That’s all for today
Thank you for joining us in the Politics Hub for live coverage of the latest from Westminster – and also from Brighton, where the Lib Dem conference is taking place.
Join us again from 6am for live updates from Westminster, Brighton – and also Italy, where the PM is travelling for talks with his counterpart.
Early release scheme not Labour’s fault, says Lammy – as ‘naive’ ministers accused of ‘rookie errors’
By Alix Culbertson, political reporter
The early prisoner release scheme is not Labour’s fault, the foreign secretary has said, as the Tories accused the government of making “rookie errors”.
Following the early release of 1,750 prisoners this week to alleviate overcrowded prisons, a prisoner was accused of assaulting a woman on the same day he was freed. He has been charged and recalled to prison.
The government had said terrorists and convicted sex offenders were not among those being released.
Asked if the decision to release prisoners early was the right choice, David Lammy, the foreign secretary, said Labour was forced into it.
He told Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips: “What we have inherited is an absolute disgrace.
“It’s a disgrace that, frankly, our prisons are in such a state, prisoners, so absolutely full to the brim.
“Of course, we’ve had to have an early release scheme ensuring that you’re not releasing the worst offenders, that there’s proper consideration.
“There’s good work, with the probation service.
“That is what you’d expect responsible government to do.”
However, shadow home secretary James Cleverly said his Conservative government would not have done the same to alleviate overcrowded prisons.
Read more here:
UEFA warns England could face Euros ban over Starmer’s plans for football regulator
England risks being banned from the Euros if Sir Keir Starmer goes ahead with plans for a men’s football watchdog, UEFA has warned.
In a letter to Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy, European football’s governing body said there should be “no government interference in the running of football”.
It follows plans by the government to set up an Independent Football Regulator (IFR) for the professional men’s game
In the letter, seen by The Times and the BBC, UEFA’s general secretary Theodore Theodoridis warned against plans outlined in the King’s Speech that would give the new regulator the power to oversee clubs in England’s top five leagues.
He said the game’s independence was a “fundamental requirement”.
An exclusion would prevent English clubs from being able to compete in the Champions League and other UEFA competitions, as well as the national team being able to take part in the European Championship.
Read more here:
ICYMI: Starmer faces investigation over possible breach of parliamentary rules
Sir Keir Starmer is facing an investigation over a possible breach of parliamentary rules after failing to declare that some of his wife’s high-end clothes were bought for her by his biggest personal donor, Lord Alli.
The Labour peer paid for a personal shopper, clothes and alterations for Lady Victoria Starmer, reportedly both before and after the Labour leader became prime minister in July, according to The Sunday Times.
This year, Sir Keir has received – and disclosed – nearly £19,000 worth of work clothes and several pairs of glasses from Lord Alli, the former chairman of online fashion retailer Asos, The Times reports.
In addition, the peer, whose personal wealth is estimated at £200m, spent £20,000 on accommodation for the now prime minister during the election and a similar sum on “private office” costs, which was also disclosed, the paper says.
A Number 10 spokesperson told Sky News it was an oversight that had been corrected after it “sought advice from the authorities on coming to office”.
They added: “We believed we’d been compliant, however, following further interrogation this month, we’ve declared further items.”
The Tories called for a “full investigation” following The Sunday Times report.
Read more here:
PM ‘interested’ in Italy’s migrant deal with Albania
Sir Keir Starmer is heading to Italy tomorrow to meet with his counterpart, Giorgia Meloni.
On the agenda is tackling illegal migration, and the PM has said that he is “interested” in the migration deal Italy has struck with Albania.
Under the plan, Tirana accepts asylum seekers on Italy’s behalf while claims are processed under Italian jurisdiction.
Asked whether he would consider pursuing a similar agreement, Sir Keir told journalists: “Let’s see.
“It’s in early days, I’m interested in how that works, I think everybody else is.
“It’s very, very early days.”
It comes after Sir Keir axed the Rwanda scheme, put in place by the Conservative government.
That scheme would have seen asylum claims processed under Rwanda’s system, rather than the UK’s.
Sir Keir said that in relation to migration, there were “different challenges in different countries”.
He has previously hinted that he may be open to processing asylum claims offshore – but has not said that it is an option being actively explored.
The trip to Italy is also part of a broader reset of relations with the EU that the PM has been pushing for, having visited both Germany and France to meet with his counterparts since entering No 10.
Labour ‘terrified’ to talk about Europe
By Alix Culbertson, political reporter, at the Lib Dem conference in Brighton
Lib Dem MP Richard Foord has been speaking at the party’s conference in Brighton this afternoon.
He told an event: “Labour is desperate not to talk about Europe.”
The Honiton and Sidmouth MP said one of the reasons is because Reform came second in 89 of the seats 411 Labour won at the election.
He told the event he had asked a Labour MP, who was a candidate to chair parliament’s cross-party business and trade committee, about the single market and they “refused to talk about it”.
“Labour is terrified to talk about Europe,” he added.
“And it’s going to be our job in the next parliament to make sure we do.”
Lib Dem peer Sal Brinton said she also faces a struggle in the House of Lords when it comes to talking about the EU.
“In the House of Lords, there are a number of very strong Brexit Tory-appointed peers who are still espousing it, so our debates are quite extraordinary to watch,” she said.
“The Lib Dems and a number of cross-benchers, including very important former ambassadors and civil servants, are all weighing in saying we’ve got to mend this relationship and we need to move forward.
“And [former MEP] Daniel Hannan and his friends jump up and are utterly vile and it goes back to the minister who has to dance on the head of a pin and is clearly terribly uncomfortable.”
As a result, she said she believes campaigning outside parliament is the way to get anything done on Europe.
Davey reveals favourite election stunt – and whether he’d go on Strictly
At the end of his Q&A at his party conference in Brighton, Sir Ed Davey answered some quick-fire questions.
Would he go on Strictly Come Dancing?
The answer appeared to be no.
“My advisers would want me to go on Strictly,” he said. And then went rather quiet as the room broke out in laughter.
Asked how often he obeys his advisers, the Lib Dem leader said: “I’m delighted to say health and safety rules sometimes get in the way.”
What was his favourite election stunt – and are there any he regrets?
No regrets for Sir Ed, who told party members that he “got a kick out of most of them”.
His favourite, however, was the slip n’ slide in Somerset (watch some footage of that below). He also said he enjoyed doing a bungee jump.
What does he do that makes his children cringe?
Sir Ed said that his disabled son likes to tease him.
His daughter, however, does cringe. “I think if I do dancing to ‘Sweet Caroline’, she’s not so keen,” he revealed.
Davey praises Harris – as he says Trump would be ‘bad for the world’
Lib Dem leader Sir Ed Davey has told party members that US Democrat presidential candidate Kamala Harris and her vice presidential pick, Tim Walz, are doing “a fantastic job”.
He said he is a “bit of a geek” when it comes to US politics, confessing that he has a number of apps on his phone to follow the latest polls in the swing states.
The reason being, he explained, is that “it’s an important election, not just for America, but for us in the world”.
“And, it’s been so thrilling to see how Kamala and Tim have breathed new life into the opposition to what Trump is all about.”
Sir Ed also said there is a “lesson” for the Lib Dems in how they have conducted the campaign “with hope and optimism”.
“When you’re faced with that divisive hate, angry tone that you see from the Republicans, at least the Trump Republicans, and you see from other parts of the far-right here and elsewhere – the way to tackle it is to show we’re really in touch with real people, we have their emotions, we share their emotions, and we share that fun. And we are offering optimism.”
Sir Ed was then challenged on the fact that if he were in government, he wouldn’t be able to make such comments because it would harm diplomatic relations.
But he rejected that notion, saying: “I think you just have to tell the truth. And no one would believe me if I said we wanted Trump to win.”
Davey calls on Starmer to ‘unilaterally’ let Ukraine fire long-range missiles into Russia
Sir Ed Davey is taking questions from members at his party conference in Brighton, and he was asked about allowing Ukraine to fire long-range missiles into Russian territory – something the UK and US have not yet granted permission for.
The Lib Dem leader said that Ukraine should be allowed to use the missiles “to attack Russian military bases in Russia”.
“They’re being used to wreak havoc on Ukraine.”
He said he has “no inside knowledge”, but he “wouldn’t be surprised if they’ve already taken a decision to use them collectively across NATO”.
Asked specifically if the UK should wait for approval from the US president, Sir Ed said: “If we have to do it unilaterally, I think we should.”
Sir Keir Starmer travelled to Washington DC to meet with President Joe Biden on Friday to discuss the matter, but no decision has been taken yet.
Both leaders are under pressure to allow Ukraine to fire into Russian territory, in particular after it was revealed that Iran supplied Russia with ballistic missiles.
Watch live: Sir Ed Davey takes questions from party members
Jubilant Liberal Democrats are gathering in Brighton for their annual conference.
Party leader Sir Ed Davey will make his keynote speech tomorrow, but he is now taking questions from members.
You can watch it live here: