Closing summary
We will soon be closing this liveblog, but find our latest reporting on UK news here.
Here is a summary of today’s headlines:
-
Andy Burnham urged by MPs to ditch Shabana Mahmood’s migrant settlement plans to stop Labour being a ‘pale imitation’ of Reform UK. Almost 80 Labour MPs have signed a letter to Burnham complaining that the immigration policies being implemented by the home secretary risk Labour being a replica of Reform.
-
Man arrested on suspicion of murder of Ann Widdecombe. Police have launched an investigation into the death of the 78-year-old former Conservative minister, who was found deceased in her home yesterday morning.
-
Labour welcomes police investigation into donations to Reform UK from fraudster’s mother. The Metropolitan police are investigating donations worth £500,000 made to Reform UK by Fiona Cottrell, whose son George is a convicted fraudster and a friend and aide to Nigel Farage.
-
More than half of voters regard Nigel Farage as ‘very sleazy’, poll suggests. YouGov has published polling today suggesting that Farage scores worse than any other party leader, and even 40% of Reform UK voters regard him as “sleazy”.
Zack Polanski, leader of the Green party, has paid tribute to Widdecombe:
“Shocked to hear the news about the circumstances of Ann Widdecombe’s death.
My thoughts are with her loved ones at this distressing time.”
Updated
There is a heavy police presence outside of Ann Widdecombe’s home in Dartmoor, where she was found deceased by police officers yesterday morning.
Here are some images:
Updated
Assistant chief constable Matt Longman said that there was “no information” at this time to suggest the murder of Ann Widdecombe was a politically motivated crime.
He also said that the inquiry is “in its early stages” but “moving at significant pace”.
Updated
The incident is not being treated as a terrorist incident, despite Devon and Cornwall police consulting counter terrorism policing as part of the initial inquiry.
Updated
Police say man arrested on suspicion of murder of Ann Widdecombe
Devon and Cornwall police have confirmed that a 26-year-old man was arrested on suspicion of the murder of Ann Widdecombe this afternoon.
The man, who police confirmed is a white British national, was arrested at an address in Newton Abbot.
Updated
Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said that he was “shocked” to learn of the circumstances around Widdecombe’s death.
“The police investigation must now take its course and I hope anybody with relevant information will contact them.”
We are still waiting for the news conference by Devon and Cornwall police to begin. It has been delayed, and we are not exactly sure what time we will hear from them but we expect it to be soon.
You can watch along in the feed at the top of this blog when it begins.
Angela Rayner, Labour MP for Ashton-under-Lyne, has called the circumstances of Ann Widdecombe’s death “deeply disturbing and distressing”.
She added: “It’s right that we pay tribute across the divides to Ann’s many years of public service.”
Wes Streeting, Labour MP for Ilford North, has said that Widdecombe’s “untimely death” is “deeply chilling”, in a post on X.
Updated
Burnham sends 'deepest condolences' to Widdecombe's family
A spokesperson for Andy Burnham has said: “Andy’s deepest condolences and thoughts are with Ann’s family today, in incredibly distressing circumstances.
Ann gave a lifetime of public service, and it’s absolutely right that the police put all their resources into investigating this as swiftly as possible.”
Updated
Prime minister says suspect is 'clearly dangerous' and urges public to help with information to catch him
Speaking to broadcasters at Chequers, Keir Starmer has said that the suspect is “clearly dangerous”.
He said he would not speculate about the potential motive, but urged the public to help catch the suspect.
“He’s clearly dangerous, and I implore everybody who’s got any information in relation to him to help the police with their inquiries, get him into police custody.”
Updated
Ed Davey, leader of the Liberal Democrats, has said that he is “really shocked and distressed at the news about Ann Widdecombe.”
In a statement posted on X, he said “She was a woman of deep faith who devoted her life to public service. The idea that she could have been murdered is truly horrifying.
My thoughts and prayers are with her family and all who loved her.”
Updated
Strictly Come Dancing’s Anton Du Beke has said he is “devastated” to hear that Ann Widdecombe has died. As the Press Association reports, the pair were partnered together on the BBC One dancing programme in 2010.
In a video shared on X prior to police announcing they had launched a murder investigation into her death, he said:
I had the most brilliant time with Ann on Strictly Come Dancing.
She became a real friend. She was fun. She was upbeat. She was positive. She was supportive.
We had an incredible time together and we stayed firm friends.
My thoughts go out to all of her nearest and dearest and all her family. This is a sad day and I’m devastated by the news of Ann’s passing but I shall remember her fondly, and miss her.
That is all from me for today. Sundus Abdi is taking over now.
In a clip for broadcasters recorded at Chequers, Keir Starmer said the news that a murder inquiry has been launched into the death of Ann Widdecombe is “really shocking”.
He said:
This is really shocking news, and my thoughts, I think all of our thoughts, will be with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this awful time for them.
Ann was a distinguished politician over many, many years with many achievements, and it’s a huge, huge loss.
I think this is really important that this is a moment where we rise above any political differences, the political divide, and say the single most important thing at the moment is that all of us and the public help the police identify the individual suspected and make sure he’s arrested as quickly as possible.
He’s clearly dangerous, and I implore everybody who’s got any information in relation to him to help the police with their inquiries, get him into police custody.
The press conference being held by Devon and Cornwall police about the murder of Ann Widdecombe is now expected to start at 5pm.
Kemi Badenoch has said the news that police have launched a murder investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe has left her struggling for words.
She said:
I’ve really struggled to find the words to say ... I don’t understand how someone could do something so horrific to an elderly person.
It is a nasty, horrific attack and my heart is breaking for her family.
It’s one thing when someone dies, but to know that they have been murdered in this horrible way is just awful.
Keir Starmer has said is “really shocking news” that police have launched a murder investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe. He praised her as a “distinguished politician”.
Kitty Donaldson, the i’s chief political commentator, has written a nice account of a recent dinner with Ann Widdecombe that she published earlier today. It includes this paragraph.
Over dinner she talked fondly of how her regular spot on Jeremy Vine’s show gave her a reason to leave her remote Dartmoor cottage and come to London. Asked if she was ever frightened at being so isolated, she said she had never even considered the question.
Some of Ann Widdecombe’s friends and admirers think she should have been given a seat in the House of Lords. Earlier, before the police announced a murder investigation was underway, Tim Montgomerie posted this on social media. Montgomerie, like Widdecombe, spent many years as a Tory (he founded the ConservativeHome website), but then defected to Reform UK.
He said:
Year after year the Conservative Party elevated nobody after nobody to the House of Lords but it refused to enoble Ann Widdecombe despite her popularity amongst party members and tireless service on the frontbench. She was simply too willing to criticise Tory ministers doing a bad job and shs was far too independent-minded full stop.
We loved her in Reform and so sad there won’t now ever be an opportunity to celebrate a Baroness Widdecombe.
But Ann’s faith was so strong and she’s now in the loving arms of her Creator.... and she’s undoubtedly giving him a piece of her mind. Or soon will be!
RIP Ann.
Ann Widdecombe’s management team, Cloud9 Management, said they were “absolutely devastated” by the news the police had launched a murder investigation into her death.
The statement said:
We are absolutely devastated by this news following a very traumatic and upsetting 24 hours.
We fully support the police in their investigations and we reiterate the family’s desire not to be contacted at this difficult time. We implore anyone who may have relevant information to contact Devon and Cornwall police.
Most of the public tributes to Ann Widdecombe today have come from former colleagues in the Conservative party, which she represented in the Commons, or from the Brexit party, which is now Reform UK, which she briefly represented in the European parliament.
But Downing Street paid tribute earlier. At the lobby briefing, a No 10 spokesperson said:
She was a distinctive figure in British politics for many years and he pays tribute to the conviction and dedication with which she served her country.
And the Labour MP Stella Creasy, whose views on issues like abortion are very different from Widdecombe’s, has posted this on social media within the last few minutes.
No one can deny Ann Widdecombe was a towering presence in our politics who fought for what she thought was right with determination and eloquence.
You don’t have to agree with those views to recognise that contribution and feel for those who have lost a friend, as well as be shocked to hear of these developments.
Shabana Mahmood says circumstances of Widdecombe's death 'extremely distressing'
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, has said the circumstances of Ann Widdecombe’s death are “extremely distressing”. But she has urged people not to speculate online.
Mahmood says:
I am deeply saddened to hear of the death of Ann Widdecombe. The circumstances of her death are extremely distressing and my thoughts are with Ann’s family and loved ones.
Ann’s dedication to public service was decades long, and she was a true servant of her constituents.
I have spoken to the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall police today. The Home Office stands ready to provide whatever support they need with their ongoing investigation.
I urge everyone to avoid speculation and allow the police investigation to progress.
Police say Widdecombe murder inquiry suspect is white male, and inquiry 'moving at significant pace'
The police say their suspect in the Ann Widdecombe murder investigation is a white male.
DCI Ilona Rosson from Devon and Cornwall police said:
This is an extremely tragic incident and our thoughts are very much with the family and friends of Ann Widdecombe at this difficult time.
Our murder enquiry is in its early stages but moving at a significant pace. We are deploying all of the necessary resources to find out exactly what has happened and to locate the person responsible who we believe to be a white male.
I would appeal to anyone who may have information about this incident, however insignificant it may seem, to come forward and speak with us.
We are particularly keen to hear from anyone who may have seen anything suspicious in the vicinity of Haytor Vale, Haytor, or anyone with CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage which could assist with our investigation.
We have an increased uniformed police presence in the area to both support the investigation and provide reassurance to residents. Anyone with concerns can speak with our officers at the scene.
We will release further information when we are able to do so. In the meantime I would ask people not to speculate about what might have happened, particularly on social media. This is not only potentially harmful to our investigation but also deeply distressing for family and friends of Ann Widdecombe.
Updated
Police say they have launched murder investigation into death of Ann Widdecombe
Devon and Cornwall police say they have launched a murder investigation into the death of Ann Widdecombe.
In a statement, the force says:
A murder investigation has been launched following the suspicious death of former MP Ann Widdecombe at her home on Dartmoor in Devon.
Police officers were called to an address at Haytor by the ambulance service at around 11.40am on Thursday 9 July.
Sadly, 78-year-old Miss Widdecombe was located deceased within the property. She had sustained serious injuries.
Her next-of-kin have been informed and are being supported by specially trained officers.
Detectives from the Force Major Crime Investigation Team have launched a murder investigation and are conducting extensive enquiries into the circumstances surrounding Miss Widdecombe’s death.
A cordon remains in place at the property while specialist officers continue forensic examinations. There are road closures in place around the scene.
Police investigating death of Ann Widdecombe
Police are investigating the death of the former MP Ann Widdecombe, who was found dead at her home in Dartmoor at the age of 78.
Here is our obituary of Ann Widdecombe.
Updated
Starmer to spend part of his final week as PM at meetings and events in Paris, No 10 says
Keir Starmer will begin what is likely to be his final full week in No 10 with a trip to Paris, the Press Association reports. PA says:
The prime minister will join allies of Ukraine for a meeting of the “coalition of the willing” on Monday before joining Bastille Day events on Tuesday.
The outgoing Labour leader has been criticised in office for the amount of time he has spent on diplomatic missions overseas, with critics labelling him “never here Keir”.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The prime minister will travel to Paris on Monday for a meeting of the coalition of the willing to discuss continued support for Ukraine’s defence.
“On Tuesday, he will join Bastille Day commemorative events with other leaders.”
The coalition of the willing is the initiative established by Starmer and French president Emmanuel Macron to bring together countries willing to provide security support to Ukraine if there is an end to the hostilities.
Starmer’s support for Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s country has been one of the main elements of his foreign policy during his time in office.
Defending his trip, a No 10 spokesperson told reporters: “One of the defining things about this prime minister’s time in office has been the work he has done to shore up Ukraine and its defences in the face of [Vladimir] Putin and his barbaric attacks on them, so this marks a moment for him to continue that in his final week in office.”
Andy Burnham is expected to become Labour leader unopposed in a week’s time and will then become prime minister on 20 July.
Britons would rather see Count Binface win the Clacton byelection than Nigel Farage, according to a poll from Ipsos released today.
Commenting on the findings, Keiran Pedley, research director at Ipsos, said:
Of course, it is the people of Clacton that will vote in the upcoming by-election and not the public overall.
But the fact that just one in five Britons would prefer Nigel Farage win reflects how his personal poll ratings have fallen over the past year – even if Reform supporters remain very much behind him.
Elsewhere in the poll we see strong support for parliamentary standards investigations continuing even if Mr Farage wins the by-election, suggesting his assumed victory will not make these issues go away.
Polanski says new report shows rent controls could cut poverty and save state billions, with minimal impact on landlords
Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, has welcomed research out today arguing that a well-designed rent control policy could save the government billions of pounds and lift hundreds of thousands of people out of poverty.
The report, produced by the Institute for Innovation and Public Purpose at UCL, says that if rents in England had been frozen in November 2022, the government would now be saving £2bn a year – and average renting households would be saving £2,400 a year.
The report also dismisses claims that rent controls would collapse the private rental market because they would lead to landlords refusing to carry on renting their property.
In his speech, Polanski said:
If Andy Burnham is serious about ending rip-off Britain, fixing our broken system and putting money back in the pockets of ordinary people – rent controls simply must be at the top of his agenda.
We hear plenty of scare stories about landlords being bankrupted by rent controls. But this research exposes that as nonsense. Over the last three and a half years, we could have saved households on average £2400 a year – while still allowing landlords to enjoy profit margins four and a half times larger than the average UK business.
We need a prime minister who is willing to control the rental market, lower prices – and doesn’t fear the bond markets. No half measures: it’s time for our next prime minister to show us what he’s made of.
The report, by Beth Stratford and Joe Beswick, says:
We conclude that the risks associated with rent controls, though significant, are manageable – and pale against the cost of inaction: spiralling housing benefit spending, rising homelessness, and entrenched poverty and inequality.
The authors say that rent controls have worked in the past.
England’s private renters face some of the worst affordability pressures in the developed world. The evidence makes clear that neither new house-building nor increased housing subsidies can realistically address the full scale of the problem. By contrast the historical record across Europe shows that the most decisive improvements in housing affordability in the 20th century came from the direct regulation of rents.
On potential savings, the authors say that if the government had frozen rents in November 2022, it would have been able “to restore housing support payments to cover the cheapest 30% of local rents and would still be saving an estimated £2bn a year in housing benefit spending by now”.
That would save the average renting household £2,400 a year, “boosting the disposable income of renters in the poorest quintile by 22%”, they say.
As for claims that rent controls would put landlords out of business, the authors say even with rent controls landlords would still be making healthy profits.
For mortgaged landlords, a 20% reduction in rent reduces mean pre-tax profit margins from 70% to 64% – which means they would still be 4.5 times bigger than the mean pre-tax profit margin for UK businesses. Profit margins for unmortgaged landlords (58% of all unincorporated landlords) would be higher still. These figures do not take account of capital gains from house price appreciation.
This chart illustrates these figures.
The authors say:
A 10% reduction in rents would cause 2.3% of landlords to become unprofitable – significantly fewer than the 4.8% of landlords tipped into lossmaking by changes to mortgage interest tax relief (MITR) and interest rate rises since 2021-22.
The report recommends combining rent controls with a policy giving tenants a minimum six months to find alternative accommodation if a landlord decides to sell, and giving tenants, and then councils and housing associations, first refusal to buy.
It also says rent controls could lead to many properties being sold off and acquired by councils for social rent.
Crucially, if accompanied by the right fiscal and legal framework, landlord exit presents a historic opportunity: a managed transfer of homes out of the insecure private rented sector and into permanently affordable ownership.
Updated
Richard Tice dismisses police investigation into Reform UK donations as linked to 'politically-motivated smear campaign'
Richard Tice, the Reform UK deputy leader, has dismissed the police investigation into donations worth £500,000 made to Reform UK by Fiona Cottrell as being linked to a “politically-motivated smear campaign”.
Speaking on Times Radio this morning, he said he did not know about the police investigation until it was reported today. He went on:
I’ve known the Cottrell family, my family have known the Cottrell family, and the broader Hesketh family for 50 years, a very successful aristocratic family.
And, as far as I’m concerned, she’s a permissible donor. And that’s the end of it.
And this is a politically-motivated smear campaign by people who wish us ill.
Boris Johnson pays tribute to Ann Widdecombe, saying she could 'move Tory audiences to ecstasy'
Boris Johnson, the former Tory PM, has joined those paying tribute to the former minister Ann Widdecombe, who has died.
In a post on social media, he said:
I am sad to hear about the loss of Ann Widdecombe, a heroic Brexiteer and a great speaker who could move Tory audiences to such ecstasy that she was a very hard act to follow.
(When a politician praises a colleague who has died, sometimes what they say is revealing about how they would like to be remembered themselves. This may be a good example.)
This is from William Hague, who had Widdecombe as his shadow home secretary when he was Tory leader.
So very sorry this morning to hear of the death of Ann Widdecombe. She was a great friend and a unique personality. Her enthusiasm, clarity and warmth will be much missed.
And this is from Priti Patel, who was home secretary under Johnson.
Ann Widdecombe was a much-loved member of the Conservative family. She was principled, always stayed true to her values and her faith and had a great sense of humour. Her authentic and no-nonsense approach to politics has stood the test of time and she will be remembered as one of the most captivating, engaging and memorable politicians of her generation.
It was a privilege to work closely with her while she was in William Hague’s Shadow Cabinet and to call her a friend. May she rest in peace.
There are more tributes to Widdecombe, including from Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch, in our story.
Count Binface 'carrying hopes of nation' in Clacton byelection, Burnham jokes
Andy Burnham has jokingly endorsed Count Binface, the joke candidate who seems to be Nigel Farage’s main opponent in the Clacton byelection. “Count Binface, you are carrying the hopes of a nation,” Burnham said at an awards ceremony. The Sun has video footage.
On X, the rightwing social media platform, there are a lot of Nigel Farage supporters claiming that Binface is the establishment candidate in the byelection. Here is an example from Rael Braverman, whose wife Suella is Reform UK’s education spokesperson (and who has held the posts of home secretary and attorney general, which is about as establishment as anyone can get).
Binface is an establishment tool.
Don’t be fooled by the act.
Burnham’s comment will no doubt encourage these claims.
Immigration policy (see 9.24am) is just one area where Andy Burnham faces an acute challenge when he becomes PM. Here are some of the other stories around this morning about Burnham and what he might do when he takes power.
-
Jim Pickard, George Parker and Jennifer Williams in the Financial Times say Burnham is considering having a deputy PM based in Manchester running his No 10 North. The deputy Labour leader, Lucy Powell, is well placed to get this job, they report.
Burnham is expected to spend several days a month in Number 10 North. Caroline Simpson, chief executive of the Greater Manchester Combined Authority, has been lined up to run the new office.
But the transition team has also raised the idea that the new unit could be given political direction by the next deputy prime minister, who would be based in Manchester, according to people close to the situation.
Burnham has deliberately held back from naming any members of his cabinet, leaving Whitehall in a state of suspension even as access talks have begun between the incoming prime minister and civil service chief Dame Antonia Romeo.
Lucy Powell, the elected deputy leader of the Labour party, is in pole position to become the deputy prime minister. As a Manchester MP she would be ideally placed to work out of Downing Street’s northern offshoot.
-
John Bew, a former No 10 foreign policy adviser, has told the Times that Burnham could face an international crisis within weeks of taking office. Bew said:
I’d say there’s a high likelihood of a series of quite challenging contingencies happening.
One is a horizontal or vertical escalation from Putin over the course of this summer and beyond because the war [in Ukraine] is not going well for him.
It has been reported that Bew is talking to Burnham’s team, but not about taking a formal role in his administration.
-
Some ministers are lobbying Burnham to keep their jobs. In their London Playbook briefing for Politico, Sam Francis and Megan McElroy have a good summary.
Cabinet auditions continue across Westminster. Business Secretary Peter Kyle was at least direct about it, telling the Guardian’s Richard Partington that “I want to stay, I’ll just stay where I am.” He also declared Britain needs “Manchesterism.” In another not-very-subtle intervention, David Miliband used his foreign policy speech last night to restate his support for electoral reform (he previously backed the Alternative Vote at the 2011 referendum, while still an MP) and back a Burnham-style transfer of power out of Westminster (the Arguably substack has the full script). Just before Miliband spoke, Yvette Cooper revealed to Chatham House that she had spoken to Andy Burnham before heading to NATO — meaning she’s already giving him foreign affairs advice.
Returning officer names Thursday 13 August as date of Clacton byelection - one week later than Reform UK wanted
Tendring district council, which covers Clacton, has announced that the byelection there will be held on Thursday 13 August.
This marks the first setback for Reform UK, whose leader Nigel Farage is defending his seat after resigning to trigger a byelection in the hope of seeing off the threat that a standards inquiry will lead to a recall byelection being held later this year anyway. Reform wanted the byelection to be held a week earlier, on 6 August.
Announcing the decision, the acting returning officer, Ian Davidson, said: “The electoral timetable is set out by law and so we are bound by these dates.”
The council says:
Potential candidates will … have four days, from Tuesday 14 July to Friday 17 July at 4pm, to submit their nominations.
Residents not already on the electoral register have until 28 July to apply to vote in time for the byelection, and until 5pm the following day (29 July) to apply for a postal or postal proxy vote.
Davidson has also posted a picture of the writ he has received from the Clerk of the Crown in Chancery telling him to organise the byelection.
Jeffrey Donaldson, the former DUP leader, Jeffrey Donaldson has been removed from the privy council, it has been confirmed.
In a statement, the clerk of the privy council said:
Now, therefore, by and with the advice of His Majesty’s Privy Council, it is hereby ordered, that the name of the said Jeffrey Donaldson be removed from the list of Members of His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council.
Last month Donaldson was found guilty of 18 child sex offences.
More than half of voters regard Farage as 'very sleazy', poll suggests
YouGov has published polling today suggesting that more than half of voters regard Nigel Farage as “very sleazy”. On this measure, he scores far worse than any of the other party leaders. Even 40% of Reform UK voters regard him as “sleazy”.
Here are the figures. This chart shows the figures for parties, party leaders, and “British governments in general”.
And this chart shows how views vary depending on which parties people support.
In his write-up for YouGov, Dylan Difford points out that Reform UK’s rating on this measure has got worse.
Reform being viewed as sleazy is not necessarily a new thing, but the perception has grown. In October 2024, at the height of the freebie-gate scandal, half of Britons saw the party as sleazy, a clear 18 points lower than today.
However, a seedy shift is not limited to Reform, with belief that the Green party is sleazy having roughly doubled from 18% to 35% over the last 21 months, while such a view of the Lib Dems is also up seven points.
By comparison, evaluations of the current Labour government, its Conservative predecessor, or British governments in general remain largely unchanged over this period.
One problem with polling like this is that, while the views of voters are always interesting, they are not always correct. When people tell pollsters they regard a politician or a party as “sleazy”, it can mean they view them as corrupt, or morally dubious; but it can just mean they do not like them.
For example, this polling suggests 73% of people view Farage as either very (56%) or fairly (17%) sleazy. But 77% of people see “British governments in general” as either very (26%) or fairly (51%) sleazy.
That is a judgment that would surprise many people who take a serious interest in how British politics operates. UK governments have multiple flaws, but by international standards they are not corrupt and ethical standards are reasonably high. These figures probably have more to say about popularity than morality.
Libby Brooks has written her First Edition briefing about the Reform UK funding scandal. It features an interview with Anna Isaac, who broke the story about Farage’s undisclosed £5m donation and who has led the Guardian’s coverage of this controversy.
Labour welcomes police investigation into donations to Reform UK from fraudster's mother
The Labour party has welcomed the news that the Metropolitan police are investigating donations worth £500,000 made to Reform UK by Fiona Cottrell, whose son George is a convicted fraudster and a friend and aide to Nigel Farage. Anna Turley, the Labour party chair, said:
Nigel Farage can run against a bin in his distraction byelection, but he can’t hide from legitimate questions. Why did the mother of the convicted criminal who secretly bankrolled him donate half a million pounds to Reform UK? Where did the money come from? Why did George Cottrell have such a prominent role in his operation without having an actual job? It’s right that the Metropolitan Police are looking into this.
The British public know when they’re being taken for fools – if Nigel Farage could clear his name, he would have done it by now.
Burnham will be 'faster and bolder' delivering change than Starmer, Lisa Nandy claims
Lisa Nandy, the culture secretary, was on the Today programme this morning. She is close to Andy Burnham (they represent neighbouring constituencies) and she said two things would be different when he became PM.
I think there will be two things that will be different under Andy Burnham.
The first is that it will be faster and bolder and he’s willing to think very differently about how we deliver that change.
No 10 for the North has attracted a lot of interest, but that really is about shifting the centre of gravity in the country, so that all parts of the country are seen and heard and are able to contribute.
But the second thing that I think will be different is that I think we will wear our hearts on our sleeve more. I think people will see us taking the fight to any system that stands in the way of them living better lives.
And I really think, at the moment, at a time when trust in the power of government to change people’s lives is very weak, that that is an enormously important thing.
Updated
'Talking tough not same as effective action' - extracts from letter from Labour MPs calling for 'refresh' on migration policy
Here are more extracts from the letter to Andy Burnham signed by nearly 80 Labour MPs urging him to adopt a more liberal stance on immigration. (See 9.24am.)
-
The MPs claim the government’s language on immigration has been too hostile.
Immigration and asylum is a test case for how we do so. Polling in this area shows that most voters are “balancers” who understand the benefits and the costs of migration. In this group, some prioritise order and control; while others prioritise compassion, justice and rights. We must speak to both groups simultaneously and persuasively. Currently, we are seen to talk much more about control than compassion. And when we talk about compassion, progressives do not believe us because our hostile rhetoric has already alienated them. That rhetoric also raises the salience of asylum as a problem in the minds of those already anxious about lack of control. Our approach needs a refresh.
-
They suggest that measures introduced during Labour’s first year in office (when Yvette Cooper was home secretary) are working.
Talking tough is not the same as effective action. The reductions in the asylum backlogs, in small boat crossings and in hotel use that we have seen are the fruits of what our Labour Government started in its first 12 months or so. We also started an asylum accommodation pilot with local authorities - to regionalise the system and move away from rip-off private contracts. We pursued greater international co-operation - like the UK-France pilot, and persuading Germany to amend its criminal law on small boat parts. We were starting to do what we promised: controlling our borders while making the asylum system work fairly.
-
They call for “a national migration levels plan”.
This should set out expected migration flows, labour market needs, public service impacts and policy choices, all supported by an annual statement to Parliament. It should form a core part of our mission to raise living standards over the next decade through delivering good growth in every postcode.
-
They set out various policy proposals, including allowing asylum seekers the right to work after six months.
On asylum and refugees, we must start by stripping out the hostile rhetoric which triggers existing anxieties. We must also deliver an efficient asylum system, which should include: closing asylum hotels and investing savings into national housing stock; improving the asylum accommodation system - starting with progressing local authority pilots that have been paused; ending rip-off contracts and the privatisation premium; tackling the appeals backlog by resourcing the existing appeals body properly; and building a coalition of willing countries around a future vision for refugee protection that is not reliant on irregular migration. We need an expansion of managed asylum routes, a review of the pause on family reunion for unaccompanied minors, and the introduction of the right to work for asylum seekers after six months.
Ann Widdecombe, former Tory MP and Reform UK member, dies aged 78
The former Conservative minister Ann Widdecombe has died aged 78, her management has said. Kevin Rawlinson has the story.
Burnham urged by MPs to ditch Mahmood’s migrant settlement plans to stop Labour being ‘pale imitation’ of Reform UK
Good morning. Even the BBC has (almost) given up describing Andy Burnham as the person who is likely, or almost certain, to become the next PM. As of last night, it is now, barring something so unexpected it would be in the act of God category, a done deal. Labour published the names of the MPs who have already nominated Burnham, and he has got 322 nominations. There are only 81 Labour MPs left who have not nominated anyone. By coincidence (or not?), 81 is exactly the number of names a rival candidate would need to stand. But in Labour politics the outgoing leader does not nominate a successor, and so in practice Burnham has already cleared the threshold. It’s wrapped up; he is the next leader and PM.
Currently, Burnham has strong support from all wings of the party. Leftwingers and Blairites seem equally enthusiastic. Unfortunately for Burnham, that is unlikely to last.
Last night, as Pippa Crerar reports, Burnham made an appeal to the left by saying Labour “didn’t get it right” with its initial response to Israel’s assault on Gaza after the Hamas attack on 7 October 2023. Labour had to “do better”, he said.
Leftwingers who are not in the Labour party have criticised Burnham overnight for not going further and describing Israel’s conduct as genocide.
Today Burnham is facing a further challenge from the left. As Richard Vaughan, Kitty Donaldson and Caroline Wheeler report in a story for the i, almost 80 Labour MPs have signed a letter to Burnham complaining that the immigration policies being implemented by Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, risk Labour being seen “as a pale imitation of Reform [UK]”. Patrick Maguire from the Times has posted the full text of the letter on social media.
The MPs are particularly critical of Mahmood’s plan to make migrants already in the country wait much longer before they can qualify for indefinite leave to remain (ILR). Currently people normally have to wait five years, but Mahmood wants to make 10 years the norm, with some groups having to wait even longer.
In their letter, the MPs say:
After Reform’s “Boris wave” rhetoric, we decided to fight on Reform’s territory. Targeting a group of migrants that followed the rules, and applying this retrospectively, does not pass the fairness test for a compassionate but firm system. We do not recall being asked on the doorstep to make it harder for migrant workers to settle in the UK. Yet we are expending political capital, huge Home Office resource, and losing progressive voters on an indefinite leave to remain reform which few really understand or want. People in Makerfield talked about irregular migration, not making it harder for nurses and care workers to settle here. With a 10-20 year settlement period, the UK would be an international outlier - weakening our soft power and our appeal as a place to study, invest, build a life and form relationships.
It would weaken our communities and undermine our own strategies on child poverty, violence against women and girls, and homelessness. And the proposals would cost the state billions. This kind of reactive policy making is anathema to who we are, what we stand for, and how we should do politics.
The letter implies that Burnham should move Mahmood from the Home Office. But during the Makerfield byelection campaign Burnham broadly supported what Mahmood is doing – even though last year, when the ILR plans were first announced, he said he had “a concern about leaving people without the ability to settle, one of the concerns being if there is a need to constantly check up on the status of countries where people have come from, that might limit the ability of the Home Office to deal with the backlog”.
There are plenty of other stories around today about the challenges facing Burnham. I will post about them soon.
And Reform UK remains under pressure over its finances. Here is our latest story by Anna Isaac.
Here is the agenda for the day.
10am: Karl Turner, the suspended Labour MP, hosts an LBC phone-in, standing in for James O’Brien.
11am: Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, gives a speech on rent controls.
11.30am: Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.
If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line when comments are open (between 10am and 3pm), or message me on social media. I can’t read all the messages BTL, but if you put “Andrew” in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word.
If you want to flag something up urgently, it is best to use social media. You can reach me on Bluesky at @andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social. The Guardian has given up posting from its official accounts on X, but individual Guardian journalists are there, I still have my account, and if you message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I will see it and respond if necessary.
I find it very helpful when readers point out mistakes, even minor typos. No error is too small to correct. And I find your questions very interesting too. I can’t promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either BTL or sometimes in the blog.
Updated
