Rachel Reeves ‘chickens out’ of MP showdown over Budget fiasco as pressure mounts on Chancellor to resign

Kemi Badenoch calls for the Chancellor to resign after using OBR chief as 'human shield

Kemi Badenoch has called for Rachel Reeves to resign from her role as Chancellor, after claiming she has been using former OBR chief Richard Hughes as a "human shield".

She said: "The truth is, this is happening because the OBR has released statements criticising the chancellor, telling people that she misled the public, that they had given her different forecasts, and she went out there telling people there was a black hole that didn't exist.

"This is retribution as far as I'm concerned. I think it is disgraceful. I think that the Labour Party only blame everybody else except themselves.

"They need to take some responsibility and not hang Richard Hughes out to dry. He is being used as a human shield."

Ms Badenoch added that, after the budget, Ms Reeves had stated herd full confidence in Mr Hughes, then questioning why she didn't ask him to stay this afternoon.

She continued: "Yes, it is true, something wrong happened with that note going out half an hour before the budget. But the fact is, the person who had leaked the budget there months before repeatedly was Rachel Reeves herself.

"If she thinks that leaks are a resignation matter, she should be the first person to resign."

Rachel Reeves thanks Richard Hughes after resignation

Rachel Reeves has released a statement thanking former OBR chief Richard Hughes, following his resignation this afternoon.

The Chancellor said: "I want to thank Richard Hughes for his public service and for leading the Office for Budget Responsibility over the past five years and for his many years of public service.

"This government is committed to protecting the independence of the OBR and the integrity of our fiscal framework and institutions.

"The Treasury will launch a competitive external recruitment process in the coming weeks to appoint a new chair.

"As with all appointments to the Budget Responsibility Committee, the appointment of the new chair will be made by the chancellor and will be subject to the consent of the Treasury Committee."

Kemi Badenoch blasts Chancellor for letting OBR chief be her 'fall guy'

Conservative Party leader, Kemi Badenoch, has said Rachel Reeves is letting Richard Hughs act as her "fall guy", after he announced his resignation earlier this afternoon.

"Rachel Reeves has gone from legislating to strengthen the OBR, to trying to make the OBR Chair a fall guy for her deception and lies," Ms Badenoch fumed.

"Reeves must stop passing the buck. Either she gives Richard Hughes her full backing or the PM needs to bite the bullet and sack his Chancellor."

The comments come afer Shadow Chancellor, Sir Mel Stride, said that he hopes Ms Reeves is not looking to "scapegoat" the OBR.

Nigel Farage says 'the wrong person has resigned today'

Reform UK leader, Nigel Farage, has claimed the "wrong person has resigned today", following Office for Budget Responsibility chief Richard Hughes's announcement.

"Whatever the failings of the OBR, they have not wilfully attempted to mislead the British public," Mr Farage said.

"The wrong person has resigned today, it should have been Rachel Reeves.

"I am now calling on Richard Hughes to release all his correspondence with the Chancellor in the run up to the budget so we can see exactly what she knew and who's really to blame for this mess.”

Labour MP welcomes resignation of Richard Hughes

A Labour MP has welcomed the resignation of the chair of the OBR, saying recent findings have been “deeply worrying”.

Andrew Pakes, the MP for Peterborough, told the Commons: “The leak of the OBR report makes deeply worrying reading, so I welcome the resignation of the chair of the OBR because leadership matters on these issues.

“It turns out that the leak was not as unprecedented as we thought last week. As we have seen, they have leaked earlier documents and they may need to go back further in their look at it.

“This could have led to speculation and costs running into millions for us.”

Meanwhile, Chief Secretary to the Treasury, James Murray, offered his thanks to Richard Murray on behalf of the Government for his public service.

However, he stopped short at saying he was sorry to see him go. Mr Murray made it clear in the Commons that Labour are putting the blame for the leaking fiasco firmly in the hands of the OBR.

OBR chief resigns after Rachel Reeves Budget leak fiasco

Richard Hughes has resigned as chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility after the financial watchdog accidentally leaked Rachel Reeves’ Budget before the Chancellor delivered it to MPs.

He said: "By implementing the recommendations in this report, I am certain the OBR can quickly regain and restore the confidence and esteem that it has earned through 15 years of rigorous, independent, economic analysis.

"But I also need to play my part in enabling the organisation that I have loved leading for the past five years to quickly move on from this regrettable incident.

"I have, therefore, decided it is in the best interest of the OBR for me to resign as its chair and take full responsibility to the shortcomings identified in the report."

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

WATCH: Downing Street Christmas lights are turned on

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has switched on the Christmas tree outside 10 Downing Street.

He was joined by Lady Starmer for the switch-on, along with the Manchester Survivors Choir.

They performed a rendition of Merry Christmas Everyone by Shakin' Stevens after the lights went on.

The big button was hit by 14-year-old Samuel Salamone, who is running an Instagram campaign to pick up 100 pieces of litter every day for 100 days.

Mel Stride hits out at Chancellor for failing to turn up

Mel Stride, the Shadow Chancellor, blasted Rachel Reeves for failing to turn up this afternoon.

The Chancellor is instead attending an investment summit in Wales.

"It is a matter of profound regret that while the Chancellor chose to appear before the media yesterday she did not see fit to appear here today," Mr Stride said.

"The Chancellor's credibility is in tatters and to the long list of her failings in respect of these matters should be added that of disrespecting this House."

He also added that he hopes Mr Murray's previous remarks do not mean the Chancellor is looking to "scapegoat" the OBR.

Treasury Minister says Rachel Reeves was 'consistent and up front with the public' 

Treasury Minister James Murray has told MPs that Rachel Reeves was "consistent and up front with the public" amid accusations the Chancellor deliberately misled the country.

Ms Reeves is said to have known the UK sat in a £4.2billion surplus by October 31, despite making a Downing Street speech warning that the budget would be difficult due to bad forecasts just days later.

Mr Murray said: "The chancellor has been consistent and up front with the public about her considerations in the lead-up to the budget last week."

This was met with laughs by large portions of MPs. Mr Murray added, though, that the Chancellor was "clear on her priorities at the budget", which "delivered on those priorities".

He also said the Chancellor said in her speech that the productivity review would lead to £16billion less in tax receipts, which was true, adding that she was always clear that she wanted to increase fiscal headroom, which she also did so.

"The combined effect of this information is that on 4 November, the chancellor knew that the government would be in a deficit against the stability rule before any of this government's priorities at the budget had been delivered, or any additional headroom built," Mr Murray continued.

"In light of this information, and in light of the OBR's productivity downgrade, the chancellor knew that challenging decisions would be required on tax and spend.

"The chancellor has been honest and consistent with the public in everything she has said."

Budget leak responsibility lies with the 'leadership of the OBR', report finds

The "ultimate responsibility" for the Office for Budget Responsibility publishing key details of the Chancellor’s Budget lies with the leadership of the watchdog itself, a report into the leak found today.

Two non-executive directors of the OBR, Baroness Sarah Hogg and Dame Susan Rice, have concluded that the blame rests with the watchdog's leadership team.

Their comments came in the foreword to today’s inquiry, led by Professor Ciaran Martin from the University of Oxford. He was given the task after last Wednesday’s astonishing leak to find out how it occurred.

And while the responsibility has been firmly put with the OBR, the two non-executive directors also said the Treasury and the Cabinet Office should have addressed the fact the OBR’s operation was "significantly underpowered".

"The ultimate responsibility for the circumstances in which this vulnerability occurred and was then exposed rests, over the years, with the leadership of the OBR," they said.

"The OBR is a small analytical organisation with resources that reflect its size. The twice-yearly task of publishing a large and sensitive document is out of scale with virtually all of the rest of its publication activities.

"Professor Martin notes that protocols for the EFO’s publication ‘reveal a well-planned but significantly underpowered operation(…) more akin to that used by a small or medium-sized business (which of course in size the OBR resembles)’.

"Responsibility for addressing this challenge by either changing the method of publication or substantially increasing the resources devoted to it rested over the years with the leadership of the OBR but also with the sponsoring department, the Treasury, and the Cabinet Office."

'Shattered confidence!' Richard Tice blasts 'delusional and incompetent' Prime Minister over Budget chaos

Richard Tice has slammed the Prime Minister as “delusional and incompetent” in the wake of the Government’s Budget, warning that public confidence has been "shattered".

The deputy Reform UK leader accused the Chancellor of misleading the country and presiding over a “complete and utter car crash” in the run-up to and during the Budget itself.

Rachel Reeves announced her highly anticipated Budget last week after months of speculation.

Among some of the measures, the Chancellor announced a series of tax hikes and scrapped the two child benefit cap.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Kemi Badenoch dismisses Reform defection deluge fears after three Tories join Nigel Farage

Kemi Badenoch has dismissed fears of a defection deluge to Reform UK after three former Tory MPs crossed the floor to join Nigel Farage’s party.

Jonathan Gullis, Lia Nicki and Chris Green announced this morning that they had defected to Reform UK, taking the total number of ex-Tory in Mr Farage’s ranks to 18.

Despite the Tories looking at a potentially torrid set of elections next year, Mrs Badenoch suggested defections to Reform could dry up ahead of the next general election.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Rachel Reeves's Budget mishap leak was the SECOND time it happened after 'pre existing weakness' revealed Spring Statement early

The Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) has revealed that last week's Budget leak was the second time such an incident occurred.

A report written by the OBR called last week's leak as "the worst failure in the [OBR's] 15-year history."

The report says: "The cause, which appears to have been pre-existing, was, in essence, configuration errors which reflected systemic issues.

"These led to a failure to ensure the protections which hide documents from public view immediately before publication were in place."

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Liberal Democrats demand new customs union with EU in warning to Keir Starmer

Sir Ed Davey has called on Labour to explicitly back a customs union with the EU.

The Liberal Democrat leader said: "Keir Starmer’s speech talked about boosting growth but he is refusing to do the single biggest thing to achieve that, fixing our trade with the EU through a new customs union.

"The Prime Minister’s own economic adviser has reportedly told him that a customs union would be one of the most effective ways to boost growth, but it seems he ignored her."

Rachel Reeves 'absolutely confident' she will still be Chancellor at next General Election

Rachel Reeves said she is "absolutely confident" she will still be Chancellor at the next General Election.

Asked whether she would be in place by the time of the next national poll, the Chancellor said: "I set out in a speech a couple of weeks before the Budget that the ambition for the Budget was to cut NHS waiting lists, cut the cost of living, and cut the debt and the deficit.

"We’ve achieved all of those things. We’ve increased the headroom and the idea that some people are suggesting that we had £4bn to play with...actually, what happened was the headroom was revised down by the OBR, was more than halved.

"But I wanted to double that headroom because that gives us the best shot of withstanding all of the volatility that we’re seeing in the global economy at the moment. So I’m proud of my Budget and its choices."

John Swinney demands investigation into Rachel Reeves

John Swinney has said Rachel Reeves has "very clearly" misled the public over the state of the UK’s finances ahead of the Budget.

The SNP leader and First Minister said the Chancellor had described the fiscal situation as being much graver than it actually was" in the run-up to last week’s Budget.

He has joined Reform UK in calling on Downing Street's ethics adviser to investigate pre-budget briefing by Rachel Reeves.

First Minister Swinney told journalists: "Rachel Reeves very clearly misled the public.

"She had information from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) before she made her infamous Downing Street speech, in which she suggested the situation was much graver than it actually was."

WATCH: Nigel Farage hits out at the Tories after post-Budget attacks on Reform UK

WATCH: Tulip Siddiq speaks to reporters after being sentenced to two years in prison in Bangladesh

Former Tory MPs join Reform UK as party source claims 'Conservative Party is dead'

Two more former Tory MPs have followed Jonathan Gullis and joined Nigel Farage's Reform UK.

Lia Nici, who served as Grimsby MP, and former Bolton West MP Chris Green, have all joined "on their own accord online", a Reform party source told reporters.

Ms Nici, who voted for the UK to remain in the EU in 2016 before supporting the Conservative stance on Brexit, lost the seat at last year's General Election, finishing third behind Labour's Melanie Onn and Reform's Oliver Freeston.

Mr Green, who first won the Lancashire seat in 2015, lost it at last year's General Election to Labour's Phil Brickell, who won Bolton West with a majority of 4,945.

The three defections are the first since Danny Kruger, the sitting MP for East Wiltshire, left the Tories for Reform in September.

A Reform party source said: "The Conservative Party is dead. Only Reform can beat Labour at the next election as the polls show time and time again."

Rachel Reeves responds to claims she 'misled' the Cabinet over Budget numbers

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has responded to claims that she misled Cabinet ministers about the Budget.

Members of Sir Keir Starmer’s top team have reportedly accused him and Ms Reeves of misleading the Cabinet, with The Times quoting an unnamed minister as describing the handling of the Budget as "a disaster from start to finish."

"At no point were the Cabinet told about the reality of the OBR forecasts," they told the newspaper.

Speaking to BBC Wales at the Wales Investment Summit, the Chancellor said: "You would never expect the Prime Minister and Chancellor to go through all the detailed numbers. The cabinet are briefed on the morning of the Budget on the Budget numbers.

"Of course, we go through things that affect individual government departments, but the whole information of the Budget is not supposed to be provided until the Chancellor delivers the Budget. Obviously, this time, it was leaked early, but not by the Treasury."

WATCH: Christopher Hope grills Keir Starmer as he rushes to Rachel Reeves’ defence

Prime Minister defends OBR as 'vital' despite budget leak

The Prime Minister has said he is very supportive of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which is "vital" for the stability of the economy, despite a catastrophic early leak of the budget.

Sir Keir Starmer said: "I’m not going to suggest that what happened last week, which was the entire Budget being published before the Chancellor got to her feet, was not anything other than a serious error.

"This was market sensitive information. It was a massive discourtesy to Parliament. It’s a serious error, there’s an investigation that’s going on.

"But as for the OBR itself, I’m very supportive of the OBR for the reasons I’ve set out, vital for stability, vital and integral to our fiscal rules, which I’ve said a number of times are ironclad."

Keir Starmer tells GB News they were left with 'very bad' starting point

The Prime Minister said Labour was left with a "very bad" starting point when they came into power.

When asked by GB News Political Editor Chris Hope how the public "can trust anything you say", Sir Keir said: "I simply don’t accept the starting proposition, I’m very sorry.

"When I was told that we started the Budget process minus £16bn, I didn’t cheer, I didn’t think it was good, I thought it was a very bad starting position.

"I was curious as to why the productivity review had been done this year and not previously but that’s the nature of the beast."

Kemi Badenoch says 'hard-Left' backbenchers still control Labour

Kemi Badenoch has suggested "hard-Left" backbenchers still control Labour as she reiterated calls for the Prime Minister to sack Rachel Reeves.

The Tory leader said: "If I were Keir Starmer, I would be asking someone to stand down from their seat and get a sensible person who everybody in the country can have some faith in and put them in there and make them Chancellor.

"But they’re not going to do that. Instead, they’re going to go through lots of different cycles of Labour MPs, some of whom are very similar to the ones that have gone to the Jeremy Corbyn party. You see what a rabble they are.

"Labour are actually not that much different. The hard-Left on their backbenches is driving the car seat. So it doesn’t matter whether it’s Rachel Reeves or not, she is clearly not the one in control."

Keir Starmer says upcoming decisions are 'not cost-free' and 'not easy'

The Prime Minister has said growing the economy will require more decisions that are "not cost-free" and "not easy."

Sir Keir Starmer said: "We have to be clear at this stage of our plan, the most important thing that we can do for growth, the most important thing that we can do for business, is first to drive inflation down so that interest rates come down further still, and the cost of business investment comes down with it and, second, to retain market confidence that allows for real economic stability so that businesses can plan with certainty.

"That is what the country needs most right now. It is what the Budget secured and that is why our choices were fair, they were necessary and they were fundamentally good for growth.

"But I will level with you as the Budget showed the path to a Britain that is truly built for all requires many more decisions that are not cost-free and they’re not easy."

Keir Starmer admits UK needs 'closer relationship with the EU'

The Prime Minister said: "The Brexit deal we have significantly hurt our economy. And so for economic renewal we have to keep reducing frictions.

"We have to keep moving towards a closer relationship with the EU. And we have to be grown-up about that, to accept that that will require trade-offs."

Sir Keir added: "We will keep going. We will continue to reject drift, to confront reality and take control of our future."

Keir Starmer delivers direct message to votes - 'You will see a country building its future'

The Prime Minister said: "You will see a country building its future with new homes and infrastructure, 2,000 free breakfast clubs, hundreds of school-based nurseries open by September.

"You’ll see 3,000 neighbourhood police officers on your streets by March, a new era of security for 11 million renters starting in May, hundreds of thousands of parents taking advantage of our free childcare expansion.

"Almost 120 community diagnostic centres open seven days a week by April. You will see NHS waiting times coming down further, wages still rising faster than prices, immigration still falling.

"Bit by bit you will see a country that no longer feels the burden of decline or the sense that things can never get better. A Britain with its confidence and its future back."

Keir Starmer takes aim at Liz Truss as he blasts 'extra borrowing'

Sir Keir Starmer said: "We could have ignored child poverty, we could have rolled the dice with extra borrowing. But I firmly believe those options have been tested to destruction.

"I mean we all know the risks of reckless borrowing. That is the path that Liz Truss took. And you can see the cost in any bill, mortgage, car loan, anything affected by interest rates.

"But also look at the OBR’s analysis of productivity. And it’s crystal clear to me that austerity scarred the long-term productive capability of this country.

"So why would we repeat it? That is what we inherited, public finances and public services in total crisis, growth weak for years."

Keir Starmer defends scrapping two-child benefit cap

Defending lifting the cap, the Prime Minister said: "They said to us that matters because you wouldn’t believe how many children come through our doors of our hospital because of poverty, poverty in Britain today.

"So this is a public services issue. It can help lift the pressure on the NHS.

"It’s an economic issue, a sound investment in our long-term potential, and it’s a fairness issue and this is what the Tories need to understand about the Britain that they built.

"Three-quarters of children growing up in poverty today come from working families."

Keir Starmer blasts Tories over poverty record - 'Their worst legacy'

Sir Keir Starmer has slammed what he dubbed as the "abhorrent" Conservative child poverty legacy.

The Prime Minister said: "Just think about that. The skipped meals, the cold bedrooms, the school uniform that is too small or worn through, and think about a seven-year-old in that situation.

"Are they ready to learn to the best of their ability? Are we giving them a fair and equal opportunity to succeed?

"I think it’s abhorrent. The Tories raised child poverty by 900,000, that is their worst legacy bar none."

Keir Starmer says Budget was moment of 'personal pride'

Sir Keir Starmer says Budget was a moment of "personal pride" for him as Labour leader.

The Prime Minister said: "That is the purpose of this Government in a nutshell. Now I said it at Labour Party conference. We have a plan for Britain that is built at all and we’re going to unlock the potential of every single person and community in our country.

“Because whether it’s our public services that don’t work, the cost of living crisis holding us back or whole regions of our country ignored as sources of growth, in the end it’s all about potential.

“And that’s why the Budget was a moment of personal pride for me. I do not want to see a country where children grow up in poverty.

"I don’t think anybody in this country wants that. It is a fundamental British belief that every child should go as far as their talent will take them and poverty is a barrier to that.

Sir Keir Starmer up to provide post-budget reaction - WATCH NOW

Sir Keir is up to make a speech backing the Budget to signal a fresh push on welfare reform.

We'll bring you all the coverage here on GB News.

Cabinet minister insists Reeves has ‘full support’ on Budget

Sir Keir Starmer’s top aide has insisted that Chancellor Rachel Reeves did not mislead voters over the state of the public finances ahead of the Budget.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones insisted there was a "funding gap" to fill when asked when he knew that there was no “black hole” in the public finances.

It comes as Sir Keir is set to use a speech backing the Budget to signal a fresh push on welfare reform.

Ms Reeves has been forced to defend herself against claims she misled voters by talking up the scale of the fiscal challenge in the run-up to last week’s Budget, in which she announced £26billion worth of tax rises.

She said an Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) forecast showing a £4.2billion surplus against her borrowing rules did not take into account the welfare reform U-turn or the abolition of the two-child benefit cap.

Cabinet minister Mr Jones told the BBC: "There are two things relevant here. The OBR did downgrade its assumptions about how much money was coming in over future years by looking at the past 10 years.

"That is true and correct. And as I say, there was a funding gap."

Former Deputy Tory Chair joins Reform - 'We face serious and deep rooted challenges'

Former Deputy Chair of the Conservatives Jonathan Gullis has joined Reform UK, as he launched a scathing attack on his former party.

Mr Gullis, who served as MP for Stoke-on-Trent North from 2019 to 2024, said: "Over time, I have watched a party I once believed in lose touch with the people it was meant to serve.

"From failing to control both legal and illegal migration to pursuing a Net Zero agenda that has seen a rise in our household energy bills and put jobs in Stoke-on-Trent’s world famous ceramics sector at risk, the Conservative Party has understandably lost the trust of the British people.

"As a country, we face serious and deep rooted challenges, and what is required now are bold, radical ideas alongside the determination to deliver them.

"I believe only Reform UK has the vision and courage needed to restore pride in Britain and deliver real change, putting our country and our communities first.

"Nigel Farage has shown, consistently over many decades, the courage of his convictions, and it is that strength of leadership which will drive forward the bold and radical reforms our country so urgently needs."

WATCH: Alex Burghart tells Rachel Reeves to come to the Commons today to answer urgent questions

A senior Conservative figure has launched a scathing attack on the Chancellor, alleging she deceived the public about Government finances to implement sweeping tax measures.

Labour defends Tulip Siddiq after Bangladeshi conviction

The Labour Party has said it does not recognise the corruption judgment against MP Tulip Siddiq after a Bangladeshi court sentenced her to two years in prison.

A Labour Party spokesman said: !"The Labour Party and all our elected representatives take the rule of law incredibly seriously and will always fulfil our legal responsibilities.

"As has been reported, highly regarded senior legal professionals have highlighted that Tulip Siddiq has not had access to a fair legal process in this case and has never been informed of the details of the charges against her.

"This is despite repeated requests made to the Bangladeshi authorities through her legal team.

"Anyone facing any charge should always be afforded the right to make legal representations when allegations are made against them. Given that has not happened in this case, we cannot recognise this judgment."

More than 110 council homes worth over £2million will NOT have to pay mansion tax under Rachel Reeves's plan

Renters living in taxpayer-subsidised London social housing properties worth millions will be spared Rachel Reeves’s so-called "mansion tax".

The Chancellor confirmed in the Budget last week that privately owned properties valued above £2million will face an average charge of £4,500 a year from April 2028.

However, those living in social housing will be exempt from the levy, according to government documents published on Wednesday, which state: "Social housing will not be in scope."

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves accused of misleading Cabinet to justify Budget tax hikes

Ministers have accused Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves of misleading the Cabinet by suggesting there was a hole in public finances to bolster the case for tax hikes in the Budget.

In several meetings, the Chancellor highlighted a downgrade in productivity forecasts as she tried to persuade ministers to support tax hikes, according to The Times.

After a Downing Street press conference in which Ms Reeves suggested she was preparing to break Labour's manifesto promise not to raise the basic income tax rate, the Chancellor told ministers on November 4 that the country was facing challenges with “tariffs, unstable borrowing costs, inflation and long-term productivity".

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Senior Tory calls proposals to scrap jury trials 'completely abhorrent'

Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart blasted plans to scrap jury trials for some crimes "completely abhorrent."

Major reforms are set to be announced this week will "put victims front and centre" of the criminal justice system, Justice Secretary David Lammy has said, amid reports that jury trials could be restricted to rape, murder and manslaughter.

Mr Burghart told GB News: "You go back to pre-Norman conquest we had jury trials in some places.

"For the Government to just tear this up is a dreadful thing. We in the Conservatives are completely against this."

Senior Tory accuses Rachel Reeves of 'telling porkie pies'

A senior Conservative MP has accused Chancellor Rachel Reeves of "telling porkie pies" in last week's budget.

Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Alex Burghart told GB News: "It's clear she has been caught telling porkie pies and very serious ones at that

"It seems clear she told the country there was a big hole in the country's finances and she was going to have to put up taxes. But turns out the advice from OBR was completely different to that."

Mr Burghart accused her of lying to "appease backbenchers" over potential benefits rises.

Sir Keir Starmer hits out at opponents as he blasts 'politics of decline'

The Prime Minister has hit out at opponents on the "left and right" as he took aim at what he dubbed the "politics of decline."

In a veiled swipe at both Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and Green Party leader Zack Polanski, Sir Keir Starmer issued a rebuttal to his political opponents as Labour continues to struggle in the polls.

Writing in The Guardian, he said: "We will take on those on the left and right who only offer grievance and whose approach would lead to further decline.

"Because let me be clear, turning on the borrowing taps or returning us to austerity, that is the politics of decline and I will not accept it."

Your Party confirmed as name for Jeremy Corbyn's new outfit

Jeremy Corbyn’s new left-wing movement decided to make the name Your Party permanent at the conclusion of its tense inaugural conference.

The former Labour leader announced the interim name will be kept as he wrapped up the weekend which also saw his preferred leadership set-up rejected.

Members voted for the name Your Party over the alternatives Our Party, Popular Alliance and For The Many.

They also voted narrowly against having a single elected leader, opting instead for a collective model favoured by his rival Zarah Sultana that puts a committee of members in charge.

Mr Corbyn, the MP for Islington North, admitted there had been "frustrations" in the establishment of the outfit but said "we have come a long way" as he closed the gathering in Liverpool on Sunday.

Nigel Farage reports Rachel Reeves to PM's ethics adviser after 'serious Budget breach' allegations

Nigel Farage has reported Rachel Reeves to Sir Keir Starmer's independent ethics adviser over alleged breaches of the ministerial code.

The Reform UK leader, who sent his 968-word letter to Sir Magnus Laurie tonight, claimed the Chancellor pushed "a sustained and deliberate narrative" after it was reported the UK was facing a black hole of between £22billion and £40billion.

Mr Farage cited Ms Reeves's remarks in the House of Commons in early November and pointed out that the Chancellor had not disclosed the Office for Budget Responsibility's positive headroom forecast to MPs or the public.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq handed prison sentence in Bangladesh after corruption trial

Labour MP Tulip Siddiq has been sentenced to two years in prison in Bangladesh following a corruption trial.

The former minister, who has strongly denied the allegations, was found guilty of using her influence with her aunt, former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, to secure land near the capital of Dhaka.

Ms Siddiq, the MP for Hampstead and Highgate still faces several unresolved charges in the South Asian country.

READ THE FULL STORY HERE.