Andy Burnham's Cabinet departs No10 as PM to finally face parliamentary scrutiny for the first time after SIX WEEKS
Andy Burnham's Cabinet has now departed No10 ahead of Parliament's return today.
Mr Burnham will today step in front of MPs for the first time since becoming Prime Minister, marking the first time facing parliamentary scrutiny as PM, despite holding the keys to No10 for six weeks.
Ahead of his speech, Labour MPs were pictured walking at Downing Street, including Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Education Secretary Lucy Powell, and Defence Secretary Wes Streeting.
GB News understands the Prime Minister is expected to deliver a Commons statement today setting out the direction of his Government.
He will make his priorities clear, which include giving people breathing space on the cost of living.
The Prime Minister will declare this is the moment we begin to bring back hope, as he promises to make life more affordable wherever he can.
As Parliament returns, he will say he will continue working to restore hope while confronting issues that have been ignored for too long.
He will also say that he will keep taking action on the cost of living, after early steps to help give people breathing space, including taking VAT off electricity bills, capping bus fares at £2 and cracking down on rogue traders.
A Downing Street source told GB News: "The Prime Minister does not accept that the Government’s role is to stand by and watch on as every bill goes up and up, squeezing the joy out of life."
He is set to promise the country that "wherever we can make life more affordable, we will. We can make this the moment when Britain starts believing again and we bring back hope."
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Andy Burnham's Cabinet meeting comes to an end
This morning's Cabinet meeting in Downing Street has finished.
The top Labour ministers were pictured leaving No10.
They will likely be in the chamber later today when Andy Burnham will address Parliament for the first time as Prime Minister, despite being in the position for six weeks.
Andy Burnham admitted 'we must do more' to protect Jewish people as PM vows to 'stamp out antisemitism for good'
Andy Burnham has admitted "we must do more" to protect Jewish people and vowed to "stamp out antisemitism for good” as he paid tribute to the victims of the Manchester synagogue terror attack.
The Prime Minister wrote on X: “We send our love and support to the Jewish community in Manchester and beyond who last night gathered to remember Melvin Cravitz and Adrian Daulby, who were killed defending their synagogue last year.
"My thoughts are with their families and all those who have been affected by the attack.
"I know for many Jewish people, the sorrow and fear from that day has not lifted, and I know we must do more to protect communities across the country.
"I want Jewish people to know that their safety is a priority of mine and I’m determined to stamp out antisemitism for good."
James Cleverly set to face new rival challenger Tories’ London mayoral candidate race
Sir James Cleverly has a new rival challenger in the race to be the Tories’ next London mayoral candidate.
Festus Akinbusoye, a Conservative Westminster councillor, has entered the contest to be the party’s mayoral candidate in 2028.
Sir James quit his role as Kemi Badenoch’s shadow housing secretary at the weekend to stand in the internal race.
Mr Akinbusoye is centring his pitch around fighting crime and building new homes in the capital, and draws on his background in law and order as an ex-special constable and former Bedfordshire police and crime commissioner.
He said: “I’m standing to restore the social contract between London and Londoners by making London affordable enough to stay, safe enough to live, and full of opportunity in every borough.
“Too many people feel London no longer works for those who work hard and play by the rules. Over half of Londoners believe the city is heading in the wrong direction. If you do your part, the mayor must do their part – support you and not be a hurdle. They must protect your safety, respect your time and money, and give you a fair chance to build a secure future here.”
Nearly two-thirds of Britons think Labour is wrong to allow early prison releases, according to polling
Nearly two-thirds of Britons think the Government is wrong to allow early prison releases, according to polling.
Ahead of an announcement in Parliament by the Justice Secretary on plans to ease prison overcrowding, YouGov said 64 per cent opposed the early release scheme in a survey of 2,087 adults.
The Government’s proposal to halve the time some more serious offenders will have to serve in prison is opposed by 82 per cent of those surveyed, while 61 per cent are against cutting the proportion of their sentences that less serious offenders have to spend in jail to around a third.
Building more prisons to tackle the overcrowding crisis has the support of 81 per cent of Britons, while 78 per cent back releasing foreign nationals early so they can be deported, according to YouGov.
PICTURED: Andy Burnham's Cabinet arrives in Downing Street ahead of Parliament's return
Andy Burnham's Cabinet has arrived at Downing Street as Parliament returns today.
Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, Education Secretary Lucy Powell, and Defence Secretary Wes Streeting were amongst the Labour MPs to be pictured.
PICTURED: Shabana Mahmood arrives for Cabinet meeting in Downing Street
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood has arrived for a Cabinet meeting in Downing Street as Parliament returns today.
Alex Norris admits Labour's handling of the early release scheme has 'caused anxiety and concern' for victims and the public
Alex Norris admits Labour's handling of the early release scheme has 'caused anxiety and concern' for victims and the public.
Mr Norris told GB News: "I do accept that this is a process that has caused anxiety and concern."
He added: "As a human being, never mind a politician, you do reflect on what people say to you.
"And it came to a position where we've decided, as the Prime Minister said, let's just lift every single stone there is."
Speaking on tracking prisoners that will be released early, the Justice Secretary told GB News: "The most important thing, because people will now leave at an earlier part of their sentence if they're not part of the offences that have been carved out, I'd want viewers to hear directly from me that that release is not freedom.
"They're under the most significant controls and the widest set of tools we've ever had."
'Poorer than we think!' Darren Jones warns Andy Burnham against public spending as path to wealth
Darren Jones has warned against increasing public spending as a path to making the country "great again".
The former Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister under Sir Keir Starmer said Britain is "poorer than we often think" as he said higher public spending alone would not lead to economic growth.
Writing for the Times, the MP for Bristol North West said: "Britain is poorer than we often think. We won’t get richer based on higher public spending alone, and we can’t tax billionaires who don’t live here.
"We shouldn't rely on public spending as a route to some romantic version of making Britain great again as we look in the rearview mirror for a great history that is no longer available to us.
"We must face the future, and I know my colleagues are up to the challenge."
Plans to tackle overcrowding in prisons do not go far enough, says Ed Davey
Plans by ministers to tackle overcrowding in prisons do not go far enough, the leader of the Liberal Democrats has suggested.
Sir Ed Davey said: "They’re talking about turning laundries into prison cells in existing prisons.
“I’m not sure if that cuts it, to be honest … and there’s no new money.
He told LBC Radio: "If they’re going to get serious, they’ve really got to tackle it with a little bit more vigour and verve than I’ve seen so far.
"It’s really, really important.”
Bridget Phillipson says Tories 'have learnt nothing' after Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet shake-up
Bridget Phillipson, Labour Party chairwoman, said Kemi Badenoch’s shake-up of her shadow cabinet shows the Conservatives "have learnt nothing since they were kicked out of office by the British people".
She said in a statement: "Promoting a key architect of Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-Budget tells you all you need to know about Badenoch’s complete lack of judgement.
“The Tories’ top team is crammed full of the same vandals who hammered family finances and left our public services crumbling.
"No wonder they’ve made no progress in the last two years.
"Meanwhile, Andy Burnham’s Labour Government is driving good growth in every postcode, giving vital breathing space on the cost of living, and bringing back hope to Britain."
John Healey insists he is '100 per cent' committed to defence after shelving his own target
Chancellor John Healey has insisted he is "100 per cent" committed to defence after delaying his own three per cent of GDP target.
The former Defence Secretary, who dramatically resigned from Sir Keir Starmer's Cabinet after the then-Prime Minister refused to commit to a 3 per cent target by 2030, has shot down allegations of hypocrisy as he visited the US for a meeting with foreign counterparts.
Mr Healey's first budget is set for October 28 - but the defence commitments will not be set until next year's spending review.
He has, however, warned that filling a £5billion funding hole would force the Government to make "difficult decisions" in next month's budget.
Kemi Badenoch launches major Shadow Cabinet reshuffle ahead of Parliament return
Kemi Badenoch launched a major Shadow Cabinet reshuffle to refresh her top team before Parliament returns.
The shake-up targets economic policy and foreign affairs, ousting several veteran figures to the backbenches.
Mrs Badenoch sacked Sir Mel Stride as shadow chancellor and appointed former business secretary and Arundel and South Downs MP Andrew Griffith in his place.
Claire Coutinho, previously the shadow energy secretary, will replace Mr Griffith as shadow business secretary.
Sir Mel will join Tory big beasts Dame Priti Patel and Sir James Cleverly on the backbenches amid the ongoing shake-up.
But Reform UK has accused the party of "moving deckchairs of the Titanic" as the Conservative leader continues to tinker with her top team.
A Reform UK spokesman said: "Kemi is simply moving the deckchairs around the titanic with this reshuffle. She has promoted ardent supporters of net zero and the ECHR into senior positions, despite saying she wouldn’t .
"The Conservatives haven’t learned a thing from their failures in office."
READ MORE ON THE CONSERVATIVE RESHUFFLE
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