PMQs live: Starmer faces grilling after Lammy rebuffs Trump’s Gaza claim

Red Wall MPs are calling for a more focus on immigration and investment up north from the government to fend off electoral threat from Reform UK.

The group, convened by Bassetlaw MP Jo White, wants to see the government speak up about what it’s doing to remove illegal immigrants, as well as more investment to shore up support.

The Bassetlaw MP is calling for the introduction of ID cards.

They have requested a meeting with Sir Keir Starmer after a recent YouGov opinion poll suggested Reform UK was one point ahead of Labour in terms of the country’s voting intentions.

One unnamed red wall MP, a member of the focus group, told PA that a key area of concern surrounded Chancellor Rachel Reeves’ push for economic growth spotlighting wealthier areas in the south.

They said of funding announcements for transport between Oxford and Cambridge, as well as Heathrow Airport’s potential expansion: “That has no effect whatsoever on the red wall.

“It’s not going to create growth in the forgotten areas where Reform are more likely to be second.”

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has spoken out following Donald Trump’s proposed “take over” of Gaza.

Speaking from his visit to Kyiv, the minister said: “we need to ensure future for Palestinians in their homeland.”

He added: “we want to see Palestinians prosper in Gaza and West Bank.”

Mr Lammy is the latest UK MP to shoot down the US President’s comments, as Environment Secretary Steve Reed said on Sky News: “Palestinian civilians have been through a living nightmare for the last 14 months, they need to be able to return to their homes and start to rebuild them.”

Mr Reed added: “What I won’t do is provide a running commentary on the pronouncements of the president of the United States or any other world leader… I think we should give Donald Trump credit for the role he played in securing the ceasefire in the first place.”

Shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel said: “I genuinely believe that we have to focus on seeing the hostages being released, because that is absolutely pivotal. It is critical to bringing about a sustainable end to the conflict.”

Neither Dame Patel or Mr Reed offered a direct criticism of Trump.

Leonie Mellinger visited Labour’s London office on Christmas Eve in 2020, when the capital was under Tier 4 regulations, a new book has revealed. The visit came as Sir Keir, then Labour leader, gave a statement on Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal.

Kay Burley has announced her retirement from Sky News after 36 years working for the broadcaster.

She closed her final show on the Sky News Breakfast programme by saying: “its been an honour and privilege to work with some of the best and hardest working teams in the business.”

She reflected on the life-changing events she’d witnessed in working for Sky News, from the death of Diana to the Concorde air disaster.

“But we’ve also enjoyed some wonderful high notes too, haven’t we – the thrill of London winning the chance to host the 2012 Olympics; a plethora of royal weddings; jubilees and who can forget days and days and days waiting for royal babies to arrive at the Lindo Wing.”

She thanked viewers for tuning in every morning: “I can’t tell you how much I have appreciated your support over the last three and a half decades: You’re awesome.”

Keir Starmer’s chief negotiator says the UK must be “ruthlessly pragmatic” with Brexit reset talks and strike an ambitious deal in just three months.

European affairs minister Nick Thomas-Symonds told the EU/UK Forum in Brussels on Tuesday that the prime minister will host a leader summit in May “where we hope we can deliver a balanced yet ambitious outcome to benefit all our citizens”.

The approach to the talks contrasts heavily with years taken by the Tories to negotiate Brexit after the 2016 referendum, bogged down by disputes in parliament and fractures in the Conservative party before eventually leaving in 2020.

The Foreign Office announced a further £55 million financial support package to Ukraine to help put the country in the “strongest position possible”.

As part of the new financial package, £17 million will go towards sustainable energy projects, as Russia continues to decimate key infrastructure.

They said that £10 million will help the recovery of Ukrainian businesses and £25 million will support family and community-based services.

The foreign office said £3 million would go towards deliveries of Ukrainian grain and other food produce to Syria, as Ukraine seeks to restore relations following the ousting of Bashar al-Assad, a close ally of Russia.

Amid speculation a new version of the deal, which followed a change of government in Mauritius, could double the overall cost of the agreement, Ms Patel said it is “simply not right” to commit up to £18 billion at a time when pensioners have had their winter fuel payments scrapped and farmers are being hit with an inheritance tax raid.

Archie Mitchell and David Maddox report:

Millions of households are facing a council tax hike beyond normal thresholds this year, as Angela Rayner warned of further “tough decisions” to “rebuild and stabilise” local government.

Six councils, serving more than two million people in total, have been granted permission to increase council tax beyond the established annual threshold of 5%.

Sean O’Grady looks at the reasons behind the decision.