Sir Keir Starmer has faced a huge grilling from MPs as the Prime Minister appeared before the Liaison Committee ahead of the summer recess.
Starmer was challenged on his plans to tackle poverty, with Labour MP Debbie Abrahams admitting that she felt "ashamed" by the recent proposed welfare cuts.
Abrahams, who is chairwoman of the Work & Pensions Committee, asked Starmer what he would say to sick and disabled people who have been scared by the Government's welfare reforms.
The Prime Minister replied: "It's very important that they feel secure and supported, and that is at the heart of what we are doing.
"I want to see more opportunities and more support in place.
"Some of that will come from the state, some of it will come from employers."
However, Abrahams argued that the welfare bill was "designed to save money" and "so far removed from Labour values of fairness and social justice, let alone compassion and common decency, I have to say I felt ashamed".
The Prime Minister responded: "I think this is a really important Labour value. I think that young people out of work […] is a huge challenge for our country."
Sir Keir Starmer condemns 'clearly unacceptable' Epping migrant hotel protests
Sir Keir Starmer does not support the "clearly unacceptable" violence directed towards police outside a migrant hotel in Epping, the Prime Minister's official spokesman has said.
The intervention from No10 comes just hours after six people were arrested in the second wave of protests outside the asylum hotel in Essex yesterday.
Riot police were pelted with projectiles outside the accommodation before the area was cleared.
Eight police officers had already been injured in Thursday night's clashes, with Essex Police Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Hooper labelling demonstrators as "mindless thugs".
UK to provide £40million worth of humanitarian assistance to Gaza
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has confirmed the UK will provide an extra £40million worth of humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
This will include £7.5million for humanitarian medical air charity UK-Med to sustain their work in Gaza.
Lammy added that Hamas "can have no role in the governance of Gaza", stating that the UK will support a "two-state solution".
Foreign Secretary David Lammy 'utterly condemns' killing of civilians in Gaza
Foreign Secretary David Lammy provided a statement on the Middle East in the Commons
|Pool
Foreign Secretary David Lammy has said he "utterly condemns" the killing of civilians in Gaza.
Lammy said: "I utterly condemn the killing of civilians seeking to meet their basic needs."
Stirkes hit women and children waiting for a health clinic to open, which Israeli officials blamed on a "technical error".
The Gaza health ministry stated that Israel killed 67 Palestinians awaiting aid trucks in Gaza.
Lammy warned that Israel's offensive puts hostages in "grave danger", quoting figures that 82 per cent of Israelis "want a ceasefire".
The foreign secretary said: "Those hostages may be in cramped tunnels, but we will not forget them. Israel's offensive puts them in grave danger, but Netanyahu persists."
Earlier today, 26 nations, including the UK, called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza.
The foreign ministry of Israel said it rejects the statement calling for the end to the war, stating the nations are "disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas".
Lammy stated: "The war in Gaza must end now... there is no military solution. The next ceasefire must be the last ceasefire."
Inquiry into the Afghan data leak CONFIRMED as Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee set to launch investigation
An inquiry into the Afghan data leak has been confirmed by the chairman of the Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee, Lord Beamish.
The leak exposed an unprecedented superinjunction and an £850million secret relocation scheme.
Lord Beamish said: "Further to our press notice of July 17, 2025 - noting the Committee's requirement that Defence Intelligence (DI) and Joint Intelligence Organisation assessments be provided to it immediately, together with any other intelligence assessments as referred to by Mr Justice Chamberlain in his judgment of July 15, the closed version of the Review by Paul Rimmer, and all other Intelligence Community material relating to the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (Arap) scheme.
"The committee has agreed that, once it has considered the requested material, it will conduct an inquiry into the intelligence community's role and activity in connection with the loss of data relating to Arap applicants in February 2022."
Chris Philp declares illegal migration a 'national emergency'
Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp has raised an urgent question in Parliament today, calling illegal immigration both "a national emergency" and "a public safety crisis" that particularly endangers women and girls.
Quoting specific statistics about crime rates among different nationalities entering the UK, Philp stated that Afghan nationals have been found to commit sexual offences at rates up to twenty times higher than the national average.
Philp asked Policing Minister Diana Johnson: "This is not just a border security crisis it is also a public safety crisis, especially for women and girls."
'Lots of housing available' for asylum seekers and homeless people - Starmer
Speaking at the Liaison Committee, Sir Keir Starmer insisted there is "lots of housing available" for the rising number of asylum seekers and homeless people.
The committee questioned Starmer about why local councils have to compete with the Home Office, which is trying to house asylum seekers.
Starmer said: "I know, which is why I am so furious at the last Government for leaving tens of thousands of asylum seekers unprocessed, with nowhere to live, other than accommodation paid for by the taxpayer.
"There is lots of housing and many local authorities that can be used, and we're identifying where it can be used."
The Prime Minister was criticised by Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick, who wrote on X: "There are 1.3million people on social housing waiting lists in England alone.
"But Keir Starmer believes there's 'lots of housing' spare we should be giving to illegal migrants. That's madness. What is he going on about?"
Sir Keir Starmer says the best moment of his first year as PM was walking into No 10
Starmer outside of No10
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Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said the best moment of his first year in charge was walking into Downing Street.
When asked about his best moment at the Liaison Committee, he said: "Walking into Downing Street and taking up the job of governing, and I wouldn't swap a single day in Government for years and years in opposition."
Starmer said the worst moment for him was when his brother passed away.
The Prime Minister stated: "For me, it brings the private and the public into a very tense conflict, and that was difficult."
Senior Labour MP challenges Sir Keir Starmer over declining living standards
Senior Labour MP Liam Byrne challenged the Prime Minister over declining living standards.
Byrne told Sir Keir Starmer: "We've got taxes and bills that are rising faster than wages."
He suggested Starmer could increase capital gains tax on investment income to fund a "big, bold working-class tax cut".
Starmer responded: "I'm not going to be tempted to start speculating on what might or might not be in the budget. The central focus has to be on creating more wealth and making sure that we have a growing and thriving economy.
"That's been the single biggest failure of the last 14 years, which is we haven't had an economy that has grown in any significant way."
UK join 25 other nations calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza
The Foreign Office has released a statement as it joins more than 20 other countries calling for an immediate end to the war in Gaza.
Part of the statement read: "The Israeli Government's aid delivery model is dangerous, fuels instability and deprives Gazans of human dignity.
"We condemn the drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians, including children, seeking to meet their most basic needs of water and food. It is horrifying that over 800 Palestinians have been killed while seeking aid.
"The Israeli Government's denial of essential humanitarian assistance to the civilian population is unacceptable. Israel must comply with its obligations under international humanitarian law. The hostages cruelly held captive by Hamas since October 7, 2023, continue to suffer terribly. We condemn their continued detention and call for their immediate and unconditional release.
"A negotiated ceasefire offers the best hope of bringing them home and ending the agony of their families. We call on the Israeli Government to immediately lift restrictions on the flow of aid and to urgently enable the UN and humanitarian NGOs [non-governmental organisations] to do their life-saving work safely and effectively. We call on all parties to protect civilians and uphold the obligations of international humanitarian law.
"This statement has been signed by: The foreign ministers of Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Japan, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland and the UK. Plus the EU commissioner for equality, preparedness and crisis management."
Starmer gets grilling from Liaison Committee
Sir Keir Starmer is facing a grilling by MPs this afternoon
|GB NEWS
Sir Keir Starmer is currently facing a grilling by the Liaison Committee.
MPs have gathered this afternoon to quiz the Prime Minister on his policies.
Among the issues he has been questioned over is housing and child poverty.
Addressing the committee, Starmer described alleviating poverty as a "priority" and said more social and affordable houses need to be built.
"We have to build more because we have had a problem for years of not building enough social and affordable housing in this country, the Prime Minister said.
"Until we crack that problem, we will never be able to get to the fundamental routes of the failures here and that is why on that issue in particular I am pressing the Deputy Prime Minister very hard."
Healey says Ukraine and allies stand at moment of 'maximum opportunity'
Defence Secretary John Healey said Ukraine and its allies are at a moment of 'maximum opportunity'
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Ukraine and its allies stand at a moment of “maximum opportunity” to bolster Kyiv for negotiations to end the war, John Healey said.
The Defence Secretary said the UK and other allies must use Donald Trump’s 50-day ultimatum to Vladimir Putin to start a “50-day drive” to arm Ukraine ahead of any talks, with the aim of strengthening its hand against Russia.
The US president has threatened to impose “very severe” tariffs on Russia if it does not agree a ceasefire by September 2, 50 days on from his announcement that he would sell “top-of-the-line” weapons to Nato that could then be given to Ukraine.
Speaking at the 29th meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group (UDCG), Healey told allies gathered from 52 nations: “This is a moment of maximum opportunity.
“Last week, President Trump announced a new plan for large scale Nato weapons transfers, and committed to getting these, he said, quickly distributed to the battlefield.
“The UK backs this policy. We will play our full part in its success.”
WATCH: Feargal Sharkey bursts out laughing on GB News as he hears Labour's water plan
Watch the moment Feargal Sharkey OBE bursts out laughing on GB News as he is presented with some of the key components of Labour’s radical bid to overhaul the water industry.
Sharkey became a household name in Britain as The Undertones’ lead vocalist, but has become synonymous with environmental causes in recent years.
He joined Dawn Neesom and Charlie Peters on GB News to discuss the Government’s plan to scrap water regulator Ofwat in a bid to fix the "broken" system.
Downing Street says position on Gaza 'hasn't changed' after aid attack
A spokesman for the Prime Minister said the UK is still looking for a two state solution between Israel and Gaza.
It comes after Israeli tanks fired into a crowd trying to get aid from trucks in Gaza killing at least 59 people, according to medics.
Palestinian medics said at least 59 people were killed and 221 wounded in the incident, at least 20 of them in critical condition.
Casualties were being rushed into the hospital in civilian cars, rickshaws and donkey carts. It was the worst death toll in a single day since aid resumed in Gaza in May.
A spokesman for the Israeli military acknowledged firing in the area and said it was looking into the incident.
A Downing Street spokesman said: "We have set out our position on that, the past position hasn´t changed. [We] continue to work on a two state solution."
Greens slam Labour's Ofwat review as 'rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic'
Green Party co-leader Adrian Ramsay
|PA
The Green Party has slammed Labour's decision to scrap Ofwat, saying that the option of nationalisation should be on the table.
Co-leader of the Green Party, Adrian Ramsay MP, said: "Expecting a different form of regulation to fix the water industry is, frankly, rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
"Not only that but the majority of the public are going to be expected to pay more in bills, as we watch the industry continue to sink under the failed model of privatisation.
“The government deliberately left out the option of public ownership from the review.
"But that’s the only real way to get the water industry to clean up its act, end millions being siphoned off for huge CEO salaries and shareholder dividends and instead see this money invested into ending sewage dumping and fixing leaks."
Government announces ministerial exit payouts will be tightened
Eligibility for the payouts given to ministers once they leave office will be tightened to prevent those who serve for only a matter of months from receiving them, the Government has announced.
The move is part of an overhaul aimed at restoring trust in standards in public life which will see the launch of a new Ethics and Integrity Commission.
The commission will have a wider, stronger remit to oversee integrity across every part of the public sector.
Ministers will also scrap the Advisory Committee for Business Appointments (Acoba) as part of the shake-up.
Critics have said the watchdog – which assesses the jobs ex-ministers take after leaving government for conflicts of interest – is toothless and unable to enforce its rules properly.
Under the changes being announced by the Government, ministers who leave office after a serious breach of the ministerial code or who have served less than six months will not get the payment.
If they return to office within three months of leaving, they will also not receive their salary until the end of that three-month period.
The reforms are aimed at preventing situations like that under the Boris Johnson and Liz Truss governments, which saw some Conservative ministers who served for little more than a month receive payouts of thousands of pounds.
'Foreign prisoners will be deported back to home countries', says Farage
Nigel Farage said thousands of foreign criminals currently behind bars in Britain will be deported if Reform UK is elected.
"There are 10,400 foreign prisoners in our prisons - they will be deported back to their home countries," Farage said.
He also revealed the party's plans to create up to 30,000 prison places as well as up policing numbers by 30,000.
In his landmark speech today, the Reform leader said: "Perhaps the biggest pledge that we would make today is to say 30,000 more police over a five year term of a parliament.
"We will scrap all diversity, equality and inclusion roles and we will aim for a higher and physically tougher standard of police officer on our streets.
"I think that if criminals slightly fear the police that is a desirable place for us to be as a society.”
Farage added that he would turn to ex-armed forces members to step into policing roles.
Nigel Farage puts criminals 'on notice' and reveals plans for 'zero tolerance policing'
Farage delivering his speech today
|GB NEWS
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage said the party will take a "zero-tolerance" approach to policing if it is to come into power.
Speaking as Reform begins a six week campaign on law and order, Farage described the country as being in "a real mess".
He revealed the party's plans to "fast-track" arrests, crackdown on phone thefts and increase stop and searches in areas where knife crime is present.
“There is nothing left wing or right wing about desperately wanting our society’s streets to be a lot safer than they are today," Farage said.
Reed confirms Ofwat will be abolished
Envrionment Secretary Steve Reed has confirmed Ofwat will be abolished
|PA
Environment Secretary Steve Reed has confirmed that water regulator Ofwat will be scrapped as part of an overhaul of a “broken” regulatory system.
Reed announced today a new watchdog will be introduced, bringing the functions from four different regulators into one, saying water regulation has been "too weak and too ineffective".
"Having four separate regulators with overlapping and conflicting remits has created a merry-go-round that has failed customers and the environment, the Environment Secretary said.
"Ofwat has failed to protect customers from water companies mismanagement of their hard-earned money.
"So today, I can announce that the Labour Government will abolish Ofwat.
"In the biggest overhaul of water regulation in a generation, we will bring water functions from four different regulators into one, a single powerful regulator responsible for the entire water sector."
Reed also announced plans from the Government to cut water companies sewage pollution in half within five years.
He said: "This is the most ambitious sewage reduction target that any government has ever set. Over a decade of national renewal, we will restore our rivers, lakes and seas to good health.”
Moore slams Reform UK's policy announcements as 'headline politics'
Robbie Moore has criticised new policy announcements from Reform UK
|GB NEWS
Shadow Environment Minister Robbie Moore has criticised new policy announcements from Reform UK as "headline politics" lacking in detail.
Speaking to GB News today, the Conservative MP said: "What we are absolutely not seeing, dare I say, from Reform, is the level of detail that provides that reassurance beyond headline politics.
“It's all very well coming out with headline politics and a narrative at a Westminster level, but dare I say, without a lack of understanding, without a lack of detail of how that will be implemented at a grassroots level that is going to be benefiting, all of those constituents that are being negatively impacted from a huge amount of anti-social behaviour that we are seeing, and law and order challenges that we are seeing, not only here in London, but right across the country."
Defending his party’s record on law and order, Moore added: "Well, we absolutely had a commitment when we were in Government to bring those police numbers back up…to recruit an additional 20,000 police officers, a target that was absolutely met.
“Across West Yorkshire, in my constituency. We did see police numbers increase, but what we wanted to see was visible policing out on the streets."
Environmental campaigner Feargal Sharkey calls on Steve Reed resign
Feargal Sharkey has called on the Environment Secretary to resign
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Campaigner Feargal Sharkey said Environment Secretary Steve Reed should consider resigning from his position.
Sharkey said Reed should reflect on what he has achieved in his role in the last 12 months, the BBC reports.
The environmental campaigner cited a report published by the Environment Agency (EA) which said serious pollution incidents were up 60 per cent in 2024 compared to the pervious year.
The report found 81 per cent of these serious incidents were the responsibility of just three water companies including Thames Water (33 incidents), Southern Water (15 incidents) and Yorkshire Water (13 incidents).
SNP splashes £20million on 'woke' jobs and DEI training
Ministers in Holyrood have been slammed for "squandering" £20million of taxpayer money on "woke" jobs and training.
Researchers from the Scottish Tories said the Scottish Nationalist Party (SNP) spent millions on equality, diversity and inclusion (DEI) roles and training since 2019.
Included in that bill is £8.9million by the NHS, £5.9million by universities and £2.5million spent by Scottish councils.
However, the Tories warned the bill is likely to be higher as some organisations refused to respond to a Freedom of Information (FOI) request, as the figure was not held centrally.
Reeves 'considering tax raid on pensioners'
Rachel Reeves is said to be considering a tax raid on pensioners
| PARachel Reeves is said to be considering a tax raid on pensioners amid reports she will reject Labour left calls for a "wealth tax" on Britain's richest.
The Chancellor is set to throw out backbench demands for a blanket levy because those who would be impacted would simply leave the country.
However, a senior Government source has said Reeves would not publicly rule one out, because raising capital gains tax or a tax raid on pensioners could arguably be described as a wealth tax.
Both remain under consideration, the source told The Times.
Labour lays challenge to 'shameful' Nigel Farage over prisons plan - 'If he was serious, he should have backed us!'
'It's shameful that Reform constantly seek to undermine confidence in our police and criminal justice system,' Diana Johnson blasted
| PAPolicing Minister Diana Johnson, speaking ahead of Nigel Farage's press conference on crime, said: "If Nigel Farage was serious about making our streets safer, he should have backed the tough new laws we introduced earlier this year.
"It's shameful that Reform constantly seek to undermine confidence in our police and criminal justice system and voted to try to block measures to crack down on knife crime, antisocial behaviour, shop theft, child sexual abuse, and long overdue action to tackle the scourge of violence against women and girls.
"They should focus more on practical solutions to support our police, combat crime, deliver justice for victims of crime rather than chasing headlines, spouting slogans and trying to divide communities.
"Our Labour Government is focussed on delivering on our safer streets mission.
"Through our plan for change, we're putting neighbourhood police back on the beat, clamping down on the crimes blighting our communities and building a safer, fairer country for us all."
Defence Secretary to lay out '50-day drive' to arm Ukraine to the teeth against Vladimir Putin
The Defence Secretary will call for a "50-day drive" to arm Ukraine at the head of a meeting of Kyiv's allies today.
John Healey is set to call for another hike in Western military support for Volodymyr Zelensky's nation in a bid to finally force Vladimir Putin to the negotiating table.
Donald Trump has already threatened to impose "very severe" tariffs on Russia if it fails to agree a ceasefire by September 2 - 50 days on from his pledge to sell "top-of-the-line" weapons to Nato allies which can then be passed on to Ukraine.
Healey will be chairing a meeting of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group to back Trump's proposal and pledge that Britain will "play our full part in its success to bolster Ukraine's immediate fight".
"Alongside this, the US has started the clock on a 50-day deadline for Putin to agree to peace or face crippling economic sanctions.
“As members of the Ukraine Defence Contact Group, we need to step up in turn with a ‘50-day drive’ to arm Ukraine on the battlefield and force Putin to the negotiating table.”