Rishi Sunak under pressure over what he knew about claims against Dominic Raab - BBC

Sir Keir asked whether Mr Sunak was "going to claim that he's the only person completely unaware of serious allegations of bullying against the deputy prime minister before he appointed him?"

The prime minister replied that when he was made aware of formal complaints, "I instructed a leading independent KC to conduct an investigation because I take action when these things happen".

Mr Sunak hit back by raising the case of Labour MP Rosie Duffield, who he said had been "forced to speak out because being in his party had reminded her of being in an abusive relationship".

Last week, Ms Duffield accused male party colleagues of trying to drown her out in the Commons when she backed the government's blocking of gender self-identification changes passed by the Scottish Parliament.

Sir Keir told MPs Mr Raab was facing 24 separate allegations of bullying and added that "according to recent reports, some of the complainants were physically sick.

Mr Sunak again turned his fire on Sir Keir, saying the Labour leader had admitted at the weekend that hate had been allowed to spread unchallenged in the party under his predecessor, Jeremy Corbyn.