David Lammy has said comments by Reform UK's only female MP were "disgraceful, racist language... which belongs in the Dark Ages".

The deputy PM is asked about Reform UK's performance at Kent County Council by Tristan Osborne, who asks Lammy if he agrees that the county "deserves so much better".

He responds: "Reform said that Kent County Council would be the best advocate for what a Reform government would look like. 

"They're delivering on the chaos that they promised and on standards in public life."

He then turns to comments made by Sarah Pochin last week, where she said "adverts full of black people, asian people" drive her mad. 

She has since apologised for her comments, while party leader Nigel Farage called them "ugly".

But Lammy goes much further.

He says: "The disgraceful, racist language that we heard from a report reform MP last week belongs in the Dark ages and she should be ashamed."

Pochin shakes her head in disapproval as Lammy lambasts her.

Lib Dem deputy leader Daisy Cooper, in her second question, asks David Lammy which he thinks is fairer: "Taxing struggling families, or taxing big banks?"

The deputy PM, as a fair few government voices have said recently, says he can't pre-empt the chancellor ahead of her budget.

Instead, Lammy says that it was "under her government, in which they were in coalition with the Conservatives, that we saw austerity right across our country."

The Labour deputy PM says other major parties were proposing austerity again.

"I know that the chancellor will do everything she can to continue as she set out... to invest in our NHS and our public services," Lammy tells the house.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge, for his fifth question, sticks to his guns asking again about Kebatu, the now deported sexual offener.

Cartlidge asks again:

"Can he reassure the House that since Kebatu was released no other asylum-seeking offender has been accidentally let out of prison? Can you answer the question, deputy Prime Minister?"

In response, the deputy PM again goes on the offensive, calling into question the Conservatives' own time in government.

Lammy tells the House: "I've got to tell you, I spent 14 years in opposite and I did a hell of a lot better than he's just done. I have answered the question. Under their watch, prisons were in a mess."

Cartlidge repeats the question again for his sixth question and Lammy again uses the opportunity to talk up what he claims Labour has done for law and order in the UK.

The deputy PM accuses the Tories of leaving the prison system "on the brink of collapse, threatening to allow offenders to run wild on our streets".

James Cartlidge now asks David Lammy whether "no other asylum seeker offender has been accidentally let out of prison" since convicted sex offender Hadush Kebatu was accidentally released from prison.

The Ethiopian national was released by accident last month, leading to a three-day manhunt.

Kebatu has since been deported.

The deputy PM hits back at the Conservative MP, saying that since this embarrassing incident, he has "put in place the toughest checks we've ever had in the prison system". 

Lammy then says it is "important that Lynne Owens is able to get to the bottom of her work", citing the former police officer leading an independent investigation into the wrongful release. 

He adds: "I suspect there will be more checks and balances we need to do.

"What we inherited was a complicated system that they set up, letting people out on the sly. 

"That's part of the problem. We're trying to fix it."

Lammy tells Cartlidge to 'get a grip, man'

But the shadow defence secretary uses his fourth question to ask the same question.

Cartlidge says: "He's the justice secretary. He's responsible for the justice system. He needs to take responsibility. And I'm asking him a straight question.

"Can he reassure the House that since Kebatu was released, no other asylum seeking offender has been accidentally let out of prison? It's a clear question. 

"Can he give an answer?"

An agitated Lammy responds: "Get a grip, man! I know I'm the justice secretary. That's why I'm at the despatch box. Also as deputy prime minister."

He then insists he won't prejudice Dame Lynne Owens's investigation.

Lammy continues: "It is for her to get to the box with that work. 

"Of course, we know that there have been spikes since 2021 under his watch. When did he come to this house and apologise?"

Cartlidge does not apologise in his next question.

David Lammy starts his remarks at deputy PMQs by touching on the recent train attack in Peterborough and the upcoming Remembrance Sunday.

Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge asks the first question, giving Lammy the chance to apologise to the father of a young girl sexually assault in Epping after they said the government had failed them.

In response, Lammy says:

"He must have missed the debate because in the debate, of course, I said sorry for the anxiety calls whilst Shebatu was at large. And I repeat that, and it's hugely important that [we]... now gets to the bottom of what has happened with her further investigation."

Cartlidge sticks with topic for his sceond question, asking if Lammy can "reassure the House that since Kebatu was released, no other asylum-seeking offender has been accidentally let out of prison?"

In response, Lammy repeats his apology and accuses Cartlidge and the Conservatives of being responsible for "the state" the country's prisons are in.

"It's now for us to fix the mess that we've got into," Lammy says.

He adds: "He knows that early release has begun under their watch in 2021."

Deputy prime minister's questions is about to begin, and today's battle in the Chamber could prove interesting. 

David Lammy will face off against Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge, with the PM on his way to COP30 in Brazil and Kemi Badenoch also away from the Commons.

There's plenty for the pair to go at, with Chancellor Rachel Reeves refusing to rule out introducing manifesto-breaking tax rises at the budget later this month. 

Meanwhile, Lammy will want to talk about the breaking news that a man who came to the UK illegally twice has now been deported for a second time, under the government's 'one in, one out' migrant returns agreement.

You can watch it live in the stream above.

An Iranian national who returned to UK after being deported to France has been removed for a second time, Paste BN understands.

The man first came to the UK illegally via a small boat before being detained and deported to France on 19 September, under the terms of the government's 'one in, one out' returns deal.

But in an embarrassment for the government, he then returned to the UK for a second time on 18 October, again via small boat.

He was detained once again, and the government insisted he would be removed back to France as soon as possible.

It is understood this has now happened.

In total, 94 people have been returned to France under the terms of the UK-France migrant returns deal, which was signed in the summer.

57 individuals have been brought to the UK from France, under the terms of the deal.

Prime Minister's Questions without the prime minister (or indeed the Tory leader) can often have a more unhinged, even feral, feeling.

With the bosses away – the deputies attempt to make hay.

This will be David Lammy's first outing as a stand-in for Sir Keir Starmer.

His opponent, Shadow Defence Secretary James Cartlidge, is also making his debut at PMQs too.

Hard luck, Robert Jenrick.

He may shadow Lammy in the justice brief, but it's not surprising that Tory HQ were reluctant to let the ever-ambitious rapscallion loose on a Wednesday lunchtime (might he be… too good?)

So, what could the Tories try to clobber the Deputy PM with?

The obvious choice for their six questions would be this: "Are you going to put up income tax?

 "Are you going to put up income tax?

"Are you going to put up income tax?

"Are you going to put up income tax?

"Are you going to put up income tax?

"Are you going to put up income tax?

Another option would be the debacle over the migrant sex offender who was mistakenly let out of prison.

Some Tories have already been hurling attacks at Lammy for allegedly not reaching out directly to the family of the man’s victim.

The choice of Cartlidge could also indicate a focus on defence issues, such as the Chagos Islands deal.

Don't expect the Deputy PM to pull his punches either, though.

We could be in for a bit of a ding-dong.

Deputy PM David Lammy will be in the Chamber very shortly, to take a grilling from MPs as he fills in for Sir Keir Starmer at PMQs.

As we mentioned a little earlier, he'll be attempting to bat off the Opposition's six questions, this week fielded by shadow defence secretary, James Cartlidge.

This week's PMQs - or technically deputy prime minister's questions (DPMQs) - follows the Chancellor Rachel Reeves refusing to rule out manifesto-busting tax rises in the budget later this month. 

That's created a bit of a hornet's nest for the government.

But it won't just be the Tories that the justice secretary will be hoping to give no ground to.

He's also set to face the usual round of questions from backbenchers on both sides of the Commons.

This week's line-up include the chairman of the 1922 Committee Bob Blackman, Lib Dems' London spokesperson Luke Taylor, and a whole host of Labour MPs.

The full list is below:

DPMQs begins at 12pm, and we'll bring you the very latest, right here on the Politics Hub.

George Osborne has called on the Labour government to "re-enter the customs union" and has praised the PM's UK-EU reset.

The former chancellor is speaking to the Commons Treasury Select Committee ahead of the autumn budget later this month.

He said that Brexit has done "damage" to the UK economy, and insisted he is not trying to "relitigate the referendum".

The 'Remainer' said: "It's to say, you could have left the European Union in a very different way, with much less economic damage. 

"And at the time, there was a strong argument from Brexiteers that we could have stayed in the Single Market and stayed in the Customs Union."

The Customs Union is a trade agreement between all EU member states that means there are no customs duties on trade with each other, while it also applies a common external tariff on all trade imported from outside the bloc.

Challenged then whether the current chancellor, Rachel Reeves, should re-join these, Osborne responds: "I personally thought that the Labour government should have rejoined the Customs Union on entering office. 

"It would have put the opposition in an impossible situation today, of, like 'elect us, we're going to come out of the Customs Union'.

"Good luck trying to get elected on that platform.

"But [Labour] didn't. I strongly applaud what the prime minister and others are doing to negotiate a better trade deal with the EU and I would urge them to double down."

He also said that while building a new railway might take 15 years, "getting a better trade deal or service agreement with the EU is something within your gift and the gift of the European negotiator".

He added there are lots of reasons why the UK should "cooperate with out largest trading neighbour without rejoining the EU, without reopening the debate on free movement".

Osborne also called these "pretty easy wins" and "quite straightforward to deliver".

The Liberal Democrats have been calling for the UK to create a new "bespoke" customs union with the EU for months.