9 h. ago Tory plan to abolish stamp duty ‘will benefit London and the wealthiest the most’ – UK politics live

The Social Market Foundation thinktank says council tax reform and a property-based tax would be more sustainable and fairerVoting in the Labour deputy leadership election opens today. Lucy Powell, the former Commons leader, is seen as the favourite and, as Jessica Elgot reports, Powell told supporters yesterday that, if she is elected, she will use the post to argue for changes in the way the government is operating. “We can’t sugarcoat the fact that things aren’t going well,” she said.Powell is no longer a government minister and, if she is elected deputy leader, she will do the job from the backbenches. In an interview on Newsnight last night, Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary standing against Powell, said a Powell victory would be “destabilising” for the party. She said:[Electing Powell] risks destabilising the party we best achieve what we need to do together when we have those fierce conversations, including disagreements, behind closed doors.Members need to understa...

Politics

12 h. ago Tories would abolish stamp duty, Badenoch tells party conference – UK politics live

Party leader says measure is a ‘bad tax’ and scrapping it would free up the housing market and improve social mobilityVoting in the Labour deputy leadership election opens today. Lucy Powell, the former Commons leader, is seen as the favourite and, as Jessica Elgot reports, Powell told supporters yesterday that, if she is elected, she will use the post to argue for changes in the way the government is operating. “We can’t sugarcoat the fact that things aren’t going well,” she said.Powell is no longer a government minister and, if she is elected deputy leader, she will do the job from the backbenches. In an interview on Newsnight last night, Bridget Phillipson, the education secretary standing against Powell, said a Powell victory would be “destabilising” for the party. She said:[Electing Powell] risks destabilising the party we best achieve what we need to do together when we have those fierce conversations, including disagreements, behind closed doors.Members need to understand tha...

Politics

31 h. ago ‘Not words that I would have used’: Stride distances himself from Jenrick’s ‘no white faces’ comments – UK politics live

Shadow chancellor distances himself from words after Robert Jenrick accused of racism in comments he made about Handsworth Asked about the Jenrick story, Badenoch again suggests Guardian reporting is reliable.Q: Jenrick was making a distinction between white faces and brown faces. Continue reading...

Politics

34 h. ago Jenrick accused of racism over ‘no white faces’ comments and his attack on judges labelled ‘serious mistake’ – UK politics live

Labour mayor of the West Midlands says Jenrick’s comments about Handsworth were racistAsked about the Jenrick story, Badenoch again suggests Guardian reporting is reliable.Q: Jenrick was making a distinction between white faces and brown faces. Continue reading...

Events

35 h. ago Jenrick accused of racism over ‘no white faces’ comments as he also claims ‘collapse of old order is in sight’ – UK politics live

Labour mayor of the West Midlands says Jenrick’s comments about Handsworth were racistAsked about the Jenrick story, Badenoch again suggests Guardian reporting is reliable.Q: Jenrick was making a distinction between white faces and brown faces. Continue reading...

Events

36 h. ago Jenrick addresses Tory conference after being accused of racism over ‘no white faces’ comments about Birmingham – UK politics live

Labour mayor of the West Midlands says Jenrick’s comments were racist because he focused on colour to make negative point about HandsworthAsked about the Jenrick story, Badenoch again suggests Guardian reporting is reliable.Q: Jenrick was making a distinction between white faces and brown faces. Continue reading...

Events

56 h. ago Term ‘disabled’ being used too widely, shadow work and pensions secretary says – UK politics live

Helen Whateley says ‘millions are sitting on the sofa at home’Mel Stride, the shadow chancellor, was doing an interview round for the Conservatives this morning, and Miatta Fahnbulleh, the faith and communities minister, was on the air on behalf of the government. They were both asked about the latest development in the flag phenomenon – the former footballer turned property developer Gary Neville saying that he took down a union flag flying at one of his building sites because he felt it was being used in a “negative fashion”.Asked if Neville (a Labour supporter) had a point, Fahnbulleh told ITV’s Good Morning Britain:I think he’s really right, that there are people who are trying to divide us at the moment I spent a lot of time going around our communities, talking to people. People are ground down. We’ve had a decade-and-a-half in which living standards haven’t budged and people have seen their communities held down. And you will get people trying to stoke division, trying to bla...

Politics

58 h. ago Tory plan to scrap green energy measures called ‘contradictory nonsense’ by environment groups – UK politics live

Shadow energy secretary’s plans dismissed as ‘dead wrong’ by environment groupsMel Stride, the shadow chancellor, was doing an interview round for the Conservatives this morning, and Miatta Fahnbulleh, the faith and communities minister, was on the air on behalf of the government. They were both asked about the latest development in the flag phenomenon – the former footballer turned property developer Gary Neville saying that he took down a union flag flying at one of his building sites because he felt it was being used in a “negative fashion”.Asked if Neville (a Labour supporter) had a point, Fahnbulleh told ITV’s Good Morning Britain:I think he’s really right, that there are people who are trying to divide us at the moment I spent a lot of time going around our communities, talking to people. People are ground down. We’ve had a decade-and-a-half in which living standards haven’t budged and people have seen their communities held down. And you will get people trying to stoke divisi...

Politics

61 h. ago ‘First job bonus’ worth £5k planned for young people, Stride tells Tory conference – UK politics live

Shadow chancellor sets out spending plans as party conference continues in ManchesterMel Stride, the shadow chancellor, was doing an interview round for the Conservatives this morning, and Miatta Fahnbulleh, the faith and communities minister, was on the air on behalf of the government. They were both asked about the latest development in the flag phenomenon – the former footballer turned property developer Gary Neville saying that he took down a union flag flying at one of his building sites because he felt it was being used in a “negative fashion”.Asked if Neville (a Labour supporter) had a point, Fahnbulleh told ITV’s Good Morning Britain:I think he’s really right, that there are people who are trying to divide us at the moment I spent a lot of time going around our communities, talking to people. People are ground down. We’ve had a decade-and-a-half in which living standards haven’t budged and people have seen their communities held down. And you will get people trying to stoke ...

Politics

7 d. ago Miliband vows to ban fracking, labels Reform ‘ideological extremists’ and tells Musk to ‘get the hell out of our politics’ – live

Environmental groups have welcomed the energy secretary’s fracking announcementAt the Labour conference Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has just started his speech.Responding to the news that he will announce a total ban on fracking (see 9.19am), Asad Rehman, chief executive of Friends of the Earth, said:By providing a clear vision for our energy future based on helping people, not on ignoring the science, the energy secretary has sent an important message that the government is listening to communities.Fracking is and always has been unpopular, both with people facing it off locally and the wider public. The government must now translate its plans to ban fracking permanently into policy, alongside closing a loophole in planning law that still allows it to happen by the backdoor.Andy Burnham is doing a fantastic job as the mayor of Manchester. I actually worked closely with him. We’ve reset that relationship between Westminster and our mayors, and we’re working well together. So ...

Politics

7 d. ago Ed Miliband vows to ban fracking and warns Reform would ‘trash our climate commitments’ – UK politics live

There is currently no permanent ban in law, just a temporary moratoriumAt the Labour conference Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has just started his speech.Responding to the news that he will announce a total ban on fracking (see 9.19am), Asad Rehman, chief executive of Friends of the Earth, said:By providing a clear vision for our energy future based on helping people, not on ignoring the science, the energy secretary has sent an important message that the government is listening to communities.Fracking is and always has been unpopular, both with people facing it off locally and the wider public. The government must now translate its plans to ban fracking permanently into policy, alongside closing a loophole in planning law that still allows it to happen by the backdoor.Andy Burnham is doing a fantastic job as the mayor of Manchester. I actually worked closely with him. We’ve reset that relationship between Westminster and our mayors, and we’re working well together. So I’ve got...

Events

7 d. ago Ed Miliband to announce total ban on fracking – UK politics live

There is not currently a permanent ban in law, just a temporary moratoriumSome people have argued that it is a mistake for Keir Starmer and Labour to talk about Nigel Farage and Reform UK as much as they have. There is a case for saying that this just shores up the credibility of a party with only five MPs, and it switches the news agenda towards immigration and small boats (issues where Reform UK polls well) and away from “Labour issues” like health.And art of this argument is that, by calling the Reform UK migration policy racist, Labour is also making it easier for Farage to leverage grievance (which, as Starmer himself argued in his speech yesterday, is part of what lies behind Reform UK’s electoral support.I think it’s a mistake to pretend this isn’t the fight of our times.If it is the fight of our times, we’ve got to recognise that, and we’ve got to be in it. I think simply ignoring it is a mistake, a political mistake.No, not at all. There is a political fight that has to be ...

Politics

7 d. ago PM brands Channel crossings ‘Farage boats’ because Brexit has hampered returns – UK politics live

PM also says he does not believe Nigel Farage or Reform voters are racistHelena Horton is a Guardian environment reporter.Ed Miliband is due to take to the stage to deliver his speech today, and he is set to announce a “total ban” on fracking.I am about to announce something you have been calling for and campaigning on, which is to ban fracking for good. You called for it, I’m going to do it, thank you for your campaigning.What an amazing result for our environment, our local communities, and the thousands of committed people and groups right across the country who’ve spent years fighting for fracking to be banned for good – including the many who signed 38 Degrees supporter Geoff’s recent petition. Not long ago, it felt like fracking might make a comeback, with Reform UK pushing to put it back on the agenda. But thousands of us stood up, demanded a permanent ban, and made our voices impossible to ignore. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Labour conference live: Starmer says Farage ‘doesn’t like Britain’ as he ramps up attack on Reform

The prime minister has said Britain stands at a ‘fork in the road’ between decency and division

Events

8 d. ago Labour conference live: Starmer says Farage ‘doesn’t believe in Britain’ as he ramps up attack on Reform

The prime minister has said Britain stands at a ‘fork in the road’ between decency and division

Events

8 d. ago Nigel Farage a ‘snake oil salesman’ comparable to Andrew Tate, says No 10 chief secretary

Ministers signal Labour will take stronger approach to attacking Reform rather than just ‘respond to crazy things they’re saying’UK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer’s new No 10 enforcer has compared Nigel Farage to the influencer Andrew Tate, saying he is a “snake oil salesman” who is taking working-class boys down a dark path.Darren Jones, the No 10 chief secretary to the prime minister, said Labour was going to take a more “muscular approach to attacking Reform” and it would be “more proactive than just responding to the crazy things they’re saying”. Continue reading...

Politics

8 d. ago Labour conference live: Starmer to launch fresh attack on ‘divisive’ Farage in keynote speech

Health secretary says Reform UK leader a ‘con artist’ who cannot be trusted with public’s health

Events

8 d. ago Labour conference live: Streeting brands Nigel Farage a ‘snake oil salesman’ in attack over Reform’s NHS plans

Health secretary says Reform UK leader a ‘con artist’ who cannot be trusted with public’s health

Economics

8 d. ago Labour conference live: Farage may ‘do away with NHS’, Streeting warns doctors after strike threats

The prime minister is also expected to use his annual address to expand his attacks on Reform UK

Events

8 d. ago Labour conference live: Public can’t trust Farage with the NHS, Streeting warns before Starmer unveils reforms

The prime minister is expected to use his annual address to expand his attacks on Reform UK

Events