Cost of living support latest: VAT slashed on trips to theme parks, zoos and kids’ meals – but Reeves urged to be bolder

Reform UK’s “flagship” council has voted through changes to introduce the Lord’s Prayer and national anthem at meetings for “patriotism and heritage”, while opposition branded the move “performative politics”.

Members at Kent County Council have approved updates to its constitution following majority votes at its annual council meeting on Thursday.

It will mean that county council meetings will start with the recital of the Lord’s Prayer and end with singing of the national anthem.

Putting forward the move, Reform UK’s Christopher Hespe said: “We are a Christian monarchy, and this is about standards, it’s about patriotism, it’s about heritage, and it’s about our roots.

“It’s about grounding us and accepting that we have duties and responsibilities.”

A Conservative MP will have the first opportunity of this parliamentary session to begin steering a Bill of his choosing through the Commons.

Former minister Sir Desmond Swayne, who is now a backbencher, won a ballot to decide who is at the front of the queue for a private member’s bill (PMB) debate.

More MPs entered this year’s draw than in any other held during the last decade, with 485 in the running, deputy speaker Nusrat Ghani said.

A set of 20 were selected to be at the front of the queue, after Ms Ghani drew numbered balls at random from a glass bowl in front of a small audience of MPs, press and visitors.

The winning MPs are due to introduce their chosen bills to the Commons on Wednesday June 17.

PMB debates are held on select Fridays throughout the session, a day of the week when the House does not normally sit.

After the last ballot in 2024, winner Kim Leadbeater chose to introduce the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, to set up a framework for assisted dying in England and Wales.

The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:

Luke Charters, the Labour MP for York Outer, has become the latest MP to quit Keir Starmer’s government, resigning as parliamentary private secretary for the Department for Business and Trade.

Mr Charters waited until the legislation to nationalise steel was introduced and said he was “proud” of the work he has been involved in.But he warned that Labour needs to be “bolder” in government.

In a statement, Mr Charters said: “After much reflection over recent weeks, I’ve thought carefully about where I stand on things. As a party, we have to be bolder with our ideas and more confident in our approach, kinder to ourselves as one Labour family, and we must make people in every corner of this country feel that politics is genuinely working for them in their everyday lives.”

The Independent’s political editor David Maddox reports:

The Green Party is re-opening nominations this evening for the upcoming by-election in Makerfield. The move comes after the selected candidate, Chris Kennedy, withdrew from the role for personal and family reasons.

A Green Party spokesperson said, “We wish Chris the best and understand that family has to come first. As a party, we are re-opening nominations now because we believe people in Makerfield deserve a real choice at this by-election, and the Green Party will be standing to offer exactly that.

“Across the country, more and more voters are turning away from the old parties and looking for politicians who will genuinely stand up for their communities. We will also be redoubling our efforts on campaigning to expose the risk of Reform, a party who seeks to divide our communities.

“This election has to be about how to make the super-rich pay their fair share, how we tackle the cost-of-living crisis with lower bills and affordable housing, and how we protect our public services and our green spaces. It has to be about offering Makerfield hope over hate.”

Andy Burnham’s office welcomed Sir Keir Starmer’s offer to campaign for him in Makerfield.

A spokesperson for Labour’s candidate in the by-election said: “Anyone who wants to embrace Andy’s campaign message is welcome on the campaign.”

Sir Keir Starmer declined to say whether he was frustrated by Labour MPs talking about Andy Burnham and Wes Streeting despite the economy growing in the first three months of the year and net migration falling.

The prime minister told reporters on a visit to Essex: “Well, there’s been a lot going on in the last two weeks, but what it is important for me to draw out is that actually the last week in terms of what we’ve delivered is really significant, because economic growth is at the highest predicted in the G7… That’s really important, because it means more money into the economy, more money to be spent on our public services.

“The NHS waiting lists, which we’ve been investing in, and driving down, they fell.

“The numbers came out last week – the sharpest rate for 17 years. Migration has come down. The last government lost control. It was nearly a billion.

“It’s down to about a fifth of that in the figures that came out today, so all of these things show that, and I’m really proud of this, that despite all the other discussions that are going on, this is a Government that is delivering for people across the country.”

Sir Keir Starmer said he wanted the “whole Labour movement” to be involved in the Makerfield by-election campaign.

Asked whether he would be out campaigning in Makerfield for leadership hopeful Andy Burnham, the Prime Minister told reporters on a visit to Essex: “Yes, and I’ve said to the whole Labour movement that I want everybody to be involved in the campaign, whatever other discussions are going on, it’s really important – that’s a straight fight between Labour and Reform.

“It’s about the values that we take into politics, and it’s really important that we all pull together and fight in that by-election, as we will do.”

He added: “I want to be part of that, of course I do, and I want everybody to be part of that, but also by being clear about the steps we’ve taken to stabilise the economy, because all of this that we’ve announced today has only been possible because of the steps we took on the budget, the fact that inflation dropped is because of the steps – that didn’t drop out the sky – that’s because of the decisions the Government took.

“So, we’ve got a very good story to tell.”

Sir Keir Starmer has said he will be campaigning in the Makerfield by-election for potential leadership challenger Andy Burnham, telling reporters: “I want everybody to be involved in the campaign, whatever other discussions are going on.”