Starmer set to signal path to an even softer Brexit
Sir Keir Starmer is poised to make a major intervention on the European Union within weeks, signalling a path to an even softer Brexit, The i Paper can reveal.
“Big, expansive, ambitious conversations” are also under way at the heart of Government about the UK’s future relationship with the EU, according to a Cabinet source.
Discussions have been taking place in Whitehall for weeks on a potential major speech from the Prime Minister to flesh out the case for his Brexit reset, which could happen as soon as this month, according to a Government insider. However, nothing is firmly set in stone.
Why city mice really are bolder than country mice
What we know about Married at First Sight UK rape allegations
Will we see a heatwave this bank holiday weekend?
Who are the Labour figures vying to replace Starmer?
The average income of British retirees revealed
The new BBC plan to axe channels and avoid scandal
Three killed in shooting at San Diego mosque – what we know
Why you should ‘float to live’ if struggling in water
Why city mice really are bolder than their country cousins
Mice in urban areas are more aggressive than their counterparts in the countryside, scientists have discovered.The findings bear out Aesop’s fable, in which a bold town mouse invites a bashful country cousin to stay.
City mice will eat through wrappers
Urban mice are far bolder than rural mice when it comes to finding food, US scientists have found.
One rodent in the study, named Philomene, ate through cake, cheese, bags of plums and “individually wrapped chocolates”.
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What else the study found
All animals living in urban areas are more active, more aggressive and tend to roam more widely than those in rural areas.
The research published in the Journal of Animal Ecology also looked at 130 species – including birds, reptiles, insects and mammals.
“City animals seem to be more risk-positive – they’re more bold,” said Dr Tracy Burkhard, of Lewis & Clark College.
What we know about Married at First Sight UK rape allegations
Channel 4 has removed all seasons of Married at First Sight UK from its platforms following “very serious allegations” made against some former stars.Two women have alleged that they were raped during the filming of the show. A third has alleged a non-consensual sex act.
One woman alleged in a BBC Panorama programme that her chosen husband raped her and threatened her with an acid attack.
A second alleged that she was also raped by her husband. She also claims she told Channel 4 and independent producer CPL before broadcast, but the show still aired.
A third woman alleged that her onscreen husband engaged in a non-consensual sex act.
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How has Channel 4 responded?
Channel 4’s removal of the show from its platforms follows an external review launched in April into the welfare of participants. The broadcaster was presented with serious allegations “against a small number of past contributors, allegations that we understand those contributors have denied,” it said in a statement. The channel said “prompt and appropriate action was taken” related to concerns over welfare protocols.
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What do MPs say?
Dame Caroline Dinenage, chair of the Culture, Media and Sport committee, said the allegations were “deeply shocking”.
The Conservative MP said the premise of the show, which sees single people “marry” strangers who they meet on their mock wedding day, was “horrifying”.
Labour security minister Dan Jarvis said the allegations were “deeply concerning”.
Will we see a heatwave this bank holiday weekend?
Britons have been told to prepare for hot weather this bank holiday weekend, with some parts of the country set to see temperatures rise as high as 28°C.
Which areas could get a heatwave?
Temperatures could reach 28°C in the south-east of England on Friday, with conditions set to be mostly sunny and dry.
Some places could see a heatwave on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. A heatwave is three days in a row with temperatures at a regional threshold.
Herefordshire and Worcestershire appear most likely to hit the threshold, say forecasters.
It’s not all good news: forecasters have warned that some parts of the country could see rain because of the humidity.
Some parts of Scotland, Wales and the west of England could see showers on Saturday. The south of England could get rain on Sunday.
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What’s causing warm spell?
Meteorologists said a change in the wind direction was behind the spike in temperatures ahead.Wind had been blowing from the north during last week’s cold snap. South-westerly winds from the Atlantic have dominated at the start of this week. And later in the week, the wind from the south will bring warmer weather.
Who are the Labour figures who want to replace Starmer?
Labour appears to be heading towards a leadership contest, after disastrous local election results led to almost 100 Labour MPs calling for Sir Keir Starmer to stand down. Wes Streeting has said he will stand in any contest. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has also made clear he wants to be prime minister – if he can win a crucial by-election.
Andy Burnham carries hopes of many on the left, as polling shows he is the favourite with the public. He is hoping to win a seat through the Makerfield by-election.
Wes Streeting is viewed by many as a “Blairite” representing the Labour right. He told Starmer he had “lost confidence” in his leadership.
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Who else might run?
The former deputy Labour leader is thought to be supportive of Burnham – but may still decide to stand and appeal to the left.
The Energy Secretary is also keen on Burnham. But if his ally cannot take part in the contest, Miliband may decide to take on Streeting.
Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood, Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper and Armed Forces minister Al Carns may also decide to run.
How would a contest work?
A Labour leadership contest would be triggered if one MP gets backing from 81 MPs.
Other candidates can join if they have 81 backers.
Keir Starmer can decide to contest the leadership election, and does not need 81 MPs to do so. But he could decide to stand down.
Labour members and affiliated unions then vote by ranking candidates in order of preference.
The National Executive Committee (NEC) decides on the timetable.
More from The i Paper on Labour
@theipaper Why is Andy Burnham suddenly Labour members’ top choice for a future leader? As pressure mounts on Keir Starmer, a new poll shows Burnham is now the clear favourite among Labour members, years after earning the nickname “King of the North”. So would you like to see the Greater Manchester mayor in power? #Burnham #Labour #PrimeMinister #KeirStarmer ♬ original sound – The i Paper – The i Paper
Why is Andy Burnham suddenly Labour members’ top choice for a future leader? As pressure mounts on Keir Starmer, a new poll shows Burnham is now the clear favourite among Labour members, years after earning the nickname “King of the North”. So would you like to see the Greater Manchester mayor in power? #Burnham #Labour #PrimeMinister #KeirStarmer
The average British retiree falls short of moderate lifestyle
The typical pensioner in the UK does not have enough income to live comfortably, new research has found.
What does average pensioner live on?
This is how much the average tax-paying pensioner between 65 and 69 lives on.
This is according to an analysis of 2024 HMRC figures by AJ Bell.
This is how much the average tax-paying pensioner between 70 and 74 lives on.
This is according to an analysis of 2024 HMRC figures by AJ Bell.
What you need for moderate lifestyle
An individual pensioner needs £31,300 a year for a moderate standard of living, according to Retirement Living Standards research by Loughborough University.
A pensioner couple need £43,100 a year to live to a moderate standard, the Retirement Living Standards research discovered.
The good news and bad news
Average pensioner incomes fall “well short” of what the average Brit is hoping for, said Sarah Coles, head of personal finance at AJ Bell.
Women are even more stretched than men in retirement. Women aged 65 to 69 received an average of £23,000, while men received £29,600.
However, the standards are a “fairly blunt instrument”, said Coles, because they don’t take into account the income you are used to while you’re working.
Watch more from The i Paper
@theipaper The Parliamentary Standards watchdog has launched a probe into the £5m ‘gift’ from businessman Christopher Harborne to Nigel Farage in 2024. A Reform UK spokesman said: “Mr Farage’s office is in communications with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. He has always been clear that this was a personal, unconditional gift and no rules were broken. We look forward to this being put to bed once and for all.” nigelfarage reformuk ukpolitics ♬ original sound – The i Paper – The i Paper
The Parliamentary Standards watchdog has launched a probe into the £5m ‘gift’ from businessman Christopher Harborne to Nigel Farage in 2024. A Reform UK spokesman said: “Mr Farage’s office is in communications with the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. He has always been clear that this was a personal, unconditional gift and no rules were broken. We look forward to this being put to bed once and for all.” nigelfarage reformuk ukpolitics
The new BBC plan to axe channels and avoid scandal
The corporation could close TV channels and move shows to YouTube as it tries to save £500m and cut up to 2,000 jobs. The new director-general, Matt Brittin, has warned staff in an email that “tough choices are unavoidable”.
Which channels could go?
Insiders predicted that the new director-general would look at the case for closing the BBC’s entire channels.
BBC Three in doubt?
Roger Mosey, ex-head of BBC TV News, said BBC Two and BBC Four could merge, while BBC Three could be “finally laid to rest”.
Mosey also suggested that the BBC could drop “filler” daytime programmes in favour of high-impact drama.
How BBC will avoid scandals
Brittin will protect “editorial excellence” to avoid errors like Panorama’s misleading editing of a Donald Trump speech.
The scandal led to the resignation of Tim Davie, pictured above.
Brittin will also appoint a deputy director-general with news experience to get ahead of future scandals.
The new BBC plan to axe channels and overhaul licence fee
A reinvented licence fee?
The BBC is keen to extend the base of people required to pay the licence fee – possibly including those who watch streaming platforms.
Brittin has yet to publicly state his personal preference on how to reinvent the charge imposed on TV viewers.
But the former Google boss has already met Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy to push the case for reform.
More from The i Paper on the BBC
@theipaper New BBC director general Matt Brittin has told BBC staff that “tough choices are unavoidable” on his first day in the job. The former Google Europe boss has taken on the role during a tumultous period at the broadcaster, despite having no previous TV production or planning experience. This is everything he has to do deal with from the outset. #UK #news ♬ original sound – The i Paper – The i Paper
New BBC director general Matt Brittin has told BBC staff that “tough choices are unavoidable” on his first day in the job. The former Google Europe boss has taken on the role during a tumultous period at the broadcaster, despite having no previous TV production or planning experience. This is everything he has to do deal with from the outset. #UK #news
Teen suspects fatally shoot three in suspected hate crime at San Diego mosque
Two teenage attackers fatally shot three men at a mosque in San Diego, California, in a suspected hate crime, before taking their own lives, police said.The shooting took place on Monday morning, two hours after the mother of one of the suspects called police to say her son had run away and was potentially suicidal.
San Diego Police Chief Scott Wahl said officers first received a call about 9.42am from a mother about a “runaway juvenile”. The mother believed her son was suicidal and reported “several of her weapons” and vehicle were missing.
She told police her son was with a companion and they were both dressed in camouflage, prompting police to elevate the threat level and send out officers to search for the teens.
How the incident unfolded
Police were with the mother only a few streets away from the Islamic Center of San Diego when an active shooter was reported, about 11.43am local time. When officers arrived, they found three deceased victims. One was a security guard at the centre.
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Police investigate hate crime
Two teenage suspects were later found dead in a nearby vehicle with self-inflicted wounds.
Police said they are investigating the shooting as a hate crime and “hate rhetoric” was involved.
The suspect’s mother found a note left behind, but police did not provide further details on what was written beyond it containing “general hate speech”.
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Understand this story in pictures
RNLI urges people to ‘float to live’ if struggling in water
With warmer weather coming up over the weekend, the Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) has issued guidance about what to do if you get into trouble in the water. Here’s a break down of their advice for staying safe while swimming.
Float to Live, lifeguards urge
Most people will instinctively thrash around in the water if they get into trouble, but this is dangerous as you can quickly tire. Tipping your head gap so your ears are submerged is the best way to stay afloat, moving your arms and legs if you need to.
I took my bikini to the new Thames swimming spot. But it was too gross to get in
By doing this, you give yourself the chance to rest and recover your breathing.
By doing this, you give yourself the chance to rest and recover your breathing.
Emmie Seward Adams, of the RNLI water safety delivery support team, said that floating gives the body a chance to relax. You can then call for help or start to swim for safety once you’re calm. In 2024, there were 193 accidental drowning deaths in the UK, according to the RNLI’s data.
What do the figures tell us?
How many accidental drowning deaths have there been in recent years?
In 2024, there were 193 accidental drowning deaths in the UK, according to the charity’s data.
Of these fatalities, 84 per cent were male and more 20 to 29-year-olds drowned that year than any other age group.
Watch more from The i Paper
@theipaper A video was released this week of a World War II-era seaplane making an emergency landing on a street in Phoenix, Arizona, in April. The video shows the plane flying over the city as it begins to lose altitude, then shows its hard landing and the three passengers emerging uninjured. #US #news ♬ original sound – The i Paper – The i Paper
A video was released this week of a World War II-era seaplane making an emergency landing on a street in Phoenix, Arizona, in April. The video shows the plane flying over the city as it begins to lose altitude, then shows its hard landing and the three passengers emerging uninjured. #US #news
Any speech would be viewed as a response to the rising pressure Starmer could face over Brexit, as the Labour Party deals with the expected fallout of local election losses, particularly to the Greens, and with how to reunite the party’s centre-left voter coalition.
Despite wider Cabinet discussions on the long-term future of the EU relationship and whether the Prime Minister needs to adopt a radically more pro-Brussels stance, his possible intervention is likely to focus on his existing strategy and, potentially, on expanding proposals for greater alignment with the single market.
Starmer would likely set out the trade-offs inherent in the reset. The UK is currently negotiating with the EU to follow Brussels’ rules on food and drink trade, electricity and carbon taxes in return for single market access. He may also argue that while there will be winners and losers, his approach will be good for the British economy and businesses.
It comes with the EU demanding the UK regularly pays into the Brussels budget as the price of single market access, with some estimates suggesting this could be around £1bn a year, and asking Starmer for a youth mobility deal to allow under-30s to move more freely between both sides with no hard cap on numbers and lower university tuition fees for Europeans in Britain.
Starmer may also use any speech to unveil more details on how the UK wants to go further in aligning with EU rules across more economic sectors – with industry pushing for chemicals, cars and pharmaceuticals – to secure single market access for more British businesses than those covered by the food and energy deals.
Officials in the Cabinet Office have for months been working up a plan for further alignment, an approach endorsed by Rachel Reeves in March when she cited a study suggesting Brexit had caused an 8 per cent hit to the economy.
But the likelihood of Starmer announcing more details would depend on whether these new ambitions have been discussed with Brussels in advance and on their response.
The Government is understood to be eyeing up a number of “quick wins” as part of a new offering to the electorate. Regulatory reform is one area the Government has been keen to implement in order to boost growth.
Starmer sticking to Brexit ‘red lines’
There are growing discussions at the highest levels of the Labour Party about whether a new ambition is needed, particularly in light of dire poll ratings, but Starmer will stick to his red lines: that the UK will not rejoin the single market or the customs union, or return to free movement of people under his Government.
Nevertheless, there are discussions under way at the heart of Government about the UK’s long-term relationship with the EU following calls by senior Labour figures and business leaders to rejoin the bloc.
One Cabinet minister said: “None of the red lines in the manifesto [on this issue] are about to be ripped up, but if you are asking whether there are big conversations going on about where the country might be in 10 or 15 years’ time, then the answer is yes.
“You cannot drive a car on a journey with every twist and turn and expect to end up at a particular destination unless you know what that destination is.”
EU won’t give ‘something for nothing’
Appearing to break with the strategy to ride “three horses” regarding trade ties with the US, the EU and China, the Cabinet source added that there is an acknowledgement that the “primary” relationship for the UK was with Brussels.
However, they also said that the Government was not “naive” enough to think the EU would give the UK “something for nothing” and that it would take “time to negotiate change”.
Meanwhile, a Government source warned they were expecting critics of the Prime Minister to reach for the “easy option” of pushing for closer EU ties after the local elections, but that demands may not be “realistic or deliverable”, and may not win back Green voters who have deserted the party over issues like migration and Gaza.
Senior Labour figures have told The i Paper that any policy reset, which is expected in the days following the local election results, must include looking at rejoining the EU. A recent YouGov poll suggested this would be backed by 53 per cent of the public, with only 32 per cent opposed and a vast majority of Labour, Green and Liberal Democrat voters favouring a reversal of Brexit.
One source said: “One of the only things that would help us rebuild the economy and the kind of coalition we would need to win the next election would be a promise to hold another vote on whether to rejoin the EU.”
‘Rejoining EU won’t fix all of the country’s problems’
It is understood that several Cabinet ministers back former Labour leader Lord Kinnock’s view that Brexit has inflicted “serious harm” on Britain.
However, Peter Kyle, the Business Secretary, cautioned against thinking that rejoining the EU would fix all the country’s problems.
He told The i Paper: “During the Brexit era, Brexiteers blamed every problem on the EU. We should not fall into the same trap and think that all our problems will be solved by rejoining the EU.”
Any leadership debate likely to be ‘dominated’ by EU pledges
Brexit expert Anand Menon said any leadership contest to replace Starmer is likely to be “dominated” by pledges to get closer to the EU “because that is where the [party] members are” who will potentially decide the new leader.
Meanwhile, the Labour Movement for Europe (LME), a grouping of dozens of MPs, is to launch a bid to amend the Brexit bill to be announced in the King’s Speech next week.
It is understood that the LME is planning to push for amendments to the bill to boost British workers’ rights by adopting a narrow set of EU regulations and to bolster MPs’ power to oversee the reset in Parliament, likely through a new select committee.
LME chair and Labour MP Stella Creasy told The i Paper: “Both the public and parliamentarians have not been part of the reset, that has to change.”
Tom Brufatto, policy director at the pro-EU Best for Britain campaign group, said the logic of Starmer’s Brexit reset approach would inevitably lead to a discussion on rejoining.
“Ultimately, it gets tougher from now on: the incrementalist approach will be running its course and that means that you are going to have to look at the red lines,” he told The i Paper.
“When you do, advocating for a customs union or single market, or a version of Switzerland, is not really going to work for you, your party or the country, because you won’t be able to carry the persuadable middle [of voters] with you.
“If you look at the red lines, which is what you’re going to have to do, you need to push for the UK’s full EU membership, because that’s how the public actually comes out and thanks you for it.”
The mooted EU speech from Starmer will come after the Prime Minister’s planned major policy speech next week, which is likely to focus on regulatory reform and boosting the economy.