UK politics live: Rosie Duffield slates Labour ‘sleaze and nepotism’ as Badenoch warns of Tory ‘stitch-up’

MP quits party, attacking Sir Keir Starmer over two-child benefit cap, winter fuel payments and freebies

Keir Starmer refuses to apologise to pensioners over winter fuel payment cuts

MP Rosie Duffield has resigned the Labour whip, accusing the prime minister of “hypocrisy” and pursuing “cruel and unnecessary” policies.

In a resignation letter, Ms Duffield attacked Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to keep the two-child benefit cap and means-test winter fuel payments.

In her resignation letter, she wrote: “The sleaze, nepotism and apparent avarice are off the scale.”

Ms Duffield, who will sit as an independent, also slated Sir Keir’s acceptance of more than £100,000 of freebies including clothes.

Earlier, Kemi Badenoch warned that Tory members will be “very angry” if MPs take part in a “stitch-up” to lend votes to other candidates to keep her out of the top two in the leadership contest.

Allies of Ms Badenoch claim she is the victim of a “dirty tricks” campaign, with Robert Jenrick in effect lending votes to James Cleverly, which the former has strongly denied.

Asked whether she believed Mr Jenrick was taking this approach, she told The Times: “I think that may be happening. But what else is happening is that there is tactical voting.”

Key Points

• Kemi Badenoch warns Tory members will be ‘very angry’ if stitch-up occurs
• Boris Johnson considered ‘nuts’ plan to raid Dutch warehouse over vaccines row
• Boris Johnson said he paid the partygate fine because ‘he had a lot on'
• Former PM realised he had Covid when he couldn’t finish the cheese in the fridge
• Johnson claims the partygate scandal was ‘feeblest event in the history of human festivity’

[27 September 2024 13:38 · Jabed Ahmed]

Full report: Russell Findlay elected as leader of the Scottish Conservatives following bitter contest

Read the full report from my colleague Alex Croft below:

[27 September 2024 13:19 · Jabed Ahmed]

Badenoch doubles down on claim she became working class after working in McDonald's

Kemi Badenoch has doubled down on her claim that she "became working class" when she got a job at McDonald's.

The Tory leadership hopeful said she came to the UK “with no money, no friends, no parents”.

She told LBC at that point in her life she was working class as she “had to work to eat”.

“I grew up in a middle class family but coming here I became working class - my dad gave me his last £100, he said ‘you know this is all we have’ because all our money was gone and this is one of the things that people don’t understand,” Ms Badenoch said.

Watch her original comments below:

[27 September 2024 13:01 · Jabed Ahmed]

Pension credit claims hit almost 75,000 since winter fuel payment slimdown

Pension credit claims have hit almost 75,000 amid Government efforts to boost benefits take-up.

Department for Work and Pensions figures released on Friday showed the Government received around 74,400 pension credit claims in the eight weeks since 29 July, when Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced means testing for the winter fuel payment.

This is up from 29,500 claims in the eight weeks before the announcement.

But in the seven days beginning on 16 September, the department received 11,800 claims, down from 13,400 the week before.

The vast majority (92 per cent) of claims made in the week beginning 16 September were made online.

Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has previously urged pensioners to check if they are eligible for the benefit, which would unlock winter fuel payments of up to £300.

[27 September 2024 12:38 · Jabed Ahmed]

Unite union says it welcomes government move to borrow to invest in UK infrastructure

Unite, the UK’s biggest union, has said it welcomes reports that the treasury is set to change its fiscal rules in order to allow the government to borrow.

The change is set to be announced in next month’s budget.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It seems that the government has listened and will now reform its fiscal rules to allow borrowing to invest. This is a move we have been calling on Labour to make for a long time.

“If this government is going to achieve its aim of making the UK a fairer society that delivers for workers and their communities then it needs make serious investment in infrastructure and new job creating industries.”