Wes Streeting declares UK-US relationship 'closest on Earth' following foiled RAF terror plot
Wes Streeting has declared that the UK-US relationship is the "closest on Earth" following the suspected terrorist incident at RAF Fairford.
On Sunday, five men were arrested on suspicion of terrorism and explosives offences after three suspicious vans were found close to the Gloucestershire base used by US forces.
Washington has used the base as an outpost for launching strikes on the Islamic Republic from Europe.
Speaking to delegates in Liverpool, Mr Streeting said: "Given events, you will understand that. Before getting into my speech today, I want to say something about yesterday's events around RAF Fairford.
"You'll understand that there is a live police investigation, and I cannot provide much further detail than that which is reported.
"But I do want to say that our friendship with America is the closest alliance of any two nations on Earth, and we will always stand together against those who hate our freedom and those who wish us harm.
"And what we saw yesterday from our security services, our armed forces and our police, was just a small glimpse of the extraordinary work they do every day, around the clock and around the world, behind the scenes, and without recognition, to keep our country safe.
"To all of them, from all of us. Thank you."
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Wes Streeting defends Labour’s approach to tackling small boat crisis
Wes Streeting has defended Labour’s approach to tackling the small boat crisis.
He told GB News: "It's not the safe and legal routes we should worry about. In fact, safe and legal routes are part of the answer for how we deal with the illegal boat crossings which the public are concerned about and we're taking action on.
"As a government. We are vigilant about this. We've seen, with this Home Secretary and the tough approach that she has taken."
He added: "I'd be the first to say there is more to do. If the Home Secretary were sitting in this chair now, she would tell you that she's going hard at this issue.
"She is determined to do more as well, but we are taking a robust and effective approach.
"Lots done, but I'd be the first to say, as would the Home Secretary, more to do."
Andrew Griffith calls for Labour to prioritise 'first duty of government’ and invest in defence
Shadow Chancellor Andrew Griffith has called on the Labour government to focus on the "first duty of government" by significantly increasing investment in UK defence.
Speaking this morning on GB News, following a foiled bomb threat at RAF Fairford, Mr Griffith stressed that properly financing national security must take absolute priority.
He told the People's Channel: "This is an enormously dangerous time in the world.
"Many hostile actors have designs on Britain and our territory, which is why it is imperative the government financed properly its defence plan.
"Three days into my role as shadow Chancellor, I found the money.
"I laid out the choices that we'd make, reduce the cost of welfare, overseas aid, and the cost of housing asylum seekers by making sure that everybody is returned, in order to properly fund our defence. The first duty of government."
Robert Jenrick rules out abolishing state pension triple lock
Reform UK's Robert Jenrick has criticised calls within the Labour Party to abolish the state pension triple lock to fund a sweeping overhaul of social care in England.
Senior Labour figures have already begun making the case for ending the triple lock guarantee, which since 2010 has ensured the state pension rises annually by whichever is highest out of inflation, wage growth, or 2.5 per cent.
Mr Jenrick told GB News: "I don't believe that we should be reaching into the pockets of pensioners who've worked hard, who've paid in, who've done the decent thing their whole lives as the first port of call."
Darren Jones, the former chief secretary to the prime minister, suggested the policy's cost could be redirected.
"If you're reallocating money to help older people in the social care system, maybe there's some reform that could be made there," he said.
Wes Streeting has said the pensions triple lock is expected to stay in place until the next general election, ruling out any changes to the policy in the upcoming budget.
Mr Streeting told Sky News: "The manifesto was clear on this, we’re committed to the triple lock and (Prime Minister) Andy Burnham has been clear that we are standing by our manifesto. So, I hope that’s clear."
Shabana Mahmood to unveil 'fast-track' new refugee route for Afghans and Palestinians
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood is set to announce a new legal route for vulnerable refugees which will fast-track them towards permanent settlement in the UK.
She will use her speech during the Labour Party conference tomorrow to confirm she is reopening the UK resettlement scheme.
The scheme will target the "most vulnerable" refugees, including women and girls in Afghanistan, Palestinians with critical medical needs and survivors of torture.
Those accepted will be granted immediate indefinite leave to remain, unlike other refugees whose status is reviewed every 30 months.
This will effectively place them on a fast track to settlement and citizenship.
Two protests to be held outside Labour’s annual conference
Two protests will be held outside Labour’s annual conference today.
A leading trade union is calling for migrant workers not to be made scapegoats for the failure to invest in public services.
Unison will accuse ministers of breaking promises made to migrants who came to the UK to work in the health and social care sectors.
General secretary Andrea Egan will tell protestors outside the Liverpool conference centre that the NHS, social care and other essential services relied on the hard work of migrant staff.
Ms Egan will say: "People who came to this country to help look after our loved ones are forced to work on restricted visas under harsh rules which make them second-class citizens.
"Now the promise of being able to settle in the country after five years is not only being broken but replaced with the threat of 15 years of insecurity and exploitation. Moving the goalposts at this stage in the game is wrong and unfair.
"Migrant workers must not be made scapegoats for decades of political failure to invest in public services. The Prime Minister talks about building a national care service, an idea Unison fully supports. However, that will require respect and appreciation for what care workers do and urgent action to retain the workforce.
"The Government must drop these plans, keep the promises made to migrant workers and invest properly in public services."
The second comes from unions stepping up calls to bring outsourced public services in-house, with a protest at Labour’s annual conference on Monday.
The Rail, Maritime and Transport union (RMT) has called a number of strikes over the issue, including by catering staff after a report last week by the Commonwealth think tank claimed that workers were being driven to poverty because public services were being outsourced.
“Outsourced workers tend to have lower wages and more insecure working arrangements than those directly employed in the public sector," the report said.
RMT general secretary Eddie Dempsey said that more than one million people who work in public services were now on privately run contracts.
"That is a recipe for grinding poverty and poorer services, if the work is permanent so should the jobs. Bringing workers in-house makes sense for the taxpayer and the economy,” he said.
Labour confirms when 12 million Britons will be banned from using social media
Labour has revealed the date when millions of Britons will be banned from using social media as part of an "online safety" drive.
In June, then-Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer announced an "Australia-style" social media ban for more than 12 million under-16s, insisting the move will "protect children".
Those affected will see their access to platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Threads, Facebook, X, YouTube, Snapchat and Reddit blocked.
The Government had previously not revealed the date in which the prohibition would come into effect - until now.
During an event at the Labour conference in Liverpool on Sunday, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy confirmed the ban will come into force in March next year.
The Cabinet minister hailed the measure as an "amazing force for good", insisting it will ensure Britain becomes a "pioneer" in safety online.
"I'm determined that we will change the rights of children forever," she added.
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