7 hours Ago By [email protected] (Ashley Cowburn)
Keir Starmer faces PMQs today amid major anger among Labour MPs over plans to slash billions from benefits. The PM could face difficult questions from his own backbenchers as the government seeks to cut £5billion from Personal Independence Payment (PIP) - a benefit that helps people with extra living and mobility costs linked to their disability. In rare public criticism of the Labour government, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said on Wednesday that leaked plans to slash disability support "is not the solution".
General Secretary Paul Nowak warned: “A major lesson from the Tory years is that austerity damaged the nation’s health. We must not make the same mistake again. Pushing disabled people into hardship with cuts to support will only make the current challenges worse – and will not win public support.
" The PM may also face questions over Donald Trump's decision to slap global tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports to the US. The UK has suggested there will be no "knee-jerk" reaction from the British government, which is pushing for an economic deal with the Trump White House to eliminate tariffs. Follow live updates from PMQs below Parents fear what they're feeding their kids as prices back them into a corner Almost one in five parents (19%) have to buy unhealthy food for their children because they can’t afford healthier options, research shows today.
The majority (60%) of those who had to buy unhealthy food for their kids in the last year said they were worried about what they were feeding their children, according to the survey by children’s charity Barnardo's. The research comes as part of a charity campaign backed by celebrity chefs Jamie Oliver and Tom Kerridge calling for an urgent extension of free school meals to help hungry kids. Nicola Sturgeon says she's quitting in major announcement to SNP supporters Nicola Sturgeon has announced she will step down from the Scottish Parliament.
The former First Minister says she will not seek re-election next year. In a letter to local SNP members she said: "I am writing to let you know that I have decided not to seek re-election to the Scottish Parliament next year. "Reaching this decision has been far from easy, however, I have known in my heart for a while that the time is right for me to embrace different opportunities in a new chapter of my life, and to allow you to select a new standard bearer.
Keir Starmer ally hits out at DWP benefit cut plan in rare public criticism Keir Starmer has been warned by a key ally not to repeat the mistakes of Tory austerity with controversial cuts to benefits. In rare public criticism of the Labour government, the Trades Union Congress (TUC) said on Wednesday that leaked plans to slash disability support "is not the solution". General Secretary Paul Nowak warned: “A major lesson from the Tory years is that austerity damaged the nation’s health.
We must not make the same mistake again. Pushing disabled people into hardship with cuts to support will only make the current challenges worse – and will not win public support." While he said trade unions share minister's hopes to improve the nation's health, he went on: "Cutting PIP is not the solution – not least because it enables many disabled people to access work so that they do not have to rely on out of work benefits.
" Treasury Minister slams Donald Trump tariff move as 'disappointing' Treasury minister James Murray described the move by Donald Trump's White House to slap tariffs on UK steel and aluminum overnight as "disappointing". But he suggested on Sky News there will be no "knee-jerk" reaction from the British government after the EU retaliated to the move. He said: "We're champions of free and open trade but our response to this is a pragmatic one - it's to continue negotiating an economic agreement with the US with the potential to eliminate tariffs because we know that's in the best interests of UK businesses.
That's the cool-headed, pragmatic approach that we're going to continue where we engage closely and productively with the US.".
