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Starmer faces Badenoch at PMQs
Here is the order paper for PMQs, with the names of MPs all the way down to get a query.
Key occasions
Starmer says he needs ‘extra pensioners’ to get wintry weather gas bills in primary U-turn
Sarah Owen (Lab) asks what the federal government will do to lend a hand suffering pensions.
Starmer says the economic system is bettering. As it improves, the federal government needs to ensure other folks, together with pensioners, really feel that other.
That is why the federal government needs to make sure “more pensioners” are eligible for wintry weather gas bills.
He says the federal government will take choices on the subsequent fiscal tournament – ie, on the price range within the autumn.
This is a huge U-turn. Two weeks in the past Downing Street stated flatly the coverage was once no longer converting.
(This was once after my colleague Pippa Crerar stated they have been rethinking the coverage. Not for the primary time, Pippa was once proper – and what No 10 was once announcing was once incorrect.)
Lewis Cocking (Con) asks when the PM will get started all unlawful immigration into the United Kingdom.
Starmer says it was once the ultimate executive that misplaced regulate of the borders. And the Tories voted in opposition to regulation giving border officers extra powers.
Keir Starmer begins by way of providing his condolences to the households and buddies of the 3 other folks killed within the fireplace in Bicester ultimate week. He says the mum of one of the vital sufferers is within the gallery.
He says the federal government has accomplished its 3rd business deal in 3 weeks. This will make stronger other folks’s lives, he says.
Paul Lewis, the monetary broadcaster, says, in a submit on social media, that he thinks many of the Angela Rayner proposals for tax rises (see 9.24am) are good.
Pension lifetime allowance no longer good; there are higher tactics to regulate exploitation of pension tax reduction. But the opposite measures Rayner urged to Reeves appear very good and certainly modest. https://bit.ly/4dB1Q4Y Divi allowance reduce by way of Tories from £5000 to £500
As Chloe Chaplain from the i studies, throughout her Q&A after her speech Liz Kendall, the paintings and pensions secretary, performed down the affect given by way of the Angela Rayner memo leak (see 9.24am) that the cupboard is divided over taxing the rich.
Kendall requested if she concurs with Rayner that as an alternative of reducing spending taxes must be higher at the rich.
Says ‘the entire cabinet backs Rachel’s financial technique’ and provides some other folks could have forgotten however ‘we actually have raised taxes on some of the richest’
Kendall requested if she concurs with Rayner that as an alternative of reducing spending taxes must be higher at the rich.
Says ‘the entire cabinet backs Rachel’s financial technique’ and provides some other folks could have forgotten however ‘we actually have raised taxes on some of the richest’
— Chloe Chaplain (@ChaplainChloe) May 21, 2025
Starmer faces Badenoch at PMQs
Here is the order paper for PMQs, with the names of MPs all the way down to get a query.
YouGov has revealed extra main points of its polling at the voters’s courting with Labour, as lined within the Sky News record discussed previous. (See 10.06am.)
It displays that Reform UK supporters are possibly to assume that Labour is attempting onerous to enchantment to them – however least more likely to say they might reply undoubtedly. Only 4% of Reform UK supporters say they might imagine balloting Labour, the ballot says.
Sometimes when a minister says they’re “listening carefully” to their critics, as Liz Kendall did in her speech this morning (see 10.37am), it approach a reconsider is impending. And once in a while they’re simply being well mannered, and it does no longer represent anything else policywise in any respect.
During the Q&A Kendall implied it was once extra of the latter. This is from Chris Smyth.
I ask her if there can be any adjustments as demanded by way of MPs
She says whilst “we want to make sure we address all of people’s concerns, but stressed: “whatever the fiscal position that the government faces, I think the system as a whole needs to change.”
Here is a verdict on Liz Kendall’s speech from Chris Smyth, Whitehall editor on the Times.
Kendall speech very passionate – and totally adamant that she gained’t exchange route Much extra vocal that Britain can’t come up with the money for the present welfare machine than she’s been earlier than But no longer positive that can persuade Labour MPs who may choose Angela Rayner’s tax rises
Kendall ended her speech with a rallying cry.
Labour’s project is to present other folks hope the next day can be higher than these days, that we will be able to create the roles, alternatives, alternatives and public products and services other folks need and deserve, as a result of a long run depending on
Labour’s project is to present other folks hope that the next day can be higher than these days, that we will be able to create the roles, alternatives, and public products and services other folks need and deserve.
Because a long run depending on advantages isn’t just right sufficient for other folks in Blackpool, Birkenhead or anyplace else.
I’m assured we will be able to ship, as a result of all of the proof displays masses of hundreds of ill and disabled other folks need to paintings, that once they have got a central authority this is on their facet and gives the appropriate beef up they are able to get paintings, and that it will become their lives.
Our job is pressing, no longer simply because we most effective have 4 extra years of this parliament, which is not any time in any respect, despite the fact that that is true, no longer simply because we should ship actual exchange to combat the upward thrust in beef up for populists, despite the fact that we should, however for the reason that individuals who we got here into politics to serve can not and must no longer wait any further for a possibility to construct a good existence, as a result of they have got waited a long way too lengthy already.
Kendall is now taking questions. Unfortunately, the reside feed has reduce out for the ones, however I will be able to submit later when I am getting some replica.
Kendall says she is ‘listening in moderation’ to considerations raised about plan to limit eligibility for Pip
Kendall has used her speech to set out intimately the proposals she is making for welfare reform, emphasising the projects that can lend a hand other folks again into paintings.
She is now speaking in regards to the plan to scale back eligibility for Pip (the non-public independence cost, a incapacity receive advantages).
She says:
I do know the troubles which have been raised about our proposals. I’m listening in moderation to all of the issues other folks elevate.
But 9 out of 10 other folks claiming Pip on the level when the adjustments come into drive …might not be suffering from the top of the parliament.
And even with the adjustments we’re making, there’ll nonetheless be 750,000 extra other folks receiving Pip by way of the top of this parliament than there have been firstly, and spending can be £8bn upper.
This is partially defined by way of the truth that, despite the fact that eligibility for Pip is being lowered, other folks lately at the receive advantages won’t lose out till they’re reassessed, and Pip claims aren’t reassessed yearly.
UPDATE: See 10.58am for extra on what she could have intended by way of this.
Liz Kendall began her speech by way of announcing that the federal government’s welfare reforms have been rooted in Labour’s “enduring values of fairness, equality and opportunity”.
She stated that almost one in 10 other folks of running age have been on no less than one illness or incapacity receive advantages, and that a couple of in 8 younger particular person isn’t in employment, training or coaching.
A Labour executive must no longer settle for that, she stated.
Our £5bn incapacity advantages reduce will prevent welfare state collapsing, says Kendall
Liz Kendall, the paintings and pensions secretary, is set to present a speech to the IPPR thinktank. There is a reside feed on the most sensible of the weblog.
Here is our preview tale by way of Heather Stewart and Jessica Elgot.
Labour supporters 7 occasions much more likely to modify to Lib Dems or Greens than to Reform UK, ballot suggests
Sky News has launched some research this morning appearing that fewer than part the individuals who voted Labour on the common election would beef up the birthday celebration now. But most effective 6% of them have long past to Reform UK, the YouGov polling suggests.
In his record, Sam Coates says those figures recommend Keir Starmer must be doing extra to handle the troubles of Labour supporters who may defect to events at the left, and spending much less time being worried about interesting to the Reform curious.
While 11% of Labour electorate might sooner or later be open to balloting Reform, 70% are prone to going to the Lib Dems or Greens – seven occasions the danger from Reform.
And most often, those electorate don’t just like the onerous line, Reform-leaning insurance policies of Sir Keir Starmer lately.
The native elections display there’s a danger to Labour from Reform. But our knowledge suggests Keir Starmer seeking to be Nigel Farage lite isn’t the solution.
UK inflation jumps upper than anticipated to 3.5% amid expenses build up
Inflation in the United Kingdom jumped by way of greater than anticipated ultimate month to 3.5% – its best possible fee in additional than a 12 months – after dramatic will increase in water expenses, power prices and council tax, Phillip Inman studies.
Labour leftwingers again Angela Rayner’s name for upper taxes for the rich
Good morning. Today the Institute for Fiscal Studies has introduced its interactive ‘Be the Chancellor’ software. In a press unencumber saying it, Tim Leunig, the executive economist at Nesta, which has advanced it with the IFS, says:
To govern is to make a choice. This software will lend a hand policymakers, would-be policymakers, and those that search to persuade them make higher possible choices. As it makes transparent, there are not any simple possible choices going through our nation these days.
The software permits any individual to discover the effects of various possible choices on spending and tax.
One one that could also be going surfing is Angela Rayner, the deputy Labour chief and housing secretary. According to the Telegraph splash, she is taking a willing passion within the executive’s tax coverage, and needs taxes to move upper.
In his tale, Ben Riley-Smith studies:
In the file, noticed by way of our newshounds, the deputy top minister proposed 8 tax will increase together with reinstating the pensions lifetime allowance and converting dividend taxes.
She additionally urged new raids at the million individuals who pay the extra fee of source of revenue tax and a better company tax degree for the banks.
The measures would elevate taxes by way of £3bn to £4bn a 12 months, in step with estimates cited within the file. The actual determine could be a lot upper, as no explicit estimates got for some insurance policies.
The memo quantities to an immediate problem to the chancellor’s way this 12 months of the usage of spending cuts moderately than tax rises to fill the black hollow within the country’s budget.
Here is a Telegraph graphic appearing how a lot one of the Rayner proposals may elevate.
Secret executive memos are at all times attention-grabbing. But proposals in Whitehall paperwork don’t at all times turn out to be reliable coverage, and the Telegraph issues out that Rayner’s division despatched this to the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, earlier than the spring observation. Despite hypothesis that Reeves may use the spring observation to boost taxes, after all she didn’t, and the Rayner file continues to be only a wishlist.
Amazingly, regardless that, it kind of feels to have discovered its method into the general public area. In his record, Riley-Smith signifies that Rayner gained’t be utterly devastated to listen to it at the information.
Allies of the deputy top minister have stated she has turn out to be more and more exasperated by way of having to publicly protect Treasury spending cuts, and is pushing again in non-public.
Treasury insiders are understood to be making it transparent that whilst Ms Reeves welcomes contributions from all cupboard colleagues, as chancellor she makes a decision taxation and spending coverage.
Simon Finkelstein, a former Tory particular adviser, describes this as: “An absolute classic of the genre: letters to the chancellor ahead of a spending review/fiscal event that are designed to be leaked…”
The Conservative birthday celebration has attempted to capitalise at the leak however (as same old nowadays) it has fluffed its reaction by way of going excessive. In a observation, Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, stated:
This confirms that we’re nonetheless residing with the Labour birthday celebration of Jeremy Corbyn. At the very best possible degree, Labour ministers are debating which taxes to extend subsequent.
Stride turns out to have overlooked the purpose that those proposals haven’t if truth be told been applied, and that the Labour management isn’t turning to “Corbynism” (no longer that those proposals quantity to that anyway), which is why Rayner could also be feeling “exasperated”. (Stride would have sounded extra good if he had simply issued a press observation difficult Keir Starmer to rule those concepts out.)
The Tories may well be essential however, because the Telegraph studies, Labour leftwingers approve of Labour’s proposals. Andy McDonald advised the paper:
My sense is that a large number of Labour MPs are involved that the Chancellor’s fiscal regulations and spending reduce proposals hit the ones on decrease earning. Proposals to extend tax earnings from the rich would make tax fairer and beef up public products and services.
And at the Today programme, requested if the Rayner proposals have been “the sorts of things the government should be considering, another backbencher, Neil Duncan-Jordan, replied: “Absolutely.”
He went on:
There’s an excessively wholesome debate throughout the Labour birthday celebration nowadays about how we must be elevating further price range moderately than reducing advantages. And there’s a menu, I feel, of choices that we must be the usage of, and those are only a few of the ones.
Doubtless we will be able to listen extra about this at PMQs.
Here is the time table for the day.
10am: Liz Kendall, the paintings and pensions secretary, offers a speech on the IPPR thinktank protecting the proposed welfare cuts.
Noon: Keir Starmer faces Kemi Badenoch at PMQs.
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