New Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has unveiled her shadow cabinet, with senior roles for Priti Patel, Chris Philp and leadership rival Robert Jenrick.
After a combative leadership contest, Mr Jenrick – a staunch advocate of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights – was handed the justice brief, while Mr Philp was appointed shadow home secretary, Ms Patel given foreign affairs, and Mel Stride made shadow chancellor.
As the new shadow cabinet gears up to meet for the first time at 10am, Sir Keir Starmer was also facing a backlash over plans to raise university tuition fees for the first time in eight years.
The plans – which will see maintenance loans also rise by 3.1 per cent – were welcomed by Universities UK as “the right thing to do”.
But the University and College Union, labelled them “economically and morally wrong”, warning: “Taking more money from debt-ridden students and handing it to overpaid underperforming vice-chancellors is ill conceived.”
Key Points
- Kemi Badenoch unveils new Tory shadow cabinet
- Keir Starmer rejects calls for immigration powers to be devolved in Scotland
- Tobacco and vaping legislation to be introduced later today
- Backlash over ‘morally wrong’ hike in university tuition fees
Tom Tugendhat’s absence in shadow cabinet ‘not a snub’, Tory source says
10:28
Andy Gregory
One notable absence from Kemi Badenoch new shadow cabinet is leadership rival Tom Tugendhat, who previously held the esteemed chairmanship of the Commons foreign affairs committee and served as security minister under Rishi Sunak.
However, Jessica Elgot of The Guardian reports a Conservative source as suggesting that Mr Tugendhat was in fact offered a role but turned it down, joining other senior Tories such as Andrew Mitchell and James Cleverly on the backbenches.
Tom Tugendhat declined a role - was not snubbed - according to Tory source https://t.co/k94Q6u5ZXc
— Jessica Elgot (@jessicaelgot) November 5, 2024
Lib Dems warn ‘shadow cabinet of contradictions a recipe for Tory chaos’
10:02
Andy Gregory
Kemi Badenoch’s new shadow “cabinet of contradictions is a recipe for yet more Conservative chaos”, the Liberal Democrats have claimed.
“How can they claim to be able to hold this new government to account when they have just as many disagreements with each other?” said Lib Dem Cabinet Office spokesperson Sarah Olney MP.
“From a shadow justice secretary who wants to leave the ECHR to a shadow foreign secretary who had to resign for holding undisclosed meetings, this shadow cabinet has more than a ‘whiff of impropriety’.
“The Conservative Party voted for the economic vandalism caused by Liz Truss’s mini Budget and shattered the NHS. Every major challenge that this country faces the Conservative Party is responsible for.
“The Liberal Democrats are the only Party that can provide the decent opposition that this country needs.”
Badenoch vows she will ‘win back trust of the public’
09:39
Andy Gregory
Kemi Badenoch has insisted she will “win back the trust of the public”, as she announced her shadow cabinet.
The new Tory leader said: “I am delighted to have appointed my shadow cabinet, which draws on the talents of people from across the Conservative Party, based on meritocracy and with a breadth of experience and perspective, just as I promised during the campaign.
“Our party’s problems will only be solved with a team effort, and I am confident my shadow cabinet ministers will deliver effective opposition as we seek to win back the trust of the public.
“We will now get to work holding Labour to account and rebuilding our party based on Conservative principles and values. The process of renewing our great party has now begun.”
New Tory co-chair says he must rebuild party’s record low membership
09:35
Andy Gregory
The Conservative Party’s new co-chair has said he needs to build the party’s membership, which has significantly declined.
Nigel Huddleston was asked about Reform UK reporting it has 95,000 members, while the Tory leadership election results on Saturday showed the party had 131,680 Tory members eligible to vote – a record low.
He told LBC: “One of my roles is to grow the membership base, and I understand why people have joined Reform, but I say if you want change in Britain, you need to join the Conservative Party, because we will be the ones who hopefully will form the next government.”
He added: “I think when we we’re able to articulate our policy platform, it resonates with large numbers of people across the country, including millions of people who maybe voted Reform at the last election, we need to make sure that they can come back to the Conservatives, and we want to be clear that they have a home here because we share their values.”
New Tory shadow cabinet revealed in full
09:30
Andy Gregory
Here is the full list of appointees:
- Shadow Chancellor of the Exchequer: Mel Stride MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs: Dame Priti Patel MP
- Shadow Home Secretary: Chris Philp MP
- Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster and Shadow Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: Alex Burghart MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Defence: James Cartlidge MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Justice: Robert Jenrick MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Education: Laura Trott MP
- Shadow Health and Social Care Secretary: Ed Argar MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities: Kevin Hollinrake MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs: Victoria Atkins MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Business and Trade: Andrew Griffith MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net Zero and Shadow Minister for Equalities: Claire Coutinho MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions: Helen Whately MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Transport: Gareth Bacon MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport: Stuart Andrew MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and Technology: Alan Mak MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland and Shadow Minister of State for Energy and Net Zero: Andrew Bowie MP
- Shadow Secretary of State for Wales and Shadow Minister for Women: Mims Davies MP
- Opposition Chief Whip (Commons): Dame Rebecca Harris MP
- Shadow Leader of the House of Commons: Jesse Norman MP
- Shadow Leader of the House of Lords: Lord True
- Co-Chairmen of the Party: Nigel Huddleston MP & Lord Johnson
- Shadow Chief Secretary to the Treasury: Richard Fuller MP
- Also attending:
- Parliamentary Private Secretary: Julia Lopez MP
Kemi Badenoch unveils new Tory shadow cabinet
09:27
Andy Gregory
Kemi Badenoch has unveiled her shadow cabinet, with senior roles for leadership rival Robert Jenrick, Priti Patel and Chris Philp.
After a combative leadership contest, Mr Jenrick – a staunch advocate of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights – was handed the justice brief, while Mr Philp was appointed shadow home secretary, Ms Patel given foreign affairs, and Mel Stride made shadow chancellor.
As announced yesterday, Laura Trott is now shadow education secretary, while Helen Whately will take work and pensions, and Ed Argar was given health.
Ministers have been ‘working hard’ to ensure UK-US ties remain strong regardless of election outcome
09:27
Millie Cooke, Political Correspondent
Health secretary Wes Streeting has said the government has been working hard to ensure that, whoever wins the presidential election, “the deep ties that bind our two nations are as strong as they have ever been”.
While he admitted that the Labour government “may not be ideological bedfellows with President Trump”, the government will “work with whoever” the American people choose.
“I think that is particularly important in a world in which we see war on the continent of Europe, in Ukraine, war in the Middle East, wider geopolitical risks and threats where the US and the UK have common history, but also common cause in terms of the future we want to build, in the future of democracy.
“The American people will decide who their president is and we will work with whoever they choose”, he told LBC.
How Starmer is preparing for a new US president
09:14
Andy Gregory
Since becoming prime minister on 5 July, Sir Keir Starmer has only met with one of the two candidates hoping to be elected president – and it was not with his natural Democrat ally Kamala Harris, but Republican rival Donald Trump.
The lack of a meeting between Ms Harris and Sir Keir was not a snub from either side but reflects a twin-track approach that Labour has been taking in preparing for the outcome tomorrow for many months now, dating back to when they were still in opposition.
Our political editor David Maddox reports:
Government has dropped plans to ban smoking in pub gardens, Wes Streeting confirms
09:00
Andy Gregory
The government has dropped plans to ban smoking in outdoor areas such as beer gardens and outside stadiums as part of an extended smoking ban after those plans were leaked to the media, Wes Streeting has confirmed.
The health secretary told GB News: “We’ve got to balance the upside benefits on public health with any potential negative ... either on people’s liberties or on people’s livelihoods.
“And it’s no secret that the hospitality sector has been ... through the mill in recent years. The impact of the pandemic, the challenges in the wider economy, the amount of money we’ve got spare in our pockets.
“And there aren’t many advantages to leaks of government discussions, but one of the advantages of this leak was that it’s meant we’ve been able to have a discussion with the hospitality sector.
“And based on the evidence on the upside risks and the arguments on the downside risks, we’ve chosen not to proceed with the outdoor hospitality proposal at this time.”
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill – which will be introduced to the Commons on Tuesday – still aims to stop smoking and vaping outside schools and children’s playgrounds, he said.
‘Immense talent’ in Tory party for Badenoch to utilise, co-chair insists
08:55
Andy Gregory
Tory co-chair Nigel Huddleston has said he expects Kemi Badenoch could double up on positions and appoint “new talent” to make sure the opposition can shadow the government with a drastically reduced number of MPs.
Asked how the party would be able to cover and shadow with its 121 Conservative MPs when there are 124 positions in the government, he told Sky News: “Well, we will cover it because we’ve got immense talent in the Conservative Party.
“It’s not uncommon. For example, when I was in government, a couple of times, I was both a whip and a minister, and that happens as well.
“So actually, you don’t need quite the number that you might imagine in terms of coverage, and we’ve got some very competent people who can often do two jobs. But the key thing is, we’ve also got some new talent as well in the party.
“We’ve got 28 new MPs, some of whom you’ve seen deliver the most amazing maiden speeches and bringing great experience. And I suspect that some of those will be in the government as well.”
Politics Explained | Can Keir Starmer succeed in reducing immigration?
08:44
Andy Gregory
Keir Starmer has announced that the government is to make further progress on its manifesto pledge to “smash the criminal gangs” and reduce the flow of irregular migration in small boats across the English Channel.
At the Interpol General Assembly in Glasgow – complete with pipe band and more than 1,000 police officers from 196 nations – the prime minister reiterated his motivation and determination: “There is nothing progressive about turning a blind eye as men, women and children die in the Channel.”
His idea is to raise the importance of the issue: “People-smuggling should be viewed as a global security threat similar to terrorism.”
In this Politics Explained piece, The Independent’s associate editor Sean O’Grady looks at whether the prime minister can actually make a difference without a major deterrent to illegal crossings:
Wes Streeting responds to Sir Chris Hoy’s call to lower prostate cancer screening age
08:30
Andy Gregory
Health secretary Wes Streeting has responded after Sir Chris Hoy suggested that “potentially millions of lives” can be saved if the screening age for prostate cancer is lowered.
The six-time Olympic cycling champion revealed last month that his cancer is terminal after he first made public in February that he was undergoing treatment, including chemotherapy. A tumour was found in Hoy’s shoulder and a second scan found primary cancer in his prostate, which has metastasised to his bones.
Asked about the call on BBC Radio 4’s Today progamme, Mr Streeting said: “I think he makes a very compelling case. I’ve asked the NHS to look at whether we are currently in the right place when it comes to screening.
“So that’s something that we’re actively looking at, and one of the many reasons why Chris Hoy’s openness about his own experience with cancer, his family’s experience with cancer, I think has been so impactful.”
Olympian Sir Chris Hoy is calling for reform in prostate cancer screening and diagnosis.
— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) November 5, 2024
Health Secretary Wes Streeting says it is something the NHS is 'actively looking at' and calls Sir Chris' story 'impactful'.
#R4Today
Starmer accuses Tories of ‘still living in fantasy world'
08:18
Andy Gregory
Sir Keir Starmer has accused the Tories of “still living in fantasy world” and seeing “no reason to change whatsoever” as the party’s new leader appointed members of her shadow cabinet on Monday.
Speaking to Labour MPs at a meeting of the parliamentary party on Monday evening, the prime minister said: “While we’re getting on with the job, facing up to the real problems the country faces in our economy and public services, the Tories are still living in a fantasy world.
“While we’re having a national conversation about the future, they’re shouting into a void, sealed off from reality. While we changed our party, so we could change our country, they see no reason to change whatsoever.”
University tuition fee rises labelled ‘morally wrong'
08:05
Andy Gregory
Education unions have labelled the planned university tuition fee rises as “economically and morally wrong”, after it was announced that fees for domestic undergraduate students in England will rise to £9,535 per year after eight years of being frozen at a maximum of £9,250.
Branding the rise “economically and morally wrong”, Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), said: “Taking more money from debt-ridden students and handing it to overpaid underperforming vice-chancellors is ill conceived and won’t come close to addressing the sector’s core issues.”
The National Union of Students (NUS) said students were being asked to “foot the bill” to keep the lights and heating on in their universities and to prevent their courses from closing down amid the “crisis”.
Alex Stanley, vice president for higher education of the NUS, said: “This is, and can only ever be, a sticking plaster. Universities cannot continue to be funded by an ever-increasing burden of debt on students.”
But Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK (UUK), which represents 141 universities, said the Government’s decision was “the right thing to do”.
Ms Phillipson announced that maintenance loans would also rise in line with inflation in the 2025/26 academic year to help students facing cost pressures, by an increase of 3.1 per cent.
Welcoming the government’s move, Ms Stern said: “A decade-long freeze in England has seen inflation erode the real value of student fees and maintenance loans by around a third, which is completely unsustainable for both students and universities.”
Tory co-chair pressed on whether reports of Jenrick’s new role are ‘jumping the gun'
07:54
Andy Gregory
Asked if Kemi Badenoch was “infuriated” about media reports that she had appointed her leadership rival Robert Jenrick to the post of shadow justice secretary, after he warned that such reports “might be jumping the gun”, Tory party co-chair Nigel Huddleston told GB News: “It takes a lot to make Kemi furious.”
“She wants to make sure that this is a shadow cabinet and a shadow team that reflects the breadth of the party and embraces all the talents,” he said.
Political observers had questioned the wisdom of appointing Mr Jenrick to the role given his insistence on the policy of departing from the European Convention on Human Rights.
PM rejects calls for immigration powers to be devolved
07:52
Andy Gregory
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has rejected calls for immigration powers to be devolved to the Scottish government.
Speaking in Glasgow at the Interpol General Assembly, Sir Keir expressed a desire to “reset” the relationship between Holyrood and Westminster, after it has deteriorated under successive Tory governments.
But when asked by journalists whether this included devolving immigration powers, he said: “No, we’re not looking at that.”
Scottish deputy first minister Kate Forbes says UK immigration policies are “actively harming” Scotland’s economy. In June, she called for a “tailored migration system” to suit the specific needs of certain Scottish industries.
Kemi Badenoch’s new shadow cabinet to hold first meeting this morning
07:51
Andy Gregory
The first meeting of Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet is planned to take place around 10am, the new Conservative Party co-chair has said.
Nigel Huddleston told GB News he expected most of the key roles to be officially announced ahead of the meeting.
But he said reports of the appointment of Robert Jenrick as shadow justice secretary “might be jumping the gun”.
Tobacco and vaping legislation to be introduced later today
07:50
Andy Gregory
The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is set to be introduced in the House of Commons on Tuesday, bidding to create the “first smoke-free generation” in the UK.
It will prevent anyone born after 1 January 2009 from legally smoking by raising the the age at which tobacco can be bought. The bill will also introduce restrictions on vape advertising and will restrict flavours.
Separate environmental legislation will see disposable vapes banned from June 2025.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: ”Unless we act to help people stay healthy, the rising tide of ill health in our society threatens to overwhelm and bankrupt our NHS. Prevention is better than cure.
“This Government is taking bold action to create the first smoke-free generation, clamp down on kids getting hooked on nicotine through vapes, and protect children and vulnerable people from the harms of secondhand smoke.
“This historic legislation will save thousands of lives and protect the NHS. By building a healthy society, we will also help to build a healthy economy, with fewer people off work sick.”
07:48
Andy Gregory
Good morning, and thanks for joining us on The Independent’s politics live blog.
We’ll be bringing you the latest updates as the government’s new Tobacco and Vapes Bill is introduced the House of Commons, and Westminster watchers warily turn their gaze to the US election.