Angela Rayner and Andy Burnham have joined forces to criticise Sir Keir Starmer’s pub tax grab.
The two Labour figures have both been tipped as potential rivals of Sir Keir Starmer, who faces leadership questions as he seeks to reset his Downing Street operation.
It comes after controversies surrounding the appointments of Lord Peter Mandelson and Lord Matthew Doyle despite their association with sex offenders.
Both suggested Sir Keir should cut VAT to ease pressure on struggling businesses, with Ms Rayner saying at a nighttime economy summit in Liverpool: “I mean, I talked about the challenges on business rates, the challenges on VAT. The challenges, yes, the minimum wage going up and the living wage and the costs of energy.”
Mr Burnham, later on, said: “I personally would support permanently a lower business rates regime for hospitality businesses for exactly the same reason,” according to The Telegraph.
Sir Chris Wormald is the latest of Sir Keir’s top team to step down as as the UK’s top civil servant and head of the civil service “by mutual agreement”, the Cabinet Office announced on Thursday.
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Key Points
- Burnham and Rayner join forces to criticise Starmer's pub tax rates
- Chris Wormald to stand down, Cabinet Office announces
- Analysis: Wormald sacking is another sign of a government in chaos
- Trade union leader calls for Starmer to stand down if Labour comes third in Gorton and Denton by-election
Chris Wormald quits: Cabinet secretary steps down as Starmer loses another member of No 10 team
07:00 , Bryony Gooch Britain’s top civil servant quits in another exit from Starmer’s team
Watch: Badenoch accuses PM of 'stuffing government with paedophile apologists' amid Lord Doyle row
06:00 , Bryony GoochRecap: Andy Burnham criticises Sir Jim Ratcliffe for anti-immigration comments
05:00 , Bryony GoochMayor of Greater Manchester Andy Burnham has criticised Sir Jim Ratcliffe, co-owner of Manchester United, for his comments on immigration.
“If any criticism is needed, it should be directed towards those who have offered little contribution to our life here and have instead spent years siphoning wealth out of one of our proudest institutions,” said Mr Burnham.
Keir Starmer doesn’t have a ‘women problem’ - he has a ‘man problem’
04:00 , Bryony Gooch Keir Starmer doesn’t have a ‘women problem’ - he has a ‘man problem’
Female Labour parliamentarians criticise Downing Street 'boys' club'
03:00 , Bryony GoochFemale Labour parliamentarians have called for Sir Keir Starmer to appoint a woman as his de facto deputy after a series of controversies which critics say has exposed a “boys’ club” in Downing Street.
No 10 has rejected the accusations about the way it has been run, but the Prime Minister has said he would consider a suggestion from Baroness Harriet Harman to revive the position of first secretary of state, which functions in practice as a deputy prime minister, and give the role to a woman.
Watch: Disdain for Labour unites Gorton and Denton ahead of crucial by-election
02:00 , Bryony GoochRecap: UK to provide Ukraine with more than £500m for new defence missiles and systems
01:00 , Bryony GoochThe United Kingdom will provide Ukraine with more than £500 million for new defence missiles and systems, the Ministry of Defence has announced.
Defence secretary John Healey said the UK will contribute £150 million for the first time to Nato’s Prioritised Ukraine Requirements List (Purl), a programme designed to speed up the country’s air defence support.
A further 1,000 UK-made lightweight multirole missiles will be delivered to Ukraine as part of a £390 million deal.
The announcement comes as Mr Healey co-hosts meetings in Brussels with the 50-nation Ukraine Defence Contact Group and Nato defence ministers on Thursday.
Will lowering the voting age change Britain’s political landscape?
00:00 , Bryony Gooch Will lowering the voting age change Britain’s political landscape?
Reform 'flagship' local authority passes budget despite warning of 'recklessness'
Thursday 12 February 2026 23:00 , Bryony GoochReform UK’s “flagship” local authority in Kent has passed its first budget despite warnings from opposition leaders of “extreme risk” and it being “potentially reckless”.
Kent’s Reform leaders have secured a 3.99 per cent council tax increase, 1% under the limit before a referendum is required, despite promising ahead of their election win not to raise tax.
But opposition bosses have criticised the move for not raising it to the maximum possible, which will leave the council with £10 million less for the next financial year that could have protected services and reserves.
They also pointed to a statement from the council’s head of finance, David Shipton, legally required to be considered for the budget, where he said: “The decision to raise the council tax household charge below the level permitted without a referendum poses a long-term financial risk as a result of the council tax income forgone.”
Burnham and Rayner join forces to criticise Starmer's pub tax rates
Thursday 12 February 2026 22:52 , Bryony GoochBoth Angela Rayner and Andy Burnham have criticised Sir Keir Starmer’s pub tax grab as the prime minister fights for his leadership.
The two Labour figures, who have been tipped as potential rivals in a future leadership contest, suggested the Sir Keir should cut VAT to ease pressure on struggling businesses.
The former deputy prime minister, speaking at a nighttime economy summit in Liverpool, called for extra help for the sector to help struggling towns and cities.
During a question and answer session after her speech, Ms Rayner, forced from Government last year over a tax row involving her properties, said: “And I think that we’ve got to recognise the, it’s not even the double whammy, it’s not even the triple whammy.
“I mean, I talked about the challenges on business rates, the challenges on VAT. The challenges, yes, the minimum wage going up and the living wage and the costs of energy.”
Mr Burnham later supported a “VAT rate more consistent with what you find in Europe because of the social value that your businesses bring to places and towns that need that life injected into them,” according to The Telegraph.
“I personally would support permanently a lower business rates regime for hospitality businesses for exactly the same reason.”
Watch: Dorries says Ratcliffe's claim Britain has been ‘colonised’ by migrants is 'not hard-right rhetoric'
Thursday 12 February 2026 22:44 , Bryony GoochTrade union leader calls for Starmer to stand down if Labour comes third in Gorton and Denton by-election
Thursday 12 February 2026 22:16 , Bryony GoochSir Keir Starmer should stand down if Labour comes third in the Gorton and Denton by-election, a trade union leader has said as she backed Angela Rayner to replace him.
Maryam Eslamdoust, general secretary of the Transport Salaried Staffs’ Association (TSSA), is the first leader of one of Labour’s affiliated unions to publicly back an alternative to Sir Keir as party leader.
She warned that a leadership challenge could come as soon as the end of the February, after a key by-election in which Labour risks falling behind Reform UK and the Greens.
Ms Eslamdoust told the Daily Telegraph: “If we were to come third, I think Keir’s time will be up.”
Home Office spent £700k on Palestine Action proscription legal fight
Thursday 12 February 2026 22:00 , Bryony Gooch Home Office spent £700k fighting Palestine Action proscription legal battle
In pictures: Angela Rayner calls for more support for nightlife sector
Thursday 12 February 2026 21:00 , Bryony Gooch Rayner: Government must listen to struggling hospitality sector
Thursday 12 February 2026 20:30 , Bryony GoochAngela Rayner has said the Government must listen to the struggling hospitality sector and recognise its “value not just in rhetoric, but in policy”.
The former deputy prime minister was speaking at Liverpool’s Night Time Economy Summit on “what we need to see from Labour in the future”.
She said: “If we’re serious about recovery, then we must fuel the recovery of them (businesses).
“That means recognising the value not just in rhetoric, but in policy. And this is where we must be candid.
“There is, without doubt, a clear divide between policy that truly understands the night time economy and policy that simply applies a one-size-fits-all approach.
“Too often, policy is done to this sector, not with it. And I recognise clearly and openly that more needs to be done to engage the industry directly and consistently and respectfully, to listen, to co-design, to recognise expertise where it exists.
“Because confidence in politics matters. Businesses need to believe that they will be treated fairly, that the rules won’t shift without warning, that the long-standing structural issues will finally be addressed, not deferred again.”
John Healey tells Ukraine’s allies to make 2026 ‘the year this war ends’
Thursday 12 February 2026 20:00 , Bryony GoochUkraine’s allies should make sure 2026 is the year Russia’s war against Kyiv ends, the Defence Secretary has said.
Speaking after a meeting of defence ministers in Brussels, John Healey said Ukraine’s allies were “more united and more determined than ever”.
He said: “We will step up military assistance to Ukraine. We will step up pressure on Russia.
“And we want to make 2026 the year this war ends, the year we secure peace.”
Rayner calls for a dedicated night-time economy minister
Thursday 12 February 2026 19:30 , Bryony GoochAngela Rayner has called for Sir Keir Starmer to appoint a dedicated night-time economy minister as she warned “more needs to be done” to support the industry.
In a challenge to the Labour government, the former deputy prime minister suggested venues face a “triple whammy” of costs with business rates, VAT and a minimum wage increase, on top of other pressures.
Speaking at a summit on the night-time economy in Liverpool, Ms Rayner said the sector should have a “true champion on the national stage” to represent its interests.
The Labour MP, who served as Sir Keir’s deputy and as local government secretary until resigning last year after a row over her underpayment of stamp duty on a new property, told an event in Liverpool: “We need to do better.
“We need to recognise the value of this industry, economically, culturally, socially.
“We need to design policy with the industry and not for it.”
She added: “I would support the government in having a named minister with responsibility for the night-time economy to champion the sector inside government and ensure that the voices of small and medium businesses are heard loud and clear.”
Exclusive: Reform by-election candidate calls for ‘young girls’ to be given ‘biological reality’ check
Thursday 12 February 2026 19:00 , Bryony GoochReform UK’s candidate in an upcoming by-election has called for women and young girls to be given a “biological reality” check, as he gave his views on how Britain should tackle its impending “fertility crisis”.
Days after The Independent revealed that Matt Goodwin previously suggested people who don’t have children should be taxed extra as punishment, an unearthed clip posted to his personal YouTube channel in November 2024 has shown the former academic warning that “many women in Britain are having children much too late in life”.
Millie Cooke, political correspondent, reports:
Reform candidate calls for ‘young girls’ to be given ‘biological reality’ check
Culture Secretary intervenes in Daily Mail owner’s £500m Telegraph takeover
Thursday 12 February 2026 18:45 , Bryony GoochThe culture secretary has intervened and launched a probe into The Telegraph’s proposed £500 million takeover by the owner of the Daily Mail over competition concerns.
It comes a month after Lisa Nandy had said she was “minded to intervene” on public interest grounds.
On Thursday, she confirmed in a written statement that she has launched a public interest intervention into the deal, which would expand one of the UK’s largest media groups.
The secretary said she has “concerns” related to the public interest, including how the move could impact the “plurality of views” in UK news media.
Therefore, she is specifically keen to assess whether the deal will impact newspaper customers by reducing the number of titles owned by different parent groups.
Watch: 'Catastrophic lack of judgement': Ed Davey calls out Starmer on appointment of 'pedophile supporter'
Thursday 12 February 2026 18:30 , Bryony GoochKent County Council passes first Reform UK budget
Thursday 12 February 2026 18:14 , Bryony GoochKent County Council, the largest authority in the country, has passed its first budget under Reform UK leadership.
The vote was carried with 48 councillors in favour, 26 against and 1 abstention.
Reform councillors represent 48 out of the 81 seats.
Summing up the debate, deputy leader Brian Collins said the budget has been “carefully thought through”, adding: “Some people call it risky, I call it bold”.
MSPs vote to back draft Budget as Lib Dems agree deal with Scottish Government
Thursday 12 February 2026 18:00 , Bryony GoochMSPs have voted to back the draft Scottish Budget at stage one as the Government announced changes due to a deal with the Lib Dems.
Finance Secretary Shona Robison proposed the Budget (Scotland) (No.5) Bill, which was supported by 65 votes to 30 at stage one on Thursday. There were 24 abstentions.
Scottish Liberal Democrat MSP Jamie Greene confirmed in the chamber at First Minister’s Questions that the Lib Dems had struck a Budget deal with the Scottish Government on social care, hospices and hospitality.
Watch: Starmer hits out at Jim Ratcliffe over ‘colonised’ by immigrants claim
Thursday 12 February 2026 17:45 , Bryony GoochPictured: Sir Chris Wormald, who has stepped down from his role as Cabinet Secretary
Thursday 12 February 2026 17:30 , Bryony Gooch No 10 decline to 'comment on speculation' about Whitehall's future
Thursday 12 February 2026 17:21 , Bryony GoochNo 10 earlier declined to “comment on speculation” when asked about rumours that Dame Antonia Romeo, the Home Office permanent secretary, will take over the Whitehall reins.
Dame Antonia has been announced as one of three interim replacements for Sir Chris Wormald, performing the role jointly with Cabinet Office permanent secretary Cat Little and Treasury permanent secretary James Bowler.
The Cabinet Office said Sir Keir Starmer was expected to appoint a new cabinet secretary “shortly”.
Cabinet Secretary responsibilities to be shared between three people in interim
Thursday 12 February 2026 17:10 , Bryony GoochDame Antonia Romeo, who is widely tipped to be in line for Sir Chris Wormald’s former job, Catherine Little and James Bowler will share the responsibilities of Cabinet Secretary for an interim period.
The permanent secretary at the Home Office, permanent secretary at the Cabinet Office, and permanent secretary at the Treasury would take over the duties following the departure of Sir Chris on Thursday.
The Prime Minister will appoint a new Cabinet Secretary “shortly” and the appointment process will be agreed by the First Civil Service Commissioner, the Cabinet Office said.
Analysis: Wormald sacking is another sign of a government in chaos
Thursday 12 February 2026 17:07 , Bryony GoochDavid Maddox, political editor, reports:
It is only a little over a year since Sir Keir Starmer appointed Sir Christopher Wormald to the most senior position in Whitehall as cabinet secretary to run the civil service. And yet just 13 months later he is giving the 57-year-old mandarin his marching orders dressed up as “leaving by mutual agreement”.
This latest departure from Downing Street is yet another sign of a Labour government in complete chaos led by a man - the prime minister Sir Keir Starmer - who seems incapable of choosing the right people for senior jobs.
As a result of Wormald going there is currently no cabinet secretary, chief of staff or director of communications in Downing Street. This is a government bereft of leadership.In fact in 19 months as prime minister Sir Keir has gone through two cabinet secretaries (he did not like the one he inherited Simon Case), two chiefs of staff (with the departures of Sue Gray and Morgan McSweeney) and four directors of communication.
Added to that his judgement over appointments is in question over picking Peter Mandelson as US ambassador despite knowing he had an ongoing relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein.
And also promoting his first director of communications Matthew Doyle to the Lords despite knowing he had campaigned for a now convicted paedophile after charges were brought.
The prime minister is not in the clear by any means from the threat of a Labour Party coup and if he is to somehow survive he needs to start making better senior appointments and end the chaos.
Badenoch accuses Starmer of throwing staff under the bus
Thursday 12 February 2026 17:02 , Bryony GoochLeader of the opposition Kemi Badenoch has accused the Prime Minister of throwing staff under the bus as Sir Chris Wormold stands down from his role as Cabinet Secretary.
She said: “The Cabinet Secretary is the latest person Keir Starmer has thrown under the bus to save his own skin….”
The Cabinet Secretary is the latest person Keir Starmer has thrown under the bus to save his own skin…. https://t.co/QMTxWM8frs
— Kemi Badenoch (@KemiBadenoch) February 12, 2026
Starmer says there was 'mutual decision' for Chris Wormald to stand down
Thursday 12 February 2026 16:57 , Bryony GoochPrime minister Sir Keir Starmer has said he’s come to a mutual decision with Sir Chris Wormald that he would go.
Sir Chris was widely expected to be on his way out as the UK’s top civil servant as the Prime Minister seeks to reset his Downing Street operation after controversies surrounding the appointments of Lord Peter Mandelson and Lord Matthew Doyle despite their association with sex offenders.
Sir Keir said: “I am very grateful to Sir Chris for his long and distinguished career of public service, spanning more than 35 years, and for the support that he has given me over the past year.
“I have agreed with him that he will step down as Cabinet Secretary today.
“I wish him the very best for the future.”
BREAKING: Chris Wormald to stand down
Thursday 12 February 2026 16:44 , Daniel HaygarthSir Chris Wormald will stand down as the UK’s top civil servant and head of the Civil Service, the Cabinet Office has announced.
Reform by-election candidate calls for ‘young girls’ to be given ‘biological reality’ check
Thursday 12 February 2026 16:30 , Dan HaygarthReform UK’s candidate in an upcoming by-election has called for women and young girls to be given a “biological reality” check, as he gave his views on how Britain should tackle its impending “fertility crisis”.
Days after The Independent revealed that Matt Goodwin previously suggested people who don’t have children should be taxed extra as punishment, an unearthed clip posted to his personal YouTube channel in November 2024 has shown the former academic warning that “many women in Britain are having children much too late in life”.
In the video, Mr Goodwin - who is standing for Reform UK in the upcoming Gorton and Denton by-election - argued: “We need to explain and educate to young children, the next generation the severity of this crisis.
“We need to also explain to young girls and women the biological reality of this crisis. Many women in Britain are having children much too late in life and they would prefer to have children much earlier on.”
Read the full exclusive from Millie Cooke
BREAKING: Man Utd issue statement after Jim Ratcliffe comments
Thursday 12 February 2026 16:18 , Dan HaygarthThe club said: “Manchester United prides itself on being an inclusive and welcoming club.
“Our diverse group of players, staff and global community of supporters, reflect the history and heritage of Manchester; a city that anyone can call home. Since launching All Red All Equal in 2016, we have embedded equality, diversity and inclusion into everything we do.
“We remain deeply committed to the principles and spirit of that campaign. They are reflected in our policies but also in our culture and are reinforced by our holding of the Premier League's Advanced Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Standard.
“Over the course of this season, we have participated in events and initiatives at our men's and women's games marking mental health, LGBTQ+ inclusion, No Room for Racism, violence against women and girls and homophobic chanting.
“We have also celebrated our supporters' clubs' events, including our Disabled Supporters' Association's Christmas Party and our Jewish Supporters' Club's Chanukah event.
“In the weeks and months ahead, we will be supporting further initiatives in these areas.
“This all sits alongside the incredible work which the Manchester United Foundation undertakes in and around Manchester on a daily basis.Manchester United reflects the unity and resilience of all the communities we are so privileged to represent. We will continue to represent our people, our city and our fans with purpose and pride.”