Shabana Mahmood has insisted that future decisions on reforms to legal migration will be fair for foreign nationals and British citizens following backlash within her party.
The home secretary is consulting on proposals that will see many foreign nationals having to wait longer before they can get permanent leave to remain in the UK.
Her plans have faced backlash from Labour MPs, including Angela Rayner, who claimed it was “un-British” and “changing the goalposts”.
Speaking at a Tony Blair Institute fringe event at Labour conference on Monday evening, the home secretary said: “I am very clear that the test will be one of fairness, fairness of those who have come and fairness for British citizens. It's a question of finding the right balance for that fairness.”
Earlier on Sunday, she announced that the government is reopening the UK resettlement scheme, which will prioritise the most vulnerable refugees, including Afghan women and Palestinians.
She also told Labour Party conference that the UK should live up to its “international obligations”, but have a process that is “capped and controlled”.
Read MoreUK’s future lies in deeper partnership with EU, Miliband says
Streeting says farmer who ‘foiled bomb plot’ at RAF Fairford only has ‘partial picture’
Price of diesel in UK hits all-time high, new figures show
Key Points
- Mahmood insists stricter rules on migrants living in the UK will be fair
- Home secretary reopens UK resettlement scheme
- Key takeaways from Shabana Mahmood's conference speech
- Mahmood to announce scheme to resettle Afghan and Palestinian refugees in UK
- Healy vows not to get benefits bill get out of control
- Analysis: Healey needs to cut welfare. But he’s learnt from Starmer’s failures
Burnham to reveal details of how government will pay for social care tomorrow
22:20 , Harriette BoucherAndy Burnham has said he will reveal details of how the government will pay for his social care reform plans in his leadership speech on Tuesday.
The prime minister told LBC he will “lay out a very clear path for the country” and “reveal details” about the funding for the NHS-style social care system.
He said on Sunday that he was prepared to make unpopular choices and hike taxes.
“I will put forward my ideas. If the country says 'go faster because there's a big consensus behind it', that would be one thing,” he said.
“We'll have to debate this. We'll have to get Baroness Casey to set out the details of how it can be done.”
"It will take time, I'm afraid, to get the detail right, but 2030 is the target date."
Analysis: Healey needs to cut welfare. But he’s learnt from Starmer’s failures
22:00 , Harriette BoucherThe chancellor used his Labour conference speech to retable Rachel Reeves’ welfare cuts – but in an authentic Labour way, political editor David Maddox writes:
Healey needs to cut welfare. But he’s learnt from Starmer’s failures
'National interest should not be dictated by terrorists', says senior minister
21:30 , Harriette BoucherA senior minister has said that “national interest should not be dictated by terrorist actions or potential terrorist actions” amid questions over whether the US should continue to use RAF Fairford.
Asked about whether the US, who use the base, should continue, Douglas Alexander told Sky News: “Well, the compass by which we should navigate choices in relation to airbases in the United Kingdom should be Britain's national interest.
“And Britain's national interest should not be dictated by terrorist actions or potential terrorist actions. It should be motivated and dictated by a clear-eyed sense of Britain's national interest.
“Of course, there will be noises off. There will be opposition politicians who are trying to gain political advantage. But I think we need a steady hand at the tiller.
“And I expect that as more information emerges from this very serious incident, we'll find out a lot more in the days ahead.”
Watch: Trump suggests Iran ‘might be’ behind RAF Fairford plot as he questions bail decision
21:30 , Harriette BoucherWatch: Burnham fights back tears discussing father’s recent death live on air
21:00 , Harriette BoucherBurnham to announce new GB Grid in bid to bring energy costs down
20:41 , Harriette BoucherThe prime minister is poised to establish a new publicly owned “Great British Grid” that he hopes will bring UK energy costs down and support his reindustrialisation agenda.
He is expected to announce the plans in his leader’s speech on Tuesday, insisting that the move will give “more public control” to help reform the “broken energy market”.
The GB Grid will be a new body under the Great British Energy umbrella that will be the first publicly owned player in electricity networks since privatisation under Margaret Thatcher.
He expects it to bring British energy costs down in line with European nations within 10 years.
Mr Burnham will say it aims to boost competition and speed up grid connections for businesses – which have complained about how delays have hampered investment.
“We have a cost crisis. We all know it. The price of energy is crippling for businesses, and British billpayers pay some of the highest energy costs in Europe,” he will say.
“We have an energy system where prices are dictated in markets miles away, while families and businesses here shoulder the costs. Once again, the British public has lost control.
“Within 10 years, I want our energy costs to be in line with other nations in Europe. That means we must reform a broken energy market so it serves the public interest.”
Not a 'cigarette paper between Burnham and Healey' on cutting welfare
20:35 , Harriette BoucherThere is not “a cigarette paper between Andy Burnham and John Healey” when it comes to cutting welfare, a senior minister has insisted.
Pressed on whether the prime minister would back the chancellors calls to cut welfare, Douglas Alexander told Sky News: “I have the benefit of having talked to Andy recently about the whole issue of welfare reform. If you saw the passion in private with which he talked about the work that Alan Milburn in particular is taking forward... I'm pretty confident that both the prime minister and the chancellor understand the need to reform the welfare system on the foundation of Labour values.
“But exactly as our new defence secretary, Wes Streeting, has observed, a responsibility to national security is not contingent upon specific judgements made within other departmental budgets. It's an absolute responsibility that we will discharge.”
Starmer failed to explain his U-turns - Mahmood
20:16 , Harriette BoucherShabana Mahmood said Sir Keir Starmer failed to explain the U-turns he took, which left his government "living day-by-day".
The home secretary told a Tony Blair Institute event at Labour conference that towards the end of Sir Keir's government she "felt that the national interest demanded a stable government, capable of governing, and capable of using its majority in the House of Commons."
When asked to explain the mistakes she thought Sir Keir made as leader, Ms Mahmood said: "I think there were specific mistakes made along the way, which lost trust in the public, a loss of confidence. Our first conference, everyone was talking about freebies, and Taylor Swift tickets, hair cuts...things didn't go well from the start."
She added: "There were policy decisions that were made that then had to be U-turned on...I think the public is actually quite forgiving if the prime minister or the government makes a bad judgement call, they can understand government is hard, things happen. But when you mess stuff up, you get it wrong, or you just change your mind, they do want you to be able to account for that in the way that restores confidence in what you are doing.
"What Keir was unable to do was provide a proper political account for what he was trying to do, where he went wrong, and the lessons he was going to learn from it".
‘We have to bring the benefits bill down’: John Healey signals return to welfare reform
20:10 , Harriette BoucherChancellor John Healey has brought back plans for welfare reform as he vowed not to allow Britain’s benefits bill spiral out of control.
Speaking at his first Labour conference speech as chancellor, he told members it is not progressive “to allow a bigger and bigger benefits” bill.
He was later even clearer in an interview with ITN.
He told ITN: “We have to bring the benefits bill down. I made the case that as a moral case, not just an economic case, that we can't have a bigger and bigger benefits bill. We can't have a system that offers payments and no help.
“And the best thing, especially for young people who at the moment are too often locked out of any future, the best thing we can offer is not a benefits payment, but a first job with a wage and with a future.”
Read more:
‘We have to bring the benefits bill down’: Healey signals return to welfare reform
Mahmood worries 'about the sort of Britain' future generations might grow up in
20:05 , Harriette BoucherHome secretary Shabana Mahmood has said she worries "about the sort of Britain" that her nephews and nieces will grow up in, when talking about the challenges faced by the far-right in the UK.
Speaking to Tom McTague at a fringe event at Labour conference, Ms Mahmood said she feels positive about the future but, at the same time, she is having conversations with her family and community where people joke about having passports up to date, and worry if they will still be here in a few decades time.
She said: "Yes I worry a lot about the sort of Britain that my two nephews and two nieces are going to grow up in...But at the same time I love this country."
She added: "I shut that down by thinking no that is not who Britain is."
She also said that it is important to talk about the challenges of migration, saying: "The level and the pace of change that people have seen in few years is unheard of...In the last four years we've seen a level of change that we saw in the totality of the last 40 years.
“So when people are saying, hang out, I'm not sure about this... we can't just turn around and say 'oh well we're not going to do anything about that."
She added: "Racists get to talk to more people if mainstream politicians vacate that space".
Mahmood insists stricter rules on migrants living in the UK will be fair
19:40 , Holly Bancroft, Home Affairs CorrespondentShabana Mahmood says future decisions on reforms to legal migration will 'find the right balance' between fairness for foreign nationals and fairness for British citizens
Speaking at a Tony Blair Institute fringe event at Labour conference, the home secretary said that policy about her proposed earned settlement reforms will be set out later this year.
The Home Office is consulting on proposals that will see many foreign nationals having to wait longer before they can get permanent leave to remain in the UK.
The plans have faced backlash from Labour MPs, who argue it is unfair to change the rules for those already in the UK and who have built lives here.
Angela Rayner said at the weekend that the reforms would make it harder for foreign care workers to claim permanent residence in the UK.
Asked about speculation that the Home Office is about to water down their proposals in the face of backlash, Ms Mahmood said on Monday evening that her comments this morning were "an articulation of the principles" that will underpin future decisions.
"I am very clear that the test will be one of fairness, fairness of those who have come and fairness for British citizens. It's a question of finding the right balance for that fairness," she said.
She said that the care visa route had not worked "as it should have done" with abuse of the route and many care providers having their right to sponsor visas revoked.
She told The New Statesman's Tom McTague that the UK had experienced an unprecedented influx of migration under the previous Conservative government and that "you've got to come up with answers for that level of public challenge".
Badenoch accuses home secretary of 'caving to pressure' over asylum resettlement scheme
19:10 , Harriette BoucherCharities say Mahmood must go further to help refugees
18:51 , Harriette BoucherCharities have welcomed the home secretary’s new refugee schemes announced today, but are urging the government to go harder and provide a safe route into the UK for more people.
Both Amnesty International and British Red Cross are calling for the government to refuse its suspension on refugee family reunion applications, which was pause last September.
Amnesty International UK’s refugee and migrant rights director, Steve Valdez-Symonds, said: “Reopening resettlement programmes is welcome and will offer a vital lifeline to refugees in extremely vulnerable circumstances, including Palestinians in countries such as Jordan, Lebanon and Egypt, and Afghan women and girls in Pakistan and Iran.
“But hundreds of places fall far short of what’s needed and will do little to share responsibility with countries providing sanctuary to the vast majority of refugees.
“Refugee protection should never be conditional on reducing Channel crossings. The government must urgently improve asylum decision-making, provide lasting security to refugees in the UK and restore their right to be reunited with family.”
Mubeen Bhutta, British Red Cross director of policy, research and advocacy, said: “The UK Resettlement Scheme is a vital safe route for people fleeing some of the most dangerous situations in the world. Reopening the scheme, as well as creating new sponsorship schemes, will bring hope to people seeking safety.
“Another important safe route is refugee family reunion, which has been suspended for over a year now. While this remains closed, we continue to see people kept apart from their loved ones.
“The government should set out when family reunion will reopen so that families can reunite and rebuild their lives together.”
Burnham under pressure over refusal to say if he backs Heathrow third runway
18:30 , Harriette BoucherAndy Burnham has said he is “reticent” to say whether or not he supports a third runway at Heathrow because there are “strong views on either side”, despite ministers backing the scheme because of its economic potential.
The prime minister said there was “some way to go” before a final decision on expanding the UK’s busiest airport.
But, a series of ministers have said the scheme is important for boosting trade with countries around the world and securing British jobs.
Mr Burnham told LBC Radio he acknowledged it was “not just a matter for London”, having said yesterday it was “principally” an issue for the capital.
Despite other ministers having thrown their weight behind the plan, Mr Burnham insisted he could not prejudice any potential planning decision.
Exclusive: Burnham edges Labour closer to rejoining EU
18:10 , Harriette BoucherAndy Burnham is expected to edge Labour closer to rejoining the EU as he prepares to address the Labour Party conference for the first time as prime minister.
Ministers have told The Independent that it is now a question of how much he emphasises the UK’s return to Europe, rather than if.
Mr Burnham has already warned about the “drift and division” in the decade since Brexit and is expected to make reference to it in his speech on Tuesday, when he said he will “lay out a very clear path for the country”. This is a deliberate step to emphasise Labour’s differences with the right of centre parties.
There is growing optimism that a way back into the EU could be put to voters at the next election after the prime minister and senior ministers made it clear they believe Brexit has been a failure at this year's party conference.
When The Independent asked Mr Burnham about whether Rejoin would be in Labour’s next election manifesto on his recent trip to the UN in New York, he refused to rule it out – having said a year ago when he was Manchester mayor that he believes the UK should rejoin the EU.
Burnham edges Labour closer to rejoining EU
What is the UK's asylum resettlement scheme?
17:50 , Harriette BoucherShabana Mahmood has announced that the UK resettlement scheme will reopen immediately, , which will bring vulnerable refugees to Britain.
Hundreds are expected to come to Britain under the scheme and three community sponsorship routes at first, growing to the “low thousands” as levels of illegal migration fall, and with a cap set each year.
Around a quarter of those admitted to the UK under it are expected to be Palestinians and women and girls from Afghanistan.
They will be put on a five-year path to permanent settlement.
Most refugees admitted under the UK resettlement scheme will be referred through the UN refugee agency UNHCR, with Palestinians coming through the International Refugee Assistance Project (Irap).
Watch: UK to open new legal refugees routes for Afghan women and Palestinians
17:30 , Harriette BoucherPension triple lock: How could Labour scrap it, and what would it cost state pensioners?
17:15 , Harriette Boucher
Pension triple lock: How could Labour scrap it, and what would it cost pensioners?
Mahmood says her migrant background made her committed to fairness
17:04 , Harriette BoucherThe home secretary has said that her migrant background had made her committed to fairness.
“My parents came to this country from rural Kashmir,” Shabana Mahmood told the Labour conference.
“Because they knew they would get a fair shot at a better life here, a fairer shot than they could ever expect back home, where past was precedent, and your birth dictated your future.
“They were, largely, welcomed to this country, because most Brits thought it was right to welcome people who come here legally, build a life, and contribute to our nation.”
She added that limits are needed on the number of refugees.
Ms Mahmood said: “I also know this process must be capped and controlled, and communities must be ready and able to welcome those who come here.
“This is what we can do and who we can be as we restore control to our borders, bear down on the small boat crossings, and unlock the inherent generosity of this country.”
Shabana Mahmood: I feel revulsion and fear at the sight of masked racists
16:52 , Harriette Boucher
Mahmood: I feel revulsion and fear at the sight of masked racists
Key takeaways from Shabana Mahmood's conference speech
16:46 , Harriette BoucherShabana Mahmood kicked off her speech by insisting there was “nothing fair” about the lack of control at the UK’s borders.
She said the the government can “unlock the inherent generosity of this country” by providing safe and legal refugee routes and migration reforms that “come to a position that balances fairness”.
The home secretary said: “I know the British people have not given up on their belief that we should be compassionate, live up to our international obligations, and save the lives of those fleeing war and persecution.
She added: “This is what we can do – this is who we can be – as we restore control to our borders, bear down on small boat crossings, and unlock the inherent generosity of this country.”
The home secretary unveiled several measures, which included:
- New routes for sponsored refugees, which allows charities and nonprofits to apply to become sponsors for a community route that will bring refugees to the UK from autumn 2027.
- A student sponsorship route for universities to host refugees.
- Reopening the UK resettlement scheme, which will bring vulnerable refugees to Britain. Around one in four are expected to be Afghan women and girls and Palestinians, with the UNHCR helping the government to deliver the new pathway.
- Specialist officers in every police force across England and Wales to help tackle “heinous crimes” of violence against women and girl.
Mahmood hits out at 'masked racists' inciting fear across UK
16:32 , Harriette BoucherThe home secretary concluded her speech by hitting out at masked “racists” who are inciting fear and division across the country.
After announcing the return of the UK resettlement scheme, she said she had felt a “shiver of revulsion and fear” at the sight of “racists masked up and dressed all in black”.
It comes after recent anti-migrant protests in Dover and Portsmouth, which were carried out by balaclava-clad men dressed in black.
Shabana Mahmood said there had been “the sense that the forces of division in our country are growing stronger”.
She said: “Safety at home unlocks the generosity of spirit that this party knows is within us all.
“I know personally that this doesn't always feel true today. I know the fear that some communities have felt in recent times, the sense that the forces of division in our country are growing stronger, whilst the unifying voices are growing weaker.
“I have felt the same shiver of revulsion and fear at the sight of racists masked up and dressed all in black, whose actions are designed to threaten communities like mine,” she said.
“I know that other communities have felt the same fear, like British Jews facing a rising tide of antisemitism and targeted by the hostile acts of foreign powers who plot violence against our fellow countrymen and women.
“This country is only truly fair when we all feel safe within it.”
Mahmood says UK must 'police differently' after failing to prevent violence against women and girls
16:20 , Harriette BoucherShabana Mahmood said the UK must “police differently” as she hit out at a criminal justice system that has “failed to respond effectively to the scourge of violence against women and girls”.
The home secretary promised to tackle “heinous crimes” with specialist officers in every police force across England and Wales.
She said: “Fairness cannot end at our borders; it must extend to every street in this country. While you might not believe it from all the false talk of a broken Briton, some of the most serious crimes that we face in this country are falling and falling fast.
“To achieve fairness in every community, we need to do some things that we know work, like neighbourhood policing, which was hollowed out under the last Conservative government, but which we know cuts crime and deters criminality.
“If we are to police every community fairly, we must also police differently. I have long argued that the criminal justice system has failed to respond effectively to the scourge of violence against women and girls.
“In our landmark strategy, we seek to right that wrong, and I am proud to have recently announced that every police force in England and Wales will soon have specialist officers trained in the delicate and difficult work of investigating these heinous crimes.”
Mahmood defends reforms to indefinite leave to remain
16:13 , Holly Bancroft, Home Affairs CorrespondentShabana Mahmood has defended her much criticised reforms to legal settlement in the UK, which will make it harder for many foreign nationals to get permanent leave to remain in Britain.
She told Labour members in Liverpool: "I know that, throughout our consultation process, some have said elements of these reforms are not fair. To that: let me say this. We will come to a position that balances fairness for those who came here legally, and fairness to British citizens across this country."
Mahmood reopens UK resettlement scheme, aiming to bringing Afghan women and girls to new life in Britain
16:11 , Holly Bancroft, Home Affairs CorrespondentShabana Mahmood has announced that she will reopen the UK resettlement scheme, which will bring vulnerable refugees to Britain.
The Home Office expects hundreds of people a year to be brought to the UK to build a new life.
Around one in four are expected to be Afghan women and girls and Palestinians, with the UNHCR helping the government to deliver the new pathway.
Speaking to Labour conference on Monday, Ms Mahmood said: “This government will reopen the UK Resettlement Route, in partnership with the United Nations. We will take vulnerable refugees from across the world, and give them the chance of a new and better life here in Britain, with the first arrivals this year.
“I am proud to say that around a quarter will be Afghan women and girls, fleeing persecution under the Taliban, and Palestinians who have fled the horrors of Gaza.
“Conference, that is what we can do - this is who we can be - as we restore control to our borders, bear down on small boat crossings, and unlock the inherent generosity of this country.”
The UK Resettlement Route was closed in December 2024.
New routes for sponsored refugees announced by Mahmood
16:10 , Holly Bancroft, Home Affairs CorrespondentFrom October, charities and nonprofits will be able to apply to become sponsors for a community route that will bring refugees to the UK, starting in autumn 2027.
A student sponsorship route will also be opened for universities to host refugees, the home secretary announced on Monday.
Shabana Mahmood told Labour conference in Liverpool: “For that reason, I can announce today that, from next month, we will begin accepting applications from charities and nonprofits, to sponsor refugees through our new safe and legal routes.
“This will start with a community sponsorship route, allowing local communities to host refugees, and a student sponsorship route, allowing universities to do the same. Applications will open in October, with the first arrivals in autumn of next year. Applications for sponsors for a further work route will open in Spring of next year.”
Mahmood unveils scheme to resettle Afghan and Palestinian refugees in UK
16:09 , Harriette BoucherShabana Mahmood has announced a new legal settlement route that prioritises vulnerable refugees.
The home secretary said the government was reopening a scheme closed by the government last year, which she hopes will offer safe routes to the UK and deter small boat crossings.
UK must 'restore control' of borders - Mahmood
16:08 , Harriette BoucherShabana Mahmood has said there is “nothing fair” about the lack of control at the UK’s borders, telling the Labour conference that the government “must restore control”.
The home secretary said it was her job to “hold this country together at a time when others seek to divide us”.
She said: “Fairness is what unites us in this country, and a fair society unlocks the very best of us. Because when people think this country is fair, they are more open and generous to others.
“When we are secure in ourselves, we are more tolerant too, because the existence of one group does not threaten another, and so a proud Muslim like me can be a proud Brit and a Brummy too.”
“When fairness isn't present, the opposite is true. When this country feels unfair, people turn inwards. A Britain that is unfair is one that is smaller and colder for those who look like me.
“So my job is to create that fairness, fairness in our immigration system and on our streets, and in doing so, to hold this country together at a time when others seek to divide us.”
Mahmood kicks off speech addressing RAF Fairford incident
16:04 , Harriette BoucherShabana Mahmood has kicked off her speech at the Labour conference by addressing the potential terror plot near RAF Fairford yesterday .
She thanked police for their “swift” response, and pointed out that nationalities of the suspects, who have since been released on bail, were all British citizens.
Ms Mahmood has praised the "spirit of resilience" of the residents living near RAF Fairford, saying: "They represent the very best of our country".
She said the recent events were "a reminder that at a time of heightened threat we must all remain vigilant".
Watch: Burnham to set out Labour’s social care and defence funding plan on Tuesday
16:00 , Harriette BoucherJustice secretary unveils service to find accommodation for people leaving prison
15:56 , Harriette BoucherThe justice secretary has announced a new digital service that finds accommodation and support for people leaving prison will be created,
Alex Norris told the Labour conference: “We know that offenders leaving prison homeless go on to reoffend at almost twice the rate of those with somewhere to live.
“So, today, I can announce we’re modernising the methods the prison and probation services use to identify and secure accommodation, with the creation of a single digital service that finds the right accommodation and support for people leaving prison.”
He also announced further measures giving “those in prison a chance to rehabilitate themselves” with the expansion of “incentivised drug-free living wings” to crack down on the demand for drugs in prison.
Watch: Five men arrested over potential terror plot near RAF Fairford released on bail
15:54 , Harriette BoucherIn full: Men arrested over RAF Fairford ‘bomb plot’ released on bail
15:50 , Harriette Boucher
Men arrested over RAF Fairford ‘bomb plot’ released on bail
Breaking: RAF Fairford suspects 'released on bail'
15:49 , Harriette BoucherThe five men arrested near RAF Fairford have been released on police bail, police said on Monday.
Assistant Commissioner Laurence Taylor told reporters: “I can confirm that following extensive interviews and enquiries, the five men who were arrested are being released on police bail this afternoon.
“To be very clear, this does not mean that the investigation is over.
“They are subject to stringent conditions on their movement and contact with others.
“They absolutely remain under investigation as we explore multiple lines of enquiry.”
Mahmood's visa reforms 'need to strike the right balance', says Burnham
15:44 , Harriette BoucherAndy Burnham rejected suggestions Shabana Mahmood’s planned visa changes may not happen because Angela Rayner views them as “un-British”, but said reforms would need to “strike the right balance”.
Asked whether he was “Team Shabana” or “Team Angela,” he told LBC: “I’m both of them, I’m Team Angela and Shabana.
“But it just reflects that there’s a consultation, there’s different not just opinions from politicians, but obviously there’s a range of views that have gone into that consultation, so we’re in the process now of looking at that.”
RAF Fairford 999 caller says she has had ‘no follow up at all’ from authorities
15:43 , Harriette BoucherBurnham to reveal details of how government will pay for social care tomorrow
15:38 , Harriette BoucherAndy Burnham suggested he would reveal details of how the government will pay for social care and defence on Tuesday.
He told LBC: “We have a commitment to 2035 and what I’ll set out tomorrow is how we do that, how we change things so that we can make the necessary investment in defence.”
Asked whether his plans for social care reform would be funded by a new tax or spending cuts elsewhere, he said: “I will reveal detail tomorrow.”
The prime minister said he will “lay out a very clear path for the country” in his speech on Tuesday.
“I won’t do the usual conference thing, perhaps of just going for the big attack lines on the others and the rabbits out of the hat, I will say things of substance.
“I am trying to speak to your listeners today and tomorrow in really understanding where they are, giving a speech of substance that people will then be able to hear and decide whether they think it is the right direction for the country.”
Burnham to chair Cobra meeting on suspected terror attack
15:30 , Harriette BoucherAndy Burnham is set to chair a Cobra meeting this afternoon on the suspected terror attack on RAF Fairford at the weekend, he said.
The prime minister told LBC at the Labour party conference in Liverpool that he wanted to get the “full picture” on what had happened at the base used by the British and US air forces in Gloucestershire.
Mr Burnham said: “I want to thank the police, the Gloucestershire Police, the security services, the emergency services, the public who alerted us, so thank you to everybody for the way that they’ve worked.
“What I can say is that I will chair a meeting of Cobra later this afternoon just to make sure we have the full picture, the full situation very clearly in our sights and so maybe we’ll say more about that later today.”
Mahmood to announce scheme to resettle Afghan and Palestinian refugees in UK
15:16 , Harriette BoucherShabana Mahmood is due to announce a new refugee settlement route that prioritises Afghan women and Palestinians.
The home secretary is poised to reopen a scheme closed by the government last year, which she hopes will offer safe routes to the UK and deter small boat crossings.
She will tell the Labour Party conference that the UK should live up to its “international obligations”, but have a process that is “capped and controlled”.
In her speech on Monday, she will say: “Fairness is what unites us in this country. A fair society is what unlocks the very best of us. Because when people think this country is fair, they are more open and generous to others. When this country feels unfair, people turn inwards. They grow less willing to tolerate difference,” she will say.
“I know the British people have not given up on their belief that we should be compassionate, live up to our international obligations, and save the lives of those fleeing war and persecution. But I also know this process must be capped and controlled, and communities must be ready and able to welcome those who come here.
“This is what we can do and who we can be as we restore control to our borders, bear down on the small boat crossings, and unlock the inherent generosity of this country.”
New trains could be publicly owned under Great British Railways
15:05 , Harriette BoucherNew trains could be publicly owned rather than leased under Great British Railways to reduce costs and “best serve taxpayers”, the transport Secretary has said.
Heidi Alexander told the Labour Party conference that the government will set out a new policy for future train procurements.
A case-by-case approach will be taken when considering private investment, leasing, or public ownership for new trains, she said.
It comes after the government announced it was nationalising Avanti West Coast services next March.
Ms Alexander pledged to “address the hidden challenges that hold the railway back”.
She added: “For nearly three decades, most passenger trains haven’t been owned by the train operators themselves, but by rolling stock companies known as Roscos.
“Rosco’s bought the train and leased them back to operators.
“The train operating companies saved money upfront, but it also brought significant long-term costs.”
Watch: Healey needs to cut welfare. But he’s learnt from Starmer’s failures
15:00 , Harriette BoucherMiliband 'not pitching for associate membership' of EU
14:47 , Harriette BoucherEd Miliband said he was not looking to follow Canada and pitch for “associate membership” of the EU, telling the Labour conference the UK’s future lay in a deeper relationship with the bloc.
The foreign secretary said: “I was at the EU informal foreign ministers’ meeting in Ireland at the beginning of September and round the table you had the foreign ministers meeting of Ukraine, Canada, Iceland that had just voted narrowly not to begin accession talks, and the UK and indeed Norway.
“And I think we remarked around the table that there was a sort of wider grouping.
“I think it does go to the (Mark) Carney agenda, by the way, which is countries working together, united by values, by alliances, on a whole range of issues.
“So, I’m certainly not pitching for associate membership, but I think there are ways that we can work together.”
Watch: UK’s future lies in deeper partnership with EU, Miliband says
14:45 , Joe MiddletonExclusive: Residents living near RAF Fairford ‘told attack was imminent day before bomb plot’
14:31 , Joe MiddletonResidents living near RAF Fairford say they were told to stay indoors hours before police received a call about an alleged foiled bomb plot – with one claiming they were told an attack was about to happen.
The Independent has seen message from a WhatsApp residents’ group chat showing that, shortly before 6pm on Saturday, one resident claimed to be told by armed officers that there was intelligence over an “imminent” attack. Another said they were told to make their way home and stay indoors.
Five British nationals in their 20s were arrested on Sunday, initially on suspicion of explosives offences and later terrorism, after an incident near the military airbase in Gloucestershire, which is used by US bombers. Counter-terrorism officers are understood to be investigating whether Iran is linked to the suspected terror plot.
Residents living near RAF Fairford ‘told attack was imminent day before bomb plot’
Analysis: Healey needs to cut welfare. But he’s learnt from Starmer’s failures
14:16 , Joe MiddletonThe chancellor used his Labour conference speech to retable Rachel Reeves’ welfare cuts – but in an authentic Labour way, political editor David Maddox writes:
Healey needs to cut welfare. But he’s learnt from Starmer’s failures
RAF Fairford: Miliband declines to say if suspects were under surveillance
14:14 , Joe MiddletonEd Miliband declined to say whether Donald Trump’s claim that the suspects arrested near RAF Fairford had been under surveillance.
The foreign secretary told a meeting on the fringe of the Labour Party conference: “You will understand there is an ongoing investigation and a limit to what I can say.
“What I will say is, as I said in my conference speech, I think this emphasises the vigilance we need against the threats that our country faces, including on British soil.
“I think that the counter-terrorism police, the intelligence services, the police themselves have done a really important job in arresting the suspects.
“Beyond that, sorry to be disappointing, I’m not going to say anymore because it’s a live investigation.”
Politics Explained: Why high diesel prices are giving chancellor John Healey a new headache
13:49 , Joe MiddletonWe are in serious trouble if the cost of a fuel that underpins much of our economy keeps soaring, says Chris Blackhurst
Why rocketing diesel prices are giving chancellor John Healey a new headache
Watch: Healey brands Farage as ‘Liz Truss with a Bitcoin account’
13:45 , Joe MiddletonLeaked note shows delegates instructed to clap for Healey's welfare comments
13:23 , Joe MiddletonA leaked note posted by the i paper’s chief political correspondent Kitty Donaldson shows the rapturous applause received by chancellor John Healey might not have been entirely organic...
Leaked note shows how Labour conference is instructed to clap Chancellor John Healey’s remarks on young people ahead of welfare battle next year.
— Kitty Donaldson (@kitty_donaldson) September 28, 2026
(And they did) pic.twitter.com/vE4Tox5tww
Pictured: Healy and Burnham are all smiles at Labour conference
13:13 , Joe Middleton
Healey speech reaction
13:09 , Joe MiddletonHarry Quilter-Pinner, executive director at think tank IPPR, said: "For too long the government has been an observer of the economy when it should have been an active participant. The vision the Chancellor set out today will see the government actively shaping the economy, creating jobs in the industries it wants, in the places it wants, benefitting the people it wants.
"However, it will take more than a conference speech to rewire the British economy. The Chancellor will need to take on vested interests, devolve significant powers away from Whitehall, and make difficult choices on tax, investment and public ownership.
“With public frustration and anger at the cost of living running deep across the country, the stakes could hardly be higher. But if the government gets this right, it could mark the beginning of a more productive, more resilient and more broadly shared period of growth."
John O’Connell, chief executive of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: “The chancellor offered next to nothing to defuse the benefits bomb sitting under Britain’s economy.“The plans he did announce are little more than taxpayer-funded make-work schemes and bungs to trade unions dressed up as welfare and work reforms, all the while refusing to acknowledge the damage done to businesses and employment by his predecessor.
“If the chancellor is serious about getting young people back into work, he needs to reduce the burdens on businesses and cut welfare spending.”
