UK Politics

Rachel Reeves should spend any extra money in the Budget on investment — such as on major rail schemes — to help drive economic growth rather than funding policy U-turns, a former adviser has said. As the chancellor scrabbles to find billions for a potential hat-trick of benefit U-turns, Jim O’Neill, a former Treasury minister who quit the Conservatives and later advised Ms Reeves, told The Independent that moves to fund policy reversals were driven “by the politics” of the situation. “I would like to see any money available in (next month’s) spending review or Budget to be spent on positive multiplier investments,” he said. These are projects that generate multiple pounds for the economy for every £1 spent. These would include the Northern Powerhouse Rail scheme, Lord O’Neill said. It is designed to link major cities in the North, following warnings it takes longer to travel between them than it does to get to Paris. Pressure is mounting on the Chancellor over the impact of Labour’s recent tax hike on the cost of living (PA) More

A former cabinet minister has called for drug companies to get easier access to NHS data. Greg Clark, who was the business secretary under Theresa May, has backed a report that says it would save lives and give the country’s finances a multi-billion-pound boost. It calls for firms to be able to see anonymised raw details – which would not reveal patients’ private information. But the call will prove controversial, amid warnings that the data could fall into the wrong hands.Mr Clark said the UK “cannot hope to compete on the international stage without… the right policies”.Pharmaceutical firms claim the NHS data could allow them to offer new types of treatments (Jeff Moore/PA) More

Donald Trump has revived his explosive free speech row with Keir Starmer, with a decision to “monitor” the case of Lucy Connolly, the woman jailed for an online rant about migrants on the day of the Southport attacks.The US State Department said it was “concerned about infringements on freedom of expression”. It is examining the treatment of 42-year-old Connolly, the wife of a former Conservative councillor, who was sentenced to 31 months after she made the post on X in the hours after three girls were stabbed and killed at a Taylor Swift-themed dance class.US President Donald Trump has revived his row with Sir Keir Starmer (Carl Court/PA) More

Lawmakers have been issued a stark warning over plans to extend police powers to NHS staff allowing them to detain mental health patients, with a group of major health organisations expressing “grave concerns” over the proposed changes. The Royal College of Psychiatrists, the Association of Ambulance Chief Executives, the Royal College of Nursing and Association of Directors of Adult Social Services are among those saying proposed changes to the Mental Health Bill will cause “significant harm with dangerous consequences.”In March, the government suffered several defeats in the Lords as peers debated ways to modernise mental health legislation.Conservative shadow health minister Lord Kamall proposed a change to the Mental Health Bill so that nurses, doctors and other staff could carry out detentions of patients without the need for police officers to attend incidents.It comes after the NHS unveiled plans to open more mental health crisis centres across England in a bid to keep those patients out of crowded A&Es More

Sir Keir Starmer has been warned that announcing U-turns on controversial policies may not be enough to turn around his dwindling approval ratings or win back lost voters.Polling experts say last week’s climbdown on winter fuel payment cuts – as well as a potential reversal on the Tories’ two-child benefit cap – run the risk of making him look “insecure” and could trigger yet more talk of a leadership challenge. The warning comes as the prime minister scrambles to win over voters who have turned their back on Labour since the party’s historic general election victory 10 months ago. The PM is also facing a rebellion from his own MPs over controversial welfare cuts and a growing unease over the direction of the party. Polling guru Sir John Curtice warned that any policy reversals – even if deemed popular by MPs and the public – may not be enough to assuage concerns over his leadership, adding that “doubts have crept in” for Labour MPs over whether Sir Keir is the right person to lead the party to victory in 2029. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is facing questions over his leadership More

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer signalled a partial U-turn on restricting winter fuel payments earlier this week (Thomas Krych/PA) More

Angela Rayner has shut down growing rumours that she is seeking to challenge Sir Keir Starmer for the leadership of the Labour Party, saying she doesn’t want to lead the party. Sir Keir’s deputy categorically ruled out holding the position at any point in the future, despite a growing belief within Labour that she would be the most likely successor as the prime minister battles plummeting approval ratings following brutal results at the local elections. It comes after The Independent revealed that a large number of MPs from the so-called “soft left” of the party are organising to try to force a change of direction, with allies of Ms Rayner urging her to organise a leadership contest.Angela Rayner has ruled out becoming leader of the Labour Party More

On Wednesday, Sir Keir Starmer took everyone by surprise when he suddenly announced a U-turn on Labour’s controversial winter fuel payment cuts. The response to what appeared to be a planted question from a loyal backbencher during Prime Minister’s Questions certainly wrong-footed Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and meant that Labour MPs left the chamber with smiles on their faces.But the shock move came as Sir Keir was having to act to shore up power with MPs, senior party figures and trade unionists who have been openly plotting to remove him.After a turbulent 10 months, the prime minister’s migration announcement earlier this month, where he laid out plans to clamp down on the number of people coming into the UK, was seen as a “watershed moment” for the party – not least because it had echoes of the late right-wing Tory MP Enoch Powell’s infamous “Rivers of Blood” speech.Now, a large number of MPs from the so-called “soft left” of the party are organising to try to force a change of direction, with allies of deputy prime minister Angela Rayner urging her to organise a leadership contest. Keir Starmer signals a partial U-turn on restricting winter fuel payments earlier this week More