​Politics LIVE: Keir Starmer sparks fears of new stealth tax as 'millions of pensioners face levy for first time ever'

PICTURED: Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron speaking inside No10

Keir Starmer hails 'strength of bond' with France ahead of crunch migration meeting with Emmanuel Macron

Sir Keir Starmer has hailed the "strength of the bond" held between the United Kingdom and France ahead of his crunch meeting with Emmanuel Macron.

The Prime Minister told reporters: “I am really proud of the fact that we have a strong history together as two countries and we have done so much of historical significance and to lay the wreaths for Churchill and de Gaulle yesterday was a real reminder of the strength of the bond between our two countries.”

Starmer will hold the rest of his migration meeting with Macron behind closed doors.

WATCH NOW: Lee Anderson calls point of order after Nigel Farage heckled by 'disrespectful' MP

PICTURED: Keir Starmer with Emmanuel Macron outside No10

Lee Anderson rages as Speaker dismisses concerns about Nigel Farage heckling

Ashfield MP Lee Anderson has been left raging after Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle dismissed concerns about an independent MP heckling Nigel Farage.

Raising a point of order, Reform UK's Chief Whip said: "During PMQs today the honourable member for Clacton asked what I thought was quite a reasonable question because I knew what the question was going to be.

"But during PMQs I couldn't hear a single word and I'm sure people in this chamber couldn't because people like the honourable member for Dewsbury behind me never shut up all the way through.

"We do not subscribe to this sort of dog whistle politics in Reform UK so Mr Speaker could you please give us advice how to stop this behaviour in the future?"

Hoyle replied: "I think Mr Farage is capable of dealing with his own battles as we've seen on many occasions.

"It is about respect, it is about tolerance, that we should show to each other because what we do in here is reflected outside.

"So please let us show common sense but respect for each other."

Ed Davey tells Keir Starmer Channel cash for France must be 'conditional'

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has told Sir Keir Starmer that cash sent to France to deal with the Channel crossings must be made "conditional".

Davey said: “Does the Prime Minister agree that any new funding to the French government must be conditional on them agreeing a returns deal and doing their bit to stop the boats?”

Starmer replied: “We are working closely with the French on this issue. We will only provide funding that delivers for our priorities.”

'Increasingly arrogant!' Nigel Farage blasts Emmanuel Macron as Brexit row erupts in Commons

Nigel Farage has blasted Emmanuel Macron in a heated Brexit row in the House of Commons.

The Reform UK leader said: “Does the Prime Minister understand that that demand today is even greater than it was back in 2016 and that we demand, the country demands, that you say to the French president we will not accept undocumented migrants across the English Channel and that you are not dictated to by an increasingly arrogant anti-Brexit French President.”

However, the Prime Minister replied: “We are fixing the mess that we inherited. We are working with other countries to ensure that we take the measures necessary to stop people crossing the Channel.

“They are serious answers to serious problems. His proposal, for 10 years wagging the Tory dog, has been to break everything and claim that is how you fix things, to stick two fingers up at your neighbours and then expect them to work with us and he votes against the Borders Bill which gives more powers to our law enforcement to deal with security at our borders.

“The reason for that is he has no interest in fixing the problem because he wants to milk it and exploit it. That is the truth about him and his party.”

WATCH NOW:  PMQs descends into heckling chaos as Nigel Farage stares down 'disrespectful' MP

Keir Starmer refuses to rule out wealth tax but admits 'we can't just tax our way to growth'

Sir Keir Starmer has yet again refused to rule out introducing a wealth tax but admitted that "we can't tax our way to growth".

The Prime Minister was being grilled on a potential wealth tax by Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsey.

However, Starmer replied: "We can't just tax our way to growth."

The Daily Telegraph reported this week that Reeves backed five forms of a wealth tax during her time as a backbench Labour MP.

Keir Starmer swipes at Nigel Farage over James McMurdock departure

Sir Keir Starmer has taken a swipe at Nigel Farage's Reform UK over James McMurdock's departure.

The Prime Minister was responding to Labour MP John Slinger who made a dig at McMurdock following an investigation into Covid contracts by The Sunday Times.

Starmer replied: “My honourable friend makes a powerful point and I hope it was heard on the benches opposite [Starmer looks over to the Reform MPs]. It’s an absolute scandal.”

The Prime Minister also insisted that he is focused on “getting the money back”.

Prime Minister dismisses council tax fears and refuses to rule out wealth tax

Sir Keir Starmer has dismissed fears about potential council tax rises in a heated exchange with Kemi Badenoch.

The Tory leader asked: “The Institute for Fiscal Studies says that now council tax bills will rise at their fastest rate in 20 years. Will the Prime Minister admit that under him council tax is set to soar?”

However, the Prime Minister replied: “No, of course it is not. It soared under the last Government.”

Starmer also refused to rule out a wealth tax, instead telling Badenoch: “We will not be asking for their advice.

"What we did in the Budget was stabilise the economy through the measures taken by the Chancellor and what has that led to?

"Four interest rate cuts. For mortgage holders that is hugely important.”

Keir Starmer sparks fears of new stealth tax as 'millions of pensioners face levy for first time ever'

Sir Keir Starmer has sparked fears of a new stealth tax after Kemi Badenoch warned that “millions of our poorest pensioners face being dragged into income tax for the first time ever”.

Fears arose after the Leader of the Opposition quizzed the Prime Minister on whether Labour will maintain its commitment to unfreeze income tax thresholds.

She asked: "Does the Prime Minister think that it is right that struggling pensioners should face a retirement tax?”

The Prime Minister replied: “For a Prime Minister or a Chancellor to say we are not going to write a Budget in advance isn’t a Labour thing or a Tory thing.

“Every single Prime Minister and Chancellor says they won’t. We will stick to our manifesto commitments. We will stick to our fiscal rules.”

There had been reports that Labour was considering to extend the freeze to income tax thresholds after 2028 in order to boost tax receipts.

'Yes!' Keir Starmer makes Commons commitment not to hike taxes

Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed his Government will remain committed to its 2024 manifesto pledge not to increase National Insurance, Income Tax or VAT.

Tory leader Kemi Badenoch opened her grilling by asking for a direct answer to whether taxes will increase.

She asked: “Does the Prime Minister still stand by his promises?”

The Prime Minister replied: "Yes."

Badenoch responded: “It is rare that he is able to give a clear answer but I am glad that he has done so.”

Keir Starmer sends 'deepest condolences' to 7/7 victims and Tory titan Lord Tebbit

Sir Keir Starmer has opened this week's despatch box jostle with Kemi Badenoch by expressing his "deepest condolences" to the victims of 7/7.

The Prime Minister followed by also paying tribute to ex-Tory Cabinet Minister Lord Tebbit following his death at the age of 94 yesterday.

"May he rest in peace," Starmer added.

Keir Starmer faces PMQs showdown against Kemi Badenoch ahead of crunch Emmanuel Macron migration meeting

Sir Keir Starmer will soon face a Prime Minister's Questions showdown against Kemi Badenoch ahead of his crunch migration meeting with Emmanuel Macron.

The Prime Minister will likely face a grilling from the Leader of the Opposition over a proposed “one in, one out” agreement between the UK and France.

Starmer's plan has faced criticism from top Tories, with Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp warning it creates a "migrant merry-go-round".

Shortly after PMQs draws to a close, Starmer will have to rush back to No10 ahead of a sit-down meeting with Macron in the early afternoon.

Meanwhile, the Prime Minister's wife Lady Victoria and France's First Lady Brigitte Macron will have tea and a tour of Downing Street together.

The four of them will conclude the crunch migration meeting by having lunch.

RECAP: Emmanuel Macron blames Keir Starmer for migrant crisis as PM given ultimatum for ‘one in, one out’ deal

French President Emmanuel Macron is demanding Sir Keir Starmer makes it less appealing for Channel crossing migrants to make the perilous 21-mile journey to the UK, an Elysee Palace source has claimed.

Macron, who yesterday vowed to work with Britain to curb Channel crossings, hopes the Prime Minister will agree to a three-part ultimatum to alleviate the pressures facing both Dover and Calais.

The French President is said to be putting pressure on Starmer to clampdown on illegal migrants exploiting the UK’s black market for labour and welfare payments.

He also wants Britain to make family reunification for genuine asylum seekers easier as conditions for the deal.

“These causes must also be addressed by the British,” an Elysee source told The Telegraph.

Speaking in the Palace of Westminster, Macron addressed the issue of migration and vowed to spearhead an Anglo-French response to deal with the “clear issue” of the crisis.

The French President, who also called Brexit “deeply regrettable”, said: “France and the United Kingdom have a shared responsibility to address irregular migration with humanity, solidarity and fairness.”

Despite suggestions that the UK needs to crackdown on the black market, Home Secretary Yvette Cooper last week announced efforts to stop asylum seekers from working illegally.

However, discussions about a potential cross-Channel deal come just days after GB News revealed that the Prime Minister has overseen 44,000 Channel crossing migrants arriving on British shores in his first year in No10.

The figure was 40 per cent higher than the 31,000 who made the same journey in Rishi Sunak’s last year as Prime Minister.

However, the French denied the Telegraph's report that Macron blames the UK for the crisis.

A senior Elysee source said: “The French President looks forward to working with the Prime Minister constructively on this shared priority.”

Who is grilling Keir Starmer today? Full list of MPs asking questions at PMQs

Junior doctors confirm five-day strike date over pay demands

Junior doctors have confirmed a five-day strike will take place later this month following a dispute about pay.

The British Medical Association said the strike will take place from July 25 to July 30.

"Without a credible offer to keep us on the path to restore our pay, we have no choice but to call strikes," the co-chairs of the BMA said.

Angela Rayner rips up NDAs as victims no longer silenced

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner has ripped up confidentiality agreements as workers subjected to sexual harassment or discrimination no longer face being silenced.

Rayner said: “We have heard the calls from victims of harassment and discrimination to end the misuse of NDAs.

“It is time we stamped this practice out – and this government is taking action to make that happen.”

Zelda Perkins, who spearheads the Can’t Buy My Silence campaign and was a former PA to disgraced Harvey Weinstein, added: “This is a huge milestone, for years, we’ve heard empty promises from governments whilst victims have continued to be silenced, to see this Government accept the need for nationwide legal change shows that they have listened and understood the abuse of power taking place.

Above all though, this victory belongs to the people who broke their NDAs, who risked everything to speak the truth when they were told they couldn’t. Without their courage, none of this would be happening.

“This is not over yet and we will continue to focus closely on this to ensure the regulations are watertight and no one can be forced into silence again.

“If what is promised at this stage becomes reality, then the UK will be leading the world in protecting not only workers but the integrity of the law.”

WATCH NOW: Nick Thomas-Symonds hails Keir Starmer's joint efforts with Emmanuel Macron to curb Channel crossings

'England is my DREAM!' Asylum seeker admits illegal migrants flood to UK to get black market jobs and not pay tax

An asylum seeker has admitted that illegal migrants flood to the UK and get black market jobs which do not require them to pay any taxes.

The Iraqi man, who arrived in Dunkirk after just seven days, also conceded that the scale of the migrant crisis is making Britons less welcoming to migrants.

GB News last week revealed that migrant crossings have surged by 40 per cent under Sir Keir Starmer’s watch, hitting 44,000 in the Prime Minister’s first 365 days in No10.

Starmer is expected to thrash out a proposed “one-in, one-out” migrant deal with Emmanuel Macron during the French President’s ongoing state visit to the UK.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

WATCH NOW: 'Emmanuel Macron could solve Channel crossing crisis tomorrow', claims Robert Jenrick

Robert Jenrick has taken aim at French President Emmanuel Macron and claimed that France possesses the power to end Channel crossings as soon as tomorrow.

The Shadow Justice Secretary told GB News: "If they wanted, they could stop the small boats, frankly, tomorrow, if they got their gendarmes out on the beaches, into the shallow waters, turning back the boats, as some of our other neighbours do, like the Belgians, for example."

Jenrick emphasised the necessity for Britain to establish its own immigration control measures rather than depending on French cooperation.

"I don't think we should just be leaving this to the kindness of strangers. We've got to have our own sovereign deterrent," the Shadow Justice Secretary stated.

The former Immigration Minister advocated for a straightforward system where illegal arrivals face immediate consequences.

"If you come here illegally, you're detained and you're deported back home to your own country or to a safe third country in hours and days, not months and years," Jenrick explained.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE

Nigel Farage opens up lead in 'key priority' poll as Labour slumps to third in heartland

Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has opened up a two-point lead over Plaid Cymru as Labour slumps to third place in the latest Welsh Parliament Election poll.

The survey, conducted by More in Common, puts Reform UK on 28 per cent.

Plaid Cymru, which has leapfrogged Labour in a seismic political shift, cemented 26 per cent of the vote.

While Labour's support collapsed to just 23 per cent, the Welsh Conservatives find themselves on just 10 per cent.

Labour is 'breaking own rules' by letting biological man run to become women's officer 

The Labour Party is breaking its own rules by letting a biological man run to become the women's officer of an LGBT+ group, gender critical activists have claimed.

A newly formed organisation, called Trans Rights Alliance, put forward a number of candidates ahead of its election on July 19.

Steph Richards, a transgender woman in possession of a gender recognition certificate, was named as a candidate for the organisation's women's officer role.

Responding to Richards's inclusion, Labour LGB said: "Many people say that trans ideology is a men's rights movement.

"The "Trans Alliance" (seeking to take over the once-great LGBT+ Labour) has set out to prove this.

"Also breaking party rules by putting a man forward to be Women's Officer."

However, Richards told LabourList: "I am legally female, other than in regards to the Equality Act and the Equality Act does not apply to the position within LGBT+ Labour so I am thoroughly within my legal right and my moral right to be able to stand."

What to expect from Emmanuel Macron's second day in UK?

French President Emmanuel Macron will stride up to No10 alongside his wife Brigitte to meet Sir Keir Starmer and Lady Victoria at 1.15pm.

Macron and Starmer will almost immediately march into bilateral meeting ahead of crunch negotiations on Thursday.

The pair are expected to discuss migration, defence and jobs.

The French President will also appear alongside King Charles and Queen Camilla in the Windsor Castle Gardens.

Macron concludes today's events with an appearance at Guildhall - attended by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

'Leave the ECHR to stop judges making political decisions', Tory grandee tells PM

Britain should leave the European Convention on Human Rights to stop judges making political decisions, a Tory grandee has told the Prime Minister.

Ex-Cabinet Minister Lord Lilley said the “vague” terms in which the ECHR was drafted had enabled courts to extend their reach into the political sphere.

In a report released by the Centre for Policy Studies, Lilley said: “The claim that the UK would become a ‘pariah’ if we leave the ECHR is a baseless nonsense.

"No one suggests that Australia, New Zealand and Canada are pariah states, even though they rely on parliamentary sovereignty, common law and domestic courts to maintain their freedoms."

“On the contrary, they are respected as epitomes of freedom. We would be in the same position as them.”