Key points
- Sunak confirms defence spending will rise to 2.5% by 2030
- Beth Rigby asks PM if we have entered 'pre-war era'
- Small boat crossings must stop 'out of compassion more than anything else', PM says
- Union suggests civil servants may not comply with Rwanda bill
- Challenges to Rwanda bill 'inevitable', minister says - but declares government will 'overcome them'
- Five deaths on migrant boat trying to cross Channel hours after legislation passes
- Live reporting byBen Bloch
Section 21s: Almost one million renters given no-fault evictions since Tories promised to scrap them
Jennifer Scott, political reporter
Almost one million private renters in England have been handed no-fault evictions since the Conservative government promised to abolish them, new data has shown.
Research carried out by YouGov on behalf of homelessness charity Shelter - and shared exclusively with Sky News - showed that since April 2019 a total of 943,000 people had been given Section 21 notices, which is the equivalent of more than 500 renters every day.
The figures also showed unwanted moves were costing private renters in England £550m a year, with 830,000 people having to move in the last 12 months alone due to either their fixed tenancies coming to an end, being priced out by rent increases or being served with a Section 21.
Add in the soaring upfront costs for rents and deposits and unwanted moves are costing more than £1bn a year - or an average of £1,245 per person.
Polly Neate, Shelter's chief executive, said tenants were "bearing the cost of the government's inaction" and warned any further delays to banning no-fault evictions would see more people "tipped into homelessness".
But Levelling Up minister Jacob Young defended the government. He said abolishing Section 21s was "the biggest change to the private rented sector in more than 30 years" so it "takes time to make sure we get it right".
Read more here:
Starmer: 'No doubt' small boat crossings must stop - but 'Rwanda gimmick not the way'
We've just heard from the Labour leader, Sir Keir Starmer, who has been out and about on the local elections campaign trail in Cawood, North Yorkshire.
He was asked for his reaction to the five deaths in the English Channel this morning, and he replied: "My response is a human response.
"This is an absolute tragedy and my heart, of course, goes out to the family members of those who have died.
"It is a reminder that this vile trade run by criminal gangs costs lives and, sadly, more lives today."
The Labour leader went on to say there is "no doubt" small boat crossings need to be stopped, but said the government has "lost control of the borders".
"This Rwanda gimmick is not the way to stop it," he said.
"It costs an absolute fortune - £300m already, another £50m either this week or next, to remove a few hundred people. That's a drop in the ocean."
Sir Keir said he would use the money to "build up our border security, to take down the gangs that are running this vile trade and stop those boats arriving in the first place".
He added: "The prime minister doesn't really think it's going to work, we know that.
"The home secretary doesn't think it's going to work. Their own side are saying it's symbolic. It isn't going to work."
Labour leader welcomes Sunak's funding pledge for Ukraine
Earlier today, Rishi Sunak announced a £500m military aid package to Ukraine in its war against Russia, alongside the UK's largest provision of munitions so far.
Some 400 vehicles, 60 boats, 1,600 strike and air defence missiles, and four million rounds of ammunition are included in the package.
The announcement comes during a downswing for Ukraine as Russian forces have been gaining the upper hand in recent weeks (read the full details of the announcement here).
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has welcomed the move from the government, telling broadcasters: "I fully support what the prime minister has announced in relation to further funding for Ukraine.
"It's vitally important that we continue to support Ukraine against Russian aggression, and in parliament and in our politics, we've stood united on the question of Ukraine since the conflict began.
"We will continue to do so."
Sir Keir - who is hoping to be PM after the next general election - called on "all allies to work together on this".
Labour accuses Conservatives of mismanaging defence and promises review if it takes power
In the wake of the prime minister's announcement, Labour have put out their response.
John Healey, the opposition's shadow defence secretary, said: "As Keir Starmer recently set out, Labour wants to see a fully funded plan to reach 2.5%, but the Tories have shown time and time again that they cannot be trusted on defence and we will examine the detail of their announcement closely.
"The British public will judge ministers by what they do not what they say.
"Since 2010, the Conservatives have wasted more than £15bn mismanaging defence procurement, shrunk the Army to its smallest size since Napoleon, missed their recruitment targets every year, and allowed morale to fall to record lows.
"Labour will conduct a strategic defence and security review in the first year in government to get to grips with the threats we face, the state of our Armed Forces, and the resources required."
Is this being announced only because it's an election year?
The Sun asks the prime minister if he is only making today's announcement because it is an election year.
He also asks about reports Germany is unhappy with the level of defence spending from the UK.
Mr Sunak says he is meeting Chancellor Olaf Scholz tomorrow, and that the UK and Germany are the two largest defence spenders in Europe.
He adds that he is looking forward to having "good conversations" with his German counterpart tomorrow, and that there is also "good cooperation" between the two nation's armed forces.
On the other question, Mr Sunak says that, as chancellor, he oversaw the largest increase in the defence budget since the end of the Cold War.
He adds that he has always taken it "incredibly seriously".
Jens Stoltenberg says the UK has been a "leading example when it comes to defence spending".
'Significant increase' in NATO ally spending
Jens Stoltenberg is asked about the NATO members who are "not paying their fair share".
He notes several US presidents have called for more defence spending from NATO allies in Europe.
"The good news is that over the last few years there has been a significant increase," he says.
Rishi Sunak says "the UK is doing its part" and has "stepped up".
"The UK has led by example to help galvanise others to do the same," he adds.
Have we entered a pre-war era?
Sky political editor Beth Rigby asks if we have entered a "pre-war era" - and whether something particular has happened to spark today's announcement.
Rishi Sunak says people will use "different words" to describe what's happened today.
He repeats that the world is "in a more dangerous place than it's been since the end of the Cold War".
The current situation is "not something new", and was pointed out in reviews of the UK's defence.
But what has changed is the "pace and intensity of where we're seeing these threats emerge".
Those are reasons to make the announcements now, Mr Sunak says.
The PM says that there are more threats today - but the UK is approaching the situation from a "position of strength" and confidence because it is making the right investments, alongside NATO.
Mr Stoltenberg says that "we live in a more dangerous world" as shown by Russia invading Ukraine.
The NATO chief says he cannot say what the next crisis or war will be, but that if the alliance stands together then peace can be protected and preserved for allies.
'An investment in Ukraine is an investment in our security'
The next question for the PM and the NATO chief asks them about the costs of supporting Ukraine.
Rishi Sunak says "unfortunately we are a living in amore dangerous time since the Cold War" and in response to that "the right thing to do is increase spending in national defence".
"An investment in Ukraine is an investment in our security," he says.
Mr Sunak says "it is right" to make this investment.
"All of this contributes to future UK security and prosperity," he says.
Jen Stoltenberg says "there is no way we can run away from that cost - we have to pay".
"The reality is there is a cost to having an aggressive neighbour and we have a very aggressive neighbour.
"We can't run away from that cost."
Is it time to call China a threat?
The Daily Telegraph asks Rishi Sunak if he will designate China a threat.
The prime minister responds by saying that China has different values to the UK, and is behaving in a way that is authoritarian at home and assertive overseas.
He says it is "right" to protect the UK from this.
But he will not reduce "complex foreign policy down to one word or phrase".
He points to the removal of China from the Newport Wafer Fab and the banning of Huawei telecoms equipment as a sign the UK is strong on the subject.
Mr Sunak says that China is also an "indisputable part of the global economy" so it's important to keep dialogues open.
Mr Stoltenberg says the war in Ukraine has shown how "intertwined and interlinked" security is.
He says China is "propping up" the Russian war economy, Iran is providing drones and ammo, and North Korea is also supplying ammunition.
"In return, Moscow is mortgaging its future to Beijing and Moscow is delivering technology to North Korea and Iran to help them develop their missile and nuclear programs," he says.
Will there be an inquiry into penalised carers?
Rishi Sunak is asked if he will set up an inquiry after the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) was accused of forcing tens of thousands of unpaid carers to pay back huge sums overunwittingly breaching earnings rules.
The PM says while he is not familiar with individual cases there has been some reporting around carers allowance and how it works.
"There has been a long standing principle in the way carers allowance works, which is not means tested but is subject to an earnings threshold and people are asked to declare their earnings when they make a claim," he says.
"If there's a discrepancy that impacts people's entitlement, then obviously they (DWP) will seek to recover that and do that in a sensible and fair way," he says.
"Everyone's cases will be different so it's hard for me to get into that.
"I think it's reasonable that the welfare system is fair."
