Labour to unveil plan to slash billions from benefit bill amid backbench backlash: UK politics live

Credit cards in the public service will be frozen this week among plans to reduce their numbers by 50 percent and reduce government spending.

Days after Sir Keir Starmer promised to reform the ‘slack’ state and reduce the cost of bureaucracy, the cabinet office would order almost all 20,000 acquisition cards frozen by civil servants.

Spending on the credit cards jumped from £ 155m in 2020-21 to £ 675m in 2024-25.

To regain access to the maps, civil servants will have to reapply and justify why they need it – or they will be canceled at the end of the month.

Cabinet Office Minister Pat McFadden said the so -called government procurement cards should only be provided to officials if it is “absolutely necessary”. Those used by diplomatic staff in unstable environments are under a small number of freezing.

The king welcomed Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney in Buckingham Palace on Monday afternoon, in an audience coming amid Canada’s trade war with the US and Donald Trump’s vow to make the 51st state in the country in the country.

Charles, who is King of Canada, came up with Mr. Carney, former Governor of the Bank of England, meets in the Royal Residence in London in the Room 1844. The king smiled as he handed the hand of Mr. Carney shakes.

They have encountered each other a few times before, but this is the first time since Mr. Carney leader of the Liberal Party and the Prime Minister of Canada, in place of Justin Trudeau.

Foreign Minister David Lammy said a London meeting will be used this week to discuss the ‘operational detail’ of British troops in Ukraine.

The conservative shadow of foreign secretary lady Priti Patel asked in Eastern Europe about a “peace initiative” and said: ‘What will our contribution to peace conservation consist? On what timeframe would the deployment be launched and how will our armed forces be supported? “

Mr. In his answer, Lammy said: ‘Of course, the UK is prepared to commit British troops on the ground, but there must be an American back stop.

“There is a further meeting in London this week to continue to get into the operational detail.”

Mike Amesbury has caused the process that will lead to a parliamentary by -election in Runcorn & Helsby, a seat he won for labor during the general election of 2024 by a majority of 14,696.

It was one of the 50 major majorities that Sir Keir Starmer’s party achieved on voting day.

Mr Amesbury took 53%of the vote, with reform in a distant second place at 18%, followed by the conservatives (16%), the Greens (6%) and the Liberal Democrats (5%).

Runcorn & Helsby is a new constituency that was fought for the first time during the 2024 election.

If the seat existed during the previous general election in 2019, the notice of labor would have won, but on a slightly lower part of the vote (49%) than Mr. Amesbury achieved in 2024, with the Tories in second place.

Based on the 2024 result, reform will need a swing in the part of the mood of 17.4 percentage points to get Runcorn & Helsby.

This is the equivalent of a net change of 18 at every 100 people who voted in 2024 to switch to reform.

A date has yet to be announced for the by -election in Runcorn & Helsby, which will be the first such competition since the general election of 2024.

It’s time to say you. Are the reforms of labor responsible, or does it run the risk of harming those who need the most support? And if not, what else can the government do to balance the books?

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The UK has ‘pragmatic’ discussions with the US about trade, Number 10 said, after Donald Trump said there would be no exemptions to metal rates.

Downing Street said on Monday it would continue to keep “all options on the table” after the US president reported that journalists at Air Force One said he did not intend to create releases.

Mr. Trump has implemented a 25 percent rate of global steel and aluminum imports.

Asked on the remarks, the Prime Minister’s official spokesman said on Monday: ‘We are working on pragmatic discussions with the US about obtaining a greater economic agreement, when it comes to the global rates, we judge all options.

“As the prime minister said last week, we keep all options on the table, but we’re going to take a pragmatic approach to this, and we’ll continue to conduct these discussions.”

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds is expected to fly to the US later this week for talks with representatives in the government of Mr. Trump.

Two protesters were kicked out during a speech by Kemi Badenoch in the London Guildhall.

The conservative leader began to speak when a woman holding a banner saying that “shot billionaires” stopped a banner and started screaming. She was soon shot out of the Central London Hall by members of the audience.

A second demonstrator was also kicked out and seemed to be screaming over the vitality crisis when she was shot out of the room.

During the event, which has been marked 50 years since Margaret Thatcher, Ms. Badenoch is heard to say, ‘I hardly think that Mrs. Thatcher can get the blame for the living crisis. ‘

The former Head of Ofsted has dropped to the education secretary, accusing her of caring more about the interests of unions as schoolchildren.

Amanda Spielman accused her of bowing to the “demands of trade unions” in a rogue broad at Bridget Phillipson’s education reforms.

And Ms Spielman, who stopped as head of the school watchdog in 2023, asked her to abandon the plans “before the damage was done”.

Write in The Daily TelegraphMs Spielman said: “It is difficult to understand the motivation, except to be different, although the new minister clearly gives a lot of time and attention to the desires and demands of trade unions.

“And alas, unions will always defend the interests of adults in schools about the children … I hope she will think again before the damage is done.”

She said she was “surprised … through the speed and thoroughness with which Bridget Phillipson moved to dissolve every main pillar of the system”.

The government’s source added: “This government is doing the hard site to correct the hundreds of sticks that have failed by Spielman and her allies in the Tory party. The government is relentlessly focused on the reform of our schools to deliver better life chances for each child. “

As Labor’s Crunch Spring approach approaches, details of the rumors of welfare have become great.

Reforms for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) have now been widely reported, although labor MPs have been divided on the cost-saving package.

My colleague Albert t -Th reports: