Starmer rules out EU customs union after Labour rebellion over government’s Brexit stance - latest
Sir Keir Starmer faced a Labour rebellion on Tuesday after more than a dozen of his MPs backed a Lib Dem bill calling for the government to reopen talks with the EU
The prime minister has ruled out rejoining a new EU-UK customs union, stressing it would not be “sensible” given the new deals with countries such as the U.S. and India on trade.
It comes after more than a dozen Labour MPs have backed a Liberal Democrat bill calling for the government to open talks and rethink the Brexit policy.
In response to a question from Sir Ed Davey, Starmer said that Labour promised in its manifesto not to join the Customs Union, but does want to make this relationship tighter.
Earlier, Rachel Reeves has said there were too many “damaging” and “inaccurate” leaks in the run-up to her November Budget, and insisted such unauthorised briefings must never happen again.
The chancellor told the Commons Treasury Committee: “I want to say on the record how frustrated I am and have been by these incidents and the volume of speculation and leaks, and that is why I am doing something about it, because we cannot allow this to happen again.
The Office for Budget Responsibility accidentally leaked Ms Reeves’s fiscal plans shortly before her Budget announcement to government, leading to the resignation of its chairman Richard Hughes.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer has called on European leaders to rehash how the major human rights treaty, the European Convention of Human Rights, is interpreted to help tackle illegal migration.
Cabinet vying for Prime Minister’s job, says Badenoch in PMQs clash
Sir Keir Starmer’s Cabinet ministers are vying for his job, Kemi Badenoch has claimed, as the pair clashed over Labour’s record since the election.
The Conservative Party leader used one of her last despatch box appearances before Christmas to list Labour’s manifesto pledges and accused the Government of “making a mess”.
Mrs Badenoch used the famous slogan from her party’s 1970s dole queue poster, produced when Margaret Thatcher held her job, when she asked: “Isn’t it time that the Prime Minister admits that ‘Labour isn’t working’?”
Sir Keir defended his record, saying the Conservatives should “hang their heads in shame” after 14 years in power.
At Prime Minister’s Questions, Mrs Badenoch claimed Energy Secretary Ed Miliband wanted to “recycle himself” by leading Labour for a second time.
She described Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson as “someone else who is making a mess” after Labour promised voters it would recruit 6,500 more teachers.
Mrs Badenoch added: “I don’t know if the Home Secretary (Shabana Mahmood) wants his job, but I do read that she’s having conversations with Tony Blair because he’s already given up on the Prime Minister.
“Why don’t we talk about the Health Secretary (Wes Streeting)? Let’s see how he’s doing. We do know he definitely wants the job.
Why is Labour under pressure to seek an EU-UK customs union?
In a rare case of the Liberal Democrats making the political weather, Ed Davey’s party has managed to put the question of Britain’s ties with Europe back on the political agenda, despite attempts by Downing Street to avoid the festering wound of Brexit.
A 10-minute rule bill calling on the government to open talks on a new EU-UK customs union was put before the Commons by Lib Dem spokesperson on Europe, Al Pinkerton. Although it was never likely to become law, it was backed by more than a dozen Labour MPs, which puts fresh pressure on Keir Starmer to revisit the issue.
Davey said the symbolic vote “was a historic victory” against “the economic nightmare of the Conservatives’ broken Brexit deal”.
Read the full article from Sean O’Grady here:
Why is Labour under pressure to seek an EU-UK customs union?
SNP ahead in poll as increasing support puts Reform second
The SNP is leading among voters ahead the Holyrood election while support for Reform UK increases and that for Scottish Labour drops, according to a poll.
The new survey from Ipsos Mori ahead of next May’s election gives the SNP a constituency vote share of 35 per cent.
That is down from the 47.7 per cent the party achieved at the last Holyrood election in 2021.
The poll shows Reform UK’s share of the vote has risen, with 18 per cent of Scots planning to use their constituency vote to back Nigel Farage’s party – up four points since June.
Scottish Labour’s constituency vote share has fallen to 16 per cent, the poll found, which is down seven points since June.
On voting intentions for the regional list, the SNP leads on 28 per cent with Labour on 18 per cent, closely followed by Reform and the Scottish Greens both on 17 per cent.
Lord Malcolm Offord, who defected from the Conservatives to Reform at the weekend, said: “This poll proves all the momentum is with Reform in Scotland. Labour is in reverse and the SNP is stuck in neutral. The voters want a new narrative to power forward a successful Scotland.
“Scotland needs reform, and Reform is coming to Scotland.”
Starmer defends Sadiq Khan after Trump brands London mayor 'disgusting'
Sir Keir Starmer has belatedly defended Sir Sadiq Khan after Donald Trump branded the London mayor “horrible, vicious, disgusting”.
In an attack which reignited his long-running feud with Sir Sadiq, the US president also called him a “disaster” and suggested he has done a “terrible job”.
In an interview with Politico, President Trump said: “He’s a horrible mayor. He’s an incompetent mayor, but he’s a horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor. I think he’s done a terrible job. London’s a different place. I love London. I love London. And I hate to see it happen.”
And he claimed of Sir Sadiq, the city’s first Muslim mayor, whose parents came from Pakistan, “gets elected because so many people have come in [to the UK]. They vote for him now.”
Read the full article here:
PM belatedly defends Sadiq Khan after Trump calls him ‘horrible, vicious, disgusting’
Watch: Starmer responds to Trump attack on Europe
In pictures: Today's PMQs
What will it take for UK to rejoin customs union?
MPs have backed proposals to create a new UK-EU customs union, raising the question of whether a key Brexit pledge could soon be undone.
In an “historic” parliamentary vote on Tuesday, the Customs Union (Duty to Negotiate) Bill was narrowly backed by the Commons, as 13 rebel Labour MPs voted in support.
A surprise tie of 100 votes to 100 meant deputy speaker Caroline Noakes was given the casting vote which, in accordance with the precedent to allow further debate, she gave to the ayes.
Tabled by the Liberal Democrats’ Europe spokesperson Al Pinkerton, the bill would require the government to begin negotiations on joining a bespoke customs union with the EU.
Read the full analysis here:
What will it take for UK to rejoin customs union after Commons Brexit vote?
Yvette Cooper also set to meet with European counterparts on illegal migration
Sir Keir Starmer has adopted a series of hardline immigration measures, modelled on those spearheaded by Mette Frederiksen’s centre-left Danish government, in order to decrease the number of migrants crossing the English Channel.
The Government is expected to bring forward homegrown legislation to change how the Article 8 right to family life is interpreted in UK courts, and is also considering examining the threshold for Article 3 rights.
Elsewhere, foreign secretary Yvette Cooper is also meeting with European counterparts in Brussels on Wednesday to discuss more cooperation over tackling illegal migration and increasing removals.
She said: “To strengthen our borders at home, we need to increase cooperation with other countries on innovative solutions – including on prevention, law enforcement and returns.”
Council of Europe agrees to look at how ECHR applied in migration cases
Ministers of 46 member states signed up to European human rights laws have backed plans to look at how to tackle concerns over addressing migration within the legal framework.
The chief of the body which oversees the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) said ministers had taken an “important first step forward together” to agree a political declaration on migration and the ECHR, and support a new recommendation to deter smuggling of migrants “with full respect for human rights”.
Council of Europe secretary general Alain Berset told reporters that the “living instrument” is possible to adapt and work will begin to adopt the declaration in Moldova in May 2026 following a meeting of ministers in Strasbourg on Wednesday.
He said: “This is really the starting of a process on a consensus basis. That’s the most important point for today.
“All 46 member states have reaffirmed their deep and abiding commitment to both the European Convention on Human Rights and the European Court of Human Rights.
“This is not rhetoric. This is a political decision of the highest order.
“But ministers have also expressed their concerns regarding the unprecedented challenges posed by migration and the serious questions governments face in maintaining societies that deliver for citizens.”
Reeves admits Budget leaks were ‘extremely damaging’ but insists she wasn’t to blame
Rachel Reeves has admitted that the briefings and leaks in the run-up to her tax-raising Budget were “extremely damaging” – but has insisted she did not authorise them.
The chancellor faced a grilling from MPs about her Budget, with the fallout from the chaotic run-up to the announcement last month still casting a shadow over her future.
She confirmed that a leak inquiry is underway, with officials noting that in the past, people had been sacked over unauthorised briefings.
Read the full article here:
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