Rachel Reeves has been accused of using the attack towards Jeremy Hunt that he lied about a £22bn hole in the public finances to justify tax rises.
The chancellor admitted the increases will come in the autumn Budget and insisted the government would stick to its promise not to hike national insurance, income tax or VAT.
But former Tory chancellor Lord Hammond said Ms Reeves’ fierce accusations on her predecessor could be “preparing the pitch” for ditching Labour manifesto pledges.
The minister’s spending announcement has sparked a Labour rebellion among backbenchers with Diane Abbott labelling the chancellors’ public cuts plan a “renewed austerity”.
It comes as the Angela Rayner declared that the UK is living the “most acute housing crisis in living history” as she announced a radical reform to the country’s housing planning system.
But the deputy prime minister has now played down backlash among Labour backbenchers at the government’s housing plan to impose housebuilding targets for councils.
Key Points
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Chancellor admits taxes will rise in first Labour budget in October
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Reeves accused of using £22bn black hole attack to justify tax rises
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Angela Rayner plays down Labour rebellion against housing plan
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Rayner appoints expert taskforce to plan fresh generation of new towns
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Cooper outlines ‘new approach’ to legal migration and skills shortages
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Badenoch dismisses bullying claims as ‘smears’ amid Tory contest
Sunak should have called election after BoE rate cuts announcement, says former minister
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
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
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
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
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
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
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.”
Home Secretary outlines ‘new approach’ to legal migration and skills shortages
08:54 , 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.
Foreign Office undertaking ‘concerted effort’ to reduce Israel-Hezbollah tensions
08:47 , 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.”
Lord Hammond: Michael Gove gave in to ‘Nimbys’ on housebuilding
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.”
Former Tory chancellor claims UK needs foreign builders to meet 1.5m housing target
08:41 , 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?
08:40 , 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?
Reeves faces Labour backbench rebellion over winter deaths with fuel payment cuts
08:30 , 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?”
UK delays ban on some arms sales to Israel amid conflict escalation in Lebanon
08:26 , 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.
Abbott leads Labour rebellion over Reeves’ spending cuts
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.
Rayner’s ‘revolution’ slashes London house building target
08:10 , 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
Farage not voting for ‘cruel’ plan to scrap winter fuel payments
08:02 , 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.”
Angela Rayner plays down Labour rebellion against housing plan
07:56 , 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.”
Labour to take local plans off councils as ‘final and most extreme’ housebuilding measure
07:47 , Salma Ouaguira
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has said the government would put in place housing plans in local areas as a “final and most extreme” intervention to ensure targets are met.
He told Times Radio: “We are prepared to take local plans off local authorities and ensure they are put in place. That would be the final and most extreme type of intervention that we would contemplate.
“What we’d rather do is encourage and support local councils to get those plans in place. You’re right to refer to them because local plans are the best way that local communities can engage with the planning process, can shape development in their area, in the way that they want to see it take place.”
He added: “We want to see local plans in place by next year, there’ll be a process to drive up coverage across the country.
“But this is right that this is the focus, in the sense we have a local plan-led planning system, and what we’ve inherited from the previous government is only a third up to date local plan coverage.
“So we’ve got a system that is chronically underperforming, that is not functioning as it should as I say, if we boost local plan coverage in the way we want, cities will be able to shape the development in the way that they see fit. But the conversation has to be how it’s done, not whether housing targets and housing need is met.”
Councils will be forced to release green belt land for building
07:45 , 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.”
Renewable energy budget boosted to £1.5bn as record funding allocated
07:37 , 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
Badenoch dismisses bullying claims as ‘smears’ amid Tory leadership bid
07:29 , 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.
“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”.
Housing minister condemns ‘absolutely appalling’ Southport riots
07:27 , Salma Ouaguira
Housing minister Matthew Pennycook has condemned the “absolutely appalling” scenes of riots in Southport last night.
At least 39 police officers have been injured in clashes outside a mosque in Southport, as angry crowds of suspected English Defence League supporters threw bricks and set off fireworks.
The unrest followed a peaceful vigil for the victims of Monday’s shocking attack in which multiple children were stabbed in a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
He told Sky News: “And to have their space for them to process the trauma, to grieve, overshadowed by this violence and disorder, I think is completely despicable.
“And the home secretary and the prime minister have made clear that those responsible will feel the full force of the law, and rightly so.”
The cabinet minister said he cannot speak about the reason Sir Keir Starmer was heckled by some people but claimed the prime minister was “warmly welcomed” in Southport.
He added the issue behind the riots was ”people coming in from outside Merseyside who aren’t local to try and stir up public disorder”.
Rachel Reeves admits taxes will rise in first Labour budget in October
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.
Peer accused of Islamophobia over ‘disgusting’ House of Lords speech
07:20 , Salma Ouaguira
Outrage as peer claims Muslim ‘radicals will take us over through power of the womb’
Poll: One in three people think university is not worth time and money
07:14 , Salma Ouaguira
Nearly a third of people think a university education is not worth the time and money, a poll has found.
More than three in four people think opportunities for apprenticeships should be increased, according to research by the Policy Institute at King’s College London (KCL).
The public are “more sceptical” that going to university is worth the investment, the report suggested.
The study, which surveyed more than 2,600 British people in May and more than 1,000 in June, found that 31% agreed that university education is not worth the amount of time and money it usually takes.
This is higher than in 2018 when fewer than a fifth (18%) of the public said university was not worth it.
Nearly twice as many people want greater opportunities for apprenticeships (76%) than greater opportunities to go to university (39%), according to the poll which was conducted with Focaldata.
The study, which included a poll of 369 parents of children aged 11-17 in the UK, suggested that nearly two in five (37%) of this group feel degrees are not good value for money compared to 10 years ago.
The findings come after university leaders have warned of significant financial concerns as a result of frozen tuition fees paid by domestic students and a drop in overseas students.
Nearly three in five (59%) parents of children aged 11 to 17 said it is likely their child will apply to university, or that they’ve already applied, which is down on 2014 (65%).
Nearly half (48%) said they would prefer their child to study an apprenticeship, while 40% said they would prefer them to do a degree, according to the poll.
Expert taskforce launched to plan fresh generation of new towns
07:04 , 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.
VOICES John Rentoul: Sidelined? No – Angela Rayner’s ambitious housing plan may be the making of her
07:02 , 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
Labour ‘failed another generation’ with axing of social care reforms
07:00 , Salma Ouaguira
Labour has ‘failed another generation of families’ with axing of social care reforms
Rapid review of environmental plans aim to ‘save nature’ – minister
06:00 , Salma Ouaguira
The Environment Secretary has pledged to “turn the tide and save nature” as he announced a rapid review of improvement plans.
Steve Reed said a review of the environmental improvement plan (EIP) would be completed by the end of the year as part of efforts to deliver legally binding targets.
He said the Government would develop a statutory plan to meet each of the Environment Act targets – which include halting the decline in species by 2030, cleaning up water bodies and cutting air pollution.
He warned that “nature is dying” and England’s “precious landscapes are in decline”, as an annual report showed mixed progress towards goals in the EIP, including deterioration in some measures for helping wildlife, using resources from nature sustainably and delivering clean air.
The EIP was published by the previous government in 2023 to deliver its goals to boost nature and the environment, including protecting and restoring habitats, cleaning up water and air, boosting recycling and improving flood defences.
But earlier this year, the Office for Environmental Protection watchdog warned the government remained “largely off-track” to meet legally binding green targets and the goals of the EIP .
It warned the government had not been clear enough on how its ambitions will be delivered, and must speed and scale up its efforts.
Tory leadership hopeful Jenrick says party must end ‘mass migration’
05:33 , Salma Ouaguira
Tory leadership hopeful Robert Jenrick said his party has been “unable or unwilling” to do what is required to cut the number of people coming to the UK.
The former immigration minister said hundreds of thousands of people “we didn’t need” had arrived legally while “dangerous” immigrants could not be deported.
Mr Jenrick, who backs pulling out of the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to tackle issues around small boat crossings, said “our people and Parliament must be sovereign”.
In a video to launch his leadership campaign, he said: “When I was minister for immigration, I saw dangerous people coming into our country. I saw us unable to deport them. I saw hundreds of thousands of people we frankly didn’t need coming in legally.
“But our politics was unable or unwilling to deliver what was needed. The new government aren’t going to fix things. They have too many delusions.
“Our party is our country’s best hope. But we have a mountain to climb and real choices to make. We won’t regain people’s trust with platitudes.”
Jacob Rees-Mogg accuses Labour Government of selling a ‘fiscal fairytale’
05:00 , Salma Ouaguira
Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg has accused Labour of selling a “fiscal fairytale” with the chancellor’s claim that the Tories had left behind a £22 billion black hole in the public finances.
The former Tory MP said the figures had been “invented” and accused the government of being “simply dishonest”.
He told GB News: “When the Labour chief secretary to the Treasury Liam Byrne wrote [in 2010] that there was no money left, he was telling the truth.
“But in what has been dubbed the ‘biggest lie in British politics’ Rachel Reeves, the Artful Dodger of 11 Downing Street, takes us for fools in an effort to pick your pocket.
The former business secretary, who lost his seat at the general election, claimed that “inventing a £22 billion black hole and blaming the Tories while spending £8 billion on green energy that won’t cut your bills and £11 billion on overseas climate aid is simply dishonest”.
Sir Jacob added: “Do not be fooled by their fiscal fairytales. Labour has not been in office for a month and already its spin has turned into outright dishonesty.”
New scheme opens for postmasters with overturned convictions
04:30 , Salma Ouaguira
Victims of the Post Office Horizon scandal whose convictions have been quashed can now apply to a new compensation scheme.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said he hoped the Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme would bring “some relief to postmasters who have waited far too long to get back the money that is rightfully theirs.”
Postmasters with overturned convictions will begin to receive written confirmation of their exoneration this week, the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) said.
Those eligible for the new scheme can either accept a fixed settlement of £600,000 or, if they believe their losses exceed that amount, can choose a full claim assessment route.
This would mean their application will be fully examined by a team of dedicated caseworkers in the DBT.
Mr Reynolds said: “Postmasters have suffered immeasurably so I hope today’s new redress scheme brings some relief to postmasters who have waited far too long to get back the money that is rightfully theirs.
“Any postmaster who thinks they are eligible for this scheme can come forward and register. We know that every case is different, and this government fully supports the right of every postmaster to choose what is best for them.”
Basic IT security failings left electoral register vulnerable – data watchdog
04:00 , Salma Ouaguira
Basic IT security failings allowed Chinese state-linked hackers to access the election watchdog’s register containing the details of 40 million voters.
The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) said the Electoral Commission had failed to keep its servers updated, allowing hackers to exploit the vulnerability.
The National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), part of GCHQ, has previously said it was likely that Beijing-affiliated hackers stole data from the electoral register.
Hackers gained access to the system in August 2021 but the breach was not identified until October 2022.
The security patches for the vulnerabilities exploited in the cyber attack were released in April and May 2021, months before the attack, but not installed.
The data watchdog issued a formal reprimand to the Electoral Commission, which has already put in place a series of steps to improve its security.
Stephen Bonner, deputy commissioner at the ICO, said: “If the Electoral Commission had taken basic steps to protect its systems, such as effective security patching and password management, it is highly likely that this data breach would not have happened.
“By not installing the latest security updates promptly, its systems were left exposed and vulnerable to hackers.
“I know the headline figures of 40 million people affected caused considerable public alarm when news of this breach emerged last year.
“I want to reassure the public that while an unacceptably high number of people were impacted, we have no reason to believe any personal data was misused and we have found no evidence that any direct harm has been caused by this breach.”
Watch: Jeremy Hunt sends message to Rachel Reeves after ‘liar’ accusation
03:33 , Salma Ouaguira
Jeremy Hunt sends message to Rachel Reeves after ‘liar’ accusation
Badenoch claims Labour reforms will result in ‘1.5 million ugly homes’
03:00 , Salma Ouaguira
Kemi Badenoch accused Angela Rayner of giving the go-ahead to build “1.5 million ugly homes” in England as part of the new government’s planning reforms.
Shadow housing secretary Mrs Badenoch bemoaned Labour’s move to drop the requirement for new homes to be “beautiful”, with the government arguing it is subjective, difficult to define and leads to inconsistent decision-making on applications.
Mrs Badenoch, who is among the Tory leadership hopefuls, said the requirement previously introduced by her party “means so much to local communities” and people “deserve to live in beautiful homes”.
She also claimed the changes proposed by Labour would result in the “worst of all worlds” by not addressing the “basic economics” of housebuilding and “centralising decision-making”.
Deputy Prime Minister Ms Rayner defended the changes and insisted the government will build “beautiful” homes.
Labour’s manifesto previously outlined its aim for “exemplary” development to be “the norm not the exception”.
Responding to Ms Rayner’s proposed overhaul of the planning system, Mrs Badenoch said the government was seeking to reduce the housing need calculation for London and put pressure on suburban and rural areas.
In full: Rachel Reeves accuses Jeremy Hunt of of lying about public finances as war of words escalates
02:30 , Salma Ouaguira
Rachel Reeves has accused Jeremy Hunt of lying about the state of the public finances after revealing a £22bn hole in the public finances.
The chancellor branded her predecessor as a liar, in her strongest condemnation yet of Mr Hunt and Rishi Sunak’s Conservative Party.
MPs are barred from referring to other members as liars in the chamber as it is deemed unparliamentary, but even outside of the commons it is unusual for senior politicians in the UK to accuse one another directly of lying.
“It is even worse than that, because during the general election campaign I was clear everything I put forward was fully funded,” she told Sky News on Tuesday.
Reeves accuses Hunt of of lying about public finances as war of words escalates
‘First collective action by GPs in 60 years would bring NHS to standstill’ – BMA
02:00 , Salma Ouaguira
GPs have threatened to bring the NHS to a “standstill” with unprecedented industrial action.
Family doctors across England are being balloted by the British Medical Association (BMA) on whether they are in favour of staging collective action amid a row over the new contract for GP services in England.
This collective action could potentially mean GPs limit the number of patients they will see each day to 25, they may choose to stop performing work they are not formally contracted to do, and they could potentially ignore “rationing” restrictions by “prescribing whatever is in the patient’s best interest”.
In an interview with the PA news agency, one of the nation’s top GPs said the action could bring the NHS to a “standstill very quickly” – though medics have said they do not want to make patients “piggy in the middle” and are directing the action at NHS England and the Department of Health and Social Care.
The ballot of GPs is to close on Monday and, if medics vote in favour of collective action, it will start on August 1 and could last for “months”.
Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chairwoman of the BMA’s England General Practitioners Committee, said the last time GPs took “collective action” was in 1964 when family doctors collectively handed in undated resignations to the Wilson government.
This led to reform including the Family Doctor Charter of 1965.
Rachel Reeves’ spending axe at a glance: What was in Chancellor’s speech?
01:30 , Salma Ouaguira
Rachel Reeves has announced billions of pounds in spending cuts, after ordering the Treasury to carry out an audit of the UK’s public finances.
The chancellor said her aim was to “expose the scale of what has been uncovered” after Labour came to power, pointing to a £22 billion black hole left by the previous government.
Here is a quick look at the headline announcements from Ms Reeves’ speech in the House of Commons.
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£22 billion spending black hole: Ms Reeves told the Commons Labour had inherited “a projected overspend of £22 billion” beyond what the previous government had planned for, which she said the Tories had “covered up”.
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Overspends: The projected overspend by the previous Tory government on the asylum system, including the “failed” Rwanda plan, was more than £6.4 billion for this year alone, she said.
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Ukraine: There is “not enough money set aside for the reserve” to fund costs associated with Ukraine, the Chancellor said.
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Pay rises for doctors, teachers and other public sector workers: Among the pay offers was a deal agreed with junior doctors which will see them get a 20% pay rise over two years in a bid to resolve their long-running pay dispute with the government.
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Advanced British Standard: Rishi Sunak’s proposed new qualification, due to bridge the gap between A-levels and T-levels, will not go ahead.
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Pensions and social care: Adult social care charging reforms delayed by the Tories will not be taken forward, saving more than £1 billion by the end of next year, she also announced.
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Budget date set: October 30 will be the date of the new government’s first budget. The chancellor it will involve taking “difficult decisions” to meet Labour’s fiscal rules, and said this would include decisions on spending and tax.
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Office of value for money: The government will set up a new watchdog aimed at ensuring all public spending provides value for money.
Budget for new clean power schemes gets boost to record £1.5bn
01:00 , Salma Ouaguira
The government is increasing the budget to support the next wave of renewable energy schemes to a record £1.5 billion, it has announced.
Labour has focused heavily on making Britain a “clean energy superpower” with a target to achieve clean power by 2030 to shore up energy security and cut bills while tackling climate change.
The new government was under pressure to up the support for renewables to meet its goals, after a faltering auction process last year which saw no companies submit bids to build new offshore wind farms.
Auctions for the so-called Contracts for Difference (CfD) scheme see developers bid to secure a fixed price they can charge for each megawatt hour (MWh) of renewable power they generate.
The previous government had already been forced to boost the pot to a record-breaking £1 billion for green power, to attract investment amid rising costs and international competition.
Now Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has announced a further increase to £1.56 billion.
That includes £1.1 billion for offshore wind – up £300 million on the previously announced pot for the technology this year.
Mr Miliband said: “Last year’s auction round was a catastrophe, with zero offshore wind secured, and delaying our move away from expensive fossil fuels to energy independence.
“Instead, we are backing industry to build in Britain, with this year’s auction getting its biggest budget yet.
“This will restore the UK as a global leader for green technologies and deliver the infrastructure we need to boost our energy independence, protect billpayers, and become a clean energy superpower.”
Ministers plan to ‘make work pay’ with ‘genuine’ living wage
Wednesday 31 July 2024 00:00 , Salma Ouaguira
The Government has announced plans to introduce a “genuine” living wage and remove age bands for the statutory rate.
Ministers said the Low Pay Commission’s (LPC) remit will be overhauled to factor in the cost of living when it recommends minimum wage rates.
Age bands described as “discriminatory” will be removed, in changes promised by Labour in the run-up to the election.
Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said: “For too long working people have faced the worst of the cost-of-living crisis, but this Government is taking bold action to address it and make work pay.
“The new remit to the LPC is the first of many vital steps we will take to support more people to stay in work and improve living standards.
“Our focus remains on putting more money in working people’s pockets and boosting economic growth.”
The LPC has been told to narrow the gap between the minimum wage rate for 18 to 20-year-olds and the National Living Wage, which the Government said will be the first step towards achieving a single adult rate.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves said: “Economic growth is our first mission, and we will do everything we can to ensure good jobs for working people. But for too long, too many people are out of work or not earning enough.
“The new LPC remit is an important first step in getting people into work and keeping people in work, essential for growing our economy, rebuilding Britain and making everyone better off.”
Proposed law to bring train services into public ownership clears first hurdle
Tuesday 30 July 2024 23:30 , Salma Ouaguira
Government legislation designed to help nationalise train operation in Britain has moved closer to becoming law.
The Passenger Railway Services (Public Ownership) Bill would ensure that appointing a public sector train operator as existing contracts expire becomes the default position rather than a last resort.
It would mean privately-owned operators such as Avanti West Coast, East Midlands Railway, Great Western Railway and Thameslink would be gradually brought into public ownership.
MPs voted 351 to 84, majority 267, to give the Bill a second reading on Monday evening and it is expected to clear its remaining stages in the Commons on September 3.
Transport secretary Louise Haigh said there was “nothing ideological about fixing what’s broken” and also pledged to “rip up contracts early” if train operators do not meet their obligations to passengers.
Shadow transport secretary Helen Whately labelled the Bill “a rushed piece of left-wing ideology”, although Liberal Democrats’ transport spokeswoman Wera Hobhouse said passengers were “repeatedly failed” under the previous Conservative government.
Nursery group urges parents not to hold door open for anyone after knife attack
Tuesday 30 July 2024 23:00 , Salma Ouaguira
A nursery group has urged parents not to hold the door open for others at drop-off and pick-up following an attack at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.
Childbase Partnership, which looks after 6,000 children in 44 day nurseries across England, has sent out a “high priority” email to parents about security measures after three children died in the knife attack in Southport.
An “alert” was issued to all nurseries in the group on Tuesday morning to reassure parents that the settings were reviewing established security procedures which staff must follow to meet “a variety of threats”.
Lorna Wigley, quality and health and safety director of Childbase Partnership, called on parents to refrain from holding the door open for others at nursery and to report any concerns to staff “immediately”.
The email, seen by the PA news agency, reminded parents that only people registered on a form will be permitted to pick up their child from nursery.
Ms Wigley said: “Following the tragic event in Southport on Monday 29th July 2024, I am writing to reassure you that an alert has been issued to all nurseries which are currently reviewing both security equipment and the established procedures staff must follow in meeting a variety of threats.
“As always, your support and vigilance are vital in ensuring that the efforts of your highly trained nursery staff team achieve the desired results.
“Please do not hold the door open for anyone when you and your child enter the nursery building and report any concerns you have to staff immediately.”
She added: “The security of our children in nursery is an absolute priority and our policies and practices are therefore subject to continuous review and evaluation by the company’s Health and Safety team and, where necessary, external specialists.”
Decision to end universal winter fuel payments ‘too narrow’, says Martin Lewis
Tuesday 30 July 2024 22:30 , Salma Ouaguira
The Chancellor’s decision to end the previously universal winter fuel payment for pensioners unless they are on benefits has been branded “too narrow with the winter we have coming”.
The payments of up to £300 have been made available to everyone above state pension age.
However, from this winter pensioners will only receive a payment if they are receiving pension credit.
The Treasury said the winter fuel changes would see the number of pensioners receiving the payments fall from 11.4 million to 1.5 million – so just under 10 million would miss out.
Martin Lewis, founder of MoneySavingExpert, immediately warned the targeting of the payments was “too narrow with the winter we have coming”, adding: “The energy price cap is likely to rise 10% this October and stay high across the winter, leaving most energy bills nearly double those pre-crisis, at levels unaffordable for millions.”
He added: “Plus, with this announcement, the Government has a huge moral imperative to ensure the 800,000 people eligible for pension credit who don’t get it, are informed, educated and helped through the process.
“It is planning an awareness-raising campaign, but it needs to ensure that reaches every corner – and, if possible, proactively and personally contact people.
“Pension credit is a crucial gateway benefit, giving access to a host of other entitlements, and now with the link to the winter fuel payment, it makes it even more important to ensure fewer miss out.”
Hospitals inquiry chairman to rule on admission of health board’s report
Tuesday 30 July 2024 22:00 , Salma Ouaguira
The chairman of a public inquiry into safety and wellbeing issues at two Scottish hospitals said he will make a decision “later in the week” on whether to admit as evidence an expert report from one of the health boards involved in the scandal.
The inquiry was launched in the wake of deaths linked to infections at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow, including that of 10-year-old Milly Main.
It is also examining problems that led to the delay in the opening of the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People in Edinburgh.
At a hearing in Edinburgh on Tuesday, lawyers representing a number of parties to the inquiry called on chairman Lord Brodie KC not to admit the report from NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) as evidence, ahead of hearings scheduled to start on August 19.
Counsel to the inquiry Fred Mackintosh KC said the report “appears to reach the significant conclusion that there were no excess infections in the hospital after 2015”, which, he said, seems to contradict the views of many others.
Mr Mackintosh also raised concerns about the level of co-operation with the inquiry by NHSGGC, saying the report contained a “major epidemiological study” the inquiry was unaware was being undertaken, and the inquiry had not been provided with all the data supporting the report’s findings.
He also said the report had not addressed the question of whether there were any issues with “key building systems” including water supply and ventilation, which are a central focus of the inquiry.
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