Early evening summary
Suella Braverman has railed against “experts and elites” and what she called the divisive politics of identity, in a highly partisan speech that is likely to be viewed as setting out ideas for a post-election Conservative leadership bid. Braverman was speaking at a conference organised by a rightwing American thinktank which also heard a speech from Jacob Rees-Mogg, the Tory former business secretary, who described the photo ID voting law introduced by the government when he was in cabinet as gerrymandering. (See 11.50am.) Commenting on the conference proceedings, Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, said:
The true face of the modern Tory party has revealed itself today. Rather than focus on the cost of living crisis, the state of the NHS, crime or house building, Tory MPs and cabinet ministers have instead chosen to hold a carnival of conspiracy theory and self-pity.
Keir Starmer has said it “feels wrong” not to allow EU citizens who live and pay tax in the UK not to have the right to vote in general elections. See 11.04am for a full summary of his LBC phone-in.
Updated
In the Commons MPs are debating the second reading of the victims and prisoners bill. Steve Reed, the shadow justice secretary, called it a wasted opportunity. He said:
It’s eight years and eight justice secretaries since the Conservatives first promised legislation to support victims.
For all that time, Labour has been telling them to act. Now, finally, we have a bill, but I am afraid it is a wasted opportunity because it fails in so many ways to rebalance the scales of justice and make a real difference for victims.
The bill lets down rape survivors. It offers no specialist legal advice or advocacy that will help them to navigate the justice system.
