Keir Starmer hosts Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Downing Road – UK politics dwell

Schooling secretary Bridget Phillipson has mentioned that the federal government has no plans to alter the determine of 9% curiosity that folks pay on their scholar loans.

Talking to BBC Breakfast, she mentioned:

That was a determine chosen by a earlier authorities.

We’re wanting on the scholar finance system. It’s difficult. We’re taking a look at it. Nevertheless, I do assume it’s proper that college students by means of that system make a contribution to their schooling.

When requested whether or not the federal government plans to decrease the 9% rate of interest on scholar loans, she mentioned:

We don’t have any instant plans to alter that determine.

I wouldn’t need any younger individual, nevertheless, to be postpone from going to college due to the system. And it’s value simply highlighting that you just don’t pay something till you’ve graduated, till you’re working, and going to college is a implausible funding in your future.

Phillip Inman

Progress of 0.3% is a optimistic signal however the chancellor nonetheless has main difficulties to confront, writes Phillip Inman:

Britain’s economic system has defied the doomsayers. After rising strongly within the first quarter this 12 months, it expanded once more within the three months to June – and never by the measly 0.1% forecast by Metropolis economists, however a decent 0.3%.

The newest information reveals a 0.4% enlargement in June alone as manufacturing recovered its mojo. In the meantime, the development sector, hit by a slowdown in new initiatives, turned its hand to repairs and upkeep, reversing a fall in Could to publish a strong 1.2% development charge over the second quarter.

In all probability essentially the most cheering side for Rachel Reeves from the most recent Workplace for Nationwide Statistics information was the suggestions from companies concerned in scientific analysis and growth. This sector posted an 8.3% rise in exercise in June alone, carefully adopted by the architectural and engineering sectors, which collectively expanded by 6.7% on the earlier month.

The chancellor is eager for everybody to overlook concerning the missteps of the previous 12 months when one miscalculation after one other has set off fireworks both contained in the Labour social gathering or the enterprise neighborhood, or each.

Schooling secretary Bridget Phillipson has vowed to sort out the “yawning inequalities” in academic attainment.

Talking to BBC Radio 4’s As we speak Programme, she mentioned:

Alongside the post-16 white paper that we’ll be publishing afterward this 12 months, I will even convey an enormous focus by means of our colleges white paper on how we sort out these thorny generational challenges the place white working-class children throughout our nation don’t get the beginning that they deserve.

Now the college system is a crucial a part of how we reply to that, however I might say alongside it a lot of this develops and opens up within the early years.
“The attainment hole that we see between much less well-off college students and better-off college students opens up earlier than the age of 5.

It’s why early years has been such a precedence, as a result of if we get that proper then we arrange youngsters to succeed, however we’ll take extra motion within the college system to make sure that these gaps that we see, these yawning inequalities, are addressed.

It’s one thing the final authorities didn’t sort out. It’s one thing this authorities will grasp.

You’ll be able to comply with the Guardian’s A-level dwell weblog right here:

Keir Starmer has welcomed Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Downing Road as Europe braces for Donald Trump’s face-to-face discussions with Vladimir Putin on Friday.

The Ukrainian president and the prime minister embraced and posed for the cameras in entrance of Quantity 10 with a handshake as he arrived in Westminster on Thursday morning whereas gathered media in Downing Road shouted questions. A crimson carpet had been rolled out for his arrival.

The prime minister’s assembly with Zelenskyy comes after he mentioned Britain stands able to “increase pressure” on Russia if essential.

Schooling secretary Bridget Phillipson mentioned that the federal government is “taking our time” to ensure it will get proper its steering on gender-questioning youngsters in colleges.

She advised Instances Radio this morning:

The final Conservative authorities revealed a draft model of the steering, as a result of the session on that concluded after the election in July. What additionally has occurred is that we had the ultimate evaluation from Dr Hillary Cass within the intervening interval. And subsequently I feel it’s proper that any steering to colleges on gender-questioning youngsters aligns absolutely with the suggestions put ahead by Dr Hillary Cass.

She added:

We’re taking our time to get this proper.

I perceive the necessity for steering, and we do imagine that’s essential, however critically, we’re speaking about fairly delicate points of kids’s wellbeing and we wish to ensure that any steering that’s revealed displays the essential must get this proper for youngsters and younger folks, but in addition ensures that colleges have the readability that they need on this essential, however fairly delicate, matter.

Phillipson additionally mentioned there may be “no obligation” for folks to name non-binary academics Mx as a substitute of Miss or Sir, stories the PA information company.

She mentioned:

They can make that request, however they’re not capable of insist that folks use that time period. A trainer can, in fact, make that request, however you possibly can’t insist that it’s adopted.

Requested whether or not she would name somebody Mx, Phillipson advised Instances Radio:

I feel that’s a hypothetical state of affairs. I’ve by no means been requested to try this.

As a matter of precept, on a wider level, I might normally search to answer somebody in a approach that they would favor, however there isn’t any obligation for folks to try this.

Schooling secretary Bridget Phillipson has mentioned there was a “steadying of the ship” after the disruption from the Covid-19 pandemic.

Talking to BBC Breakfast, she mentioned:

What we’ve seen is a steadying of the ship, each this 12 months and final following among the disruption that we noticed throughout the pandemic.

These are younger individuals who haven’t had disruption in current instances, however have had the total regular evaluation course of. These are additionally younger individuals who would have been the primary to sit down GCSEs below regular circumstances. So that they’ve gone by means of the total common GCSE cycle that you’d have anticipated earlier than the pandemic.

So, it is a regular 12 months, the form of 12 months that we’d have seen earlier than the pandemic hit.

In keeping with the PA information company, Phillipson additionally spoke to Sky Information concerning the authorities’s funding in technical and vocational studying routes. She mentioned:

As a authorities, we’re additionally investing extra in technical and vocational schooling as properly.

Simply this week, I launched 10 new development technical excellence faculties, one in each area, as a result of there are additionally nice routes which can be on the market, together with apprenticeship alternatives the place, you realize, younger folks can have implausible careers.

Rachel Reeves has mentioned that Thursday’s GDP figures “show that the economy beat expectations in the second quarter of this year”.

Talking at a development web site in Doncaster, the chancellor mentioned “there’s still more to do to make sure that people in all parts of the country benefit” from development.

In keeping with the PA information company, she mentioned:

We’re the fastest-growing economic system within the G7 for the primary half of this 12 months, with a GDP development of 0.3% this quarter, and that’s after GDP development of 0.7% the quarter earlier than that.

I recognise there’s nonetheless extra to do to ensure that folks in all elements of the nation profit from that development, however because the normal election, after I grew to become chancellor, the economic system has grown by 1.2% and GDP per capita – so for each individual within the nation – GDP per capita is up by 0.7%.

So, encouraging numbers in the present day however, in fact, we have to construct on that to ensure folks in all elements of the nation are better-off.

Preparations have been below approach at 10 Downing Road this morning for the go to of Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Importantly, Larry the cat is prepared.

UK economic system posts shock 0.3% development in three months to June

Richard Partington

The UK economic system grew at a quicker charge than anticipated within the second quarter, official figures present, regardless of a slowdown from a powerful begin to the 12 months amid strain from tax will increase and Donald Trump’s world commerce battle.

Figures from the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics (ONS) confirmed development in gross home product slowed to 0.3% within the three months to the tip of June, down from a charge of 0.7% within the first quarter.

Though beating forecasts for a slowdown to 0.1% development made by Metropolis economists and the Financial institution of England, the most recent snapshot underscores the problem for the chancellor, Rachel Reeves, as she considers choices for enhancing the economic system and elevating revenues at her autumn price range.

Liz McKeown, an ONS director of financial statistics, mentioned:

Progress slowed within the second quarter after a powerful begin to the 12 months. The economic system was weak throughout April and Could, with some exercise having been introduced ahead to February and March forward of stamp responsibility and tariff adjustments, however then recovered strongly in June.

The newest snapshot confirmed the economic system grew at a quicker charge than anticipated in June of 0.4%, after two consecutive months of shrinking output. The ONS additionally revised its preliminary estimate for April’s GDP contraction from -0.3% to -0.1%.

Reeves mentioned the quarterly figures have been optimistic because it confirmed that Britain had recorded a powerful begin to the 12 months and continued development within the second quarter, “but there is more to do to deliver an economy that works for working people”.

Schooling secretary Bridget Phillipson has mentioned that the federal government has taken motion to assist universities, however that there’s extra to do, stories the PA information company.

Requested about universities’ monetary struggles, Phillipson advised Instances Radio:

I’ve made it a precedence to place our universities on a extra sustainable footing.

The motion that we’ve taken in turning across the regulator, the Workplace for College students, [has] rather more of a deal with universities’ monetary well being, but in addition the troublesome however essential determination that we took fairly early on as a authorities to extend tuition charges to ensure that universities have a extra secure funding stream into the long run.

There may be extra to do and afterward this 12 months we’ll be setting out our plans for post-16 schooling total, together with universities, by means of a white paper we’ll be publishing.

On worldwide college students, the schooling secretary mentioned they made an “important contribution” to the UK’s universities and economic system, and “will always be welcome in the UK”.

She added:

Additionally it is truthful to say that some establishments, their enterprise mannequin has allowed them to grow to be too depending on worldwide college students, and subsequently too open to any fluctuations that will occur round that.

Schooling secretary Bridget Phillipson has mentioned it’s a “day of celebration” for younger folks forward of A-level outcomes on Thursday.

Talking to Instances Radio, she mentioned:

I’ll simply begin by saying that it is a actually thrilling day for younger folks. They’ve labored actually onerous. They’ve had good assist from their academics and fogeys. It’s a day for celebration for our younger folks and there are many nice routes on the market.

College is one among them, however for younger people who find themselves contemplating different routes there are apprenticeships and loads of different alternatives out there too, and plenty of recommendation out there should you haven’t fairly acquired what you wanted, by means of Ucas and clearing, and likewise by means of the Nationwide Profession Service.

Requested concerning the drop in pupils selecting to check arts and languages at A-level, Phillipson advised Instances Radio:

I feel it’s a matter of private selection.

I do assume it’s a great factor that extra younger persons are finding out topics like maths. There are sometimes nice roots into careers. The identical is, in fact, true of topics like languages, and that was my private ardour.

However we, in fact, have a look at a few of these developments over time and maintain into account what among the causes could be that we see adjustments in topic selection.

Keir Starmer will probably be joined by the Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Downing Road on Thursday morning, as Europe braces for the end result of Donald Trump’s face-to-face discussions together with his Russian counterpart later this week.

The prime minister’s assembly with Zelenskyy comes after he mentioned Britain stood able to “increase pressure” on Russia if essential. In the meantime, Trump threatened Russia with “severe consequences” if a ceasefire was rejected by its chief.

Throughout a name with the US president and European allies on Wednesday, Starmer praised Trump for his work to convey ahead a “viable” probability of an finish to the battle.

Issues have been raised over Zelenskyy’s exclusion from the assembly between Trump and Putin, which is scheduled to happen in Alaska.

Talking on Wednesday, Starmer mentioned:

This assembly on Friday that President Trump is attending is vastly essential. As I’ve mentioned personally to President Trump for the three-and-a-bit years this battle has been occurring, we haven’t acquired anyplace close to a prospect of really a viable resolution, a viable approach of bringing it to a ceasefire.

And now we do have that probability due to the work of that the president has put in.

Starmer is scheduled to fulfill Zelenskyy at 9.30am.

Additionally in the present day, schooling secretary Bridget Phillipson has been on the morning media rounds as college students in England, Wales and Northern Eire acquired their A-level examination outcomes. Phillipson can be anticipated to go to Trafford School in Altrincham, Better Manchester. The shadow secretary of state for enterprise and commerce Andrew Griffith has been on the morning media rounds for the Conservatives. I’ll convey you any traces from them in a second.

However first, in different developments:

• The UK economic system grew at a quicker charge than anticipated within the second quarter, official figures present, regardless of a slowdown from a powerful begin to the 12 months amid strain from tax will increase and Donald Trump’s world commerce battle. Figures from the Workplace for Nationwide Statistics confirmed development in gross home product (GDP) slowed to 0.3% within the three months to the tip of June, down from a charge of 0.7% within the first quarter.

• Rachel Reeves has promised to make use of her autumn price range to prioritise fixing Britain’s dismal report on productiveness as she sought to downplay mounting tax hypothesis with a deal with financial development. Writing completely for the Guardian, she mentioned: “If Labour’s first year in power was about fixing the foundations, then the second year is about building a stronger economy for a renewed Britain.”

• David Lammy has referred himself to the surroundings watchdog after going fishing with JD Vance with out the required licence throughout the US vice-president’s journey to the UK. The overseas secretary hosted Vance and his household at Chevening Home in Kent final week, the place the pair fished from the property’s non-public lake. Anglers aged 13 and over should maintain a rod licence to fish for freshwater species resembling carp in England and Wales.

• The Scottish Greens should broaden their enchantment past middle-class urbanites by speaking to voters in industrial cities going through wholesale job losses, a Inexperienced management candidate says. Gillian Mackay is one among 4 Scottish Greens bidding to win two co-leader posts after Patrick Harvie, the UK’s longest-serving social gathering chief, give up as co-convener earlier this 12 months.