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Presented by SSE By NOAH KEATE Good Sunday afternoon. This is Noah Keate, hanging out by the Royal Albert Dock at the Labour conference in Liverpool. STILL DEVELOPING: Police in the U.K. have declared a major incident at Fairford air base in Gloucestershire after several men were arrested on suspicion of offenses under the Explosives Act.
The air base hosts the U.S. Air Force and is being used by American forces to carry out strikes against Iran. The base was designated a “legitimate target” for strikes by Iran earlier this year, after Tehran accused Britain of complicity in America’s conflict against the Middle East nation.
Word from Whitehall: A government spokesperson said: “The prime minister is being kept updated on the incident in Gloucestershire. We are grateful to the emergency services, who have acted quickly to detain several suspects and put measures in place to keep the community safe. It would be inappropriate to comment further whilst investigations are ongoing.” More from POLITICO’s Pieter Haeck and Mason Boycott-Owen here . 5 THINGS YOU NEED TO KNOW 1.
ANDY BURNHAM PROMISES NATIONAL CARE SERVICE PLANS: The prime minister will make tackling the social care crisis a core part of his first conference speech as Labour leader. In his long interview with the BBC’s Laura Kuenssberg in Liverpool, Burnham said he planned to give people “hope again” (Labour’s conference slogan) and would “rip the plaster off” to solve this issue. On a mission: The PM accepted his proposals “might make me unpopular with some, but that isn’t going to stop me,” adding that politics has been held “in such low esteem” because it can’t solve this problem.
Burnham said he will “set out the vision” in his Tuesday speech for a system “that works on NHS principles.” Crossbench peer Louise Casey, who’s completing a review on social care, will provide more detail. Ballot boxed in: However, Burnham acknowledged that Labour’s 2024 manifesto commitments not to increase income tax, national insurance or VAT “would make it hard to do in this parliament,” meaning his proposals would be put “to the public at a general election,” which, for now, isn’t due until 2029. “That will be where the plan gets tested, and people will then be able to decide.” Up for the fight: Aware that the Tories and Reform UK might have something to say about this, the PM reminded us that historically, announcements like these have been leapt on by opposition, where “they will call the policy a dementia tax or a death tax.” For context: back in 2010, when Burnham was health secretary , he was accused of proposing a “death tax.” **A message from SSE: Local electricity networks are critical to delivering the government's growth and energy ambitions.
With the right grid investment, every community can access the reliable electricity needed to electrify homes and businesses and build a more secure energy future. Find out more. ** Like night follows day: Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp told Laura K the Tories “do not support tax increases” and would back extra social care funding through cuts elsewhere. “It looks like Andy Burnham is not prepared to make those difficult decisions.” Reform Treasury Spokesperson Robert Jenrick criticized the “universal death tax.” The personal is political: In a Sunday Mirror interview , Burnham said the death of his father Roy earlier this month from Alzheimer’s made him determined to not leave office without “having grasped this nettle.” He condemned the “shameful dereliction of duty” and “total cowardice” by a generation of politicians, saying care workers are “invisible to most politicians.” 2.
LABOUR MAKES HOUSING AND EMPLOYMENT POLICY OFFERS: More broadly, the government has arrived in Merseyside in a far better mood than 12 months ago — and with a fresh stack of policies to show for it. All linked to demonstrate the state’s ability to bring about change (in their minds) for the better, ministers want to help younger people with buying their first home and securing stable employment. All under one roof: The “Your First Home” scheme will support earners who can’t save for a large deposit and don’t have significant familial support by offering a 20 percent equity loan for newbuild homes.
There will be an initial interest-free period with a minimum deposit of just 2.5 percent required. Expect the full program in the budget and registration to open by the end of the year. Political currency: While it sounds similar to ex-Tory Chancellor George Osborne’s “help to buy” package, there will be household income and deposit caps so only the neediest can access support, as well as house price caps (though these details were unclear).
Housing Secretary Angela Rayner told LBC’s Lewis Goodall the scheme was about “making sure that it’s genuinely targeted to those that desperately need it.” Brick by brick: The scheme’s funding will come from reprioritizing existing budgets, with developers paying a fee to participate. The Guardian’s interview with Burnham about the plans also included proposals allowing councils to make more than 300,000 dwellings classed as “long-term empty” available as housing for families. Of course: The demand-side tinkering contrasts with the earlier supply-side moves under Keir Starmer, as the target to build 1.5 million homes over this parliament will likely be missed.
The Sunday Telegraph highlights stats showing the failure to build enough homes could wipe out at least £1.6 billion from Chancellor John Healey’s headroom. Clocking on: The i Paper got the exclusive on young people with physical and mental health conditions being offered taxpayer-funded jobs for six months up to 25 hours a week to get into work, modelled on the Netherlands’ scheme. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy told the paper it was a “tragedy and a disgrace” to disregard young people who can become “invisible” to the state.
Right on time: To solve this, former Labour Cabinet minister Alan Milburn’s review into youth unemployment will recommend young people with mild conditions get help immediately rather than wait on an NHS waiting list. Milburn, who has a ubiquitous presence on the fringe circuit, told Saturday’s Times that “counselling services in their community or online support” would work far better. 3. JOHN HEALEY HINTS AT FUEL DUTY FREEZE: Given the budget is just a month away, John Healey can be forgiven for spending a decent chunk of conference away from the limelight.
Though the chancellor wants to keep its contents tightly under wraps, Healey indicated to the Sunday Times he was open to reconsidering the planned fuel duty hike. Politics at the pumps: “I’m conscious of these pressures,” Healey said of the increasing fuel prices thanks to events in the Middle East. “I will take them into account when I make my budget decisions.” The chancellor also said he gets nighttime emails “in block caps” from his old boss, Gordon Brown, in an interview designed to charm businesses.
For Pete’s sake: Former Business Secretary Peter Kyle, freed from collective responsibility, warned to the BBC the government needs to act with “more urgency” on boosting economic growth and should “put our foot down” to reach prosperity more quickly. Flying low: The Sunday Times’ exclusive that Heathrow’s third runway won’t be operational until 2039, a four-year delay, won’t have helped matters. Burnham notably demurred when pushed by Laura K on whether he supported the runway, stating “it’s a contested issue” and “I’ve got to hear the voice of people there first.” Dilemmas aplenty: For more chewing over the challenges facing Labour despite the optimistic mood, my POLITICO colleagues have written about what they’re looking out for at conference, while Politics at Sam and Anne’s has a special weekend edition (in podcast feeds and on YouTube ) assessing the tests facing Burnham and his cabinet. 4.
ORANGE ORDER MARCH IN PORTADOWN CREATES TENSIONS: A standoff between Protestants and Catholics is underway in Portadown, a town near Belfast, after late-night court rulings authorized a parade by the Orange Order, Northern Ireland’s main Protestant brotherhood, through the Catholic district of Garvaghy Road. The parade had been banned since 1998 due to the violence it caused. Let peace prevail: Burnham called for calm on the BBC, stating “there have been big gains made in Northern Ireland, and we don’t want to see things go backwards.” My POLITICO colleague Shawn Pogatchnik writes in from Northern Ireland , where Sinn Féin First Minister Michelle O’Neill joined the crowd condemning the march while local DUP MP Carla Lockhart insisted the parade will go ahead. 5.
TORIES PLEDGE TO DEPORT ALMOST ALL FOREIGN CRIMINALS: Tory conference isn’t until next week, but the party was out vowing to deport every foreign criminal convicted of anything but the most minor offenses. Chris Philp told guest Sky presenter Kate McCann that deportations would increase from under 6,000 to 40,000 a year and it was deliverable within a year of entering office “because we’ve done the detailed work.” Telegraph writeup here . Bit awks: The Sunday Times splashes on a former bodyguard to the leader of Hamas — anonymously referred to as Mr X — who secured asylum in the U.K. back in 2015, when Theresa May ran the Home Office.
SPLASHING THE SUNDAYS Daily Star Sunday : Noel’s crying his heart out — Oasis star “sad for Manchester City fans.” Mail on Sunday : Labour at war over migrants and economy. Sunday Express : When will you stop this tragedy? 182 people have lost their lives in the English Channel. Sunday Mirror : Losing Dad fuels my social care mission — Burnham to “grasp nettle” of reform.
The Independent : Anguish as couples lose thousands in “global IVF disaster.” The Observer : The most powerful woman in Britain — Louise Haigh brings her Sheffield steel to Westminster. The Sunday Telegraph : Ranulph Fiennes’ family “snubbed by police.” The Sunday Times : Hamas chief’s bodyguard “plotted terror” from U.K. home. The Sun on Sunday : Hands off my man Shirley — exclusive Strictly warning.
POLL POSITION POLITICO’s Poll of Polls state of play: Labour: 24 % ... Reform UK: 22 % ... Tories: 19 % ...
Greens: 12 % ... Lib Dems: 11 % ... Restore Britain: 4 %.
BEYOND THE M25 GROUNDHOG DAY: Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said only a “negotiated solution” could end the conflict between the U.S. and Iran after Donald Trump rejected Tehran’s proposals to reopen the Strait of Hormuz. Araghchi added he would wait for the “definitive views” of Washington, D.C. due to Trump’s often “contradictory” statements. The BBC has his comments .
RED THREAT IRL: The Sunday Times has a couple of peerless long reads on the realities of life inside Russia. The paper has images showing Vladimir Putin’s nuclear doomsday bunker on the side of a mountain ready for nuclear strikes against the West, alongside documents and brilliant historical context. Extracts from Wall Street Journal reporter Evan Gershkovich’s prison diaries about being behind bars in Russia for 491 days are also published.
EXIT WEST: Lib Dem MP Christine Jardine won’t stand for re-election in her Edinburgh West constituency after first winning the seat in 2017. While praised by Leader Ed Davey as a “fantastic champion for liberalism,” the Independent reports Jardine failed to get re-selected by her local party’s executive committee and opted not to push for a full vote. WHAT WE’RE READING FARAGE ON TOUR: Saturday’s Telegraph hears Nigel Farage will “fire the starting gun” on Reform’s general election campaign with a nationwide tour including Yorkshire, telling the paper he doesn’t believe Burnham will wait until 2029 to go to voters.
The Observer also has another fascinating tale in the long saga of Reform’s finances. EXIT FROM BREXIT: Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds urged Labour not to reopen the Brexit debate given the potential for “paralysis,” adding to the Sunday Telegraph he “does not see the strength” of rejoining the customs union given current arrangements. Saturday’s i Paper reports Labour blocked a debate on whether to also rejoin the single market and have free movement as it is not “contemporary.” MAKING THE NEWS: A plethora of Cabinet ministers have given weekend interviews with insight about what motivates them to hold the heavy responsibility of helping to run the country.
First Secretary of State Louise Haigh spoke to the Observer about why being a politician is more frightening than being a police officer ... Deputy Labour Leader Lucy Powell talked to the Guardian about reuniting Labour’s “progressive voter coalition” ... and Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband told the House that Burnham has given Labour the “permission to be heard again.” TODAY IN LIVERPOOL FIRE UP THE AUTOCUE: Main stage speakers (timings subject to change) include First Secretary of State Louise Haigh (2 p.m.) ... Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander (2.10 p.m.) ...
Scottish Labour Leader Michael Marra (2.20 p.m.) ... Wales Secretary Stephen Kinnock (2.30 p.m.) ... Welsh Labour Leader Ken Skates (2.40 p.m.) ...
Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden (3.15 p.m.) ... and Norwegian PM Jonas Gahr Støre (4.15 p.m.). FIRST ROUND: The POLITICO Pub extravaganza whirs into action this afternoon featuring in conversation sessions with Liverpool City Region Mayor Steve Rotheram (4.30 p.m.) and Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds (5 p.m.). Scroll down for Monday and Tuesday’s star-studded lineups and watch along using the link above if you’re not at the bar.
FRINGE APPEAL: Sessions include former Chief Secretary to the PM Darren Jones in conversation with the New Statesman’s Ailbhe Rea at the Pilotage building (2 p.m.) ... the Telegraph’s Camilla Tominey interviews Labour Party Chair Bridget Phillipson in the Royal Liver Building (2 p.m.) ... the Centre for Social Justice quizzes the government’s youth unemployment czar Alan Milburn in Arena Room Tyne of the Liverpool Experience Campus (LEX), formerly known as the ACC (2.30 p.m.) ... Two pennies’ worth: Rea also speaks to Defence Secretary Wes Streeting at a Fabian Society session at the Bluecoat (3.15 p.m.) ... the Resolution Foundation chats to AI Minister Kanishka Narayan in the Mersey Suite of the Pullman (3.30 p.m.) ... Environment Secretary Angela Eagle is on PoliticsHome’s “The Rundown” podcast in room 4A of the LEX (3.45 p.m.) ...
Hot takes like hot cakes: The IPPR has a discussion with First Secretary of State Louise Haigh and former Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard (4.30 p.m.) ... Scottish Labour Leader Michael Marra (4.30 p.m.) and Welsh Labour Leader Ken Skates (5.45 p.m.) chat to the Fabians in the Bluecoat ... and polling analyst John Curtice speaks at a Demos event in auditorium 1B of the LEX (5.30 p.m.). 24 HOUR PARTY PEOPLE: Receptions include LabourList at Revolution Albert Dock (4.30 p.m.) ... Labour’s mayors in room 12 of the LEX (4.30 p.m.) ... the socialist society in LEX’s hall 2F (4.30 p.m.) ...
Young Labour at Tonight Josephine (5 p.m.) ... Labour To Win in the LEX’s auditorium 1C (5 p.m.) ... the trade union group in hall 2G of the LEX (5 p.m.) ... northern night in LEX’s hall 2D (5 p.m.) ... Hanover at the Botanist (5 p.m.) ...
Prospect in Peaberry Coffee House (5 p.m.) ... Brunswick at Panam restaurant (5.30 p.m.) ... the Good Growth Foundation in the LEX’s reception zone (6 p.m.) ... Canapé corner: YouTube at the iNHouse Lounge (6 p.m.) ...
Centre for Cities in the atrium of the Royal Liver Building (6 p.m.) ... the rural group at the LEX’s riverside balcony (6 p.m.) ... the New Statesman at the Museum of Liverpool (6.30 p.m.) ... Labour housing group at RIBA North (6.30 p.m.) ... British Chambers of Commerce in LEX’s room 3B (6.30 p.m.) ...
Labour4PR in auditorium 1C (6.45 p.m.) ... Labour tech at the M&S Bank Arena’s tech zone (7 p.m.) ... Welsh night in LEX’s hall 2F (7 p.m.) ...
Scots night in LEX’s hall 2D (7.30 p.m.) ... Wisdom over wine: Fabian Society and Arden Strategies in the Arden Lounge (8 p.m.) ... IPPR and ThinkLabour (8 p.m.) ... the Tony Blair Institute (TBI) in hall 2C of the LEX has Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden (8 p.m.) ...
Progress in the Hilton featuring Defence Secretary Wes Streeting (8 p.m.) ... POLITICO’s Speakeasy (8 p.m., invite only) ... More in Common and Save the Children in LEX’s room 12 (8.30 p.m.) ... the i Paper’s iNHouse Lounge do features Housing Secretary Angela Rayner (9 p.m., invite only) ... the Spectator at the Sodexo Live!
Lounge (9.30 p.m.) ... Woburn Partners at Salt Dog Slims (9.30 p.m.) ... and Labour MP Dawn Butler’s Jamaica party at Camp and Furnace (10 p.m.). WEEK AHEAD On tonight’s Ayesha Hazarika with Times Radio Drive (Times Radio, 5 p.m.): Scotland Secretary Douglas Alexander ...
Wales Secretary Stephen Kinnock ... Defence Minister Luke Pollard ... West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin ...
Labour MPs Stella Creasy and Andy McDonald ... UNISON General Secretary Andrea Egan . Westminster Hour (BBC Radio 4, 10 p.m.): Lords Leader Angela Smith ...
Shadow Women and Equalities Minister Joy Morrissey . MONDAY 28 LABOUR: Conference continues with speeches from Health Secretary Yvette Cooper (10.15 a.m.), Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband (10.30 a.m.), Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds (11.40 a.m.) and Chancellor John Healey (12 p.m.) Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood (4 p.m.). PUB: POLITICO Pub interviewees include Ed Miliband (2 p.m.), Chief Secretary to the Treasury Emma Reynolds (2.20 p.m.), Education Secretary Lucy Powell (2.40 p.m.), London Mayor Sadiq Khan (3 p.m.), Douglas Alexander (3.30 p.m.), Stephen Kinnock (4 p.m.), Defence Secretary Wes Streeting (4.50 p.m.) and Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson (7 p.m.).
FRINGE I: Events include the Good Growth Foundation interviewing Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden (9.30 a.m.) ... EU Relations Minister Hamish Falconer speaks at a TBI event (9.45 a.m.) ... a Coalition for Prosperity session features Development Minister Kirsty McNeill(1.30 p.m.) ... a Times discussion with youth unemployment reviewer Alan Milburn (1.40 p.m.) ... Wes Streeting is in conversation with former Finnish PM Sanna Marin at a TBI event (2.15 p.m.) ... an IPPR sit-down with Health Secretary Yvette Cooper (2.30 p.m.) ...
Jonathan Reynolds also talks to the Times (3.40 p.m.) ... FRINGE II: A Fabian Society chat with City Minister Lucy Rigby (5.30 p.m.) ... Miliband appears on the “What’s Left” podcast (5.30 p.m.) ...
Energy Secretary Miatta Fahnbulleh speaks at a Labour Climate and Environment Forum event (6.15 p.m.) ... Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood gets grilled by the New Statesman’s Tom McTague at a TBI event (6.15 p.m.) ... and former Business Secretary Peter Kyle is probed by Sky’s Beth Rigby at a Good Growth Foundation session (6.30 p.m.). TUESDAY 29 LABOUR: Conference continues with Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s speech, 2 p.m.
PUB: POLITICO Pub interviewees include AI Minister Kanishka Narayan (10.30 a.m.), Alan Milburn (11 a.m.), Greater Manchester Mayor Bev Craig (11.30 a.m.), Scottish Labour Leader Michael Marra (12 p.m.), Energy Minister Katie White (12.30 p.m.), Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Bryant (3.30 p.m.), Foreign Affairs Committee Chair Emily Thornberry (4 p.m.), Energy Minister Michael Shanks (4.40 p.m.), Hamish Falconer (5 p.m.) and Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander (5.30 p.m.). FRINGE I: Events include Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds talking to Nationwide (10.10 a.m.) ... Miatta Fahnbulleh chats to the IPPR about bills (11.15 a.m.) ...
Emily Thornberry and Business Committee Chair Liam Byrne speak at a ThinkLabour event about the special relationship (11.15 a.m.) ... Energy Minister Martin McCluskey is at a Fabian Society event on housing (12.30 p.m.) ... FRINGE II: Housing Minister Matthew Pennycook appears at the IPPR (4 p.m.) ...
Defense Minister Luke Pollard speaks at a New Statesman event on space (4 p.m.) ... the Social Market Foundation is in conversation with Wes Streeting (4.30 p.m.) ... Bridget Phillipson is on a TBI panel about employment (5 p.m.) ... and Jonathan Reynolds appears again on the FT’s “Political Fix” podcast (5.30 p.m.). TRADE: U.S. import ban on some Canadian goods starts.
WEDNESDAY 30 STATS: GDP quarterly national accounts covering April to June published, 7 a.m. THURSDAY 1 ENERGY: New energy price cap comes into effect and VAT removed from electricity bills. HEALTH: Vaping products duty also begins.
IMMIGRATION: “One in, one out” deal with France due to expire. FRIDAY 2 GREENS: Conference begins in Brighton with speeches from Leader Zack Polanski (1.30 p.m.) and Wales Leader Anthony Slaughter (3.45 p.m.) alongside analysis from elections guru John Curtice (6.30 p.m.). WALES: Two-day Plaid Cymru conference starts in Llandudno with Welsh First Minister Rhun ap Iorwerth’s speech, 2.30 p.m.
COMMEMORATION: One year since Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation synagogue terrorist attack. SATURDAY 3 GREENS: Conference continues with speeches from Deputy Leaders Rachel Millward and Mothin Ali (10.15 a.m.) and a meet the MPs fringe (5.30 p.m.). SUNDAY 4 GREENS: Conference concludes with a meet the peers session (9 a.m.) and a Q&A with Polanski and his deputies (1.30 p.m.).
TORIES: Conference commences in Birmingham with remarks from Tory Leader Kemi Badenoch, Deputy Tory Leader Alex Burghart, Shadow Scotland Secretary Harriet Cross, Shadow Welsh Secretary Mims Davies, Scottish Leader Russell Findlay and Welsh Leader Darren Millar, 2 p.m. FRINGE: Events include Onward speaking to London mayoral hopeful James Cleverly (4 p.m.) ... Shadow Home Secretary Chris Philp talking to police and crime commissioners (4.30 p.m.) ... and the Centre for Policy Studies in conversation with Shadow Housing Secretary Katie Lam (5 p.m.).
ELECTION: Brazilian presidential and legislative elections. Writing Monday morning Playbook: Andrew McDonald . Thanks: To Luke McGee for giving Crunch some Sunday sparkle. **A message from SSE: Government has set out an ambitious vision: growth in every postcode and greater public involvement in the development of Britain's electricity system.
Delivering that vision depends on one critical enabler: electricity networks. Distribution networks connect homes, businesses and public services to the homegrown electricity needed to power economic growth, enable electrification and strengthen energy security. Without timely investment, however, they risk becoming a constraint on the very growth we all want to unlock.
The decisions over the coming months on electricity networks will shape whether Britain can deliver its ambitions for growth, electrification and energy security. Growth in every postcode requires power in every postcode. Now is the time to deliver the investment needed to ensure homes, businesses, factories and data centres can connect and power stronger local economies.
Find out more at sse.com/change. ** SUBSCRIBE to the POLITICO newsletter family: Brussels Playbook | London Playbook | London Playbook PM | Playbook Paris | Berlin Playbook | Sunday Crunch | EU Influence | London Influence | D.C. Playbook | D.C. Influence | Canada Playbook | POLITICO Forecast | Canberra Playbook | All our POLITICO Pro policy morning newsletters
Source: politico.eu
