Rayner questions Raab over Lebedev peerage

Angela Rayner and Dominic Raab faced off in Prime Minister’s Questions this afternoon, with the Labour deputy leader leading on security concerns around Lord Lebedev’s peerage.

Rayner pressed the deputy prime minister over reports that British security forces warned against awarding Evgeny Lebedev a seat in the House of Lords.

Raab stated Lord Lebedev’s peerage was a matter for the House of Lords Appointments Commission and claimed that Rayner’s suggestions that he may have ignored direct advice from British security services was “nonsense”.

Raab went on the attack over Rayner’s line of questioning on matters of security, describing the shadow deputy PM’s support of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn as a security concern. The deputy PM said “a Labour government would put at risk our security”, which was greeted by loud cheers on the Conservative benches.