New: Angela Rayner speaks
She has released what looks like a holding statement that keeps her options open ahead of a dramatic week.
It both sets out her stall in the event she runs in a contest while also signalling support for Andy Burnham to return to Parliament.
Rayner warns Keir Starmer he must urgently change direction. “What we are doing isn’t working and it needs to change. This might be our last chance.”
She sets out what looks like a manifesto for a leadership bid including proposing faster planning reform, more public ownership and a programme to get young people into work.
In a signal to markets she says this can be done within the fiscal rules.
Rayner says it was a mistake to block Burnham in comments that will be seen as expressing her support for him in the event she doesn’t have the numbers.
“The Prime Minister must now meet the moment and set out the change our country needs.”
“We are in danger of becoming a party of the well-off, not working people.”
“Labour exists to make working people better off. That is not happening fast enough and it needs to change - now.”
"The Prime Minister has to take responsibility"
@EdwardJDavey calls for Keir Starmer's resignation and says it looks like Olly Robbins has been "treated very badly".
The Lib Dem leader also calls for Labour MPs to "stand up and be counted" as pressure builds on Starmer.
EXCL: Peter Mandelson failed his security vetting clearance but the decision was overruled by Foreign Office to ensure he could take up his post as ambassador to US - a Guardian investigation by @PaulLewis@Direthoughts & me
https://t.co/hF8bFdruNP
"What the Chancellor was expressing is her views, views shared by many of us"
@jamesmurray_ldn backs up Rachel Reeves after she went public with her frustration at the "folly" of US actions in Middle East.
She is set to meet her counterpart Scott Bessent at the IMF in DC today.
"His presence in the Gulf is a complete irrelevance"
@JamesCleverly says Starmer is in the Middle East for a "photo opportunity" and has made the UK a "second tier country" on the international stage.
The PM is in the region to support the temporary ceasefire with Iran.
The problem with casting a closer relationship with Europe as the solution to the world's current economic malaise is that it kind of misses the point.
The key problem at present is a shortage of ENERGY.
Europe has an energy deficit.
Up until 2022 it filled that gap with gas from Russia.
Now it fills that gap with gas (and oil) from the US and Middle East.
It swapped one dependency for another.
We can debate whether that dependency is inevitable, the extent to which it's a function of geology and/or political decisions taken years ago.
Regardless, right now Europe is highly exposed to the problems in the Gulf. And without US energy imports it is in BIG trouble.
A closer relationship between the UK and the EU does not solve this conundrum.
Buckingham Palace announced King Charles had accepted an invitation from Trump for a state visit, minutes after Trump renewed his criticism of the UK
Trump again singled out Britain in a post 49 minutes before the Palace statement, warning: “The USA won’t be there to help you”
"Threat from Russia in the north and the east has not gone away".
@Keir_Starmer tells meeting of JEF leaders in Helsinki he believes threat from Russia has "grown" amid conflict in Middle East.
Ukrainian navy will join a JEF exercise in autumn.
Finnish Border Guard demonstrate a ship seizure ahead of defence summit in Helsinki.
British forces now have approval from Prime Minister to board Russian shadow fleet tankers evading sanctions.
Starmer hoping to tighten stranglehold on Moscow's illicit oil exports.
PM in Helsinki for Joint Expeditionary Force summit.
@Keir_Starmer has given permission for British forces to start seizing Russian shadow fleet ships.
These tankers evade sanctions and illicitly ship oil by flying flags of other countries.
Shadow chancellor says "very weak" UK economy making us vulnerable to impact of Iran war.
@MelJStride says choices by Rachel Reeves will make it difficult to "protect people's livelihoods".
Inflation holding at 3% but had been trending downwards. No data yet since war started.
@ClaireCoutinho says Government ban on new North Sea oil and gas drilling is "sheer lunacy".
The shadow energy secretary tells @PA Labour's "ideology" is costing jobs and causing higher energy prices.
Ed Miliband told Labour MPs new licenses would make no difference to prices.
Going over my footage from covering #COP27 on Monday.
Great moment as @EmmanuelMacron gives a wink to camera during his first in-person meeting with @RishiSunak as fellow heads of state.