UK Politics

Disabled people could lose more than £10,000 a year as a result of Sir Keir Starmer’s benefit cuts, a group of MPs has warned. In a damning report, the all-party group (APPG) on poverty said some claimants who will be made ineligible for personal independence payments (PIP) face losing £886 per month.As ministers try to slash £5bn from the welfare bill, the group said up to 800,000 face losing their PIP support completely. Keir Starmer’s welfare reforms could cost disabled people more than £10,000 a year More

When Keir Starmer arrived to speak to journalists on Sunday morning at the British High Commission in Ottawa, there was a temporary distraction as one of the resident groundhogs made an appearance.But in more than one way, the prime minister’s trip to Canada has the same “Groundhog Day” feel to it as the constant repetition of events seen in the famous comedy film of that name.The G7 summit is taking place on Monday and Tuesday in Alberta as much of the world burns. With escalating crises in the Middle East and Ukraine, the leaders of the world’s top democracies have much to discuss.Groundhog at the British High Commission grounds in Ottawa More

Sir Keir Starmer is facing a major challenge for his government to intervene and delay a vote on assisted dying to go ahead on Friday this week.A group of more than 50 Labour MPs have this weekend written to the Leader of the House Lucy Powell asking her to intervene and postpone this Friday’s final third reading vote on Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill in the Commons.Instead they are demanding that the government provides more parliamentary time to scrutinise a bill which will bring “fundamental changes” to healthcare in England.The move marks a serious split over the issue among Labour MPs and could prove difficult Sir Keir who is in favour of assisted dying but tried to stay away from the fraught debate.Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill returns to Parliament for further debate on Friday (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA) More

Keir Starmer has admitted that the clock is ticking on getting his much-vaunted trade deal with Donald Trump in place before the steel industry is hit by crippling 50 per cent tariffs.The two men unveiled their trade deal last month to great fanfare as the first of a number that the US President hopes to get across the line following his decision to impose worldwide tariffs.The issue is one of a number Sir Keir will hope can be dealt with at a crucial G7 summit in Canada.However, a deadline of Wednesday looms large, leaving Sir Keir just days to get his deal implemented before subsequent tariffs announced by Trump of 50 per cent on steel imports also apply to the UK.Sir Keir Starmer with Donald Trump (Carl Court/PA) More

Sir Keir Starmer has warned Labour rebels that he will not budge any further on plans to slash disability benefits.With dozens of backbenchers threatening a revolt over plans to cut personal independence payments (PIP) and other benefits, the prime minister is facing his next big test with his own party.Already, there had been rumblings about economic policy during the run-up to the spending review, with a number of MPs supportive of a proposal by deputy prime minister Angela Rayner to impose eight new wealth taxes on the super-rich and corporations instead of making cuts.Keir Starmer on a visit with Liz Kendall to the Bridge Cafe in Bolton More

Fewer than half of young men believe abortion should be legal, far less than the general population, a shocking new poll has found. Just 46 per cent of 18 to 36-year-old men believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases, compared with 71 per cent among the general population. Amid concerns about the rise of the manosphere – a growing online community of hypermasculine influencers – the Ipsos poll showed a stark drop in support for abortion in those aged under 36. More than a third of young men think abortions should be illegal More

Wes Streeting has said he will consider leaning more heavily on the private sector as he bids to clear NHS waiting lists.The health secretary said he will not be “bound by outdated ideological battles” when tackling the crisis in the service, where 7.39 million people are currently waiting to be seen by doctors. He said it would be “foolish to turn away” from the private healthcare sector, but cautioned that “we must see it for what it is”. Wes Streeting said he would not be ideologically opposed to expanding the use of the private sector in the NHS More