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Sir Keir Starmer has left the Labour Party conference to join world leaders at the United Nations in the US to deliver his first speech as prime minister.
He will use his address to the UN General Assembly to promise that his government will deliver “global leadership” as the Middle East teeters on the brink of all-out conflict and the bloody war in Ukraine grinds on.
On a tough week after calling for the return of “sausages” in Gaza during a conference gaffe, Sir Keir has been defeated in a vote to reverse the cut to the winter fuel payments.
The non-binding motion, named An Economy for the Future and tabled by Sharon Graham of the Unite union and the Communication Workers Union (CWU), was passed by a show of hands in a rowdy hall at the Labour Party annual conference.
In a show of defiance, Unite’s general secretary Sharon Graham called Labour members to rebel against the policy as she shouted: “This is not what people voted for.”
The motion called for means testing of the winter fuel allowance to be scrapped and for an end to fiscal rules which prevent borrowing to invest, as well as the introduction of a wealth tax.e
Starmer: We will listen carefully to Zelensky’s demands for Ukraine military aid
Ukraine’s desire to use western missiles to strike targets in Russia will not be the “sole issue” in Volodymyr Zelensky’s “victory plan”, Sir Keir Starmer said.
The US and UK have so far refused to give Kyiv permission to use the missiles they have supplied against targets in Russia, despite repeated pleas from Mr Zelensky.
The Ukrainian president has said that he is having to fight with his hands tied because he is unable to use the weapons to strike Russian airfields and military facilities which President Vladimir Putin is using to launch deadly air raids, missiles and drones.
Sir Keir is in New York for the United Nations General Assembly, where Mr Zelensky will present his plan for the next stage of the war to his allies.
The prime minister said: “I do think it’s going to take quite a bit of time at the UN General Assembly. And I think that’s really important, because it’s at a critical stage.
“Obviously, President Zelensky has a plan that he wants to walk through with all of us – we knew that was going to happen.
“The support for Ukraine is resolute. We supply quite a lot of capability already under the last government; we’ve increased that under this government – that’s not a criticism of the last government – and we will always listen very carefully to what Ukraine says it needs by way of capability.”
Diane Abbott urges Starmer to ditch winter fuel payment cut following vote
Why can Starmer still axe winter fuel payments after losing key vote?
Labour delegates have voted in favour of a non-binding motion calling to reverse the controversial cut to the winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.
In an embarrassing blow to prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, he now faces mounting pressure over the policy that has been criticised for being disproportionately harmful to the poorest pensioners.
The motion, tabled by Sharon Graham of the Unite union, was narrowly carried by a show of hands in a rowdy hall at the Labour Party annual conference.
The outcome of the vote will now test Starmer’s ability to manage dissent within the party. Questions remain about whether he will reverse the policy or not:
Escalation in Israel-Hezbollah war ‘deeply troubling’, Swinney says
Scotland’s First Minister has said the escalation of violence in the Israel-Hezbollah war is “deeply troubling” and that any Scots caught up in the “awful conflict” should have safe passage out of Lebanon.
UK citizens are being urged to leave Lebanon as Israel launched an intense series of air strikes earlier this week.
Hezbollah today fired a ballistic missile at Tel Aviv, the first time it has targeted central Israel since the exchanges broke out around Israel’s northern border.
Speaking to journalists, John Swinney said the Scottish government would work with the UK government to ensure any Scots in Lebanon can leave safely.
He said: “I’m deeply concerned about the situation in Lebanon, as I have been about the situation in Gaza for almost a year.”
Mr Swinney added: “The escalation in violence is deeply troubling and the loss of innocent life is unconscionable.
“So, we need to have a solution to the Middle East conflict. We need to have a de-escalation of the conflict.”
Windrush report expected to reveal roots of scandal after delays to publication
The long-awaited publication of a report into the roots of the Windrush scandal is key to reinforcing transparency around government, a campaigner has said.
The Home Office previously refused to publish the Historical Roots Of The Windrush Scandal report after a request under the Freedom of Information Act.
Earlier this month, a First-Tier Tribunal judgment said the department must disclose the report to the requester, but it is understood Labour has decided to go further and is expected to publish the report on the government website soon.
In 2022, the Guardian said that, according to a leaked copy of the document, the report concluded the origins of the “deep-rooted racism of the Windrush scandal” lie in the fact that from 1950 to 1981 “every single piece of immigration or citizenship legislation was designed at least in part to reduce the number of people with black or brown skin who were permitted to live and work in the UK”.
During this year’s election campaign, Labour pledged to offer “a fundamental reset moment for the Windrush generation, with respect and dignity at its very core”.
Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said in June that if elected he would ensure “urgent reform” of the compensation scheme to make it more efficient, a restoration of the Windrush Unit to the Home Office, and a Windrush commissioner “to be the voice of families affected”.
Starmer to deliver speech at the UN General Assembly
Sir Keir Starmer is in the US to attend the UN Security Council and deliver a speech on the conflicts in Palestine, Ukraine and Sudan.
The prime minister’s two-day visit to New York comes as Israel and Hezbollah exchange fire across the Lebanon border and while Ukraine continues to push for permission to use UK and US-supplied missiles to strike at targets within Russia.
Sir Keir will use his speech at 5pm, to set out how the UK will step up to play its part, guided by the rule of law, in a world dominated by conflict.
Long-term sickness in the UK workforce: What do the figures show?
Shadow health secretary: Labour’s only answer is education tax
Damian Hinds has criticised Bridget Phillipson’s Labour conference speech claiming the government’s focus is on “education tax”.
The Tory MP said: “In government, the Conservatives had a relentless focus on giving every child the best start in life.
“We launched the largest ever expansion of childcare, recruited 27,000 teachers, drove up school standards with children in England named the best in the West for reading, supported pupils in achieving the best A-level results since 2010, and remain the home to the best universities in Europe.
“Labour’s only answer is an education tax that will disproportionately impact children with SEND and those from military families, adding pressure to state schools with bigger class sizes and reducing parent choice.”
How would you rate Keir Starmer’s Labour government so far?
Nearly half of Britons have voiced their disappointment with the new Labour government, following “sleaze” allegations, controversy over Sue Gray’s salary, and a heated debate over cuts to the winter fuel allowance. Now it’s time to have your say…
Is your “honeymoon” with Labour over? How have recent events impacted your opinion of Starmer and his government?
Share your thoughts by adding them here — we’ll highlight the most insightful ones as they come in.
Green party backs Unite call to scrap winter fuel payments cut
The Green party has backed Unite’s call for the government to scrap the winter fuel payment cuts and impose a wealth tax.
In a statement, party co-leader Carla Denyer said: “Today’s vote at Labour party conference leaves Labour ministers out in the cold. There is a groundswell of support – from opposition parties, unions, many Labour MPs, health workers, disability groups, charities supporting pensioners, as well as others – for ensuring millions of pensioners keep warm this winter.
“Targeting some of the most vulnerable to fix the supposed black hole in the public finances is cruel and unnecessary.
“There is another way. A fairer way. As the successful motion by Unite makes clear, taxing multi-millionaires and billionaires a little more would not only easily cover the cost of winter fuel payments for all pensioners but also generate additional funds for much needed investment in our health and social care services.”
