Sir Keir Starmer has said the next election will be an “open fight” between Labour and Reform UK following figures which show an easy route for Nigel Farage into Downing Street.
Speaking at a panel at the Global Progress Action Summit, the Prime Minister said: “We’re going to face a very different election next time to any of the elections we fought in the United Kingdom for a very, very long time.
“That’s why… I want this to be out as an open fight between Labour and Reform, and I’ll be majoring on this in my conference speech next week.”
He added that his party was “battling with repairing the damage that was done under the last government which was huge” and “rebuilding in a way which embraces and takes on the battle for the soul of the country”.
It follows a new YouGov poll which suggests Reform would increase its MPs from just five to 311, making it the largest party in a hung parliament and just 15 seats short of the 326 needed for an outright majority.
Sir Keir unveiled a new digital ID held on people’s phones, an attempt to tackle illegal migration which will be free of charge and mandatory within the next four years.
“You will not be able to work in the UK if you do not have digital ID,” Sir Keir said.
Rachel Reeves says if Labour can’t say kids are living better lives at the end of its time in office ‘it’s probably time for someone else to take over’
The chancellor said that if Labour was unable to say that children from ordinary backgrounds are living richer lives at the end of its time in office “it’s probably time for someone else to take over”.
She told the Global Progress Action summit: “In the end, what matters is at the end of our time in office – however long we’re in our jobs – at the end of it, can we say that kids from ordinary backgrounds are living richer and more fulfilled lives than we came into office?
“If you can say yes, you’ve done a good job, and if no, it’s probably about time for someone else to take over.”
Reeves says ‘trade-offs’ have made people unhappy with her performance as chancellor
Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports…
The chancellor has said the “trade-offs” she had to make between tax and spend had made people “unhappy” – but insisted they were necessary to avoid a repeat of Liz Truss’ mini-budget.
Speaking at the Global Progress Action summit in London, she said there was “nothing progressive about seeing interest rates go up again” because it takes money away from working people, businesses and public services.
She said she wanted to curb the spiralling cost of servicing debt, saying: “I want to reduce those costs so we can use that money to better effect.”
The Chancellor told the audience: “No-one can accuse me of not accepting that there are trade-offs.
“That’s why there are people who are unhappy. But if you pretend there aren’t trade-offs, then we’re going to go the way that Liz Truss went.”
She warned that Labour would then risk being “consigned to total irrelevance, which is where the Conservatives are”.
Reeves says “of course” bond markets matter in riposte to Andy Burnham
Kate Devlin reports…
Rachel Reeves has hit out at Andy Burnham, saying “of course” bond markets matter.
Her comments come just a day after the PM warned there was “nothing progressive about abandoning fiscal rules” as he criticised Mr Burnham’s policies in a defiant interview on Thursday.
The mayor of Greater Manchester said the UK should not be “in hock” to bond markets as he outlined measures that he believed a Labour government should pursue.
Asked about bond markets, Ms Reeves said: “Of course they matter.”
Petition against Digital ID crosses one million signature marker
The parliamentary petition not to implement Labour’s Digital ID plan has crossed the one million signatures marker.
The petition reads: “We demand that the UK Government immediately commits to not introducing a digital ID cards. There are reports that this is being looked at.
“We think this would be a step towards mass surveillance and digital control, and that no one should be forced to register with a state-controlled ID system. We oppose the creation of any national ID system. ID cards were scrapped in 2010, in our view for good reason.”
Rise of populism makes economic policy ‘hard’, Rachel Reeves says
Speaking at the same conference as Keir Starmer, the chancellor has warned the rise of populism makes economic policy ‘hard’.
She said their argument was that there are “too many migrants… and so our public services are not working”.
“That makes economic policy quite hard, because when I talk about some difficult decisions and the trade offs there are some people who will say, ‘Well, you know, actually there’s some very simple things you can do – close the borders, don’t let people in’”.
Ministers that would lose their seat in YouGov’s latest MRP poll
Boost for Starmer as top aide Morgan McSweeney avoids investigation over donations
Lib Dems on Digital ID: ‘We will fight this tooth and nail just like Blair’s ID cards’
Responding to Keir Starmer’s speech at the Global Progress Action Summit, Liberal Democrat Leader Ed Davey said:
“Keir Starmer seems determined to lead a Government of gimmicks – that just adds to our tax bills and bureaucracy, whilst doing next to nothing to tackle channel crossings.
“Imagine if the Government devoted this much money and focus on getting GP waiting times down, or fixing social care, instead of pursuing the Labour Party’s decades long obsession with ID cards and more state control.
“It is nonsensical and the Liberal Democrats will fight against it tooth and nail – just as we successfully did against Tony Blair’s ID cards.”
Labour Together welcomes Electoral Commission’s decision
Labour Together has welcomed the Electoral Commission’s decision not to reopen its investigation into the campaign group’s donations.
A spokesperson said: “Today, we welcome the Electoral Commission’s decision that there are no new grounds for action or investigation.
“Labour Together proactively raised concerns about its own reporting of donations to the Electoral Commission in 2020.
“The Electoral Commission’s investigation, with which Labour Together fully cooperated, was completed in 2021.
“Since then, we have taken measures to ensure Labour Together is fully compliant with all Electoral Commission regulations.”
Tories call for Electoral Commission to reopen investigation into Labour Together
Conservative chairman Kevin Hollinrake said the Electoral Commission’s decision not to reopen its investigation into Labour Together was “wrong” and he urged the watchdog to release all its files on Morgan McSweeney.
He said: “The Electoral Commission’s decision not to investigate McSweeney is wrong.
“The Commission must now publish all of their Morgan McSweeney files to ensure the public has full transparency.”
He added: “This is not over, we will continue to reveal more evidence and continue to push for a full investigation by the parliamentary standards commissioner into Keir Starmer.
“The British public deserve the full truth, not another cover-up, and the Conservatives will continue to fight until they get that.”
