Keir Starmer says he wants ‘serious and pragmatic’ relationship with China – UK politics live
Starmer Advocates For A Clear Relationship With China
Keir Starmer stated that he aims to establish a "thoughtful and practical" connection with China, while also being upfront about the disagreements they have.
After meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, the prime minister told reporters, "I have consistently stated that I aim for a meaningful and practical partnership with China."
"It's the world's second-largest economy and one of our top trading partners, so there are definitely important topics we need to address together."
"At the same time, it’s important to be honest about the points of disagreement we have."
"I will always prioritize what’s best for the nation, and that was the foundation for our conversations this morning."
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NFU President Confirms Planned Demonstrations
Tom Bradshaw, the president of the National Farmers' Union, confirmed that the planned protests will definitely take place following his meeting with Environment Secretary Steve Reed in Parliament on Monday night, according to PA Media.
Speaking to the PA news agency outside of parliament, Mr. Bradshaw confirmed, "The upcoming protests will definitely take place."
The meeting was incredibly beneficial. It provided an excellent chance to clearly explain why their evidence is incorrect, why it needs to be presented during the consultation, and to highlight the significant human impact that this policy has caused.
"We need to engage in these discussions, but we're genuinely worried that right now, there's a lack of action. It appears that the Treasury doesn’t have a clear grasp of their approach."
Bradshaw mentioned that he was discussing the information with the environment secretary during their meeting.
He mentioned, "The main emphasis was on this terrible policy that has been introduced. We believe it's a poorly thought-out approach. I don't think they anticipated the negative human impact resulting from the policy they proposed."
"I don't believe they realize that the family farms responsible for supplying our food are at the center of this crisis."
Gareth Bacon, who is the shadow transport secretary, mentioned that increasing the maximum bus fare to £3 is "not a certainty."
He mentioned that the government appears to be confused about why its policies aren't well-received and why, just a few months after taking office, they have lost the trust of the British people. Leading a country is challenging and demands a genuine sense of responsibility, along with careful thought about the impact of decisions before making them.
“For instance, the choice to raise the maximum bus fare from £2 to £3 will lead to higher costs for passengers. Ironically, this may jeopardize services on some routes, as it could reduce the number of people using the buses.”
At the G20 meeting, Keir Starmer expressed that there are many topics to explore that benefit both parties as they move ahead in their discussions with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese.
During a joint meeting with the Australian Prime Minister, Albanese remarked that Australia and the UK share a strong friendship, particularly in areas like security, climate policy, and mutual collaboration.
Starmer responded by stating, "We can reinforce that idea."
Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has stated that changes to bus services, which will enable local governments to implement franchising systems, represent the most significant transformation of the industry in four decades.
She informed the Members of Parliament: "We have put an end to the traditional methods of bus funding allocation. In the past, the government required councils to compete for financial support, which wasted resources and slowed down decision-making. This approach was unnecessarily complicated, resulted in uneven funding, and caused uncertainty for both the local authorities and operators."
"We're adopting a completely new strategy. We've distributed our funds by considering local necessities, the size of the population, the distance buses cover, and the level of deprivation in each area. This method prioritizes fairness in future funding, eliminating the inconsistency in bus services linked to specific locations. It guarantees that taxpayer money is directed to the regions that need it the most, ensuring the greatest effect and the highest benefit for passengers."
"This marks the beginning of our efforts to empower local communities to regain authority over their services and improve bus transport nationwide. Soon, we will unveil our significant buses bill, which represents the most substantial change in this sector in four decades."
"This will enable local governments throughout the country to implement franchising systems, similar to those in Greater Manchester and London. This allows community leaders to regain authority over services, ensuring that routes, fares, and schedules are tailored to meet the needs of local travelers."
Keir Starmer acknowledged that adjustments to inheritance tax are creating worries among farmers, but he maintained that "most farms" will remain unaffected.
During a conversation with media representatives at the G20 summit in Brazil on Monday, the prime minister mentioned that he is providing financial assistance to farmers as part of the budget. This funding also includes support for flood-related issues and disease outbreaks.
He continued, saying, "Regarding the issue of inheritance tax, I recognize that it is a source of worry."
Consider a common situation where a couple wants to hand down their family farm to one of their children. In this typical scenario, with all the existing limits considered, they can transfer assets worth up to £3 million without incurring any inheritance tax.
"I'm sure that most farms and farmers won't be impacted in any way by that part of the budget."
"They will benefit from the £5 billion investment we're making in agriculture, and I'm excited to collaborate with farmers on this initiative."
Starmer Seeks Clear China Relationship Amid Disagreements
Keir Starmer has expressed his desire for a “serious and practical” partnership with China, emphasizing the importance of openly discussing the disagreements that exist between the two sides.
After his meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Monday, the prime minister told broadcasters, "I've made it clear that I desire a thoughtful and realistic partnership with China."
"It's the world's second-largest economy and one of our key trading partners, which means there are important topics we definitely need to talk about."
"At the same time, it's important to be upfront about the points we don't see eye to eye on."
"I will always prioritize what's best for the country, and that was the foundation of our conversations earlier today."
Councils Support Government's Plan To Cut Child Care Costs
The County Councils Network, representing the largest care authorities in England, has expressed strong support for Bridget Phillipson’s proposals to reform children’s social care. In a statement, Roger Gough, the Conservative leader of Kent County Council and the CCN’s representative for children’s services, remarked:
The CCN warmly supports the government's plan to revamp children's social care. For several years, our organization has emphasized the importance of fixing issues within the system, shifting the focus towards providing early assistance instead of waiting for crises, and – most crucially – enhancing the experiences and outcomes for the nation’s most at-risk children and families involved with the care system.
The government's plan to take a more active role in the market for children's social care placements is crucial. Our latest analysis indicates that if left unregulated, councils might spend as much as £12 billion a year on children in care by 2030. Currently, local authorities are trapped in a cycle where they pay exorbitant amounts for placements instead of investing in preventative services. While it's acknowledged that the private sector plays a key role in achieving these objectives, it's essential—and long overdue—to send a strong message that excessive profit-making at the expense of already strained local authority budgets will not be accepted.
That's it for today from my end. Tom Ambrose will now take the reins.
Record Bus Investments Under DfT Plans, Says Haigh
Louise Haigh, the transport secretary, is addressing MPs regarding financial support for bus services. She mentions that the Department for Transport is outlining how the £1 billion allocated for buses in the budget will be distributed across England. She continues:
Today, we're distributing this funding, which amounts to more than £700 million for local councils to implement plans that improve bus services and cater better to local requirements. Additionally, we're allocating another £243 million to bus operators, which includes ongoing support aimed at reducing fares and enhancing services.
In numerous locations, this represents a significant level of investment, and every part of England, including various local governments, will gain from it. This is particularly true for regions that have been overlooked in the past, such as rural communities and smaller towns.
Local authorities like Leicester, the Isle of Wight, Torbay, and Cambridgeshire are set to receive record amounts of financial support for their services.
Routes identified as at risk will be preserved, allowing travelers to experience quicker and more dependable trips.
We're also investing in safer bus stops and providing better access to information for passengers, ensuring that our bus service is inclusive for everyone.
I'm really pleased to see that metro mayors are supportive of this news, especially since city areas like Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, and Liverpool are among those getting the largest funding amounts.
You can find all the information about the budget allocations here.
Phillipson Unveils Major Children's Social Care Reform
Bridget Phillipson, the Secretary of State for Education, addressed Members of Parliament regarding what she labeled as the most significant reform of children’s social care in England in a generation. She remarked:
Children's social care is facing significant challenges. The number of children in care is at an all-time high, and as funding increasingly shifts towards the most costly aspects of the system, essential preventive services are being drained of resources. This leads to even more young people entering care, creating an ongoing cycle of rising costs and worsening outcomes. This problematic situation was accurately highlighted by Labour MP Josh MacAlister in his review from over two years ago, where he pointed out the flawed care market and the unacceptable profit-driven motives of numerous private firms.
I’m excited to share the release of a policy statement that prioritizes the needs of children and families in social care, moving away from merely responding to crises. This represents the most significant change in children’s social care in many years, and it begins with the understanding that, whenever feasible, children should stay with their families.
Sally Weale highlighted the main aspects in a preview article published last night. You can find the press release from the Department for Education here.
The Department for Education has released several additional documents alongside this announcement. These include:
Keeping Kids Safe and Supporting Families – a 47-page document detailing the new strategy.
A report from the Office of the Children’s Commissioner outlining the experiences of children who are placed under deprivation of liberty orders.
An article discussing the local councils involved in two pilot programs for regional care cooperatives in Manchester and the Southeast.
An update on the advancements achieved in addressing the suggestions put forth in the second phase report from the Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel.
While responding to questions about defense, Tan Dhesi, the Labour chair of the Commons defense committee, expressed his desire for the government to permit Ukraine to utilize the Storm Shadow missiles provided by Britain to strike targets within Russia. He noted President Biden's choice to enable Ukraine to use American long-range missiles for attacks on Russian locations, commenting on its significance.
Considering the ongoing bombardment of Ukrainian towns by Russia, along with the presence of thousands of North Korean soldiers engaged in combat against our ally right here on our continent, will Ukraine be permitted to utilize those Storm Shadow missiles? This would, of course, need to be in accordance with international law.
Or are we anticipating that Ukraine will keep battling and protecting itself while being limited in its capabilities and will hold off on using those storm shadows?
John Healey, the secretary of defense, declined to disclose the government's plans. He responded by saying:
I won't discuss operational security or specific details about long-range systems right now. The prime minister has made it clear, and I echo that sentiment today, that we need to increase our support for Ukraine, ensuring they receive the assistance they require for as long as necessary. In this effort, we will maintain our strong collaboration with the US and our allies to provide that support to Ukraine.
Healey mentioned that he was in talks with his colleagues from the US and Ukraine about this matter.
