Andy Burnham is set to make a key speech to the Labour conference this afternoon amid a growing row over reports he could scrap the state pension triple lock.
The prime minister called an emergency cabinet meeting at the conference in Liverpool this morning, following suggestions he may use his address to tell party members the policy should be ended to help fund social care.
The reports have been met with a mixed reaction in the Labour ranks. Sharon Graham, the general secretary of the Unite union, told The Times removing the triple lock would be “electoral suicide” and “morally wrong”.
The prime minister has also been dealt a blow by a shock YouGov survey, which suggests Reform UK have jumped back above Labour in the polls.
Mr Burnham is expected to lay out a broad plan for his national care service, details on defence spending, and to announce plans to set up a new publicly owned “Great British Grid” in a bid to bring UK energy costs down during his speech.
Burnham to take to the stage as major speech threatens to divide members over triple lock reports
The Independent’s political reporter Athena Stavrou writes:
It’s 15 minutes to go until Andy Burnham delivers his first speech as prime minister at the Labour Party conference.
Long queues have formed all the way to the back of the exhibition hall outside the main arena, as members try to secure a seat to watch the major speech.
But reports today suggesting the prime minister could commit to scrapping the triple lock on pensions are threatening to divide the party.
Some members will be pleased to see Mr Burnham, who has been criticised for handing out too much in his first weeks as prime minister, is committed to taking tough decisions in order to fulfil his promises.
But others will be concerned the move could put pensioners at risk of poverty and alienate part of Labour’s voter base, with Sharon Graham, the general secretary of the Unite union, calling it “electoral suicide” and “morally wrong”.
Cabinet told PM will be making 'dramatic' announcements
The Independent’s political editor David Maddox writes:
The Independent has been told Andy Burnham will be "making dramatic announcements" in his conference speech at 2pm.
Mr Burnham surprised ministers by holding an extraordinary cabinet meeting this morning to go through his speech.
"He did not just want us sitting there thinking 'oh my goodness he has said something big there'," one minister said.
"He is going to make some big and dramatic announcements. This is not going to be a normal leader's speech "
A cabinet minister said: "This a PM with a political agenda who is not afraid to make the big calls "
They added: "He gathered us because he does not see his cabinet as an inconvenience and thought he needed to let us know which direction he wants to take this country and what he will be saying."
'We have to look at state pension', minister says
Wales secretary Stephen Kinnock has said the government “has to look at the role of the station pension”.
It comes amid reports Andy Burnham is considering ending the state pension triple lock in order to fund reforms to social care.
Mr Kinnock told the BBC’s Politics Live programme that UK’s finances: “are in a very very difficult position.”
"We have got to look at the role of the state pension in that alongside things like the welfare bill,” he added.
Every policy pledge Burnham has made since becoming prime minister
Little more than two months after becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham will deliver his first speech at the Labour conference as the party’s leader later this afternoon.
The start of the former Manchester mayor’s premiership has been marked by a flurry of policy announcements, as he looks to show a clear departure from his predecessor.
You can read every police pledge the prime minister has made so far here:
Creasy urges the left to 'join the dots' on immigration
Stella Creasy has urged the left to "join the dots" on immigration, warning that cuts to international aid are fuelling the problem.
"I want to stop the boats. I don't want anyone to suggest anything else", she said. "But to stop the boats, it's often necessary to stop the conflict."
Ms Creasy said she is "concerned about wide-scale cuts in funding, for example international aid", continuing: "On the left, we need to do the joint dots.
"If you think about national security, there's a reason why China is investing heavily in international aid."
Rejoining EU would require a referendum, Hilary Benn says
Former Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn has told a fringe event that rejoining the EU would require another referendum.
When asked whether he would support Labour including a pledge to rejoin in their next manifesto, he said: “My personal view is rejoining would need a referendum.”
There has been much speculation about Labour’s approach to the EU in their next general election manifesto throughout the conference.
Yesterday, senior Labour backbencher Stella Creasy, chair of the Labour Movement for Europe, called for the party to put a “clear commitment” in its next general election manifesto for the government to “negotiate what rejoining [the European Union] looks like”.
Rayner unveils new powers to tackle homelessness
The housing minister has just unveiled more powers for local leaders to tackle homelessness.
Ending rough sleeping has been a major policy commitment from Andy Burnham, who has pledged to end it by Christmas.
Angela Rayner told the Labour Party conference that local leaders will be handed more powers to “ensure that they have the homes that their communities need”.
“Our councils will be able to refer local homeless households to other social housing providers to reduce reliance on temporary accommodation,” she said.
She also said it will stop social homes from being lost when providers sell them by making it easier for councils to buy them.
Ms Rayner added that Labour will introduce a new duty on public services to work together to provide a “wraparound support to prevent homelessness before families reach crisis point”.
Rayner attacks Farage and his: 'crypto-billionaire sugar daddies'
Angela Rayner has told the Labour party conference that Reform UK leader Nigel Farage isn't standing up to “vested interests”.
The Reform party leader has come under intense scrutiny in recent weeks over a £5 million gift from crypto billionaire party donor Christopher Harborne.
She asks if Mr Farage’s: “Crypto billionaire sugar daddies are giving him millions because he's standing up for the working people of Britain?”
“Give me a break,” she adds.
Referencing the Reform leader’s Cameo page, where users could pay for a personal message from him, she asks: "If he will sing you a happy birthday song for 70 quid, what would he do for 70 million?"
We wouldn't be in government without you, Rayner tells party members
Angela Rayner has started her speech at the Labour conference.
She acknowledged support she received from Labour members during her time out of government.
The housing and communities minister was met with huge applause and a standing ovation as she took to the podium.
She resigned from Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet in September last year amid questions over her tax affairs, before being brought back into government by Andy Burnham.
Speaking at the Labour Party conference on Tuesday, she said: “Your work got us into government. We wouldn't be here without you, and I certainly wouldn't be here without you.”She added:
“The support received from so many people here over the last year has meant so much to me.”
Angela Rayner to speak at Labour Conference shortly
Up next on the Labour conference stage, it’s Angela Rayner.
The housing secretary is due to speak to delegates in Liverpool at around 11:40am.
Ms Rayner has already been speaking to media this morning, and earlier said she thought Andy Burnham was “brave”, as he reportedly considers ending the state pension triple lock to fund his ambitious social care plans.