Winter fuel payment live: Starmer faces PMQs grilling after Labour accused of ‘punishing’ pensioners

Union leaders have raised “vital issues” with the federal government about its coverage on nuclear vitality.

In a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the final secretaries of the GMB union and Prospect mentioned new nuclear improvement has a key position to play in reaching web zero, underpinning a inexperienced industrial technique and offering good, clear jobs in communities that the majority want them.

Gary Smith (GMB) and Mike Clancy (Prospect) referred to as on the Chancellor to ensure the sources the nuclear trade must thrive.

They highlighted “worrying” potential cuts by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, saying: “We perceive that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is going through extreme budgetary pressures, which might end in cuts to excessive hazard and safety-related actions throughout the nuclear property together with at Dounreay and Sellafield Ltd. We worry that jobs can be impacted at Sellafield particularly.

“The resultant discount within the quantity of labor that may be undertaken will inevitably cut back plant upkeep, accelerating the degradation of belongings and bringing cuts to the expert workforce. As demonstrated within the part two report of the Grenfell Tower inquiry, any dilution of the protection tradition have to be a pink flag.”

Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves won’t “water down” the choice to strip winter gas funds from hundreds of thousands of pensioners regardless of a revolt by Labour MPs and warnings concerning the impression it should have on the aged.

Chancellor Ms Reeves insisted it’s “completely proper” to means-test the profit, price as much as £300, so as to handle the “black gap” within the public funds.

Regardless of the opposition to the measure, housing minister Matthew Pennycook mentioned there aren’t any plans to reduce the coverage.

The plan cleared the Commons on Tuesday with only one Labour insurgent voting in opposition to it however dozens of MPs on the federal government benches have been lacking in motion.

The choice implies that solely these on Pension Credit score or another advantages in England and Wales will obtain the fee, saving the Exchequer round £1.5 billion a yr.

Mr Pennycook mentioned there can be no U-turn on the coverage regardless of the opposition from campaigners and a few in his personal social gathering.

The housing minister advised Sky Information that “all of us took that call with an especially heavy coronary heart” however “we’re not going to water down that coverage”.

“We predict it’s the appropriate determination to make,” he mentioned.

International Secretary David Lammy and his US counterpart Antony Blinken have arrived in Kyiv.

The pair took an in a single day prepare from jap Poland and reached the Ukrainian capital at 11.45am native time.

Labour is ready to unveil the anticipated Renters Reform Invoice within the Commons later immediately in a bid to reinforce tenant safety and steadiness the facility dynamics between renters and landlords.

The laws, which stalled earlier than the July election, is predicted to fulfil the federal government’s promise to ban no-fault evictions, generally known as Part 21.

Key components of the invoice embrace an eviction ban for each new and existingtenancies. This measure, inherited from the earlier Conservative authorities can be expanded below the Labour proposals.

The brand new laws would introduce the Awaab’s Legislation, extending protections in opposition to hazardous dwelling situations, named after a toddler who died from mould expsure in a social rented residence, to the personal rental sector.

This goals to make sure that all landlords handle questions of safety promptly.

Additional provisions would finish blanket bans by some landlords on tenants receiving advantages or with kids.

Further reforms embrace a authorized requirement for landlords and letting brokers to obviously state lease costs, banning any bids above this quantity, and limiting lease will increase to every year at market charges, stopping mid-tenancy hikes.

The UK’s financial system noticed a second month of stagnation in July, additionally recording no progress in June, the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics has mentioned.

Gross Home Product (GDP), which is the measure of the worth of products and providers, is proven to have flatlined for the month.

The figures are the primary for the interval since Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour energy after the 4 July basic election.

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Shadow residence secretary James Cleverly has mentioned he’s a “staunchly conservative Conservative”, after reaching the ultimate 4 of the Tory management contest.

Requested by Instances Radio if he’s a “too centrist dad” for the social gathering, he mentioned: “What do you imply by that?

“All of the polling that I’ve seen exhibits that I’m constantly both the highest or close to the highest in relation to who’s most wished by the parliamentary social gathering.

“It’s proven that I’m finest positioned to take votes again that went to Reform in addition to people who went to different events.

“I’m staunchly conservative. I all the time have been. I’ve all the time advocated for decrease tax, much less regulation and extra freedom and robust defence.

“How different folks wish to attempt to paint me? That’s as much as them, however I do know the place I stand, and I’m a staunchly conservative Conservative.”

Requested concerning the early launch of prisoners, Mr Cleverly mentioned the Labour authorities was “not pressured into it”.

He added: “Simply as we noticed with the winter gas allowance, they’re desperately attempting to excuse their poor determination making by saying ‘Oh, we have been pressured into it by circumstances’.

“They weren’t pressured into it. This was a choice. It was a poor determination, and now repeat offenders and home abusers have been launched en masse.”

MPs are anticipated to sit down within the Home of Commons from 11.30am.

The session will begin with inquiries to the Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens.

Prime minister’s questions will then happen at 12 noon.     

The primary enterprise can be targeted on a basic debate on Constructing Security and Resilience.

The PM’s place is now stronger so he can now comply with via along with his technique of issues getting worse earlier than they get higher, writes John Rentoul: