Keir Starmer addresses the media after first Labour cabinet meeting – UK politics live | General election 2024

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Starmer said his party had received “a mandate to do politics differently”.

He added: “This will be a politics and a government that is about delivery, is about service. Self-interest is yesterday’s politics.”

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Starmer added that the metro mayors meeting on Tuesday will include non-Labour mayors, as there is “no monopoly on good ideas and I’m not a tribal politician”.

He said of regional governors that “regardless of the colour of their rosette”, his door is open and his government will work with them if they want to deliver change.

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Starmer has spoken about economic growth, which he described as the “number one mission of a Labour government”. He said the cabinet had discussed “driving growth” and “to make sure that that growth is everywhere across the whole country so people are better off everywhere, wherever they live.”

“The principle I operate to is that those with skin in the game know what is best for their communities,” said Starmer. He added that this requires being “bold about pushing power and resource out of Whitehall”.

When he’s back from his tour of the four nations, Starmer said he will hold a meeting of the metro mayors on Tuesday to discuss with them “their part in delivering the growth that we need across the United Kingdom”.

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Starmer will set off tomorrow to visit all four UK nations

Starmer said: “We clearly on Thursday got a mandate from all four nations. For the first time in 20+ years, we have a majority in England, in Scotland and in Wales, and that is a clear mandate to govern for all four corners of the United Kingdom.”

Starmer added that from tomorrow, he will set off “to be in all four nations”. His plan is to visit Scotland, followed by Northern Ireland and then Wales before returning to England. He said that he will meet the first ministers to “establish a way of working across the United Kingdom that will be different and better to the way of working that we’ve had in recent years, and to recognise the contributions of all four nations”.

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Starmer said: “At the cabinet meeting, I also discussed mission delivery. How we would put into action the plans that we had set out in our manifesto. And that we would have mission delivery boards to drive through the change that we need and that I’ll be chairing those boards so that it is clear to everyone that they are my prioirty in government.”

The prime minister said that he also reminded the cabinet that “we would be judged on actions, not on words”. He added that he will continue this afternoon to make a number of frontbench appointments.

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Keir Starmer has begun his press conference by saying: “We’re a changed Labour party.”

He mentions his first steps in Downing Street, such as the cabinet appointments he’s already made and holding his first cabinet meeting this morning.

“At that cabinet meeting, I had the opportunity to set out [to] my cabinet precisely what I expect of them in terms of standards, delivery and the trust that the country has put in them.”

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Starmer has arrived and begun speaking, updates to follow…

Keir Starmer at No 10 Photograph: reuters
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Keir Starmer is expected to give a press conference at 1pm. I’ll be posting updates here but you can follow live via the video in the main image at the top of the page (you might have to refresh the page for it to pop up).

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Michael Savage

Some of Rishi Sunak’s closest allies are facing an angry backlash after being awarded honours by the former prime minister, despite their apparent role in the “insane” decision to call an early election.

In a sign of the growing anger within the party ranks over the decision to call the snap poll – as well as alarm over the way it was conducted – the former deputy prime minister Oliver Dowden and chief of staff Liam Booth-Smith were singled out by angry candidates and aides for their role in the “cataclysmic defeat” that several sources claimed had been made worse by the early election decision.

Booth-Smith was handed a peerage in the dissolution honours list, while Dowden was given a knighthood. Both are said to have backed an early election, with Dowden described as particularly influential.

Oliver Dowden, the former deputy prime minister, has been singled out by angry candidates and aides. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA

“Somewhere between 1,300 to 1,500 people lost their jobs last night,” said one senior Tory source. “The person who helped decide that this was the right time to do the election, Liam Booth-Smith, was included in the dissolution honours on the same night.” Dowden was also criticised by one figure for backing an election before playing little part in the election campaign itself. Another senior Tory adviser said simply: “Fuck that guy.”

Others defended the pair, stating it was “standard practice” for senior advisers and MPs to be rewarded. However, the blame game has started in earnest after a campaign that was criticised for repeated errors, from Sunak’s rain-soaked election announcement to his decision to leave D-day commemorations early. Insiders painted a picture of a despairing campaign in which the Tory HQ regularly struggled to find ministers to take to the airwaves. “That’s why you saw the same names,” said one party source. “Poor Mel Stride.”

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The new defence secretary John Healey has stressed his mission to “make Britain secure at home and strong abroad” as he addressed the Ministry of Defence for the first time.

He told armed forces and civilian staff:

We know these are serious times – war in Europe, conflict in the Middle East, growing Russian aggression, increasing global threats. We know there are serious problems – with our armed forces hollowed out and underfunded for 14 years.

And this government now is totally committed to 2.5% of defence spending, to Nato, to the nuclear deterrent and to support for Ukraine.

The country has new leadership. This ministry has new leadership. Our mission is to make Britain secure at home and strong abroad, with the guiding principle of one defence.”

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Keir Starmer has chaired his first cabinet meeting in Downing Street as the new prime minister. Joined by his deputy PM, Angela Rayner, to his left and the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, to his right, he told his ministers: “We have a huge amount of work to do, so now we get on with our work”.

Keir Starmer chairs first cabinet meeting as prime minister – video

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Keir Starmer told the first gathering of his new cabinet in Downing Street:

Look colleagues, it is absolutely fantastic to welcome you to the cabinet, our first meeting. And it was the honour and privilege of my life to be invited by the King, His Majesty the King yesterday to form a government and to form the Labour Government of 2024.

Now we hold our first Cabinet meeting, so I welcome you to it. We have a huge amount of work to do, so now we get on with our work.”

His words were met with loud applause. Starmer was flanked at the cabinet table by his deputy and housing secretary Angela Rayner and cabinet secretary Simon Case.

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Starmer and Labour’s new ministers pictured around cabinet table for first time

The first images of Keir Starmer’s new cabinet meeting at No 10 Downing Street have been released:

Prime minister, Keir Starmer, chairs his first meeting of the cabinet in Downing Street on Saturday. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA
Starmer, with deputy prime minister, Angela Rayner, sat beside him conducts his first cabinet meeting as UK prime minister. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA
Starmer and Labour’s new ministers have been pictured around cabinet table for first time today. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA
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Liberal Democrats claim win in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire

The Liberal Democrats say they have won in Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire.

An official recount is still under way, however, the party has posted on X this morning: “Liberal Democrats GAIN Inverness, Skye and West Ross-shire. Congratulations Angus MacDonald MP.”

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After the cabinet meeting, Keir Starmer will face questions from journalists in his first press conference as prime minister. That’s scheduled for 1pm.

Other ministerial appointments are expected be announced over the weekend. The PA news agency reports that Pat McFadden, the chancellor of the duchy of Lancaster, said Starmer will move to quickly allocate responsibilities ahead of the Nato summit.

Starmer will make his debut on the international stage as Britain’s premier when he flies to Washington DC for the gathering next week, which is expected to include discussions on support for Ukraine. He is also due to host the European Political Community summit in the UK on 18 July.

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