UK politics live: Half of Labour voters ‘let down’ by Starmer, Jenrick vows he won’t return Tories to centre
YouGov poll reveals public’s mood as Labour government nears 100 days in office
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Sir Keir Starmer‘s popularity has hit a new low after a new poll revealed that nearly 60 per cent of the public disapproves of the government’s performance so far.
As Labour approaches its 100th day in power, the government is facing a rocky start. A YouGov survey found 59 per cent of voters feel unimpressed with the new government with only 18 per cent expressing approval.
Adding to the prime minister’s challenges, another recent poll found a concerning decline in the party’s support.
The Techne UK weekly tracker poll for The Independent has revealed voters aged 55 and over have abandoned Sir Keir’s party, with a dramatic slide to less than 30 per cent.
It comes as the prime minister chaired his inaugural devolved government summit today, but his new envoy, Sue Gray, was absent.
Defending his colleague, cabinet Office minister Pat McFadden said Ms Gray has “been through quite a lot” in recent weeks, explaining her career break.
In the Tory leadership race, Robert Jenrick has admitted regret over his decision to order the removal of murals depicting cartoon characters from a children’s asylum centre. Speaking on LBC, he reflected on his time as immigration minister and claimed “lessons have been learned”.
‘We can’t count on France for small boat crisis’ - Jenrick
Robert Jenrick has launched an intense critique of French President Emmanuel Macron.
The Tory leadership candidate claimed that the UK cannot depend on France to resolve the ongoing crisis of small boat crossings in the English Channel.
Speaking on LBC, he accused Mr Macron’s government of being “immensely unhelpful” regarding illegal migration, suggesting that France has the power to rectify the situation swiftly but has chosen not to.
Mr Jenrick said: “They could fix this problem tomorrow if they wished,” emphasising that the inaction of the French government has resulted in significant financial waste, strained public services, and even fatalities in the Channel.
When pressed about whether he considers Mr Macron a friend or foe, Jenrick’s response was pointed: “On this particular issue, the French have been deeply unhelpful.”
He added: “They could fix this problem tomorrow if they wished but president Macron and his government have refused to do so.
“And that has led to all of the many problems that people across our country are facing now - the billions of pounds wasted, the asylum hotels, the deaths in the Channel. This is needless. The French could stop this. They won’t.”
Asked if he therefore viewed Mr Macron as more of a foe than a friend, he said: “On this particular issue the French have been deeply unhelpful to the UK and this is what led me to the conclusion that you can’t rely on the French, you have got to create a proper deterrent, that is why I support the Rwanda scheme… you can’t rely on the kindness of strangers to protect the borders of the United Kingdom.”
Jenrick regrets controversial decision to remove murals from children’s asylum centre
Robert Jenrick has suggested he regrets his previous decision to order the removal of murals depicting cartoon characters at a children’s asylum centre during his tenure as immigration minister.
Speaking on LBC, Jenrick admitted that he initially took the action due to concerns about adults illegally entering the UK while posing as children.
At the time, he believed it was crucial to establish a law enforcement atmosphere in such facilities to help identify those potentially misrepresenting their age.
“I think that was the right decision,” he said. But admitted that he has since reflected on the implications of that choice.
“There are lessons to be learned from it, and I probably would have done things differently if I had my time again.
“What I did want to do then and feel just as passionately about today is that we have got to weed out those people who are posing as children when they first arrive,” he added.
Jenrick ‘surprised’ by Cleverly’s dramatic exit from Tory race
Robert Jenrick has said he was “a bit surprised” when James Cleverly was knocked out from the Tory leadership contest.
The Conservative contender told LBC this morning that “horse-trading” of votes is common in political contests but he could not say “with any certainty exactly what happened”.
Mr Cleverly was leading the third round of voting in the leadership contest but he surprisingly fell to third place in the final vote by Conservative MPs, leaving Mr Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch in the final two.
Jenrick calls Tories to not become ‘party of Twitter spats'
In a thinly-veiled attack on Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick has said the Conservative Party must not become a “party of Twitter spats”.
He told the BBC: “I am focusing on a whole spectrum of issues which I would argue are the most salient ones to the public.
“I don’t want us to go down rabbit holes and to be a party of Twitter spats. I want us to heal the party and focus on the big issues facing the people of this country.”
‘Cock up not conspiracy!’ - Inside the downfall of James Cleverly
At about 2.30 pm on Wednesday, James Cleverly was with his entourage talking to representatives of the Girl Guides who had a stall for the day in Portcullis House on the parliamentary estate. He seemed relaxed and confident just a like man destined to go through to the final round of the Tory leadership contest.
But already things were going badly wrong for the former home secretary. An hour later Bob Blackman, chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 committee, announced that he had been eliminated from the contest.
It led to the question: How could Mr Cleverly have got two votes less than he had done in the previous round when he had been the clear winner before, and favourite to be Rishi Sunak’s replacement?
Read the full analysis below:
‘Cock up not conspiracy!’ - Inside the downfall of James Cleverly
How Robert Jenrick had a lucky escape
Scottish deputy first minister urges Reeves to revise fiscal rules
Ahead of Rachel Reeves’ landmark Labour budget on 30 October, Scotland’s deputy first minister has called for a reevaluation of the fiscal rules governing Labour’s fiscal strategy.
Speaking to Sky News, Kate Forbes cited constraints imposed by the current framework, which she attributed to the Conservative Party.
As Sir Keir Starmer meets leaders of the devolved administrations, the focus shifts to the potential for fiscal reform that could allow an increased investment through expanded borrowing.
Ms Forbes urged the government to “prioritise the right kind of spend”, which she believes is essential for stimulating growth and boosting public services across the country.
Sue Gray has ‘not enjoyed' being in the public eye
Continuing his morning media round, Pat McFadden has said Sue Gray has “not enjoyed” being in the public eye and this has led to her decision to take a break from government.
The senior cabinet office minister told LBC: “I know that she has not enjoyed being a figure in the public eye unlike me, who can come on your programme and speak for myself and answer any of your questions.
“As an official, she can’t do that. Given what she has been through in the last few weeks, she has decided to take a bit of downtime, take a bit of a break, and I quite understand why.”
Asked how long her break would be, Mr McFadden said: “I don’t think it will be long, but let’s give her a bit of space and privacy after somebody who, as I said, can’t speak up for themselves, finding themselves on the front pages of the newspapers in a way that she has not wanted to be.”
The chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster would not disclose if Ms Gray would continue being paid while she was taking time away from work.
Robert Jenrick demands shadow cabinet to pledge quitting ECHR
Robert Jenrick has said that any member of his shadow cabinet would be required to commit to his controversial policy of withdrawing from the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) should he become the new Tory leader.
Asked if all of his top team would have to sign up for the policy to serve, Mr Jenrick told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “Well, it would be one of the stable of Conservative policies, so yes, we would go into the next election with it in our manifesto.”
Jenrick slams Tory leadership delay ahead of Labour’s Budget
Robert Jenrick has expressed concern over the Conservative Party’s decision to delay the leadership race until after the Budget announcement on 30 October.
With the winner of the contest not set to be revealed until 2 November, the delay means Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt will be replying for the Opposition.
Mr Jenrick argued that the party made a major miscalculation with the timing.
Asked why he believed that was a mistake, he told the BBC: “I think the Budget is going to be a major moment in British politics and in terms of the debate for the months and years to come.
“I think it would be good for myself or indeed Kemi were she to prevail to be there making the Conservative case and doing what is ultimately the first duty of leader of the opposition which is to provide the strong, articulate, clear case for the opposition in parliament, holding the government to account and it begins on that day.”
Kemi Badenoch’s Tory leadership donor linked to Grenfell Tower fire
One of the major donors of Kemi Badenoch’s campaign for Tory leadership has been linked to the devastating Grenfell Tower fire that claimed 72 lives.
Councillor Quentin Marshall, a senior figure in the Conservative-controlled Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, donated £5,000 to Badenoch’s bid, igniting outrage among survivors and critics.
During his tenure as chair of the council’s housing and property scrutiny committee from 2010 to 2016, he faced allegations of dismissing residents’ concerns about the pre-fire refurbishment as “grossly exaggerated.”
His committee was responsible for monitoring housing services and ensuring compliance with fire safety measures, a task the public inquiry later concluded he and his team “failed” to execute effectively.
Reacting to the reports, Ed Daffarn, a survivor who lived on the 16th floor, said: “I worry that the Conservatives have learned nothing from Grenfell and are promoting policies that put profits before people and ignore the health and safety of residents as we saw at Grenfell with such devastating effects.”
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