REEVES SAYS LABOUR HAS INHERITED ‘WORST SET OF CIRCUMSTANCES SINCE WWII’ AND MAKES NEW HOUSING TARGETS - LIVE

Key Points

• Key points from chancellor’s speech
• Starmer meets Welsh first minister as tour of UK continues
• Rachel Reeves says Labour has inherited ‘worst set of circumstances since WWII’
• Conservatives delete X account after landslide loss to Labour

Photo ID rule may have prevented 445,000 from voting in election, poll indicates

Some 445,000 voters may not have been issued with a ballot paper in the General Election because they did not have the correct identification, polling has suggested.

Of the 2,047 people surveyed by More In Common, 3.2% reported being turned away at least once because they lacked the necessary ID.

Extrapolated across the UK, this would equate to more than 850,000, according to the pollsters.

More than half of these people either gave up or returned and were still unable to vote.

The poll found that a third of people turned away had ID which was not on the list of valid ID, a quarter said the name on their ID was different from that listed on the electoral register, while 12% said they were told the picture on their ID did not match their appearance.

The data, co-ordinated by the Hope Not Hate campaign group, also suggested there was a disproportionate impact on ethnic minorities, who were more than twice as likely to be turned away than white voters.

It found that 6.5% of voters of colour said they were turned away, compared with 2.5% of white voters.

Keir Starmer will not appoint dedicated veterans’ minister sitting in cabinet

The new Labour government will not appoint a dedicated veterans’ minister sitting in the cabinet, it has been announced.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer announced 19 new ministerial appointments for his cabinet on Tuesday, which met for the first time at the weekend following Thursday’s landslide general election victory.

No 10 told The Independent that instead of a separate position, defence secretary John Healey would be representing veterans in the cabinet.

Keir Starmer will not appoint dedicated veterans’ minister sitting in cabinet

Health sec says ‘we’ve got a big job to do to fix the NHS'

Speaking to patients as he arrived at the clinic, Wes Streeting said: “We want to hear from staff who are getting stuff right, but we also want warts and all as well - so no polishing the brass before we turn up and all that.

“We want to hear honestly about the challenges as well because if you can’t be honest about the problems, you’re not going to have the right solutions, so we’ve got a big job to do in terms of fixing the front door to the NHS.”

One of the patients said to him: “We’re so glad Labour got in”, to which the Health Secretary replied: “Not as glad as I am.”

He was then shown around the clinic, asking questions about demand versus supply, listening to experiences and meeting doctors and patients.

Wes Streeing: ‘NHS in crisis'

Speaking to doctors and patients at a clinic in Abbey Wood, south-east London, Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: “One of the things Keir (Starmer) is really hot on, and the heart of Labour’s health mission, is the social determinants of ill health and recognising that there’s only so much that the NHS can do, even it’s working at the top of its game.

“And we know for all the reasons we are familiar with, it’s going through a real crisis at the moment. And it is things like housing, and heating, income, employment, skills, education, diet, nutrition and exercise, air quality - all of these things are having an enormous impact.

“And the thing that excites me about the way he’s approaching mission-driven government is it sets very clear goals on health outcomes that we will only be able to achieve if we pull every government department in to make a contribution to the health of the nation, as well as business, as well as civil society and charities and all of us as citizens as well.

“So I think there’s a real opportunity for us to have a serious long-term plan to improve the nation’s health and reduce health inequalities and improve health life expectancy.”

Starmer ‘concerned’ about areas Labour missed votes

Sir Keir Starmer has said he is “concerned” about the areas where his party was not able to secure votes.

Speaking to reporters in Wales on Monday, the Prime Minister was asked if he accepts there is a problem between the Labour Party and British Muslims, following a drop in vote share in areas with a high Muslim population.

He said: “Very many people voted Labour in that General Election who’ve never voted Labour before.

“We now hold seats in parts of the country that have never had a Labour MP, so this is an incredibly strong mandate.

“Of course, wherever we weren’t able to secure votes, I’m concerned about that.”

He added that where his party did not secure the votes it would work to “address that”.

Starmer insists Emily Thornberry has ‘big part to play’ in Labour

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted Emily Thornberry has a “big part to play” in Labour after she said she was “surprised” not to be given a ministerial job.

Speaking to reporters in Wales, the Prime Minister said: “I’m putting together a very strong team based on delivering.

“We got a very strong mandate at the general election, a mandate for change, a mandate for doing politics differently, and about service. That’s why I’m putting my team together.

“Emily Thornberry has been fantastic, she’s got a big part to play, as has every single one of my now 412 Labour MPs.

“But it’s very important that we demonstrate the progress we’re making, which is why I’ve been to Scotland, to Northern Ireland, and now to Wales to reset the relations.”

UK’s new defence minister forced to flee to bomb shelter during first trip to Ukraine

Britain’s new defence secretary was forced to take cover in a bomb shelter during his first trip to Ukraine since assuming the cabinet position.

John Healey, who was in the southern city of Odesa to hold meetings with Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky, presidential advisor Andriy Yermak and defence minister Rustem Umeriv, announced a new weapons package for Kyiv during his visit.

But he was forced to conclude his meeting in a bomb shelter after air raid sirens rang out in the southern city.

UK’s new defence minister flees to bomb shelter during first trip to Ukraine

Rachel Reeves orders civil servants to compile dossier on 14 years of Tory economic failure

Rachel Reeves has said Labour’s economic inheritance is the worst since the Second World War and ordered civil servants to compile a dossier on the state of the economy after 14 years of Conservative rule.

The chancellor said she had repeatedly warned about the dire state of the public finances during the general election, and “what I have seen in the past 72 hours has only confirmed that”.

“Our economy has been held back by decisions deferred and decisions delayed… political self-interest put ahead of the national interest,” Ms Reeves said at her first press conference as chancellor.

Archie Mitchell reports:

Reeves orders civil servants to compile dossier on 14 years of Tory economic failure

Starmer meets Welsh first minister as tour of UK continues

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived in Wales to meet their first minister Vaughan Gething as part of a two-day tour of the four nations of the UK.

The new prime minister arrived at the Senedd in Cardiff on Monday afternoon, hours after he made his first visit to Northern Ireland as PM.

He kicked off his tour in Edinburgh yesterday as he vows to push for an “immediate reset” of the relationships between Westminster and the devolved governments.

Rachel Reeves scraps Conservative’s ‘absurd’ onshore windfarm ban

Rachel Reeves has ditched the Conservative’s “absurd” onshore windfarm ban as she vowed to reboot the UK’s flatlining economy.

In one Labour’s first major shakeups since taking power, the party scrapped the de facto ban in England which has been in place since 2015.

Ms Reeves also said Labour would look at whether to class onshore wind as a nationally significant infrastructure – a move that would allow large farms to get planning approval more quickly.

Our Whitehall editor Kate Devlin has the full report:

Rachel Reeves scraps Conservative’s ‘absurd’ onshore windfarm ban

Full story: Conservatives delete X account after landslide loss to Labour

The Conservative Party has deleted its official account on X, formerly Twitter.

The removal came on Monday, a few days after the Tories suffered a landslide defeat to Labour in the general election.

Visitors to the page only saw an error message indicating that the account was no longer live. “Something went wrong,” read one of the messages.

The Conservatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from The Independent. The party does not yet appear to have commented on the deletion, or given any indication of whether the account will come back online.

My colleague Andrew Griffin has the full story:

The Tories just deleted their X account

In pictures: Rachel Reeves makes first speech as chancellor

Treasury minister on Labour’s ‘no money’ note: ‘Tories can’t afford notepaper’

Treasury minister Darren Jones has referred to the infamous “no money” note left by the last Labour government, joking that the Conservatives “can’t afford the notepaper”.

Conservative Party chairman Greg Hands, who lost his Chelsea and Fulham seat to Labour last week, built a reputation for sharing pictures of the note left by Labour minister Liam Byrne to his incoming Tory counterpart in 2010.

In the note left on his desk, Mr Byrne wrote: “Dear Chief Secretary, I’m afraid there is no money. Kind regards – and good luck! Liam”, which was used by subsequent Conservative administrations to suggest Labour could not be trusted with public finances.

Ahead of a speech by Chancellor Rachel Reeves, newly appointed Chief Secretary to the Treasury Mr Jones referred to the note, saying: “Well, there was no note in my drawer at all, so maybe they can’t afford the notepaper to write a note on… who knows?”

Watch: Farage set to be ‘Trump’s link to UK’ after Reform victory

Economy could have been ‘£140bn larger’ - Reeves

The economy would have been £140 billion larger if it had grown as it should with more money for public services, Rachel Reeves claimed.

Answering questions from reporters, the Chancellor said: “As the Treasury analysis that was presented to me this weekend shows, if the economy had grown at the average rate of OECD economies these last 14 years, our economy today would be £140 billion bigger, with £58 billion more for public services.

“That is why growth is so crucial, not just for driving up living standards but also for having the money for public services.”

Asked if Labour would revive the northern leg of HS2, Ms Reeves said: “On HS2, I was really clear in opposition that we are not going to make any promises without saying where the money is going to come from. That is not going to change now I am Chancellor of the Exchequer.

“I am not going to make any commitments without being able to say where the money is going to come from.”

Planning reform plans summary

Here’s what you need to know about the chancellor’s raft of housing reform plans announced today:

• Commitment to 1.5m homes being built in next five years

• Mandatory housing targets restored - local councils to still decide where these homes can be built

• Ministerial intervention into stalled planning application if necessary

• Lift on onshore wind ban

• New Taskforce and 300 additional planning officers

• No fault evictions to be banned to protect renters

Key points from chancellor speech

Here are the key points from Rachel Reeves’ first speech as chancellor:

• New government have inherited the ‘worst set of circumstances since the Second World War’

• National Policy Planning Framework to be updated - Ministerial intervention, restoration of mandatory housing targets, priority to energy projects and new taskforce to assist stalled projects.

• Ban on onshore wind farms to be lifted

• No increases in national insurance and the basic higher or additional rates of income tax or VAT

Conservative social media account removed

The Conservative Party’s X/Twitter account appears to have been removed.

As they recoup after a historic general election defeat, social media users visiting their profile are met with a message reading: “This account doesn’t exist”.

Starmer: We can get a better deal with EU than Johnson’s ‘botched’ one

Sir Keir Starmer has said he thinks that he can get a better deal with the EU than the “botched” deal agreed by Boris Johnson.

Asked if he wanted to see the whole of the UK interacting with the EU on the same basis, he said: “You are right to say we want to improve relations with the EU.

“We think we can get a better deal than the botched deal that Boris Johnston brought home and we will work on that, understanding the work that needs to be done and the nature of the challenge.

“In the meantime we do have to get on with implementing the important changes that are necessary under the existing arrangements we have got because we are not going to be able to get a better relationship unless we demonstrate a commitment to the relationship and the agreements that have already been put in place.”

PM condemns Russian attack on Kyiv children’s hospital

Sir Keir Starmer has condemned the Russian strike on a children’s hospital in Ukraine.

The new prime minister wrote on X: “Attacking innocent children. The most depraved of actions.

“We stand with Ukraine against Russian aggression - our support won’t falter.”

Up to nine people have been killed and dozens injured as Kyiv’s Ohmatdyt Children’s Hospital was reduced to rubble.

No answer on HS2

When asked whether the Labour government would commit to bringing HS2 to Yorkshire, Rachel Reeves said she would “not make any promises without saying where the money is going to come from”.

The conservatives axed the northern leg of HS2 - which was supposed to bring high speed rail connections between London, the Midlands and the North.

The project was a key part of ‘levelling up’ the north of England but has been plagued by delays and huge costs.

Rachel Reeves says Labour has inherited ‘worst set of circumstances since WWII’

Rachel Reeves says Labour has inherited ‘worst set of circumstances since WWII’ in the treasury as she makes her first speech as chancellor.

Speaking about the treasury she inherited from the precious Conservative government she said: “I have repeatedly warned that whoever won the General Election would inherit the worst set of circumstances since the Second World War.

“What I have seen in the past 72 hours has only confirmed thatthere is no money, our economy has been held back by decisions deferred and decisions ducked.”

Reform not ‘green light’ on any type of housing development

The Government is not giving a “green light” to any kind of housing development, Rachel Reeves said, as she insisted she wanted to see social and affordable homes built.

The Chancellor said the Government needed the private sector to build homes, telling the audience at her speech: “We are not going to be in the business of building those homes directly. We need the construction sector, the housebuilding sector, to build those homes.”

Ms Reeves added: “We are not going to let people off the hook, we want affordable housing and we want housing for social rent as well. That is an important part of the mix.

“So this is not a green light for any type of housing. We want… and I said in the speech that the deputy prime minister will take an interventionist approach to make sure that we have got the housing mix that our country needs, that our people need.”

Asked if she considered herself to be a Yimby (Yes in my back yard) she said she did “support development” and pointed to examples as a constituency MP.

Mandatory housing targets back so answer “cannot always be no"

Rachel Reeves has said she will bring back mandatory housing targets so the answer for new building projects “cannot always be no”.

She added that it was still up to local authorities to decide where housing is built but it must be built somewhere.

No fault evictions will also be scrapped for renters.

Government to make ‘tough’ and ‘hard choices’ to fix economy

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said the Government will make the “tough” and “hard choices” to fix the UK’s economy.

She said: “The question is not whether we want growth, but how strong is our resolve? How prepared are we to make the hard choices and face down the vested interests? How willing, even, to risk short-term political pain to fix Britain’s foundations?

“The story of the last 14 years has been a refusal to confront the tough and the responsible decisions that are demanded. This Government will be different and there is no time to waste.”

Britain is “a place to do business”, says Rachel Reeves

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has said “Britain is a place to do business” as she said Labour will not use their large majority to renege on their tax promises.

She said: “Over the weekend, I made clear to Treasury officials that the manifesto commitments that we were elected on will be kept safe and they will be delivered on. That includes robust fiscal rules and it includes our commitments to no increases in national insurance and the basic higher or additional rates of income tax or VAT.

“Now I know that there are some who will argue that the time for caution has passed. Who hold that the platform on which we were elected, the platform that the British people voted for last week, can now be simply forgotten. That we can toss aside those fiscal rules or renege on our tax pledges as a large majority in Parliament means we have the licence to roll back on the principles of sound money and economic responsibility.

“I know that many of you aren’t used to hearing this after recent years, but I believe that the promises that a party is elected on should be delivered on in Government and we will do so.”

She added: “To investors and businesses who spent 14 years doubting whether Britain is a safe place to invest. Then let me tell you, after 14 years, Britain has a stable Government. A Government that respects business, wants to partner with business and is open for business. In an uncertain world, Britain is a place to do business.”

Ministers to prioritise decisions on delayed infrastructure project

“Sixth - as well as unlocking new housing, we will also reform the planning system to deliver the infrastructure our country needs,” Rachel Reeves continued.

She said the government will ask the transport and energy minister to prioritise decisions on infrastructure projects that have been sitting unresolved

She concluded her planning reform plans by saying the government would be setting out “new policy intentions within the year”.

She added: “With these steps we have done more to unblock the planning system in the past 72 hours than the last government did in 14 years.”

“Be in no doubt were are going to get Britain building again.”

Ministers to intervene on planning applications - Reeves

“Fourth - we will also support local authorities with 300 additional planning officers across the country.

“Fifth - if we are to put growth at the centre of our planning system that means changes not only to system itself but to the way ministers can use our powers for direct intervention.

“The Deputy prime minister has said that when she intervenes in the economic planning system the benefit of development will be a central consideration that she will not hesitate to review an application where the potential gain for the regional and national economies warrant it.”

She added that she has recovered two planning appeals already.

Planning reform continued - Rachel Reeves

“Second - we will give priority to eneergy projects in the system to ensure that they make swift progress and we will build on the spatial plan for energy by expanding this to other infrastrucure sectors.

“Third - We will create a new Taskforce to accelerate stalled housing sites in our country. Beginning with Liverpool Central Docks, Worcester Parkway and Langley Sutton Coldfield.”

Planning reform - Rachel Reeves

Rachel Reeves has laid out planning reform in her first speech as chancellor.

She said she had discussed how to get rid of the “years of red rape” with Sir Keir Starmer over the weekend to give the system a “new signal”.

She said: “First we will reform the national planning policy framework, consulting on a new growth focused approach to the planning system before the end of the month including restoring mandatory housing targets.

“And as of today we are ending the absurd plan on new onshore wind in England. We will also go further and consult on bringing onshore wind back into the national infrastructure - meaning decisions on large developments will be made nationally not locally.”

New ministerial appointments

Sir Keir Starmer has released a raft of ministerial appointments.

Bridget Phillipson has been made Minister for Women and Equalities in addition to her role as Education Secretary.

The following ministerial appointments have also been confirmed:

Anneliese Dodds MP as a Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and as a Minister of State (Minister for Women and Equalities) in the Department for Education. Ms Dodds will attend Cabinet.

Rt Hon Nick Thomas–Symonds MP as Paymaster General and Minister for the Cabinet Office (Minister for the Constitution and European Relations) in the Cabinet Office.

Lord Livermore as Financial Secretary to the Treasury.

Stephen Doughty MP as a Minister of State in the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.

Dame Angela Eagle DBE MP as a Minister of State in the Home Office.

Rt Hon Dame Diana Johnson DBE MP as a Minister of State in the Home Office.

Lord Coaker as a Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence.

Rt Hon Maria Eagle MP as a Minister of State in the Ministry of Defence.

Heidi Alexander MP as a Minister of State in the Ministry of Justice.

Karin Smyth MP as a Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care.

Stephen Kinnock MP as a Minister of State in the Department of Health and Social Care.

Catherine McKinnell MP as a Minister of State in the Department for Education.

Sarah Jones MP as a Minister of State in the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero and the Department for Business and Trade.

Alison McGovern MP as a Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Rt Hon Sir Stephen Timms MP as a Minister of State in the Department for Work and Pensions.

Sir Chris Bryant MP as a Minister of State in the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology and the Department for Culture, Media and Sports.

Lord Hendy of Richmond Hill CBE as a Minister of State in the Department for Transport.

Daniel Zeichner MP as a Minister of State in the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

Economic plans rely on ‘three pillars’

Rachel Reeves has said Labour’s economic plans will rely on the three pillars of “stability, investment and reform.”

She insisted the pledges in the Labour manifesto will be delivered.

Reeves to present assessment of Treasury

Rachel Reeves has said she will present an assessment of the state of the treasury before summer recess.

In her first speech as chancellor, she said this would be separate from the official budget in which she will finalise the date soon.

Rachel Reeves begins speech

Rachel Reeves has begun her first speech as chancellor.

She is speaking to business chiefs in London as she sets out the “difficult decisions” she is going to make in her first days in office to kickstart the economy.

No ‘quick fix’ for prisons - Home Secretary

Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said there is not going to be a “quick fix” to the problem of overcrowding in prisons and that the new Labour Government has to deal with the legacy the Tories have left behind.

She sidestepped a question on whether the Prime Minister was considering lowering the automatic release point from the 50% mark to ease the issue of overcrowding in prisons.

Speaking after meeting police officers in Lewisham, she said: “I’m extremely concerned with the legacy that the Conservatives have left us with on prisons. It seems to have been a complete scorched earth policy in which they have failed to build the prisons that we need.

“They have allowed the number of remand prisoners, of people waiting for trial to increase because of the chaos and the backlog in the criminal justice system.

“All of those things are going to need to be addressed and to be fixed, and the Prime Minister has said there isn’t going to be a quick fix, but we’re going to have to deal with the legacy that we inherit.

“But I think it’s been totally irresponsible, the way the Conservatives have handled this for not just recent months, but in fact, for years. It’s deeply, deeply damaging what they have done, and we are going to have to look at what it is we now inherit.”

Rachel Reeves to begin speech shortly

Rachel Reeves is about to begin her first speech as chancellor.

She will set out to the nation the “difficult decisions” she will make to kickstart economic growth and is expected to announce reform to the housing planning system - including the potential return of compulsory building targets,

Watch: Kwasi Kwarteng refuses to rule out Tory comeback from himself or Liz Truss

Sinn Fein president ‘constructive’ meeting with Starmer

Sinn Fein president Mary Lou McDonald said her party had a “very constructive, very friendly” meeting with Sir Keir Starmer at Stormont.

Accompanied by Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Ms McDonald said: “We have discussed with him all of the issues of concern and also the opportunities that now present themselves.

“Clearly the issues around the financial sustainability of the north, the financing of public services is a matter of concern for all of us.

“Issues around the legacy legislation. We very much welcome the commitment to repeal that.

“We also welcome the very firm assurances in respect of Casement Park and we expect to see progress on that matter in the near future.”

Lammy hosts Canadian counterpart in first home engagement as Foreign Secretary

David Lammy has met his Canadian counterpart, in the first engagement he has hosted as Foreign Secretary.

Mr Lammy met with Melanie Joly, Canada’s minister of foreign affairs, on Monday morning.

“Can I thank you so much for being my first official visitor as Foreign Secretary here in the UK,” he said.

“I have known Canada all of my life, it is a country I love, I have family in Canada, so this means the world to me.”

Mr Lammy stressed the two nations had “the closest of relationships” and said he and Ms Joly had got to know each other while he was serving as shadow foreign secretary.

The Canadian foreign minister congratulated Mr Lammy and Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on their election victory.

Ms Joly added: “Now we have lots to do together. We definitely need to have a strong relationship between Canada and the UK, which is a historic one which we can deepen.”

She also stressed the need for the UK and Canada to work together to support Ukraine, to broker a peace deal in the Middle East, and to quell tensions in the Indo-Pacific.

Watch: Starmer meets with O’Neill and Little-Pengelly on first visit to Northern Ireland as PM

Scotland’s Deputy First Minister has said the meeting between Sir Keir Starmer and First Minister John Swinney was positive and that it feels like there’s a ‘palpable change’ with the new government.

Kate Forbes told BBC Radio 4: “It was a very positive meeting and there’s a palpable change, I think, that we might see a new collaborative relationship form.

“Bear in mind we’ve been in government through the last years of the Gordon Brown administration in to David Cameron and we’ve seen what a good relationship looks like.”

Former Tory minister claims there was ‘little appetite’ for Labour at general election

A former Tory minister has suggested there was “little appetite” for a Labour government at the general election.

Kevin Hollinrake, the former postal affairs minister, told Good Morning Britain that the Conservatives will be “in good shape” to challenge Sir Keir Starmer come 2029.

“One very good thing for us, in terms of the result from last week, was that there was very little appetite for a Labour government,” he said.

“There is very little appetite for Keir Starmer.”

GMB host Susanna Reid suggested Mr Hollinrake’s claim was “remarkable” as she pointed out Labour won a huge landslide.

Watch: Former Tory minister claims there is ‘little appetite’ for Labour government

Starmer discusses Gaza and immigration in Northern Ireland

The leader of Sinn Fein Mary Lou McDonald is speaking following her meeting with Sir Keir Starmer in Belfast.

She told reporters that they spoke on a range of topics including funding, the crisis in Gaza and immigration.

What to expect from Rachel Reeves speech?

Rachel Reeves is about to begin her first speech as chancellor as she pledges to take “difficult decisions” to reverse £140bn Tory black hole.

The UK’s first female chancellor in 803 years of the office existing, is set to deliver a speech to business leaders from some of Britain’s most pioneering industries – including its financial services and green industries – in central London.

She will likely set out Labour’s first steps in their housing pledge which sought to reform the planning system.

Treasury minister denies secret Labour tax plan

Treasury minister Darren Jones has denied Labour has a “secret tax plan”, and said Chancellor Rachel Reeves will be announcing “radical” and “immediate” interventions to stimulate economic growth.

He told Good Morning Britain: “We can’t keep dipping into recession and bumping along the bottom, which is what you’re going to hear from the Chancellor today. It’s a pretty radical, strong, immediate intervention to kick-start growth in the economy, as well as recognising that it will take some time for that to come through the system.”

On Labour not ruling out raising tax beyond VAT, national insurance and income tax, Mr Jones said: “There is not a secret tax plan. This was an attack from the Conservatives. It is not a reflection of reality.

“Our manifesto commitments, our priorities that we’re now implementing, our first six steps and our missions are funded with the loophole changes that were in the back of the manifesto that people voted for last Thursday.”

Sir Keir Starmer has arrived at Parliament Buildings at Stormont following his meeting with Northern Ireland’s political leaders at nearby Stormont Castle.

He was greeted at the foot of the steps of the landmark building by Assembly speaker Edwin Poots.

Sir Keir was accompanied by Northern Ireland Secretary Hilary Benn.

Four pro-Palestine protesters shouted and waved Palestine flags as the Prime Minister arrived.

Rachel Reeves to make first speech as chancellor

Rachel Reeves is set to make her first speech as chancellor this morning as she vows to take “difficult decisions” to kickstart economic growth.

She will tell business chiefs in London that making economic growth will be a “national mission” with major changes to speed up infrastructure projects and unlock private investment.

Speaking in London, Ms Reeves will tell business chiefs: “Where governments have been unwilling to take the difficult decisions to deliver growth – or have waited too long to act – I will deliver.

“It is now a national mission. There is no time to waste.”

The manifesto pledged to “immediately” update the National Policy Planning Framework to undo changes made by the Conservatives, including restoring mandatory housing targets.

The party also plans to allow building on some greenbelt land, promising to take a “more strategic approach” to “build more homes in the right places”.

Ms Reeves has previously branded the planning system “the greatest single obstacle” to economic success.She will set out the steps the Government has taken to “fix the foundations of our economy, so we can rebuild Britain and make every part of our country better off”.

Minister pushes ‘strength and growth’ of economy as Labour priority

Stimulating “strength and growth” in the economy is Labour’s “first and most important mission”, Treasury minister Darren Jones has said.

He told Sky News: “This isn’t just one speech on day one of the Labour Government, this is our first and most important mission, it underpins all of our delivery priorities.

“And there’s going to be a consistent drive right from those of us in the centre of Government all the way through the country, in what we hope is now a national mission, to be able to find great jobs, get to work, improve pay, make profits, invest and build across the country, and get the UK back to where it needs to be.”

When pressed about raising taxes not specifically mentioned in the party’s manifesto Mr Jones said: “We were very clear that the burden of tax on the British people is too high and we want that to come down.

“But of course the route to sustainable public finances is to get growth back into the economy, which is why the Chancellor’s first intervention today isn’t to say ‘look how awful is everything and what a mess the Conservatives left’, even though they did leave a historic mess.”

Referencing a note left by the last Labour government for the incoming Conservative government that there was “no money left” he added: “Well there was no note in my drawer at all, so maybe they can’t afford the note paper to write a note on, who knows.”