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Sir Keir Starmer kicked off his UK-wide tour with a speech from Edinburgh alongside Scottish Labour Anas Sarwar.
The new prime minister vowed to govern all four nations with a “mandate for change” and to deliver for the people of Scotland, where he secured 37 Labour MPs.
He met First Minister John Swinney in an effort to “turn disagreement into cooperation” with the SNP.
After the Tories suffered a historic election defeat, Suella Braverman said Reform UK could kill off the Conservatives. Nigel Farage’s party won five seats in parliament.
The former home secretary claimed the Tories are experiencing an “existential crisis with Reform” and blamed Rishi Sunak’s “idiotic strategy” for their worst-ever defeat in the general election.
On the third day of a Labour government, Labour cabinet minister Jonathan Reynolds ruled out introducing digital ID cards after Tony Blair called for their use to help control migration.
The business secretary initially said the government would be “looking at all sorts of things” and that he did not want to pre-empt the plan, but in a later interview he ruled it out.
Key Points
- Starmer vows to govern four nations with 'mandate for change’
- Braverman admits Farage’s Reform could kill off the Conservatives
- Minister rejects Blair’s ID card plan after refusing to rule it out
- Foreign secretary: Britain must be ‘good neighbour’ to EU
- Removal vans spotted outside Downing Street
- Robert Jenrick declines to say if he is running for Tory leader
Comment: Welcome to a Labour government – it’s time to fix the Brexit mess
Now that Keir Starmer and his party have finally achieved power, it’s time to stop being scared of sounding ‘too left wing’ and start working on making a real difference, writes Femi Oluwole.
Failing to do so could be catastrophic – and could hand Nigel Farage the keys to No 10...
Welcome to a Labour government – it’s time to fix the Brexit mess
Now that Keir Starmer and his party have finally achieved power, it’s time to stop being scared of sounding ‘too left wing’ and start working on making a real difference, writes Femi Oluwole. Failing to do so could be catastrophic – and could hand Nigel Farage the keys to No 10...
Salma Ouaguira7 July 2024 20:00 1720377640
Zahawi admits result ‘pretty catastrophic’ for Tories
Nadhim Zahawi has labelled the general election results “pretty catastrophic”, adding: “To go from 365 MPs down to 121 is pretty shocking.”
Despite a bruising election night, the former chancellor said there is still time to “regroup”. He added: “I think if you look at the MPs that remain today we have got some serious talent in the Conservative Party that are still in parliament.
“I am hopeful that they will come together because, for too many years, for far too long, we formed a circular firing squad - and that is what the electorate saw. And they reacted quite rightly by throwing us out of power.”
EU willing to offer Keir Starmer new deal on Brexit, Irish PM says
The European Union is willing to offer Sir Keir Starmer a new deal on post-Brexit issues, the Irish prime minister has indicated.
Simon Harris said there was “space” to work more closely with the UK, and Ireland would be an ally in any negotiations.
His comments were welcomed by the new business secretary Jonathan Reynolds, who said the UK should explore ways to improve trade relations with the bloc. But he ruled out any return to freedom of movement.
“Removing some of those barriers to trade makes sense,” he told the Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips programme on Sky News, adding: “We’ve talked about recognising each others’ professional qualifications, again completely sensible, pragmatic.“If you are in the creative industries you’ve really suffered in your ability to move around the EU. These are practical things.”
Our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin has the full story:
EU willing to offer Keir Starmer new deal on Brexit, Irish PM says
New business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said ‘of course’ ministers should explore opportunity to sell more to the EU but again ruled out a return to freedom of movement
Salma Ouaguira7 July 2024 19:20 1720375232Once Britain was the laughing stock of Europe, derided as a ‘clown country’ – not any more
As Keir Starmer settles into No 10, just across the Channel, France faces turmoil at the polls and the EU is grappling with multiple far-right gains. John Kampfner asks why Britain is always the outlier of Europe.
How the UK went from being derided the ‘clown country’ of Europe to a model of calm
As Keir Starmer settles into No 10, just across the Channel, France faces turmoil at the polls and the EU is grappling with multiple far-right gains. John Kampfner asks why Britain is always the outlier of Europe
Salma Ouaguira7 July 2024 19:00 1720374040
Will Starmer work with Marine Le Pen if far-right NR wins French elections?
As the second round of the crucial French elections kicks off, Jordan Bardella’s National Rally could be on track to become UK’s new neighbour.
During the general election campaign in June, Sir Keir Starmer said he would be willing to work with Marine Le Pen if the National Rally wins the French elections.
And after a successful first round of voting, it seems the newly elected prime minister could have to deal with the new far-right governmnet next door.
Sir Keir said at the time: “I will work with any government in Europe and across the world if we are elected in to serve the country. For me, that’s what serious government is about.”
You can follow the latest updates on the second round of the French election here
Watch: Starmer vows to govern Scotland with mandate for change
All the Labour cabinet members who aren’t MPs
Sir Keir Starmer has appointed the key figures in his new cabinet following the Labour Party’s landslide victory on Friday.
He has appointed 22 Labour MPs and peers to key cabinet positions – including a record 11 women. This includes senior ministers from Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s New Labour governments, in an attempt to bring in outside expertise for his ministerial ranks.
The new cabinet also includes some unexpected appointments, including some who have been given peerages to allow them to sit in the House of Lords and attend cabinet.
But who exactly are these new cabinet ministers who are not MPs?
All the Labour cabinet members who aren’t MPs from Patrick Vallance to James Timpson
The cabinet includes senior ministers from the Tony Blair era, and those given peerages to sit in the House of Lords
Salma Ouaguira7 July 2024 18:20 1720372244Home secretary launches new border security squad after scrapping Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda plan
The home secretary has launched a new border security command after Labour scrapped Rishi Sunak’s controversial Rwanda policy.
Yvette Cooper has also ordered a probe into the latest routes and tactics used by people smugglers as her party comes under pressure to deliver on its pledge to “smash the gangs”.
Early legislation is being prepared to introduce use new counter-terror style powers against those who bring tens of thousands of people to the UK in small boats every year.
But the new body is still currently without a boss as a recruitment drive gets underway.
Our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin reports:
Home secretary launches new border security squad after scrapping Sunak’s Rwanda plan
Yvette Cooper said the new body, set to include MI5, would tackle the root cause of the small boats crisis ‘going after these dangerous criminals and bringing them to justice’
Andy Gregory7 July 2024 18:10 1720371640Victoria Atkins not ruling out standing for Tory leadership
Former health secretary Victoria Atkins has not ruled out standing in the Tory leadership race but said it was not yet time for candidates to launch their campaigns.
She told BBC One’s Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg: “This weekend is not about leadership.”
She added: “The absolute focus at the moment, and the reason I came on today, was genuinely not to talk about leadership because this is not the moment for this.
“We need to show the public that we understand they have sent us some very, very loud messages, that we are listening, that we are reflecting and then we as a party need to get together and unite and work out what we want for the future.”
Starmer bringing Blairites a ‘sign of strength’
The business secretary is asked why the prime minister has appointed Tony Blair’s veteran ministers rather than people from his 411 MPs to fill cabinet roles.
Mr Raynolds said: “I think it’s really important to say there are results in the past that are similar to this. I don’t think you can say a system is unfair just as one side wins it.
“When you’ve got a system, you run your campaign to win under that system. You can’t then look at it through a different lens. We have had elections in the past where Labour has had extraordinary majorities in a small number of places - that’s not good enough.”
It comes as Keir Starmer granted Jacqui Smith a life peerage to re-enter government as a minister at the education department, a post she held under Tony Blair.
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