Key points

An exchange mostly about Brexit and Theresa May’s meeting with Donald Trump later this week. Jeremy Corbyn returned repeatedly to what he described as May’s plans to turn Britain into a “bargain basement tax haven”, a reference to the prime minister’s not-so-subtle threats to the European Union on what might happen should Britain fail to secure a favourable trade settlement after Brexit. May did confirm there would be a white paper on Brexit but was vague in response to Corbyn pressing her on its timing. On her meeting with Trump, May said the nature of the special relationship with the US allowed her to “speak frankly” to the new president on matters such as women’s rights, and she said it was a relationship Corbyn would never enjoy.

Snap verdict

That was probably May’s best PMQs since her debut. She used a classic ambush at the start to wrongfoot Corbyn (her surprise announcement in response to the previous question about publishing a white paper on Brexit), and after that she prevailed on all six questions. Corbyn, to his credit, responded reasonably well to the fact that his most obvious line of attack had vanished, but after that his questions on Brexit failed to hit home, and May successfully deployed a Sadiq Khan quote to quash his claims about her wanting to rip up workers’ rights. Towards the end Corbyn switched to Trump, but he could not successfully stand up the charge that May was offering Trump a “blank cheque” (perhaps she will, but Corbyn did not say anything that made the case). His challenge to May to condemn Trump’s misogyny was a good one, but even that did not work because May had a fairly reasonable response.

Memorable lines

“As usual with Labour, the right hand’s not talking to the far left” – May scores on the Labour frontbench’s arguments over Brexit strategy.

“How does she intend to secure a trade deal with a president who wants to put America first, build a wall with its neighbours, and buy only American?” – Corbyn on May’s hopes for her Trump meeting.