Lord Ranger (PA)
EU relations minister hails ‘huge opportunities’ to reset post-Brexit relations
14:45 , Salma Ouaguira
Starmer congratulates Ursula von der Leyen for winning second term as Brussels chief
14:38 , Salma Ouaguira
Sir Keir Starmer has congratulated Ursula von der Leyen on her re-election to serve a second five-year term as president of the European Commission.
Ms von der Leyen missed the European Political Community summit hosted by the Prime Minister to focus on Thursday’s vote on her future.
A list of 401 members of the European Parliament have voted for von DerLeyen at the 720-seat parliament.
Sir Keir wrote on X: “Congratulations @vonderleyen on your re-election as President of the @EU_Commission.
“I look forward to working closely with you to reset the relationship between the UK and the European Union.”
Congratulations @vonderleyen on your re-election as President of the @EU_Commission.
I look forward to working closely with you to reset the relationship between the UK and the European Union.
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 18, 2024
Truss ramps up row with civil service chief
14:35 , Jane Dalton
Liz Truss has prolonged a dispute with the civil service over descriptions of her policies.
Britain’s shortest-serving prime minister on Wednesday wrote to the head of the civil service, Simon Case, complaining that references to her in documents released alongside the King’s Speech were “untrue political attacks”.
As a result, text describing her mini-budget as a “disaster” was removed from government documents published alongside the King’s Speech.
Now she has sent a follow-up letter to Mr Case demanding he investigate how “slurs” against her ended up in the briefing document.
The briefing notes also included references to the “mistakes” of economic policy while she was prime minister.
Her latest letter includes a list of questions for Mr Case, including whether he has opened an investigation, who gave the final sign-off to the document and how civil servants will be held to account if they have breached the Civil Service Code.
She also asks how many physical copies of the “errant document” were printed and whether he has made efforts to recover and pulp unissued copies.
“I am very disturbed that this material impugning my name found its way into a Civil Service document published on the first day of the new Parliament,” she writes.
“That not a single person who drafted, edited, proofed or signed off so significant a document saw fit to challenge the slurs against me would only go to suggest that there is a settled view in Whitehall which accepts the narrative of my political opponents without challenge.
“This should be a matter of deep concern to the British public.”
In a briefing made available online after the King’s address at the State Opening of Parliament, the government had also cited the Institute for Government think tank as saying the mini-budget was “a lesson in how not to do fiscal policy”.
Yvette Cooper denies PM to hold talks on new migrants return deal with the EU
14:29 , Salma Ouaguira
Whether the UK would accept some asylum seekers in exchange for returning some migrants to the EU is not under discussion at the European Political Community summit, Yvette Cooper has said.
The home secretary said the focus is “around security” and “organised immigration crime” when pressed repeatedly on what a potential UK-EU migrants return deal could entail.
Ms Cooper told the BBC’s World At One: “That’s not the discussions that the European Political Community is having. What their focus is is around security.”
She added: “The returns arrangements we’re talking about is developing returns arrangements right across the world. We’re immediately moving hundreds of staff into the returns and enforcement unit.”
It comes as Sir Keir Starmer was reportedly set to have bilateral talks with French President Emmanuel Macron to push for a new migrants return deal with the EU today.
Under the plans, the government could return migrants crossing the Channel in small boats to the EU in exchange for accepting child asylum seekers from the EU who have family in the UK.
Irish PM claims Starmer’s election win a ‘gamechanger’ for UK-EU relations
14:25 , Salma Ouaguira
Ireland’s Simon Harris said Sir Keir Starmer’s election win could be a “gamechanger” for UK-EU relations.
The Taoiseach told reporters that there was now a British Prime Minister who said “very publicly here today in front of European Union leaders and others from the European family, that he wants to have a closer relationship with Europe”.
Speaking to reporters at the European Political Community summit in Blenheim Palace, Oxfordshire, he said: “It’s early days for the British Government. It’s not for me to prescribe what they would do next in any matter of means, that’s not a reset.
“But there’s been a gamechanger now. You have a British Government that wants to actively talk about a closer relationship with Europe, the importance of multilateralism, staying within the ECHR working closely with Ireland, talking about language around co-guarantor of our peace process.
“So it’s a very different landscape to the one we would have been discussing were we standing here only weeks ago.”
Taoiseach (Prime minister of Ireland) Simon Harris (L) is welcomed by Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace this morning (Getty Images)
Starmer discusses Albania-Italy migrant deal drying EPC summit
14:18 , Salma Ouaguira
The Prime Minister discussed Italy’s deal to send migrants to Albania for processing during an informal talk with Edi Rama.
Sir Keir Starmer and his Albanian counterpart also discussed support to Ukraine during a “brush-by” chat at the European Political Community (EPC) summit at Blenheim Palace.
A Downing Street spokeswoman said: “The Prime Minister was pleased to get time to sit with Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama at today’s EPC.
“The two leaders discussed issues of European security including migration, specifically innovative solutions such as the Italy-Albania partnership.
“They also discussed support to Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression; and UK co-operation in the Western Balkans. The Prime Ministers agreed to continue to strengthen the relationship between our two countries.”
Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama speaks to British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (L) and Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni (2nd, L) during a working session on migration at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace (Getty Images)
Watch: Lammy clashes with BBC presenter over ’neo Nazi’ Trump comment
14:15 , Salma Ouaguira
Lammy clashes with BBC presenter over ’neo Nazi’ Trump comment
In full: Zelensky urges European leaders to channel Churchill’s ‘bravery’
14:05 , Salma Ouaguira
Volodymyr Zelensky has urged European leaders to channel Winston Churchill’s “bravery” in the fight against Russian aggression.
The Ukrainian leader made his call as he spoke in the former prime minister’s birthplace, Blenheim Palace, during only his third visit to the UK since Russia’s full-scale invasion. It is his first trip to the UK since Sir Keir Starmer entered Downing Street. Mr Zelensky is also due to meet with King Charles during the visit.
The Ukrainian leader told a summit of European leaders: “Bravery made Churchill Churchill. Bravery won the greatest battle of his life. It was the battle for Britain.
“Now our bravery and cooperation must achieve no less so that the children of our nations can someday look back at us, at what we have done, at what we have chosen, what we have promised, and see the pillars of their peace, their security and their prosperity just as we see it when we look back at the most famous person from Blenheim.”
Zelensky calls on European leaders to channel Churchill’s ‘bravery’ against Russia
Watch: Farage defends jetting to see ‘friend’ Trump in US
13:55 , Salma Ouaguira
Farage defends jetting to see ‘friend’ Trump in US weeks after being elected as MP
The odd couple: What Keir Starmer really thinks about Angela Rayner
13:45 , Salma Ouaguira
As rumours swirl over growing tensions between the prime minister and his deputy, Zoe Beaty takes a closer look at their relationship and hears why their differences might also be their strength:
The odd couple: What Keir Starmer really thinks about Angela Rayner
Lammy insists he could work with Vance as he plays down past comments on Trump
13:35 , Salma Ouaguira
Foreign secretary David Lammy believes he will be able to find common ground with Donald Trump’s running mate even after he called Britain an “Islamist” country.
Ohio senator JD Vance, who was chosen as the Republican vice presidential candidate on Monday, recently referred to Britain under Labour as the first “truly Islamist” country with a nuclear weapon.
The Foreign Secretary told BBC Breakfast: “Let me just say on JD Vance that I’ve met him now on several occasions, we share a similar working class background with addiction issues in our family. We’ve written books on that. We’ve talked about that.
“And we’re both Christians, so I think I can find common ground with JD Vance.”
He also said he could work with Mr Trump despite having previously called him a “neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”.
“You’ll struggle to find anyone who hasn’t had things to say about Donald Trump,” Mr Lammy said, adding that even Mr Vance had used some “choice language” to describe his running mate.
In the early stages of Mr Trump’s political career, Mr Vance reportedly described him as “a total fraud”, “a moral disaster” and “America’s Hitler”.
British Foreign Secretary David Lammy attends the Opening Plenary at the European Political Community (EPC) meeting at Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock, Oxfordshire (EPA)
Starmer urges European leaders to tackle migrant ‘crisis’
13:30 , Jane Dalton
Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer urged European leaders to address the illegal migration “crisis” and to stand firm in support of Ukraine as he sought to strengthen the UK’s ties with the continent, at the opening of the European Political Community summit:
Starmer urges action on migrant ‘crisis’ and aid for Ukraine at European summit
Starmer responds to the Covid Inquiry’s first report
13:25 , Salma Ouaguira
Sir Keir Starmer said the UK Covid-19 Inquiry’s report confirmed that “the UK was under-prepared for Covid-19” and that policy “failed UK citizens”.
The Prime Minister said in a statement: “The memories brought about by the inquiry will be very difficult for many people. My heartfelt sympathies go out to all those who lost a loved one during that time.
“The pandemic showed us that the backbone of Britain is made up of those committing their lives to service – key workers like carers, nurses, paramedics, cleaners and teachers. They put themselves in the eye of the storm, and together with people up and down the country, many of them lost their lives or are still living with the impact of the virus.
“Today’s report confirms what many have always believed – that the UK was under-prepared for Covid-19, and that process, planning and policy across all four nations failed UK citizens.
“The safety and security of the country should always be the first priority, and this government is committed to learning the lessons from the inquiry and putting better measures in place to protect and prepare us from the impact of any future pandemic”.
Miliband says he is a ‘super nerd’
13:15 , Salma Ouaguira
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has branded himself a “super nerd” and said he takes his responsibilities as a minister “incredibly seriously”.
Speaking at the Commons during the King’s Speech debate, he said: “Anyone who knows me, knows me as a super nerd. And that means that when it comes to all of my responsibilities, particularly my quasi-judicial responsibilities, I take them incredibly seriously.”
This came in response to newly-elected Conservative MP Nick Timothy (West Suffolk), who questioned Mr Miliband’s decision to approve Sunnica’s £600 million energy farm on the Cambridgeshire/Suffolk border.
He said: “Has the secretary of state visited the Sunnica site and how many hours did it take him to read all the submissions and evidence and make his own detailed and technical and legal judgments to overrule them?”
Pictured: Keir Starmer, Giorgia Meloni and the Albania’s Edi Rama share a laugh during EPC meeting
13:05 , Salma Ouaguira
(left to right) Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, and Albania’s Prime Minister Edi Rama, during a migration working group at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire (Hollie Adams/PA Wire)
(Hollie Adams/PA Wire)
Lunch time recap: The day so far
12:56 , Salma Ouaguira
If you’re just joining us, here’s a summary of today’s main developments so far:
Sir Keir Starmer opened the EPC meeting promising European leaders he will reset the post-Brexit relationships between the UK and the EU. During the opening plenary at Blenheim Palace, he vowed the UK “will never leave the European Convention of Human Rights”.
(EPA)
Miliband says the ‘lurch’ away from climate change behind Tories’s election defeat
12:46 , Salma Ouaguira
Energy Secretary Ed Miliband has claimed the “lurch” away from tackling climate change was partially behind the Tories’ defeat at the ballot box two weeks ago.
Responding to criticism from shadow minister Claire Coutinho, he told the Commons: “The lurch that she worked on with the former prime minister, the leader of the Opposition (Rishi Sunak) a year ago was an electoral disaster for the Conservative Party – the lurch away from climate action.
“And so what you saw in her statement is this classic dilemma of the Conservative Party – and we will see this played out I hope in many long years of opposition.
“The dilemma on the one hand, do they go the Reform route to be climate deniers, or do they actually re-embrace?”
(BBC)
Shadow energy secretary slams Labour’s plans for North Sea oil
12:41 , Salma Ouaguira
Conservative shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho has repeated a trade union claim that Labour’s plans for North Sea oil could turn workers “into the coalminers of their generation”.
She described energy decarbonisation as the Government’s “big test” and also its “greatest liability”.
Ms Coutinho told the Commons: “In government, we had built more offshore wind than any other country bar China, we set out the largest expansion of nuclear power in 70 years and we have said that yes, we will need oil and gas for the decades ahead, as the Climate Change Committee indeed has said, and we should use British oil and gas where needed, because we are in a global race for energy, and demand will be higher in the years ahead because of data and AI (artificial intelligence).
“And if his plan to set out to decarbonise the grid are in place, we need to know what those plans will do to people’s energy bills, to our energy security and to our reliance on the current dominant player for cables for batteries and critical minerals, which is China.
“And he is very happy to quote the Climate (Change) Committee, but they also acknowledge that we will need oil and gas well into 2050 so the question which he must answer is where he would like that to come from.”
Ms Coutinho added: “Unite (the Union) has said their plans for the North Sea would turn oil and gas workers into the coalminers of their generation.”
(BBC)
Ed Miliband warns climate change is ‘biggest threat’ to nature
12:38 , Salma Ouaguira
Climate change “is the biggest threat to nature and food security”, not solar panels on farmland, the Energy Secretary has said.
Ed Miliband told the Commons: “The biggest threat to nature and food security, and to our rural communities, is not solar panels or onshore wind – it is the climate crisis which threatens our best farmland, food production and the livelihoods of farmers.”
He later said: “The truth is, there is already widespread public ownership of energy in Britain, but by foreign governments. We have offshore windfarms in the UK owned by the governments of Denmark, France, Norway and Sweden through state-owned companies. These governments know a publicly owned national champion is part of a modern industrial strategy and generates a return for taxpayers, crowding in, not crowding out private investment.”
The former Labour leader told MPs he would host next week in London the president of this year’s Cop29 Mukhtar Babayev, and had also invited former Conservative business secretary Lord Alok Sharma – who led the 2021 Cop26 summit in Edinburgh – in the spirit of “working with people of all parties and none in this national endeavour”.
Mr Miliband said: “We on this side believe in the ownership of British assets by the British people for the benefit of the British people, and I hope following the people’s verdict at the General Election this is a patriotic mission that the whole House can get behind.”
MPs continue second day of King’s Speech debate in parliament
12:35 , Salma Ouaguira
Away from the Blenheim Palace summit, MP continue the second day of debating the announced policies at the King’s Speech on Wednesday.
Discussing Labour’s plan to deliver clean energy, Ed Miliband has told the Commons climate change is “not a future threat but a present reality”.
Making an urgent statement about Labour’s “clean energy superpower mission”, Mr Miliband said after two weeks in Government, ministers had lifted the onshore wind ban in England, consented more than 1.3 gigawatts of solar projects, established the 2030 Mission Control Centre in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the new National Wealth Fund.
He said: “The reason we’re moving at this pace is for one overriding reason, because of the urgency of the challenges we face – the challenge of our energy insecurity laid bare by (Vladimir) Putin’s invasion of Ukraine and paid for by the British people in the worst cost of living crisis in a generation, the challenge of an economy that doesn’t work for working people, with too few good jobs and decent wages, and the challenge of the climate crisis – not a future threat but a present reality.”
(BBC)
Danish PM quotes Churchill during speech about Ukraine
12:26 , Salma Ouaguira
During the EPC opening plenary, the Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen called for the urgent delivery of more weaponry to Ukraine in a joint effort to push Russia out of the territory.
Ms Frederiksen warned European leaders that Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine could materialise in a full-scale occupation.
Citing the 2014 annexation of Crimea, she said: “Russia was not to be trusted then and Russia is not to be trusted now”.
Quoting Churchill, Frederiksen added: “It’s not enough we do our best. Sometimes we have to do what’s required.”
(EPA)
Breaking: Covid-19 Inquiry finds government and the civil service ‘failed’ the public
12:19 , Salma Ouaguira
The UK Government and the civil service “failed” the public due to “significant flaws” in preparing for the Covid-19 pandemic, a public inquiry has found.
In its first report into preparedness for a pandemic, the UK Covid-19 Inquiry said there was a “damaging absence of focus” on the measures and infrastructure that would be needed to deal with a fast-spreading disease, even though a coronavirus outbreak at pandemic scale “was forseeable”.
A major flaw, according to the inquiry, was the lack of “a system that could be scaled up to test, trace and isolate” people.
The report added: “Despite reams of documentation, planning guidance was insufficiently robust and flexible, and policy documentation was outdated, unnecessarily bureaucratic and infected by jargon.”
The inquiry said it had “no hesitation” in concluding that the “processes, planning and policy of the civil contingencies structures within the UK government and devolved administrations and civil services failed their citizens”.
The Covid inquiry, which is being chaired by Baroness Heather Hallett, published its 217-page report on Thursday.
In her foreword to the report, she said lessons must be learned and “never again can a disease be allowed to lead to so many deaths and so much suffering”.
Follow the latest updates and analysis on the Covid inquiry report live here
Inquiry chair Baroness Heather Hallett (PA) (PA Archive)
Starmer hails Labour government’s ‘new approach to Europe’
12:09 , Salma Ouaguira
Sir Keir Starmer has posted a picture from the EPC summit this morning showing him talking to French president Emmanuel Macron, Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelensky and German chancellor Olaf Scholz.
The prime minister said: “We cannot let the challenges of the past define our relationships of the future.
“My government’s new approach to Europe, to make our country safer and more secure, starts today at the European Political Community summit.”
We cannot let the challenges of the past define our relationships of the future.
My government’s new approach to Europe, to make our country safer and more secure, starts today at the European Political Community summit. pic.twitter.com/vMJfSSYm2A
— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) July 18, 2024
Pictured: European leaders line up for family photo
12:03 , Salma Ouaguira
Participants pose for a family picture prior to the Meeting of the European Political Community at the Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, near Oxford, on July 18, 2024. (Photo by Ludovic MARIN / AFP) (Photo by LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP via Getty Images) (AFP via Getty Images)
Meanwhile in Westminster…
11:46 , Salma Ouaguira
While Sir Keir Starmer and EU leaders take a family picutre at the European Political Community, new Labour peers take their oaths at the House of Lords.
Patrick Vallance, who was the chief scientific adviser during Covid, and Jacqui Smith have both sworn as new members.
Mr Wallace is now minister in the science department and Ms Ms Smith a minister in the education department.
Labour government to launch review into prison overcrowding crisis
11:42 , Salma Ouaguira
The Government will conduct a review into the prison capacity crisis, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said, as she accused the Tories of placing the public in “grave danger”.
She told the Commons: “In a speech last week, I called the last occupants of Downing Street, the guilty men. I did not use that analogy flippantly, I believe they placed the country in grave danger.
“Their legacy is a prison system in crisis, moments from catastrophic disaster. It was only by pure luck and the heroic efforts of prison and probation staff that disaster did not strike while they were in office.”
As part of the plans, Ms Mahmood said the previous government’s custody supervised licence scheme will be stopped and a review into the prison capacity crisis will be undertaken, to look at “why the necessary decisions were not taken at critical moments” by the Tories.
Additionally, at least 1,000 new trainee probation officers will be recruited by the end of March 2025, according to Ms Mahmood.
The measures set out by the Government will be reviewed in 18 months’ time.
Justice secretary warns ‘prisons will be overflowing by September’
11:39 , Salma Ouaguira
Prisons will be overflowing by September at the current rate, Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said, as she claimed the Government has “no option” but to release 5,500 prisoners early.
In a statement to the Commons, she said: “It is now clear that by September of this year our prisons will overflow. That means there is only one way to avert disaster.
“As the House knows, most of those serving standard determinate sentences leave prison at the halfway point serving the rest of their sentence in the community. The Government now has no option but to introduce a temporary change in the law.
“Yesterday, we laid a statutory instrument in draft subjected to the agreement of both Houses. Those serving eligible standard determinate sentences will leave prison after serving 40% rather than 50% of their sentence in custody and the rest on licence. Our impact assessment estimates that around 5,500 offenders will be released in September and October.
“From that time until we are able to reverse this emergency measure 40% will be the new point of automatic release for eligible standard determinate sentences. The Government does not take this decision lightly, but to disguise reality and delay any further as the last government did is unconscionable.”
A motion to approve the Criminal Justice Act 2003, requisite minimum custodial periods order 2024, will be brought to the House on July 25.
(PA Wire)
Zelensky praises UK’s ‘resolve’ in supporting Ukraine
11:36 , Salma Ouaguira
Volodymyr Zelensky praised the UK’s “resolve” in supporting Ukraine as he arrived in the UK for a major gathering hosted by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer.
The Ukrainian President said on X: “The countries of the European area are gathering for the fourth time at the European Political Community Summit to discuss common issues and challenges. I have arrived in the UK to participate in the Summit, hold bilateral meetings with partners, and sign new security agreements.
“A separate program is scheduled for our relations with the United Kingdom. I will meet with His Majesty King Charles III, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, government officials, and executives from defense companies.
“We will sign an intergovernmental agreement on support for the Ukrainian defense and industrial complex, discuss future defense cooperation, and expand our defense capabilities.
“Since the first days of the full-scale invasion, the UK has been one step ahead in its determination to support Ukraine. This is the kind of resolve we need to stop Russian terror.”
The countries of the European area are gathering for the fourth time at the European Political Community Summit to discuss common issues and challenges. I have arrived in the UK to participate in the Summit, hold bilateral meetings with partners, and sign new security agreements.… pic.twitter.com/lOpTJE63nK
— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) July 18, 2024
In full: Starmer vows UK will be a ‘friend and a partner’ to Europe
11:16 , Salma Ouaguira
Sir Keir Starmer has promised his Labour government will “never” take the UK out of the European Convention on Human Rights and took aim at the Tories’ Rwanda plan.
The prime minister told EU leaders: “We are resetting our approach here. This Government will not commit taxpayer money to gimmicks. We are here to serve our country in the national interest, in pursuit of solutions that will actually deliver results.
“More than that we will approach this issue with humanity and with a profound respect for international law.
“That is why we scrapped the unworkable Rwanda scheme on day one. And it is why we will never withdraw from the European Convention on Human Rights.”
Sir Keir concluded his opening plenary speech by pledging to be a “friend and a partner” to European allies.
He said: “It is a pleasure today on behalf of my country to extend a hand to all of you, to say that under my leadership, Britain will be a friend and a partner ready to work with you.
“Not part of the European Union, but very much part of Europe. Not focused on the differences between us, but on the values that we share. United by our determination to defend them and certain about what we can achieve together.”
(via REUTERS)
Zelensky tells EU leaders ‘your bravery can be decisive for peace’
11:14 , Salma Ouaguira
After the Sir Keir Starmer’s opening speech, Volodymyr Zelensky is up next to address the summit.
The Ukrainian president has urged state leaders and representatives sitting at the European Political Community summit to stop “the Russian aggression”.
He warned Putin could try to approach countries to tempt or pressure you or blackmail you so that one of you betrays the rest”.
But he said: “We have maintained unity in Europe and we are acting together which means that Putin has missed his primary target. He has failed to create division in Europe.
“The more decisive Europe is in preserving this unity, the longer lasting peace we will ensure.”
Urging members to convince partners around the globe to do the same, he added: “There must be a collective will to shoot them down just like the Iranian missiles and drones.”
“Your bravery can be decisive. People should feel Europe is becoming closer,” Mr Zelensky adds.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky (L) attend the Opening Plenary at the European Political Community (EPC) meeting at Blenheim Palace, in Woodstock, Oxfordshire (EPA)
PM: Russian threat ‘reaches across Europe’
11:09 , Salma Ouaguira
Sir Keir Starmer has told EU leaders attending the EPC summit that the UK wanted to “work with all of you to reset relationships”.
The prime minister said the task was urgent because “our security is on the line”.
Sir Keir told Volodymyr Zelensky, who sat next to him, that his government’s support for Ukraine will remain “for as long as it takes”.
He added the threat represented by Russia “reaches right across Europe”.
Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C) makes remarks at the opening plenary session as (L-R) the Prime Minister of Denmark Mette Frederiksen, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, Charles Michel President of the Council of Europe and President of Moldova Maia Sandu listen at the European Political Community summit (Getty Images)
Starmer addresses the opening plenary at the EPC
11:01 , Salma Ouaguira
Sir Keir Starmer is now inside Blenheim Palace where he is addressing European leaders for an opening plenary.
The prime minister has praised UK’s role in global security, saying: “I am proud of Britain’s role in maintaining security with Nato.”
He also addressed the need to tackle small boats crossings and urged leaders to end the “vile trade of people’s smuggling”.
Sir Keir said: “Let’s be frank, challenge is the wrong word. It is now, I think, a crisis. As we speak, as we gather here, a criminal empire is at work in every country represented here today, profiting off human misery and desperation, prepared to send infants, babies, pregnant mothers, innocent people to their deaths.
“And last week four more souls, and actually last night another one, were lost in the waters of the English Channel, a chilling reminder of the human cost of this vile trade.”
French president Emmanuel Macron arrives at EPC summit
10:42 , Salma Ouaguira
Emmanuel Macron has arrived at Blenheim Palace to join dozens of European leaders at the EPC.
The French president said there is “no silver bullet” to stopping small boat Channel crossings but promised to “improve the situation”.
He said: “I will have the opportunity at the end of the day to have a bilateral session with the Prime Minister. I am very happy and this is a great opportunity for a reset.”
Sir Keir Starmer will deliver some opening remarks in a few minutes.
France’s President Emmanuel Macron gestures as he arrives to attend the European Political Community meeting (AFP via Getty Images)
Josep Borrell welcomes Starmer’s ‘new tone’ on improving post-Brexit relations
10:37 , Salma Ouaguira
The high representative of the EU for foreign affairs and security policy said the bloc welcomed the “new tone of the British Government” on improving post-Brexit relations.
Speaking as he arrived at a meeting of the European Political Community at Blenheim Palace this morning, Mr Borrell said: “The new Labour Government has signalled its intention to reset its relationship with the European Union and to seek more structured cooperation with the EU in the field of foreign, security and defence policies.
“We welcome the new tone of the British government and we look forward to engaging with it. We are ready to reinforce our foreign and security policy cooperation.”
Sir Keir Starmer pledged to reset the relationship between the UK and the European Union and improve the post-Brexit trade deal.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer (R) greets European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice-President of the European Commission Josep Borrell (L) upon his arrival for the European Political Community (EPC) meeting at Blenheim Palace (EPA)
In full: Starmer scores first EU success as Irish PM describes reset between the two countries as ‘real’
10:33 , Salma Ouaguira
Keir Starmer has scored his first EU success after the Irish prime minister described a reset between the two countries as “real” and “meaningful”.
The UK and Irish governments have also pledged to hold annual meetings to “deepen and re-invigorate co-operation” after the two men met at Chequers on Wednesday evening.
It comes as the prime minister fires the starting gun on what he hope will be Britain’s new relationship with the EU as he hosts fellow European leaders at a summit in Oxfordshire.
Ahead of the European Political Community (EPC) conference at Blenheim Palace, Sir Keir promised to fix Britain’s damaged relations with the bloc to benefit “generations to come” as he warned “we cannot let the challenges of the recent past define our relationships of the future.”
Our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin has the full story:
Keir Starmer scores first EU success as Irish PM describes reset as ‘real’’
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky ‘counts on’ Starmer’s support
10:22 , Salma Ouaguira
Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace near Oxford.
The Ukrainian president stopped briefly to say he counted on support from Sir Keir Starmer in the war against Russia, adding he was looking forward to several bilateral meetings with the newly-elected prime minister today.
Speaking to broadcasters, he said: “We will have a meeting. I count on his support because really the UK demonstrated leadership from the very beginning of Russian attacks.”
The EPC was set up in 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in a bid to bring together European leaders to show a united support.
Mr Zelensky attends the summit just a week after Nato leaders promised his country more air defences.
Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelensky arrives for the Meeting of the European Political Community (AFP via Getty Images)
Starmer’s ‘generational’ plan to rebuild UK and forge closer ties with EU
10:15 , Salma Ouaguira
King’s Speech sets out Labour flagship policies to fast-track housebuilding, nationalise railways and ‘modernise’ the asylum system – as PM prepares to host other leaders and ‘reset and renew’ our relationship with Europe.
Our politics team has the full story:
Starmer’s ‘generational’ plan to rebuild UK and forge closer ties with EU
European leaders back Ukraine at Blenheim Palace summit
10:06 , Salma Ouaguira
“We are with you,” said Hungary Prime Minister Viktor Orban as he is asked what his message to Ukraine is as he arrives at the EPC Summit.
“It’s impossible to find a solution on the battlefield,” he said, before adding there needed to be a ceasefire and peace negotiations held.
Mr Orban’s approach clashes with the views of many European leaders who have reconfirmed their unwavering commitment to provide continued political, financial, economic, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support to Ukraine.
He recently claimed Donald Trump would push for peace in Ukraine “immediately” in a letter he wrote to European Union leaders.
Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban gestures as he speaks to media after arriving to attend the European Political Community meeting at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock (AFP via Getty Images)
German Chancellor refuses to stop for questions at EPC summit
10:02 , Salma Ouaguira
German Chancellor Olaf Scholz has arrived but doesn’t stop to speak to waiting journalists, Alex Ross writes.
Instead he walks along the red carpet to meet a waiting Sir Keir Starmer who will welcome him inside Blenheim Palace for this EPC Summit.
Chancellor of Germany Olaf Scholz arrives to attend the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock (Jacob King/PA Wire)
Taoiseach Simon Harris arrives to the EPC in Woodstock
09:57 , Salma Ouaguira
The Irish prime minister has arrived at Blenheim Palace to attend the European Political Community summit hosted by Sir Keir Starmer.
Mr Harris looked all smiles as he was welcomed by the prime minister.
Both leaders seem to have built a closer relationship after they shared a toast to “reset” the UK-Ireland bond over pints.
During a meeting at the garden at Chequers yesterday, Sir Keir said it was time to “move on to the next chapter, for stronger and deeper ties between both countries”.
Taoiseach Simon Harris arrives to attend the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace (AP)
Irish Taoiseach Simon Harris is welcomed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire (via REUTERS)
Councils to get power to replicate London’s bus network nationwide
09:48 , Salma Ouaguira
Councils across England will be handed the power to replicate London’s “world-class” bus network, transport secretary Louise Haigh said.
The cabinet minister made the commitment as she met Mayor of London Sadiq Khan on a visit to Waterloo bus garage on Thursday.
Legislation to give all councils the power to franchise local bus services was included in Wednesday’s King’s Speech.
The Better Buses Bill is aimed at delivering the Government’s ambition to improve services nationwide.
Franchising involves local authorities determining the details of bus services provided by private companies, such as routes, timetables and standards.
While bus services in London and Manchester are franchised, most English local authorities do not have the power to do so.
Ms Haigh said: “I’m thrilled to meet Sadiq Khan today to see first-hand how Transport for London (TfL) is delivering one of the world’s most efficient, affordable and sustainable transport networks in the world.
“It’s working proof that passengers do not have to put up with a broken bus system.
“We’re only two weeks in Government, and we’re already taking the fast lane towards better integrated travel for all.
“Our Better Buses Bill will remove barriers and empower local leaders to replicate London’s world-class bus network across the country, giving passengers a transport system they can truly rely on.”
(Wiktor Szymanowicz/Future Publis)
Spain’s Pedro Sánchez to push for migration discussions at EPC meeting
09:44 , Salma Ouaguira
Spain’s Pedro Sánchez said he’d be looking to bring the subject of migration to the table, saying it was a key issue for the Spanish people, Alex Ross writes.
The socialist prime minister said Ukraine will also be on the agenda.
He added: “I think we will have very important topics to talk about… it’s an important meeting and I’m looking forward to my first meeting with new prime minister Keir Starmer.”
Latest figures revealed more than 19,000 people have reached the archipelago by sea in the first months of this year representing a hike of 167 per cent from the previous year.
The surge caused a huge migration row at the Spanish parliament with Vox’s far-right leader Santiago Abascal quitting regional governments in protest.
Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez arrives to attend the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire (Jacob King/PA Wire)
Prime Minister of Spain Pedro Sanchez is welcomed by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire (via REUTERS)
Work and Pensions secretary says number of people out of employment is ‘truly dire’
09:33 , Salma Ouaguira
Work and Pensions secretary Liz Kendall has slammed the “truly dire” state of unemployment as new stats reveal that there are 9.4m people who are economically inactive in the UK.
New labour market data from the Office of National Statistics shows that the number of people out of work is at a near record high, with the UK the only G7 country whose employment rate is not back to pre-pandemic levels.
The percentage of people employed has fallen to 74.4 per cent while 2.8m people are now out of work due to long-term sickness.
Ms Kendall said the Labour government had been left with a “truly dire inheritance” by the Tories.
She said: “Behind these statistics are real people, who have for too long been ignored and denied the support they need to get into work and get on at work.”
Energy ‘at the top’ of Slovenia’s discussion agenda
09:29 , Salma Ouaguira
Slovenia’s Prime Minster Robert Golob says the subject of energy will be at the top of his list for discussions, as well as security agreements over the Ukraine war, Alex Ross writes.
Asked if this was an opportunity to reset relations between the EU and the UK, he said: “Absolutely so, especially after the elections. There are high hopes within Europe.”
Prime Minister of Slovenia Robert Golob arrives to attend the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire (Jacob King/PA Wire)
Reeves vows to make economic growth ‘our national mission’
09:24 , Salma Ouaguira
The Chancellor has promised to prioritise economic growth and employment rates after the latest figures on wage growth.
Rachel Reeves said: “Economic growth is our national mission and getting people back into work is central to that.
“It is the best way to improve living standards for everyone, which is why I have already taken action to fix the foundations of our economy so we can rebuild Britain and make every part of our country better off.”
It comes as the Office for National Statistics revealed wage growth has fallen back further but continues to outstrip inflation.
The average regular earnings growth dropped to 5.7% in the three months to May – down from 6% in the previous three months and the lowest level since the quarter to September 2022.
Volodymyr Zelensky still to appear at the UK-led summit
09:14 , Salma Ouaguira
The leaders from the 47 members of the EPC are arriving quickly now, each one driven to Blenheim Palace in a 4×4 vehicle before they are greeted by officials on the drive to the 19th Century country house, Alex Ross writes.
Most stop for a few words with journalists as they walk along the red carpet to the palace’s entrance.
We’re still waiting on the arrival of Volodymyr Zelensky, but it’ll be interesting to hear what he has to say with many of the leaders stating that the Ukraine war is among the priorities for today’s meeting hosted by Sir Keir Starmer.
Prime Minister of Luxembourg Luc Frieden talks to the press as he arrives for the European Political Community Summit at Blenheim Palace on July 18, 2024 in Woodstock, England (Getty Images)
EU’s biggest problem is the Russian aggression, Moldova president claims
09:07 , Salma Ouaguira
Moldova president Maia Sandu said her country’s biggest problem is the Russian aggression and her priority is to strengthen her country’s resilience and stability, Alex Ross writes.
She said a meeting is planned with the leaders of UK, Poland, France and Germany to talk Ukraine.
She said Moldova is on the “front line of the defence of democracies” – but adds that today’s summit shows that European leaders are committed to working together.
Asked what she’d like Sir Keir Starmer to say, she said her country had a good relationship with the UK and she hoped for continued support over Ukraine.
President of Moldova Maia Sandu arrives for the European Political Community Summit at Blenheim Palace on July 18, 2024 in Woodstock (Getty Images)
Kosovo PM hails EPC ‘an excellent platform that gives everyone an equal voice’
08:58 , Salma Ouaguira
Kosovo Prime Minister Vjosa Osmani arrives and stops for journalists to say she’s celebrating 25 years since British forces entered capital Pristina to liberate her country, Alex Ross writes.
She says the EPC is “an excellent platform that gives everyone an equal voice”.
Although not a member of the EU, she says she will have opportunity to “express concerns and ideas to overcome greatest challenges our continent is facing”.
She adds that the “liberation” of her country is a success story that can be followed with Ukraine, claiming the West has the high ground in the conflict.
President of Kosovo Vjosa Osmani arrives for the European Political Community Summit at Blenheim Palace on July 18, 2024 in Woodstock (Getty Images)
David Lammy warns UK ‘nowhere near’ negotiating agreements with the EU
08:52 , Salma Ouaguira
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said the UK is “nowhere near” negotiating agreements with the EU.
The European Union and the European Commission will not be up and running until December following their elections, he said, as the Prime Minister is due to host the European Political Community (EPC) summit on Thursday.
Mr Lammy told BBC Breakfast: “Of course, we’re entering into discussions but we’re nowhere near a negotiation on the trade agreement – that paper thin trade agreement that Boris Johnson struck – the veterinary deal that we’ve said that we want to get, the mutual qualifications that we want to work on and the UK-EU security pact that we’re proposing to Europe that will enable us to discuss a whole range of issues across the European family.”
He said security, Ukraine and migration would be key points of discussion at the summit.
In terms of future UK negotiations with the EU, he said: “I’m certainly not going to show my hand before negotiations have even begun.”
He repeated that Labour has said it will not bring Britain back into the single market or EU customs union but that the Government does want a better trade agreement.
(BBC)
Iceland prime minister and secretary general arrive at Blenheim Palace
08:48 , Salma Ouaguira
European leaders continue to arrive at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock. Among the first dignitaries were Council of Europe Secretary General Marija Pejcinovic Buric and prime minister of Iceland Bjarni Benediktsson.
Mr Benediktsson stopped briefly for journalists to say he’s looking forward to discussing issues such as migration, the war in Ukraine and upholding of living standards, Alex Ross writes.
He said: “I’m hopeful for a fruitful discussion and bringing those who can make a difference together and I’m hopeful for the conclusion.”
Prime Minister of Iceland Bjarni Benediktsson is welcomed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
Council of Europe secretary general Marija Pejcinovic Buric is welcomed by Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace (Getty Images)
The Minister of State of Monaco Pierre Dartout (L) is welcomed by Britain’s Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace (Getty Images)
Keir Starmer welcomes EU leaders to Blenheim Palace ahead of EPC meeting
08:32 , Salma Ouaguira
It’s a bright, sunny morning in Oxfordshire as European leaders begin to roll up in cars outside the entrance to Blenheim Palace, Alex Ross writes.
Visitors leave their cars to walk along a red carpet where they have the opportunity to speaking to the waiting press.
Leaders from the 47-member European Political Community summit will gather as Sir Keir attempts to reset the UK’s relationship with its European neighbours after the turmoil of Brexit.
Prime Minister of the Netherlands Dick Schoof is welcomed by Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire (Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
Who are the leaders attending the European Political Community summit?
08:27 , Salma Ouaguira
Sir Keir Starmer will host 47 heads of state and government in the fourth summit of the EPC.
The list includes leaders of the 27 EU member states and other countries in Europe including Albania, Andorra, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Iceland, Kosovo, Liechtenstein, Moldova, Monaco, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Norway, San Marino, Serbia, Switzerland, Turkey and Ukraine.
President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to attend the meeting and the EU will be represented by the European Council President Charles Michel.
Nato Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan will also make an appearance.
(Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire)
Covid inquiry to lay bare failure of government and politicians
08:20 , Salma Ouaguira
The UK government’s failures to properly prepare for a pandemic are expected to be laid bare on Thursday as the UK Covid-19 Inquiry publishes its first report.
Inquiry chair Baroness Heather Hallett will report on how well the UK was able to face a deadly outbreak in the run-up to 2020 when the Covid-19 pandemic swept across Britain.
The report is expected to highlight the UK’s focus on preparing for a flu pandemic instead of a coronavirus pandemic.
Lady Hallett may highlight how austerity measures led to public health cutbacks.
She could also comment on preparations surrounding personal protective equipment (PPE) and a government focused on Brexit.
Key politicians, scientists and health experts appeared as witnesses during the first module of the inquiry – which is titled Resilience and Preparedness.
Former health secretaries Matt Hancock and Jeremy Hunt were put under the spotlight during oral evidence sessions, alongside former prime minister Lord Cameron and former levelling up secretary Michael Gove.
David Lammy declines to say whether he was wrong about Trump
08:09 , Salma Ouaguira
The foreign secretary has refused to say whether he was wrong about Donald Trump when he called the former US president a “neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”.
He told BBC Breakfast: “Donald Trump is the biggest, in many ways, of political characters we have at this point on the planet.
“Lots of people have had things to say, but in our common interests, with security as a central challenge in the global community, war in the Middle East, war in Europe, with tremendous challenges for costs of living across the globe.
“There is a lot of common cause, that the UK can strike with the US, and we will do that with whomever is in the White House.”
It comes after he was pressed on the same comments on Sky News this morning, claiming: “You’ll struggle to find politicians that didn’t criticise Trump”.
(BBC)
Wage growth falls back further but continues to outstrip inflation
07:55 , Salma Ouaguira
UK earnings growth has fallen back further amid mounting signs of a weakening jobs market, but wages are outstripping inflation at the fastest pace for more than two-and-a-half years, according to official figures.
The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said average regular earnings growth dropped to 5.7% in the three months to May – down from 6% in the previous three months and the lowest level since the quarter to September 2022.
With Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation taken into account, regular earnings rose by 3.2%, which is the highest since the three months to August 2021.
The ONS estimated that the rate of unemployment remained unchanged at 4.4% in the three months to May.
But it flagged further signals that the employment sector is cooling, with 30,000 fewer vacancies at 889,000 in the quarter to June.
Lammy: ‘You’ll struggle to find politicians that didn’t criticise Trump’
07:53 , Salma Ouaguira
David Lammy has been pressed on his previous comments on Donald Trump.
The foreign secretary called the Republican nominee for US president a “Neo-Nazi”, a “sociopath” and a “tyrant with a toupee”.
Responding to the comments, he said: “You are going to struggle to find any politician who didn’t have things to say about Donald Trump back in the day.
“Today, I’m standing here as the UK foreign secretary. You know that I’ve been to Washington DC eight times since becoming shadow foreign secretary, and now foreign secretary.
“I meet with Republicans and Democrats, many close to Trump, and we will work with whomever the United States choose to put in the White House and become their next president.”
(AP)
David Lammy declines to reveal what Labour’s demands will be at EPC summit
07:43 , Salma Ouaguira
The foreign secretary has declined to say what the Labour government will be looking to secure during the European Political Community later today.
Sir Keir Starmer is expected to meet European leaders in an attempt to reset the UK’s relationship with the bloc.
But Mr Lammy said it would be “silly” to reveal what the prime minister will be demanding from EU countries because he would be “showing our hand”.
He told Sky News this morning: “We have said that we will have discussions with Europe on the European Union. We have not got a commission, they had elections last month, they won’t have a commission in place until December.
“So I am afraid I can’t tell you what our negotiation lines will be and it would be silly to do that because I would be showing our hand.”
He added: “I am not able to tell you what the position will be with Europe because we haven’t actually got a commission to discuss or negotiate with at this time.”
(Sky News)
Rees-Mogg blasts Labour’s King Speech almost the same as Conservative pledges
07:36 , Salma Ouaguira
Jacob Rees-Mogg has said Sir Keir Starmer’s King’s Speech “could have been delivered by the Conservatives”.
The former Tory MP, who lost his seat during the general election, said the legislature announced by Labour was almost entirely the same to what Rishi Sunak pledged during the campaign.
He told GB News: “We’ve got a newly appointed Leader of the Opposition in the form of Rishi Sunak, who has virtuously declared that he will not oppose the Government’s agenda for the sake of opposing.
“But what is the point of the Opposition, particularly when the King’s Speech could have been delivered with a Conservative government?
“There are only one or two things that weren’t in the Conservative manifesto.”
Sir Jacob added people had voted for change but they are getting is “more of the same, just a little bit extra”.
(GB News)
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Publish date : 2024-07-18 14:04:50
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