UK Politics

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster email The politician favored to become Britain’s next prime minister accused the governing Conservatives on Thursday of leading the country into decline and despair during their 14 years in power, and urged Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to “bring it on” and hold an early election.Sunak, whose party is trailing in opinion polls, resisted pressure for an early vote, saying he planned to wait until “the second half of this year.”Kicking off a year likely to be dominated by electioneering, Labour Party leader Keir Starmer urged voters to reject a “tide of cynicism” about politicians. He said a Labour government would deliver “Project Hope,” though he ruled out major tax cuts or spending rises soon after an election.Starmer is aiming to return his left-of-center party, out of office since 2010, back to power in an election that must be held by January 2025.Opinion polls consistently give Labour a double-digit lead over Sunak’s Conservatives, who have churned through three prime ministers in 18 months amid a stuttering economy and a drumbeat of ethics scandals. But Starmer is trying to warn his party against complacency and to rouse disillusioned voters from apathy.“Everyone agrees we’re in a huge mess,” Starmer said during a speech in the southwest England city of Bristol. “Services on their knees, an economy that doesn’t work for working people even when it grows, let alone now when it stagnates.”He said that while most agreed “that Britain needs change … trust in politics is now so low, so degraded, that nobody believes you can make a difference anymore.”“Don’t listen when they say we’re all the same. We’re not and we never will be,” he added, saying voters had a choice between “continued decline with the Tories or national renewal with Labour.”With inflation still high and the economy showing close to zero growth, Labour is being cautious about making financial promises. Starmer said Labour would aim to lower taxes, but that getting the economy growing was the top priority.“The first lever that we want to pull, the first place we will go, is growth in our economy because that’s what’s been missing for 14 years,” he said.Starmer also said Labour’s promise to invest 28 billion pounds ($36 billion) a year until 2030 in green projects would depend on the state of the public finances.Starmer has wrestled Labour back to the political center ground after taking over in 2020 from left-winger Jeremy Corbyn, who led the party to defeats in 2017 and 2019. He has dropped Corbyn’s opposition to Britain’s nuclear weapons, backed military aid to Ukraine, apologized for antisemitism within the party under Corbyn and stressed the party’s commitment to balancing the books.The 61-year-old politician embraced a resume that opponents have used against him: a onetime human rights lawyer and former head of the national prosecution service. He said those roles meant he understood “the responsibility of justice and public service and … the responsibility of serious government.”He urged Sunak to fire the starting gun on an election campaign. Senior Labour officials have talked up the prospect of a May election — in part to put pressure on the prime minister.But Sunak, who became prime minister through an internal Conservative leadership contest in October 2022, indicated he is in no rush to seek voters’ judgment. He has the power to call an election whenever he wants ahead of the deadline.He said his “working assumption” was that the vote would be held in the second half of 2024. “I want to keep going, managing the economy well and cutting people’s taxes. But I also want to keep tackling illegal migration,” Sunak told reporters. “So, I’ve got lots to get on with and I’m determined to keep delivering for the British people.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSenior Conservative Lee Anderson has clashed Richard Tice after dubbing the Reform UK party leader a “pound shop Nigel Farage”.The deputy Tory chairman told Mr Tice to “pipe down” in his attacks on the government, as the right-wing rivals squabble at the start of a general election year.Mr Anderson has previously branded Reform UK “amateurs”, after claiming he was offered a “guaranteed” job for five years on £80,000 salary to defect to the party.The senior Tory renewed his spat with the insurgent party, as speculation mounts that Mr Farage could return to take up a top role for Reform UK in the election campaign.“I get on with Richard reasonably well, but I would say this – he’s not Nigel Farage, he’s not the leader that Nigel Farage was,” Mr Anderson told GB News.“In fact, I agree with one of my constituents, who said to me earlier today he is a bit of a pound shop Nigel Farage,” he said.The Tory deputy chairman added: “I think he’s a pound shop Nigel Farage and every time he opens his mouth recently on whichever media platform, he is coming across as Reform’s answer to Diane Abbott. He’s just saying ridiculous things.”Richard Tice outlining Reform UK’s plans to ‘Save Britain’ “I think he needs to pipe down a little bit,” Mr Anderon added. “Because if the unthinkable happens and next year, we do get a Labour government and Richard Tice is on his media platforms, saying what a disaster ‘Starmergeddon’ and … the Labour party are, I shall be reminding Mr Tice it was him that helped them get elected.”Mr Tice – who warned in a speech on Wednesday that Labour would bring on “Starmergeddon” – fired back at Mr Anderson on LBC radio on Thursday.The Reform UK leader said: “Lee, who I like and is a nice guy, is terrified that he’s going to lose his seat.”“And perhaps he’s just a bit jealous that I’m pound shop, and he’s 30p Lee,” Mr Tice added.The reference is to “30p Lee” nickname given to Mr Anderson by anti-government campaigners for his comments dismissing food bank use and claim that meals could be cooked from scratch “for about 30 pence a day”.Lee Anderson has revived spat with Richard Tice The Reform UK leader “categorically” ruled out any deal with the Tories at the 2024 general election during a launch speech for the long campaign on Wednesday.Mr Tice insisted Reform would not do a deal with the Conservatives under any circumstances. And he claimed Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir were “socialist twins”.In 2019, the group – called the Brexit Party at the time – stood down hundreds of candidates to help Boris Johnson secure a majority.He gave his strongest hint that his predecessor Mr Farage will take on a frontline role in the election campaign – though the latter was notably absent from the launch, suggesting it is unlikely he will make an eighth bid to become an MP.Luke Tryl, director at More in Common, said Reform could see the Tories lose more than 30 additional seats – including chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s South West Surrey constituencyThe pollster told The Independent: “Reform could well be the difference between a hung parliament and a Labour majority.”Earlier this week Mr Anderson admitted Mr Farage’s party is a major threat on the right – lashing out at the rivals being a “bigger threat to the country at the moment than the Labour Party”.Mr Anderson – handed a key role by Mr Sunak earlier this year – revealed in November that he was offered a five-year job with Reform UK on an £80,000 salary if he defected to the party.The deputy chairman denied accusations by Mr Tice that he had used the offer as leverage to get the senior role in the Tory party.Mr Tice denied that any “cash or money” has been offered to Tory MPs to join – but said he has held “numerous discussions” with Tories worried about Mr Sunak. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailAn exam board is offering pupils the chance to be assessed digitally in their GCSE English exams from next year.Pearson, which runs exam board Edexcel, is aiming for GCSE students to be able to sit on-screen exams in the core subject by summer 2025, if they choose to do so.Up to 125,000 students in the UK will have the option to take Edexcel’s GCSE English language and English literature exams on-screen for the first time.The exam board’s on-screen GCSEs in English – which would be assessed in summer next year – are subject to regulatory approval by Ofqual.Pearson Edexcel hopes to be able to offer an on-screen option for all GCSEs by 2030 to increase accessibility for students, as well as other benefits.This is a pivotal moment for on-screen assessment in the UKSharon Hague, managing director for Pearson SchoolsThe exam board said it has seen more students using word processing for their responses to GCSE exam questions, as part of access arrangements.Sharon Hague, managing director for Pearson Schools, said: “This is a pivotal moment for on-screen assessment in the UK. For the first time, in summer 2025, students will be able to sit an exam in a core subject fully on-screen if they choose to do so.“We’ve heard loud and clear from students and teachers that they want a choice in how they take exams. That is why we’ll offer both on-screen and paper-based exam options.”Students who take Pearson Edexcel’s GCSE in computer science are already assessed partially on-screen and the exam board has begun rolling out digital assessments for its international GCSEs.This will be the first time that the main English GCSEs will be offered on-screen.Ms Hague added: “On-screen is a better experience for students who need accessibility adjustments. Students can zoom in to increase font size and choose colour filters on-screen during exams, something their schools or college would otherwise need to request in advance of their exams.“On-screen brings benefits for all students too. They can highlight and annotate information, cut and paste text and make easy edits to their answers. It’s what many students are used to doing when they work at home and in the classroom, and it’s undoubtedly how they will work in their careers too.”The move towards online assessment is positive and overdue, but does not come without challengesGeoff Barton, general secretary of ASCLSchools will still have the option to offer paper-based exams, as well as on-screen assessments, under the exam board’s plans.It comes as a number of the UK’s major exam boards have taken steps towards digital assessment.Last month, exam board OCR announced it would offer a digitally-assessed GCSE in computer science for pupils starting their course in 2025.Meanwhile, exam board AQA is aiming to roll out on-screen exams over a period of years and it hopes that students will sit at least one major subject digitally by 2030.The reading and listening components of GCSE Italian and Polish would be the first to move to digital exams in 2026, according to the proposals by AQA.Geoff Barton, general secretary of the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL), said: “It is encouraging that exam boards are continuing to explore new forms of digital assessment.“It’s clear that an examination system that relies purely on pen-and-paper testing is outdated and we know that many students and their teachers will welcome the opportunity to provide typed answers.“As well as being more accessible for some students, digital exam papers should prove simpler to mark, easier to transport and hopefully less expensive to administer.”He added: “The move towards online assessment is positive and overdue, but does not come without challenges – including the ongoing disadvantage gap between those who may have more access to technology at home and therefore more familiarity with its demands.“It’s vital that schools are clearly guided through this process and have the necessary resources to put in place the digital infrastructure they need to deliver online exams going forward.”Steve Rollett, deputy chief executive at the Confederation of School Trusts (CST), said “On-screen assessment appears to have the potential to support students, especially those with particular needs, who might struggle to access traditional paper exams.“We hope this development will support children while retaining the overall integrity of the exam system.”An Ofqual spokesperson said: “Ofqual is committed to supporting well-evidenced innovation in how examinations are taken. Above all, it is critical that examinations are both accessible and fair to all students taking them.“We will evaluate in detail Pearson’s proposals when they are submitted for review. Our priority will be making sure their approach is fair to all students, whether they take their GCSE on screen or continue to do so on paper.”A Department for Education (DfE) spokesperson said: “The Department and Ofqual are taking time to understand the opportunities and implications of digital assessment to inform any decisions about the future of on-screen assessments.“As the independent regulator of qualifications in England, Ofqual requires that any GCSE or A-level moving on-screen will be subject to regulatory approval.” More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailKeir Starmer will pledge to bring hope to an “exhausted” Britain as he seeks to draw dividing lines with Rishi Sunak – and his party’s own Jeremy Corbyn era – ahead of the general election.In a speech likely to be viewed as firing the starting gun on Labour’s long campaign, he will say his is no longer a party of “gestures politics” and accuse the prime minister of “pointless populist” gimmicks. Amid warnings disgruntled voters could sit on their hands this time around, the Labour leader will describe the UK as a nation “exhausted” by “the sex scandals, the expenses scandals, the waste scandals, the contracts for friends”.But he will pledge to change Britain, adding: “Whether you’re thinking of voting Labour for the first time, whether you always vote Labour, or whether you have no intention of voting Labour whatsoever: my party will serve you.“That’s who we are now, a changed Labour Party. No longer in thrall to gesture politics, no longer a party of protest, but a party of service.”Sir Keir will set out his stall on a visit to the west of England at the same time as the Tory leader gives a rival new year stump speech in the East Midlands. It comes as opposition parties increasingly put pressure on Mr Sunak to call a spring election. With the Tories trailing Labour in the polls, the prime minister will hope to narrow the gap before deciding to call a vote. But Tory MPs are increasingly downbeat after a series of announcements towards the end of last year failed to change the dial. In his pitch to voters, Sir Keir will say he understands why people have turned against politicians, following scandals like Partygate and a ramping up of political attacks between the parties. The Labour leader will hit out at Mr Sunak’s attempt last year to pitch himself as the “change candidate” in the election, despite 13 years of Tory rule. Keir Starmer: ‘crackdown on cronyism’ “They can’t change Britain, so they try to undermine the possibility of change itself,” he will say, as he urged voters to reject the “pointless populist gestures and the low-road cynicism that the Tories believe is all you deserve”.He will promise to “clean up politics” of sleaze, adding: “No more VIP fast lanes, no more kickbacks for colleagues, no more revolving doors between government and the companies they regulate.“I will restore standards in public life with a total crackdown on cronyism: this ends now.”The opposition leader will also pursue jail sentences of more than a decade for those who defraud the government, saying he helped send Labour and Tory “expense cheat politicians” to jail in the wake of the 2009 expenses scandal while he was the director of public prosecutions.Assuring voters he offers a fresh start as the Conservatives step up their attempts to link him to Mr Corbyn, he will tell the public that “the opportunity to shape our country’s future rests in your hands”.He will also attack former Tory prime ministers Boris Johnson and David Cameron, saying politics is not a “hobby” for people who “enjoy the feeling of power”. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailA former government minister has revealed she came close to smothering her husband with a pillow as he died an agonising death from cancer. Dame Joan Ruddock said that she had gone so far as to get “the pillow ready” and anticipated a “struggle”. She is now appealing for assisted dying to be made legal.The former head of CND also set out how she cursed herself for not using his liquid morphine while he was still able to swallow it. She called for a vote on the issue, urging MPs not to stand in the way of something backed by 80 per cent of the population. Childline founder Dame Esther Rantzen, who has stage four lung cancer, sparked a fresh debate on assisted dying last month, revealing she had joined the Dignitas clinic in Switzerland.Dame Joan said that towards the end of her husband’s life she resolved that “my only option was a pillow over his head”.Frank Doran, himself a former MP, had been suffering from terminal colon cancer and she watched him suffer in extreme pain as he neared the end of his life. On his final night, she said: “I resolved that if a doctor did not come before 1am, I would end Frank’s life.“I cursed myself for not using the liquid morphine when Frank could still swallow. Now my only option was a pillow over his head.“I feared he might struggle but I got the pillow ready.“Just after midnight a doctor arrived. He said there was no need as Frank was sleeping peacefully.“I told him once the drug wore off the groaning would start again and I couldn’t allow his suffering to continue. He reluctantly gave [an] injection. Frank died seven hours later.”Dame Joan and Mr Doran both retired as MPs in 2015. Before he died aged 68 in October 2017 the pair endured a year of him living with cancer. She made her submission to the Commons health and social care select committee, which is investigating the issue of assisted dying. She said: “We had always spoken openly about death and promised each other help with the dying process should it be needed. It was a very happy marriage.“I loved him deeply and was determined to support him and didn’t leave his side during the gruelling hours of chemotherapy at our local hospital.”Joan Ruddock is second from right next to Harriet Harman, along with other Labour MPs Tessa Jowell, Barbara Roche and Clare Short in 1997She eventually became his carer and said he had “begged” her to ensure he died at home. “Some days later I heard a desperate cry,” Dame Joan recalled. “Frank was in the bathroom where I saw the toilet, the floor and his lower body covered in excrement.“It was a pitiful sight, and he was absolutely mortified. He said simply ‘I can’t go on living like this’.”Dame Joan said: “There should be a vote in the Commons and it should be a free vote. Around 80 per cent of people support assisted dying. MPs should take note of that. That is what the country wants and they should do what the country wants.” She added: “I think there will be a vote in the Commons before Keir becomes PM. But if there is not one before the general election then certainly I would urge Keir Starmer to allow … a free vote on the issue.”Esther Rantzen has called on MPs to think of their loved ones and the peaceful end they would wish for them as she accused politicians of avoiding a debate on assisted dying because it will not get them votes In her submission, she told MPs: “In Frank’s case the treatment was not sufficient to remove physical suffering and no care could remove the anguish of the mental and emotional suffering. “I do not believe we need to accept suffering when a condition cannot be treated, and death is inevitable. A person of sound mind should be able to ask to end their life in these circumstances.“In our case we would probably have asked for release one month before Frank actually died. This would have enabled us to part lovingly and peacefully, conscious that we were together.“By not having this choice we both suffered, and we used up a huge amount of NHS resource that could have been better deployed elsewhere.” More