Eleanor Langford

I'm fighting Reform's surge in Wales - Farage wants to use us to get into No 10 Rhun ap Iorwerth - the Plaid Cymru leader - says Reform UK is 'exploiting' voters in Wales, while Labour has 'a sense of entitlement'

NEW: Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth tells @theipaper.com that Nigel Farage is using Wales as a "project" to get him into No 10, plus:

🚫 Reform has "zero loyalty to Welsh nationhood"

👊 He'd be "something of a nuisance" to Downing Street as FM

😬 He couldn't get a meeting with Keir Starmer

Budget live updates: Chancellor vows to make 'fair choices' in her Budget Rachel Reeves will deliver her Budget in the Commons this afternoon

Happy Budget day to all who celebrate...

@theipaper.com live blog will be following all the action, including peeks behind the scenes and analysis from our fantastic team of reporters

👇 Click below to stay in the loop:

David Lammy was asked 5 times at PMQs whether he knew of any other wrongly released prisoners, but he dodged the question

Then the news broke that a 2nd foreign prisoner had been wrongly released

Below is Lammy's statement on the matter

We still don't know exactly when the deputy PM knew about it

UK has 'lost momentum' for war readiness - and 'relies on enemies to leave us alone' Lead author of the landmark Strategic Defence Review says the UK is currently 'running on luck' and post-Cold War era 'fumes' to protect itself from attack

⛑ A cracking and very discomforting read from my colleague Jane Merrick on how unprepared we are for war - well worth your time

🤞 One lead author of the Strategic Defence Review said the UK is “running on luck” when it comes to war readiness and we are "relying on our enemies to leave us alone"

Councils spending thousands cleaning 'flag wars' graffiti One MP said the cost of cleaning up flags painted on buildings and roundabouts means 'less money for real public services that are already underfunded'

Councils spending thousands cleaning 'flag wars' graffiti

exc by @eleanormia.bsky.social

inews.co.uk/news/council...

Councils spending thousands cleaning 'flag wars' graffiti One MP said the cost of cleaning up flags painted on buildings and roundabouts means 'less money for real public services that are already underfunded'

🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 EXCLUSIVE: Cash-strapped councils are being forced to spend thousands cleaning up St George’s Crosses and Union Jacks painted on buildings and landmarks across the country

🇬🇧🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿 City of York council reported more than £16k in costs while and Luton spent over £5,000

Gareth Martin, owner of Harvey Wheeler, said the agent’s former property manager had offered to apply for the licence but quit days before the tenancy began

“We deeply regret the issue caused to our clients,” he said, adding that all other certificates were in place

UPDATE: Rachel Reeves’ letting agent has admitted responsibility for failing to apply for a licence to rent out her Dulwich home, blaming a staff resignation and describing the error as an “oversight” (via PA)

🔴 A spokesperson for the Prime Minister insisted he had 'full confidence' in Rachel Reeves

➡️ Read more: trib.al/Hg42Ey6

Reeves investigated over rental rule break after new emails come to light A spokesperson for the Prime Minister insisted he had 'full confidence' in Rachel Reeves

BREAKING: The PM has reopened an inquiry into Chancellor Rachel Reeves after “new information” emerged in emails linked to her husband

It comes after Reeves admitted to breaking housing rules by renting out her south London home without a required £945 licence

Kemi Badenoch tells the crowd: "Ducks quack. Cows moo. Labour puts up taxes."

The Tories are enjoying the nice weather today and holding a rally by the river

They are calling for Reeves to resign if she puts up tax

Just as Mel Stride starts speaking, three ad vans showed up with their new Budget message "if she puts up tax, give Reeves the axe"

Starmer warned of leadership challenge as Budget anxiety grows A Labour insider said the party's recent by-election defeat in Wales will 'only make MPs panic more'

👀 NEW: Labour MPs are considering launching a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer in a matter of weeks

🤫 A party source said there are some MPs who "think moving against Keir after the Budget is feasible rather than waiting until after May"

Asylum hotels are still costing the UK billions, here's why Pressure is mounting over the cost of asylum accommodation, with spending between 2019 and 2029 expected to triple from £4.5bn to £15.3bn

💸 Billions of pounds are being drained from the UK each year under a “failed, chaotic and expensive” asylum system, cross-party MPs have warned

👇 Here's a breakdown from @theipaper.com of where money is being wasted and where it is being saved

ICYMI yesterday's Politics Unwrapped email broke down just how Labour is doing tackling small boats

Reminder: the newsletter is free! No need for a subscription.

Sign up to get today's newsletter here: link.news.inews.co.uk/join/6i4/pol...

📩 The first edition is out now, looking at the future of the triple lock

👉🏼 You can read it here: link.news.inews.co.uk/view/5eb3fec...

👀 Or get future editions straight to your inbox through the link in my previous post

🚨 Some news! I am now the author of Politics Unwrapped, a new weekday newsletter by @theipaper.com

📝 Politics Unwrapped breaks down the big stories and helps you understand what decisions made in Westminster actually mean for you

👉 Sign up here for free: link.news.inews.co.uk/join/6i4/pol...

There's no mechanism for a public vote I'm afraid, but you could sign a petition calling for a vote or write to your MP

See your GP and get a job: New plan to cut benefits bill - how it works Careers advisers are to be 'embedded' in health centres to help sick and disabled people into work

Also worth noting that ministers want to use GP surgeries for job support as well as debt advice

The Government is expanding a pilot scheme which sees career advisers and other employment experts embedded in health care settings

Going to the GP for debt and benefits advice 'improves patient health' A pilot of the scheme helped secure a combined £1.67m in financial gains for participants

EXCLUSIVE w/ @chloechaplain.bsky.social

The Government has backed a scheme that would see debt advisors placed in GP surgeries

A trial of the scheme found it improve patient health, reduced appointments and helped secure a combined £1.67m in financial gains for participants

York MP calls on Parliament to officially strip Andrew of dukedom Prince Andrew has been forced to stop using his royal titles, but only a Commons vote can formally remove them

Some MPs are plotting to bring forward bills which could encourage the Govt to act on this (see below)

But ministers have said it's down to the Palace, which implies they're probably waiting for a nod from them before any bill is brought forward

Key thing to note about the Prince Andrew situation is that he is *still* the Duke of York, he's just agreed to not say he is anymore

He only loses that title if he dies, or if MPs vote to take it from him

It's been over 100 years since MPs voted to strip someone of their title

Thrilled to be a blue tick person once more after the other app took it away from me!

PIP reform proposals will be decided by disability groups, minister pledges Stephen Timms said he hoped the review would create a ‘consensus about the right way forward’ on PIP after MPs’ rebellion

Exclusive: Disabled people and groups will have direct influence over the forthcoming PIP review, Stephen Timms has told @theipaper.com

The DWP minister said the review would be led by two co-chairs and a steering group “of about a dozen people, most of whom will be disabled”

What you need to know about the UK and Blair’s role in Gaza peace deal Britain’s claim to have played a 'key role' in the peace process has met scepticism from both Israel and the US

👇 If you were wondering, here's how involved the UK and Blair actually are in the Gaza peace deal

US negotiator Steve Witkoff takes a much more conciliatory tone this morning after yesterday’s comments from Mike Huckabee (both from the bird app)

Reminder: Huckabee said the Bridget Phillipson was "delusional" to claim the UK had played a leading role "behind the scenes" in the Gaza peace plan

Why food prices could rise after Reeves's Budget, according to retailers Economists say higher business rates risk keeping food prices above 5 per cent next year

Exclusive: Food prices could rise even more if Reeves pushes ahead with plans to make big stores pay higher business rates

The British Retail Consortium (BRC), MPs and economists have urged ministers to rethink the plans due to be confirmed in the Budget

👇 Story w/ @adamforrest.bsky.social

MoD will be forced to keep soldiers' homes free of mould and damp Service families have faced sub-standard accommodation

Exclusive: The MOD will be forced to keep soldiers' homes free of mould and damp under a new amendment being added to the Renters’ Rights Bill

It follows a campaign by @libdems.org.uk after reports military families were living in homes with black mould, flooding and pest infestations

Asked if Reform was appealing to racists, Starmer added: “No, I think there are plenty of people who vote Reform or are thinking of voting Reform who are frustrated... They want us to change things... and they want the change to come more quickly.”

Keir Starmer tells the BBC that Reform's plan to scrap ILR is a "racist policy", but that those who support Reform are not racists

"I do think that it is a racist policy. I do think it’s immoral. It needs to be called out for what it is," he said