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 CorrespondentRachel Reeves has promised that there will be “no return to austerity” at the Labour conference in Brighton, responding to critics who have compared her to previous Conservative governments.Speaking at the party’s first conference in power for 14 years, Ms Reeves said: “Conservative austerity was a destructive choice for our public services – and for investment and growth too.“We must deal with the Tory legacy and that means tough decisions. But we won’t let that dim our ambition for Britain.”Last week, critics inside Labour reportedly accused the chancellor of “reheated” 2010 tactics, with one union insider telling The i that a “return to austerity” would not be welcomed.Rachel Reeves says there will be “no return to austerity” at the Labour conference, September 23, 2024 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 Labour Party conference comes at a pivotal moment, just months after its sweeping election victory in July. While this should be a time of celebration for Labour’s return to government after more than a decade, the event risks being overshadowed by sleaze allegations — ironically, the same type of scandal Sir Keir Starmer once used against the Conservatives.Around 20,000 Labour activists, journalists, lobbyists, and public figures are gathering in Liverpool for the party’s first conference in government since 2009 and first post-victory event since 2005. Despite the leadership’s cautious tone, suggesting “things can only get worse,” there will be celebrations before the party refocuses on its five core missions. Still, the key question remains: Can Labour turn around what many see as a rocky start in government?Sir Keir Starmer’s keynote speech on Tuesday will be crucial, as it’s his first post-victory address, where he’ll aim to inspire after a rocky start.Meanwhile, Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall face the tough task of selling fiscal discipline and social security reforms, messages that may not sit well with the party’s base and unions.Ultimately, the conference will be judged on whether it serves as a successful milestone for Labour’s return to power or a missed opportunity to reset after a difficult start in government.If you have a question on the Labour Party conference, submit it now here, or when I join you live at 4pm on Tuesday September 24 for the “Ask Me Anything” event.Register to submit your question in the comments box under this article. If you’re not already a member, click “sign up” in the comments section to leave your question. For a full guide on how to comment click here.Don’t worry if you can’t see your question – they may be hidden until I join the conversation to answer them. Then join us live on this page at 4pm as I tackle as many questions as I can. 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 CorrespondentWatch as defence secretary John Healey addressed the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool on Monday, 23 September, as he urged gamers to sign up to the military.Gamers and cyber experts will be fast-tracked into the country’s online defence forces to help thwart the threat posed by Vladimir Putin, Mr Healey has announced.The new “cyber track” will have different selection and basic training requirements to other branches of the armed services.Mr Healey also eased “outdated” recruitment requirements for the wider armed forces.More than 100 recruitment policies — including measures blocking some sufferers of hay fever, eczema and acne — have been scrapped or updated since Labour entered government.A new ambition has been promised to make a conditional offer to would-be recruits within 10 days and confirmation of a training start date within 30 days.Mr Healey said ahead of Monday’s speech: “As the world changes, and threats evolve, we also need to ensure our recruitment is right for the 21st century.“That’s why we will remove unnecessary barriers and fast-track bright candidates into cyber defence to help face down Putin’s online aggression.” 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 been accused of silencing the voices of pensioners by blocking a vote on the government’s decision to scrap winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.The prime minister is facing a furious backlash from unions after kicking a key vote on the plans to Wednesday – the last day of conference known as the graveyard slot. Unite, Labour’s biggest union backer, said the party was blocking debate on the cuts and descending into “austerity mark 2”.“When this becomes widely known there will be real anger among everyday people. Real Anger,” general secretary Sharon Graham added.Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are facing a backlash over plans to scrap winter fuel payments for all but the poorest 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 CorrespondentLabour’s biggest donor Lord Waheed Alli has found himself at the centre of a political row over the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by senior MPs in the party.In the first controversy to hit Sir Keir Starmer’s new government, questions have been raised over Lord Alli – the business executive who has donated some £700,000 to the party over the past two decades – being handed a Downing Street pass.In a row dubbed “passes for glasses”, it has emerged that Lord Alli had gifted the Sir Keir eyewear and work clothing worth £18,000, clothes for his wife Lady Victoria Starmer, and a £10,000 donation to the PM’s chief of staff Sue Gray’s son Liam Conlon’s campaign to become a Labour MP.Despite Sir Keir insisting parliamentary rules were followed, the PM, Rachel Reeves and Angela Raynor have now all said they will not accept any more free clothes from donors as the row threatened to overshadow the party’s annual conference.Allies of Lord Alli – aged 59 and reported to have a fortune of around £200m – describe him as a lifelong Labour backer who “does not want anything” in return for his donations.“He absolutely hates all the attention. It’s been blown completely out of proportion,” one ally told The Times, while another insider told The Guardian: “Waheed was an important part of Keir’s team during the election campaign, and so it was felt natural that he should get a [Downing Street] pass. “The thing was, Waheed didn’t really know what he was doing there, so he handed it back.”Lord Alli is reported to have a fortune of around £200m 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 CorrespondentChancellor Rachel Reeves turned the tables on the BBC’s Nick Robinson while being grilled on her free clothes, pointing out the presenter took her to the Proms in an outing paid for by the broadcaster.In an interview with the BBC, just hours before her speech to Labour’s conference in Liverpool, Ms Reeves defended the party from wider allegations of sleaze and cronyism centred on ministers’ repeated acceptance of gifts and freebies.She said she does not think hospitality gifts “brings (her) into conflict in any way” when it comes to decisions she makes at the Treasury.Rachel Reeves has been defending Labour colleagues who have been given donations 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 CorrespondentWes Streeting has joked that Sir Keir Starmer’s embattled senior aide Sue Gray had “shot JFK” and “no one should earn more than the Prime Minister” amid a row over her salary.The health secretary made light of suggestions of mounting acrimony at the heart of government as he spoke at an event on the sidelines of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool.Speaking to a crowd at the gathering hosted by think tank Labour Together, Mr Streeting: “I want to welcome the BBC’s conviction that no one should be paid more than the Prime Minister, that no one should receive hospitality, and that we should judge performance on social media mentions.“Be careful what we wish for, comrades.”Sue Gray has been the subject of repeated negative press briefings 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 CorrespondentRachel Reeves is set to announce an investigation into more than £600m worth of Covid contracts and will pledge to chase down firms who have ripped off the taxpayer.The chancellor will use her speech at the Labour conference on Monday to announce she has reversed a Conservative approach to “waive” £674m worth of disputed contracts, as her party attempts to re-establish its moral standing during an ongoing row over donations.She will confirm that a new Covid corruption commissioner will be appointed next month to claw back the money wasted on deals, saying the government will not “turn a blind eye to rip-off artists”.It comes as the Labour leadership has faced a tirade of criticism over Sir Keir Starmer and other senior ministers receiving thousands of pounds’ worth of gifts and freebies.Meanwhile, thousands of activists gathered at the conference in Liverpool, with many marching for the Palestinian people and others accusing Labour of preparing to slash public services.Chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares her Labour Party conference keynote speech in her hotel room in Liverpool More