Richard Holden quits as Tory chairman

Thank you for following the Telegraph’s live politics coverage. My colleague Jack Maidment will be back on Tuesday morning to take you through all of the latest developments. Here are today’s key moments:

• Rachel Reeves repealed the “absurd” ban on new onshore wind developments in England as she unveiled a series of reforms to the planning system. 
• Emily Thornberry has said she was “surprised” by Sir Keir Starmer not giving her a Cabinet position.
• Labour will not appoint a standalone veterans’ minister to the Cabinet, it was confirmed.
• Wes Streeting said he would divert billions of pounds from hospitals to improve GP surgeries.
• Lord Frost said the Conservative Party is “broken” and needs to be rebuilt by a “genuine” conservative.
• Lord Cameron said he would step back from frontline politics.
• The Conservatives announced a new shadow cabinet, with Andrew Mitchell promoted to shadow foreign secretary, James Cartlidge to shadow defence secretary and Kemi Badenoch moved to shadow health secretary.
• Richard Holden quit as chairman of the Tory party.
• Suella Braverman said the Conservatives will never recover unless they listen to Reform UK voters, calling for the party to run on a platform of protecting “national culture”.

We head to the Three Jays pub in Jaywick, an area where 70 per cent of voters backed Reform, and which acted as a sort of satellite office for the campaign – landlord Adrian Brockwell is an enthusiastic supporter of the party, writes Associate Editor Gordon Rayner.

There is already talk in the pub of whether Trump might one day pay a visit to Clacton, and whether there would be room on Jaywick Sands for him to build a championship golf course.

Might Mr Farage one day bring Trump to Clacton?

“You never know,” he teases.

Read the full story here.

Wes Streeting has pledged to divert billions of pounds from hospitals to GPs and guarantee that patients can see the same family doctor at every appointment.

The Health Secretary told The Guardian that he would reverse a decline in the proportion of the £165 billion NHS England budget that is spent on GP surgeries.

More than five million patients a month in England are waiting longer than a fortnight for a GP appointment.

“Patients are finding it harder than ever to see a GP,” he said. “Patients can’t get through the front door of the NHS, so they aren’t getting the timely care they need.

“That’s no surprise, when GPs and primary care has been receiving a smaller proportion of NHS resources. I’m committed to reversing that.”

Lord Cameron has said he is “delighted” that Andrew Mitchell has become shadow foreign secretary.

“It’s been a huge honour to serve as Foreign Secretary, but clearly the Conservative Party in opposition will need to shadow the new Foreign Secretary from the Commons,” the former Prime Minister said.

“So I told Rishi Sunak that I would step back. I’m delighted that the Shadow Foreign Secretary role has gone to my good friend Andrew Mitchell.  

“As a committed Conservative I will continue to support the Party and help where I can as we rebuild from the very disappointing election result.”

Rwanda has responded to Sir Keir Starmer’s decision to scrap the migration scheme.

In a statement, the Rwandan government said: “This partnership was initiated by the government of the UK in order to address the crisis of irregular migration affecting the UK – a problem of the UK, not Rwanda.

“Rwanda has fully upheld its side of the agreement, including with regard to finances, and remains committed to finding solutions to the global migration crisis, including providing safety, dignity, and opportunity to refugees and migrants who come to our country.”

Joe Biden has invited Sir Keir Starmer to the White House.

The American president will meet the new Prime Minister on Wednesday during a Washington DC summit celebrating Nato’s 75th anniversary.

Suella Braverman has said the Conservatives will never recover unless they listen to Reform UK voters, calling for the party to run on a platform of protecting “national culture”.

The former home secretary, expected to launch a Tory leadership bid, told the National Conservatism conference in Washington on Monday that the party must start “talking credibly to Reform voters” or face extinction.

“The Tory party is never going to recover until it learns some basic manners,” she said. “We’re entitled to not one vote, save the ones we earn by keeping our promises.”

Saying she planned to make Nigel Farage, the Reform leader, “uncomfortable” in Parliament, Mrs Braverman urged the Tories to “credibly offer Conservative policies which make the existence of a separate, rival, Right-wing party moot”.

Read the full story from US Editor Tony Diver here.

Being in Government is like a “dream”, the Science Secretary has said.

Peter Kyle told Sky News’ Politics Hub with Sophy Ridge: “Well, it simultaneously has sunk in because we’re so deep already, working all weekend, over the programme for government implementation plans. Making sure we can get the right things cracking from day one.

“But simultaneously I wake up every morning thinking that the previous day was a dream because it was just so special and so remarkable.”

The Conservatives can win in 2029 with the “right leader”, a shadow minister has said.

Kevin Hollinrake, the shadow business secretary, told Times Radio: “We lost heavily, but as I say not to a popular Labour Government. That’s an opportunity for us.

“If we get the right leader, we regroup, we unite behind that leader, we can win in 2029. That’s got to be our job.”

Mr Hollrinake said the leadership contest should be delayed until September and completed by the end of the year.

• Oliver Dowden, shadow deputy leader of the opposition and shower chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster
• Jeremy Hunt, shadow chancellor
• Andrew Mitchell, shadow foreign secretary
• James Cleverly, shadow home secretary
• James Cartlidge, shadow defence secretary
• Ed Argar, shadow justice secretary
• Andrew Griffith, shadow science secretary
• Victoria Atkins, shadow health secretary
• Kemi Badenoch, shadow housing secretary
• Steve Barclay, shadow environment secretary
• Chris Philp, shadow leader of the Commons
• Lord True, shadow leader of the Lords
• Kevin Hollinrake, shadow business secretary
• Mel Stride, shadow work and pensions secretary
• Damian Hinds, shadow education secretary
• Helen Whately, shadow transport secretary
• Julia Lopez, shadow culture secretary
• Claire Coutinho, shadow energy secretary
• Jeremy Wright, shadow attorney general
• Alex Burghart, shadow Northern Ireland secretary
• John Lamont, shadow Scotland secretary
• Lord Davies of Gower, shadow Wales secretary
• Stuart Andrew, opposition chief whip
• Laura Trott, shadow chief secretary to the Treasury
• John Glen, shadow paymaster general
• Tom Tugendhat, shadow security minister
• Andrew Bowie, shadow veterans minister
• Mims Davies, shadow women and equalities minister

Rishi Sunak has appointed a shadow ministerial team from his depleted ranks of 121 MPs to form an opposition to Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour Government.

Mr Sunak will remain the leader of the Conservatives’ interim shadow cabinet and Andrew Mitchell will become shadow foreign secretary, with Lord David Cameron set to step back from front-line politics. 

The party has named Jeremy Hunt its shadow chancellor, with James Cleverly shadow home secretary, mirroring the portfolios they held in government.

Kemi Badenoch has become shadow levelling-up secretary, while Kevin Hollinrake will shadow Ms Badenoch’s former Business Secretary post and Mims Davies becomes shadow women and equalities minister.

Richard Holden has quit as chairman of the Conservative Party.

Richard Fuller, the former economic secretary to the Treasury and the MP for North Bedfordshire, has replaced him.

Mr Fuller said in a statement: “The Conservative Party has had a difficult election and it is important that we regroup and reflect on these results. We should also challenge ourselves candidly and deeply on the strengths of the Conservative Party across the country and outline where improvements can be made.

“I am honoured to be asked to act as interim chairman of the Conservative Party and to be working alongside colleagues in the shadow cabinet.

“United as a party we will be ready and able to hold this new Labour government to account every step of the way.”

Rachel Reeves has said that becoming Britain’s first female chancellor feels like “smashing one of the last glass ceilings in politics”.

She told ITN: “The position of chancellor of the Exchequer has existed for hundreds of years, and a woman has never held that role.

“So I feel like I’m smashing one of the last glass ceilings in politics, and I’m really proud to do that.

“But along with it, comes a really big responsibility to pass on to our daughters and granddaughters a society and economy that works better for women, and I’m determined to work with my team to do just that.”

When Parliament returns after the General Election, there will be more female MPs in the House of Commons than ever before, making up around 40 per cent of MPs.

A total of 263 women have been elected, up 43 from the previous record of 220 in 2019, the sixth election in a row where the number of women MPs has increased.

Rachel Reeves has said that the government plans on encouraging the building of houses on brownfield and greenbelt land that “is not green”.

The Chancellor was speaking to broadcasters of her plans for housebuilding and reforms to the planning system during a visit to the Oval Village housing development in south-east London today.

Ms Reeves said that her party sought a mandate to grow the economy and that today she has set out a plan “to do just that”.

She has set out the Labour Government’s plans to review greenbelt boundaries to prioritise brownfield and so-called grey belt land to meet housebuilding targets, which she said would include affordable housing and housing for social rent.

The Chancellor admitted earlier that she is “not naive to the fact” that “there will be opposition” to some of the Government’s plans for infrastructure and housing but insisted that “trade-offs always exist”.

Ms Reeves will deliver her first Budget in the autumn and has asked civil servants to draw up an assessment of the current state of the economy and public finances.

As chancellor, she will focus on economic growth and boosting private sector investment.

Sir Keir Starmer has described the future of Tata Steel as being of “great concern” following a meeting with the Welsh First Minister on the final stop of his tour of the devolved nations.

He arrived at the Welsh Parliament having promised an “immediate reset” of the relationship between the Westminster Government and devolved nations.

It also comes amid concerns about job losses at Tata steelworks in Port Talbot, where around 2,800 jobs are at risk.

Sir Keir had been due to speak to reporters on the balcony of the Senedd, overlooking Cardiff Bay, but the interview was forced to move to the fifth floor due to a demonstration from a small crowd of pro-Palestine protesters outside the Welsh Parliament.

Speaking to broadcasters, the Prime Minister said: “This is an early recommitment to what I said in the campaign to come here physically on the third day (of being Prime Minister), to have discussions with the First Minister about the long-term objectives and of course, about some of the pressing issues, including Tata Steel, which is of great concern to me, to the First Minister and to so many people here in Wales.”

Rachel Reeves used her first major speech as Chancellor to send a clear message to Britain’s Nimbys: start quaking in your boots.

Planning reform was the central pillar of Labour’s plan for economic growth during the party’s election campaign and the new Chancellor has wasted no time in laying the groundwork for the Government’s aim to build 1.5m homes over the next five years.

On Monday, Ms Reeves said Labour will consult on a new growth-focused approach to the planning system before the end of July, to reform the National Planning Policy Framework.

This will include restoring mandatory housing targets which Michael Gove, the former housing secretary, heavily watered down after bowing to a rebellion from backbench Tory MPs, led by Theresa Villiers.

Ms Reeves made it clear that she is gearing up for a brawl. Melissa Lawford, and Data Journalist Meike Eijsberg reveal where the biggest fights will take place here.

The former prime minister is understood to have decided he will step back from frontline politics and will not take up the post of shadow foreign secretary, feeling that he has fulfilled his duty to the party by serving in Government when asked to do so by Rishi Sunak.

It is understood Andrew Mitchell, the deputy foreign secretary, has been asked to step into the post as Mr Sunak assembles a shadow cabinet to take on Sir Keir Starmer’s new Labour Government.

Mr Sunak appointed Lord Cameron as a foreign secretary in November 2023 after he sacked Suella Braverman as home secretary.

It was seen as an attempt to bolster his Government as he faced a rebellion by Right-wing MPs over demands to toughen up his immigration policies and the Rwanda scheme. Then foreign secretary James Cleverly replaced Ms Braverman in the Home Office.

Mr Sunak is appointing a shadow ministerial team from his depleted ranks of 121 MPs to form an opposition to Sir Keir’s new government, reports Home Affairs Editor Charles Hymas.

Malala Yousafzai congratulated several of Labour’s newly appointed ministers and urged them to “prioritise girls’ rights and education around the world”.

In a post on X, the education activist said special attention should be given to those “banned from school in Afghanistan under the Taliban’s gender apartheid regime”.

Some 445,000 voters may not have been issued with a ballot paper in the general election because they did not have the correct identification, polling has suggested.

Of the 2,047 people surveyed by More In Common, 3.2 per cent reported being turned away at least once because they lacked the necessary ID.

Extrapolated across the UK, this would equate to more than 850,000, according to the pollsters.

More than half of these people either gave up or returned and were still unable to vote.

Thursday’s vote was the first time in the UK that everyone wanting to vote in person at a general election had to show ID before receiving a ballot paper.

The poll found that a third of people turned away had ID which was not on the list of valid ID, a quarter said the name on their ID was different from that listed on the electoral register, while 12 per cent said they were told the picture on their ID did not match their appearance.

Carla Denyer has told Sir Keir Starmer to revoke the licence of the Rosebank oil field and scrap the two-child benefit cap.

The Green Party co-leader was elected as MP for Bristol Central last week.

Speaking outside Parliament, she said: “We’ll be pushing Labour to, especially in these first 100 days, take some swift actions on those low-hanging fruit that they could take to help make this country a fairer, greener place straight away.

“So for example, the Labour Party supports the Conservative policy of a two-child benefit cap.”

She added: “I think he also needs to look at Labour’s previous promises to keep the brand new licence for the Rosebank oil and gas field.

“The climate science is clear, we cannot be creating new oil and gas wells at this stage in the climate emergency.”

Reform UK received the most donations of any political party in the penultimate week of general election campaigning, new data shows.

Nigel Farage’s party received £592,360 between June 20 and 26, £200,000 of which was from the businessman Zia Yusuf.

Electoral Commission figures show the Liberal Democrats were second on £515,982, followed by £451,232 given to Labour and £378,945 to the Conservatives.

The leader of Plaid Cymru has written to Sir Keir Starmer asking for a meeting and demanding that he does not “cast aside” his party’s ambitions for “more powers”.

Speaking outside Parliament with the four Plaid MPs elected on July 4, Rhun ap Iorwerth said: “Sir Keir Starmer tells us that he wants to reset the relationship between UK Government and Welsh governments, to reset the relationship presumably between the UK Government and Wales, but what we say today is that has to be a meaningful reset.

“Labour have shown time and time again that they want to cast aside our aspirations on fair funding, on more powers. Our four MPs will not allow that to happen.

“We want to make the case for Wales at every possible opportunity. That is what these four MPs will do, and we need to see signs, very early and clear signs, from Sir Keir Starmer that he will listen, that he will listen to our aspirations and act in the interests of Wales.”

The Scottish Conservatives could face “political extinction” without a debate on the party’s future leadership, an MSP has said.

Jamie Greene, the MSP for West Scotland, said there should be no “swift return to business as usual” after his party slumped to its lowest-ever vote share and returned just five MPs north of the border on July 4.

Current leader Douglas Ross is due to stand down and Mr Greene said the contest to replace him should be long so that there can be a “real and meaningful conversation about what sort of party they want any new leader to lead”.

“I’ll say this frankly: the party must do this properly to ensure the widest possible debate, lest we risk political extinction,” he wrote in The Times.

Sir Keir Starmer has said he will end “the conflict that I think we’ve seen too much of over the last 14 years” between the Government and the devolved nations.

Speaking in Wales, the Prime Minister said: “There’s mutual respect and trust as we deliver for Scotland, for Northern Ireland and for Wales.

“What I said before the election is that a Labour Government will be a game changer, because you would have a UK government working with the Welsh government delivering for Wales rather than the conflict that I think we’ve seen too much of over the last 14 years.

“This is an early recommitment to what I said in the campaign to come here physically on the third day.”

Tim Sigsworth here, taking over from my colleague Jack Maidment. I’ll be with you for the rest of the day.

Nigel Farage predicted the Conservative Party will now enter a “lengthy period of internecine warfare” after it suffered big losses at the general election. 

The Reform UK leader said the Tories were supposed to be a “broad church” but currently had “no shared religion of any kind at all”. 

Mr Farage told GB News: “They are already in civil war. The election result, the ink is barely dry on the paper and they are at war.”

He added: “The truth is it is a broad church, the Conservative Party, with no shared religion of any kind at all. 

“They will go into, I suspect, a lengthy period of internecine warfare. They are not an effective political force.”  

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted Emily Thornberry has a “big part to play” in Labour after she said she was “surprised” not to be given a ministerial job (see the post below at 10.29). 

Speaking to reporters in Wales, the Prime Minister said: “I’m putting together a very strong team based on delivering.

“We got a very strong mandate at the general election, a mandate for change, a mandate for doing politics differently, and about service. That’s why I’m putting my team together.

“Emily Thornberry has been fantastic, she’s got a big part to play, as has every single one of my now 412 Labour MPs.

“But it’s very important that we demonstrate the progress we’re making, which is why I’ve been to Scotland, to Northern Ireland, and now to Wales to reset the relations.”

Suella Braverman’s prospective Conservative leadership campaign has been dealt a blow after a key ally abandoned her. 

The former home secretary has seen the campaign organiser from her autumn 2022 leadership bid switch allegiance to Robert Jenrick, the former immigration minister, who is also widely expected to throw his hat into the ring to replace Rishi Sunak.

Danny Kruger, co-chair of the New Conservatives, a right-wing grouping of MPs, is understood to be now backing Mr Jenrick, who quit his Cabinet post over the refusal by Rishi Sunak to take a tougher approach to immigration.

You can read the full story here. 

Sir Keir Starmer said the UK economy is “in a bad state” but the new Labour Government has already made “real progress”. 

Speaking in Cardiff, Wales on the final leg of his UK tour, the Prime Minister said: “The economy is in a bad state. I think the whole country knows that, that is why there was such a strong mandate for the incoming Labour government for change. 

“What we now have to do is to get on and deliver that change. I have had discussions in the devolved governments about the change we can bring about, the economic imperative behind that. 

“The Chancellor already taking decisions in relation to onshore wind, in relation to planning, showing the absolute need to get on and deliver the change and the Home Secretary of course playing her part. 

“In only a few days we have made real progress. There is further to go. We will be judged by our actions not by our words but I am very pleased to have got off to a start which shows that we were serious about what we said about change and now we are into the early stages of delivering that.”

Suella Braverman claimed the UK would become an “even bigger magnet” for Channel migrants under the new Labour Government. 

The former home secretary predicted the nation’s borders will “disintegrate”. 

She made the comments in response to Yvette Cooper, the Home Secretary, setting out Labour’s “first steps” to tackle small boat crossings, including establishing a new UK Border Security Command. 

Mrs Braverman tweeted: “More blah, blah, blah. I warned, but prepare to see the UK become an even bigger magnet for illegal arrivals & numbers soar as our borders disintegrate.

“We need to leave the ECHR, scrap the HRA & quickly remove people when they arrive illegally. Nothing else matters.”

Mandatory house building targets must “take account of local circumstances”, an organisation which represents councils has said in response to Rachel Reeves’ announcement today. 

Councillor Louise Gittins, chairman of the Local Government Association, said: “We want to work closely with the Government to ensure new planning proposals deliver more high-quality affordable homes where they are needed, supported by the right infrastructure and are climate friendly.

“Any house building targets will need to take account of local circumstances. Across England there are over a million homes allocated in local plans which are waiting to be taken up by developers. While these sites do not yet have planning permission, they have formally been identified as suitable for housing by councils.

“Councils need the proper levers to deliver proposals that genuinely support a faster build-out of schemes.”

JK Rowling has hit out at Labour’s new equalities minister for having said there are many definitions of a woman.

The author said Anneliese Dodds, announced in the role this morning, had “nonsensical” beliefs on gender.

Sir Keir Starmer stands ready to work with a French administration of any political hue following France’s legislative election, No 10 said. 

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “France is obviously one of the UK’s closest partners, as Nato and G7 members we have many shared interests.

“The Prime Minister has said previously he will work with any government in Europe and across the world.”

Rachel Reeves ordered a review by Treasury officials that could pave the way for autumn tax rises as she warned that Britain is facing the worst public finances since the Second World War.

The Chancellor has asked civil servants to compile a dossier on the current state of play over the coming weeks, and will present her analysis to MPs before the summer recess.

It is likely to trigger fears that Labour is laying the groundwork for up to £15bn of tax rises in its first Budget, going far beyond anything proposed in the party’s manifesto.

You can read the full story here. 

Downing Street has confirmed the new Government will not have a standalone minister for veterans’ affairs sitting in the Cabinet.

Johnny Mercer did the role for the Tories under the last administration. 

No 10 said John Healey, the Defence Secretary, will represent veterans in the Cabinet. 

A spokesperson for the Prime Minister said: “First and foremost, the Defence Secretary will represent veterans at Cabinet. Veterans are part of our military family and the Secretary of State will drive work with Cabinet colleagues to deliver for them.

“The Government is determined to change how we do government, stopping silos and working collaboratively across departments to serve the public, including veterans.”

On Anneliese Dodds and Bridget Phillipson both being named ministers for Women and Equalities (see the post below at 10.36), the PM’s spokesperson said: “Anneliese Dodds will be the Minister for Women and Equalities and will be, as I understand it, attending Cabinet but for sort of constitutional purposes you also need someone who’s a full Cabinet member having the brief as part of their role, but for all intents and purposes, Anneliese Dodds will be the lead minister.”

The summer will be “challenging” for the Government as small boat crossings continue, a spokesperson for the Prime Minister has said.

They said: “Clearly the Government has set out its very clear position that as the Prime Minister said over the weekend, the Rwanda scheme is dead and buried. It started. The scheme was cancelled and flights won’t go ahead.

“The Government is now focused on the work needed to secure our borders and smash the gangs in addition to recruiting for the Border Security Command. The Home Secretary has also commissioned an investigation from the Home Office and the National Crime Agency into the tactics used by people smuggling gangs to inform a major law enforcement drive over the coming months and we’re getting to work straight away because we know that this summer will be challenging.”

On additional powers the Border Security command would have, the spokesman said: “The Home Secretary has previously set out that the new command will have new counter-terror powers to enable search and seizure.”

Sir Keir Starmer has said work has already begun to improve the UK’s Brexit deal with the EU as Labour pursues closer ties with the bloc.

The Prime Minister said he was confident of securing a better agreement with Brussels than the one struck by Boris Johnson four years ago, with stronger links on trade and security.

You can read the full story here.

Rachel Reeves’ first speech as Chancellor was the main event in Westminster this morning. 

She used the speech to set out a series of planning reforms designed to boost economic growth. 

Her proposals included an immediate end to the ban on new onshore wind farms and the return of mandatory housebuilding targets. 

Telegraph readers have been delivering their verdict on the speech in the comments section of today’s live blog:

Sir Ed Davey has welcomed the Liberal Democrats’ new MPs to Parliament and told them 

The Lib Dems won a total of 72 seats at the general election. 

Sir Ed told his colleagues: “We are here, each and every one of us, because our constituents have put their trust in us to be their local champions.

“That trust was hard won. We have spent years rebuilding people’s trust in our party. By speaking for them, listening to their concerns and focusing on the things that matter most to them.

“The cost of living crisis, the sewage scandal, and most of all the NHS and care. We must repay their trust by doing exactly what we said we would do. Working hard for our communities, all year round.”

The Conservative Party is “broken” and needs to be rebuilt by a “genuine” conservative, Lord Frost said. 

The Tory peer told LBC: “The party is demoralised, broken, needs to rebuild and we’ve got to get the leader right. 

“And I think we need to take a little bit of time to make sure we choose the right person who is a genuine conservative person and can rebuild a genuinely conservative party.”

Lord Frost said there is “no reason” why the Tories could not return to power at the next general election, likely in 2029. 

The former Brexit minister told LBC: “Lots of things can happen in the next five years, and they probably are going to happen and we must be ready for them. 

“So I think we should aim to limit this to a one term Labour government. I think they will get a lot of things wrong. 

“If we can show that we are getting things right, then there’s no reason why we can’t be competitive in 28/29. I absolutely believe we can be.” 

Lord Frost said Reform’s general election manifesto “could have been a Conservative Party manifesto of the past”. 

He said the Tories had “vacated the conservative space” and Reform had moved into it. 

The former minister told LBC: “The Reform manifesto, in my view, in many ways, you know, could have been a Conservative Party manifesto of the past. 

“It was very traditional, free markets, nation state. One can question aspects of it, obviously, and I would, but generally it seemed to me a very conservative manifesto.” 

Lord Frost said the Conservative Party needed to build a “broad coalition around genuinely conservative ideas” to regain power. 

He rejected the suggestion the Tories needed to move more to the centre or more to the right. 

The former Brexit minister told LBC: “I think it’s the wrong way to think about it. I think what we’ve got to do is build a broad coalition around genuinely conservative ideas, which are still quite popular in the country, in contrast to the party itself, which is not popular. 

“We have to show and we’ve got to rebuild over the next two or three years, that we have a good set of ideas, mainstream conservative ideas, that have been neglected over the last few years, which are popular and which people will come in and support and that way we bring voters back in from the right because we’re genuinely conservative again. 

“But we can also show to people to our left that we’ve got the right ideas for the country.”

Sir Keir Starmer said he believed he can secure a better trade deal with the EU than the “botched” post-Brexit pact agreed by Boris Johnson.

Asked if he wanted to see the whole of the UK interacting with the EU on the same basis, a reference to the unique arrangements in Northern Ireland, he said: “You are right to say we want to improve relations with the EU.

“We think we can get a better deal than the botched deal that Boris Johnston brought home and we will work on that, understanding the work that needs to be done and the nature of the challenge.

“In the meantime we do have to get on with implementing the important changes that are necessary under the existing arrangements we have got because we are not going to be able to get a better relationship unless we demonstrate a commitment to the relationship and the agreements that have already been put in place.”

Sir Keir Starmer said his Government would bring about an end to instability in relations between the UK and Ireland.

The Prime Minister said: “I have already had discussions with the Taoiseach [Simon Harris] and others, again to make it clear the approach I will take to reset and make sure those relationships are collaborative, that they are respectful.

“Of course there are issues, including in relation to [legacy] litigation. But the most important thing is the way in which we will approach this.

“I treat the mandate that I was given in the general election as a mandate for doing politics differently, a mandate for stability, much needed stability.

“I think one of the big problems of the last 14 years, but particularly the last six to eight years has been instability, a lot of chopping and changing.

“That all ends today. I have had very constructive discussions not only here in Northern Ireland but with the Taoiseach earlier on.”

Sir Keir Starmer said visiting Northern Ireland on the third day of his Labour Government showed the importance of the region to him.

Speaking in the Great Hall at Stormont, the Prime Minister said: “I have had the opportunity this morning to have discussions with the First Minister, the Deputy First Minister and all of the political parties in the Northern Ireland Executive.

“I have made clear that being here on day three of the new Labour Government is a clear statement of intent about the importance of Northern Ireland to me and my government, about resetting relationships and moving forward in a respectful, collaborative way.

“We have had very constructive and positive discussions this morning. I have been very clear that my Government has a mandate for change, for stability here in Northern Ireland and a different way of doing politics.”

Rachel Reeves refused to be drawn on the possibility of resurrecting the northern leg of HS2 but said she would not make pledges she cannot pay for. 

Asked about the northern leg, which was scrapped by Rishi Sunak last October, Ms Reeves said: “First of all, on HS2, I was really clear in opposition that we are not going to make any promises without saying where the money is going to come from. 

“That is not going to change now that I am Chancellor of the Exchequer.”

Rachel Reeves was unable to say when Labour would hit its goal of building 300,000 new homes a year. 

Labour has committed to building 1.5 million new homes over the next five years. 

Asked when the annual target would be achieved, the Chancellor replied: “We are not in the business of reneging on our manifesto commitments. We have received that strong mandate, we are going to deliver on that mandate. 

“Of course we have to ramp up those homes over time. You can’t build homes overnight.” 

Rachel Reeves was asked if Labour was declaring a “war on Nimbys” with its planning reforms. 

The Chancellor said that in the “first instance” it will be up to local communities where houses are built. 

But she stressed some houses will have to be built. 

The Chancellor said: “First of all, it will still be in the first instance up to local communities and local authorities to decide where housing is built. 

“But we will bring back those mandatory housing targets so the answer cannot always be no. It will be up to local communities to decide where the housing is built but it has to be built.” 

Concluding her speech at the Treasury, Rachel Reeves said: “There is much more to do. More tough decisions to be taken. 

“You have put your trust in us. And we will repay that trust. 

“The work towards a decade of national renewal has begun. There is no time to waste and we are just getting started.” 

Rachel Reeves said she knew there would be opposition to Labour’s planning reforms. 

The Chancellor said she recognised that “trade offs always exit” on new developments but this should not stand in the way of developments getting the green light.

She said a Labour government would “not succumb to a status quo which responds to the existence of trade offs by always saying no”. 

She vowed to get “Britain building again”. 

Rachel Reeves has announced an immediate end to the “absurd” ban on new onshore wind developments in England as she unveiled a series of reforms to the planning system. 

She said that Labour would build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years and is restoring mandatory housebuilding targets. 

The Chancellor said: “The system needs a new signal. This is that signal.” 

On wind power, she said: “And as of today we are ending the absurd ban on new onshore wind in England. We will also go further and consult on bringing onshore wind back into the nationally significant infrastructure projects regime meaning decisions on large developments will be taken nationally, not locally.” 

Rachel Reeves said voters have been “burned too often” by past governments while business investment had been slow due to a lack of confidence in the direction of the UK. 

She said Labour would provide a “stable government” and make sure “Britain is a place to do business”. 

The Chancellor said that under previous governments there had been a “refusal to confront the tough and responsible decisions that are demanded”. 

“This Government will be different and there is no time to waste,” she said.

Rachel Reeves said she had previously warned that whichever party won the general election would inherit the “worst set of circumstances since the Second World War”. 

“What I have seen in the past 72 hours has only confirmed that,” she said. 

“Our economy has been held back by decisions deferred and decisions ducked.” 

The Chancellor said she had instructed civil servants over the weekend to assess the state of the public finances and she will present that report to Parliament in the coming weeks. 

Rachel Reeves is now on her feet as she delivers her first speech as Chancellor. 

She said that previous governments had been unwilling to make the “difficult decisions to deliver growth”. 

“I will not hesitate,” she said.

Downing Street has just released a raft of new ministerial appointments.

Bridget Phillipson has been made Minister for Women and Equalities in addition to her role as Education Secretary.

Anneliese Dodds has been made an equalities minister, serving under Ms Phillipson, as well as a minister at the Foreign Office and she will attend Cabinet. 

Nick Thomas-Symonds has been made Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office. 

Dame Angela Eagle has been made a Home Office minister. 

Stephen Kinnock, who was shadow immigration minister in opposition, has been made a health minister.

Emily Thornberry has said she was “surprised” by Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet snub. 

Ms Thornberry had served as shadow attorney general when Labour was in opposition but she was not given the Cabinet role after the party won power. 

Sir Keir opted to make Richard Hermer a peer and to give him the role as Attorney General instead. 

Ms Thornberry posted the following statement on Twitter this morning:

Labour’s first priority on migration is setting up a new border security command, Yvette Cooper said when asked if her party would scrap the Bibby Stockholm accommodation barge.

Asked about whether the new Government would get rid of the barge moored in Dorset while on a visit to Lewisham police station, the Home Secretary told broadcasters: “We need to clear the Conservatives’ asylum backlog, but the first priority has to be to get the stronger border security in place, and that is why our first step is setting up the new border security command.”

Ms Cooper had earlier said: “We are setting up a major new approach to law enforcement against the criminal gangs who are undermining our border security and putting lives at risk.

“This will be a major new border security command that will bring together the work of the National Crime Agency, the work of the Border Force, the work that happens on the Channel, but also the way that these networks stretch right across Europe, to go after the gangs that are profiting from this dangerous trade in people and undermining our borders.

“I am determined that work has to start now to strengthen our borders and make sure that we have a proper functioning system rather than the chaos that we have inherited.”

Alliance party leader Naomi Long said she hoped the Labour Government would mark a “new start” in terms of relations with Northern Ireland.

Speaking following a meeting with Keir Starmer at Stormont, she said: “We had the opportunity to raise with him the importance of the impartiality of government in terms of its engagement with local parties and with the Assembly.

“I think he understands how important that is given his history in working in Northern Ireland.

“It also gave us an opportunity to talk to him further about some pressing issues, in particular I raised the issue of legacy.”

She added: “Quite a lot to get through at the meeting but all very positively received and hopefully this will mark a new start in terms of relationships between Belfast and London but also between London and Dublin.

“Certainly the last government left us with a very toxic legacy and I think that will be reversed with the current Prime Minister.”

Mary Lou McDonald, the Sinn Fein president, said her party had a “very constructive, very friendly” meeting with Sir Keir Starmer at Stormont.

Accompanied by Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Ms McDonald said: “We have discussed with him all of the issues of concern and also the opportunities that now present themselves.

“Clearly the issues around the financial sustainability of the north, the financing of public services is a matter of concern for all of us. Issues around the legacy legislation. We very much welcome the commitment to repeal that.

“We also welcome the very firm assurances in respect of Casement Park and we expect to see progress on that matter in the near future.”

Reform UK’s membership has soared by nearly two-thirds in the past month, new figures show.

Nigel Farage’s party, which secured more than four million votes at the general election last Thursday, has attracted 25,000 new members since June 8, taking its total base to 65,000.

It reveals a groundswell of support for the party in the final weeks of the election campaign, when Mr Farage set his sights on squeezing both the Tory and Labour vote.

You can read the full story here.

A former deputy chairman of the Conservative Party has warned members must not be stripped of their role in electing the next Tory leader. 

Jonathan Gullis, who was not re-elected at the general election, said that “members must have a say” in the selection of Rishi Sunak’s successor. 

The former MP was responding to a piece written by Sir Brandon Lewis , the ex-Cabinet minister, for the Conservative Home website in which he said it would be a “profound mistake” to exclude members from the process. 

Mr Gullis tweeted: “Brandon is correct. Members must have a say. It’s imperative upon Conservative HQ and the Parliamentary Party to rebuild relationships with our members.”

The new Parliament will get underway tomorrow afternoon from 2.30pm. 

The first order of business will be to elect a new speaker of the House of Commons. 

After that attentions will shift to the swearing in of each and every MP. That will take a couple of days to complete.

The State Opening of Parliament is then scheduled to take place on Wednesday July 17 - that is when the King’s Speech will be delivered. 

David Lammy has met his Canadian counterpart, in the first engagement he has hosted as Foreign Secretary.

Mr Lammy met with Melanie Joly, Canada’s minister of foreign affairs, this morning.

“Can I thank you so much for being my first official visitor as Foreign Secretary here in the UK,” he said.

“I have known Canada all of my life, it is a country I love, I have family in Canada, so this means the world to me.”

Rachel Reeves is set to deliver her first speech as Chancellor. 

We are expecting the Chancellor to start speaking at 10.30am as she sets out her plan to boost economic growth. 

We had initially expected the speech at 9.30am. 

You will be able to watch the speech live above and I will guide you through the key developments. 

Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, has denied Labour has a “secret tax plan”, and said Rachel Reeves will be announcing “radical” and “immediate” interventions to stimulate economic growth when she delivers he speech later this morning.

He told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “We can’t keep dipping into recession and bumping along the bottom, which is what you’re going to hear from the Chancellor today. It’s a pretty radical, strong, immediate intervention to kick-start growth in the economy, as well as recognising that it will take some time for that to come through the system.”

On tax, Mr Jones said: “There is not a secret tax plan. This was an attack from the Conservatives. It is not a reflection of reality.

“Our manifesto commitments, our priorities that we’re now implementing, our first six steps and our missions are funded with the loophole changes that were in the back of the manifesto that people voted for last Thursday.”

Darren Jones insisted there is still opposition to Labour in the House of Commons despite a “historic” electoral loss by the Conservatives.

Asked if a lengthy Tory leadership contest would leave Labour with no opposition he told the BBC: “I expect that we will be challenged in the House of Commons.

“Of course the Conservatives suffered a historic loss, but that doesn’t mean there’s no opposition in the House of Commons and of course, we have the House of Lords to get any legislation through as well.

“And the key thing that you’ll see from this Labour Government is that we’re going to return both to the service of the British people, but also to the norms. The adults are back in the room.

“Announcements that we make will be made to Parliament, they will follow proper processes through Parliament, and we welcome them to be challenged and scrutinised by colleagues from different parties.

“That’s the right and proper way to do business and that’s what you will have from this Labour Government.”

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at Parliament Buildings at Stormont following his meeting with Northern Ireland’s political leaders at nearby Stormont Castle.

He was greeted at the foot of the steps of the landmark building by Assembly speaker Edwin Poots.

Sir Keir was accompanied by Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn.

Four pro-Palestine protesters shouted and waved Palestine flags as the Prime Minister arrived.

Holding the general election later in the year would not have made “much difference” to the Tories’ fate, a former minister said this morning. 

Kevin Hollinrake, who was one of the 121 Tory MPs elected last week, told Sky News: “Rishi [Sunak] decided that was the right time to go and I respect his decision. 

“I think given the scale of the defeat I don’t think it would have made that much difference when he had chosen to go.” 

Mr Hollinrake insisted the Tories “can win in 2029” if they choose the right leader. 

A Tory former minister said the leadership contest to replace Rishi Sunak should conclude by the end of the year. 

Kevin Hollinrake said the contest should be “much slower” than the ones held in the recent past to give candidates ample time to set out their vision for the Conservative Party. 

Asked who he wanted to be the next leader, the Tory MP said: “I have not made my mind up. I think we should have a much slower process than we have done in the past so we have got some months to pick the right person. 

“I think we should probably start that contest probably in the autumn, September time, and conclude it by the end of the year and give the people who step forward the right chance to make their case about why they should lead the Conservative Party.”  

A Treasury minister did not rule out resurrecting the HS2 railway line north of Birmingham. 

Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, was told during an interview on Sky News that Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester, “wants HS2 reinstated”. 

Mr Jones replied: “I am sure Andy Burnham will have lots of things on his agenda. We will have to talk to Andy Burnham about that. I know that he was working with some other private investors and other mayors to put together proposals.” 

Asked if he was ruling it out, Mr Jones said: “We are going to collaborate with our mayors and devolved leaders, we are going to work with them on the local growth plans… we are not going to be able to do everything and there is going to be difficult trade-offs and we have inherited a very difficult fiscal situation, that is clear. 

“But we can do things to start with and then of course if there are medium and long term aspirations we will work with partners to deliver them.” 

Asked again if he was ruling it out, Mr Jones said: “We will have the conversation with the mayor and see what his proposals are.”  

Rishi Sunak scrapped the northern leg of HS2 between Birmingham and Manchester in October 2023.

Mr Burnham set out a plan in February this year which included alternative and cheaper options to the scrapped northern leg. One option was for a new, lower speed line roughly along the same route. 

Sir Keir Starmer discussed parliamentary schedules at Westminster and Stormont with Michelle O’Neill and Emma Little-Pengelly as they met at Stormont Castle.

Ms Little-Pengelly told the Prime Minister the powersharing Executive was working on its programme for government.

They were joined by new Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn.

Sir Keir Starmer is in the middle of a tour of the UK and he has just arrived at Stormont Castle in his first visit to Northern Ireland since becoming Prime Minister.

He was greeted at the castle steps by Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.

The Chief Secretary to the Treasury said growing the UK economy at a faster rate than over the last 14 years will not be “easy”. 

Darren Jones told Sky News: “It is not easy and we don’t say it is easy. To be fair we say these things are difficult and it will take a bit of time for this to come through the system.” 

Darren Jones said Rachel Reeves will be setting out a series of “initial interventions” to boost economic growth when she delivers her first speech as Chancellor later this morning. 

Mr Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said growing the economy would be the Labour Government’s ‘first and most important mission”. 

He told Sky News: “The Chancellor will be setting out further detail later in her speech, as I say, about a number of initial interventions across different departments around government and in combination with our partners in the devolved nations and with our mayors to stimulate that growth into the economy. 

“But look, this isn’t just one speech on day one of a Labour Government, this is our first and most important mission, it underpins all of our delivery priorities and there is going to be a consistent drive… in what we hope is now  national mission to be able to find great jobs, get to work, improve pay, make profits, invest and build across the country and get the UK back to where it needs to be.”

Alan Johnson, the former Labour home secretary, said it is “inevitable” identity cards will be rolled out in the UK as he urged the new Government not to rule them out. 

Jonathan Reynolds, the Business Secretary, yesterday initially left the door open to introducing the documents but later backtracked and said he could categorically “rule out ID cards”. 

Sir Tony Blair brought the argument about introducing the cards back to the political forefront at the weekend as he said Britain “should move as the world is moving to digital ID”.

Mr Johnson told LBC this morning that the UK is the “only country on our continent that doesn’t have any system of proving and protecting your identity”. He said the cards would not be a “panacea” but would help to address issues like illegal immigration. 

Mr Johnson: “I absolutely understand Keir Starmer not wanting to make this a priority - he has got a crisis in our prisons, a crisis on our rivers, a crisis in the NHS and there is not a lot of money around and this will cost some money, not a huge amount, but some money. 

“I don’t blame them for being cautious about this and this idea that we don’t ‘currently plan’ which I think is what Johnny Reynolds said later on, well, the word currently as you know carries an enormous amount of weight in politics.

“Further down the line, my argument to my colleagues on this brilliant week of the first week of a Labour government is don’t rule it out because in my view it is inevitable, it is going to happen at some stage.”

Darren Jones, the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, said Labour’s planned reforms to remove “inertia” in the planning system will not “exclude” the intervention of local communities.

He told Times Radio: “Local communities will still be involved in the planning process and our policy is not to exclude them.

“What we’re talking about today, in which the Chancellor will set out in more detail later, is that when in particular it comes to large developments, large national pieces of infrastructure, we need to speed up the decision making process.

“That doesn’t mean excluding people’s voices from the decision making process. It just means not waiting years and years and years and then projects being stalled and not delivered as a consequence of inertia in the system.

“So people will still be able to contribute their views and they will still be considered within the law in the normal ways but we do want to speed up the delivery of infrastructure.”

Rachel Reeves will deliver her first speech as Chancellor this morning. 

She will set out how the new Labour government will deliver on its mission of boosting economic growth. 

The Chancellor tweeted: “Growth was the Labour Party’s mission. It is now a national mission. There is no time to waste.”

Conservative former minister Kevin Hollinrake said there is not “any rush” to find a new party leader.

Asked if the Tories would spend the next two months analysing a Labour Government or being “distracted” by a leadership contest, Mr Hollinrake told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “I personally think we should take longer than that, to get the right person in place.

“We need to take a few months to decide exactly what went wrong and then decide the right person to take us forward and to present a viable challenge to the Labour Party which I think we can do.”

He added: “So if we can regroup, unite, get a good leader, present the alternative, I think we’ll be in good shape to present a viable case for a Conservative government in 2029. That’s what we’re setting out to do so I don’t think there’s any rush to get the right person in place to do that.”

Mr Hollinrake further stated: “We’ll go forward in terms of finding the right person. I don’t know who the right person will be, I don’t know who’s going to step forward right now.

“But that’s the work of the next few months. I think it’s very, very important that we present two good alternatives for our membership to have the final say on this of course, but that will take a number of months to do that.”

The Conservative Party faces an “existential threat” from Reform UK, Suella Braverman warned this morning.

The former home secretary, viewed as one of the favourites in the forthcoming Tory leadership contest, said her party must take a series of steps to restore credibility with voters. 

She tweeted: “There is only space for one Conservative Party in British politics & we face an existential threat from Reform.

“We need to adapt & be credible on immigration, leaving the ECHR, lowering taxation & standing against identity politics.”