Latest news with #PoliticalCorrespondent
CBC
27-05-2025
- General
- CBC
King Charles delivers throne speech
CBC News Chief Political Correspondent Rosemary Barton hosts special coverage as King Charles delivers the speech from the throne to open Canada's 45th Parliament.
Telegraph
13-03-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Starmer to give speech on slashing the state
Sir Keir Starmer is to give a major speech this morning as he prepares to set out his plans to scale back the size of the state. The Prime Minister will deliver remarks in East Yorkshire in the next half hour, followed by a town hall-style discussion with civil servants. Sir Keir is expected to announce a new target to slash the cost of government regulations. It comes after he wrote an article for The Telegraph in which he admitted record tax and spending in recent years had not improved public services. He warned that the British state has become 'overcautious and flabby', before going on to describe the Civil Service as 'overstretched [and] unfocused'. Latest updates Political Correspondent 13 March 2025 • 10:21am 10:19AM We'll put Britain back in the driver's seat, says PM This Labour Government was elected on a simple pledge: change, writes Sir Keir Starmer. That was our offer to the British people after 14 years of Tory chaos. But it also reflects our volatile world. Global instability fuels insecurity here at home. Russia's invasion of Ukraine has pushed up bills, raised prices, and threatened the peace of our continent. When people are worried about their family finances. When our streets don't feel safe. And when our public services aren't there for people who need them, it all adds up to a sense that Britain isn't working for them. In times like this, people look to their government not to be buffeted about by change, or even to merely respond to it. People want their government to seize the future and shape it for the benefit of the British people. 10:05AM Starmer: I will tackle our flabby state Sir Keir Starmer has warned that the British state has become 'overcautious and flabby', writes Daniel Martin. Writing in The Telegraph ahead of his speech today, the Prime Minister admits that record taxation and spending in recent years have not led to improvement in front-line services. He promises wholesale reform of the Civil Service, which he describes as 'overstretched, unfocused' and unable to deliver security in an uncertain world. His comments echo the sentiments of Elon Musk in the US, who has promised to reduce the amount of taxpayers' money wasted in his role as the head of the department of government efficiency (Doge).
Telegraph
12-03-2025
- Health
- Telegraph
Starmer faces Badenoch at PMQs amid hopes of Ukraine deal
Latest updates Political Correspondent 12 March 2025 • 12:16pm 12:28PM Starmer rejects calls for wealth tax Richard Burgon, the Labour MP for Leeds East, said: 'Disabled people in my constituency are frightened and they're frightened because they're again hearing politicians use the language of tough choices. 'And they know from bitter experiences that when politicians talk about tough choices, it means the easy option of making the poor and vulnerable pay. So instead of cutting benefits for disabled people, wouldn't the moral thing to do, the courageous thing to do, be to make a real tough choice and introduce a wealth tax on the very wealthiest people in our society?' Sir Keir Starmer replied: 'The party opposite left a broken welfare system which locks millions out of work, that is indefensible in my view, economically and morally. 'Of course we need to support people who need support, and we need to help those who want to work to get back into work and I think there's a moral imperative in that. 'He talks about a wealth tax, we have raised money, the energy profits levy, taxing non-doms and air passenger duty on private jets. But this isn't a bottomless pit and we must kickstart growth to get the economy that we need.' 12:25PM Starmer: No place for anti-Jewish racism in the NHS Tulip Siddiq, a former minister, referred to reports that a Jewish NHS doctor had been killed a 'baby-killer' and asked what the Prime Minister was doing to ensure the safety of her constituents (there are eight synagogues in Ms Siddiq's constituency). Sir Keir Starmer said: 'I thank her for raising these deeply concerning reports. It is deeply unacceptable for anyone to experience racism, discrimination or prejudice in the health service. I know my Right Honourable friend the Health Secretary takes such reports extremely seriously. 'It is a fundamental principle that the NHS provides care and treatment for everyone regardless of race, faith or background.' When Sir Keir was interrupted as he said this, he replied: 'You've let yourself down and you know it.' He continued: 'I expect all trusts and healthcare providers to take necessary action that have expressed views that do not reflect the views and values of the NHS.' 12:22PM Sir Keir: All options on the table over Trump's tariffs Sir Ed Davey called for Sir Keir Starmer to be 'more robust' with Donald Trump and fly out to Canada 'as soon as possible' to show the UK stands with the country 'against Trump's threats and against Trump's tariffs'. 'Canada is an ally and a very important ally too and I've spoken to our allies on many occasions about the situation in Canada,' Sir Keir said. 'On the question of tariffs, like everybody else I'm disappointed to see global tariffs in relation to steel and aluminium. But we will take a pragmatic approach. 'We are as he knows negotiating an economic deal which covers and will include tariffs if we succeed but we will keep all options on the table.' 12:19PM Sir Keir Starmer: Current welfare system morally indefensible John Slinger, the Labour MP for Rugby, noted one in eight adults are not in education, employment or training. He asked Sir Keir Starmer 'to set out how everyone who is able to work get the support they need' and how he will 'fix the broken system' while taking a 'compassionate' approach towards disabled Britons. Sir Keir said: 'I come from a family that dealt with disability through my mother and brother over many years so I do understand the concerns that are being raised by him. 'But we inherited a system which was broken, which is indefensible economically and morally and we must and we will reform it. We will have clear principles, we will protect those who need protecting. We will also support those who can work back to work. But Labour is the party of work, we are also the party of equality and fairness.' He added: 'What we've inherited is shocking and they ought to be silent. One in eight young people not in education, work or training. That is a lost generation. That is their inheritance.' 12:17PM Badenoch: This is a job-killing government Kemi Badenoch accused Sir Keir Starmer of having 'no answers today' and 'making mistakes with this Budget'. 'He promised to freeze council tax but it's going up by £100. This is a high-tax, low-growth, job-killing government. 'Will he use the emergency Budget to fix the mess he's made?' Sir Keir replied: 'Inflation under them 11 per cent, £22bn black hole, a mini-Budget that made us the laughing stock of the world and they want to give lectures on the economy to us. No thank you very much!' 12:15PM Badenoch and Starmer clash over family farm tax Kemi Badenoch said: 'The Prime Minister is not looking at what's happening out there... And that's before we get to the immoral family farms tax, on the very farmers who work so hard to produce our food. What does the Prime Minister have against farmers anyway? 'Does he not see that his Budget is killing farming in this country and he is making life so much harder for everyone else?' The Prime Minister replied: 'The Budget provided £5 billion for farming over the next two years, that is a record amount. We've set out a roadmap for farming that has been welcomed by farmers, and many thousands of farms have benefited from the farming schemes.' Sir Keir insisted: 'Families across the country are better off under Labour.' 12:13PM Starmer: We're fixing the mess the Tories left Kemi Badenoch asked Sir Keir Starmer about cuts to the winter fuel allowance while care home fees go up. 'How does he expect pensioners on a fixed income to make ends meet?' she said. Sir Keir responded: 'This is why it's so important that wages are up higher than prices, that's why it's so important that the interest rates are coming down. 'This is the biggest boost for the cost of living for a very, very long time. What we're doing is picking up and fixing the mess that they left.' 12:12PM Badenoch accuses Starmer of talking 'trash' Kemi Badenoch said: 'The Prime Minister is out of touch because he should know that nurseries are charging over £2,000 for full-time care. That's £24,000 a year after tax and he's talking about 60p breakfast clubs. He has no idea what people out there are experiencing. 'And it is not just the families, even councils must pay his jobs tax. To cope with it the average council tax bill is increasing by over £100 in April after he promised to freeze it. Hard working families' money is going to the Chancellor instead of social care and fixing potholes. Why should these families pay more for less?' Sir Keir Starmer replied: 'Well she really shouldn't denigrate what I think she calls '60p breakfast clubs'. She should be welcoming them. And she asked about council tax, the Tories put up council tax every year for 12 years. 'Their manifesto, Tory LGA manifesto, governments should remove the caps on council tax... We're the ones that are doing the right things to get the country on the right tax.' Mrs Badenoch hit back: 'The point is he promised to freeze and they are going up. And if he wants to talk about councils let's look at Liverpool or maybe Birmingham where the rubbish is piling up so high people vote Labour and all they get is trash, just like what he's saying at the Despatch Box.' 12:09PM Badenoch: Starmer's tax rises hurting every sector of the economy Kemi Badenoch told Sir Keir Starmer: 'The Prime Minister needs to get out more. Inflation is up and estimates of job losses are between 130,000 and 300,000. His tax rises are hurting every sector of the economy. Things are getting worse for nurseries, nurseries are writing to stressed parents right now telling them fees will go up because of his jobs tax. 'Can he explain how more expensive childcare is good for the economy or for working families struggling to make ends meet?' Sir Keir replied: 'We're putting in childcare, look at the breakfast clubs, two in her constituency. But she's rather forgetting the £22bn black hole that they left that we had to deal with. That's why we had to take the necessary but right measures that we did in the Budget. 'And what's her response? Not that she'd reverse them, she attacks what we've done but she doesn't say she'd reverse it. Because she wants all the benefits of our Budget in returns of investment but she doesn't want to pay for it. That's how we got into the mess in the first place.' 12:07PM Starmer defends record on economy Kemi Badenoch, the Tory leader, said: 'Later today, the Prime Minister is meeting the family of Sir David Amess. Sir David gave this House and our country 40 years of service. 'I hope the Prime Minister will agree getting the response to his murder right is vital not just to his family but to our democracy. 'Mr Speaker, every week I speak to businesses who are letting go of staff or closing. Has the Prime Minister been given an estimate of how many people will lose their jobs because of his Budget?' Sir Keir responded: 'Just on the question of Sir David, he was a deeply loved and respected colleague. Behind me is the plaque as is the plaque for Jo Cox in front of me and I know this was deeply felt by the House but particularly as I acknowledged at the time by the party opposite who lost a colleague and a friend in the most awful of circumstances. 'Mr Speaker, I am meeting the Amess family later on today and will make sure that they get answers to the questions that they ask. 'Mr Speaker, in relation to businesses, I'm really pleased to say we've got thousands of new jobs into the economy, we've got more investment in the last 20 years at an absolute record, wages are up higher than prices, three interest rate cuts, the best boost to the cost of living for a very long time.'
