Welfare reform bill fiasco re-empowers parliament | Letters
The one upside that the government can draw from the welfare reform bill debacle is that it demonstrates the genuine tension between the different roles of parliament and government (Keir Starmer forced into dramatic climbdown to pass welfare reform bill, 1 July).It can be presented as chiming in with the view of many voters that politics today does not work and that all governments simply do what benefits themselves.The government’s failure to forge a constructive relationship with its backbench Labour MPs lies at the heart of its need for the last-minute revisions of its proposals, but a recharging of that relationship could well resonate with the electorate.For voters, it is the way that they see their representative that has the most significance.Each MP has the difficult task of balancing their responsibilities to their constituents, their party and their consciences.
To accept all this publicly is part and parcel of a democracy and can help rekindle a healthy interest and involvement in the political process.Michael MeadowcroftLeeds Your article refers to a “week of chaos”.While you are right that the progress of the welfare bill has been a “bruising affair”, it is also the very essence of parliamentary democracy that an assertive legislature should amend government proposals for legislation.Rather than deriding the weakness of the government, as with the Brexit saga and the assisted dying bill, should we perhaps be applauding the strength of a parliament which has for too long been controlled by an overpowerful executive?Michael Bartlet Frome, Somerset You quote Keir Starmer’s gratitude to “our chief of staff, without whom none of us would be sitting around this cabinet table”.May I, through your pages, remind the prime minister that it wasn’t Morgan McSweeney who put Labour in power, it was the millions of people who voted for Labour candidates last year, and that none of us voted to make the sick and vulnerable worse off.
Shareen CampbellSwindon, Wiltshire Your editorial (2 July) warns that “the rebellion over Pip is unlikely to be the last such confrontation, especially if Downing Street doesn’t learn the right lessons”,In reality, the government failed to learn the lesson from the smaller rebellion over keeping the Tories’ two-child benefit cap,Seven Labour MPs had the whip removed as a result – including the former shadow chancellor John McDonnell – which suited Keir Starmer’s ongoing assault on leftwing Labour MPs,This time round, however, the rebellion was too big to use the same threat, even though it was rumoured that Morgan McSweeney wanted to make examples of increasing numbers of MPs until the rebellion backed down,When all Keir Starmer and McSweeney have is a hammer to smash the left, every rebel MP looks like Jeremy Corbyn.
Derrick CameronStoke-on-Trent John Crace may be right in describing Marie Tidball MP as making the speech of the day in the welfare debate (The politics sketch, 1 July),But he is wrong in suggesting that she was the only visibly disabled MP in the house,The Liberal Democrat spokesperson’s guide dog was a bit of a giveaway,Geoff ReidWorsbrough, South Yorkshire So Pat McFadden says there will be financial consequences after the last-minute welfare concessions,Labour’s strategy revealed, thanks to Oscar Wilde, a belief in the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Valerie MainwoodWivenhoe, Essex Have an opinion on anything you’ve read in the Guardian today? Please email us your letter and it will be considered for publication in our letters section,
How can I use leftover pickle brine in day-to-day cooking? | Kitchen aide
I’m an avid consumer of pickles, especially gherkins. When I’ve finished a jar, how can I use the brine in my cooking?Geoff, SheffieldLast year, Dua Lipa poured Diet Coke into an ice-filled glass, topped it up with the brine from both a tub of pickles (plus a few rogue pickles) and a tub of jalapeños, swirled it around, then drank it. While someone under the viral TikTok video asked, “Dua, is everything OK?”, the pop star is right about one thing: it’s time we start thinking of pickle brine as an ingredient, rather than a byproduct.“The brine retains all of that delicious pickle flavour,” says Moon Lee, head chef of no-waste restaurant Silo in London, “and a mixture of sweet and savoury undertones”. Also, because it’s fermented, “it has an almost tangy, kombucha-like taste, too
How to turn veg scraps into a delicious dip – recipe | Waste not
My friend Hayley North is a retreat chef whose cooking is inspired by the Chinese “five elements” theory: fire, earth, metal, water and wood. Each element corresponds to a colour and an organ in the body (earth, for example, is yellow and linked to the spleen). Years ago, Hayley made me the most deliciously vibrant and earthy bright-red dip from kale, and today’s recipe is a homage to her nourishing, elemental approach, while also saving scraps from the bin.I love the adage “eat the rainbow”. Yes, it’s a bit corny, but it works, and sometimes the simplest advice is really the best
Frittata, ‘egg and chips’ and a bean feast: Sami Tamimi’s brunch recipes from Palestine
What better way to welcome the weekend than with the smell and sound of herb-loaded ijeh frying? This is a thick, delicious frittata-like mixture of courgettes, leeks, peas, herbs and eggs, and in Palestine it’s often made with finely chopped onions, too. I always keep a couple of tins of ful (fava beans) in my pantry for those times when I crave a quick and satisfying late breakfast or weekend lunch. When simple toast and butter won’t do the trick and I’m in need of something more substantial and savoury, that’s when fava beans come to the rescue.You can substitute the eggs with feta for an extra-creamy and salty touch. Alternatively, the dish works beautifully as a vegan dish without the eggs
Jam tarts and summer pudding cake: Nicola Lamb’s recipes for baking with mixed berries
First up, a crostata-inspired jam tart that’s perfect for afternoon tea or nibbling throughout the day. Fennel seeds in the buttery pastry give a subtle flavour surprise, although you could omit them, or try coriander seeds or ginger instead. A small batch of jam is surprisingly quick to make, but you can, of course, use shop-bought, or make use of one of those jars living rent-free in your cupboard. Then, a summer pudding-inspired cake that makes a delightful centrepiece – the juices from the berries absorb into the top third of the sponge, giving it a gorgeous, ombre tone that looks as beautiful as it tastes.Use a mixture of whatever berries are plentiful; frozen will work well, too
Georgina Hayden’s recipe for spiced crab egg fried rice
Crab deserves to be celebrated, but that doesn’t mean it has to be a super-fancy, laborious meal. Crab midweek? Yes, please, and fried rice is my fallback whenever I am in a dinner pickle. That’s not to belittle its deliciousness, complexity or elegance, though, because this spiced crab version can be as fancy as you like. That said, the speed and ease with which I can create a meal that I know everyone will love is the winning factor. Plus, I often have leftover cooked, chilled rice in the fridge, anyway, which is always the clincher (cooked rice has a better texture for frying once chilled)
Rukmini Iyer’s quick and easy recipe for courgette linguine with trout, lemon and dill | Quick and easy
This is such a lovely, summery dish: it takes under 30 minutes from start to finish, and I found it immensely reviving after a long day. The grated courgette melts into the pasta, and works perfectly with the lemon, trout and a hit of chilli. If you have one of those multi-nut and seed mixes (the M&S 35-plant one is excellent), by all means add a scoop to finish; otherwise, a scattering of toasted pine nuts will add a welcome crunch. An elegant dinner for two.Prep 10 min Cook 20 min Serves 22 trout fillets 2½ tbsp olive oilSea saltJuice and finely grated zest of ½ lemon, plus 2 lemon slices180g linguine 2 garlic cloves, peeled and finely grated1 tsp chilli flakes1 large courgette, trimmed and coarsely grated10g fresh dill, roughly chopped 4 tbsp pine nuts, or 4 tbsp omega nut and seed mixHeat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6
‘A billion people backing you’: China transfixed as Musk turns against Trump
AI companies start winning the copyright fight
China hosts first fully autonomous AI robot football match
Whitehall’s ambition to cut costs using AI is fraught with risk
Musk vows to unseat lawmakers who support Trump’s sweeping spending bill
Gov.uk smartphone app to launch with limited functionality