‘People want change’: voter anger opens door for Reform in key Labour seats

“Labour used to be the party of the working class. I haven’t got a clue what it is now,” was how Richard, a retired welder, described his feelings towards Keir Starmer’s fledgling government.That response would be sobering anywhere, but more so for the fact he was speaking as part of a focus group in Merthyr Tydfil, the parliamentary constituency of Labour’s founder and the prime minister’s namesake, Keir Hardie.Richard wasn’t alone in his views. This week, More in Common conducted four such groups in Merthyr Tydfil and Dudley – the former held by Labour for a century, the latter a “red wall” seat Labour lost in 2019 and regained in last year’s landslide

Jonathan Reynolds ‘corrects record’ for referring to himself as ex-solicitor

The business secretary, Jonathan Reynolds, has “formally corrected the record” in parliament for referring to himself as a former solicitor during a 2014 speech.During a debate on high-speed rail, Reynolds had said he “worked as a solicitor in Manchester city centre” before changing careers.On Wednesday evening, he told the House of Commons: “I should have made clear that specifically that was a reference at the time of being a trainee solicitor.“This was an inadvertent error and although this speech was over a decade ago, as it has been brought to my attention, I would like to formally correct the record.”He had already written to Keir Starmer to apologise for his mistake

‘There is no moral case’: Labour divided over prospect of benefit cuts

Ever since ministers began to put the “moral case” for cutting spending on UK benefits, emotions have been running high among Labour MPs.The argument being made before next week’s welfare green paper – that Labour is “the party of work” and has a duty to reduce welfare costs – has left some furious, and others angry at those who are furious.At prime minister’s questions on Wednesday, Keir Starmer was repeatedly forced to defend this argument. Labour MPs seized the opportunity to underline that disabled people had become “frightened” hearing their party use the “language of tough choices”. Starmer was urged to “provide compassion” to those who cannot work

Keir Starmer could face biggest rebellion over disability benefit freeze

Keir Starmer could face the biggest rebellion of his premiership with dozens of Labour MPs angry at his plans to cut billions from the rising welfare bill and threatening to vote against freezing disability benefits.In a bid to avoid a damaging showdown with MPs and peers, Downing Street began inviting groups of Labour backbenchers to meetings on Wednesday, stressing the “moral case” for changes designed to get people back to work as they made the case for painful changes.The Guardian understands that dozens of MPs have urged the government to think again. Many are particularly concerned that Rachel Reeves is set to go further than the former Tory chancellor George Osborne who, despite cutting working-age benefits for four years, kept the personal independence payments (Pip) rising.Some of those in the meetings revealed that No 10 officials appeared taken aback by the scale of the anger, especially from new MPs who have been unstintingly loyal

UK accuses Russia of driving its Moscow embassy towards closure

Russia is attempting to push the UK embassy in Moscow towards closing and has no regard for the escalatory impact of such a move, the Foreign Office has said.The UK expelled a Russian diplomat and their spouse on Wednesday in a tit-for-tat response to the expulsion of a British diplomat and a diplomatic spouse over allegations of espionage that UK officials strenuously deny.In a strongly worded statement, the Foreign Office said: “During the past 12 months, Russia has pursued an increasingly aggressive and coordinated campaign of harassment against British diplomats, pumping out malicious and completely baseless accusations about their work.“Russia’s expulsion this week of a British diplomat and diplomatic spouse is yet another escalation. The accusations made against these individuals are entirely false, fabricated in order to justify their increasing harassment of UK diplomats

The fruit of flattery is tariffs, but Trump-wrangler Starmer stays circumspect | John Crace

Well, that went well, didn’t it? Weeks of finding ever more ingenious ways to flatter the US president. Extolling the brilliance of Donald Trump being able to tie his own shoelaces. “That’s incredible, Mr President. No one has ever managed to do that so beautifully.” No chance for flattery has been passed up