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      Labour grandee Harriet Harman calls on Starmer to ban smartphones in schools

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      Harriet Harman has called on Sir Keir Starmer to ban smartphones in schools, amid mounting pressure on the government take action to stop tech companies from allowing harmful material on their platforms. “Is [the prime minister] going to side with parents who are terrified and want this content off their children’s phones, or is he going to accept the tech bros resistance to having to make changes?”, Baroness Harman asked. It comes after Sir Keir Starmer hosted a meeting at Downing Street with Adolescence co-writer Jack Thorne and children’s charities on Monday to talk about young boys being influenced by misogyny they encounter online.Labour former cabinet minister Harriet Harman has been elected as the new chairwoman of the Commons Standards Committee (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA) More

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      Trump tariffs: Here’s what the UK trades with America

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      Donald Trump has imposed 10 per cent tariffs on all of the United Kingdom’s exports to the United States.There are higher tariffs for cars and car parts – 25 per cent – which will also extend to all computer imports, including laptops.The list includes tariff codes for engines, transmissions, lithium-ion batteries and other major components, along with less expensive parts including tires, shock absorbers, spark plug wires and brake hoses.Trump says the tariffs are the US’s “declaration of independence”.However, UK businesses have labelled them “devastating”.Here is a look at how much trade the UK has with the US, based on figures published by the Office for National Statistics.U.S. President Donald Trump announces tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House More

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      How could Donald Trump’s tariffs affect UK households and their finances?

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      Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said people across the country are “very concerned” about how the move by the United States to place 10 per cent import taxes on goods would hit their own finances.Here is a look at how households may find their finances could be affected:What about prices in shops?Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at Hargreaves Lansdown, said: “The impact on prices isn’t nailed on at this stage.“There are a number of forces that could keep a lid on inflation. Worries about growth around the world mean central banks may keep interest rates as low as possible in order to support whatever growth is around.”Fluctuations in sterling against other currencies will have an impact on prices.Ms Coles said: “We might also see some of the goods that were destined for the US being diverted elsewhere around the world – including the UK.“If it means a glut, it could mean there are some decent bargains around. Plus, some companies will want to hold prices lower, in order to compete more effectively against US businesses, so we could benefit from that.President Donald Trump speaks during an event to announce new tariffs in the Rose Garden at the White House in Washington (Mark Schiefelbein/AP) More

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      Chlorinated chicken: Is it bad for you and will it be sold in British supermarkets?

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      British negotiators are in “intense discussions” with the United States on closer trade ties, the chancellor has said, in an attempt to ease the impact of Donald Trump’s looming tariffs.One of the products being touted as part of the free trade deal is chlorine-washed chicken – a controversial method of cleaning farmed animals to kill bacteria.While evidence suggests the chlorine wash itself is not harmful, critics argue treating chicken with the chemical will allow for poorer hygiene earlier on in the production process.Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said he would agree to allow American chlorine-washed chicken to be sold in the UK as part of a free trade deal with the US. He said, as part of a deal, US President Trump “would want US agricultural products to be sold in Britain”.However, Liz Webster, founder of Save British Farming, told The Independent: “The British public is rightly appalled by chlorinated chicken and hormone-fed beef. We are an animal-loving nation that values high standards, and we must not trade them away.”Packs of ‘Brexit Selection Freshly Chlorinated Chicken’ sit on display at ‘Costupper’ Brexit Minimart pop-up store, set up by the People’s Vote campaign group, in November 2018 More

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      Controversial two-child benefit cap ‘plunges extra 30,000 children into poverty since Labour came to power’

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      An extra 30,000 children have been pulled into poverty by the controversial ‘two-child limit’ on benefits since Labour came to power, according to new research ahead of the eight anniversary of the policy. Last July ministers said they would consider ditching the “cruel” cap, in a bid to head off a backbench Labour revolt on the issue. But there has been no movement since, while official documents last week showed that separate moves to slash an extra £5 billion from the welfare bill are set to drive another 50,000 kids into poverty. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Ben Stansall/PA) More

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      Starmer’s Farage-focused local elections launch shows he knows Reform is the real threat to Labour

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      There were two insurgent right-wing populists looming over Sir Keir Starmer’s local election launch on Thursday. Donald Trump, because the US president’s “Liberation Day” tariffs threaten to blow the PM’s “plan for change” out of the water. And Nigel Farage, who Sir Keir fears will snap up hundreds of local council seats in Reform UK’s first major test since the general election.The Reform UK leader has promised to field candidates in 99 per cent of the seats up for grabs, and could stamp his party’s authority as a real electoral force, not just a passing fad, in the polls amid anger among voters at Labour’s failings. Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner launched their local election campaign in Chesterfield on Thursday More

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      Watch: Starmer refuses to rule out further benefit cuts after Trump’s tariffs

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      Sir Keir Starmer has refused to rule out a fresh round of benefit cuts ahead of the autumn Budget, with Donald Trump’s tariffs threatening to blow a hole in the UK’s public finances.To meet her fiscal rules in the spring statement, Rachel Reeves unveiled a swathe of cuts to those claiming benefits, with economists warning 250,000 people would be driven into poverty.Asked by The Independent on Thursday, 3 April, whether he could rule out further benefit cuts to fill any hole in the public finances left by Mr Trump’s trade war, the PM said the Budget was a long way away. More

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      Conservatives should stand aside and let Reform win Runcorn by-election, says senior Tory MP

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      The Conservative Party should let Reform UK win the Runcorn by-election next month as part of an “electoral pact” between the two parties, a senior Tory MP has said. As the Conservatives continue to lag behind in the polls, former Cabinet minister Esther McVey appeared to defy party leader Kemi Badenoch and advocate an alliance with Nigel Farage’s party. It comes just weeks ahead of the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, which will see both Reform and the Conservatives attempt to overturn Labour’s 15,000 vote majority in the safe seat. The area has been held by Labour for more than 40 years. Ms McVey said the by-election was a chance for the Tories to let Reform pick up a victory, with the expectation they would then allow the Tories to do the same elsewhere. Conservative former minister Esther McVey has suggested her party should stand aside at the Runcorn byelection (Jacob King/PA) More