Shortly: Lammy and Blinken to hold news conference with Ukraine’s foreign minister
As we have been reporting, Foreign Secretary David Lammy is in Ukraine today alongside his US counterpart, Antony Blinken.
The pair a due to hold a news conference shortly, alongside Ukraine’s foreign minister, Andrii Sybiha.
You can watch it live on Sky News, in the stream at the top of this page – and we will bring you all the key lines here in the Politics Hub.
Cancer-stricken veteran hit with £130k tax bill after ‘dupe’ which saw him paid in loans
By Faye Brown, political reporter
When John left behind his 30-year career in the Royal Navy to work in IT, he did not envision it would leave him bankrupt with his mental health in tatters.
A break in employment, following the death of his youngest son, led him to take up freelance work as a contractor in an arrangement that would see most of his salary paid in the form of tax-free loans.
In emails seen by Sky News, John was assured by his employer that the scheme was “fully kosher”, “QC approved” and “compliant with HMRC guidelines”.
But that was not the case and the veteran, now in his 70s and fighting prostate cancer, recently declared himself bankrupt over a retrospective tax liability of £130,000.
John, who was “on the brink of taking his life” over the unaffordable bill, shared his story with Sky News as MPs regroup to fight “draconian legislation” known as the “Loan Charge”.
Read John’s story here:
Coming up on Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge
Our weeknight politics show Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge will be live on Sky News from 7pm.
The fast-paced programme dissects the inner workings of Westminster, with interviews, insights, and analysis – bringing you, the audience, into the corridors of power.
After a busy day in Westminster, Sophy will be joined by the former chancellor and Tory party chair, Nadhim Zahawi.
On Sophy’s panel are:
- Former home secretary, Lord Blunkett;
- Former business secretary, Dame Andrea Leadsom.
Watch live on Sky News, in the stream at the top of this page, and follow live updates here in the Politics Hub.
Watch Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge from Monday to Thursday on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on the Sky News website and app or on YouTube.
Four Ws dominated the TUC – expect another showdown at Labour conference
By Jon Craig, chief political correspondent
The TUC conference is a bit like a dress rehearsal for the Labour Party conference two weeks later. Some years they’re even in the same venue.
The leaders of the big trade unions strut their stuff on the stage and put down a marker on the demands on the Labour leadership they’ll make in a fortnight’s time.
And when a Labour leader comes to speak to the TUC, usually every other year, the speech is often very similar to the one given on the big stage at the party conference. Ed Miliband was the worst offender.
This year in Brighton, the TUC conference was dominated by the four Ws: wages, winter fuel payments, workers’ rights and a wealth tax.
And the same issues are likely to be dominant once again in Liverpool, at the Labour conference starting on Sunday 22 September.
Read Jon’s full analysis here:
Lammy ‘listening carefully’ to Ukraine’s needs on Kyiv visit with US counterpart
As Foreign Office officials give a senior Iranian diplomat a dressing down in London (see previous post), Foreign Secretary David Lammy is in Kyiv where he says the West is “listening carefully” to Ukraine’s need.
The visit comes amid calls for the Ukrainian military to be allowed to use long-range missiles deep in Russian territory.
Mr Lammy is in the Ukrainian capital alongside his US counterpart, Antony Blinken, and he said the pair are there to “listen to Ukraine, to speak to President Zelensky, to hear and understand the strategy”.
But the foreign secretary declined to say if permission to deploy long-range missiles would be granted, simply telling reporters: “We are having discussions on a range of issues, including the military equipment that Ukraine needs to win.”
Also during his visit, Mr Lammy met with Kyiv’s fire service.
He was introduced to senior members of the service and was shown a number of vehicles donated by allies, including a fire engine from the UK, used to defend the city amid Russia’s ongoing invasion.
Foreign Office summons Iranian diplomat over ballistic missiles to Russia
The Foreign Office has summoned Iran’s charge d’affaires over the transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia
In a statement, the department said the UK government “was clear in that any transfer of ballistic missiles to Russia would be seen as a dangerous escalation and would face a significant response”.
The summoning of the senior Iranian diplomat is “in coordination with European partners”, the FCDO added.
It comes as Foreign Secretary David Lammy holds meetings in Kyiv with the Ukrainian leadership alongside his US counterpart, Antony Blinken.
Earlier, Iran’s foreign minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X that Tehran had not delivered any ballistic missiles to Russia, and that new sanctions imposed on Iran by the US, Britain, Germany and France would not solve any problems between them.
Labour blames Tories after Vorderman accuses them of duping voters
By Jennifer Scott, political reporter
Labour has responded to criticism by Carol Vorderman over its decision to cut winter fuel payments for the majority of pensioners by blaming the Tories.
On Tuesday, the presenter and author called for an apology over the policy from Sir Keir Starmer, telling Sky News’ Sophy Ridge she thought the public had been duped into voting for his party.
Asked what the PM’s response was to her comments, a Labour spokesperson said: “I think the prime minister has made himself very clear that this was a tough decision that he didn’t want to have to take.”
She added: “One of the first acts that we did when we came into government was the chancellor [examined] the books and uncovered a £22bn black hole that the OBR [Office for Budget Responsibility] itself didn’t know about.
“Both the prime minister and the chancellor have set out that it is a tough decision that they didn’t want to have to take, but it is because of the Conservatives crashing the economy and leaving us to fix the mess.”
We wait to see if Vorderman is convinced…
Four Ws dominated the TUC – expect another showdown at Labour conference
The TUC conference is a bit like a dress rehearsal for the Labour Party conference two weeks later. Some years they’re even in the same venue.
The leaders of the big trade unions strut their stuff on the stage and put down a marker on the demands on the Labour leadership they’ll make in a fortnight’s time.
And when a Labour leader comes to speak to the TUC, usually every other year, the speech is often very similar to the one given on the big stage at the party conference. Ed Miliband was the worst offender.
This year in Brighton, the TUC conference was dominated by the four Ws: wages, winter fuel payments, workers’ rights and a wealth tax.
And the same issues are likely to be dominant once again in Liverpool, at the Labour conference starting on Sunday 22 September.
Will Labour publish an impact report on restricting winter fuel payments?
Downing Street declined to comment on whether the government would publish any assessment of the impact of restricting winter fuel payments.
This was a topic pressed repeatedly by Conservative Party leader Rishi Sunak during Prime Minister’s Questions earlier this afternoon.
A Number 10 spokeswoman said: “Ministers will receive advice on the development of all policies but we don’t routinely provide a running commentary on the advice that they receive.”
She added: “We have spoken to the necessity of setting out the plans promptly, given the need to lay the regulations to come into effect in September.
“The chancellor was very clear upon receiving the results of the audit in setting out the steps that she needed to take to address the £22bn black hole in the public finances and that also enabled us to set out the plans and ensure that we could encourage people to apply for pension credit.
“That work is ongoing. We have seen a 115% increase in the claims but that work is still ongoing and we encourage people to apply and payments will be backdated.”
In pictures: Lammy and Blinken meet Ukrainian foreign minister in Kyiv
Foreign Secretary David Lammy, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and the new Ukrainian foreign minister Andrii Sybiha have met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Kyiv.
It marks the first time Mr Sybiha has met with the pair in person since he was appointed as part of a reshuffle earlier this month.