UK politics live: Badenoch blasts Starmer and Farage in benefits row as Rayner gives winter fuel U-turn update

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Angela Rayner has defended her plan to build 1.5m homes, despite concerns over whether the target is achievable.

Asked about figures which show the number of houses being built have decreased under the Labour government, the housing secretary said: “That was always going to be the case.”

“It doesn’t happen overnight”, she insisted, telling the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg that you need “lead in time” for policies to take effect.

Pressed on whether the slow down has been caused by a lack of confidence in the housing market, Ms Rayner said: “Well, the market is very confident. I speak to developers all the time.

“In fact, I was with them just on Monday of this week, and what’s clear is that they’ve very much welcomed the changes we’ve made. We are starting to see the green shoots of that. That will come through in the next few months.”

Kemi Badenoch has said it would be “very bad for this country” if Nigel Farage gained power, accusing the Reform UK leader of making empty promises that would unravel in government.

The Conservative leader issued the warning as her party dropped to fourth place in YouGov’s latest polling, falling behind Labour, the Liberal Democrats and Reform UK for the first time since 2019.

Ms Badenoch’s comments come as Reform UK surged to first place in the latest YouGov voting intention survey, on 29%. Labour followed on 22%, the Liberal Democrats on 17%, and the Conservatives on 16% – their lowest ever rating with the pollster.

It is the first time the Tories have placed fourth in a YouGov ranking since the final weeks of Theresa May’s premiership in 2019.

Now the prime minister is reported to be privately considering another U-turn on the two child benefit cap as he faces growing pressure from within his own party over Labour’s domestic agenda.

Political editor David Maddox considers Sir Keir’s future as leader of the Labour Party in our special report:

Details on when winter fuel payments could be restored to more pensioners could come to light within a few weeks, Angela Rayner has suggested.

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The two child benefit cap prevents parents from claiming universal credit or tax credit for their third child. It was introduced by the Conservatives and came into place in April 2017. It only affects applies to children who were born after 6 April 2017.

The measure was introduced by then chancellor George Osbourne, alongside a raft of other changes to the benefits system. The Conservatives said the measures were designed to encourage benefit recipients “to make the same choices as those supporting themselves solely through work.”

Figures released by the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) show that 109 children are pulled into poverty by the policy every day.

Sir Keir is said to be privately considering scrapping the two-child cap in a move that would cost the Treasury £3.5bn a year. It comes after it was reported that Reform leader Nigel Farage will commit to scrapping it and restoring winter fuel payments in a bid to outflank Labour on benefits.

Such a move would mark the second major welfare U-turn after last week’s reversal on the winter fuel allowance policy. With Labour MPs threatening to rebel over a wide-ranging package of welfare reforms, the Observer has reported that the prime minister has made it clear to his Cabinet that he wants the cap to be abolished.

• Sir Keir Starmer is said to be considering scrapping the two child benefit cap, in what would be his second U-turn following months of pressure over Labour’s approach to benefits
• The prime minister’s reported shift in position was revealed just hours after it emerged that Nigel Farage is preparing to outflank him on benefits by committing to scrapping the cap and fully reinstating the winter fuel payment – piling pressure on Labour to do the same
• Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused the prime minister and Reform leader of saying things to “please people”, warning “we cannot afford to scrap” the two child cap

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Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has said it will take time to rebuild public support for her party following its general election defeat, insisting she will not be rushed into announcing policies to boost poll numbers.

Speaking to Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg on the BBC, Ms Badenoch said: “It’s going to take some time because we just lost an election. The public don’t come back to the Opposition straight away – the Government are doing so badly that people are going to protest parties.”

Pressed on whether the rebuilding process would take two years, she said: “I can’t say how long that’s going to take. I need to use this time as wisely as possible.”

Ms Badenoch said she had deliberately avoided reacting to political setbacks with headline-grabbing announcements.

“I could have come rushing out with policies to chase the polls but that’s the wrong thing to do,” she said.

“We need to start delivering a proposition that’s going to change the country for the better.”

Kemi Badenoch has accused Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer of “just saying things to please people” as reports claim they are both considering pledging to scrap the two-child benefit cap.

The Conservative leader told Sky’s Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips that the cap is there “for a good reason”, warning: “We cannot afford to scrap it.”

“There are many people out there who will say, ‘if you can’t afford to have lots of children, then you shouldn’t do so. You shouldn’t have to rely on benefits to have your children’,” she said.

“But we do have a humane system where we look after people, but the cap is its two children. I think that is right. That is fair.

“Nigel Farage and Keir Starmer are just saying things to please people. They’re not doing what is right. I am saying what is the right thing to do. It may not be popular, but it’s absolutely the right thing to do.”

The Reform leader is said to be preparing to outflank the prime minister on benefits by committing to restoring winter fuel payments in full to all pensioners and scrapping the two-child benefit cap.

Sir Keir is also said to be privately considering scrapping the two-child benefit cap in bid to reduce child poverty, in a move that would cost the Treasury £3.5bn a year.

It would mark the second major welfare U-turn after last week’s reversal on the winter fuel allowance policy.

Ms Badenoch added: “This is a prime minister who is not honest, who doesn’t have a plan, is confused, is making everything worse and is damaging our economy, and this will just be the latest in a long line of decisions.”