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Washington Bureau Chief
Sir Keir Starmer is visiting the White House where he will meet US President Joe Biden to discuss conflicts in Ukraine and Gaza.
During the trip, he admitted there had been no impact assessment of how the decision to cut winter fuel payments will affect millions of pensioners.
However, the new measures have cost him points in favourability ratings as a new Ipsos poll found 46 per cent of people see him unfavourably, an eight-point increase in three months.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who has also been pressured over the upcoming October Budget, has seen her favourability fall by four points to 23 per cent.
The prime minister and Mr Biden are expected to consider Kyiv’s request to be able to use Western Storm Shadow long-range missiles in Russian territory.
But President Putin said such a move would mean that Russia would be “at war with Nato”.
Speaking to reporters during a flight to Washington DC, Sir Keir said Russia started the conflict in Ukraine and that it can end the war “straight away”.
Why Ukraine wants to use Western long-range missiles inside Russia?
Ukraine is pushing for permission from its Western partners to use the long-range missiles they have provided to strike targets deep inside Russia, as Ukrainian forces struggle to hold back Russian advances in eastern Ukraine.
Kyiv officials argue the weapons are vital to weaken Russia’s ability to strike Ukraine and force it to move its strike capabilities further from the border.
Russia has warned that it would consider allowing such long-range strikes an act of war, and Ukraine’s Western allies are wary of antagonizing the country with the world’s largest nuclear arsenal.
The issue is likely to weigh heavily on White House meetings today between US President Joe Biden and Sir Keir Starmer, as well as with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy later this month.
The long-range missiles include systems like the British-led Storm Shadow and the similar French-made SCALP or the U.S.-made Army Tactical Missile System, ATACMS.
Port Sudan ‘safer than London’, says bishop
A city in war-torn Sudan is safer than London, according to a peer.
The Bishop of Leeds, the Rt Rev Nick Baines, made the remark as he encouraged the soon-to-be-appointed UK special representative for Sudan to visit Port Sudan.
The city on the Red Sea serves as the seat of the internationally recognised, military-backed government.
Sudan descended into conflict in April 2023 when tensions between the military and a powerful paramilitary group, the Rapid Support Forces, exploded into open warfare.
The Foreign Office advises against all travel to Sudan because of the ongoing conflict in Khartoum and other parts of the country.
The department’s travel advice notes the only functional civilian airport operating international flights is Port Sudan Airport.
Speaking during a House of Lords debate, Mr Baines said: “The UK Government must, in my opinion, along with partners, leverage all its resources and political power to cut off the arms flow and create the conditions where any credible ceasefire might create the space for negotiation.
“Failure to address this catastrophe now will only lead to increasingly uncontrollable consequences elsewhere, further destabilisation of an already fragile region – an example, oil gelling in the pipelines will diminish South Sudan’s economy and add to economic and humanitarian challenges – mass irregular migration will be a consequence and so on.
“So I agree with the call for all diplomatic means – the minister said – and one to add is I think it’s essential that the new head of office, the new special envoy must physically get into Sudan.
“I have to say Port Sudan when I was there was safer than London. But we need physical, visible presence, even if it’s only on a regular visit. Other ambassadors and envoys are doing this.”
Ed Miliband vows to deliver ‘energy security’ with more solar panels
Prison population down 2% in a week as hundreds of inmates freed early
The adult prison population dropped by more than 2,000 in the week the government freed hundreds of inmates early.
Ministry of Justice (MoJ) figures showed 86,333 prisoners were behind bars in England and Wales on Friday.
This is 2,188 fewer than the 88,521 recorded at the end of last week, when the number of inmates being held hit another new record high amid the jail overcrowding crisis, indicating the population fell by two per cent in seven days.
The government said around 1,750 prisoners were freed early on Tuesday from jails across the two nations, suggesting a further 438 people also left under standard release terms.
The drop means the operational capacity for English and Welsh men and women’s prisons is 89,552, indicating there is now cell space for 3,219 criminals.
On Wednesday prime minister Sir Keir Starmer defended freeing criminals, including some convicted killers, early from prison as he angrily blamed previous government inaction for forcing him into taking urgent steps to tackle the problem.
This week’s mass exodus came after Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood announced plans in July to cut temporarily the proportion of sentences which inmates must serve behind bars from 50 per cent to 40 per cent as the MoJ said overcrowding had pushed jails to the “point of collapse”.
Conservatives slam No 10 over ‘disgraceful’ failure to assess winter payment cuts
Disgraced Tory donor Frank Hester gave £5m days before election called
Disgraced Tory donor Frank Hester gave the Conservative Party £5m just days before Rishi Sunak called the general election, it has emerged.
The Tories faced widespread calls in March to hand back money given to them by the business tycoon after he was alleged to have said that Diane Abbott – Britain’s first Black female MP – made him “want to hate all Black women” and that she “should be shot”.
Despite Mr Sunak eventually condemning the remarks as racist, newly published Electoral Commission data shows Mr Hester’s Phoenix Partnership firm donated a further £5m to the Conservatives on 17 May – just five days before Mr Sunak called the election, months earlier than widely expected.
Read the full story below:
The one glaring omission from the devastating report into the NHS? Brexit
The latest review of the health service is a substantial, thoroughgoing and even radical piece of work, writes Sean O’Grady. But it doesn’t mention the 2016 referendum once – despite its enormous impact.
Pictured: Starmer and Lammy sit at the British ambassador residence in the US
Tom Tugendhat welcomes Sir David Lidington endorsement
Welby: Preparing UK to wage peace will save lives, cash and control migration
A major defence review should prepare the UK to “wage peace” to help save lives, taxpayers’ cash and control migration, according to the Archbishop of Canterbury.
The Most Rev Justin Welby said the new government’s root and branch review needs to develop a “peace-building option”, alongside preparedness for war, in a bid to stop conflict before it happens.
He explained this could enable the UK to extend its influence, protect its interests and “guard against fresh waves of migration”.
Speaking during a debate on Sudan, Mr Welby said he had heard reports from those meeting small boats crossing the Channel of a “very high proportion” of people arriving from the war-torn African country.
Sudan descended into conflict in April 2023 after months of worsening tensions turned into open fighting between rival factions, including the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), seeking control of the country.
Mr Welby described Sudan as a “human catastrophe on an extraordinary scale” and said the use of “vast quantities” of humanitarian aid only results in temporary solutions.
He acknowledged the “hard work” of the Foreign Office in response to Sudan, before highlighting the UK government’s desire for a return to democratic civilian-rule.
Mr Welby told the Lords: “But as we’ve seen elsewhere, peace with an authoritarian government is better than no peace at all, and I hope that is not so much of a red line that we will not work to establish the ceasefire and the stability which will enable civilians to take over.”
