Kemi Badenoch defends budget speech attack on Rachel Reeves, saying ‘she started it’ – UK politics live
Conservative leader said the chancellor acts ‘like she’s still at school’ and claimed that her speech was reactive
Labour MPs have said they believe Keir Starmer’s leadership is safe until at least the May elections, after a budget that avoided any major damaging measures but which few MPs believe will revive the party’s fortunes, Jessica Elgot and Pippa Crerar report.
Richard Burgon, a leftwing Labour MP, has said that he is worried the U-turn on the employment rights bill could lead to the business lobby demanding further concessions. In a statement on social media, he said:
The removal of day one rights on unfair dismissal is bad enough in itself – and a clear breach of the manifesto commitment.
But big business and the powerful anti-workers’ rights brigade will have scented blood and they’ll now be pushing to dilute this legislation further.