UK politics live: Starmer doesn’t rule out EU youth mobility scheme as Reeves fuels capital gains tax fears

Sir Keir Starmer has unveiled plans for “joint action” with Germany on cross-channel migration, which could involve authorities intercepting boats in transit across Europe, en route to northern France.

After a bilateral meeting with German chancellor Olaf Scholz in Berlin, the Prime Minister said developing an action plan could help the countries “deal with issues like data sharing, intelligence sharing, what we can do on joint operations” both sides of the North Sea.

In a speech, Sir Keir vowed to “deepen co-operation on shared social challenges; for example, on illegal immigration, because we cannot smash the smuggling gangs who perpetrate this vile trade without the help of our partners”.

He added: “I’m really glad that we had substantive discussions today about how we tackle the smuggling gangs and agree to develop a joint action plan to tackle illegal migration.”

Asked about his discussions with Mr Scholz after the speech, the prime minister confirmed a returns agreement with Germany “wasn’t discussed today”.

He continued: “But the joint action plan was and that is important to me because, as I’m sure you’ll appreciate, quite a number of the boats that end up on the north coast of France carrying people across are coming through Germany, therefore, this isn’t a sort of remote action plan.

“It’s actually a concrete one because, as you’ve heard me say many, many times, I simply don’t accept that the people who are running this trade can’t be taken down, that they can’t be busted, and intercepting the boats as they are in transit across Europe and those that are moving them is an important part of that as far as I’m concerned.”

The UK’s data protection watchdog has taken action against the Labour Party for repeatedly failing to respond to people who asked what personal information the organisation held on them.

The Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO) issued a formal reprimand after it was revealed that the party had not complied with its legal obligations.

Under data protection law, anyone can ask an organisation for a copy of the personal information it is using or storing on them, known as subject access requests (SAR). You also have the right to check if your personal information is accurate, or for it to be updated or deleted.

Read the full story below:

Sir Keir Starmer has wrapped up his visit to Germany and is now on his way to Paris where he will meet Emmanuel Macron tomorrow.

The prime minister’s breakfast meeting is expected to include representatives from companies including Thales and Sanofi, and Sir Keir will then meet Paralympians preparing for their competitions before meeting the French President at the Elysee Palace.

The prime minister has left the door open for some fomr of youth mobility scheme with EU countries after a meeting with Olaf Scholz.

The German chancellor insisted his government is seeking closer ties with the UK during a press conference in Berlin.

During the event, Keir Starmer ruled out plans to join the European youth mobility scheme. He said: “Look, the treaty is a bilateral treaty, so that’s got nothing to do with youth mobility or anything like that. That’s to do with trade, defence, economy, illegal migration.

“In relation to youth mobility, obviously, we’ve been really clear – no single market, no customs union, no free movement, no going back into the EU. So the discussion about a close relationship within the EU or with the EU is in that context and within those frameworks.”

But speaking to reporters, he did not rule out creating a system for other types of student exchanges. He added: “We want a close relationship, of course, and I do think that can extend across defence, security, education and cultural exchange and, of course, trade.”

Sir Keir Starmer said more prisons will be built to manage overcrowding once the Government gets its “hands on the planning laws”.

Speaking to broadcasters in Berlin, the prime minister said the lack of prisons being built is one of the reasons for the current capacity crisis in jails across the UK.

During the general election campaign, one of Labour’s key pledges was to unblock the planning system to allow developers to build on the “grey belt”.

Sir Keir said: “We’ve got to change the planning regulation so we can build the prisons we need, because they’re taking far too long, it’s far too slow, and that’s amongst the reasons we’re in the position we are.

“And, as you’d expect from an ex-chief prosecutor, people do need to go to prison, and they need to know that the law is effective.”

Asked if he agrees with prisons minister James Timpson that the UK puts too many people in jail, Sir Keir replied: “I think (Mr Timpson) has got unparalleled experience in rehabilitation, and particularly those coming out of prison.

“I mean, he does employ a huge amount of people who come out of prison. His reason for doing that is to help them turn around their lives so they don’t go back straight into prison.

“Do I agree with him that, insofar as is possible, people come out of prison, we should give them the chance not to go back into prison? Yes, I do, and the more we can do on that, the better.

“I don’t think anybody would disagree with that, because the route back to prison involves another offence, which means another victim. If we can find a different approach for people, then all well and good. But, look, we need to build those prisons, and we will get our hands on the planning laws in order to do so.”

Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised for lacking ambition in wanting to reset the UK’s relationship with the EU after he rejected free movement for under-30s even before talks got underway.

The prime minister made it clear he was not open to a deal on making it easier for young people from the UK and EU to travel when he held a joint press conference with German chancellor Olaf Scholz today.

Despite describing the renegotiation as “a once in a generation opportunity” there were concerns that he was not willing to be flexible on a proposal which is strongly supported in the EU.

Our political editor David Maddox has the full story:

Josh Greally, 28, has been given a suspended prison sentence at Barnsley Magistrates’ Court after throwing items at Nigel Farage during the General Election campaign.

He was sentenced to six weeks in prison, suspended for 12 months, and ordered to carry out 120 hours of unpaid work, 20 rehabilitation activity days and pay £85 court costs and a surcharge of £154.

Greally pleaded guilty to a public order offence over the incident on June 11 in Barnsley town centre where he threw what appeared to be a coffee cup and another object at the Reform UK leader, who was campaigning on the top deck of his battle bus.

Neither of the objects hit the politician.

Although they wouldn’t admit it, the model for the PM and his chancellor is less Tony Blair and Gordon Brown – and more David Cameron and George Osborne, writes Andrew Grice:

Sir Keir Starmer is expected to travel to Paris for the Paralympics opening ceremony this evening, before a breakfast meeting with French business leaders on Thursday morning, and a summit with President Emmanuel Macron at the Elysee Palace.

In Paris, the prime minister’s breakfast meeting is expected to include representatives from companies including Thales and Sanofi, and Sir Keir will then meet Paralympians preparing for their competitions before meeting the French President at the Elysee Palace.

Last month at the EPC summit held at Blenheim Palace, Sir Keir said the UK would be a “friend and a partner ready to work” with Europe, and that “we can only make progress on the issues that so many people care about, like illegal migration and national security, if we have the maturity and leadership to reach out a hand to our European friends”.