The Bank of England could be encouraged to cut interest rates for the first time in more than four years amid growing evidence that inflation has been tamed, experts have said.
Expectations on financial markets show about a 65% chance of the Bank’s Governor Andrew Bailey opting to reduce rates today.
It comes after new economic data suggested the UK’s cost-of-living crisis has eased in recent months thanks to inflation coming off the boil.
With the Tory leadership contest in full swing, Kemi Badenoch asked officials to pay for holiday flights with taxpayers’ money, the Guardian reports.
The shadow business secretary planned to fly to the US while in government but the trip was rebuffed by her former department’s top civil servant.
The Conservative leadership hopeful had travelled to Mexico for an official visit to discuss a plan to join the CPTPP Indo-Pacific trade bloc.
Keir Starmer is set to hold an emergency meeting with senior police officers in Downing Street following a second night of violence across the country.
The meeting comes after scenes of violent unrest in London, Hartlepool and Manchester overnight while a demonstration in Aldershot saw a tense stand-off with riot police.
Key Points
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Jeremy Hunt says Labour is plotting ‘great tax betrayal’
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Rayner defends scrapping ‘beauty’ housing rule
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Chancellor admits taxes will rise in first Labour budget
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Liz Truss mini-budget dragged into £22billion black hole row
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Labour MP investigated by standards watchdog
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Atkins warns Labour sends ‘dangerous message’ to striking doctors
Keir Starmer to meet police chiefs after second night of violence hits Britain
07:20 , Salma Ouaguira
The prime minister will host senior police leaders in Downing Street this afternoon in the wake of violent unrest in multiple parts of the country.
He is expected to remind the police that people “exploit” the right to protest in order to “sow hatred” or commit “violent acts” should be met with “the full force of the law”.
Sir Keir Starmer will also commit to working in partnership with police forces across the UK to stop “mindless violence” following scenes of unrest in Southport, London, Hartlepool and elsewhere.
It comes as more than 100 people were arrested after protesters in Whitehall launched beer cans and glass bottles at police and threw flares at the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.
Demonstrators wearing England flags and waving banners saying “enough is enough” and “stop the boats” had congregated outside Downing Street in the wake of the killing of three young girls in a knife attack in Southport, which social media posts had wrongly claimed was carried out by a Muslim asylum seeker who crossed the Channel in a small boat.
The angry scenes also included loud chants of: “We want our country back” and: “Oh Tommy Robinson”, referring to the right-wing activist. One man wore a shirt with the slogan: “Nigel Farage for Prime Minister, Tommy Robinson for Home Secretary”.
Labour facing fresh calls to back EU youth mobility scheme as party launches ‘new approach’ on migration
Wednesday 31 July 2024 19:30 , Salma Ouaguira
The government has been urged to pursue a youth mobility scheme with the European Union (EU) alongside the “new approach” to legal migration launched by Yvette Cooper.
The home secretary on Tuesday launched a plan to boost the UK workforce’s skills before recruiting abroad in a bid to bring overall numbers down.
In a swipe at the previous Conservative government, Ms Cooper said rising levels of legal migration in recent years reflected a “failure over many years to tackle skills shortages and other problems in the UK labour market”.
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full story:
Labour facing fresh calls to back EU youth mobility scheme
Rayner’s ‘revolution’ slashes London house building target
Wednesday 31 July 2024 19:00 , Salma Ouaguira
Angela Rayner’s planning “revolution” will see London’s housebuilding target slashed by 20,000 homes, despite a wider push to boost the number of houses being built each year.
The deputy prime minister and housing secretary unveiled a major overhaul of the planning system today, which will see all councils in England given new, mandatory housing targets as part of a plan to deliver 1.5 million more homes in the UK.
She warned that Britain is facing the “most acute housing crisis in living memory”, claiming that the number of new homes is set to drop below 200,000 this year – something Ms Rayner dubbed “unforgivable”.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke has the full story:
Angela Rayner’s planning ‘revolution’ slashes housebuilding target for London
Expert taskforce launched to plan fresh generation of new towns
Wednesday 31 July 2024 18:30 , Salma Ouaguira
An expert taskforce is being launched to spearhead Labour’s plans for a fresh generation of new towns.
The towns, which the new government says will create communities of at least 10,000 homes each, are billed as a part of the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war period.
Angela Rayner, the deputy prime minister, has asked two experts to lead the independent New Towns Taskforce.
Its chair, Sir Michael Lyons, has played leading roles in regeneration development company the English Cities Fund, as well as in local government, and has sat on the board of housing developers.
Deputy chair Dame Kate Barker is a housing economist who also chairs a major universities pension scheme and was an external member of the Bank of England’s Monetary Policy Committee between 2001 and 2010.
While some of the new communities set to be built through the programme will be separate from existing towns, others will be urban extensions and regeneration schemes of existing places.
Ms Rayner has insisted the taskforce will “work together with local people to help us decide on the right places for these new towns, delivering more homes, jobs and green spaces”.
The communities will be governed by a “New Towns Code”, a set of rules for developers to ensure the towns are well-connected with infrastructure and public services, are well-designed, sustainable and are nice looking places.
The deputy prime minister’s appointment of Sir Michael and Dame Kate comes a day after she announced an overhaul of the planning system to pave the way for 1.5 million new homes over the next five years to tackle England’s acute housing crisis.
Reeves will have to U-turn on winter fuel savings, warns ex-minister
Wednesday 31 July 2024 18:00 , Salma Ouaguira
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has been warned that her plans to means test winter fuel payments will not be possible because of ageing computer systems.
Former pensions minister Guy Opperman, who ran benefits for pensioners between 2017 and 2022 and looked at means testing winter fuel payments, has issued a warning that the system in the Department for Workm and Pensions cannot cope with the changes Ms Reeves has proposed.
The chancellor announced that she would save almost £3 billion by ending winter fuel payments of £200 for over-70s and £800 for over-80s who are not on pension credit.
That means around 10 million out of the 11.5 million pensioners who received the payment will no longer get it and 7 milion of the 8.5 million households which received will no longer be entitled to the payment.
Our political correspondent David Maddox has the full story:
Reeves will be forced to U-turn on winter fuel means tests, warns former minister
VOICES John Rentoul: Sidelined? No – Angela Rayner’s ambitious housing plan may be the making of her
Wednesday 31 July 2024 17:30 , Salma Ouaguira
The new deputy prime minister’s first big outing in the Commons was her chance to prove that she has not been pushed to the political margins by Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves – and she delivered in spades, says John Rentoul:
Sidelined? No – Angela Rayner’s ambitious housing plan may be the making of her
VOICES: Reeves’ urinal problem is about much more than a toilet…
Wednesday 31 July 2024 17:15 , Salma Ouaguira
Is having a urinal in the chancellor’s bathroom the worst thing in the world? Not really. But it does take the p***, Ryan Coogan writes:
Rachel Reeves’ urinal problem is about much more than a toilet…
Suella Braverman says Labour scrapping European committee is ‘beginning of the end’ for Brexit
Wednesday 31 July 2024 17:00 , Salma Ouaguira
Suella Braverman has dubbed Labour’s decision to scrap the European Scrutiny Committee the “beginning of the end” of Brexit.
Commons leader Lucy Powell on Tuesday announced plans to abolish the select committee, which was established in 1973 to scrutinise the government on EU affairs. This came as part of a wider reform of some of the MP select committees.
Select committees are small groups of MPs or members of the House of Lords that are set up to investigate a specific issue or policy in detail.
The former home secretary hit out at the decision on social media, saying it is “anti-democratic, lacking transparency and a disservice to the millions of British people who voted to deliver Brexit in 2016 and 2019.”
Ms Braverman added: “This is the beginning of the end of Brexit.”Our political correspondent Millie Cooke has the full story:
Braverman says Labour scrapping European committee is ‘beginning of end’ for Brexit
Renewable energy budget boosted to £1.5bn as record funding allocated
Wednesday 31 July 2024 16:40 , Salma Ouaguira
The UK’s renewable energy budget has been increased to a record £1.5 billion, Ed Miliband announced on Wednesday.
Of that, £1.1 billion will be allocated for offshore wind, which the government described as “the backbone of the UK’s clean energy mission”.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke has the full story:
Renewable energy budget boosted to £1.5bn as record funding allocated for clean power
Former Tory chancellor claims UK needs foreign builders to meet 1.5m housing target
Wednesday 31 July 2024 16:20 , Salma Ouaguira
Lord Hammond has warned Labour’s plan to build 1.5million more houses will not be materialised unless the government allows more builders to come to the UK.
The Tory former chancellor said there is “social pressure for new housing” as well as an “urgent economic need to regenerate the housebuilding sector”.
He told Sky News: “But I think it is not just about planning reform. You can’t build houses without builders and if the government thinks relaxing the planning rules while tightening the migration rules is going to get houses built I think they are going to have another thing coming.”
In the ‘battle of the budgets’, who’s being economical with the truth?
Wednesday 31 July 2024 16:00 , Salma Ouaguira
Amid a furious war of words between Rachel Reeves and Jeremy Hunt over the £22bn black hole in Britain’s finances, a clear winner has emerged, says Sean O’Grady:
In this ‘clash of the chancellors’, who’s being economical with the truth?
Badenoch dismisses bullying claims as ‘smears’ amid Tory leadership bid
Wednesday 31 July 2024 15:50 , Salma Ouaguira
Kemi Badenoch has dismissed accusations that she bullied civil service staff while serving as business secretary as “smears”.
The Conservative MP, now shadow communities secretary, is alleged to have created an intimidating atmosphere at the Department of Business and Trade in a report by the Guardian newspaper.
“Let’s be clear: these allegations are smears from former staff who I sacked after they were accused of bullying behaviour, lying about other colleagues to cover up their own failures and general gross incompetence,” Ms Badenoch wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
“Intolerable behaviour I would not stand for,” she added.
The Tory former minister, among those running to be the party’s next leader, also claimed the Department of Business and Trade had confirmed there were no complaints and no investigations against her.
She said the accusations would not “stop me or my campaign” and claimed her bid to be the next Conservative leader following the party’s general election rout had “spooked the lefties and now they’re coming for the one person they know can beat Keir Starmer”.
Ms Badenoch, the MP for North West Essex, added: “The renewal of my party and the country is too important to let the Guardian, acting for the Labour Party, disrupt.”
A spokesman for Ms Badenoch added that she has “high standards and expectations, and she has cultivated high-performing civil service teams who enjoy working with her”.
Atkins warns Labour sends ‘dangerous message’ to striking doctors
Wednesday 31 July 2024 15:46 , Salma Ouaguira
Victoria Atkins has slammed the Labour government for settling the pay rise dispute with junior doctors.
The shadow health secretary claimed Wes Streeting’s decision to grant striking NHS staff a 22 per cent pay hike is a “dangerous message” that “strike action will work again in the future”.
Posting on X, she said: “Labour has caved into union demands with a budget-busting pay increase. They have sent the dangerous message that ‘strike action will work again in the future’.
“Labour must stand up to their union paymasters or it is the public who will pay with more strikes and higher taxes.”
It comes as the head of the British Medical Association Robert Laurenson suggested there could be fresh strikes next year despite securing the deal.
Labour has caved into union demands with a budget-busting pay increase. They have sent the dangerous message that “strike action WILL work again in the future”.
Labour must stand up to their union paymasters or it is the public who will pay with more strikes and higher taxes. https://t.co/FMikW8fVXV
— Victoria Atkins (@VictoriaAtkins) July 31, 2024
Angela Rayner plays down Labour rebellion against housing plan
Wednesday 31 July 2024 15:40 , Salma Ouaguira
The deputy prime minister has played down a Labour backbench rebellion against the government’s housebuilding plan.
The housing secretary announced a radical reform to housing plans to lay out the foundations for 1.5 million new homes over the next five years. The minister also set out an annual target of 370,000 homes for local authorities.
But she has dismissed suggestions that she could face MPs opposing the mandatory housebuilding targets on councils if found unpopular in local areas.
Asked by reporters on Tuesday whether she was “gearing up for a fight” with Labour MPs and councils over the new plans, she replied: “Well, Labour councils and Labour MPs know that we’ve got a housing crisis and they’ve been very supportive of our manifesto pledge, which was 1.5 million homes, and knowing full well that that meant we had to really drive that.
“What we need is all areas [is] to recognise the crisis we have and then do something about it, and we’re going to help them do that by driving through these changes so that we get the houses we desperately need.”
Pressed on the issue again, she added: “I think the biggest challenge when I’ve spoken to communities is that often these houses are not for them.”
Lammy hails visit to Qatar ‘absolutely vital’
Wednesday 31 July 2024 15:35 , Salma Ouaguira
The UK and Qatar share a commitment to regional stability, security, defence and driving growth.
Qatar plays a key role in mediating the conflict in Gaza, so it’s absolutely vital we work together to push for peace.
I look forward to continuing our close cooperation with HH… pic.twitter.com/fenks5IOSY
— David Lammy (@DavidLammy) July 31, 2024
Councils will be forced to release green belt land for building
Wednesday 31 July 2024 15:30 , Salma Ouaguira
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has confirmed local authorities may be forced to release green belt land to make space for new housing.
Mr Pennycook told Sky News: “If local authorities can’t meet their targets through previously developed brownfield land in the first instance or in co-operation with neighbouring boroughs, they should look to then release low quality greybelt land within the greenbelt. Lots of the package yesterday was focused on the targeted release of that greybelt land.
“But in certain circumstances, certain local authorities may, if they can’t through brownfield or in co-operation with neighbours or through greybelt release, need to release some elements of the greenbelt – that happens already.
“Just to be really clear, we’ve not inherited a situation where the previous government didn’t release any greenbelt land at all. They were releasing it in quantity but in a haphazard, unplanned way, and often in a way that didn’t meet local housing needs.
“So what we’re saying is there’s a smarter way to release the right bits of the greenbelt – greybelt low quality land primarily – and to ensure through our golden rules that when it is released, we get development that meets local housing needs.”
Keir Starmer calls Brazil, Nigeria and Cyprus leaders
Wednesday 31 July 2024 15:27 , Salma Ouaguira
The prime minister has called leaders of Brazil, Nigeria and Cyprus this afternoon.
Downing Street confirmed Sir Keir spoke with Brazilian president Lula da Silva to discuss “the close areas of collaboration between the UK and Brazil, including on climate and nature”.
He also talked to Nigerian president Bola Tinubu. No 10 said the PM “reflected on the important relationship between the UK and Nigeria, grounded in cooperation on trade and security as Commonwealth partners, with long-standing ties between our people”.
During his call with Cyprus’ president Nikos Christodoulides both leaders agreed to “deepen the invaluable relationship that the UK and Cyprus share, particularly on issues including regional security and migration”.
Taylor Wimpey forecasts housebuilding surge in second half of year
Wednesday 31 July 2024 15:20 , Salma Ouaguira
Taylor Wimpey is expecting to build up to 10,000 homes this year, at the top end of previous estimates.
The developer upgraded its annual building forecast on Wednesday, saying that it expects a bounce-back in the second half of 2024, following a slow first half.
Taylor Wimpey’s operating profit fell 22.6% to £182.3 million during the six months to June 30, while sales fell 7% and home completions dropped 7.7% to 4,728.
It said the slow period was caused by a delay in the Bank of England cutting the UK’s base interest rate which meant mortgages were more expensive.
The prospect of a likely rate, cut either this week or in September, means it will meet the “upper end” of previously announced completion guidance of 9,500 to 10,000 homes.
The number would still be lower than the 10,400 homes completed in 2023, but sounded a note of optimism amid a persistent downturn for housebuilders of late.
Experts have said the Bank’s next decision on rates is on a knife-edge ahead of a meeting on Thursday August 1.
The UK’s base rate has been held at 5.25% since August last year as part of the central bank’s task to put a lid on unruly inflation.
Taylor Wimpey also said it expects changes to the planning system by Labour to give housebuilders a boost.
Farage not voting for ‘cruel’ plan to scrap winter fuel payments
Wednesday 31 July 2024 15:10 , Salma Ouaguira
Nigel Farage has said he will not back Rachel Reeves’ plan to scrap winter fuel payments for pensioners labelling the Labour decision “cruel and cynical”.
The MP for Clacton told GB News: “I have to say I think it’s rather a cruel thing to do, and I certainly won’t be voting for it as and when I get the opportunity.
“There were times in the past where maybe the argument was that it wasn’t necessary and it had been given as a bribe. But it’s almost like Labour are saying, ‘well, we don’t care about the pensioners, because they’re not going to vote for us anyway’.
“That money that could have gone to pensioners has gone for massive public sector pay rises, including over 22 per cent for junior doctors. This is a very cynical thing she did.”
Foreign Office undertaking ‘concerted effort’ to reduce Israel-Hezbollah tensions
Wednesday 31 July 2024 15:00 , Salma Ouaguira
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook said cabinet colleagues at the Foreign Office are undertaking a “concerted effort” to reduce tensions after Israel targeted a Hezbollah commander in a strike on a Beirut suburb.
Mr Pennycook told Sky News: “I know our Foreign Office ministers are engaged in a concerted effort to do what the UK can do to reduce tensions in the region. You’re right that they are at a very high level.
“We’ve advised British nationals in Lebanon to leave now on commercial flights and for British nationals not to travel to the region. It’s extremely tense.
“All the effort has to be on de-escalating the situation and getting both parties, the Israelis and the Lebanese, to engage with that US-led process on the diplomatic front and reduce tensions.”
Liz Truss minister urged to apologise for ‘next-level’ £22bn overspend black hole
Wednesday 31 July 2024 14:56 , Salma Ouaguira
Labour MP Joe Powell has called a Treasury minister of Liz Truss’ cabinet to apologise for leaving a £22billion public spending shortfall behind.
The MP for Kensington and Bayswater has written a letter to his predecessor Felicity Buchan to “finally apologise” for the “disastrous mini-budget”.
In a tweet, he said: “We knew the public finances under the Tories were a mess, but the £22bn overspend black hole is another level. I’ve written to the former Kensington MP – a Liz Truss Treasury minister – to ask for an apology.
“And I’ve supported measures in parliament so it never happens again.”
We knew the public finances under the Tories were a mess, but the £22bn overspend black hole is another level.
I’ve written to the former Kensington MP – a Liz Truss Treasury Minister – to ask for an apology.
And I’ve supported measures in Parliament so it never happens again. pic.twitter.com/D4r6L8mCDi
— Joe Powell MP (@josephpowell) July 31, 2024
UK delays ban on some arms sales to Israel amid conflict escalation in Lebanon
Wednesday 31 July 2024 14:50 , Salma Ouaguira
As Israel launches airstrikes on Lebanon to target Hezbollah, the UK has delayed its decision to ban some arms sales to Israel after it faces legal challenges to define arms exports used for offensive purposes, the Guardian reports.
A final decision will now be postponed for several weeks after 12 children were killed in a rocket attack in the Israel-occupied Golan Heights. In response, foreign secretary David Lammy called for an immediate deescalation and advised against all travel to Lebanon.
Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, he added: “We support Israel’s right to defend itself in line with international humanitarian law. They are in a tough neighbourhood threatened by those that want to annihilate it.”
It comes as Israel’s war on Palestine took a major turn after Hamas’ political chief Ismail Haniyeh was killed by Israel in Teheran, Iran.
Home Secretary outlines ‘new approach’ to legal migration and skills shortages
Wednesday 31 July 2024 14:50 , Salma Ouaguira
A “new approach” to legal migration aimed at boosting the UK workforce’s skills before recruiting abroad will be taken by the incoming government, Yvette Cooper has said.
In a swipe at the previous Conservative government, the Home Secretary said rising levels of legal migration in recent years reflected a “failure over many years to tackle skills shortages and other problems in the UK labour market”.
In a ministerial statement published as MPs left Westminster for the summer, she pointed to a rise in non-EU long-term migration from 277,000 in the year to December 2022 to 423,000 in the year to December 2023.
The number of work visas in the 12 months to March 2024 was, meanwhile, 605,264, or “over three times that of 2019”, she said.
“That reflects a failure over many years to tackle skills shortages and other problems in the UK labour market, meaning too many sectors have remained reliant on international recruitment, instead of being able to source the skills they need here at home,” Ms Cooper said.
Yvette Cooper added: “This is why we are setting out a different approach – one that links migration policy and visa controls to skills and labour market policies – so immigration is not used as an alternative to training or tackling workforce problems here at home.
“This approach will be important to enabling delivery of the government’s broader agenda.”
Under Labour, the Migration Advisory Council – which provides advice to the government on where skills shortages can be filled by migration – will work alongside Skills England and other bodies as part of a new “coherent approach to skills, migration and labour market policy”.
The agencies will also work alongside the devolved governments in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales towards the same end.
Government ‘working closely’ with Universal to build UK theme park
Wednesday 31 July 2024 14:49 , Salma Ouaguira
A NBCUniversal’s proposed theme park could be built in Bedfordshire after culture secretary confirmed the project was still going ahead.
Mohammad Yasin, the MP for the area, wrote to new Lisa Nandy to confirm whether Europe’s largest theme park was still going ahead.
In response, Ms Nandy said: “The proposed investment by NBCUniversal would be a significant boost to both tourism and creative industries and the company’s choice of the UK for its first European park is both a testament to the strength of these sectors and a demonstration that the UK is open for business.”
She added: “My officials are working closely with NBCUniversal to assess the local and national impacts and facilitate the deliverability of this project.
“Both I and the minister responsible for tourism and the creative Industries, Sir Chris Bryant, look forward to meeting representatives from NBCUniversal shortly.”
Universal Destinations & Experiences bought the piece of land in Bedford to build a 500-room hotel that could see millions of people coming every year.
Reeves faces Labour backbench rebellion over winter deaths with fuel payment cuts
Wednesday 31 July 2024 14:35 , Salma Ouaguira
The chancellor has been tackled by their own side over how many more elderly people will die of cold as a result of stripping 10 million pensioners of their winter fuel payments.
In response to the red-on-red criticism in Parliament, the government frontbench said it understood the “disappointment”, but insisted it was the right, if tough choice, given the state of the public finances inherited from the Tories.
The new administration was also accused of “picking” on pensioners with the move, which it was claimed would wipe out the benefits of the triple lock, which guarantees state payouts rise each year in line with inflation, earnings or by 2.5% – whichever is higher.
Challenging the government, Labour peer Lord Sikka argued the move was “taking away” £300 from pensioners by “a measure that was not in our manifesto”.
He told the upper chamber: “I have received already many messages where pensioners are very, very concerned about this.
“The government could have introduced a taper to lessen the pain to help many pensioners. Would the minister give a commitment that he would have another look at that?”
He also pointed out a document produced by the Treasury “has lots of financial numbers but there is no mention of any human whatsoever”.
Lord Sikka said: “Last year, 5,000 pensioners died because of cold and were unable to afford heating. Has the minister made any estimates of how many more will die because £300 will be taken away from them?”
Three unions confirm council waste staff in Scotland to strike in August
Wednesday 31 July 2024 14:30 , Salma Ouaguira
Co-ordinated strike action by council workers will prove “disruptive”, union leaders in Scotland have warned, ahead of waste and recycling staff taking part in an eight-day long protest in August.
The three unions representing local government employees, Unison, Unite and the GMB, have all now confirmed their members are to walk out for more than a week – with Edinburgh City Council staff set to strike during the Scottish capital’s busy summer festival period.
Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, will also be affected by the action, which is due to start at 5am on Wednesday August 14 and last until 4.59am on Thursday August 22.
Unison, the largest local government union, confirmed staff in 13 council areas will join the protest, while the GMB and Unite trade unions plan strikes in 18 areas.
As a result of the action the GMB warned bins will not be emptied across Scotland “from the smallest villages to the biggest cities”.
While union leaders insist strike action is not yet inevitable, they warned council leaders and ministers a “significant shift” in the pay offer is needed.
It comes amid a dispute over council workers’ pay, with all three unions having previously rejected the 3.2% pay rise offered by local government body Cosla – which insists it has “very limited options available”.
Rayner: Tories’ housing target for London ‘nonsense’
Wednesday 31 July 2024 14:20 , Salma Ouaguira
Angela Rayner has said the London housing target set up by the previous government wa “nonsense”.
Under the Conservatives, the capital had an annual target of 100,000 but the housing minister has now set a target of 80,000.
She told the BBC: “First of all, the target that was set for London wasn’t based on any particular formula. It was a nonsense formula that they used.
“The target that I have insisted on under the new method is 80,000. London didn’t get near that last year so I will be pushing the Mayor of London and I have already met with him. We will expect more.”
Sketch: Reeves didn’t just point the finger at the Tories – she crucified them
Wednesday 31 July 2024 14:10 , Salma Ouaguira
The chancellor was relentless: a £22bn black hole of unfunded promises. The national reserves not just blown, but double-spent. She did not quite bellow ‘J’accuse’, but that was the gist, writes Joe Murphy:
Reeves didn’t just point the finger at the Tories – she crucified them
Rayner: Labour won’t build ‘a load of ugly houses’
Wednesday 31 July 2024 14:00 , Salma Ouaguira
Angela Rayner has insisted Labour will not build “a load of ugly houses” after ditching a Tory requirement for new housing to be beautiful.
The housing secretary scrapped the commitment after the government found it to be “too subjective”.
Asked about removing the word beautiful from the rules, Ms Rayner told the BBC: “I think this is ridiculous. Beautiful is so subjective but actually within the planning framework there is a lot of specifications about [being] in keeping with the local area. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder anyway.”
Ms Rayner said the housing requirement “means nothing really, it means one thing to one person and another thing to another”.
She added: “All that wording was doing was preventing and blocking development and that is why we think it is too subjective and actually the guidelines and the rules that are in place means that there has to be consultation, they have to follow the rules on what the buildings look like, the safety of the buildings, are they in keeping with the area.
“There are rules and protections in place so I don’t buy this idea that I am just going to build a load of ugly houses. That is just not true.”
Boris Johnson unveils cover for new book ‘Unleashed’
Wednesday 31 July 2024 13:56 , Salma Ouaguira
Minister is first MP of new Parliament investigated by standards watchdog
Wednesday 31 July 2024 13:56 , Salma Ouaguira
A Treasury minister is being investigated by parliament’s standards watchdog, the first such inquiry since the election.
Tulip Siddiq, economic secretary to the Treasury and MP for Hampstead and Highgate, is under investigation for the late registration of interests, according to the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner’s website.
The inquiry is thought to relate to Ms Siddiq’s failure to register rental income from a property in London, which a Labour spokesman said was “an administrative oversight” for which she had apologised.
The spokesman said: “Tulip will co-operate fully with the Parliamentary Commissioner on Standards on this matter.”
Ms Siddiq is the first MP of the new parliament to be placed under investigation by the Standards Commissioner.
But investigations into three former MPs which began during the last Parliament remain open.
Former Conservative MP Bob Stewart is being investigated for failing to declare an interest and an alleged lack of co-operation with the watchdog’s inquiry.
Ex-Tory and Reclaim MP Andrew Bridgen is being investigated over registration of his interests, while former Tory Sir Conor Burns is being investigated for use of information received in confidence.
During the last parliament, the Standards Commissioner opened more than 100 investigations into MPs, the majority of which were resolved by “rectification” – a procedure that allows MPs to correct minor or inadvertent breaches of Commons rules.
Comment: Angela Rayner’s ambitious housing plan may be the making of her
Wednesday 31 July 2024 13:50 , Salma Ouaguira
The new deputy prime minister’s first big outing in the Commons was her chance to prove that she has not been pushed to the political margins by Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves – and she delivered in spades, says John Rentoul:
Sidelined? No – Angela Rayner’s ambitious housing plan may be the making of her
Pictured: John Healey and David Lammy meet Qatar’s Emir Sheikh bin Hamad al-Thani in Doha
Wednesday 31 July 2024 13:49 , Salma Ouaguira
Watch: Rachel Reeves admits taxes will rise in first Budget
Wednesday 31 July 2024 13:40 , Salma Ouaguira
Universities face sanctions if they fail to address staff-student relationships
Wednesday 31 July 2024 13:30 , Salma Ouaguira
Universities in England could face sanctions if they fail to take steps to prevent an “abuse of power” in intimate personal relationships between university staff and students, the higher education watchdog has said.
The Office for Students (OfS) will introduce a new condition of registration which will require higher education institutions in England to set out how they are protecting students from harassment and sexual misconduct.
It comes after a fifth of students who responded to an OfS survey said they had experienced unwanted sexual behaviour in the 2022/23 academic year.
Universities and colleges will not be able to use non-disclosure agreements (NDAs), which forbid students from talking about incidents of harassment or sexual misconduct, under the OfS’s condition of registration.
Higher education institutions will be required to take “one or more steps to make a significant and credible difference in protecting students” from any conflict of interest or “abuse of power” in intimate staff-student relationships.
But universities will have the flexibility to develop and publish their own policies on relationships between staff and students – including the restrictions or prohibitions they consider appropriate, the watchdog has said.
The OfS said: “We have said that a ban on intimate personal relationships is a step which would be considered to meet our requirements.
“A statement, on its own, which discourages relationships between staff and students will not be considered to meet our requirements.”
Labour ‘failed another generation’ with axing of social care reforms
Wednesday 31 July 2024 13:20 , Salma Ouaguira
The Labour government has “failed another generation of families” with the cancellation of a series of planned social care reforms, the architect of the plans has warned.
Rachel Reeves announced the cancellation of the Dilnot reforms on Monday, alongside a swathe of other spending cuts to address a black hole in the public finances left by the previous Conservative government.
Labour has ‘failed another generation of families’ with axing of social care reforms
Rayner: Majority of local communities will see their housing targets increase under Labour
Wednesday 31 July 2024 13:10 , Salma Ouaguira
Angela Rayner has said a majority of areas across the UK will have their housing targets increase under Labour plans to build 1.5million new homes in the next five years.
Ms Rayner told the BBC: “The method that we are using, what we are consulting on, is first of all around housing stock, so what they currently have, and then it is about affordability.
“So the reason that their target will have gone up is because they are not meeting the needs locally and therefore that has to be met.
“But I will be open with your listeners, the majority of places have had an uplift in their target because year upon year the Conservatives promised that they would build 300,000 homes and they failed to meet that target, year upon year.
“And that is why I have had to set the target at what it is and it is based on what the actual need is out there to solve this housing crisis.”
How much do junior doctors earn with pay rise deal?
Wednesday 31 July 2024 13:00 , Salma Ouaguira
The BMA and DHSC confirmed the total pay uplift across 2023-24 and 2024-25 will be 22.3 per cent on average.
The offer consists of an additional uplift of 4.05 per cent for the pay year 2023/24 on top of the average 8.8 per cent already awarded. This will be backdated to April 2023.
For 2024-25 the government have offered junior doctors an average increase of 8 per cent.
The BMA and DHSC have also agreed to change the name of “junior doctors” to “resident doctors” from September of this year.
Ministers entered formal negotiations with the BMA’s junior doctors’ committee days ago. The breakthrough comes after more than a year of strikes and deadlocks between the previous government and junior doctors.
The deal would mean a doctor starting foundation training in the NHS will see their base pay increase to £36,600, compared to around £32,400.
Tory leadership race: Lord Frost endorses Robert Jenrick
Wednesday 31 July 2024 12:50 , Salma Ouaguira
Robert Jenrick has been backed by former Brexit minister Lord Frost in the Tory leadership race.
The Conservative peer said he is endorsing the former immigration minister over the Rwanda scheme.
Writing for the Telegraph, he said: “Anyone can talk. It takes courage to act. I know that. I gave up my ministerial career on principle in December 2021 by resigning in protest against yet another Covid lockdown. So, too, Robert resigned last year in protest at the government’s migration policy, and was one of the small group who refused to back the Rwanda Bill unless it freed us from the European Convention on Human Rights.
“If we had taken a different course then, and the boats had slowed or even stopped – who knows what the story of this election might have been? More firm stands on points of principle might have changed the outcome, at least in part. Instead, we continued full on to disaster. Only a few, like Robert, stood by their beliefs. To me, that makes a difference.
“That ability to see the big picture, and to stand on principle to deliver it, is why I support Robert Jenrick as leader of our party. I hope others will look at what he is saying – and then do the same.”
Braverman blasts ‘the beginning of the end of Brexit’ as Labour axes EU committee
Wednesday 31 July 2024 12:40 , Salma Ouaguira
Suella Braverman has slammed Labour’s decision to scrap the European Scrutiny Committee as the government seeks reset of ties with EU.
On Tuesday evening, MPs agreed to scrap the European Scrutiny Committee which was previously tasked with assessing the legal or political importance of EU documents and directives lodged with the Westminster Parliament pre and post-Brexit.
Reacting to the move, former home secretary said: “Anti-democratic, lacking transparency and a disservice to the millions of British people who voted to deliver Brexit in 2016 and 2019. This is the beginning of the end of Brexit.”
Anti-democratic, lacking transparency and a disservice to the millions of British people who voted to deliver Brexit in 2016 and 2019.
This is the beginning of the end of Brexit. https://t.co/D4XF7RJKk6
— Suella Braverman MP (@SuellaBraverman) July 31, 2024
Exclusive: Peer accused of Islamophobia over ‘disgusting’ House of Lords speech
Wednesday 31 July 2024 12:30 , Salma Ouaguira
A peer has been accused of Islamophobia after giving a “disgusting and outrageous” speech in the House of Lords.
Lord Pearson of Rannoch claimed “radicals” plan to “take us over through the power of the womb and the ballot box” after discussing government plans to improve counterterrorism measures at public venues following the King’s Speech.
“The sharia allows Muslim men to have four wives at a time, most of whom are having at least two children, so the Muslim population is going up 10 times faster than our national average,” he told the House of Lords last Thursday.
Our race correspondent Nadine White has the full story:
Outrage as peer claims Muslim ‘radicals will take us over through power of the womb’
Pensioners can still get winter fuel payments by claiming benefits
Wednesday 31 July 2024 12:26 , Salma Ouaguira
Angela Rayner has called pensioners at risk of missing out on winter fuel payments to check whether they are eligible for pension credit.
The advice comes after chancellor Rachel Reeves announced the policy, which is currently worth up £300 to all pensioners, would be scrapped and become means-tested.
The deputy prime minister told ITV: “There’s thousands of people that are eligible for pension credit that are not currently receiving it.
“So my plea to people who are listening to this is check out whether you’re available for pension credit because there’s so many people that won’t, and those people will continue to get the winter fuel payment.”
Council waste workers set for eight-day strike in August, union confirms
Wednesday 31 July 2024 12:19 , Salma Ouaguira
Council waste workers in Scotland are to walk out on strike next month, with union leaders warning the action will be “disruptive”.
Leaders of the GMB confirmed its members will take action over eight days in August, with staff at Edinburgh City Council walking out during the capital’s busy summer festival period.
Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, will also be affected by the action, which is due to start at 5am on Wednesday August 14 and last until 4.59am on Thursday August 22.
GMB members in 18 of Scotland’s 32 local authority areas will strike, and the union said the action will mean bins are not emptied “from the smallest villages to the biggest cities”.
It comes amid a dispute over council workers’ pay, with the three unions involved – Unison, Unite and the GMB – having all rejected a 3.2% pay rise offered by local government body Cosla.
While talks between the unions, Cosla leaders and Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison took place on Tuesday, a deal to end the dispute has not yet been reached.
Union chiefs have already warned of the prospect of a “stinking summer” as rubbish builds up uncollected, and the GMB has now confirmed the strike dates for its members, which it said will go ahead unless councils and ministers “urgently identify the money needed to make a fair and acceptable offer”.
A similar dispute, which saw rubbish pile up on the streets of Edinburgh during the festival season in 2022, only ended when the Scottish government provided extra funds to councils for workers’ pay.
Hunt accuses Labour of plotting a ‘great tax betrayal’
Wednesday 31 July 2024 12:08 , Salma Ouaguira
Jeremy Hunt has accused Labour of plotting a “great tax betrayal” after Rachel Reeves accused the former chancellor of “lying” about the state of public finances.
Mr Hunt claimed the Sir Keir Starmer’s government were planning to raise taxes “all along” but “they just didn’t have the courage to tell you”.
Writing for the Conservative Home, he said: “The statement by the Chancellor on Monday was an exercise designed to cover up the great tax betrayal coming in the Autumn Budget.
“This week they revealed how they are planning to get away with it. We will not let them.”
It comes as the chancellor announced brutal saving measures to plug the £22billion black hole in public spending. Ms Reeves also confirmed she will have to raise taxes in the Budget in October.
How Labour could raise taxes as Reeves confirms changes coming in budget
Wednesday 31 July 2024 11:59 , Salma Ouaguira
Rachel Reeves has confirmed that Labour’s first autumn Budget will bring fresh tax rises as she says more needs to be done to fill the government’s shortfall in public finances.
Her statement comes after she recently announced a slate of cost-cutting measures to grapple with the issue. These included scrapping the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of pensioners, alongside halting several in-progress infrastructure projects.
With it now confirmed that the government will look to new ways to raise revenue, here are some of the key measures they could implement in the October Budget:
How Labour could raise taxes as Reeves confirms changes coming in October budget
Rayner defends controversial decision to cut winter fuel payments for pensioners
Wednesday 31 July 2024 11:49 , Salma Ouaguira
Angela Rayner has defended the government’s decision to scrap winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners as growth and GB Energy will “bring people’s bills down”.
Asked about the impact of the means-tested payment, she told ITV’s This Morning: “The frustration is what we inherited. It was horrendous when the Chancellor looked at the books.”
The deputy prime minister added: “So there was some really difficult choices and what the Chancellor set out with the winter fuel payments was about people on pension credit. Now there’s thousands of people that are eligible for pension credit that are not currently receiving it.
“So my plea to people who are listening to this is check out whether you’re available for pension credit because there’s so many people that won’t and those people will continue to get the winter fuel payment.”
Ms Rayner said: “That’s why we’ve put growth central as well because we’ve got to pay for our public services, bring people’s bills down.
“So Great British Energy, and the work we’re doing there will eventually mean that we will have our own energy efficiency, security, so we’re not at the mercy of dictators like Putin.”
Planners will need to ‘release elements’ of green belt to meet housing targets
Wednesday 31 July 2024 11:40 , Salma Ouaguira
Local authorities may need to “release some elements” of green belt land to meet housing targets, housing minister Matthew Pennycook has said.
Mr Pennycook also revealed that local plans are expected to be in place next year, or the government will put in place plans to “ensure targets are met” in its bid to meet Labour’s manifesto commitment of 1.5 million new homes over this Parliament.
It comes as the government announced that an expert taskforce has been launched to spearhead plans for a fresh generation of new towns.
The towns, which the Labour says will create communities of at least 10,000 homes each, are billed as a part of the largest housebuilding programme since the post-war period.
Deputy prime minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has asked two experts – Sir Michael Lyons and Dame Kate Barker – to lead the independent New Towns Taskforce.
Mr Pennycook said new housing will be prioritised on brownfield or greyfield sites but that some green belt may need to be “released”.
Kemi Badenoch dismisses accusations she bullied civil service staff
Wednesday 31 July 2024 11:29 , Salma Ouaguira
Kemi Badenoch has dismissed accusations that she bullied civil service staff while serving as business secretary as “smears”.
The Conservative MP, now shadow communities secretary, is alleged to have created an intimidating atmosphere at the Department of Business and Trade in a report by the Guardian newspaper.
Kemi Badenoch dismisses accusations she bullied civil service staff
Angela Rayner fell asleep on her Red Box
Wednesday 31 July 2024 11:21 , Salma Ouaguira
Angela Rayner has revealed she fell asleep on her ministerial Red Box as her busy life of “eat, sleep, work, repeat” in government takes a toll on her.
The deputy prime minister told ITV’s This Morning programme: “I did fall asleep on the Red Box the other night, that’s a rite of passage.
“It’s just eat, sleep, work, repeat at the moment.”
Rayner: ‘People are not like nimby for nimby reasons’
Wednesday 31 July 2024 11:18 , Salma Ouaguira
Angela Rayner has said improving infrastructure such as roads and access to GP appointments is “critical” for the government meeting housing targets as she said people are not “nimby (not in my back yard) for nimby reasons”.
The deputy prime minister told ITV’s This Morning: “I think the first thing is that the reason why I’ve said local plans have to be for every local authority, and at the moment, we’ve only got about 30 that have got up to date local plans, means they have to consult.
“They have to identify what the housing need is under our formula, and then they have to consult with local people and then when you’ve got the plans, it’s about making sure that infrastructure is there, so the planning is the crucial bit of getting the infrastructure.”
She added: “There isn’t a family that hasn’t got a housing need that isn’t met in the UK at the moment so people are not like nimby for nimby reasons.
“They’re saying ‘well hang on a minute our roads are already congested, we can’t get a GP appointment and now you want to build more houses here?’ so infrastructure is critical.
“And that’s why our rules will make sure that we get that infrastructure as well, because I’ve heard what people have said on that ‘we need these homes, but we need the infrastructure in place’.”
Poll: Six in 10 convinced Labour will hike inheritance tax and capital gains
Wednesday 31 July 2024 11:09 , Salma Ouaguira
Six in 10 voters are convinced the Labour government will put up capital gains tax and inheritance tax, according to a new poll.
Political research director at Savanta Chris Hopkins said it was clear that “much of the public don’t necessarily think they will be personally paying more taxes” under the new government.
“They think it’s more likely that capital gains and inheritance tax will be going up – comparatively narrow taxes that few people pay, next to VAT and National Insurance,” he said.
📈However, the taxes that voters think will go up under Labour to pay for public services tend to be ones people are less likely to pay (eg capital gains and inheritance tax). pic.twitter.com/D3hoNXJuJK
— Savanta UK (@Savanta_UK) July 31, 2024
Labour denies new housing targets for councils are politically motivated
Wednesday 31 July 2024 10:56 , Salma Ouaguira
Housing secretary Matthew Pennycook has rejected claims that Angela Rayner’s new housebuilding targets for local authorities are politically motivated.
It comes as the deputy prime minister said the government will reform the system to calculate local housing targets and the figures will now be based on each authority.
But the change has sparked speculation that Tory-voting communities will be forced to accept more homes.
Asked to explain why the figures were changing Mr Pennycook said: “What we’re proposing in the consultation that was released yesterday is to change the methodology about how housing targets are calculated.
“At the moment, they’re calculated on an outdated population-based projection, figures from 2014. And what that means is the areas of the country that have not grown a lot, but need to, including some of those you’ve mentioned, have very low housing targets. We’re changing the method. We’re saying that every part of the country needs to grow by at least 0.8% of its existing housing stock. We’ve got an adjustment for affordability.”
Pressed on whether the target increase for Fareham seemed unreasonable, he replied: “We simply don’t have enough homes. That is why we got a housing crisis. That’s why we got 150,000 people housed in temporary accommodation. More than a million on the housing register etc. We’ve got to tackle the crisis. We were elected on a very clear mandate to build those homes and more parts of the country are going to have to do more.”
HMRC figures show house sales increased by 8% annually in June
Wednesday 31 July 2024 10:51 , Salma Ouaguira
The number of home sales taking place across the UK in June was 8% higher than in the same month a year earlier, according to HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) figures.
An estimated 91,370 transactions were made, which was 8% higher than June 2023 but slightly lower (less than 1%) than in May 2024.
Although the month-on-month fall was only marginal, it marked the first monthly decrease since December 2023, HMRC said.
Iain McKenzie, chief executive of the Guild of Property Professionals, said: “Transaction numbers have been steadily growing for some time now, and a month-on-month decrease is nothing but a fly in the ointment.
“The market still shows strength when compared to the previous year, with June’s figures 8% higher than the same time last year.
“It’s important to consider these figures in the broader context of the market’s recovery.
“The overall trend for 2024 remains positive, and higher transaction levels compared to last year suggest that buyer confidence is gradually returning to the market.”
Jason Tebb, president of website OnTheMarket, said: “The housing market appears to have been largely treading water in June ahead of the General Election, with transaction numbers slightly down on the previous month.”
Renewable energy budget boosted to £1.5bn as record funding allocated
Wednesday 31 July 2024 10:42 , Salma Ouaguira
Renewable energy budget boosted to £1.5bn as record funding allocated for clean power
Rees-Mogg urges next Tory leader to be more conservative
Wednesday 31 July 2024 10:31 , Salma Ouaguira
Jacob Rees-Mogg has urged the next Tory leader to be more conservative to counter the threat of Reform.
Refusing to back someone to replace Rishi Sunak, he told Times Radio this morning: “I know and like all the candidates.”
Asked whether the next leader should counter Reform, Sir Jacob said: “Look at where the votes went. We lost roughly seven million votes, about four million went to Reform, it seems about 2.3 million stayed at home.
“Therefore you’ve got 6.3 million of the seven million who left because they didn’t think we were being a properly conservative party, we weren’t doing what the Conservative Party is meant to do.”
Farage accused of ‘deliberately inflaming tensions’ after Southport riot
Wednesday 31 July 2024 10:22 , Salma Ouaguira
Former MP Tobias Ellwood has accused the MP for Clacton of “deliberately inflaming tensions” following the riots after the Southport stabbings.
The Reform UK leader posted a video questioning why the incident was not being treated as terror-related and asking whether the “truth is being withheld from us”.
But hitting out at the right-wing politician’s response, Mr Ellwood said: “I lost my brother to terrorism. To ramp up hatred online by claiming the Southport attack was terrorist related (culminating in riots, a mosque damaged and 27 police injured) is not just reprehensible but needs addressing. Otherwise it will happen again.
“Disgusted how a sitting MP deliberately [inflames] tensions without any justification. Farage should delete this tweet.”
I lost my brother to terrorism.
To ramp up hatred on line by claiming the Southport attack was terrorist related (culminating in riots, a mosque damaged and 27 police injured) is not just reprehensible but needs addressing.
Otherwise it will happen again.Disgusted how a… https://t.co/NnPantRYgy
— Tobias Ellwood (@Tobias_Ellwood) July 31, 2024
Nigel Farage condemned for response to Southport stabbings as Reform MP accused of ‘inciting a riot’
Wednesday 31 July 2024 10:12 , Salma Ouaguira
Nigel Farage has been condemned for his response to the Southport stabbings, with the husband of murdered MP Jo Cox accusing the Reform leader of “inciting a riot”.
Three young girls were killed on Monday in an attack which took place during a Taylor Swift-themed dance class. Eight other children suffered stab wounds and at least two are still in a critical condition, alongside two adults who are also still in hospital.
Mr Farage had posted a video to social media responding to the attack, questioning why the incident was not being treated as terror-related and asking whether the “truth is being withheld from us”. He also asked whether the suspect, who is 17 and has not been identified, was being monitored by the security services.
In a statement the same day, Merseyside Police had stressed the “incident is not currently being treated as terror-related”.
Our political correspondent Millie Cooke has the full story:
Farage condemned for response to Southport attacks as MP accused of ‘inciting riot’
In full: Rachel Reeves confirms taxes will rise in her first budget in October
Wednesday 31 July 2024 10:03 , Salma Ouaguira
Taxes will have to rise in October to plug a £22bn hole in the public finances, Rachel Reeves has warned.
Ahead of her first budget, the chancellor refused to rule out hiking capital gains and inheritance tax and pursuing pension reform to fill the gap. And, setting the scene for a brutal financial statement, she said: “I think that we will have to increase taxes in the budget.”
The warning comes after she scrapped a series of infrastructure projects and announced the winter fuel allowance for pensioners would be means-tested in a bid to address the black hole left by the Conservatives.
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full report:
Rachel Reeves confirms taxes will rise in her first budget in October
Sunak should have called election after BoE rate cuts announcement, says former minister
Wednesday 31 July 2024 09:55 , Salma Ouaguira
Lord Hammond has said Rishi Sunak made a mistake by calling a July election as he should have waited for the Bank of England to cut interest rates.
The Bank’s monetary policy committee is expected to meet tomorrow to discuss whether to cut interest rates.
Lord Hammond told Sky News: “I am pretty sure we will get rate cuts this year and therefore I have never quite understood why the previous prime minister decided to go early to the country when I think there would have been an increasingly good economic story.
“Rate cuts means mortgage cuts for people and that matters to voters.”
Junior doctors could strike again next year despite pay rise
Wednesday 31 July 2024 09:46 , Salma Ouaguira
The head of the junior doctors’ union has suggested there could be fresh strikes next year despite securing a 22 per cent pay deal this week, LBC reports.
Co-chairman of the junior doctors committee of the British Medical Association (BMA) Robert Laurenson claimed the “window of opportunity [for strikes] is about 12 months away” because Labour is in a “honeymoon period”.
The BMA recommended that members should accept Wes Streeting’s offer, which included a pay rise of 4.05 per cent and an increase between 8.8 and 10.3 per cent.
But Mr Laurenson said that the union could consider a “long sustained” strike in the next months.
He said: “Now the last two years the strategy was based on a general election and trying to extract a deal from a desperate chaotic government in decline.
“I think the only way to extract a better deal would be to take long sustained action for probably the next 12 months.”
He added the BMA’s strategy was “based on a general election and trying to extract a deal from a desperate chaotic government in decline.”
The union leader said: “I think the only way to extract a better deal would be to take long sustained action [strikes] for probably the next 12 months.”
Defence minister calls for de-escalation in Lebanon
Wednesday 31 July 2024 09:39 , Salma Ouaguira
Defence secretary John Healey has called for the de-escalation of the conflict in Israel, Lebanon and Iran.
In a statement, Mr Healey said: “De-escalation must be our primary focus as this region stands at a crossroads. The loss of innocent life in recent weeks and months is unbearable. This has to end.
“All sides must step back from conflict and step-up diplomacy. We will work with important partners like Qatar as our government leads a renewed push for peace.”
It comes as Israel assassinated Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh on Iranian soil as clashes with Hezbollah escalate in Lebanon.
First female chancellor Rachel Reeves reveals she is stuck with a urinal in her office toilet
Wednesday 31 July 2024 09:30 , Salma Ouaguira
Rachel Reeves has said she is unable to have a urinal removed from her office toilet because it is listed and cannot be altered.
After the general election it was reported that work was set to take the urinal out of the Ms Reeves’s private office in Whitehall. But weeks later the chancellor, the first woman to hold the post since its creation a thousand years ago, said the facility is “still is in there” and cannot be replaced.
Appearing on an episode of the News Agents podcast, Ms Reeves invited host Emily Maitlis into the bathroom to see the urinal still standing.
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full story:
First female chancellor Rachel Reeves says she is stuck with urinal in office toilet
Ex-chancellor says Reeves ‘boxed herself in’ on tax rises
Wednesday 31 July 2024 09:22 , Salma Ouaguira
Lord Hammond has claimed Rachel Reeves had “boxed herself in” on tax rises by ruling out hikes to income tax, VAT or National Insurance.
The senior Tory told Sky News: “The problem Rachel Reeves has got is that she has boxed herself in by ruling out changes to the big taxes.
“That will leave her looking at secondary taxes like inheritance tax and capital gains tax. I think everybody expects that an incoming Labour government will make some changes in those areas.”
He said there would not be any “no-go areas” for raising taxes but he advised Ms Reeves to “tread extremely lightly and carefully around the taxes that impact on investment and entrepreneurship”.
Ministers should reconsider UK-EU scrutiny from ‘sunbeds’ this summer, says MP
Wednesday 31 July 2024 09:11 , Salma Ouaguira
Reform UK’s deputy leader has urged ministers to reconsider “from the sedentary position of our sunbeds” their move to ditch the Commons European Scrutiny Committee.
Richard Tice suggested the committee should be kept in place to scrutinise UK-European Union (EU) negotiations which take place in the future.
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he wants to “reset” relations with the UK’s European allies, while also noting negotiations on trade arrangements will not involve re-joining the EU or freedom of movement.
On Tuesday evening, MPs agreed to scrap the European Scrutiny Committee which was previously tasked with assessing the legal or political importance of EU documents and directives lodged with the Westminster Parliament pre and post-Brexit.
Before the vote, Mr Tice said: “We’ve heard from the Government before the election, during the election and since the election about the importance of our relations with our friends in the European Union and how negotiations may take place on a whole range and raft of important issues.
“And surely the whole point of our debate about our relationship with the European Union, people will remember – do you remember that slogan, ‘take back control of our borders, our money and our laws’?
“And this, of course, is the place where we debate and legislate for laws on behalf of the people.
“So if we’re going to take back control of our laws, then surely, those laws, those negotiations proposed by this Government on behalf of the people, should be scrutinised in detail and in earnest.”
He urged the government to reconsider its proposal to scrap the committee and “to reflect on it from the sedentary position of our sunbeds over the next month, and then bring it back to the House in September”.
Reeves accused of using £22bn black hole attack to justify tax rises
Wednesday 31 July 2024 09:01 , Salma Ouaguira
Former Tory minister Lord Hammond has suggested Rachel Reeves’ attack on Jeremy Hunt that he lied about the £22billion black hole in public finances was paving the way for tax increases.
The ex-chancellor said Ms Reeves’ fierce accusations on her predecessor could be “preparing the pitch” for ditching Labour manifesto pledges.
It comes as the chancellor admitted she will have to raise taxes in the October Budget.
Asked about Ms Reeves claiming Mr Hunt had “lied” about the state of the public finances, Lord Hammond told Sky News: “Firstly, Labour has won a huge victory and the first golden rule is usually magnanimity in victory.
“I don’t really see the point of attacking the outgoing chancellor unless Rachel Reeves is preparing the pitch for some manifesto commitment breaking tax increases in October.”
Lord Hammond: Michael Gove gave in to ‘Nimbys’ on housebuilding
Wednesday 31 July 2024 08:43 , Salma Ouaguira
Former minister Lord Hammond has accused Michael Gove of allowing “Nimbys to temporarily own the pitch” on the housing issue.
The ex-chancellor told Sky News this morning: “There has been a lot of politics for sure. There are a lot of Conservative supporters and indeed others, not just Conservatives, who are very much opposed to development in their own backyards.
“Many of them understand the principle that we need to build homes somewhere and somehow this logjam has to be broken.
“And I am afraid that the last communities secretary decided to bow out from that debate and allow the Nimbys to temporarily own the pitch.”
Abbott leads Labour rebellion over Reeves’ spending cuts
Wednesday 31 July 2024 08:20 , Salma Ouaguira
Diane Abbott has led criticism of Rachel Reeves’s spending plans labelling them “renewed austerity”.
It comes as the chancellor unveiled a raft of brutal cuts to deal with a £22bn black hole in the country’s finances.
But her set of measures to save up on funding has sparked criticism among members of her own party.
The veteran MP for Hackney has accused Ms Reeves of presiding over an era of “renewed austerity”.
Ms Abbott is leading a left-wing backlash over the chancellor’s move to scrap winter fuel allowance payments, cancel transport projects and Boris Johnson’s plan to build more hospitals.
Rachel Reeves admits taxes will rise in first Labour budget in October
Wednesday 31 July 2024 07:22 , Salma Ouaguira
The chancellor has admitted the government will have to raise some taxes in October’s budget after months of spiraling rumours about Labour’s tax plans.
Asked about how she will raise money to plug the £22bn black hole in public finances, she told the News Agents podcast: “I think we will have to increase taxes in the Budget.”
It comes as Labour insisted there would be no tax rises for “working poeple” during the general election campaign. But the Tories repeatedly claimed the party would increase them if it comes to power.
Ms Reeves repeated the Labour manifesto commitment of no VAT, national insurance, or income tax increases, but did not rule out inheritance tax, capital gains tax, or pension reform.
She said: “I’m not going to write a Budget or start to write a Budget on this podcast.”
The minister added that Labour plans to stick to “sensible” rules in a bid to bring the government’s longer-term debts down.
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