The Full Story: Prime Minister's Questions

Prime Minister's Questions in full

By Justin Parkinson

1243 That concludes our coverage of PMQs for another week. Please join us from 2200 BST on Thursday, when we will bring you all the latest following the elections in Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland and English local authorities and the AV referendum. It promises to be a fascinating night.

1238 Transport Secretary Philip Hammond says Labour is "split down the middle" on AV.

1237 On BBC Two's Daily Politics, Labour's Alan Johnson confirms that Gordon Brown offered the Lib Dems a referendum on introducing proportional representation.

1235

Stefan tweets: "A one-sided coalition me thinks #pmqs"

1234 The Speaker reads a statement from the Clerk of the House of Commons, Malcolm Jack, announcing his retirement.

1232 Lib Dem Bob Russell asks about AV. He says more than 90% of seats in Essex at last year's want to Tories, although the party got under half the vote. He says this would "embarrass Robert Mugabe". Mr Cameron ends by paying tribute to the "stature" of Mr Russell. That ends PMQs.

1231

BBC political correspondent Carole Walker:A familiar argument resonated throughout this eve of poll session of Prime Ministers Questions. Labour MPs lined up to criticise cuts to local councils whilst Conservatives followed David Cameron's lead in accusing Labour councils of politically movitivated cuts to local services. Today's exchanges are unlikely to have swung many votes.

1231 Mr Cameron says the royal wedding was, in some ways, a "dry run" for next year's Olympics and Diamond Jubilee and that the country has "much to look forward to".

1230 AV gets a mention. A Labour backbencher says the referendum will be lost, damaging the Lib Dems - and how will the PM comfort his deputy, and AV supporter, Nick Clegg. Mr Cameron responds that the coalition is working well.

1229 Tory Therese Coffey says farmers are suffering from drought and asks for a meeting on the subject. Mr Cameron agrees to do so.

1228 Labour veteran Michael Meacher asks why the government is trying to "ramp up" private borrowing. Mr Cameron says ministers are trying to stabilise the economy.

1226 Labour's Mike Gapes says the obligation on councils to provide allotments is going. Mr Cameron says this is not the case.

1225 Conservative Greg Hands says Hounslow's Labour council is making cuts in a "slash-and-burn" way. Mr Cameron, again, says it is not necessary for authorities to reduce frontline services.

1223 Labour's Tony Lloyd says progress in ending child poverty has stalled. Mr Cameron agrees that it is a "moral imperative" and that policies such as the pupil premium will help in a more sustainable way.

1222 Tory Jason McCartney says he has cycled from Huddersfield to Brighton to raise money for the RNLI.

1221

Sunder Katwala tweets: "Jack Straw demonstrates an effective way to use #pmqs by giving prior notice of an issue"

1221 Mr Cameron accuses Labour's Kelvin Hopkins of sounding like he's in "Fairy Dairy Land", rather than his native Luton, in response to a jibe that Labour will win the next general election.

1219

BBC political correspondent Carole Walker:Both Ed Miliband and David Cameron stuck to their key campaign themes. The Labour leader seized on two sensitive issues for the coalition, tuition fees and policing, for his attack on a government which he says has broken promises. The prime minister went for Labour's record in power - both in national and local government - urging voters not to let Labour do to their council what it did to the country. But Nick Clegg, sitting just behind him looked deeply uncomfortable during the exchange on tuition fees.

1218 Labour's Jack Dromey says that "the Tories have got it in for Birmingham". The PM says coalition policies will help the city.

1217 Tory Stephen Mosley says Conservative-run Chester Council is maintaining good services. The PM says costs should be cut in a way that allows performance to be maintained on the front line.

1215 Mr Cameron praises Wandsworth Council for keeping taxes low, while maintaining services.

1214 Labour former Defence Secretary Bob Ainsworth accuses the government of wanting to "water down" a commitment to enshrine the Military Covenant in law. Mr Cameron says he will do everything possible to improve treatment of the armed services.

1213

S Smethurst-McIntyre , who works for a Conservative Member of Parliament, tweets: "That's a good line. Degrees haven't suddenly started costing 9k they always have, what's changed is who we expect to pay for it. #PMQs"

1212 Mr Cameron says it is important to boost manufacturing, after a friendly question from one of his backbenchers.

1212 Labour former cabinet minister Jack Straw asks about a potential European ban on stem cell research. The PM says Parliament has had extensive debates on the issue. A recently expressed legal opinion is not binding on the UK, he adds.

1210 There is laughter as Speaker John Bercow upbraids children's minister Tim Loughton for behaving like a child himself.

1209 The pre-election vitriol continues. Mr Miliband sais the coalition is split, arguing that the public cannot believe anything said by the Conservatives and Lib Dems in the run-up to polling day. The PM urges voters to remember "the mess that Labour left us in". Amid some raucous calls, that ends Mr Miliband's questions.

1208 Mr Miliband says the PM is breaking a promise not to cap excessive fees. Mr Cameron says degrees have always been expensive and successful graduates should pay for them.

1207 On to tuition fees. Mr Miliband asks how many universities will be forced to charge less than £9,000 a year. Mr Cameron says Labour introduced and then raised tuition fees.

1205 The Labour leader says people are angry about police cuts, accusing the PM of breaking promises. Mr Cameron reiterates that there will be more police on the beat. He goes on to say Labour councils are "playing politics" with cuts.

1204 Mr Miliband says 2,100 officers with 30 years' or more experience are being made to retire early. Mr Cameron says Labour, while in power, had not guaranteed not to cut staffing numbers.

1203 Ed Miliband asks about cuts to police budgets, inquiring as to how many officers are being "prematurely" retired. The PM says the government is focusing on improving performance on the front line.

1202 We are under way. Labour's Jim McGovern asks about a selection of SNP "promises" made in Scotland. He asks whether the PM would prefer the SNP to be elected in Scotland, to avoid a Labour victory. Mr Cameron says he wants the Tories to do well.

1200

BBC political correspondent Carole Walker: For the final session of Prime Minister's Questions before polling day, Ed Miliband will want to try to rally Labour supporters and activists. Council cutbacks would be a likely theme. Though the Prime Minister and leader of the opposition are on opposing sides of the referendum debate, Ed Miliband seems unlikely to focus on the issue as many of his own party disagree with his support for the Alternative Vote.

1159 David Cameron is in the House.

1158 Still no sign of David Cameron in the chamber. William Hague is in place.

1155 More from Transport Secretary Philip Hammond. He tells Daily Politics: "I do think tempers are getting a little frayed in the run-up to the election." The comment comes in response to questions about the cabinet disagreement on Tuesday between Chris Huhne, David Cameron and George Osborne. He adds: "I don't think the cabinet is the place to have those type of party political discussions."

1154 Less than 10 minutes to go and the atmosphere is building up in the chamber, with Scottish Secretary Michael Moore facing questions. The place is about half full.

1150 Transport Secretary Philip Hammond declines to talk about an alleged bust-up at cabinet this week between Lib Dem Chris Huhne and Tories David Cameron and George Osborne about the AV campaign. He tells Daily Politics he has "no idea" who has put out such information to the media.

1148 The first name on the list to ask a question of David Cameron is Labour's Jim McGovern. Hot on his heels are Tories Caroline Dinenage and Jeremy Lefroy.

1143 PMQs is preceded by Scottish Questions, likely to be almost as lively, given that elections for the Scottish Parliament take place on Thursday.

1143 So, with less than a day to go until the polls open, what will Labour leader Ed Miliband go with today? Will it be spending cuts, which has been the major bone of contention during the English local elections campaign? The "elephant in the room" could be AV. It has caused rifts within the cabinet, but Mr Miliband's own Labour Party is also divided over the issue. The killing of Osama Bin Laden may also get a mention.

1134 On hand with their views today are Labour's former Home Secretary Alan Johnson and the Conservative Transport Secretary Philip Hammond, courtesy of BBC Two's Daily Politics. BBC political correspondent Carole Walker will provide up-to-the-minute analysis.

1130 Hello and welcome to our coverage of Prime Minister's Questions. It's the final session before Thursday's Scottish, Welsh and Northern Irish elections, English local elections and the referendum on whether the UK should adopt the alternative vote (AV) system for Westminster elections.