Starmer news – live: Labour leader to make Covid beer party statement

Downing Street has not ruled out the possibility that energy bills could rise by nearly £1,000 when the regulator reviews the price cap in the autumn.

It comes after the boss of ScottishPower, Keith Anderson, said that energy bills are likely to go up by that amount for millions of households around the country when the price cap is reviewed in October.

Asked if the government recognised this figure, and if it was in the “ballpark” of its expectations, the PM’s official spokesman did not rule it out.

“I can’t comment on speculation – obviously that … wouldn’t be right for me to do so,” he told reporters.

“With Ofgem, I think it’s fair to say that we do expect there to be further increases later in the year, the Chancellor has talked about that and has made clear that we will look to do what we can to help with energy bills in the autumn when we know more about what the prices will (be).”

The UK is risking sanctions from the EU if Boris Johnson pursues his expected assault on the Human Rights Act, a Brexit legal expert is warning.

The Queen’s Speech is expected to include a Bill to water down the landmark 1998 legislation, a shake-up that has prompted accusations of racism in in its removal of key safeguards.

But it is also expected to remove the need for UK courts to follow decisions made by the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR), which would trigger a new clash with Brussels.

Read the report from our deputy political editor, Rob Merrick:

Labour is yet to formally comment on whether Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to resign if he is fined, but a Labour source told The Independent there will be “some movement in the next few hours”.

It was later announced Sir Keir will deliver a statement at 4pm.

The government must take urgent action and help the poorest households months before energy bills will rise again ahead of the winter months, the boss of a major energy company has said.

Keith Anderson, who leads ScottishPower, said that energy bills are likely to go up by nearly another £1,000 for millions of households around the country next winter.

“Given what’s going to happen in October, we think that urgent action is required to put in place a mechanism to support customers through this period,” he said.

Here is the full report:

Asylum seekers are expected to be told this week they could be sent to Rwanda as part of the Government’s latest deportation policy.

It is understood the Home Office will notify the first group of people that they face a one-way ticket to the East African nation, amid legal challenges over the plans.

Unconfirmed reports suggest the flights could take place within the next few weeks, with a small number of single men set to be removed in the first instance.

Boris Johnson said tens of thousands of people could be flown to Rwanda under the agreement.

But The Times reported that modelling by Home Office officials indicated that only 300 a year could be sent there. The department later said it did not recognise the figure and there was no cap on the number of people who may be sent to Rwanda.

Sir Keir Starmer is considering whether to commit to resigning if police find he broke coronavirus rules as he battles to regain the political initiative while pressuring Boris Johnson over his own fine.

The Labour leader was understood to be in talks on Monday about whether to announce the pledge, after pulling out of a scheduled event where he would have faced fresh questions.

Allies insisted he was not “ducking scrutiny” by cancelling his attendance at the discussion, as he is investigated by police over the Durham beer-and-curry gathering in April last year.

Here is the full story:

Nicola Sturgeon said her government will soon offer a refreshed case for Scottish independence, insisting recent election results showed there was a “growing sense that the UK in its current state is not serving the needs of Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland”.

The Scottish first minister spoke out after Sinn Fein won the most seats, 27 out of 90, in last week’s Stormont elections, entitling a non-unionist politician to take the role of Northern Ireland’s first minister fro the first time.

Ms Sturgeon said this was a signal of “big changes in the years to come”, adding “I’m convinced one of those changes will be Scottish independence.”

She said her government would start to set out white papers for independence “in the very near future”.

It has been almost a decade since the previous independence white paper was published and Ms Sturgeon promised the new paper would be “refreshing” and put the “very positive case for independence”.

Downing Street said the Queen is due to deliver her address at the state opening of parliament tomorrow despite doubt about her ability to meet other commitments.

Buckingham Palace suggested the 96-year-old monarch may miss celebrations for her platinum jubilee this month. The Queen has been facing mobility issues since she was hospitalised in October last year, and has been undertaking mostly virtual engagements.

Asked today about the Queen’s Speech, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “The Palace themselves have said [the Queen] is due to do it and they will confirm tomorrow.”

Nicola Sturgeon has accused the Conservatives of a “massive operation” to distract from the Partygate scandal by demanding police action over Keir Starmer’s beer-and-curry gathering (Rob Merrick writes).

Durham Police is looking again at the meal organised for the Labour leader after campaigning in April last year, after cabinet ministers piled pressure on the force for a rethink.

Sir Keir has pulled out of a speaking event to avoid questions, as some in Labour urge him to pledge to quit if he is fined – to pile pressure on Boris Johnson over his own penalty notice for breaching Covid rules.

The Scottish first minister said it “would be wrong” to comment on a police investigation, saying: “Let’s wait and see what comes of this.”

But she said: “What I do think is pretty obvious is that there is a massive operation underway on the part of the Conservatives to divert attention from Boris Johnson.”

Downing Street said the government is keeping “all options open” when it comes to addressing the cost of living crisis.

Asked what Boris Johnson would say to Tory MPs demanding the income tax cut be brought forward, given the scale of the crisis this year, the prime minister’s official spokesman pointed to “significant support already available”.

He said: “We know that this is [at] the forefront of the public’s mind; it’s certainly [at] the forefront of the prime minister’s mind and we will keep all options open.”

On whether people will have to wait until the autumn budget before anything further is done, he said the government will act “when it is the right time to do so – I don’t restrict that to a certain period in the year”. Cabinet minister Brandon Lewis recently said there were “no plans” for new support before the autumn budget.

One measure that has been discussed, and one that has divided the cabinet, is a windfall tax on the profits of oil and gas companies. Last week a clash between chancellor Rishi Sunak, in support, and business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, against, was exposed.

Asked today about plans for a windfall tax, the prime minister’s official spokesman said the government was against it as it would “deter investment at a time we need it most – not least in renewable energy”.