Closing summary
This live blog will be closing shortly. Thank you for reading the updates and commenting below the line.
You can keep up to date with the Guardian’s UK politics coverage here.
Here is a summary from today’s blog:
Prime minister Keir Starmer said he would “press forward” with welfare cuts despite a looming rebellion from Labour MPs. The move against the government’s benefit cuts included an amendment that could kill its welfare bill, spearheaded by senior select committee chairs. The amendment has been signed by 108 MPs. Asked whether he would consider pausing his plans in light of the rebellion, The prime minister told the Cabinet meeting this morning that the government “will reform welfare”.
Chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster Pat McFadden has defended the government’s handling of a rebellion by Labour MPs over welfare reform changes, and said the vote of the bill will go ahead as planned next week. McFadden said “We will see the vote next week. We will keep talking to people between now and the vote, but there is no escaping the need for reform of the welfare system.”
Keir Starmer has defended Donald Trump’s actions in the Middle East, saying the US had alleviated a threat to the Iranians’ nuclear weaponry and brought about a ceasefire. The comments came after shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel criticised the government for being reluctant to give public support to US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. Trump insisted in a post on Truth Social on Tuesday afternoon that the ceasefire he had brokered between the Middle East foes was “in effect”, after saying earlier that both Israel and Iran had violated the agreement.
Britain will commit to spending 5% of its GDP on defence by 2035, to which McFadden said the country was “not starting from zero”. The UK’s pledge aligns with Nato’s new spending targets – but at a slower pace than key allies including Poland. Britain pushed for and secured a later date.
Foreign secretary David Lammy said the government will invest £600m in its intelligence services, after an audit of relations with China. He said: “We are updating our state threat legislation following general review. We are strengthening our response to transnational repression.”
Foreign Office minister Hamish Falconer has confirmed that a second British evacuation flight will leave Israel today. He told the Commons the first RAF flight took place on Monday “and I can confirm to the House now that we will fly another today”.
Shadow foreign secretary Priti Patel has accused Labour of going “cap in hand” to China to bail out the British economy and said the audit fails to set out a proper strategic framework.
She said:
It has taken the Government a year to produce this audit, which seemingly fails to set out any kind of serious strategic framework.
I think it’s fair to say we know why: because the Government - and in fact the Foreign Secretary has touched on this - has gone cap in hand to China to bail out its terrible handling of the British economy.
It is setting up its closer economic ties with China while knowing very well that British businesses here are struggling, not just when it comes to competing against China, but actually struggling to absorb the weight of Labour’s own regulatory costs in this country.
So, can I ask the foreign secretary, and so far we have not seen it in this statement, whether or not he can name a single area where a measurable, tangible progress has been made in advancing critical British interests with China, whether it’s on national security, economic practices, on climate or on human rights?
