LIVE: Starmer has ‘full confidence’ in Streeting

Sir Lindsay Hoyle warned MPs not to make ‘sideswipes during questions or debates’ if they feel their colleagues have failed to meet the standards expected of them.

In a statement to mark the start of Wednesday afternoon’s business, he said:

Our constituents expect us to focus on the very serious issues that they care about rather than making cheap attacks on each other.

If a member falls short of the standards expected of us all, there are ways of dealing with that but not by accusations made as sideswipes during questions or debates.

If we fail to treat each other with respect in debate, that diminishes our work and risks of raising the temperature of discussions outside this place, particularly on social media, which already too often descend to abuse against members and others.

MPs have begun debating the King’s Speech in the House of Commons.

Making a statement at the start of business, Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle began by reminding MPs their duties to observe the code of conduct and behave with civility.

He added:

Unacceptable behaviour that doesn’t meet the standard of these codes will be dealt with seriously, independently and with effective sanctions.

To jeers and laughter from both sides of the chamber, Sir Lindsay later said:

I remind ministers that the Government’s own ministerial code made clear that important policy announcements should be made in the first instance in this House when sitting – and some people seem to have short memories.

The Tribune group of Labour MPs is pressing Labour’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) to allow Andy Burnham to be included in a leadership contest if one is launched by the rumoured resignation of Wes Streeting, it has been reported.

The soft-left grouping wants to see a timetable for a longer contest that would give the Greater Manchester mayor time to find a seat to stand in, contest a by-election and run for the leadership.

A senior Labour MP who backs Mr Burnham said:

The NEC decides the timetable so Wes triggering doesn’t stop Andy contesting. It would be outrageous for them to try and block the most popular politician in the country from standing.

by James Tapsfield, UK Political Editor

Nigel Farage is facing a Commons standards probe into a £5million gift from a party donor, it was revealed today.

Parliamentary Standards Commissioner Daniel Greenberg has opened an investigation into the undeclared money from Thailand-based cryptocurrency billionaire Christopher Harborne.

A Reform spokesman reiterated that Mr Farage believes ‘no rules were broken’ over the gift.

It was received in 2024, before Mr Farage took over the Reform leadership and announced he was standing in Clacton at the general election.

‘Mr Farage’s office is in communications with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards,’ the spokesman said.

‘He has always been clear that this was a personal, unconditional gift and no rules were broken.

Outlining the priorities of Sir Keir Starmer’s Government in his speech at the state opening of Parliament, the King said the UK faces an ‘increasingly dangerous and volatile world’.

He said:

My Lords and members of the House of Commons.

An increasingly dangerous and volatile world threatens the United Kingdom, with the conflict in the Middle East only the most recent example. Every element of the nation’s energy, defence and economic security will be tested.

See our video below:

Tommy Robinson and Dominik Tarczynski in Warsaw last year

A right-wing Polish politician has threatened to sue Sir Keir Starmer after he was blocked from entering the UK for the Tommy Robinson-led Unite the Kingdom rally.

Dominik Tarczynski, a member of the European parliament, is one of at least seven far-right figures banned by the Government ahead of Saturday’s central London event.

The MEP, known for his ‘zero illegal migration’ policy, said the Home Office cancelled his electronic travel authorisation entitling him to come to Britain.

The decision was made on the grounds that his presence may not be conducive to the public good, it is understood.

Mr Tarczynski was heavily criticised earlier this year for posting “Good job ICE” in response to the fatal shooting of 37-year-old Renee Good by a US Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis.

Writing on X about his ban, he said: ‘Starmer will be sued by me. Not the government, not the Home Office but Starmer personally. Once you lose the next election, communist, we’ll meet in court!’

Downing Street has insisted the King’s Speech reflects the scale of Sir Keir Starmer’s ambition and the Government’s ‘commitment to change’.

Asked about how Sir Keir has responded to criticism that he is too incrementalist with his plans, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said:

What you’ve heard from the Prime Minister over the last few days is his commitment to change. He said ‘change cannot come quickly enough for millions of people who’ve been failed by the status quo over many decades’.

The Prime Minister has set out a serious vision about how we can become a stronger and fairer Britain.

He said the 34 Bills and three draft Bills in the King’s speech show the ‘scale of that ambition’.

This is about sustained delivery, not short-term fixes, but long-term change, and that is what the Prime Minister is committed to getting on with.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said Sir Keir Starmer has ‘full confidence’ in Wes Streeting as Health Secretary.

Mr Streeting confronted his boss over the crisis engulfing Labour as the pair met for crunch talks – which lasted less than 20 minutes – in Downing Street ahead of the King’s Speech on Wednesday.

He is believed to have told allies he is preparing to quit Government on Thursday.

Asked whether the Prime Minister still has confidence in the Health Secretary, his spokesman told reporters: ‘Yes’.

The official declined to ‘get into the content of internal meetings’ when asked for details of what was said, adding: ‘But the Prime Minister has full confidence in the Health Secretary’.

Pressed on whether Mr Streeting would remain Health Secretary for the rest of the week, the spokesman reiterated that Sir Keir had ‘full confidence’ in him, while describing the Prime Minister’s mood as determined to ‘deliver the change’ people want.

by Christian Calgie, Senior Political Correspondent-at-Large

The Government does not know when Peter Mandelson will be removed from the House of Lords, despite bringing in a new bill to sack disgraced peers.

Speaking from the House of Lords throne this morning, the King said ministers will ‘introduce legislation to enable peerages to be removed’.

The government pledged to bring the change in following the rows about both Peter Mandelson and former spin doctor Matthew Doyle.

But while the new ‘Removal of Peerages Bill’ will now be brought in, Government sources confirmed they do not know how long it will take to remove Lord Mandelson and others.

Under current rules, to remove a member of the House of Lords the government must bring in bespoke legislation for each person it wants to remove, unlike in the Commons, where there are more modern mechanisms for kicking out an MP.

by Sophie Church, Political Reporter

Labour’s new ‘tourist tax’ will price many Brits out of going on holiday – causing yet further pain for those already struggling with the rising cost of living.

The Government’s new ‘Overnight Visitor Levy Bill’, announced in today’s King’s Speech, will allow English regional mayors to hit tourists with an extra charge on overnight stays.

The surcharge is expected to be five per cent of accommodation costs, and will go towards funding local infrastructure and tourism.

Labour’s metropolitan mayors have heaped praise on the tax – with London Mayor Sadiq Khan saying it is ‘great news for London’.

But Rachel Reeves’ levy will only cause more misery for Brits already struggling with their household finances, and comes despite Labour saying it is doing all it can to ease the cost of living.

New polling reveals one in five Brits would choose not to book a holiday in England if it were introduced.

by Sam Merriman, Political Correspondent

Labour will introduce a long-delayed ban on conversion therapy in the King’s Speech – despite concerns it risks criminalising parents and doctors.

The Draft Conversion Practices Bill, which will cover England and Wales, will outlaw attempts to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

A ban on conversion therapy was included in the 2024 King’s Speech but had not been introduced – with Labour only saying it remained committed to publishing a draft Bill ‘as soon as possible’.

But new legislation will honour Labour’s manifesto pledge to deliver a ‘full trans-inclusive ban’ on behaviour described as ‘abuse’.

The Draft Conversion Practices Bill would ban practices that aim to change someone’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Andy Burnham is understood to have met with mutinous Labour MPs to drum up support for his leadership hopes after making a surprise visit to London yesterday.

Sir Keir Starmer has been told that the Mayor of Greater Manchester – who was spotted at Euston – must be allowed to return to the Commons and the Cabinet.

Mr Burnham already has a seat lined up for a return to Parliament, and is ready to launch a leadership bid any day now.

The politician’s next big moment comes on May 30, when he is set to give a speech at an event by the centre-Left caucus Compass.

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