UK Politics

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentLabour will use its upcoming annual conference to condemn the legacy of 14 years of Conservative rule.Senior figures including chancellor Rachel Reeves are expected to criticise the Tory party’s record on managing the country over its time in power.It is understood that Labour’s “inheritance” will be one of the big themes of the event, being held in Liverpool at the end of this month.The four-day event comes just weeks before Ms Reeves delivers the first ever Budget from a female chancellor.Sir Keir Starmer has already warned the country will be hit with a “very painful Budget”, as his new Labour administration tries to “fix the rot” left by the Tories.Rachel Reeves is expected to highlight the legacy left by the Conservative government at the Labour conference More

Wes Streeting apologised to his constituents for “going into work to vote for something that will take money away from you” but defended Labour’s plan to limit the winter fuel allowance.”It’s also important to say to people why, when you’re taking something away, why that choice is necessary,” the health secretary told Sir Trevor Phillips on Sunday, 8 September.It comes as Sir Keir Starmer continues his defence of the cut and faces a rebellion from backbenchers this week in a vote on his decision to withdraw the payment from millions of pensioners. More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentSir Keir Starmer has insisted the US backed Britain’s decision to suspend some arms sales to Israel, after reports the move had angered Britain’s closest ally.The prime minister said Washington “understands the decision we have taken” and was told about the move in advance.He was quizzed about Britain’s decision to suspend around 30 of its 350 arms export licences to Israel after a review found there is a “clear risk” that they could be used to breach international humanitarian law.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer insisted there was no rift with the US over arms exports to Israel More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentSir Keir Starmer has said that he will “have to be unpopular” to restore the public finances from the dire inheritance left by the Conservatives.Accusing his predecessors of “running away from difficult decisions”, the prime minister said Labour can only deliver change if he makes “tough choices” now.Sir Keir is facing a rebellion from backbenchers this week in a vote on his decision to withdraw the winter fuel payment from millions of pensioners. As many as 30 Labour MPs have signalled that they will vote against the measure or abstain, setting up the second major rebellion of his time as prime minister.He refused to say whether Labour MPs who vote against the government will lose the whip, claiming it is a “matter for the chief whip”. But seven Labour MPs were suspended for months after voting against the government on a motion to scrap the two-child benefit cap imposed by the Conservatives.The move to means test the winter fuel payment, worth up to £300, will affect around 10 million pensioners, with warnings some could end up in hospital as a result of the change.In his first sit-down interview since taking over as prime minister, Sir Keir told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “I am absolutely convinced we will only deliver that change, I am absolutely determined we will, if we do the difficult things now.The Prime Minister will also criticise reforms made to the NHS by previous Conservative governments (PA) More

Sir Keir Starmer said Laura Kuenssberg was “wrong” to suggest that the UK is unpopular with the US over its decision to suspend some arms exports to Israel.Around 30 out of a total of approximately 350 licences have been suspended because of concerns they could be used in violations of international humanitarian law in the Israel-Hamas conflict.The prime minister has claimed Britain’s allies “understand” its move, arguing that it was a “legal not a policy decision.”Speaking to the BBC presenter on Sunday, 8 September, Sir Keir said the US is “very clear” it has a different legal system and it “understands the decision that we’ve taken”. More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentTory leadership hopeful James Cleverly has revealed that he hopes to be the Ronald Reagan of his party and encourage people to vote for them “with a spring in their step”.While many of his rivals aspire to be “the new Margaret Thatcher”, who led the party to three election victories and transformed the UK in a decade in power in the 1980s, Mr Cleverly said he was looking for a more “optimistic” role model.The shadow home secretary was answering 12 questions for a video to help Tory members get to know him better and was asked which politician he would want to model himself on.Ronald Reagan is Mr Cleverly’s chief inspiration although he admired Thatcher too More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentThe question “do Tory MPs fix leadership votes with dirty tricks?” is usually on a par with “is the Pope a Catholic?” or “do bears s*** in the woods?”. It is obvious and it happens every time even if it takes place in secret.So it is of no surprise to anybody that allegations are already being expressed that vote fixing took place in the first round of the current Tory leadership competition.The suspicions surround former work and pensions secretary Mel Stride who, while seen as a decent chap, is not seen as a serious candidate to replace Rishi Sunak.Somehow, he managed to get enough Tory MPs to put him on the original ballot and then he got 16 votes, one more than Priti Patel in the first round – meaning the former home secretary was the one who was eliminated. This was achieved even though Mr Stride has not even had an official leadership campaign launch yet.Mr Stride now has one of the other early favourites in his sights, former security minister Tom Tugendhat, who only managed to get one more vote, with 17 in the first round.Robert Jenrick speaking at a Conservative Party leadership campaign event (PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseAs your White House correspondent, I ask the tough questions and seek the answers that matter.Your support enables me to be in the room, pressing for transparency and accountability. Without your contributions, we wouldn’t have the resources to challenge those in power.Your donation makes it possible for us to keep doing this important work, keeping you informed every step of the way to the November electionAndrew FeinbergWhite House CorrespondentSir Keir Starmer has accused the Conservatives of breaking the NHS in a way that is “unforgivable” as the government prepares to publish a damning report on the state of the health service.The prime minister said the Tories began draining money from the NHS after coming to power in 2010 and pursued a series of “hopelessly misconceived” reforms.With a “warts and all” review by former health minister and surgeon Ara Darzi set to report on Thursday, Sir Keir said it will show the NHS has been left in an “awful position” by the last government.In his first major TV interview since becoming prime minister, he told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg:“Everybody watching this who has used the NHS, or whose relatives have, know that it’s broken, they know that it’s broken, that is unforgivable, the state of our NHS.”Keir Starmer accused the last government of leaving the NHS in an ‘unforgivable’ state More