Rachel Reeves defended NatWest boss as victim of ‘bullying’ day before Starmer said she was right to quit – as it happened

5.20pm BST

Afternoon summary

• Dame Alison Rose, the chief executive of NatWest Group, has stood down after a row over the closure of Nigel Farage’s bank accounts with the private bank Coutts, which NatWest owns. She quit after No 10 and the Treasury let it known they had concerns about her staying. Keir Starmer said this morning she was right to quit, but in an interview recorded yesterday but broadcast this evening Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, defended Rose and said she was a victim of bullying. (See 3.35pm.)

• Factor 8, a group campaigning for victims of the infected blood scandal, has criticised Rishi Sunak for refusing to commit to bringing forward plans to unveil a compensation scheme in his evidence to the inquiry this afternoon. Sunak stuck to the government’s position, which is that it will announce a decision about compensation after the inquiry produces its final report. In a statement Factor 8 said:

It is with profound disappointment, dismay, and a sense of deepening sorrow that we, the Factor 8 campaign group, respond to prime minister Rishi Sunak’s appearance at the infected blood inquiry.

Regrettably, the prime minister offered neither new information nor commitments to the victims and bereaved families of the infected blood scandal.

Despite our impassioned plea in the letter delivered to him on Monday, urging swift action in line with the inquiry’s recommendations, he did not take this golden opportunity to advance the cause of justice for victims and their families. Our hearts are heavy.

• Keir Starmer has backed Sadiq Khan’s call for the government to put money behind a more generous scrappage scheme to help Londoners upgrade older vehicles to comply with the expansion of London’s ultra-low emission zone as the party seeks to limit the electoral fallout of the policy.

• Michael Gove is a “monster” if he continues to rubbish green policies while fully understanding the urgency of the climate crisis, and Grant Shapps, the energy and net zero secretary, is taking “backward steps”, Zac Goldsmith has said in his first major interview since leaving the government.

• Ministers are under fresh pressure to resolve the NHS pay row after junior doctors announced they would stage a four-day strike next month that is likely to lead to thousands more cancelled operations.

Updated at 5.24pm BST

5.05pm BST

Infected blood inquiry chair urges Sunak to reassure victims, with 'actions preferably', they will get compensation

Back at the infected blood inquiry, Rishi Sunak has finished giving evidence.

Sir Brian Langstaff, the chair, ends with his own address to Sunak.

He urges Sunak to reassure the victims, by actions or words – “actions preferably” – that compensation will be paid.

If it troubles his conscience, it should trouble the conscience of a caring government, “and that has what you said you want to be”.

People at the hearing (many of whom are victims, or their relatives), applaud.

Updated at 5.09pm BST