Starmer condemns Badenoch for abandoning cross-party consensus on local weather disaster coverage
Keir Starmer’s assertion to MPs concerning the G20 and Cop29 summits largely summarised announcments made whereas he was at these occasions. Kemi Badenoch, the brand new Conservative chief, responded. Usually exchanges like this are comparatively tame, as a result of the primary events typically broadly agree on international coverage points, however Badenoch was very crucial of Starmer’s international coverage positions, notably on local weather, and Starmer condemned her for breaking what had been a cross-party consensus on decreasing emissions.
Referring to Cop29, Badenoch stated:
Cop has not but concluded, so we have no idea what the ultimate affect on the UK might be. However we do know the prime minister’s rush to an additional lower in our emissions [a reference to this announcement] is yet one more instance of politicians placing brief time period publicity above long run planning.
When will he publish the plans to attain this new goal?
The place this authorities does the appropriate factor, we’ll again it. But, the place it places politics earlier than folks and press releases earlier than practicality, we’ll maintain them to account.
It’s time for politicians to inform the reality, and it’s time the prime minister supplied some substance to again this expensive rhetoric.
Badenoch identified that, by attending the G20 summit in Brazil, Starmer was out of London for the farmers’ protests. And he or she ended:
The prime minister’s international coverage is a decide and mixture of empty platitudes, unilateral commitments that he might have introduced at dwelling, and harmful precedents – dashing to present away the Chagos islands and paying for the privilege, an ill-judged suspension of export licences to Israel, damaging our defence and safety business and failing to set out a roadmap for spending 2.5% GDP on defence in a world that’s turning into but extra harmful.
I hope the prime minister is as much as the very actual and severe challenges posed to our safety and prosperity.
In response, Starmer stated that Badenoch’s resolution to desert the cross-party consensus on decreasing carbon emissions and the drive to web zero “exhibits simply how far the get together reverse has fallen”. He stated:
On Cop … I’ve to say, it’s a disgrace that what was once a cross-party difficulty not so a few years in the past … when Cop was in Scotland, there was an actual unity throughout the home concerning the significance of tackling a type of central problems with our time.
I feel the truth that she has now taken the place she has of attacking the very thought of setting targets exhibits simply how far the get together reverse has fallen.
On a problem like this, I used to be proud that underneath a few of her predecessors we had that unity. It’s a disgrace it’s now been misplaced due to the place adopted by the opposition.
Badenoch describes herself as a “web zero sceptic” and in a current interview she advised that an adaption technique could be a greater resolution to the local weather disaster than simply specializing in reducing carbon emissions.
Key occasions
Here’s a reside feed of Matt Hancock giving proof to the Covid inquiry.
Keir Starmer is within the Commons the place he has made an announcement to MPs on the 2 summits he has attended lately, the G20 and Cop29.
However he began with a tribute to John Prescott, calling him “a real large of the Labour motion”. He went on:
John achieved that uncommon factor – he modified folks’s lives, and he set the trail for us all to observe … He did all of it in his personal manner, with humour, with satisfaction, ardour and whole conviction. He really was a one off.
Starmer additionally stated that there could be full tributes to Prescott within the Commons on one other event.
Steve Reed says authorities desires to make farming ‘extra worthwhile’
Helena Horton
Steve Reed, the atmosphere secretary, has introduced a plan which he stated would make farming extra worthwhile.
In his first speech for the reason that hundreds of farmers held a mass rally in Westminster on Tuesday to protest concerning the authorities’s plans to increase inheritance tax to farms, he introduced a brand new, farmer-led 25-year roadmap for the sector.
He additionally stated that, as an alternative of tweaking inheritance tax, he would make adjustments to the provision chain to make sure farmers get a good worth for his or her produce.
Latest analysis has proven that farmers get about 1p from the value of a block of cheese or a loaf of bread within the grocery store, and farmers make a few 0.5% return on their investments.
Talking on the Nation Land and Enterprise Affiliation (CLA) convention, Reed stated:
I’m not ready to let so many farmers hold working so exhausting for thus little. We have to work collectively to agree what we wish British farming to seem like in 25 years time. Which means a plan to transition farming to new fashions which might be extra environmentally but in addition extra financially sustainable for the long run.
We’ll do that by growing a 25-year farming roadmap. This would be the most ahead trying plan for farming in our nation’s historical past, with a give attention to making farming and meals manufacturing extra worthwhile within the many years to come back.
It is not going to inform farmers what to do. It is going to be farmer led to allow them to inform the federal government what they should make the success of this very important transition.
Referring to the inheritance tax row, Reed went on:
One of many issues farmers had been telling me final Tuesday is how little revenue they make. How little cash for all of the exhausting work they put into producing the meals for the remainder of us to take pleasure in.
The reply to that isn’t to inform farmers they’re not in it for the cash, as I’ve heard simply final week.
The reply is to make farming extra worthwhile. The federal government will do exactly that. We’ll make the provision chain fairer so meals producers and growers should not compelled to simply accept unfair contracts.
Reed concluded:
I heard the anguish of the countryside on the streets of London earlier this week. We could not agree over the inheritance tax adjustments, however this authorities is set to hearken to rural Britain and finish its lengthy decline.
The CLA convention is the the place Reed informed farmers final 12 months, when he as shadow atmosphere secretary, that Labour was not going to increase inheritance tax to farms.
Victoria Vyvyan, president of the CLA, has accused the federal government of “taxing us out of existence” and “embroiling” rural folks in a “silly row about numbers”.
In the present day, addressing Reed earlier than he gave his speech, she stated:
Secretary of state, it’s essential to act. Final 12 months, I requested you, had been you to be elected, might we on this room rely on you to enter bat for us at cupboard? And also you stated sure, and that’s what I wish to see from you.
This isn’t about get together politics. It’s not about private get together alignment. That is about the truth that you’re the one who’s sitting there on the cupboard, representing us, and you must neglect any variations that we would have, and you must bear in mind that you’re our voice on the coronary heart of presidency.
Jacqueline Carey KC, lead counsel for the inquiry, asks a few minute of a gathering he had with well being ministers from the devolved governments. She exhibits an extract on display screen.
The minutes confer with Jeane Freeman (JF), well being minister within the Scottish authorities, asking for a reset within the relationship between the English and Scottish administrations.
Carey asks if that associated to something associated to the theme of module 3 – the affect of Covid on the NHS.
Hancock says that was a reference to Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish first minister, “inflicting all types of difficulties”. He says that’s not related to this module.
Matt Hancock, the previous well being secretary, has now began his proof to the Covid inquiry.
Requested if he thought the “Keep at dwelling, defend the NHS, save lives” messaging struck the appropriate stability, Hancock says he thinks it did.
Q: Do you suppose every little thing attainable was achieved to maintain healthcare staff secure?
Hancock says:
It was clearly extraordinarily troublesome to maintain healthcare staff as secure as attainable, as a result of successfully the wards of the NHS grew to become the entrance line on this lethal battle.
Q: Do you suppose visiting restrictions, and restrictions on folks being with family members once they had been dying, had been too strict?
Hancock says:
We had been balancing extremely troublesome issues on either side. I feel, on stability, we acquired these broadly proper throughout the pandemic. However I completely perceive and really feel very, very sturdy arguments on either side.
However Hancock says he thinks the steering for funerals was utilized in a stricter manner than had been supposed.
Q: Do you settle for that going into the pandemic with a low variety of intensive care beds and excessive mattress occupancy put the system underneath extra pressure?
After all, says Hancock.
Q: Do you suppose now that the choice to droop all non pressing elective care was the appropriate one?
Sure, says Hancock.
We’re inviting readers to share their recollections of John Prescott. You are able to do so through this web page.
Matt Hancock provides proof to Covid inquiry
We’ll keep it up reporting tributes to John Prescott because the day goes on, however there may be different information taking place as we speak too and shortly I’ll change to the Covid inquiry, the place Matt Hancock, the previous well being secretary, is giving proof from 10am. He has already given proof to the inquiry earlier than, however the inquiry is now on module 3, focusing particularly on the affect of the pandemic on the NHS, and Hancock might be speaking about that.
We now have additionally acquired John Healey, the defence secretary, giving proof to the Commons defence committee from 10.30am this morning.
Peter Mandelson says Prescott was ‘the cement that stored New Labour collectively’
Peter Mandelson was one in all many individuals within the Labour get together who feuded with John Prescott at varied instances once they had been in authorities, and at one memorable photocall in the summertime of 1997 Prescott in contrast him to a crab. In the present day, talking on Sky Information, Mandelson performed down the prolong of their disagreements, and identified that Prescott had supported his software to grow to be Labour’s communications director in 1985 – the job that turned out to be the launchpad for Mandelson’s profession.
Mandelson stated it was incorrect to say Prescott was not New Labour.
Some folks say typically that he wasn’t New Labour. However that’s not true. He was New Labour. He was one very important a part of New Labour. He principally stored us anchored in our working class roots, our commerce union historical past. And he was the bridge, primarily, between that and the modernisers within the Labour get together, Tony, Gordon, me and the others. And he at all times wished that venture to work. It’s not as if he was standing outdoors it and peering in. He was on the within and making it work. He was, in lots of respects, the cement that stored New Labour collectively.
Requested what he was prefer to work with, Mandelson replied:
He was completely not possible. After I say he was kind of brave, he was. After I say he was loyal, he was. After I say he was decided, he was. He was at all times decided to get his personal manner on any specific difficulty at any given second. Proper up till the purpose he’d say, ‘OK, I’ll do that for you. You do that for me. So long as you cowl this off I’ll fortunately associate with it.’
So he was a negotiator. He was a commerce union negotiator. He was a dealer. However on the finish of the day he wished it to work and the way in which by which he made it work was by being extremely troublesome for days on finish after which lastly sealing it, making work, agreeing it and off we went.
Mandelson additionally recalled a shock dialog earlier this 12 months he had with Prescott.
I used to be at dwelling on a Sunday morning and the telephone went after which out of the blue I put it on and it was the face of John Prescott on my telephone FaceTiming me from Hull. I imply, no superior warning. No how do you do. It was, ‘Hi there, is that you just?’ ‘Sure John it’s me. What would you like?’
He stated ‘I simply wish to say that I do know it was troublesome and we had been bloody terrible to you at instances and I used to be, however really you probably did good and I wish to forgive you.’ What am I being forgiven for right here? It was simply, ‘I wish to forgive you since you did good. And I do know it wasn’t straightforward at instances and I do know it was tough and I do know I didn’t assist however now I perceive.’ And I stated, ‘John that’s very sort of you. How do you out of the blue perceive this?’ He stated, ‘Oh nicely someone gave me this guide of yours. I didn’t learn it earlier than. It appeared very boring. However I’ve checked out it, I’ve dipped into it and I’ve seen what you went via … I really feel moderately sorry for you really. And anyway, thanks very a lot.’
It was a couple of minutes extra … however that was it. That was the final time I spoke to him.
Listed below are extra tributes to John Prescott from Labour figures on social media.
From Alastair Campbell, Tony Blair’s communications director in No 10
JP RIP … there was no one else like him. Tony couldn’t have had a greater deputy. Labour couldn’t have had a greater campaigner. The federal government couldn’t have had a greater negotiator and – sure, typically, peacemaker. Hull couldn’t have had a greater MP. After all he was combative however he had an unlimited coronary heart and an important capability for friendship. Even along with his horrible sickness in later years, the previous JP was at all times there. Like to Pauline, Jonathan and David and nothing however fond recollections of a complete one off who might be missed by so many.
From Yvette Cooper, the house secretary
Such unhappy information about John Prescott. A campaigning Labour hero & a outstanding minister who remodeled lives – upgrading tens of millions of council houses, coalfield regeneration, tackling local weather change. Fierce & heat hearted – there was nobody like him. Pondering of Pauline & household as we speak
From Ed Balls, the previous adviser to Gordon Brown and later secretary of state for youngsters
From Jeremy Corbyn, the previous Labour chief
I’m actually unhappy to listen to that John Prescott has handed away.
John was an enormous determine and character, from his seafaring union days to the very best places of work in Authorities.
I might be endlessly grateful for his private and political help within the 2017 and 2019 elections. His infinite heat and iconic wit had been cherished on the marketing campaign path.
My deepest sympathies to John’s household at their loss. He might be drastically missed.
From Hilary Benn, the Northern Eire secretary
1/2 John Prescott was a political large who made a novel contribution to the Labour and commerce union motion he cherished so deeply. Genuine, humorous, robust, extremely expert and, at instances, unpredictable, he typically used the phrase “conventional Labour values in a contemporary setting”.
2/2 In doing so, he would reassure and encourage Occasion members with whom he had an important bond. He might be a lot missed. All our ideas are with Pauline and his household on this very unhappy day.
From David Lammy, international secretary
John Prescott was one of many giants of our get together. Dedicated, loyal, Labour to his core. A relentless champion of working individuals who by no means forgot who he got here into politics to combat for. Full of fine humour and blunt widespread sense. Relaxation in peace
Angela Rayner pays tribute to Prescott, saying he was ‘inspiration to me’
Angela Rayner is usually in comparison with John Prescott. They had been each introduced up working class, grew to become Labour MPs after working within the commerce union motion and have been ceaselessly patronised or demonised by Tories and the media, partly on the grounds of sophistication snobbery. And each ended up deputy PM.
Right here is her tribute to Prescott.
By means of his half a century of public service and a decade as deputy prime minister, John Prescott was pushed by his Labour values to serve working folks.
Fiercely pleased with his working class and commerce union roots, he by no means overpassed who he got here into politics to serve. He used the prospect he was given to vary the lives of tens of millions of working folks.
An enormous of the labour motion and constant buddy, he might be remembered with large fondness by all those that knew him.
John was not solely a Labour legend however an inspiration to me, and at all times so beneficiant along with his time and help.
We’ll miss him drastically. Our ideas and prayers are with Pauline, David, Johnathan and the remainder of the household.
Prescott’s household ask folks to not ship flowers however to donate to Alzheimer’s Analysis UK as an alternative
Right here is the total assertion from John Prescott’s household saying his demise. Prescott was dwelling with Alzheimer’s in his last years and his household have requested wellwishers minded to ship flowers to donate to Alzheimer’s Analysis UK as an alternative.
They are saying:
We’re deeply saddened to tell you that our beloved husband, father and grandfather, John Prescott, handed away peacefully yesterday on the age of 86.
He did so surrounded by the love of his household and the jazz music of Marian Montgomery.
John spent his life making an attempt to enhance the lives of others, preventing for social justice and defending the atmosphere, doing so from his time as a waiter on the cruise liners to turning into Britain’s longest serving deputy prime minister.
John dearly cherished his dwelling of Hull and representing its folks in parliament for 40 years was his biggest honour. We want to thank the superb NHS medical doctors and nurses who cared for him after his stroke in 2019 and the devoted employees on the care dwelling the place he handed away after latterly dwelling with Alzheimer’s.
In lieu of flowers and if you want to take action, you’ll be able to donate to Alzheimer’s Analysis UK.
As you’ll be able to think about, our household must course of our grief so we respectfully request time and house to mourn in personal. Thanks.
Here’s a John Prescott image gallery.
Gordon Brown pays tribute to Prescott
Andrew Sparrow
Good morning. I’m Andrew Sparrow, taking up from Caroline Davies.
The previous prime minister Gordon Brown has simply been on the In the present day programme paying tribute to John Prescott. He stated:
John was a buddy of mine, he was a colleague, however once you consider him, he was a colossus, he was a titan of the Labour motion.
John Lennon talked about working class hero. It’s troublesome to suit that time period, however I feel John would love that.
You’ve acquired to take a look at his achievements. He was in all probability the primary authorities minister to see the significance of the atmosphere. Kyoto, that environmental treaty in 1997, you’ve acquired to attribute that to John’s exhausting work with Al Gore.
Then he noticed the significance, and he was a pioneer of regional coverage. So the actual fact now we have devolution and mayors owes an important deal to what John was pondering proper all through the Eighties and 90s after I was working with him.
After which we mustn’t neglect that one of many nice achievements of John as atmosphere secretary was the restore and enchancment of housing, 1.5m homes which might not have been repaired with out John’s dedication that the social housing inventory needed to be remodernised.
So that you’ve acquired to take a look at the sensible achievements of somebody who presumably shocked himself by the way in which that he managed to grow to be deputy prime minister, however really made an enormous distinction.
Yorkshire has “misplaced one in all its nice political heavyweights,” stated Tracy Brabin, mayor for West Yorkshire. In a submit on X she stated:
Deeply unhappy information to listen to of John Prescott’s passing. Yorkshire has misplaced one in all its nice political heavyweights. A real Northerner with unwavering authenticity. John’s report speaks for itself: tackling regional inequalities, preventing for social justice and defending the atmosphere.
We should all now construct on his legacy and work tirelessly, as he did, to create a rustic that works for all.
Lord Prescott’s spouse and two sons stated he had been in a care dwelling lately dwelling with Alzheimer’s. Hilary Evans-Newton, chief govt at Alzheimer’s Analysis UK, stated:
It’s heartbreaking to listen to that former deputy prime minister, Lord John Prescott, some of the outstanding political figures of our era, has died with Alzheimer’s. Our ideas are along with his household and family members throughout this troublesome time.
It’s tragic what number of lives are being misplaced to dementia, the main reason behind demise within the UK.
We’re extremely moved by Lord Prescott’s household, who’ve requested for donations to Alzheimer’s Analysis UK, in lieu of flowers.
Because the UK’s main dementia analysis charity, we’re accelerating progress in direction of a remedy, so nobody’s life has to finish this manner.
