Sir Keir Starmer is expected to unveil 35 new bills into the King’s Speech next week.
The new laws will hand greater powers to local leaders and to economic watchdog the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), with growth a key part of the prime minister’s agenda, the government has said.
The PM described the measures, to be announced on Wednesday, as the “down payment” on the change his government is seeking to deliver.
But the SNP has joined Labour frontbenchers in pressuring Sir Keir to scrap the two-child benefit cap as part of the new legislation.
Mr Flynn has written to Anas Sarwar, the Scottish Labour leader, urging him to instruct his party’s MPs in Scotland to abolish the cap.
It comes as Reform’s former deputy leader Ben Habib has criticised Nigel Farage’s party and said it should be made more democratic after being ousted.
Mr Habib was fired and replaced last week by Richard Tice in Nigel Farage’s shake-up he had “long held concerns about the control of the party and the decision making processes”.
Key Points
- SNP urges Labour to scrap child benefit cap at King’s Speech
- Fired Reform member slams Farage over ‘undemocratic’ party
- Labour will be ‘more Southgate, less Gove’, pledges culture secretary
- Brexit is back as Starmer’s Europe minister heads to Brussels
- Abbott accuses Labour’s political violence tsar of ‘demonising’ pro-Palestine supporters
Unions demand ‘oven ready’ workers rights laws in Starmer’s first King’s speech
Monday 15 July 2024 15:58
Salma Ouaguira
Trade union leaders have laid out their demands to Keir Starmer for the King’s Speech for “oven ready” legislation to reverse Tory anti-strike laws.
With 35 bills set to be contained in Labour’s first legislative programme in 14 years which will be read out by King Charles on Wednesday, there are fears in the trade union movement that Sir Keir may deprioritise his pledges on workers rights.
Speaking exclusively to The Independent, Trades Union Congress (TUC) president Matt Wrack, who is also general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), warned that “words will not be enough” from the new Labour prime minister and rapid action is expected.
The concerns have come through a lack of communication and reports that deputy prime minister Angela Rayner is already being sidelined in the government.
Ms Rayner had been responsible for pushing workers’ right talks while Labour was in opposition but her new brief as communities secretary does not give her clear control over the issue.
Our politics editor David Maddox has the full story:
There’s one crucial thing that unites the PM and Gareth Southgate
Monday 15 July 2024 15:50
Salma Ouaguira
Both the England leader and the prime minister place a premium on respect, writes Andrew Grice. But is that enough to win us the Euros – or to fix the country?
Donations to Labour more than twice as much as donations to Tories during campaign
Monday 15 July 2024 15:40
Salma Ouaguira
Labour raised £465,600 in private donations in the last week before polling day, bringing its total raised for the whole election to £9.5m, new figures from the Electoral Commission show.
The Conservatives raised just £225,587 in private donations over the same period, bringing their total for the whole election to £1.8m.
Figures released today show former professional poker player Derek Webb donated £250,000 to Labour in the final week while trade unions GMB and the Fire Brigades Union each gave £100,000.
The largest donation to the Conservatives was £50,000 from Westminster Development Services, a property company set up by a consortium led by the Hinduja family.
Dover MP claims Labour will be small boats gangs’ ‘worst nightmare’
Monday 15 July 2024 15:30
Salma Ouaguira
Newly elected Labour’s MP for Dover and Deal has said the government will be people smuggling gangs’ “worst nightmare’.
Mike Tapp claimed Sir Keir Starmer’s proposed new Border Security Command will manage to stop small boat Channel crossings.
He told the BBC: “It is a serious policy for a serious issue. We have seen from the Conservatives essentially pretty much open borders because they have relied on gimmicks and cons, they have tried to trick the electorate into thinking they have got a serious approach to this.
“We have seen the failure with record crossings. The Border Security Command will essentially hunt down the smuggling gangs and we will be their worst nightmare.
“We will bring in MI5, those extra powers and tools, to smash the criminal gangs, to stop people even getting onto the boats in the first place.”
Labour MP speaks up after protesting against monarchy during Commons oath
Monday 15 July 2024 15:20
Salma Ouaguira
Clive Lewis, who represents Norwich South, has criticised the “hysteria” media headlines after protesting against the monarchy doing his affirmation at the Commons on Wednesday 10 July.
At the time, the Labour MP said prior to his affirmation: “I take this oath under protest and in the hope that one day my fellow citizens will democratically decide to live in a republic.”
In the aftermath of the statement, he slammed the reaction to his remarks claiming headlines prove we live in a “reactionary democracy”.
In his response to said “meltdown”, he said in a video: “So I made the mistake of looking underneath my timeline on my statement in the oath about the republic.
“What this shows me is two things. Firstly, it was no big deal what I said. What I said was that I, as a democratically elected representative, would like to live in a democratically-decided republic.
“The actual hysteria from the media headlines like I’m ‘taking a swipe at the monarchy’ tell us all we need to know about the fact that we live in a reactionary democracy.”
Some people are having a meltdown about my protest before having to swear an oath to the King. Here's my response. pic.twitter.com/IR4KSiHIBw
— Clive Lewis MP (@labourlewis) July 15, 2024
Biggest population increase in 75 years in England and Wales, figures suggest
Monday 15 July 2024 15:10
Salma Ouaguira
The population of England and Wales saw the biggest annual increase in 75 years because of growth driven by immigration, new estimates suggest.
In the year to mid-2023, the population grew by almost 610,000 to 60.9 million, according to the estimates from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) published on Monday.
This growth was primarily made up by the 1,084,000 people who were estimated to have migrated to England and Wales from outside the UK during that period.
An estimated 462,000 people emigrated from England and Wales, meaning net migration – the difference between the number of people legally arriving in the UK and leaving – totalled 622,000.
By comparison, the “natural change” in the population – the difference between births and deaths – was only 400 in the year to mid-2023 – the lowest figure since the year to mid-1978.
Wes Streeting ‘treading cautiously’ in pressing ahead with puberty blocker ban
Monday 15 July 2024 15:00
Salma Ouaguira
The health secretary has warned he is “treading cautiously” in his decision to restrict puberty blockers amid “lots of fear and anxiety”.
Wes Streeting has faced criticism from within his own party for the decision, with members of Labour’s LGBT wing writing to him on Sunday with “concerns” about an indefinite ban.
Victoria Atkins, Mr Streeting’s predecessor in the former Conservative government, used Medicines Act 1968 powers to stop private or European organisations from prescribing puberty blockers to young people aged under 18, if the drugs were intended to aid with gender incongruence or gender-affirming healthcare.
Puberty Blockers. A
— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) July 14, 2024
Children’s healthcare must always be led by evidence.
Medicine given to children must always be proven safe and effective first.
I know there’s lots of fear and anxiety.
Let me explain why this decision was taken.
1/9
Campaign group TransActual and a young person who cannot be named have launched a High Court bid to challenge the Government’s order.
Their barrister Jason Coppel KC had said the former minister “proceeded without taking clinical or other scientific advice on those views and overruled officials who had wanted wider consultation and had warned her of serious impacts, including self-harm and suicide, on highly vulnerable children and young persons who had already embarked upon treatment”.
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full story:
What legislation is expected to feature in the King’s Speech?
Monday 15 July 2024 14:50
Salma Ouaguira
Ahead of the King’s Speech on Wednesday, the Government said it will put economic growth at the heart of its legislative agenda.
More than 35 bills are expected to be announced as Labour seeks to maintain momentum and define its first 100 days in office as a period of positive progress.
Here is a summary of the expected legislation:
- Fiscal discipline
- Further devolution
- National wealth fund
- Clean energy boost
- Planning and infrastructure
- Revitalising Rail
- Skills push to focus on big business
- Border security
- Reform for renters
- Crime and policing
- Workers’ rights
- Help for mental health
- Eradicating smoking
- Martyn’s Law
- Constitutional reform
- Football governance
- Acting on AI
Watch: Labour will be more 'Gareth Southgate, less Michael Gove', culture secretary pledges
Monday 15 July 2024 14:40
Joe Middleton
Children risk becoming ‘forgotten generation’ due to NHS waits
Monday 15 July 2024 14:30
Salma Ouaguira
Children and young people risk becoming a forgotten generation owing to crippling waits for NHS care, health leaders have warned.
A report from NHS Providers said 82% of trusts it surveyed are unable to meet the current demand for children and young people’s services.
NHS trusts provide a variety of help for children and young people at home, in the community and in hospitals, such as health visiting, speech and language therapy, audiology, neurodevelopmental services, mental health services and autism assessment.
The report found that rising demand and long waits for services are the biggest challenges for trusts, with more and more children needing help.
For example, 5.3 million children and young people were in contact with mental health services in 2023/24 – up 8.1% on 2022/23 and 25.7% on 2021/22.
In the report, which included 134 responses from leaders at 95 trusts, almost all (97%) said the current level of demand they were experiencing for children and young people’s services had increased compared with before the Covid pandemic.
Ministers urged to act on ‘dark underbelly’ of election abuse
Monday 15 July 2024 14:20
Salma Ouaguira
Tory frontbencher condemns ‘appalling’ Trump’s attack
Monday 15 July 2024 14:10
Salma Ouaguira
Shadow foreign secretary Andrew Mitchell has called for people in politics to “learn lessons” from the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, which could include people “around” the former president.
Speaking on Sky News, Mr Mitchell said: “It’s an appalling act of violence and wickedness, and has been rightly condemned by everyone for what it is.”
He added: “We’ve had our election here and we’ve seen the coarsening of political debate. The reports back from candidates on all sides in Britain talked about that coarsening and now we see this horrific act in America so rightly condemned by President Biden and by everyone else and by our Prime Minister, too.
“And I think there are issues to be addressed on that. In Britain, it’s certainly coarsened because of social media and there are issues as I say which we need to address as a society.”
Facing questions about whether Mr Trump had a part to play in “coarsening” politics, the Conservative frontbencher replied: “Well I think that everyone has to learn lessons, and perhaps that includes people around Donald Trump as well, and of course there’s the whole issue of guns and gun licensing in America which lurks in the foreground – rather than the background – on all of this, but I think this is a moment now for politics and politicians to change some of the attitudes and some of the practices which have been part of the downward spiral.”
Brexit is back as Starmer’s Europe minister heads to Brussels
Monday 15 July 2024 14:02
Joe Middleton
Keir Starmer has wasted little time in pushing for a reset of Britain’s post-Brexit relations with the EU, with his new Europe minister getting the train to Brussels today.
Nick Thomas-Symonds, the new minister for the constitution and European relations, tweeted this morning an image of him getting on the Eurostar to Brussels from London St Pancras to meet with EU commission vice president Maros Sefcovic for a new round of Brexit talks.
While Labour have made it clear they will not try to rejoin the EU or the customs union and single market, their manifesto promised a “reset” of Brexit relations and a renegotiated deal.
Our political editor David Maddox reports
Average price tag on a home fell by £1,617 month-on-month in July
Monday 15 July 2024 14:00
Salma Ouaguira
The average price tag on a home has dipped by more than usual for the month of July, according to a property website.
Across Britain, the typical new seller asking price fell by 0.4% or £1,617 month-on-month in July to £373,493, down from £375,110 in June, Rightmove said.
This was a bigger drop than the typical fall seen in July, according to the website, as new sellers tried to cut through the distractions of the General Election, sporting events and the summer holiday season.
The average price drop in the month of July over the past 20 years has been 0.2%.
The number of sales being agreed and new sellers coming to market is higher than a year ago, Rightmove said.
Tim Bannister, director of property science at Rightmove said: “Three major uncertainties hanging over the property market at the start of the year were when the first interest rate cut would be, and the timing and the result of the General Election.
“We’ve now got the political certainty of a new Government with a large majority, which we expect will help home mover confidence.
“It’s very early days, but the new Chancellor’s immediate announcements on housebuilding targets and planning reform are positive signs that the Government is keen to get going with its manifesto pledges.
Labour slated for ‘holes’ in animal-welfare and green policies
Monday 15 July 2024 13:40
Salma Ouaguira
Manufacturing jobs in England fall while devolved nations see growth
Monday 15 July 2024 13:30
Salma Ouaguira
The devolved nations of Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland have seen big growth in the number of manufacturing jobs in the last year, in contrast to most English regions, according to new research.
A survey by Make UK and BDO showed that, in the year to March, the number of manufacturing jobs in Wales increased by 13,000, in Scotland by 10,000 and in Northern Ireland by 2,000.
Every English region saw a fall in manufacturing jobs in the same period, with the East of England being the only region showing a slight rise, the study found.
The report said there was a total fall of 34,000 manufacturing jobs over the year.
It added that pressure on finding skilled people is still “severe” as 64,000 vacancies remain in the manufacturing sector.
Make UK urged the new Government to make tackling skill shortages and reforming the technical education system, the centrepiece of its forthcoming industrial strategy.
Verity Davidge, director of policy at Make UK, said: “The new Government has made a welcome bold statement of its intent to tackle the UK’s anaemic growth at national and regional level.
“It should now back this with a radical, cross-government, long-term industrial strategy which has measures to tackle the UK’s acute skills crisis at its heart.”
Starmer has been in power for a week and already the infighting has begun
Monday 15 July 2024 13:14
Salma Ouaguira
Labour’s honeymoon was always going to be short, but Jeremy Corbyn’s former shadow chancellor John McDonnell is already busy fomenting rebellion over the two-child benefits cap – even before the inaugural King’s Speech has been delivered, says John Rentoul:
No 10 declines to say whether Southgate deserved a knighthood
Monday 15 July 2024 13:02
Salma Ouaguira
Downing Street refused to be drawn on whether Gareth Southfate deserved a knighthood after England’s final at the Euro 2024.
Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer had spoken to Mr Southgate, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “I don’t know if he had a word with the England manager, but as he said in his letter to the team yesterday, the whole country is proud of what the team have delivered and getting to a second consecutive European Championship final is quite a feat.
“Gareth and the team have brought us some great moments to remember over the last few weeks.”
Asked if the England manager deserved a knighthood, the spokesman added: “He has provided great leadership, he has done the country proud, but I wouldn’t get into commentary around honours.”
EU relations minister: 'Strong UK-EU alliance is vital'
Monday 15 July 2024 12:53
Salma Ouaguira
Minister for EU relations Nick Thomas-Symonds has said that having “a strong UK-EU alliance is vital”.
Ahead of his meeting in Brussels today with Maroš Šefčovič, the European Commission vice-president who leads the post-Brexit negotiations, he said: “Our government is committed to resetting the relationship with the European Union, to strengthen ties, reinforce our security and tackle barriers to trade.
“The EU and Member States are among the UK’s closest friends and allies. With war in Europe, and shared global challenges, in areas such as climate change and illegal migration, a strong UK-EU alliance is vital.”
Travelling to Brussels today for discussions with @MarosSefcovic at @EU_Commission as we reset the relationship. pic.twitter.com/D4kHnjwHmt
— Nick Thomas-Symonds (@NickTorfaen) July 15, 2024
Starmer urged to fix ‘broken settlement scheme for EU nationals
Monday 15 July 2024 12:40
Salma Ouaguira
Campaigners have urged Sir Keir Starmer to take “quick steps” to fix the “broken” Home Office settlement scheme for EU citizens in the UK.
The3million and another 75 organisations, law firms, and NGOs have written to the prime minister to review the the Brexit withdrawal agreement (WA).
Andreea Dumitrache, communications manager at the3million, said: “If the prime minister is serious about repairing the relationship between the UK and the EU, then he has a golden opportunity to do so, by taking quick steps to fix the EU settlement scheme.
“We believe this would be a significant show of goodwill towards the EU, relieving tensions and opening the door towards a better relationship with a close ally.”
The letter calls the Home Office to clear the 137,000 backlog of EU citizens still waiting for a decision on their status.
Starmer vows to set out ‘ambitious agenda’ in King’s Speech
Monday 15 July 2024 12:39
Salma Ouaguira
With only two days to go until the King’s Speech, Sir Keir Starmer vowed to set out his “ambitious agenda” and there was “no time to waste”.
The major event will unveil the Labour government’s legislative plans for the next few years. Taking to X, formerly Twitter, the prime minister said:
The King’s Speech this week will set out my government’s ambitious agenda to create wealth across the UK.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 15, 2024
We are hitting the ground running by bringing forward the laws we need to rebuild our country for the long-term.
There is no time to waste. The work of change begins now.
David Lammy meets families of hostages held in Gaza
Monday 15 July 2024 12:13
Salma Ouaguira
David Lammy met families of hostages held in Gaza by Hamas as he continued his visit in West Jerusalem.
Photos shared on social media showed the foreign minister embracing and shaking hands with families of hostages held in Gaza.
The Foreign Office said on X, formerly Twitter: “In the West Bank @DavidLammy met Palestinian community members, where he heard the impact on communities suffering from settler violence and settlement expansion.
“Settlements in the West Bank are illegal under international law and harm prospects for a two-state solution.”
Labour will be ‘more Southgate, less Gove’, pledges culture secretary
Monday 15 July 2024 11:39
Salma Ouaguira
Labour will govern Britain more like Gareth Southgate and less like Michael Gove, Lisa Nandy has promised.
The culture secretary vowed an end to the “era of division” in British politics, adding ministers will take their lead from the beloved England manager.
Asked whether Mr Southgate should be kept on after Sunday night’s loss to Spain in the final of Euro 2024, Ms Nandy said: “I admire him enormously and I am sure he will reach a decision after spending a bit of time thinking about it.”
She told Sky News: “The contribution that Gareth Southgate has already made to football is enormous on the pitch and off the pitch.
“But also to put together that incredible team of young footballers drawn from every community across the country who look and sound and feel like modern Britain.”
Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full story:
Osborne reveals David Cameron’s ‘most nervous’ moment as PM
Monday 15 July 2024 11:24
Salma Ouaguira
Former chancellor George Osborne has revealed David Cameron’s “most nervous” moment during his time as prime minister.
Speaking on his Political Currency podcast, he said Lord Cameron was worried about playing golf with Barack Obama.
He said: “I don’t feel golf is such a big thing here… in America it feels like every president plays golf and by the way, a round with the president is a piece of patronage, that is really important in the presidency.
“I remember David Cameron played a couple of rounds with Obama which I have to say, of all the things I ever saw David, it was the thing he was most nervous about, he was like ‘oh my god, I am playing golf with Obama I am going to have to go and practice’.
“But it would be a bit odd for a prime minister here to be playing golf.”
Streeting ‘treading cautiously’ in restricting puberty blockers
Monday 15 July 2024 11:15
Salma Ouaguira
The health secretary has warned he is “treading cautiously” in his decision to restrict puberty blockers amid “lots of fear and anxiety”.
Wes Streeting has faced criticism from within his own party for the decision, with members of Labour’s LGBT wing writing to him on Sunday with “concerns” about an indefinite ban.
Victoria Atkins, Mr Streeting’s predecessor in the former Conservative government, used Medicines Act 1968 powers to stop private or European organisations from prescribing puberty blockers to young people aged under 18, if the drugs were intended to aid with gender incongruence or gender-affirming healthcare.
Campaign group TransActual and a young person who cannot be named have launched a High Court bid to challenge the Government’s order.
Their barrister Jason Coppel KC had said the former minister “proceeded without taking clinical or other scientific advice on those views and overruled officials who had wanted wider consultation and had warned her of serious impacts, including self-harm and suicide, on highly vulnerable children and young persons who had already embarked upon treatment”.
Mr Streeting took to X, formerly Twitter, to explain his decision to press ahead with the High Court battle.
“Children’s healthcare must always be led by evidence,” the Health Secretary wrote.
“Medicine given to children must always be proven safe and effective first.”
The NHS does not prescribe puberty blockers, which suppress young people’s natural production of sex hormones to delay puberty, to children because “there is not enough evidence of safety and clinical effectiveness”, according to the health service.
Puberty Blockers. A
— Wes Streeting MP (@wesstreeting) July 14, 2024
Children’s healthcare must always be led by evidence.
Medicine given to children must always be proven safe and effective first.
I know there’s lots of fear and anxiety.
Let me explain why this decision was taken.
1/9
Exclusive: Tory grandee urges against lurch to extreme right in leadership battle
Monday 15 July 2024 11:03
Salma Ouaguira
The Conservative Party needs to avoid a lurch to the “extreme right” as it tries to rebuild itself from its worst ever defeat, a former party chairman has warned.
Lord Patten, who was chairman for the successful 1992 general election campaign where he also lost his seat, has raised concerns that the Tories will try to ape Nigel Farage as it seeks to win back supporters.
Writing for The Independent, the Tory grandee, who was also Britain’s last governor of Hong Kong, labelled two of the potential contenders Priti Patel and Suella Braverman as “extreme right” and described Farage as “Tommy Robinson in a cravat” as he urged for the party to take time over its reset.
Ms Braverman recently made headlines attacking fellow Tories as not being Conservatives and claiming the progress pride flag for LGBT+ support represents “child mutilation”.
Our political editor David Maddox has the full story:
What can we expect from this week’s King’s Speech?
Monday 15 July 2024 10:32
Salma Ouaguira
The new Labour government will announce new legislation during the first King’s Speech.
As part of the State Opening of parliament ceremony, King Charles will unveil the party’s plans for their time in power in a ceremony in Westminster.
The speech, which is written by the government, will outline new laws to prioritise growth, and Sir Keir Starmer’s “overarching mission for the year ahead”, Downing Street said.
No 10 said it will include new proposed bills on housebuilding, transport, jobs and clean energy and a new program “designed to ensure economic growth, while avoiding the chaos which left families with spiralling bills and wreaked misery on people’s lives” will also be unveiled.
