truth about him and his party.

[Steve Race (Exeter) (Lab)]

Q4.   From homelessness to child poverty, so many of the challenges I see people facing in Exeter can be traced back to early years, so I welcome the Government rebuilding on the legacy of Sure Start, which was so cruelly dismantled by the Conservative party. Will the Prime Minister set out what difference that will make to family services in Exeter?

[The Prime Minister]

I am grateful to my hon. Friend. We have discussed this before; he is a brilliant champion for Exeter. Every child should have support to realise their potential. The Conservative party tore up Sure Start and took it out of our communities—an act of vandalism that abandoned families and deepened inequalities. We are delivering 1,000 Best Start family hubs across the country. That is in addition to free childcare being rolled out, and expanding free school meals. That is the change that a Labour Government make.