Starmer has ‘full confidence’ in Streeting despite health secretary’s allies saying he is planning to resign – as it happened
Downing Street has now confirmed that Wes Streeting is still health secretary.The PM’s spokesperson told reporters the prime minister has “full confidence” in the health secretary.Allies of Wes Streeting have said he is preparing to stand down as health secretary amid deep frustration with Keir Starmer’s leadership, and could mount a formal challenge for the leadership as early as Thursday.Keir Starmer has put long-promised changes to education, health and the courts at the heart of his agenda for the next year, as the embattled prime minister looks to prove he can enact the scale of change being demanded by Labour MPs and voters.There were 37 bills in the speech.
Alexandra Topping has a guide to the key measures.Nigel Farage is facing a formal investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdog over a £5m gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne.For a full list of all the stories covered on the blog today, do scroll through the list of key event headlines near the top of the blog.Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, has pulled out of an event she was due to attend in Leeds tomorrow, Sky News reports.Charlotte Nichols, the Labour MP for Warrington North, says she is fed up of telling people that she will not give up her seat for Andy Burnham.
Commenting on a new story saying hers is one of the seats Burnham has been targeting, she said:double quotation markI don’t know how many different ways I can say this but I’m not stepping aside for Andy Burnham, and it’s both very tedious for me and very demoralising for my staff to keep seeing it reported that I might be about to go when there’s never even been so much as a conversation with Andy about doing soKeir Starmer joked about the threat to his leadership in the king’s speech debate.After praising Naz Shah, the Labour MP who proposed the loyal address, for her recent memoir, which he said had been endorsed by 100 members, he added:double quotation markAt last, a list that we could all get behind.But, in fact, Starmer is taking the threat more seriously.He has been in parliament meeting MPs and ministers, it is understood.Allies claim there has been “a big show of support” for him.
Ministers have also been in the Commons tearoom druming up support for the PM.They have been arguing that a leadership contest would plunge Labour into chaos and paralyse the work of government for months.Rhun ap Iorwerth, the new Plaid Cymru first minister of Wales, has appointed his ministerial team.He said this cabinet would “bring new energy, new ideas and a new direction to the way our nation is led”.People will be able to get discounts on bills for using power at sunny, windy times when the grid is generating excess electricity as part of legislation to boost UK “energy independence”, the Press Association reports.
double quotation markThe energy independence bill, announced as part of the king’s speech, aims to get the UK off the “fossil fuel rollercoaster” with clean, homegrown power and electrification of the wider economy, officials said,It includes measures to cut energy bills, require landlords to invest in home upgrades, pave the way to create a dedicated “warm homes agency” to deliver a £15bn programme of home electrification and provide for targeted support for vulnerable and low-income families,It also contains measures to reform markets and regulation to speed up the deployment of technologies such as offshore wind and hydrogen, and reduce “unnecessary delays” to build the grid infrastructure needed to roll out more clean power,The parliamentary Labour party’s (PLP’s) committee has issued a statement urging Labour MPs to stop coordinating the release of comments criticising the PM,As Sky’s Sam Coates reports, the committee (the Labour equivalent of the Tory 1922 Committee) says:double quotation markWe respect both those who have set out their objections to the prime minister and those who have voiced their support for the prime minister.
But the scenes of the last 48 hours cannot continue if we are to address the causes of distress for all concerned.We know it is not in anyone’s interest to see an increasingly divided PLP descend into chaos.We would ask that those coordinating the statements and resignations to stop.We want to convey to all concerned the following which reflects our discussions with colleagues:-The rules of the party are clear regarding challenging the Party leadership.Colleagues either meet those requirements or desist.
There will be lasting damage if the current position continues.-We will continue in our role to convey the honest and heartfelt views of backbenchers to the prime minister.A newly-elected Reform UK councillor has apologised after posting on social media calling for the police to take action about “non white persons taking over” a town park with the “strong pervading smell of cannabis”, the Press Association reports.PA says:double quotation markArmy veteran Ken Tranter, who was elected to the Aldershot South seat on Hampshire county council, posted after his election on Facebook: “Someone on an Aldershot Facebook site was concerned about non white persons taking over the Municipal Gardens and the strong pervading smell of cannabis.I promised, if elected I would speak to the police which I did.
Their response was to say ‘they were aware’.“I don’t want them to be aware, I want them to stop it and return the park to family use.Therefore I will write to the Police and Crime Commissioner for Hampshire and demand action.”The comments provoked criticism online with one person posting: “Can you stop using non white as a label, it’s thoroughly rude, offensive and not needed.Disgusted.
”Following the criticism, Tranter deleted the post and said in a statement: “My recent post about cannabis smoking in the Municipal Gardens was wrong in its wording and has caused understandable offence,Referring to the group by skin colour was a poor choice that I deeply regret,It was clumsy, unnecessary, and open to misinterpretation as racist, and I take full responsibility for that,“I apologise for the offence caused and for any distress my words have inflicted,Racism has no place in our community or in my politics, and I condemn it in all its forms.
”Davey also attacked Wes Streeting’s record on the NHS.double quotation markWhen he’s not plotting his next leadership bid on the prime minister, the secretary of state would have Labour backbenchers believe he’s fixing the NHS.If only.Now we’re told that the health secretary is preparing to resign tomorrow.This resignation is taking so long it would give NHS waiting lists a run for their money.
Anyone who visits their local hospital knows that the NHS remains in a critical state.Thousands of people are still being treated in hospital corridors every day.We’re now even seeing job adverts for people to provide care in corridors.Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader, followed Keir Starmer.He said the Lib Dems would vote against the king’s speech.
And he said this was the most surreal state opening he had attended.double quotation markThe prime minister may soon not be in power, not in place for his own programme, not able to deliver these promises.Davey said, if every Labour MP who has called for Starmer to go voted against it too, the government might be defeated.double quotation markWe will be voting against, not just because the prime minister is one of the weakest prime ministers in postwar history now, but because this king’s speech does not offer the change our country needs.He was particularly critical of the proposals on Europe, saying the speech included “an EU reset bill that fails to reset, from a prime minister who knows a thing or two about failed resets”.
He went on:double quotation markMaybe we shouldn’t be surprised with the prime minister’s refusal to remove his red lines on a new EU-UK customs union, the prime minister’s refusal to go further than his red lines on the single market, the prime minister’s refusal to deliver a new, deep trading relationship with our European partners, with a proper youth mobility scheme.That all means his consigning our country to higher prices, and lower growth, and failing to address the economic insecurity plaguing our economy.Mark Francois (Con) intervened, and said the recent supreme court judgment confirmed that overwhelmingly the last government’s Legacy Act was not incompatible with the Human Rights Act.He said that Starmer recently criticised Zack Polanski for criticising the split-second decisions made by police in Golders Green.But he claimed Starmer was authorising the prosecution of military veterans over split-second decisions made in Northern Ireland many years ago.
Starmer said he had been in control rooms in Northern Ireland when decisions were being made about the use of force.He knew how difficult those decisions were, he said.He said these were different from the issues addressed in the govenrment’s Troubles bill.Lincoln Jopp (Con) intervened to ask when the government would publish its defence investment plan.Starmer said it would be published soon, and attacked the Tories for hollowing out the armed forces.
Jim Allister (TUV) intervenes to say that, under the post-Brexit settlement, Northern Ireland has been subject “for some years to the humiliation of being governed by those we don’t make and can’t change”.Starmer says he is aware of these problems.He goes on:double quotation markWe have to face the fact that promises were made about Brexit which were not true, which haven’t borne fruit.Starmer says a complete break from the status quo is needed.double quotation markOur response this time must and will be different, a complete break.
We will not simply slump back to the old ways, because this king’s speech gives us the strength we need, the economic security, energy security and national security to control our future in a chaotic world,It is an agenda of radical reform across our major public services, an urgent activist Labour government that tilts power back to workers,Moving to the substance of his speech, Starmer says:double quotation markThis king’s speech is a strike against the status quo that has failed working people,It’s a king’s speech for the young people whose gifts lie in their hands, who work hard, want their talents to be recognised and just want an opportunity in their community,A king’s speech for the children who, under the party opposite, had to go to school without breakfast, hungry, cold and tired when they should be focused on their learning.
And it’s a king’s speech for the backbone of this country, for working people who worry about the cost of living, want their town centres are thrive, their public services to work, their government to be on their side.Starmer also pays tribute to Badenoch.He jokes sarcastically about “the usual warm and generous nature” of her contribution.“Her input is always a ray of sunshine,” he says.He goes on:double quotation markWe do have one thing in common.
Our parties both had tough results in the local elections last week.The difference is she hasn’t noticed.That is a reference to Badenoch claiming (in the face of most of the evidence) that the results showed the Tories were “coming back”.
‘Hold the line’: Burnham tells allies in parliament he still has options to return
Andy Burnham has told Labour MPs they should hold the line and that he has options to return to parliament after several seats identified by his allies failed to materialise.Two seats that backers of the Greater Manchester mayor had described as “nailed on” as recently as Monday night are now out of contention after the MPs concerned got cold feet.Burnham spoke to a number of MPs by phone on Tuesday and assured them that he still intended to seek an imminent return to parliament.The Guardian was told by two MPs on Wednesday that Jeff Smith, who represents Manchester Withington, an affluent suburb of the city, was in talks about stepping aside for Burnham, but his friends denied it. Asked whether he was about to make way, Smith told the Press Association he was not
EU proposes end to ‘five tabs, three apps and a prayer’ for cross-border train bookings
Cross-border train journeys through several European countries are the stuff of many a holidaymaker’s dreams.But the reality of trying to buy the tickets, navigating multiple websites without knowing who can help if a connection is missed, can prove less than relaxing. As one MEP puts it, it can often require “five tabs, three apps and a prayer”.Now, however, the European Commission has proposed that before the end of the decade passengers should be able to buy one ticket for one journey and be better protected when trains are late or cancelled.“Europeans will be able with the click of a button to plan, compare and purchase multimodal journeys across borders while benefiting from stronger rail passenger rights, greater transparency and better protection every step of the way,” the EU transport commissioner, Apostolos Tzitzikostas, said on Wednesday, as he published new rules intended to transform the “excessively complex” experience he said rail travellers met when booking tickets
What is the king’s speech and what is the state opening of parliament?
The king’s speech is the centrepiece of the state opening of parliament, the main ceremonial event of the parliamentary calendar, and the only regular occasion when the three constituent parts of parliament – the sovereign, the House of Lords and the House of Commons – meet. It marks the start of the new parliamentary year,Although delivered by the monarch in their constitutional role as the UK head of state, the speech is written by the government to outline its policies and proposed legislation for the new parliamentary session. Formally called the “speech from the throne” because it is delivered from the throne of the House of Lords, the monarch reads it out in a neutral tone. Whatever their private feelings the monarch must not show any preference for any political party or its policies.The event is taking place as the prime minister, Keir Starmer, fights for his future in Downing Street after heavy losses in the 7 May elections
Online safety campaigners reveal Starmer frustrations after Phillips exit
Internet safety and children’s rights campaigners have accused Keir Starmer of failing to act on proposals to stop children sending and receiving nude images on their phones, after Jess Phillips resigned from the government saying she was tired of seeing “opportunities for progress stalled and delayed”.The Labour politician was one of four ministers who quit on Tuesday and joined more than 80 MPs calling for the prime minister to go.In a coruscating letter she focused on a lack of urgency and boldness in tackling child abuse images, accusing Starmer of failing to take action to stop children being able to take or send naked pictures.She said: “Over a year ago I presented solutions, long worked on by brilliant civil servants, that would end the ability for children in the UK to take naked images of themselves.“We could stop this abuse
Are working-class voters lost to Labour for good? | Letters
It would be helpful for progressive parties and the media to focus more on why so many people voted for Reform UK. Your article (What’s behind surge in support for Reform and Greens across England? Five key takeaways, 10 May) indicates that it gained more support in deprived areas – but this doesn’t answer the question why.What sort of UK do Reform voters want? Do they want councils that reduce local care services for their vulnerable elderly relatives and children, to save a few pennies off council tax? The ending of environmental protections? The scrapping of equal-opportunities policies that protect women and minority groups?When Reform voters are asked about the party’s policies, they fail to articulate much apart from “stop the boats” – because Reform’s plans have very little detail or real‑world application.The Labour government has been in power for less than two years and has delivered the Renters’ Rights Act and the Employment Rights Act, removed the two-child cap on universal credit, increased provision of free school meals and facilitated millions more NHS appointments.The focus on personality-driven politics has left the door open for local governments to be led by privately educated multimillionaires who dismiss the climate crisis and favour cryptocurrency
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