Ed Miliband failed to attend Prime Minister’s Questions as Kemi Badenoch accused him of “betraying” Sir Keir Starmer by being close to his expected successor Andy Burnham.
Ms Badenoch said of the energy secretary: “When the going got tough, he jumped into bed with the mayor of Manchester.
“It’s not the first time he’s betrayed someone close to him, is it? Does the prime minister think that his treachery should be rewarded by being appointed Chancellor?”
Sir Keir defended members of his cabinet as they came under fire from Ms Badenoch in what was the outgoing prime minister’s first public appearance since Monday, when he announced his plan to resign.
Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle asked for a “little bit more decorum and respect” after Ms Badenoch also called the education secretary Bridget Phillipson a “spiteful class warrior” and accused Rachel Reeves of letting Sir Keir down.
Mr Burnham, who was sworn in as Makerfield MP on Monday, having won the by-election last week, is the favourite to succeed Sir Keir as Labour leader and prime minister.
Key Points
- Starmer met with huge cheers as he enters the Commons
- Badenoch slates Miliband, saying he 'betrayed' Starmer
- Former cabinet minister reportedly being sized up to be Burnham's chief of staff
- Burnham tops poll as politician most likely to make a good PM
- 'Extremely intellectually incurious about the business of governing': Team Burnham's potential red flags
Watch: Badenoch accuses Labour MPs of abandoning Starmer for 'pair of eyelashes and black t-shirt
14:36 , Holly EvansStatistics rebuke for Badenoch over ‘inaccuracy’ of welfare claim
14:22 , Holly EvansKemi Badenoch has been rebuked by the UK statistics watchdog over a “not wholly accurate” claim about Government spending on benefits.
The Tory Party released a document that said that “for the first time ever, the total welfare bill is now higher than total receipts from income tax” last month.
Writing to the Opposition leader on Wednesday, the UK Statistics Authority said that spending on social security does exceed income tax revenue, but that “this is not a recent or first-time occurrence.”
Figures from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) suggest this has been the case since at least 2011 and the gap has narrowed in recent years, with the positions forecast to reverse in 2026/27, the watchdog said.
“We have reviewed the published statistics and assessed that this claim is not wholly accurate,” interim chair Penny Young wrote.
The Conservatives also focused mainly on out-of-work and sickness benefits in their wider statement and should have made clear that the “total welfare bill” included other benefits like the State Pension, it added.
Health secretary says Nottingham Trust failings left him 'aghast'
14:11 , Holly EvansHealth Secretary James Murray detailed the way in which the bodies of dead babies were wrongly handled by Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
Mr Murray’s voice faltered as he said failures at maternity services showed there was a “level of disrespect and lack of humanity that, I’ll be honest, left me aghast”.
He said babies were referred to as a “specimen or sample”, that a baby was placed in a mortuary space which was already occupied by an “unknown and unrelated adult”, a baby disposed of in clinical waste against the wishes of their parents, and another baby’s body kept in a domestic fridge in a bereavement room.
Mr Murray told MPs: “The emotional and psychological effect of these dehumanising failures was to lay out the most profound disrespect on the most unbearable distress. There is also evidence that the trust actively decided not to report failings in mortuary care to families.”
He said he had asked NHS England to write to trusts to ensure failings are not repeated elsewhere.
He said the Human Tissue Authority will require all mortuaries to review internal records over the last decade to ensure all incidents have been logged and reported. They will have to report back by October 16.
Murray hits out at ‘unforgivable’ failure to act by NHS Trust’s board
14:00 , Holly EvansJames Murray told MPs that today’s damning report “shines a light on what was going on”.
First and foremost, he said, “women were not listened to”.
The inquiry also found staff shortages and a lack of training, while bullying by doctors and senior midwives was also rife, which meant staff who tried to speak up were “intimidated and ridiculed”.
But, he added, “perhaps most damning of all... for years the Trust ignored evidence of clinical and cultural flaws from both internal and external reviews that it had itself ordered ... .that refusal to act is unforgivable”.
Health secretary apologises to families affected by NHS’s largest maternity scandal
13:48 , Kate DevlinThe health secretary James Murray has pledged not to stop until the families affected had the “justice” they deserve.
He added: “I say today on behalf of the NHS I am sorry.
“I am sorry not just for the failures or the heartless and undignified treatment, but also because your cries of concern went unheard for too long, and so the government will act.”
He said that, having met the families and having seen the report, “I feel appalled by the neglect, incompetence, racism, discrimination, contempt, and harassment that so many suffered.
“And I feel heartbroken to know that at so many times when they tried to raise the alarm about their care they were ignored, sneered at, disbelieved, blamed, and lied to.
“The question... is how on earth could this have happened?”
Starmer doubles down on DIP plans
13:47 , Athena StavrouDowning Street has confirmed that Sir Keir Starmer will double down on his plans to publish his highly-anticipated Defence Investment Plan (DIP) imminently.
Likely incoming prime minister Andy Burnham’s camp and allies of former defence secretary John Healey have urged the prime minister against publishing the plan until his successor is in place.
But the prime minister has insisted he will publish the plan before next month’s Nato summit, which will take place before his successor takes their place in No 10.
Health secretary says findings of report into NHS’s largest maternity scandal are ‘chilling’
13:42 , Kate DevlinThe health secretary James Murray is making a statement in the Commons on the independent review of maternity services at Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust.
He told MPs: “The nature and sheer scale of the failings it exposes are horrific.
It uncovers dangerously and tragically deficient care at almost every turn.
Its findings and conclusions are chilling”.
Hundreds of babies and mothers died or were harmed due to “deeply embedded systemic failures” spanning more than a decade, the inquiry into the NHS’s largest maternity scandal has found.
More than 500 cases of potentially avoidable harm have been uncovered, including the care of mothers and babies in 94 stillbirths and 62 neo-natal deaths.
A total of 120 babies suffered a form of brain injury while nine children were left with cerebral palsy.
No 10 doesn’t rule out Starmer handing out resignation honours
13:34 , Athena StavrouDowning Street has failed to rule out Sir Keir Starmer handing out resignation honours - despite pledging not to do so before taking office.
The outgoing prime minister criticised the Tory government in 2023 for approving Boris Johnson’s controversial resignation honours list, and ruled out ever doing the same.
However, when asked this week whether Sir Keir would be drawing up his own resignation honours list, Downing Street an answer would be “getting ahead of ourselves”.
Pressed on the issue on Wednesday, the prime minister’s political spokesperson repeated the answer.
Starmer says he will miss PMQs
13:20 , Dan Haygarth
On Labour backbenchers, Kemi Badenoch said they were “cheering so loudly while there are 400 knives stuck in” Sir Keir Starmer’s back, asking: “Does the Prime Minister feel betrayed by the people he got into Parliament?”
In his response, Sir Keir said he would “miss” Prime Minister’s Questions and continued: “I’m very proud of every one of our MPs who’ve had a landslide Labour victory, coming from all different backgrounds, from all different places across the country.
“We inflicted the biggest loss on the Tory party opposite in the history of their party.
“We picked up our party, we turned it around.”
Starmer to remain as MP after resignation
13:13 , Athena StavrouSir Keir Starmer will remain as an MP after he steps down as prime minister, Downing Street has confirmed.
The prime minister’s political spokesperson said Sir Keir was “going to remain”, despite being ousted from No 10 by his party.
His political spokesperson declined to comment on his position on the forthcoming Labour leadership contest.
Asked whether he would take a Cabinet job if he was offered one, the spokesman said he had told his ministers that “this is the end of my journey, but this is not the end of yours”.
Tory uses tale of Jim and the lion to warn Labour will regret outsing Starmer
12:42 , Kate DevlinVeteran Tory MP Sir Desmond Swayne confused quite a few MPs when he asked at PMQs if there was still time for the prime minister to “enlighten his party as to the moral of the cautionary tale” encased in the poem ‘Jim, Who Ran Away from His Nurse and Was Eaten by a Lion’.
The question appeared to be a warning Labour would regret getting rid of Sir Keir for Andy Burnham.
Written by Hilaire Belloc, who was himself once an MP, the final two lines of the comic verse read: "And always keep a-hold of Nurse, For fear of finding something worse."
Watch: Kemi Badenoch mocks Starmer over Burnham by-election victory
12:36 , Dan HaygarthBadenoch slates Miliband, saying he 'betrayed' Starmer
12:35 , Dan HaygarthKemi Badenoch also turned her fire on Ed Miliband, who she said had “betrayed” Sir Keir Starmer.
The Conservative leader compared Mr Miliband’s perceived “betrayal” by being close to Andy Burnham, to him standing against his brother David in the 2010 Labour leadership election.
Mrs Badenoch criticised Rachel Reeves, and said: “If it’s all going so fine, then why is he resigning? The fact is she did let him down, she’s the one who snatched the winter fuel payment, she’s the one who announced a disastrous budget that killed economic growth, and because of her once again a Labour prime minister is leaving office with unemployment higher than when he came in.
“But the chancellor isn’t the only person who let him down, the energy secretary is putting up bills and killing jobs.
“He was a failed Labour leader, rejected by the electorate, brought back from the wilderness by this man, and when the going got tough, he jumped into bed with the mayor of Manchester. It’s not the first time he’s betrayed someone close to him, is it?
“Does the prime minister think that his treachery should be rewarded by being appointed chancellor?”
Sir Keir replied: “The chancellor and I picked up our party six years ago from the worst defeat since 1935, we turned it around and we made it face the country, and we won a landslide general election, giving them the biggest drubbing in their history.
“Thanks to this chancellor we’ve delivered the fastest fall in NHS waiting lists for 17 years, the money for new rights for renters and working people, and we’re lifting half a million children out of poverty.
“The test for every prime minister is handing over the country in better shape than you found it. I know I can do that, which is more than can be said for her predecessor, her predecessor’s predecessor, and her predecessor’s predecessor’s predecessor.”
Ed Davey calls on Starmer’s successor to tackle climate change
12:32 , Athena StavrouEd Davey has asked Sir Keir Starmer to tell his successor to tackle climate change as record-breaking temperatures of 40C are expected on Wednesday
The Liberal Democrat leader said he was “alarmed” some politicians “follow Donald trump with policies to send temperatures soaring even higher”.
“As we swelter through this dangerous heatwave, we see the damage caused by extreme weather and climate change,” he said
“Schools closed, travel chaos, lives at risk.”
Sir Keir said the weather today “reminds us just how important” the issue of climate change is, and said the UK should be a leader on it globally.
Ed Davey says Burnham should ditch EU red lines and forge closer ties
12:27 , Millie CookeLiberal Democrat leader Ed Davey has urged Andy Burnham to ditch Sir Keir Starmer's red lines on the European Union and pursue closer ties with the bloc.
Responding, the prime minister failed to rule out advising his likely successor to do so, instead reiterating that his reset of relations is bringing the UK closer to the EU.
Sir Keir has ruled out any return to free movement, the customs union or the single market.
Sir Ed told the Commons: "We all know how hard it is when relationships break down with close friends and allies, when even our next door neighbour barely speaks to us some of the time. Has the prime minister's experiences opened his eyes to the need to rebuild Britain's relationship with our European friends and allies.
"And will he advise the MP for Makerfield [Andy Burnham] to put his EU red lines in the past and adopt our plan for a new growth and defence partnership?"
Responding, Sir Keir said: "I'm really proud of the fact that we have reset our relationship with the EU and we're bringing it closer together and that is in the best interests of our country and I know he understands that."
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Speaker calls for 'decorum and respect' from Badenoch
12:24 , Dan HaygarthSpeaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle asked for a “little bit more decorum and respect” after Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch called the education secretary a “spiteful class warrior”.
In the Commons, Sir Lindsay intervened to say: “Please, can I just say, think about the language using, because when we leave this chamber, don’t be surprised when constituents feel they can use the same language against each other.
“Let us show a little bit more decorum and respect to each other.”
Mrs Badenoch had earlier said: “She taxed private schools to pay for more teachers, but the number of teachers has gone down.
“It turns out appointing a spiteful class warrior as education secretary was a disaster.”
Watch: Starmer met with cheers as he enters the Commons after resignation
12:22 , Dan HaygarthBadenoch asks Starmer if he feels ‘betrayed’ by his MPs
12:21 , Athena Stavrou
Sir Keir Starmer has defended Labour MPs, despite being pushed to resign by many of them.
The outgoing prime minister was asked by Kemi Badenoch if he felt “betrayed” by members of his own party.
The prime minister replied: “I’m very proud of every one of our MPs who won a landslide Labour victory, coming from all different backgrounds from all different places across the country.
“We inflicted the biggest loss on the Tory party opposite in the history of their party.”
PMQs analysis: Kemi Badenoch decides to kick a man when he is down
12:19 , David MaddoxSpeaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has just delivered a lecture to Kemi Badenoch about the incredibly furious language she has used in her questions to Sir Keir Starmer.
It is normal for the leader of the Opposition to slightly tone things down when a prime minister has decided to quit.
But Ms Badenoch has used her questions to kick the prime minister when he is not just down but his premiership is all but dead.
She says he has been “betrayed”, she calls his ministers “incompetent”, she says he was not up for the job, she ironically targets education secretary as “spiteful”, and she rips into Ed Miliband’s net zero ideology.
She talks of the 400 knives in the PM’s back from his MPs, notes that chancellor Rachel Reeves was keener to be at Andy Burnham’s photocall than his resignation speech.
Ms Badenoch has a reputation for a lack of empathy and a killer instinct and that has been on full display today.
Starmer hits back at Badenoch after attack on education secretary
12:19 , Athena StavrouSir Keir Starmer has hit back at Kemi Badenoch after the Tory leader launched an attack on Bridget Phillipson.
The leader of the opposition asked Labour MPs to raise their hand if they believed the education secretary has done a good job, attacking her record on teacher employment levels.
Sir Keir hit back at Mrs Badenoch, telling her he was “so proud” of Ms Phillipson, who he said grew up in poverty.
“I am so proud she is sitting there and so should everyone in this country who cares about social mobility,” he said.
“I would’ve thought the party opposite would recognise and understand some of that, but they’ve fallen so far they don’t.”
Now he knows it is all over, Keir Starmer shows his relaxed side at PMQs
12:18 , analysis by Kate Devlin, Whitehall EditorJust over 48 hours after he teared up as he announced his resignation, it is a markedly different Keir Starmer who has arrived at today’s PMQs.
Relaxed, smiling, making jokes, he is not allowing Tory leader Kemi Badenoch the easy ride she had hoped for.
And he even laughed about his likely successor, Andy Burnham.
As ever at the beginning of PMQs he told MPs about his diary, saying “this morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. I shall have further such meetings later today.”
After a Tory MP could be heard heckling “Andy?” he laughed as he replied “not today”.
The two men are understood to have met yesterday as they seek to work out a civilised transfer of power that will see Sir Keir leave No 10 within weeks.
Badenoch takes swipe at Reeves over absence during Starmer's resignation
12:18 , Millie CookeKemi Badenoch has accused Rachel Reeves of letting Sir Keir Starmer down after the chancellor did not stand outside Downing Street to support the prime minister during his resignation.
The Tory leader said: "The truth is, he wouldn't be in this mess if his chancellor had found the money for the defence investment plan."The prime minister gave her the second most important job in Britain. She was the first female chancellor. She lives next door to him but wouldn't even come out to stand by him during his resignation speech. She was too busy getting ready for a selfie with the new leader. Does the prime minister feel let down by his chancellor?"
Writing on Tuesday, The Independent's commentator John Rentoul described Reeves' absence as "brutal", saying: "Keir Starmer and Reeves have been bound together in a joint enterprise for five years now – three in opposition and two in government. Labour’s success in restoring itself to sanity and winning a big election victory were joint achievements. Just as they were jointly responsible for the failures that led to Starmer’s tearful farewell. They were in it together."
Badenoch grills Starmer on defence plans
12:10 , Athena StavrouKemi Badenoch has opened PMQs challenging Sir Keir Starmer on his defence spending plans.
The prime minister has faced criticism in recent weeks over the delay and content of his long awaited Defence Investment Plan (DIP).
His defence secretary John Healey resigned over the plan, claiming the prime minister was “unable” to secure suitable funding.
Mrs Badenoch asked “what changed”, when it came to his approach to defence, to which Sir Keir insisted he will finalise the plan before the Nato summit.
'Not today' - Starmer asked about further meetings with Burnham
12:09 , Dan Haygarth
Sir Keir Starmer said “not today” when asked if he was meeting Andy Burnham.
The soon-to-be ex-PM laughed as he was heckled by a Tory MP at the beginning of Prime Minister’s Questions.
Someone from the Conservative benches could be heard saying “Andy?”, after the Prime Minister said: “This morning I had meetings with ministerial colleagues and others. I shall have further such meetings later today.”
Kemi Badenoch mocks Starmer over Burnham by-election victory
12:08 , Millie CookeKemi Badenoch has mocked Sir Keir Starmer over Andy Burnham's return to Westminster.
In the wake of his victory in the Makerfield by-election, the Tory leader told the Commons: "I want to start by congratulating the prime minister. He is the other party leader who won a by-election last week."
"Although I think I am much happier with my new MP than he is with his", she joked.
Starmer met with huge cheers as he enters the Commons
12:02 , Athena StavrouSir Keir Starmer was met with huge cheers from MPs as he entered the Commons for the first time since he announced his resignation on Monday.
The outgoing prime minister will now face PMQs as he prepares to hand over power to his successor, who will most likely be Andy Burnham.
Andy Burnham advisers ‘back scrapping triple lock’
11:50 , Dan HaygarthAn Andy Burnham premiership could pave the way for the pensions triple lock to be scrapped, as a result of opposition to the policy from some of his key economic advisers. Read more below:
Andy Burnham advisers ‘back scrapping triple lock’
Polanski does not rule out working with Burnham
11:47 , Dan Haygarth
Zack Polanski has not ruled out the possibility the Green Party could work alongside a future Labour government led by Andy Burnham.
But the Green Party leader caveated his answer, amid reports Mr Burnham is sounding out the direction Labour could take under his stewardship.
Asked if he would consider a future coalition led by Mr Burnham’s Labour, Mr Polanski told the Press Association: “It’s hard to know what my relationship will be with Andy Burnham, because it depends what version of Andy Burnham turns up.
“There’s an old Westminster joke you’ll know about a Milibandite, a Blairite, and a Corbynite. I guess it depends which version turns up.
“I’m not just talking about the personality of a man – he’s someone I have time for – but in terms of what the politics are.”
Speaking at a rally in south London, the Green leader added: “He’s been talking about bringing water into public ownership or public control. We need nationalised water companies, they’re pumping sewage into our rivers right now and charging us extra for the privilege.
“If he’s not willing to nationalise them or say that’s the plan, then that’s already giving us an indication that Andy Burnham and the Labour Government will be siding with profit rather than people.”
"Extremely intellectually incurious about the business of governing": Team Burnham's potential red flags
11:39 , Dan HaygarthFormer deputy cabinet secretary Helen MacNamara has given her analysis of Andy Burnham's team ahead of Labour leadership nominations on the 9 July.
"The pace is miles off," MacNamara said on the latest episode of In The Room. "You haven't got time to be kind of, 'Oh, well, I wonder about this, and I think about this, and maybe I'll get around to it.'
"It's an amazing disconnect. We've known that the end of Keir Starmer was going to come at some point. Andy Burnham has known he was going to be the most likely candidate."
At this point, co-host and ex-No 10 special advisor Cleo Watson points out that Burnham started pitching for the job nine months ago.
Helen continues: "So where is the pace, and the urgency, and the ruthlessness about the planning and delivery? That's the thing that bothers me."
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
Starmer heads to PMQs
11:32 , Dan Haygarth
What can we expect from PMQs?
11:31 , Dan HaygarthSir Keir Starmer’s Commons outing will mark his first public appearance since the emotional statement he made in Downing Street on Monday morning, when he set out a timetable for his exit.
He is likely to face questions about the scope of what his Government can now achieve in his final weeks in office, after Downing Street said no “major” new policy decisions or spending pledges would be made before a new Labour leader is chosen.
Full story: Burnham inches closer to No 10 after Starmer ally withdraws from race – but only 13% of voters want coronation
11:00 , Dan HaygarthAndy Burnham’s hopes of becoming prime minister without a leadership contest have been given a boost after a key potential rival ruled out standing against him – despite new polling revealing just one in ten Britons are in favour of a coronation.
Cabinet minister Darren Jones, a key Starmer ally who had been touted as a potential anti-Burnham leadership candidate in recent days, has confirmed he will not run after he was “reassured” about the Makerfield MP’s economic plans in a conversation on Tuesday.
The development means the former mayor of Greater Manchester so far faces no challengers, with former health secretary Wes Streeting having also said he will back Mr Burnham.
However, a new IPSOS poll has shown only a minority would be in favour of Mr Burnham being handed the keys to No 10 without a contest.
The survey of 1,131 British voters, carried out from Friday to Monday, shows just 13 per cent are in favour of a coronation, while 39 per cent of the public would prefer a Labour leadership contest.
Read the full story below:
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Burnham inches closer to No 10 – but only 13% of voters want coronation
Watch: Darren Jones rules himself out of Labour leadership contest
10:55 , Dan HaygarthBurnham tops poll as politician most likely to make a good PM
10:37 , Dan HaygarthAndy Burnham leads a list of politicians as the politician most likely to do a good job as Prime Minister.
— Ipsos in the UK (@Ipsos_in_the_UK) June 24, 2026
35% of Britons believe Burnham would do a good job, putting him ahead of Kemi Badenoch at 29% and Nigel Farage at 27%. pic.twitter.com/SDnIvSfqhn
According to a new poll from Ipsos, 35 per cent of Britons believe Andy Burnham would do a good job as prime minister, putting him ahead of Kemi Badenoch at 29 per cent and Nigel Farage at 27 per cent.
The former Greater Manchester mayor is also well ahead of other senior Labour figures (and previous potential leadership contenders) Angela Rayner, Ed Miliband and Wes Streeting in the poll.
He is also the only politician included in the list who has a higher percentage for ‘good job’ than ‘bad job’.
Backers of the new MP for Makerfield believe Mr Burnham is Labour’s only feasible option to succeed Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister and beat Reform at the next general election, with his personal popularity an oft-cited factor.
Now, Ipsos’ poll suggests voters would rather see him in Number 10 than the prospect of Mr Farage leading the country.
Lib Dems call for 'cool hubs' during heatwave
10:26 , Dan Haygarth
The Liberal Democrats have called for the Government to immediately open air-conditioned public buildings as “cool hubs” for vulnerable people during the heatwave.
They said gyms, leisure centres, libraries and other buildings could offer relief for those particularly at risk from the extreme heat.
The party also urged ministers to urgently prepare the country for more extreme temperatures by investing in cooling for hospitals, care homes and schools – echoing a call by the independent advisory Climate Change Committee on helping the UK adapt to global warming.
Liberal Democrat climate spokeswoman Pippa Heylings MP said: “Cool hubs could be a lifeline for the most vulnerable people in our communities who are struggling in the sweltering heat.
“Public spaces exist to serve their communities and it’s right they should offer refuge during heatwaves.”
She said: “Our hospitals, care homes and schools are dangerously hot, these buildings must be fit for a climate that is getting hotter every year.
“It is completely unfair to expect young people to cope with extreme heat as well as increased stress during crucial GCSE and A-level exam periods.”
She also said the Government “must get on” with upgrading homes to keep families safe and cool.
Meet ‘action man’ Al Carns – the man who could challenge Andy Burnham for the top job
10:03 , Dan Haygarth
Meet Al Carns: the man who might challenge Andy Burnham for the keys to Number 10
YouGov: 46% of Britons think Burnham should face leadership contest
09:28 , Dan Haygarth- 46 per cent of Britons would prefer Burnham to face a Labour leadership contest, while only 23 per cent would prefer he became prime minister unopposed
- 18 per cent think that Burnham would make a great or good prime minister, while 20 per cent expect that he would be average, and 26 per cent think he would be poor or terrible
- One in five (21 per cent) say that they now feel more optimistic about the future direction of the country, although they are balanced by the 24 per cent who feel more pessimistic
Rachel Reeves announces new 22% tax on stocks and shares ISAs
09:00 , Dan HaygarthSavers face a new 22 per cent levy on interest earned from cash held within stocks and shares ISAs.
The measure will be designed to prevent individuals from circumventing forthcoming restrictions on cash ISA allowances.
This follows an announcement at the Autumn Budget 2025 that, from April 2027, the annual cash ISA allowance will be cut to £12,000.
In contrast, the limit for stocks and shares and innovative finance ISAs will remain at £20,000, reflecting broader efforts to foster an investment culture.
The cash ISA allowance for those aged 65 and over will also stay at £20,000.
HMRC enforce Isa tax to stop savers exploiting new rules coming into force next year
Burnham gives backing to Labour's GM mayor candidate
08:41 , Dan HaygarthBev Craig has been the leader of Manchester city council since December 2021 and a member of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, which was led by Andy Burnham.
Wonderful news. 👏🏻
Many congrats to my dear friend @bevcraig who has done incredible work leading our council, and I know she’d lead our city-region in the same way. https://t.co/ZRtsq7H6j2
Exclusive: David Lammy asks Amber Rudd to carry out review of prisons
08:20 , David MaddoxDeputy prime minister David Lammy is to unveil respected former Tory cabinet minister Amber Rudd to review the prison system.
With Labour still trying to tackle an overcrowding crisis in prisons in England and Wales despite a controversial early release scheme, Mr Lammy, who is also the justice secretary, has turned to the former Tory home secretary to find solutions.
A source told The Independent that the review will look at how the prison system can keep the public safe but also modernise prisons to deal with new threats such as drone deliveries “which have become very sophisticated”.
Ms Rudd will also be asked to explore how to cut crime through training and making ex-offenders better connected to modern employment.
David Lammy asks Amber Rudd to carry out review of prisons
Former cabinet minister reportedly being sized up to be Burnham's chief of staff
08:16 , Dan HaygarthTalks are continuing about who might serve in an Andy Burnham cabinet, and who might advise the former Greater Manchester mayor behind the scenes.
Senior Labour figures – including former transport secretary Louise Haigh, energy secretary Ed Miliband, home secretary Shabana Mahmood, and former health secretary Wes Streeting – have all been tipped for top jobs in a government led by Mr Burnham.
James Purnell, a former Labour cabinet minister who served alongside Mr Burnham in the Blair government, is meanwhile reportedly being sized up as a chief of staff, The Times reported.
Elsewhere, crossbench peer Jim O’Neill – who has been advising Mr Burnham – told The Guardian he wanted to see a new, independent body set up so that extra money could be spent on infrastructure while remaining within Labour’s fiscal rules.
The body could follow the model of the Office for Budget Responsibility, he said, allowing for billions more to be spent on boosting big transport and public works projects.
Starmer and Burnham hold talks as prime minister promises ‘smooth transition’ of power after resignation
08:10 , Dan HaygarthSir Keir Starmer has held face-to-face talks with Andy Burnham, his likely successor, pledging a "smooth transition" of power following his resignation.
The prime minister met the frontrunner to replace him in Downing Street for an hour-long "off-site" discussion, the first since the former Greater Manchester mayor’s by-election victory, as reported by The Times.
To prepare for power, Mr Burnham will now begin receiving government briefings, with Sir Keir having authorised civil service access talks for "prospective candidates" for the Labour leadership.
The PM also told his cabinet on Tuesday morning that he sought an "orderly transition", aiming to make the process "as easy as possible" for his successor.
Read the full story below:
Starmer and Burnham hold key talks as PM promises ‘smooth transition’ of power
Senior minister and Starmer ally rules himself out of Labour leadership race
08:00 , Dan Haygarth
Senior minister Darren Jones has urged Andy Burnham to set out more of his economic policies after ruling himself out of the race for the Labour leadership.
In an interview with Sky News on Wednesday morning, chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Mr Jones said he would have had the backing of enough MPs to take on the former Greater Manchester mayor, but suggested a contest would not give the eventual winner enough time to prepare a budget for the autumn.
Mr Jones said he had had a “reassuring” conversation with Mr Burnham about the Makerfield MP’s economic policy before making his decision.
He said Mr Burnham should set out more details for the “upwards of 100 MPs” who were concerned about his plans or were “feeling pretty depressed” by Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation.
Asked about the possibility of Mr Burnham increasing borrowing to fund his spending priorities, Mr Jones said there was “room to borrow a little bit more” within the existing fiscal rules.
But he stressed that there were other routes to achieve the former mayor’s objectives “without broad brush borrowing and spending”.
'I was really sad to see Starmer resign', minister says
07:57 , Millie CookeA Labour minister has said she was "really sad to see Keir Starmer resign", insisting that there has been "incredible progress" under his Labour government.
Speaking to Sky News, victims minister Catherine Atkinson added: "We have delivered so much of our manifesto, and the decisions that [Sir Keir] has taken with Rachel Reeves as chancellor has meant that we have seen - we saw inflation coming down, we saw six interest rate cuts.
"That certainty allowed hundreds of billions of pounds of investment into our country, and it meant that we were able to do the investment we need in public services, and bringing our NHS waiting list down."
Asked whether she would have liked to see Sir Keir continue in post, she said: "My concern had been that we don't want to, when we were getting into our stride on delivery, to trip ourselves up.
"But I'm really pleased that he has continued to put the country first in ensuring that we do have that smooth transition, and absolutely going forward, the hope that we have seen Andy Burnham be able to create and instil in people is the kind of hope over division that I do want to see in leadership going before a general election."
Drawn-out leadership contest would not be 'in the country's best interests', minister says
07:55 , Millie CookeA drawn-out Labour leadership contest would not be “in the best interests of the country”, Labour minister Catherine Atkinson said.
Asked whether she wanted to see a contest or would she be happy for there to be just one candidate, the victims minister told Sky News: “I want to see us focused on delivery.
“I want to see this government continuing to implement the manifesto, and to have a long-drawn-out leadership contest, I don’t think is in the best interests of the country.
“So, I would like this to be as quick and as smooth as possible.”
Labour minister says she would 'absolutely' back Burnham
07:51 , Millie CookeLabour minister Catherine Atkinson said she would "absolutely" back Andy Burnham as leader, insisting he is a "hugely experienced politician".
"Andy Burnham is a hugely experienced politician. He was a Home Office minister, he was a Treasury minister, he was health secretary, and he has shown that he is able to deliver when he was mayor of Greater Manchester", she said.
"I was in Makerfield for the last couple of weekends before the election, and for me, I saw hundreds and hundreds of volunteers who were really inspired to be doing their bit to see hope overcoming division.
"And that's what I think politics should be about, not about the kind of donations you get from crypto billionaires, so I think that Andy could be the could be that leader, and we will see what the rest of the Parliamentary Labour Party thinks."
Pressed on whether she backs him as Labour leader, she told Sky News: "Yes, I would absolutely back Andy to be leader, but I am conscious that we have got a prime minister in Keir Starmer who has always been putting the country first. I think that's what he was seeking to do in the decision that he took."
