Portrait of the week: Welfare rebellions, Glastonbury chants and Lucy Letby arrests
Sir Keir Starmer, the Prime Minister, in the face of a rebellion by 120 backbenchers over the welfare bill, undertook to limit to new claimants restrictions on personal independence payments (Pip). Modelling by the Department for Work and Pensions predicted that 150,000 people might be pushed into 'relative poverty' by the revised welfare cuts, compared with 250,000 before. Still fearing defeat, the government made more last-minute concessions, postponing changes to Pip rules until after a review by Sir Stephen Timms, the disability minister. The government then won the second reading by 335 to 260, with 49 Labour MPs voting against. It was not clear that the eviscerated bill would reduce spending. At a cabinet meeting, Sir Keir told ministers to stop briefing against his chief of staff, Morgan McSweeney. At Glastonbury, the band Bob Vylan led chants of 'Death, death to the IDF' (the Israel Defence Forces) and these were broadcast by the BBC. Avon and Somerset Police said it was investigating whether comments by Bob Vylan or Kneecap amounted to a criminal offence. Wes Streeting, the Health Secretary, drew a curious parallel: 'If I think about the war in Ukraine, no doubt I want Ukraine to win but that doesn't mean I'm going to be cheering on the deaths of Russians.' Sandy Gall, the newsreader and foreign correspondent who reported on the mujahideen's fight against the Russians in Afghanistan, died aged 97.
Chris Coghlan, the Liberal Democrat MP, was told by his Catholic parish priest that he would not be admitted to Communion as a consequence of voting for the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. Andrew John announced his retirement as Archbishop of Wales after reports mentioned 'a culture in which sexual boundaries seemed blurred' at the cathedral, though there is no suggestion the archbishop had misbehaved. On suspicion of gross negligence manslaughter, police arrested three former senior staff at the hospital where the nurse Lucy Letby worked before being convicted of murdering seven babies. The TSB's Spanish owner Sabadell announced it was selling the bank to Santander. The cost of a 'bat mitigation structure' on the HS2 railway line was estimated to have risen to £125 million. The royal train is to be taken out of service to save money.
Wes Streeting announced a plan to chivvy supermarkets into selling more 'healthy' food. Problems at an electrical substation that caused a fire which closed Heathrow airport were detected seven years ago and were known to the National Grid but not mended, an investigation found. In the seven days to 30 June, 1,582 migrants crossed the Channel in small boats, bringing to 19,982 the number for the first half of 2025, 48 per cent more than a year earlier. Temperatures reached 34.7˚C at St James's Park, London.
Abroad
The Nato summit reaffirmed its guarantee of collective defence but did not directly mention Ukraine. Ukrainian drones attacked a factory in the Russian city of Izhevsk, around 600 miles from the border. America halted some weapons shipments to Ukraine. The US Supreme Court allowed President Donald Trump's executive order to end birthright citizenship to go into effect in a month's time; the court also limited the power of federal judges in lower courts to issue nationwide injunctions. Mr Trump's 'One Big Beautiful Bill' passed in the Senate thanks to Vice-President J.D. Vance's tie-breaking vote. Danish women were entered into a lottery for national service. Scores of Norwegians were erroneously told they had won millions in the Eurojackpot.
The Israeli newspaper Haaretz published a report quoting unnamed IDF soldiers who said they were ordered to shoot at unarmed civilians near aid distribution sites, to disperse them; the IDF denied that. The Hamas-run health ministry in Gaza said more than 500 Palestinians had been killed on their way to get aid since the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation took over aid distribution in late May. Benjamin Netanyahu, the Prime Minister of Israel, accused Haaretz of publishing a 'blood libel'. Israel ordered people to evacuate parts of northern Gaza ahead of increased military action.
Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo signed a peace agreement in Washington to end decades of conflict. Japan executed Takahiro Shiraishi, who had murdered nine people in his flat after contacting suicidal women on Twitter. At least 34 people were killed in an explosion at a pharmaceuticals factory in the southern Indian state of Telangana. The Dalai Lama confirmed that he would have a successor after his death. CSH
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Powys County Times
25 minutes ago
- Powys County Times
Minister shrugs off ex-Labour MP's announcement of new political party
A senior minister has appeared to shrug off the announcement a former Labour MP plans to set up a new party alongside Jeremy Corbyn. Zarah Sultana, who had the Labour whip suspended last year, said on Thursday night she was quitting Sir Keir Starmer's party and would 'co-lead the founding of a new party' with the ex-Labour leader. Mr Corbyn is yet to comment on the announcement. On Friday morning, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said Ms Sultana had 'always taken a very different view to most people in the Government' on several issues, adding: 'That's for her to do so.' But during a series of broadcast interviews, Ms Cooper declined to be drawn on whether she was concerned the new party could pose a threat to Labour. Asked whether she was concerned, the Home Secretary told LBC: 'People have always had different views, and I just disagree with the views and the approaches they're taking.' In her announcement of a new political party, Ms Sultana accused the Labour Government of failing to improve people's lives, and claimed it 'wants to make disabled people suffer' in reference to ministers' proposals to reform welfare. Ms Cooper rejected the accusation, telling Sky News: 'I just strongly disagree with her.' The Home Secretary pointed to falling waiting times in the NHS, the announcement of additional neighbourhood police officers, extending free school meals and strengthening renters' rights as areas where the Government was acting. She said: 'These are real changes (that) have a real impact on people's lives.' Ms Sultana was one of seven MPs who had the Labour whip suspended last summer when they supported an amendment to the King's Speech which related to the two-child benefit cap. Four of the seven had the whip restored earlier this year but Ms Sultana was not among them. John McDonnell, another of the suspended MPs who has not had the whip restored, posted on X that he was 'dreadfully sorry' to see Ms Sultana quit the party. 'The people running Labour at the moment need to ask themselves why a young, articulate, talented, extremely dedicated socialist feels she now has no home in the Labour Party and has to leave,' he said. Mr Corbyn led Labour from 2015 to April 2020, stepping down after the party's loss at the 2019 general election. He was suspended from Labour in 2020 after he refused to fully accept the Equality and Human Rights Commission's findings that the party broke equality law when he was in charge, and said antisemitism had been 'dramatically overstated for political reasons'. Today, after 14 years, I'm resigning from the Labour Party. Jeremy Corbyn and I will co-lead the founding of a new party, with other Independent MPs, campaigners and activists across the country. Join us. The time is now. Sign up here to stay updated: — Zarah Sultana MP (@zarahsultana) July 3, 2025 He was blocked from standing for Labour at last year's general election and expelled in the spring of 2024 after announcing he would stand as an independent candidate in his Islington North constituency, which he won with a majority of more than 7,000. Last year, Mr Corbyn formed the Independent Alliance with other independent members of the Commons. Asked on ITV's Peston programme on Wednesday whether that group could turn into an official party, Mr Corbyn said that they have 'worked very hard and very well together' over the last year in Parliament. He added: 'There is a thirst for an alternative view to be put.' 'That grouping will come together, there will be an alternative,' he later said.
Daily Mirror
32 minutes ago
- Daily Mirror
9 things we learned about 'hard b*****d' Keir Starmer from Trump to family life
Prime Minister Keir Starmer admitted the last few days have been 'tough', but said he and his team will keep 'punching through' during an interview with BBC's Nick Robinson The Prime Minister has been branded a "hard b****d" as he prepares for his second year in power. In an interview with the BBC's Political Thinking podcast, Keir Starmer admitted that the past week has been "tough" - but maintained he has not "lost the dressing room". Mr Starmer also opened up about his relationship with Donald Trump, saying he understands what "anchors" the President. He vowed to "keep punching through" after a difficult first 12 months in Downing Street, and said he is proud of what Labour has achieved. But he admitted mistakes have been made - including failure to engage with disgruntled backbenchers over welfare changes. The PM also threw his support behind Chancellor Rachel Reeves, who was seen crying in the Commons on Wednesday. Here we look at some of the stand-out things he told host Nick Robinson in the wide-ranging interview. Whether he's a hard b****d The PM was told by Mr Robinson: "One of your friends who plays football with you, he says his words, you're a hard b******. Now, being this far behind in the polls with a Chancellor who people lack confidence in, with a Labour Party that's denied you a Parliamentary majority on something you believe in, are you a hard enough b****** to look in the mirror and say, I've got to change the party's got to change something serious has to change." The PM replied: "We'll keep on punching through. I'm a hard enough b****** to find out who it was who said that so I can have a discussion with him." 'I've not lost the dressing room' After a difficult few days, Mr Starmer said he has not "lost the dressing room". He said: "Yes, it's been tough. I'm the sort person that then wants to reflect on that, to ask myself what do we need to ensure we don't get into a situation like that again. And we'll go through that process "But I also know what we will do, and that is we will come through it stronger. And that's what I've always done." He later added: "A s we go through the long list of things that we've achieved this year the Labour dressing room, the PLP (Parliamentary Labour Party) is proud as hell of what we've done." What went wrong on welfare The Prime Minister admitted he should have engaged with Labour backbenchers better as concerns came to light. But he said the need for reform remains. He was forced to roll back on his plans after MPs refused to back plans to cut access to personal independence payments (PIP) and health aspects of Universal Credit. The PM said: "We didn't get the process right. As I say Labour MPs are absolutely invested in this. It matters to them to get things like this right. And we didn't get that process right. We didn't engage in the way that we should have done." On Rachel Reeves' tears The interview happened hours after Chancellor Rachel Reeves was seen crying in the Commons chamber at PMQs. He denied it was anything to do with political matters. He said: "She's made it clear it's a personal matter and I'm not going to go into the personal matter of a colleague." And he continued: "She's done a fantastic job. She and I work together, we think together... We're in lockstep." "It's got nothing to do with politics, nothing to do, with any discussion between me and Rachel, nothing to do with the matters of this week... She will be Chancellor for a very long time to come." Why changed view on grooming gangs The Prime Minister described himself as a "pragmatist". He said: "So just to very briefly guve the example of grooming gangs., way back 15 years ago I prosecuted the first of these cases of the grooming cases. "So I know firsthand what it means for victims and calling for things like mandatory reporting in these cases for a very, very long time. And it matters to me that we get it right. " Having had lots of inquiries, I thought we should get on with implementing the recommendations that we had. But I did ask Louise Casey to do an audit check for me, that that would help me out." He went on: "I asked Louise, I said, I need to be sure that we're in the right place on this. Louise Casey has got a reputation for getting to bottom of matters. She did an audit.. "I read it through, from end to end. And she herself had actually gone into the review thinking we didn't need a national inquiry. She then uncovered things which changed her mind. "I went through that and I decided the right thing to do was to follow her recommendation." Spending too much time overseas? The Prime Minister defended the amount of time he has been spending overseas, amid questions about whether it is affecting domestic policy. Mr Starmer shot back that good relations with world leaders brings real-world benefits to Britons. He said: "It is important to have a good relationship with, President Trump, rooted in the national interest, but it also helped us when we were negotiating a trade deal, which wasn't good. So why don't you do it?" The PM added: "The car manufacturing industry was likely to be hit with a hefty tariff if we didn't get a trade deal of 27.5%." He went on: "Building those relationships with international leaders is hugely important. Getting to know people, what their instincts are, that is in the national interest." The PM said he'd had "a glass of wine" with French President Emmanuel Macrobn which paved the way for a trade agreement with the EU. "That helped when we got to the reset that delivered for us and the SPF agreement, which means that the prices will come down in a supermarket near you," he said. Secret visits to Leeds Hospital to see dying brother Before and after the general election, Mr Starmer secretly visited his brother Nick, who died on Boxing Day. He would use the porters' lift in order to evade being spotted, he revealed. The PM said: "It's really hard to lose your brother, to cancer. He was a very vulnerable man. He had difficulties when he was growing up and never really had security in his life. "That's why I do understand firsthand what it means to have respect and security. That's why it's hard wired into my politics. And he was that diagnosed, with stage four lung cancer. "I wasn't sure how he would cope with that. I made it my business to be there in the hospital when he was told so I could begin to help look after him. I don't think he would have wanted or withstood any public, knowledge of where he was at, and I wanted fiercely to protect him. And that's why, both before the election and after the election, I went secretly to see him in hospital. "He was intensive care for a long time." The PM said this often involved using a porters lift so he was not spotted. "The staff there were absolutely brilliant, as they always are," he said. Flat is 22 seconds from office The PM said it is really important for him to spend time with his family despite the pressures of his job. He said: "There is, an upside (to living in Downing Street) because the flat is 22 seconds from my office. I've timed it, but it means I can see the children, I can pop up when they're around. "And I do, because it is really important. Because, look, my family really means a huge amount to me. My wife Vic is an absolute rock. by my side and my kids are my pride and joy." Wouldn't swap worst day in power for opposition The Prime Minister said that he found being in opposition frustrating - and he wouldn't swap the worst day in power for his old life. Mr Starmer said: "I came into politics to change lives, having had nine long years in opposition, frustrated that we were in opposition, unable to change lives. I wouldn't swap a single day of the last year with opposition. And we've done some fantastic things ."
ITV News
34 minutes ago
- ITV News
One year on: Looking back on Labour's time in power
The UK government's official guide to reversing a car is clear in the Highway Code. 'Choose an appropriate place to manoeuvre. If you need to turn your vehicle around, wait until you find a safe place.' Labour ministers failed politically on all counts earlier this week as it gutted its own controversial welfare reforms as a last resort that saw off a potentially fatal defeat in the House of Commons for Sir Keir Starmer. It's a long way from the 174-seat majority he secured last summer. But in some ways, this might sum up the prime minister's first year in office, which he celebrates on Friday. If celebrate is the correct word. 'It took us 12 years to disintegrate,' a senior Tory told me this week. 'They've managed it in less than 12 months.' Even loyal Labour MPs freely admit the last few days have been shambolic. They blame poor party management – not least Starmer's failure to either put an arm around those on the backbenches or to dangle a carrot of potential promotion above them – and strategic errors in how controversial decisions have been announced. Think of the original ending of universal winter fuel payments (now mostly U-turned so only the richest pensioners miss out), which was dropped into a news vacuum and took on a life of its own. Or the decision not to include policies – like scrapping the two-child cap – that would have appealed to the left of the Labour Party during his welfare reforms to make the plans more palatable to would-be rebels. Others in the UK government say this is easy to argue after the fact and the lack of money available to the chancellor means such big changes have to be announced in a piecemeal fashion. Starmer is not a natural communicator either. Look at his initial failure to guarantee Rachel Reeves' future at prime minister's questions, while his chancellor sat behind him with a tear running down her cheek. This is despite one senior Downing Street source telling me that speculation about Reeves' job was 'utter madness' and that she was 'never going to go' despite absorbing much of the heat for not just the welfare climbdown but a host of other economic decisions. It's these other calls that have festered throughout the year. Colin Borland, director of devolved nations for the Federation of Small Businesses, expressed concerns about the Employment Rights Bill, which he said would create more hoops for people to jump through when hiring someone. 'That simply makes it harder for small firms to continue offering employment chances to those further from the jobs market,' he said. 'Maintaining an environment where small businesses can carry on doing that will be key to tackling economic inactivity and driving sustainable growth.' This comes on the back of controversy about increasing the national insurance contributions of businesses, which the agricultural sector has – alongside changes to inheritance tax – harmed firms and family farms. Andrew Connon, president of the National Farmers Union Scotland, said: "One year ago, the prime minister promised 'food security is national security', suggesting that agriculture was respected and valued by our newly elected government. 'However, a year on, farmers and crofters across Scotland worry those words have been neglected.' Labour ministers say the employment rights bill is making things better for workers and that their policies are making a difference to people's pockets, while also sending more cash to Holyrood to spend on public services. Starmer's allies defend him as a decent man trying to make things better in a way that's not showy. But this week he has been ruled by rebels and once parliamentarians realise they have that kind of power, they get a taste for wielding it. Meanwhile, ten months out from the Holyrood election (that some overconfident Labourites were last summer practically declaring victory in), the path to power in Edinburgh looks decidedly narrower. A new poll published on Wednesday by Ipsos, in partnership with STV News, highlighted a trend that causes frown lines to appear on the foreheads of senior Scottish Labour figures. Voters who took a chance on Starmer now say they are planning to vote for another party with 9% planning to drift – back, probably – to the SNP; 7% to the Scottish Greens; to 6% the Liberal Democrats and 17% to Reform UK. This leaves about one in 10 of those who voted Labour last summer undecided. Strategists in Holyrood believe they can squeeze many of them – and those considering Reform and the Lib Dems in particular – to back their party come crunch time. They look at the recent Hamilton, Stonehouse and Larkhall byelection for inspiration, where Scotland's political bubble declared Labour dead and buried only for the party to win literally against the (long) odds. There is also the fact that Labour's campaigning organisation is streets ahead of the SNP's in particular, which made the difference in the byelection. And there are other glimmers of hope. The SNP is the largest party on voting intentions – and it has a much higher floor of support than its rivals – but backing is still anywhere between 10 and 15 points down compared to the last Holyrood election. People are unhappy with public services, are unhappy with politicians in general and want something to change. But they're hardly crying out for Labour. First Minister John Swinney and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar both sit around the same level of (un)popularity. Starmer is also a drag on Labour's ambitions north of the border. His ratings have plunged so far that he is now less popular than Reform UK leader Nigel Farage. And compared to last year, when Labour and the SNP were roughly neck and neck when it came to who Scots trust to manage public services, the nationalists have pulled back out in front with the public. Let's be honest, most people are not following every cough and spit of Westminster debates – but they do track the mood music. Right now that sound is of a weak prime minister who has admitted to being distracted from key domestic issues by foreign affairs and who is unable to command even his own MPs. If the second anniversary of this UK government doesn't coincide with a U-turn in the public's affection for Labour, there's next to no chance of the party taking power at Holyrood.
