Majority of trains beneath public management by subsequent yr, transport secretary to announce
Most rail journeys in Nice Britain shall be beneath public possession by the center of subsequent yr, the transport secretary is predicted to announce.
Talking on the Labour celebration’s annual celebration convention, Heidi Alexander will reveal the subsequent 4 providers to be introduced into public possession.
In her speech, Alexander is predicted to say:
For too lengthy our railways have been run within the pursuits of personal revenue, beneath a damaged system that failed passengers over and over.
This Labour authorities is looking time on 30 years of failure, frustration, fragmentation. We’re returning our railways to the service of passengers.
In February subsequent yr, West Midlands Trains will grow to be the subsequent operator to switch into public possession.
And as we speak I can go additional, and announce that Govia Thameslink Railway, Chiltern Railways, and Nice Western Railway will comply with.
We mentioned we’d do it in our manifesto – and we’re delivering on our promise.
West Midlands Trains providers will switch on 1 February 2026 and Govia Thameslink Railway’s providers on 31 Could 2026. Chiltern Railways and Nice Western Railways (GWR) providers will then be the subsequent to switch.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander will announce the subsequent 4 rail providers, together with Govia Thameslink Railway to be introduced into public possession. {Photograph}: Jonathan Brady/PA
Govia Thameslink is the most important practice operator within the nation, which means that by the center of subsequent yr eight in ten providers shall be run by the general public, for the general public, say Labour.
Laws to determine Nice British Railways, the brand new organisation which can take duty for the day-to-day operations of the railways, shall be launched earlier than the top of the yr, the celebration has mentioned.
Extra on this story in a second, however first, here’s what else is on the schedule as we speak:
Morning: Youngsters and households minister Josh MacAlister is on the morning media spherical.
11.30am: Keir Starmer will make a go to in central Liverpool as he heads to the town for his celebration’s convention.
12pm: Palestine Solidarity Marketing campaign protest anticipated outdoors Labour celebration convention.
3.20pm: Chancellor Rachel Reeves will go to Southport.
Saturday: Shut of constituency Labour celebration (CLP) and affiliate nominations for Labour deputy management candidates.
And among the different latest developments in UK politics:
Keir Starmer will warn the Labour celebration that it’s in a “combat for the soul of the nation” and that historical past is not going to forgive his authorities if it fails to confront and defeat Reform UK and the populist proper. Talking to the Guardian forward of an important convention for his management, he mentioned he would inform disgruntled celebration members that now was “not the time for introspection” and infighting.
Starmer’s plan for digital IDs dangers creating “an infinite hacking goal”, a cybersecurity professional has warned, as know-how corporations ready to bid for contracts that might run into billions of kilos. Amid widespread opposition, the prime minister mentioned the necessary digital ID – together with residents’ photographs, names, dates of delivery, nationalities and residency standing – would come into use by July 2029. A petition calling for the federal government to not introduce digital ID playing cards had acquired greater than 1.5 million signatures by Saturday morning.
Labour has restored the celebration whip John McDonnell and Apsana Begum 14 months after they misplaced it for rebelling over the two-child profit cap, the Guardian understands. The pair had the whip reinstated after a dialog on Friday with Jonathan Reynolds, who grew to become Labour’s chief whip in a reshuffle earlier this month.
Fears are rising that shared homes might grow to be the main target of anti-migrant protests, with residents and charities saying tensions are constructing in some areas. Houses of a number of occupation (HMOs) have grown in quantity as renters search inexpensive lodging amid a housing disaster. Reform UK politicians, together with George Finch, the teenage chief of Warwickshire county council, have criticised the usage of HMOs to accommodate asylum seekers.
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Anas Sarwar uged to ‘come clear’ after Labour MSP Foysol Choudhury suspended
Scottish Labour’s Foysol Choudhury has grow to be the second MSP to be suspended by the celebration in lower than two months, reviews the PA information company.
The Lothian MSP is known to have been administratively suspended by the celebration pending the result of an investigation – with a Labour spokesperson stressing it “takes all complaints significantly”. The celebration advised the PA information company it couldn’t touch upon the matter whereas the investigation is ongoing.
Foysol Choudhury poses for a selfie with Keir Starmer, then chief of the Labour celebration, and Anas Sarwar outdoors the Turkish earthquake enchantment help depot in Edinburgh in February 2023. {Photograph}: Stuart Wallace/REX/Shutterstock
A Labour celebration spokesperson mentioned:
The Labour celebration takes all complaints significantly. They’re totally investigated according to our guidelines and procedures, and any applicable motion is taken.
The suspension of Choudhury, who was elected to Holyrood on the final election in 2021, comes simply over a month after fellow MSP Colin Smyth was suspended from the celebration after he was arrested and charged in reference to possession of indecent photographs.
After that, SNP MP Kirsty Blackman insisted that Scottish Labour chief Anas Sarwar “should urgently come clear on the the reason why yet one more Labour celebration MSP has been suspended, shortly after Colin Smyth”. Blackman mentioned:
The general public deserve full transparency.
Given the lengthy listing of scandals which have rocked the Labour celebration not too long ago – with Foysol Choudhury, Colin Smyth, Peter Mandelson, Morgan McSweeney, Paul Ovenden and Angela Rayner all caught up within the final month alone – voters deserve solutions.
Regardless of the rationalization, with yet one more scandal on the eve of their celebration convention, there’s little question the Labour celebration is in disaster.
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Up to date at 06.48 EDT
Starmer asks Conservative peer to jot down planning invoice to dam judicial opinions
Helena Horton
Keir Starmer has tasked a Conservative peer with writing a brand new planning invoice to take away the flexibility for environmental teams to delay initiatives akin to Heathrow’s third runway with judicial opinions.
The Guardian understands that leaving the Aarhus conference is being mentioned as an possibility. That is a world treaty signed as much as by the EU and different nations in Europe, which protects the appropriate for campaigners to carry authorized claims in opposition to giant infrastructure initiatives akin to waste vegetation, nuclear energy stations and motorways.
Doing this may “destabilise Britain’s structure” and silence official objections, main planning attorneys have warned.
The chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has put Heathrow enlargement on the coronary heart of her push for financial development, claiming it will make the UK “the world’s best-connected place to do enterprise”. The Treasury sees the brand new invoice – together with blocking what one supply near Reeves known as “silly” judicial overview circumstances for nationally vital infrastructure initiatives – as important to making sure work can begin on a brand new runway earlier than the subsequent common election.
Reeves has repeatedly complained that the safety of “bats and newts” has interfered with the UK’s capacity to finish main infrastructure initiatives. She has additionally insisted that pursuing financial development should trump Labour’s web zero commitments, saying “development underpins all the pieces else”.
Campaigners in opposition to Heathrow enlargement. Rachel Reeves has complained that the safety of ‘bats and newts’ has interfered with the UK’s capacity to finish main infrastructure initiatives. {Photograph}: Niklas Halle’n/AFP/Getty Photographs
Starmer and Reeves earlier this yr launched a planning invoice to parliament that might override EU-derived environmental protections and put necessary wildlife websites susceptible to improvement. After campaigns by activists and MPs, the federal government added amendments that gave some additional protections for nature. However ministers nonetheless consider deregulation has not gone far sufficient.
Charles Banner KC has been requested by the prime minister to discover a technique to take away the cap on prices for teams bringing a judicial overview. He has beforehand labored on human rights circumstances with Starmer, and is taken into account an professional on judicial opinions. He has labored on circumstances involving Heathrow and Stansted airports, in addition to Thames Water’s Abingdon reservoir.
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Keir Starmer has introduced plans for a digital ID system, which can grow to be necessary as a method of proving the appropriate to work within the UK.
From considerations round civil liberties and cybersecurity to a useful system to streamline providers according to different European nations’ present ID schemes, eight individuals share their views right here:
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Listed below are some photographs coming in through the newswires as Keir Starmer and different Labour politicians head to Liverpool for the celebration’s annual convention.
The convention runs from 28 September to 01 October on the Area conference centre.
Prime minister Keir Starmer, travelling by practice, to the Labour celebration convention. {Photograph}: Stefan Rousseau/PAScreens hold above the floorspace contained in the exhibition centre, the venue for the annual Labour celebration convention in Liverpool, on Saturday. {Photograph}: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty PhotographsPin badges are displayed on the market within the Labour celebration store contained in the exhibition centre, the venue for the annual Labour celebration convention in Liverpool. {Photograph}: Oli Scarff/AFP/Getty PhotographsLaw enforcement officials patrol outdoors the Area conference centre forward of the Labour celebration convention in Liverpool. {Photograph}: Adam Vaughan/EPAShare
Up to date at 06.08 EDT
Schooling secretary says 500,000 extra kids in England will quickly profit from authorities’s free breakfast scheme
A whole lot of 1000’s extra kids are to obtain a free breakfast by a authorities scheme, Bridget Phillipson has introduced.
On Saturday, schooling secretary, mentioned that 500,000 extra kids throughout England will quickly profit from the federal government’s position out of free breakfast golf equipment
Reaching half one million extra kids and backed by £80m of funding, about 2,000 new faculties will be a part of the free breakfast membership scheme subsequent yr, Labour mentioned. Funded by the prevailing spending overview settlement, it’s a part of Labour’s plan for change.
Phillipson mentioned:
The beginning of the nationwide rollout of free breakfast golf equipment shall be an historic change in working households’ day by day routines and is one other instance of this Labour authorities making good on its guarantees to ship the change the British individuals voted for.
That is Labour selecting a path of renewal in direction of a fairer nation – breaking down the boundaries to alternative and making certain each little one begins faculty able to study.
By means of our plan for change, Labour is rolling out free breakfast golf equipment and school-based nurseries to make working dad and mom’ lives simpler and provides all kids the very best begin in life.
Additional particulars on the rollout of the breakfast golf equipment programme will comply with within the autumn, mentioned Labour.
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Scottish Greens are hoping to return their first-ever constituency MSP in subsequent yr’s Holyrood election – with the celebration concentrating on the seat at present held by former first minister Nicola Sturgeon, reviews the PA information company.
Native councillor Holly Bruce has been chosen because the Inexperienced candidate to combat the Glasgow Southside constituency – which Sturgeon has represented since 2011. It comes as the previous SNP chief prepares to step down from Holyrood after being an MSP for the reason that devolved meeting started in 1999.
Greens hope her departure will enhance their marketing campaign, permitting them to return their first ever constituency MSP. Below Holyrood’s proportional illustration system, all the Inexperienced MSPs thus far have been elected through the regional listing.
Having been chosen because the candidate, Bruce mentioned she was “excited to be the Scottish Inexperienced voice within the Southside constituency”. She mentioned:
I’ve labored exhausting as a councillor for Langside for the previous three years to construct a greater neighborhood and now I can’t wait to be the voice of change throughout our nice communities within the constituency.
Bruce added that Greens are “standing to make a change for the individuals of Southside and for Scotland”.
She advised voters within the space:
As your candidate for Glasgow Southside, I’ll all the time put individuals and planet earlier than company greed, I’ll combat again in opposition to the millionaires who’re pushing racist anti-migrant narratives and I’ll name out the horrific genocide in Gaza.
Patrick Harvie, former Scottish Inexperienced co-leader and the celebration’s longest-serving MSP, mentioned Bruce had “achieved one of many best-ever outcomes for the Greens in Glasgow, successful her council ward on first preferences in 2022”. He added:
Since then, she’s been an ideal voice for the area people and I’ve little question that she’ll be a incredible candidate for the constituency.
Inexperienced help in Glasgow Southside has been rising steadily in recent times and we’re trying ahead to the marketing campaign for Holyrood, in Southside, throughout Glasgow and all through the nation.
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Forward of Labour celebration convention, backbench MPs and unions have renewed calls to finish the two-child profit cap.
A number of MPs from Liverpool, the host metropolis of the convention, have been amongst those that wrote to the prime minister forward of the gathering insisting the cap “is likely one of the most important drivers of kid poverty in Britain as we speak”, reviews the PA information company.
Debate over the way forward for the cap is amongst quite a lot of areas of advantages coverage the place ministers may very well be challenged by Labour members in Liverpool. Amongst those that have beforehand known as for it to go is Lucy Powell, the previous Home of Commons chief who’s the frontrunner within the race to grow to be the subsequent Labour deputy chief.
Labour MPs pressured a U-turn on Keir Starmer’s plans to chop the advantages invoice earlier this yr. However in a touch that ministers are prepared to return to the battle, Darren Jones, the prime minister’s chief secretary and a senior Cupboard Workplace minister, advised the Telegraph that the advantages invoice is “unsustainable in the long term”.
Starmer’s plans for a brand new digital ID system, introduced at a convention of centre-left leaders in London on Friday, will even probably face scrutiny on the convention.
Senior Labour figures are in the meantime anticipated to set out the main points of a contemporary tranche of “new cities” on the occasion, reviews the PA information company.
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Labour restores whip to 2 extra child-benefit cap rebels
Peter Walker
Labour has restored the celebration whip John McDonnell and Apsana Begum 14 months after they misplaced it for rebelling over the two-child profit cap, the Guardian understands.
The pair had the whip reinstated after a dialog on Friday with Jonathan Reynolds, who grew to become Labour’s chief whip in a reshuffle earlier this month.
After the choice, Begum mentioned she would “proceed to show the two-child restrict at each alternative”.
John McDonnell and Apsana Begum have been reinstated to the parliamentary Labour celebration seven months after 4 different rebels. Composite: EPA/The Guardian
“Baby poverty is a matter of conscience for me: 44.6% of youngsters in my constituency dwell in poverty,” she mentioned. “Calls to scrap the coverage are rising, from the youngsters’s commissioner to members of the federal government’s personal child-poverty taskforce.”
McDonnell and Begum have been amongst seven MPs to lose the whip in July final yr for supporting an modification to the king’s speech calling for an finish to the cap, which has been blamed for an increase in little one poverty.
4 of the opposite MPs suspended on the time, Rebecca Lengthy-Bailey, Ian Byrne, Imran Hussain and Richard Burgon, had the whip restored in February.
The final of the seven, Zarah Sultana, has minimize ties with the celebration and is trying to launch a brand new leftwing celebration alongside Jeremy Corbyn, who was re-elected in 2024 election as an unbiased.
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Up to date at 05.27 EDT
Anti-migrant activists might goal rental properties, charities warn
Jessica Murray
Fears are rising that shared homes might grow to be the main target of anti-migrant protests, with residents and charities saying tensions are constructing in some areas.
Houses of a number of occupation (HMOs) have grown in quantity as renters search inexpensive lodging amid a housing disaster.
Outlined as a property the place three or extra tenants dwell with shared services, HMOs are most frequently used to accommodate college students, younger professionals, asylum seekers or, more and more, anybody on a good finances.
Messages have been posted on social media urging motion in opposition to HMOs considered housing asylum seekers, with some people making an attempt to compile lists of addresses.
A former pub on the sting of Warrington in Cheshire was daubed with graffiti final month saying “No HMOs” after rumours it was because of be transformed. The native council mentioned it had not acquired any planning utility.
Reform UK politicians, together with George Finch, the teenage chief of Warwickshire county council, have criticised the usage of HMOs to accommodate asylum seekers.
Protests led by the far proper over the summer season have been blamed partly on inaccurate and inflammatory claims from politicians together with Nigel Farage, the chief of Reform, and Robert Jenrick, the shadow justice secretary.
The reality behind Britain’s ‘immigration downside’ – video explainer
The Dwelling Workplace has promised to shut dozens of asylum accommodations within the new yr with ministers because of unveil plans to maneuver asylum seekers into army barracks as an alternative.
However there was rising hypothesis about whether or not they might, or ought to, resort to a higher use of HMOs which – individually from the asylum debate – have been blamed for tensions in some communities.
Louise Calvey of Asylum Issues, which campaigns for higher asylum situations within the UK, mentioned the charity had acquired reviews of a rise in hate crimes close to HMOs in addition to rumours circulating in communities that HMOs have been housing migrants, even when they weren’t.
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Greater than 1.6m signal petition opposing Starmer’s plan for digital ID playing cards
Kyriakos Petrakos
Greater than 1.6 million individuals have signed a petition opposing the introduction of digital ID playing cards after Keir Starmer introduced plans to make them necessary for individuals working within the UK by 2029.
The petition says “nobody ought to be pressured to register with a state-controlled ID system”, which it describes as a “step in direction of mass surveillance and digital management”.
Petitions that obtain greater than 100,000 signatures are thought-about for a debate in parliament, however there may be little proof of their success in shaping authorities coverage. Greater than 6 million individuals signed one calling for Brexit to be reversed.
Digital ID playing cards introduced “an infinite alternative” for the UK, Starmer mentioned on Friday, as the federal government grappled with a civil liberties row over the proposals.
The prime minister mentioned:
I do know working individuals are fearful concerning the stage of unlawful migration into this nation. A safe border and managed migration are affordable calls for, and this authorities is listening and delivering.
Digital ID is a gigantic alternative for the UK. It should make it harder to work illegally on this nation, making our borders safer.
He argued that the “Brit card” would provide unusual residents “numerous advantages, like with the ability to show your identification to entry key providers swiftly – fairly than searching round for an outdated utility invoice”.
Civil liberties teams have raised considerations over the proposals, with Silkie Carlo, the director of Large Brother Watch, warning the system would “make Britain much less free” and create “a home mass surveillance infrastructure that may probably sprawl from citizenship to advantages, tax, well being, probably even web knowledge and extra”.
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Talking to the Instances, the chancellor mentioned she needed the Workplace for Finances Accountability (OBR) to incorporate the improved EU buying and selling relationship brokered by Labour when it makes financial forecasts.
In response to the PA information company, she additionally advised the newspaper the federal government desires “an formidable youth expertise scheme” to be scored by the OBR, as it will even be “good for the financial system, good for development and good for enterprise”.
The scheme would permit younger individuals from the UK to work, research and dwell on the continent, and vice versa, for an prolonged time frame.
Whereas Reeves was eager to emphasize the financial advantages of the scheme, the Instances instructed it might result in a brand new migration headache for the federal government, as 50,000 Europeans a yr may very well be eligible to dwell within the UK because of it.
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Labour celebration chair Anna Turley has advised the PA information company she didn’t assume “anybody would deny” that her celebration has had “fairly a difficult couple of weeks” amid requires Andy Burnham to problem the prime minister.
However she insisted that many extra MPs are “pissed off” that their colleagues are already making an attempt to topple Starmer.
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Keir Starmer to warn Labour that battle with Reform is ‘combat for soul of the nation’
Pippa Crerar
Keir Starmer will warn the Labour celebration that it’s in a “combat for the soul of the nation” and that historical past is not going to forgive his authorities if it fails to confront and defeat Reform UK and the populist proper.
Talking to the Guardian forward of an important convention for his management, he mentioned he would inform disgruntled celebration members that now was “not the time for introspection” and infighting.
His remarks are probably be seen as a veiled dig at Andy Burnham, the mayor of Higher Manchester, who has been touted by some as a possible successor.
Keir Starmer mentioned he would inform disgruntled celebration members that now was ‘not the time for introspection’ and infighting. {Photograph}: Dinendra Haria/SOPA Photographs/Shutterstock
The prime minister heads to Liverpool after a rocky few weeks marked by missteps and departures, and with Labour lagging 10 factors behind Reform within the polls.
In his interview, Starmer urged his celebration to recognise the size of the problem forward.
He mentioned:
I’ve to say to all of these attending convention, it is a actual alternative for us to make our argument about patriotic nationwide renewal, to personal patriotism, to outline it for what it’s.
Historical past is not going to forgive us if we don’t use each ounce of our vitality to combat Reform. There’s an enemy. There’s a mission which is detrimental to our nation. It truly goes in opposition to the grain of our historical past. It’s proper there in plain sight in entrance of us. We have now to win this battle.
Whereas Starmer’s focus shall be on setting out his personal imaginative and prescient for renewing the nation, he will even urge Labour to not be distracted by hypothesis over his grip on energy.
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Majority of trains beneath public management by subsequent yr, transport secretary to announce
Most rail journeys in Nice Britain shall be beneath public possession by the center of subsequent yr, the transport secretary is predicted to announce.
Talking on the Labour celebration’s annual celebration convention, Heidi Alexander will reveal the subsequent 4 providers to be introduced into public possession.
In her speech, Alexander is predicted to say:
For too lengthy our railways have been run within the pursuits of personal revenue, beneath a damaged system that failed passengers over and over.
This Labour authorities is looking time on 30 years of failure, frustration, fragmentation. We’re returning our railways to the service of passengers.
In February subsequent yr, West Midlands Trains will grow to be the subsequent operator to switch into public possession.
And as we speak I can go additional, and announce that Govia Thameslink Railway, Chiltern Railways, and Nice Western Railway will comply with.
We mentioned we’d do it in our manifesto – and we’re delivering on our promise.
West Midlands Trains providers will switch on 1 February 2026 and Govia Thameslink Railway’s providers on 31 Could 2026. Chiltern Railways and Nice Western Railways (GWR) providers will then be the subsequent to switch.
Transport secretary Heidi Alexander will announce the subsequent 4 rail providers, together with Govia Thameslink Railway to be introduced into public possession. {Photograph}: Jonathan Brady/PA
Govia Thameslink is the most important practice operator within the nation, which means that by the center of subsequent yr eight in ten providers shall be run by the general public, for the general public, say Labour.
Laws to determine Nice British Railways, the brand new organisation which can take duty for the day-to-day operations of the railways, shall be launched earlier than the top of the yr, the celebration has mentioned.
Extra on this story in a second, however first, here’s what else is on the schedule as we speak:
Morning: Youngsters and households minister Josh MacAlister is on the morning media spherical.
11.30am: Keir Starmer will make a go to in central Liverpool as he heads to the town for his celebration’s convention.
12pm: Palestine Solidarity Marketing campaign protest anticipated outdoors Labour celebration convention.
3.20pm: Chancellor Rachel Reeves will go to Southport.
Saturday: Shut of constituency Labour celebration (CLP) and affiliate nominations for Labour deputy management candidates.
And among the different latest developments in UK politics:
Keir Starmer will warn the Labour celebration that it’s in a “combat for the soul of the nation” and that historical past is not going to forgive his authorities if it fails to confront and defeat Reform UK and the populist proper. Talking to the Guardian forward of an important convention for his management, he mentioned he would inform disgruntled celebration members that now was “not the time for introspection” and infighting.
Starmer’s plan for digital IDs dangers creating “an infinite hacking goal”, a cybersecurity professional has warned, as know-how corporations ready to bid for contracts that might run into billions of kilos. Amid widespread opposition, the prime minister mentioned the necessary digital ID – together with residents’ photographs, names, dates of delivery, nationalities and residency standing – would come into use by July 2029. A petition calling for the federal government to not introduce digital ID playing cards had acquired greater than 1.5 million signatures by Saturday morning.
Labour has restored the celebration whip John McDonnell and Apsana Begum 14 months after they misplaced it for rebelling over the two-child profit cap, the Guardian understands. The pair had the whip reinstated after a dialog on Friday with Jonathan Reynolds, who grew to become Labour’s chief whip in a reshuffle earlier this month.
Fears are rising that shared homes might grow to be the main target of anti-migrant protests, with residents and charities saying tensions are constructing in some areas. Houses of a number of occupation (HMOs) have grown in quantity as renters search inexpensive lodging amid a housing disaster. Reform UK politicians, together with George Finch, the teenage chief of Warwickshire county council, have criticised the usage of HMOs to accommodate asylum seekers.
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