UK Politics

Ministers have been warned the childcare sector is at risk of “collapse” after a boom in demand for free care left a major government scheme in financial peril. A plan to expand free childcare for British families is set to cost the government an extra £1bn per year at a time when ministers are grappling to fill the gaping black hole in public finances.Labour has not spelled out how the funding gap will be filled, but experts predict the shortfall will create “substantial pressure” on the government and could put the entire childcare sector under threat. In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Bridget Phillipson insisted the unexpectedly high take-up – a quarter higher than predicted – was a “good problem to have” and would not leave children without places. But the education secretary could not guarantee that parents would get a space at their local nursery in September, when the scheme expands to offer eligible children aged nine months and older 30 hours a week of free childcare. Industry leaders said parents would be left “disappointed” while nurseries warned a lack of staff meant they were already struggling to deliver the government’s pledge.Labour has not spelled out how the funding gap will be filled, but experts predict the shortfall will create ‘substantial pressure’ on the government More

Labour must shut down all asylum hotels “a lot quicker” than its current plan to put a stop to them by the end of the current parliament in 2029, the chairman of the party’s red wall group of MPs has said. Jo White, the MP for Bassetlaw, who leads a caucus of around 40 MPs in the party’s traditional heartlands, said Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ plan to axe the use of asylum hotels by 2029 needed to be sped up. There are currently around 32,000 asylum seekers in hotels around the UK. Anti-migrant demonstrations last week outside one of those hotels, in Epping, led to more than a dozen arrests. The hotel was thrust into the spotlight after a man living there was charged with sexual assault, harassment and inciting a girl to engage in sexual activity. The man, from Ethiopia, has denied the offences and remains on remand in custody.Ms White told The Telegraph: “There’s a commitment to close down the hotels by the end of the parliamentary term. I think we all want it to be a lot, lot quicker than that.” “There is a huge sense of unfairness because people work hard here in this country and commit to supporting the country and then there’s the sense that what asylum hotels cost is a huge drag on what should be invested into our NHS, our schools and our infrastructure.Protesters and police outside the Bell Hotel in Epping, Essex More

Sir Keir Starmer has confided that he has never played golf before, which may prove to be a problem when he holds a bilateral with Donald Trump at the US president’s Turnberry course in Scotland on Monday.The location partially explains the nervous energy around the prime minister when he discusses this last-minute arranged meeting, as Trump spends a few days relaxing at his Scottish courses.“Golf is not something you can pick up in a weekend,” a source close to the PM said, envisaging the two holding their bilateral around 18 holes on the championship course.Trump visits his in South Ayrshire club in 2023, between his two presidential terms More

Sir James Cleverly has branded Nigel Farage’s Reform UK a a “one-man band” and warned voters that the party is nowhere near ready to govern.The former foreign and home secretary, who this week returned to the shadow cabinet, complimented Mr Farage as“funny”, “interesting” and “a very good communicator”. However, Sir James said Reform UK falls short of credibility.“The challenge he’s got is that he’s the only one in his party that you can describe in those terms,” Sir James told The Times. “If you’re going to be taken seriously as a party of government, that’s nowhere near enough. As much as he’s smart and funny and talented, he’s not omnipresent.”Questioning Reform’s ability to govern, the former home secretary said: “Who are Farage’s shadow chancellor, shadow home secretary and shadow defence secretary? The fact is he hasn’t got any of them. “That’s nowhere near good enough to be taken seriously as an alternative party of government. The British people deserve better.”Sir James complimented Mr Farage as ‘funny’, ‘interesting’ and ‘a very, very good communicator’ More

Donald Trump called UK prime minister Sir Keir Starmer a “good man”, as he landed in Scotland where he will spend the weekend golfing at his two luxury resorts as part of a four-day visit.The US president was greeted by thousands of people hoping to catch a glimpse of him as he landed at Glasgow Prestwick airport in Ayrshire just before 8.30pm. Mr Trumpwas met by Scottish secretary Ian Murray as he walked off Air Force One at Prestwick.The pair could be seen shaking hands at the bottom of the aircraft stairs before Mr Trump walked across to a group of journalists to answer questions before leaving in his armoured car known as The Beast.Speaking to reporters at Prestwick airport, Mr Trump described Sir Keir as “a good man” and confirmed they will be meeting later.US president Donald Trump lands in Scotland on Friday evening More

Britain, France and Germany have demanded Israel “immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid” into Gaza to ease the hunger crisis.”The humanitarian catastrophe that we are witnessing in Gaza must end now,” Sir Keir said in a joint statement with German chancellor Friedrich Merz and French president Emmanuel Macron. A malnourished child in Gaza More

Peter Mandelson reportedly called Jeffrey Epstein “my best pal” in a book of messages collated for the notorious paedophile’s 50th birthday in 2003.Britain’s ambassador to Washington was reportedly included in a section titled “friends”, alongside Donald Trump and former US president Bill Clinton. A letter from Lord Mandelson included photographs of whisky and a tropical island, and called Epstein “my best pal”, according to the Wall Street Journal (WSJ).The leather-bound album was put together before Epstein was first arrested in 2006. A spokesperson for Lord Mandelson declined to comment. Two years ago, Lord Mandelson said he “very much regrets ever having been introduced to Epstein”.Earlier this year, he reacted with a foul-mouthed rant when pressed about his friendship with the disgraced financier.Peter Mandelson says he regrets ever being introduced to Jeffrey Epstein More