Keir Starmer faces PMQs as Labour faces backlash over winter fuel payment cuts – live

Union leaders have raised “significant concerns” with the government about its policy on nuclear energy.

In a letter to Chancellor Rachel Reeves, the general secretaries of the GMB union and Prospect said new nuclear development has a key role to play in achieving net zero, underpinning a green industrial strategy and providing good, clean jobs in communities that most need them.

Gary Smith (GMB) and Mike Clancy (Prospect) called on the Chancellor to guarantee the resources the nuclear industry needs to thrive.

They highlighted “worrying” potential cuts by the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority, saying: “We understand that the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority (NDA) is facing severe budgetary pressures, which would result in cuts to high hazard and safety-related activities across the nuclear estate including at Dounreay and Sellafield Ltd. We fear that jobs will be impacted at Sellafield in particular.

“The consequent reduction in the volume of work that can be undertaken will inevitably reduce plant maintenance, accelerating the degradation of assets and bringing cuts to the skilled workforce. As demonstrated in the phase two report of the Grenfell Tower inquiry, any dilution of the safety culture must be a red flag.”

Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves will not “water down” the decision to strip winter fuel payments from millions of pensioners despite a revolt by Labour MPs and warnings about the impact it will have on the elderly.

Chancellor Ms Reeves insisted it is “absolutely right” to means-test the benefit, worth up to £300, in order to address the “black hole” in the public finances.

Despite the opposition to the measure, housing minister Matthew Pennycook said there are no plans to scale back the policy.

The plan cleared the Commons on Tuesday with just one Labour rebel voting against it but dozens of MPs on the government benches were missing in action.

The decision means that only those on Pension Credit or some other benefits in England and Wales will receive the payment, saving the Exchequer around £1.5 billion a year.

Mr Pennycook said there will be no U-turn on the policy despite the opposition from campaigners and some in his own party.

The housing minister told Sky News that “all of us took that decision with an extremely heavy heart” but “we’re not going to water down that policy”.

“We think it’s the right decision to make,” he said.

Foreign Secretary David Lammy and his US counterpart Antony Blinken have arrived in Kyiv.

The pair took an overnight train from eastern Poland and reached the Ukrainian capital at 11.45am local time.

Labour is set to unveil the anticipated Renters Reform Bill in the Commons later today in a bid to enhance tenant security and balance the power dynamics between renters and landlords.

The legislation, which stalled before the July election, is expected to fulfil the government’s promise to ban no-fault evictions, known as Section 21.

Key elements of the bill include an eviction ban for both new and existingtenancies. This measure, inherited from the previous Conservative government will be expanded under the Labour proposals.

The new legislation would introduce the Awaab’s Law, extending protections against hazardous living conditions, named after a toddler who died from mould expsure in a social rented home, to the private rental sector.

This aims to ensure that all landlords address safety issues promptly.

Further provisions would end blanket bans by some landlords on tenants receiving benefits or with children.

Additional reforms include a legal requirement for landlords and letting agents to clearly state rent prices, banning any bids above this amount, and restricting rent increases to once a year at market rates, preventing mid-tenancy hikes.

The UK’s economy saw a second month of stagnation in July, also recording no growth in June, the Office for National Statistics has said.

Gross Domestic Product (GDP), which is the measure of the value of goods and services, is shown to have flatlined for the month.

The figures are the first for the period since Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour power after the 4 July general election.

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Shadow home secretary James Cleverly has said he is a “staunchly conservative Conservative”, after reaching the final four of the Tory leadership contest.

Asked by Times Radio if he is a “too centrist dad” for the party, he said: “What do you mean by that?

“All the polling that I’ve seen shows that I am consistently either the top or near the top when it comes to who is most wanted by the parliamentary party.

“It’s shown that I’m best placed to take votes back that went to Reform as well as those that went to other parties.

“I’m staunchly conservative. I always have been. I’ve always advocated for lower tax, less regulation and more freedom and strong defence.

“How other people want to try and paint me? That’s up to them, but I know where I stand, and I’m a staunchly conservative Conservative.”

Asked about the early release of prisoners, Mr Cleverly said the Labour government was “not forced into it”.

He added: “Just as we saw with the winter fuel allowance, they are desperately trying to excuse their poor decision making by saying ‘Oh, we were forced into it by circumstances’.

“They were not forced into it. This was a decision. It was a poor decision, and now repeat offenders and domestic abusers have been released en masse.”

MPs are expected to sit in the House of Commons from 11.30am.

The session will start with questions to the Secretary of State for Wales, Jo Stevens.

Prime minister’s questions will then take place at 12 midday.     

The main business will be focused on a general debate on Building Safety and Resilience.

The PM’s position is now stronger so he can now follow through with his strategy of things getting worse before they get better, writes John Rentoul: