Pippa Crerar

Keir Starmer attacks ‘racist’ Farage plan to deport people settled in the UK Prime minister says Reform proposal to abolish indefinite leave to remain could ‘tear this country apart’

Keir Starmer has attacked Reform UK’s plan to deport thousands of people already legally living in the UK as “racist” and “immoral”, as he said that Labour had a generational struggle ahead with the populist right 👇🏼

www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

A special Guardian Podcast Live with @andyburnham.bsky.social. Hosted by @pippacrerar.bsky.social and @kiranstacey.bsky.social.

In partnership with @moreincommonuk.bsky.social.

Hello Liverpool! A beautiful morning for an early run 🏃🏻‍♀️ @uklabour.bsky.social

"There is not a free speech crisis in the UK. Keir Starmer has not shut down GB News," Ruskin says. Farage seems "most at home with the autocrats and dictators of this world", he adds. If he's serious about the Online Safety Act, he should be in parliament, he says, not here.

Angela Rayner admits underpaying stamp duty on £800,000 seaside flat Deputy PM refers herself to ethics adviser as confirmation puts her position under threat

EXCLUSIVE

Angela Rayner admits she underpaid stamp duty on her seaside flat - refers herself to the standards commissions

Story by @pippacrerar.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Keir Starmer makes U-turn mid-air over grooming gangs inquiry PM forced to cave in to clamour for statutory inquiry despite earlier dismissing them as amplifying far right demands

Very thoughtful analysis on Keir Starmer's response to - and subsequent U-turn on - calls for a national grooming gangs inquiry - by @peterwalker99.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

UK places sanctions on two far-right Israeli ministers over ‘monstrous’ Gaza comments Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich face travel bans and asset freezes as Australia, Canada, New Zealand and Norway also impose measures

UK places sanctions on two far-right Israeli government ministers over “monstrous” comments about destroying Gaza and using violence to gain control of West Bank settlements.

Full story by Patrick Wintour

www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Downing Street says the Spending Review is now settled, with the last to hold out - the home office - agreeing its settlement today despite concerns over police funding.

Winter fuel U-turn and spending review standoff – Politics Weekly Westminster Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss the U-turn on winter fuel payments. Plus, they look ahead to this week’s spending review. And after its chair dramatically quit the party only to return 48 hours ...

🚨New podcast!

Rachel Reeves’s U-turn on winter fuel payments: will it be enough to undo the damage done?

Plus, spending review as negotiations & what’s going on with Reform UK?

Join me & @kiranstacey.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

Winter fuel payments threshold to rise to £35,000, Rachel Reeves announces Change means about 7.5 million pensioners in England and Wales who lost out on payment will have it restored

BREAKING: All pensioners with income of £35,000 or less will have winter fuel payment restored in full.

New threshold means 7.5m pensioners who didn't get it last year now will.

Paid to all and then clawed back from wealthiest via HMRC as revealed by @theguardian.com

Trump suggest that Elon has "Trump derangement syndrome"

Reform’s new chair Zia Yusuf: a man intent on making Nigel Farage PM Former leftwing student defends leader’s Southport comments and insists party stands for British values

Worth rereading this excellent profile of Zia Yusuf from @ecourea.bsky.social last year 👇

www.theguardian.com/politics/art...

Thursday’s @theguardian.com front page: Chaos fears over return of winter fuel payments
www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Rachel Reeves confirms that adjustments to winter fuel payments will come in time for *this* winter.

"People should be in no doubt that the means test will increase and more people will get a winter fuel payment this winter."

White House announces overnight that UK to get reprieve from 50% tariffs slapped on steel & aluminium imports into US, and will remain at 25% for now.

But could yet increase to 50% in July if Trump feels UK has not adhered to parts of yet to be implemented US/ UK trade deal.

Is the UK ready for war? – Politics Weekly Westminster podcast Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss the government’s strategic defence review and ask: is the UK really ready for war? Plus, they look ahead to next week’s spending review.

🚨 And we're back! Join me and @kiranstacey.bsky.social as we discuss whether the UK really is "battle ready", how extra defence spending will be paid for, and the thorny issue of next week's spending review 👇

www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

But at his press conference in Govan, Starmer says he's "100% confident" the UK will reach the 3% target by the end of the next Parliament - but still describes it as an "ambition" and won't put a date on it.

…how we can make good on that commitment, because I don’t believe in performative fantasy politics, and certainly not on defence and security.”

Starmer defends not yet committing to date for lifting defence spending to 3% of GDP - which remains simply an ambition.

“I am not… going to make a commitment as to the precise date until I can be sure precisely where the money is coming from…

Keir Starmer defends decision to cut winter fuel payment - but hints u-turn could come as soon as next week’s spending review.

“If we want to look again at which pensioners are eligible, then the sooner we have clarity on that, the better,” PM tells #Today.

The boy who came back: the near-death, and changed life, of my son Max It was, we were told, a case of sudden infant death syndrome interrupted. What followed would transform my understanding of parenting, disability and the breadth of what makes a meaningful life

If you read one thing today, please read this. Heart-breaking but beautifully written, deeply moving and - ultimately - full of hope.

‘The boy who came back: the near-death, and changed life, of my son Max’ www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle...

Children with special needs in England may lose legal right to school support Exclusive: Schools minister declines to rule out replacing EHCP documents as part of plans to change Send system

EXCL: Hundreds of thousands of children with special needs could lose their legal entitlement to extra support in schools in England under plans being considered by ministers - @alethaadu.bsky.social reports www.theguardian.com/education/20...

Saturday’s @theguardian.com front page: Thousands could suffer as child poverty plan delayed www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

Is Angela Rayner positioning herself for a Starmer succession race? Whoever leaked deputy PM’s memo to the Telegraph, some believe it will have helped her leadership chances

What is Angela Rayner up to?

Great read fr @jessicaelgot.bsky.social & @kiranstacey.bsky.social who reveal her supporters conducting focus groups to see how she'd perform in a leadership campaign.

Meanwhile, Wes Streeting has been courting new backbenchers.
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Nigel Farage said he’d ‘bought a house’ in Clacton – it’s actually owned by his girlfriend Reform UK leader said he’d ‘exchanged contracts’ to buy property last November, but it’s in name of Laure Ferrari

EXCL: Nigel Farage claimed with great fanfare last year to have “bought a house” in Clacton – but it turns out the property is owned in the name of his girlfriend
@rowenamason.bsky.social reports 👇
www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

No 10 delays child poverty strategy with tens of thousands more facing hardship Exclusive: Flagship policy put back until at least autumn amid fears cost of scrapping two-child limit will outweigh political benefit

EXCL: Labour’s flagship child poverty strategy has been delayed until at least autumn amid concerns at top of government the financial cost of key proposals outweighs political benefit.

www.theguardian.com/society/2025...

PM rejected call for UK to stop supply of F-35 jet parts to Israel, suggesting critics fail to understand process

"They’re not sold directly. They go into a pot. If we were to stop that, they wouldn’t be available to others around the world who desperately need them. That’s why we won’t do it."

It also sounds as though recognition of Palestinian statehood is moving forward (presumably under French process).

“We're ready to work with our allies and those in the region on a meaningful process, and in the meantime, we will do what we can to support the foundations of Palestinian statehood.”

NEW: No 10 indicates it's ready to impose sanctions on senior members of Israeli govt over military expansion into Gaza.

“We are clear, if Israel does not cease the renewed military offensive and lift its restrictions onto humanitarian aid, we will take further concrete actions in response.”

No 10 rethinking winter fuel payment cut after Labour slump in local elections Exclusive: government fears further electoral losses from unpopular policy as well as from planned £5bn of benefits cuts

BREAKING: Keir Starmer finally announces u-turn on winter fuel first revealed in @theguardian.com more than two weeks ago.

You read it here first! www.theguardian.com/society/2025...