Flight evacuating British nationals from Israel has departed, says Foreign Office – UK politics live

The assisted dying bill has had its first reading in the House of Lords on Monday, after passing the Commons on Friday. The first reading does not include any debate - the name of the bill is read out in the Chamber and it will be at the bill’s second reading that peers get a chance to debate the bill for the first time. Oppponents of the bill have vowed to attempt to use procedural devices to block it. If it does not pass through the Lords by next May, it will likely fall as the end of the parliamentary session. The Labour peer Charlie Falconer, who is expected to take the lead on the legislation in the House of Lords has said he expects the bill to pass. He introduced a similar bill in 2014 for which the Lords voted in favour, though there have been many new peers created as well as departures. Downing Street said “around 1,000” people had requested a seat on an evacuation flight, a quarter of the 4,000 who had registered their presence in Israel or Palestine with the Foreign Office. One British national has been injured in Israel during missile attacks by Iran, Lammy told MPs earlier. In a statement to the Commons, the foreign secretary said: “This is a perilous moment in the Middle East, waves of strikes between Israel and Iran have now lasted for 10 days, continuing overnight. “I know the whole House will have in their thoughts the many civilians impacted by the fighting. I can confirm today, this includes one British national, injured in Israel. We’ve reached out to offer consular support.” The UK’s foreign, commonwealth and development Office (FCDO) has updated its travel advice for Qatar to recommend British nationals in the Gulf state “shelter in place”. In an update to the page, the FCDO said: “Following a US security alert for US nationals in Qatar, out of an abundance of caution, we recommend that British nationals in Qatar shelter in place until further notice. Follow instructions from local authorities. “The FCDO is in contact with local authorities and international partners, and will provide further updates as the situation develops.” More than 4,000 British nationals have “registered their interests” following a UK Government appeal, David Lammy said. Conservative shadow foreign secretary Dame Priti Patel told the Commons: “British nationals and dual-nationals continue to be stranded in Israel and the Middle East due to airspace closures. Now, I’ve written to the Foreign Secretary about this matter and note the progress with today’s flight, and I do want to thank the Foreign Office for the work they’ve been doing with many families who I’ve been in touch with as well, who have been able to get on that flight today. “So, can the Foreign Secretary tell us how many British nationals may need to be repatriated?” Dame Priti later added: “Why does it seem that the US and other European countries were ahead of us in their operational planning to bring back their citizens?” Responding, the foreign secretary said: “There are just over 4,000 British nationals that have registered their interests following our appeal last week, and we would estimate that somewhere between 15-25% of them indicate – this is following a pattern in previous crises in Israel and in the region – take up the offer of British assistance to leave. “As she knows, the airspace has been closed and so that offer up until this point was about getting them to the border, but I’m very pleased that that flight has landed and taken off. We hope to work with the Israeli government on further flights in the area.” Force protection in the Middle East “is at its highest levels”, David Lammy told the Commons. He said: “My message for Tehran was clear, take the off ramp, dial this thing down, and negotiate with the United States seriously and immediately. “The alternative is an even more destructive and far-reaching conflict, which could have unpredictable consequences. “The situation presents serious risk to British interests in the region, having moved in additional assets on a precautionary basis, force protection is at its highest levels. Be in no doubt, we are prepared to defend our personnel, our assets and those of our allies and partners. “We are closely monitoring how energy markets are responding to the conflict, and we have been extremely clear with the Iranians, any action to blockade the Strait of Hormuz would be a monumental act of economic self-harm, making a diplomatic solution even harder.” The foreign secretary also said the government recommends “that British nationals in Qatar shelter in place until further notice”. David Lammy earlier confirmed that the RAF has evacuated 63 British nationals from Israel. He also urged British nationals to register with the Foreign Office, and said further updates would be sent to them. The government has withdrawn staff from its embassy in Iran, David Lammy told MPs. Staff were evacuated from the centre in the capital Tehran on Friday, and the embassy is now operating “remotely”, Lammy said, adding it was a temporary move. The foreign secretary said: “Our ability to support British nationals still in Iran is extremely limited. “The House will know the Foreign Office has advised against travel to Iran since 2019. Those seeking to cross through its land crossings can contact the FCDO for assistance. An RAF flight for vulnerable British nationals and their families left Tel Aviv for Cyprus earlier on Monday. Further flights will be arranged based on “demand and the latest security situation”. Foreign secretary David Lammy said the government was “working round the clock” to secure more flights The home secretary has said she will ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws, ignoring a warning from the group’s solicitors that the proposal was “unlawful, dangerous and ill thought out”. Yvette Cooper said a draft proscription order would be laid in parliament on 30 June. The Green party of England and Wales MP Ellie Chowns described the plans as as “a shocking overreaction to a couple of protesters using paint” Lammy has been criticised after repeatedly refusing to say whether the UK government believes the US acted legally when it carried out strikes on nuclear facilities in Iran. Asked on the BBC Radio 4 programme if the airstrikes were legal, Lammy said three times it was for Washington to answer such questions. Former foreign secretary and Conservative MP James Cleverly described the exchanges as “excruitiating”. Chancellor Rachel Reeves, armed forces minister Luke Pollard, and a Downing Street spokesperson all similarly said it was a matter for the US First minister of Scotland John Swinney has said he is “concerned” the UK could be drawn into the escalating conflict in the Middle East The government is to slash green levies on thousands of businesses, in an effort to bring down sky-high energy costs for firms and boost the manufacturing sector in Labour heartlands, a key plank of the long-awaited industrial strategy, a 10-year plan to boost sectors ranging from the creative industries to manufacturing Health secretar Wes Streeting has launched a national investigation into “systemic” failures in NHS maternity services in England, saying “maternity units are failing, hospitals are failing, trusts are failing, regulators are failing” and there was “too much passing the buck” Nigel Farage outlined a Reform UK policy which he said would attract wealthy individuals to the UK by charging them a £250,000 fee for 10 years of residency and a special tax regime. Reeves described it as a “huge tax giveaway to foreign billionaires” and “worse than a gimmick” Kemi Badenoch has said that the Conservatives she leads are the “adults in the room” in British politics, as she sought to put distance between her party and Farage’s Reform UK vehicle, who she derided as “not serious” King Charles has met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Windsor Castle That is it from me Martin Belam for today. All being well I should be with you again tomorrow. I am handing the blog over to Nadeem Badshah now. An RAF flight for vulnerable British nationals and their families left Tel Aviv for Cyprus earlier on Monday, PA Media reports the Foreign Office said. Further flights will be arranged based on “demand and the latest security situation”. Foreign secretary David Lammy said: “Throughout the crisis, the safety of British Nationals in the region has been our top priority. That is why the UK Government is working with the Israeli authorities to arrange RAF and charter flights to help those wanting to leave.” “Today’s flight will bring British nationals and their dependents safely back to the UK. While the situation in the Middle East remains volatile, we are working around the clock to secure more flights and bring more people home.” The Government used an RAF A-400M aircraft for the flight from Tel Aviv to Cyprus – with passengers due to transfer on to a civilian charter aircraft for the onwards journey to the UK this afternoon. British nationals still in Israel are being urged to register their presence with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. An Executive decision to proceed with the A5 road upgrade has been quashed at the high court in Belfast. Mr Justice McAlinden told the court that he was aware his ruling would bring “fresh anguish” to the families of those who had lost loved ones on the road, but he said the proposed scheme breached elements of the Climate Change Act 2022. Infrastructure minister Liz Kimmins (Sinn Féin) said it was an “extremely disappointing day”. The Northern Ireland Executive gave the green light for the long-awaited upgrade to the A5 in October. There have been more than 50 deaths on the A5, which links Derry with Aughnacloy in Co Tyrone, since 2006. Posting to social media, Jim Allister, leader of the Traditional Unionist Voice party and MP for North Antrim, said “Many of those politicians lamenting this outcome should reflect on their own folly in voting through the Climate Change Act and its absurd targets and demands.” The SDLP MP for Foyle, Colum Eastwood, described the project proposal as “one of the most important infrastructure projects on this island by any measure” and said he was “so disappointed for people who have lost loved ones on that road today.” Reuters has a quick snap that the Foreign Office has said a flight evacuating British nationals from Israel has departed. Foreign secretary David Lammy said further flights would follow in the coming days. More details soon … Tracy Brabin, the mayor of West Yorkshire, has said she welcomed Wes Streeting’s announcement of an investigation into maternity services in England. The former Batley and Spen MP, who has held the post of mayor since it was created in 2021, said in a post to social media “I welcome this urgent inquiry from Wes Streeting to ensure pregnant women and babies always receive the best possible care. Where families have been failed, answers must be forthcoming. I have met with Leeds hospitals and will hold them to account on their plan to improve.” Kemi Badenoch has said that the Conservatives she leads are the “adults in the room” in British politics, as she sought to put distance between her party and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK vehicle, who she derided as “not serious”. Speaking at a Policy Exchange event We are not Reform, and we will never be Reform. Reform is a party that tells people whatever it is they want to hear to get elected. That is how we got ourselves into the mess we are in now. We said we were going to do things and then we didn’t deliver them, because we had not thought about how we would do so and what the consequences would be, immigration being a classic example, where it was just something we’d work out later. And you look at the things [Reform UK] are promising, unworkable policies. They want to increase the child benefit cap. They want to nationalise steel … they want to raise the personal allowance to £20,000. They haven’t figured out how to pay for all of it. This is not serious. Somebody has to be the adult in the room. We are the adults in the room, and sometimes it is not popular to be the adults in the room. Sometimes, you know, people only want to hear about how we’re going to have candy and sweets. That’s not what we’re going to do. We’re going to have a plan to fix so many of these things. Badenoch, who is MP for North West Essex, was a government minister under both Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak, from September 2022 until July 2024. Haroon Siddique is the Guardian’s legal affairs correspondent, and has this report on the government’s decision to ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws Home secretary Yvette Cooper said a draft proscription order would be laid in parliament on 30 June. If passed, it would make it illegal to be a member of, or invite support for, Palestine Action. The group, founded in 2020, says it aims to prevent the commission of genocide and war crimes in Palestine and to expose and target property and premises connected to such crimes against humanity. Many of its activists have been acquitted by juries in the past and a letter from Kellys Solicitors, representing Palestine Action, sent to Cooper on Monday said the group “has gathered a significant level of public support”. The letter to Cooper from Kellys, shared exclusively with the Guardian, said there were no previous instances of direct action protest organisations being proscribed under the Terrorism Act 2000, despite several others having used comparable methods to Palestine Action, and that it was a “terrifying precedent” to place it alongside groups such as Islamic State, al-Qaida or National Action. It said: “Whilst some actions of those associated with Palestine Action have involved damage to property, activists do not advocate or intend unlawful violence against the person. A significant number of actions associated with Palestine Action have used entirely conventional campaigning methods such as marches, rallies and demos. It is an authoritarian turn and an abuse of language to label them as a ‘terrorist’ organisation … “The proposal to proscribe Palestine Action is wholly unprecedented and constitutes an unlawful, dangerous and ill-thought-out attack on freedom of expression and assembly.” My colleague Jasper Jolly has produced this explainer on the industrial strategy document published by the government today. Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss how Keir Starmer’s government is responding to the US president’s decision to launch attacks on Iranian nuclear sites in Politics Weekly UK, which you can listen to here. Kemi Badenoch has taken aim at the assisted dying bill again. This time, the Tory leader is upset about the way the bill is moving through parliament, saying it is “thoughtless” and driven by narcissism at a Policy Exchange event. I have always been a supporter of assisted dying in principle. I had a great-aunt who died in the most horrific way … but you look at the way that this bill has been drafted, rushed through, the way the committees have been selected, the dropping of the safeguards, and it’s all done in such a way just to shove things through and in a thoughtless manner. There is too much thoughtlessness in our legislative procedure. There are too many people who are creating laws so they can put something on social media and say ‘I did this’, rather than look at the ramifications of what the legislation that they’re putting through are going to have.” Earlier in June, MPs voted 314 to 291 in favour of allowing adults with a terminal illness and less than six months left to live to receive medical assistance to end their lives. Badenoch also had it in for net zero, “a 90-minute debate that has cost us hundreds of billions of pounds, and nobody even had a chance to vote on it,” she says, adding that she wishes she were in show business rather than politics. “How do I get myself on TV?” she asked. Well, in November, she might have her chance to follow in Edwina Curry and Matt Hancock’s footsteps when I’m a Celebrity … Get Me Out of Here! returns to our screens. First minister of Scotland John Swinney has said he is “concerned” the UK could be drawn into the escalating conflict in the Middle East. Speaking during a visit to a school in Glasgow on Monday, Swinney urged the international community to find a resolution. “I share the concerns of Scots about the events in Iran over the weekend,” he said. “To wake up to what we woke up to yesterday morning is very, very frightening and alarming, and I don’t think any of us should underestimate the significance and the severity of the situation that we face.” He added: “That’s why I have made a strong plea for every resource of the international community to be deployed to de-escalate the situation and to get the world to step back from the brink.” Swinney encouraged the UK government to “put all of their weight” behind diplomatic efforts to stem the conflict. Asked if he was concerned about British involvement in the conflict, he said: “There’s obviously the potential for this to have very wide-ranging implications, and they could involve the UK. So, of course, I’m concerned about that point. “I think we need to step back, to find a negotiated settlement to the issues that have been raised and to avoid any further escalation, which will simply increase the severity and the significance of the dangers that we all face.” King Charles has met Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy at Windsor Castle, PA reports. Charles welcomed Zelenskyy to an audience on Monday before the Ukrainian president’s afternoon meeting with prime minister Keir Starmer in London. The pair were pictured chatting as they made their way through the castle and shaking hands in the Grand Corridor. The Green party of England and Wales MP Ellie Chowns had earlier expressed concern over the government’s threat to ban Palestine Action using terrorism legislation. She described the move, now confirmed by home secretary Yvette Cooper, as “a shocking overreaction to a couple of protesters using paint” about which she was “deeply concerned”. Earlier chancellor Rachel Reeeves defended the plans, saying “What I would say about Palestine Action is that their behaviours in the last few weeks, and particularly in the last few days, are totally unacceptable. To cause damage to military assets, but also to cause such damage to privately owned assets, it is unacceptable whatever your views are on what’s happening in the Middle East.” Downing Street had said Palestine Action had committed what it called “unacceptable actions that risk our security”, adding: “We keep the list of proscribed organisations under constant review.” The government has said it will ban Palestine Action under anti-terrorism laws, making it a criminal offence to belong to the pro-Palestinian campaign group which last week damaged two UK military planes in a protest. Home secretary Yvette Cooper said in a statement that the draft proscription order will be laid before parliament on 30 June and would become law after it goes through the parliamentary process. Two members of the group entered a Royal Air Force base on Friday, spraying paint into the engines of the Voyager aircraft and further damaging them with crowbars. Police have claimed Palestine Action’s members have caused millions of pounds of criminal damage. A protest was due to be held at Westminster today over the prospect of a banning order. It was moved to Trafalgar Square, and PA Media is reporting there have been clashes between demonstrators and the police. More details soon … Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch is currently speaking at a Policy Exchange event. You can watch it here if you would like. A Number 10 spokesperson has just given a briefing, with PA Media reporting that much of the focus was on questions about the US strikes on Iran. Downing Street said preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons is a “good thing” for the UK. The spokesperson said “We’re clear that the prevention of Iran getting nuclear weapons is a good thing for this country. But our focus is on diplomacy. That is the priority and that is what every member of this government is working towards and that’s been the focus of the calls with international partners over the weekend. Iran should take the opportunity presented by the US to re-enter talks.” The spokesperson followed the lead of several key ministers today in refusing to say whether the UK government believed the US had acted legally in attacking Iran. “Our longstanding position on legal advice is that we don’t disclose that, so I’m not going to get into that here,” they said, adding “But as I say, the focus is on a diplomatic solution and for Iran to come back to the table with the US.” Asked if the prime minister had been blindsided by the US decision to strike at Iran’s nuclear facilities, the spokesperson said “he acknowledges that it is a very fast-moving situation, he has an excellent relationship with president Trump, as detailed at the G7 last week when the President spoke about the strength of that relationship, but it is a fast-moving situation. The prime minister has been consistent that de-escalation and diplomacy for him is the order of the day.” James Cleverly, who at one point last year was the frontrunner to replace Rishi Sunak as Conservative leader before a surprise exit from the leadership race, has called David Lammy’s appearance on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme this morning “excruciating”. During the interview, the foreign secretary was repeatedly pressed on whether US strikes on Iran were legal, and fell back to saying that it was up to the US to address that issue, and that the UK was not involved in the action. In a post to social media, Cleverly, who was formerly foreign secretary and is widely believed to still harbour leadership ambitions, said: The whole interview was excruciating. Why go on the radio if you have no opinions, have nothing to say, and don’t know what to do? As foreign secretary I made sure the UK was a participant in world events, not a commentator. Under Labour we’ve become mere spectators. The health secretary has said that one of his aims is to “rebuild” the Care Quality Commission (CQC). PA media reports that Wes Streeting said: The important thing for me is that we rebuild the CQC as an effective regulator and guarantor of patient safety because I think one of the many things that’s gone wrong in this space, and in the NHS more generally, is that the regulators are failing to discharge their duties effectively on behalf of the public, and, frankly, leaving government very exposed as well. I am in a position where I’m supposed to be able to ask regulators to keep patients safe and to hold institutions to account in a way that, frankly, ministers are having to take direct responsibility for increasingly, because of a lack of capability and confidence in the regulators, and that’s not sustainable. We have got to help the regulators turn themselves around and that’s what we’ll be doing. The CQC is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. Streeting also criticised the culture of the NHS in England, saying that he wanted to “ensure better accountability for families when things go wrong.” The health secretary said: I have been extremely struck and moved by how hard these families have to struggle to get basic answers from providers about what went wrong. I think it’s just utterly shameful that on top of the grief and trauma they’ve experienced that they have to go into battle for an accurate and honest account of what happened and why. That’s something we need to change in terms of the culture of the NHS, because it is a culture of legal departments saying to senior leaders: ‘You can’t say sorry, you mustn’t admit liability’. What’s the priority here? Is it really patients, or is it reputations? And my priority is patients. Tobi Thomas is the Guardian’s UK health and inequalities correspondent, and here she has more details on Wes Streeting’s announcement of an investigation into maternity services in England: The investigation, due to conclude by December, will look at up to 10 of the most concerning maternity and neonatal units in order to give bereaved and affected families answers about what happened during their care. Wes Streeting did not say how much the investigation would cost but that he expected it would be “somewhat less” that the “enormous” amount paid out by the NHS in clinical negligence claims. Speaking to press after his keynote speech, he said: “There are some variables that we are still working out with families in terms of what the team looks like, what the terms of reference are and how it will work. I suspect it will be somewhat less than the enormous costs we pay in clinical negligence claims. “Probably the most shocking statistic in this area is that we are paying out more in clinical negligence for maternity failures than we are spending on maternity services.” The government also said on Monday a national maternity and neonatal taskforce, chaired by the health secretary and with a panel of maternity experts and bereaved families, would be established. The announcement of an independent review of maternity services across England had been looking increasingly likely after a series of high-profile failures in maternity care seen across several NHS trusts. You can read more of Tobi Thomas’ updated report here: Wes Streeting announces investigation into NHS maternity services in England Shadow chancellor Mel Stride has also had a dig at Nigel Farage and his non-dom tax break policy. In a post to social media the Conservative MP for Central Devon said “Nigel Farage is once again peddling fantasy economics. Reform’s plans simply don’t add up. To deliver them, they’d have to raise taxes or borrow more – yet they won’t admit it. That’s not straight talking, it’s the Farage mirage. Britain needs a serious and honest plan to support wealth creators and grow the economy, not populist gimmicks.” The current co-leader of the Green party of England and Wales and MP for Waveney Valley, Adrian Ramsay, has weighed in on Reform UK’s Britannia card policy. Ramsay, posting on social media, said: “Nigel Farage wants to allow ultra-rich non-doms to pay a one-off £250k every 10 years rather than being taxed properly. Let’s be clear: this is chickenfeed for the super-rich – and a massive tax break for the elite who fund his party.” Ramsay was followed by Green MP Ellie Chowns, who reposted a thread from tax expert Dan Neidle which digs into the problems behind the proposal. Chowns, who is running on a joint ticket with Ramsay to be the next co-leader of the Greens, said: “Here’s the latest proof of just how cynical Reform UK are: their latest wheeze would constitute a whopping £34 billion tax loophole for the super-rich.” While she was speaking this morning, Rachel Reeves took the opportunity to criticise the Reform UK policy announcement this morning, describing the scheme involving non-doms as “a tax cut for foreign billionaires”. The chancellor said: That would mean either taxes on ordinary working people would have to go up to compensate for those lack of revenues, or Reform UK would have to cut public services, including the NHS. So, this is a tax cut by Nigel Farage and the Reform Party for foreign-born billionaires. Labour’s priority is easing the pressure on ordinary working families and investing in our public services, including the NHS. The chancellor has joined other government ministers today in refusing to be drawn on whether the UK government thinks US strikes on Iran are legal or not. Speaking to broadcasters, Rachel Reeves said “It is up to the US to make that case. We were not involved in these actions and, of course, we would never comment on the legal advice that the government receives.” That line is slightly disingenuous, as prior to winning the election in 2024, the Labour party and shadow foreign secretary David Lammy had urged the then foreign secretary David Cameron to publish formal legal advice on whether Israel was breaching international humanitarian law in Gaza. PA Media reports that Reeves continued by saying: The Iranian regime has caused instability in the region for a long time and, of course, we share concerns [with the US] about that. The priority, though, at the moment is de-escalation and getting the Iranian regime back around the negotiating table. We believe very strongly that Iran should never be able to develop a nuclear weapon, but what is needed now is a return to the negotiating table to reduce that threat. Reeves has been in Nuneaton with prime minister Kier Starmer, promoting the government’s new industrial strategy document. The Green party of England and Wales have responded to the government publishing its Modern Industrial Strategy for the UK document. Co-leader Carla Denyer said: This industrial strategy looks like another missed opportunity from the Labour government. The move away from polluting oil and gas towards clean power offers huge wins for communities, for workers and for industry – but that requires government to make a clear plan to urgently phase out fossil fuels, make polluting companies pay to retrain workers, and to harness the skills and innovation this country has in bucket loads. The investment in skills announced in today’s strategy is welcome, and the move towards clean sources of power like wind and solar offers huge opportunities for good-quality jobs in futureproofed industries. But the failure to make a plan for those currently working in high-carbon industries is shortsighted. 3 million workers across the UK will need re-skilling and retraining in order to make the most of the green jobs boom, and fossil fuel giants must shoulder the cost of this. We also need to see measures to ensure that all investment in the government’s GB Energy supports jobs and industries here in the UK rather than being lost overseas. We have already seen decades of missed opportunities on this, leaving communities hollowed out and people forced out of work. This government must act fast to turn the corner and put Britain first in the race towards the economy of the future. Denyer has announced that she is stepping down from the co-leader role later this year. The leader of the Liberal Democrats has called for the prime minister to make a statement in parliament in the wake of US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities and social media talk from Donald Trump about regime change in Tehran. In a statement, Ed Davey said: Trump’s strikes on Iran were a seismic moment which will have a profound effect on global security for many years to come. But UK ministers are dodging questions on whether they support these strikes, and failing to guarantee that we won’t be dragged into another illegal American war in the Middle East. The prime minister has not even spoken once in the Commons since this crisis began. He needs to come to parliament today, update the country on where the UK stands, and what he is doing to ensure the situation does not escalate any further. The chair of the Labour party has described the Reform UK policy announcement of “the Britannia Card” as “a bonanza for billionaires.” In a statement Ellie Reeves said: Nigel Farage’s new policy is quite simply a bonanza for billionaires. Not only is this a golden giveaway to the rich, but experts warn this will leave a massive black hole in the country’s finances that working people will be left to pick up the bill for. Reform UK is not serious or credible. Every family in the country would foot the bill for their dangerous and unfunded Liz Truss-style policies which would devastate Britain’s economy. Rowena Mason, the Guardian’s Whitehall editor, has been at a Reform UK press conference this morning. Nigel Farage has defended his plans to attract wealthy foreigners to the UK with a £250,000 tax giving them 10 years of residency, as Labour called it a “billionaire’s bonanza”. In a press conference in London, attended by Zia Yusuf and party treasurer Nick Candy, Farage said he wanted to win back very wealthy people leaving the country and encourage them to spend money and create jobs in the UK. Reform estimates 6,000 people would pay the tax and the proceeds would be used to give a £600 dividend for the lowest paid workers. Farage rejected the idea that it was a Robin Hood tax, saying: “We are not stealing from the rich, we are encouraging them to come.” Tax expert Dan Neidle suggested the policy could cost the UK £35bn over five years in lost revenue, highlighting the tax gap it would cause and arguing it would not get a high take up, especially as no government could guarantee a tax policy would be in place for 10 years. Farage rejected this analysis as “nonsense”, with Reform sources saying those paying the £250,000 “landing fee” would still pay tax on any UK earnings – just not overseas gains. Separately, the Reform UK leader said Israel and the US were right to attempt to destroy Iran’s nuclear capability by bombing it. He also accused the attorney general, Richard Hermer, of being “frankly bordering on treacherous” for striking a deal to hand ownership of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and lease back the military base there, claiming this had hindered the US bombing mission against Iran. Asked whether he supported UK joining military action in Iran, he said: “I doubt they are going to ask for our help but they could do with our support.” The Liberal Democrats have said the government’s industrial strategy must mark a “new chapter” for British businesses. Sarah Olney, the Liberal Democrat MP for Richmond Park and their business spokesperson, said: If the Government is truly serious about backing British business, today’s announcement must be followed with U-turns on the damaging jobs tax and family farm tax – with revenue raised instead through the fairer ways we’ve set out – and negotiations on a new UK-EU customs union that will deliver new trading opportunities for businesses across the UK. This strategy must contain real solutions to bring down businesses’ sky-high energy costs and upskill workers around the country. Ministers must also ensure that across every sector, small businesses are right at the heart of this economic plan.” The Guardian’s diplomatic editor Patrick Wintour has this report on foreign secretary David Lammy’s comments this morning: The UK foreign secretary, David Lammy, has repeatedly refused to say if the UK supported the US military strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities on Saturday or whether they were legal. Interviewed on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Monday for the first time since the US launched airstrikes on three Iranian nuclear facilities, he also sidestepped the question of whether he supported recent social media posts by Donald Trump that seemed to favour regime change in Tehran, saying that in all his discussions in the White House the sole focus had been on military targets. Lammy said western allies were waiting for battlefield assessments of the impact of the strikes, but it was possible Iran still had a stockpile of highly enriched uranium, although the strikes “may also have set back Iran’s nuclear programme by several years”. Ever since the US strikes, senior figures in the Labour government have tried to make their criticism of the action only implicit rather than explicit. Lammy tried to focus on urging Iran to return to the negotiating table, insisting that Iran was in breach of its obligations by enriching uranium at levels of purity as high as 60%. The UK Foreign Office has denied Iranian reports that in a phone call with the Iranian foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, on Sunday, Lammy had expressed regret about the US strikes. Asked if the airstrikes were legal, Lammy said three times it was for Washington to answer such questions. You can read more of Patrick Wintour’s report here: David Lammy refuses to say if UK supported US strikes on Iran nuclear facilities PA are carrying these quotes from health secretary Wes Streeting who has announced what he called “a rapid national investigation” into NHS maternity services. For the past year, I have been meeting bereaved families from across the country who have lost babies or suffered serious harm during what should have been the most joyful time in their lives. What they have experienced is devastating – deeply painful stories of trauma, loss, and a lack of basic compassion – caused by failures in NHS maternity care that should never have happened. Their bravery in speaking out has made it clear: we must act – and we must act now. I know nobody wants better for women and babies than the thousands of NHS midwives, obstetricians, maternity and neonatal staff, and that the vast majority of births are safe and without incident, but it’s clear something is going wrong. That’s why I’ve ordered a rapid national investigation to make sure these families get the truth and the accountability they deserve, and ensure no parent or baby is ever let down again. I want staff to come with us on this, to improve things for everyone. We’re also taking immediate steps to hold failing services to account and give staff the tools they need to deliver the kind, safe, respectful care every family deserves. Maternity care should be the litmus test by which this government is judged on patient safety, and I will do everything in my power to ensure no family has to suffer like this again. Health is a devolved policy area. The health secretary, Wes Streeting, has announced the launch of a national investigation into NHS maternity services in England. More details soon … By the way, if you actually wanted to read the Modern Industrial Strategy document published by the government today, you can find it here. The government has just pushed out a joint statement from business leaders welcoming it, which says: The Industrial Strategy launched today marks a significant step forward and a valuable opportunity for the business community to rally behind a new vision for the UK – boosting confidence, sentiment, and enthusiasm for investment. From start-ups and small businesses to large corporates, businesses need a more attractive, stable environment that enables faster, easier, and more certain investment decisions. We welcome the government’s engagement with businesses across the UK. Much of what we’ve shared has been heard and reflected in this strategy. While there’s more to do, we are ready to support the next steps. We encourage businesses nationwide to get behind this strategy and champion the UK as the best place to live, work, invest, and do business. The statement is signed by leaders of the British Chambers of Commerce, CBI and Federation of Small Businesses among others. Energy secretary Ed Miliband has also commented on the announcement of the government’s promise to cut electricity costs for key business sectors. He said: For too long high electricity costs have held back British businesses, as a result of our reliance on gas sold on volatile international markets. As part of our modern industrial strategy we’re unlocking the potential of British industry by slashing industrial electricity prices in key sectors. We’re also doubling down on our clean power strengths with increased investment in growth industries from offshore wind to nuclear. This will deliver on our clean power mission and plan for change to bring down bills for households and businesses for good. Chancellor Rachel Reeves said the plan would “see billions of pounds for investment and cutting-edge tech, ease energy costs, and upskill the nation.” The government’s announcement can be found here. Prime minister Keir Starmer has said the government’s 10-year industrial strategy marks a “turning point for Britain’s economy”, with the promise that scrapping green levies will cut electricity costs for thousands of businesses. Manufacturers have previously warned that power costs are far higher for UK businesses than competitors overseas. From 2027, a new British Industrial Competitiveness Scheme will cut costs by up to £40 per megawatt hour for over 7,000 manufacturing firms by exempting them from levies on bills including the renewables obligation, feed-in tariffs and the capacity market. About 500 of the most energy-intensive firms, including the steel industry, chemicals and glassmaking, will also see their network charges cut – they currently get a 60% discount through the British Industry Supercharger scheme, which will increase to 90% from 2026, PA Media reports. In a statement promoting the announcement, Starmer said: This industrial strategy marks a turning point for Britain’s economy and a clear break from the short-termism and sticking plasters of the past. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds are expected to make a public appearance today to promote the strategy. Green party of England and Wales MP Ellie Chowns has said it is “shocking” that foreign secretary David Lammy chose not to say whether the UK government thought US strikes on Iran were legal or not. In a message posted to social media, the MP for North Herefordshire said: Shocking that David Lammy on the BBC Radio 4 Today programme would not even acknowledge that the US bombing of Iran is illegal. This refusal to stand up to the US on the most basic principles of international law is shameful. Shadow defence secretary James Cartlidge has said that the Conservatives back US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities, but that there is “a big question” over prime minister Keir Starmer’s position. Appearing on GB News, Cartlidge said “I said that, in principle, if the US and Israelis came forward and said, ‘look, based on the intelligence we’ve seen, we think we now need to take decisive military action if we want to stop an Iranian nuclear weapons programme’ … we would support that. And so that’s our position. We support what’s happened, and obviously now need to see what happens next.” He continued by saying “There is a big question about the prime minister’s position. It’s just not clear what he actually thinks of the attacks. If you look at the language he’s talking about recognising the action has happened, that he’s spoken to the president. Does he actually support the actual military action?” Government ministers have declined to say whether the UK supports the US decision to strike at nuclear sites in Iran, but the foreign secretary said the uranium enrichment levels Iran was achieving was “not something that you can allow possibly to just let slide.” David Lammy told listeners of the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: I’m very conscious that when I met colleagues in the White House on Thursday that they were considering all of the options … we knew that, you knew that as journalists. And Donald Trump made a decision to act to degrade that capability. It may well have set back Iran by several years. That was a decision that he took. I believe what the IAEA has found, and that is that Iran is enriching at 60% and there is no credible civilian justification for high enrichment at that level, that they have not been complying with their nuclear proliferation obligations. With all seriousness, this is not something that you can allow possibly to just let slide when it’s enrichment at 60%. Armed forces minister Luke Pollard, in a separate media appearance, said the UK focus was on diplomacy, not military action. Appearing on Times Radio he said: That was a decision that the US has taken. Our focus has been on the diplomatic effort that is necessary to get a lasting peace. That’s why that’s been the focus of the prime minister’s actions over the last few days, it’s why the defence secretary, myself, the foreign secretary and the minister for the Middle East have been engaging in diplomatic activity in the region, because we need to make sure that there is a route to a lasting peace here. Armed forces minister Luke Pollard also appeared on the media round today, and stuck to the government line of not commenting on US action against Iran. He told viewers of Sky News that “it’s not for me to comment on the particular US action, but we’re assessing the battle damage at the moment to understand the true extent of the strikes.” Put to him that, as armed forces minister ,it was specifically his role to comment on military action, Pollard insisted “I’m not going to be able to comment on that question, but what we can say is that we were not involved in the military action that the US took.” Continuing the theme also outlined by foreign secretary David Lammy this morning, Pollard said diplomacy was the only solution. He said Britain’s focus was on putting “pressure on the Iranian regime to get back to negotiations because a diplomatic solution is how we bring this crisis to an end, with Iran not able to create a nuclear weapon, handing over their nuclear materials that they possess, and giving commitments that they won’t threaten regional stability by developing a nuclear weapon in the future.” Foreign secretary David Lammy has said that diplomacy is the only permanent solution to the UK’s longstanding concerns over Iran’s nuclear programme, and that Tehran’s government must “get serious about the off-ramp that is being made available to them” in the wake of US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities. Lammy said that Iran had clearly been in breach of agreements by enriching uranium up to 60%, which he said was way above the levels of enrichment carried out by the UK. He told listeners of the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: I’m sorry that (the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action) has since been breached, of course I am, but that’s why the international community is ultimately committed to this. And let’s be clear, if Iran is able to enrich beyond 60%, is able to get a weapon, what we will see is nuclear proliferation across the Middle East, the world will be seriously more dangerous than it is at the moment, that’s why it must be stopped. The foreign secretary said a diplomatic solution was required because Iran retains the expertise and likely some of the materials to continue its enrichment programme. He made a similar point in a separate appearance on BBC Breakfast, telling viewers: I went straight to Geneva … to sit with the Iranians. I spent seven hours in Geneva to talk them down to this off-ramp. It is still the case that this can only be sorted out diplomatically, and Iran must now take that off-ramp. Foreign secretary David Lammy has repeatedly declined to say whether the British government believes that US strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities were legal or illegal. Pressed on the Radio 4 Today programme by Justin Webb, Lammy claimed there was no equivalence between the actions of Vladimir Putin invading Ukraine and the US strikes. Overnight US president Donald Trump appears to have floated the idea of the US backing regime change in Tehran. Asked about the lawfulness of the strikes, the foreign secretary would only say: “Well, we weren’t involved, it’s for the Americans to discuss those issues.” When it was put to him that it extraordinary he could not answer the question, he told listeners: I don’t think it is extraordinary because this was not the UK’s action, we were not involved, we were clear when this began and Israel’s attacks began that we were not involved … so I don’t say it’s not legitimate, but I can tell you as foreign secretary that we were not involved. Good morning, and welcome to our rolling coverage of UK politics. Here are the headlines … Foreign secretary David Lammy has repeatedly declined to say whether the British government believes US strikes on Iran were illegal. Prime minister Keir Starmer has warned of a “risk of escalation” in the Middle East and beyond, backing the strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities and calling on Tehran to return to negotiations The government has promised electricity costs for thousands of businesses will be cut by scrapping green levies as a key part of a 10-year industrial strategy. Starmer said the plan marks a “turning point for Britain’s economy” Reform UK are to offer wealthy foreigners and returning British expats a bespoke tax regime in exchange for a one-off payment of £250,000 with all funds collected redistributed to Britain’s lowest-paid workers, the party claims There are quite a few things in the diary for the day. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and business secretary Jonathan Reynolds will be out promoting the government’s industry strategy. Health secretary Wes Streeting is giving a speech in London, while opposition leader Kemi Badenoch is appearing at a Policy Exchange event at lunchtime. Minister Stephen Doughty will be appearing before the foreign affairs committee discussing the Chagos agreement, while Northern Ireland secretary Hilary Benn faces the Northern Ireland affairs committee. In the Commons there are questions on work and pensions and a general debate on Pride month. It is Martin Belam with you today. You can reach me at martin.belam@theguardian.com.