Starmer says Labour will ignore local opposition to new building if it has to to deliver more homes Keir Starmer has said that, in order to achieve his aim of accelerating housebuilding in Britain, he will be willing to ignore local opposition to developments. He also said that he would not tolerate Labour MPs trying to block his housebuilding plans either. Last year Rishi Sunak abandoned plans for mandatory national housebuilding targets in the face of widespread opposition from his MPs, many of whom represent green belt constituencies where housing developments are often unpopular with residents. Labour’s plan for housebuilding depends to a large extent on reforms to planning law. The party is not going to stop communities registering objections, but it wants to limit the extent to which some developments can be held up. In an interview with the Today programme, Starmer was asked if he would be willing to tell people: ‘We hear you, but I’m afraid we’re ignoring you.’ He replied: Yes. We’re going to have to do that. Now, that’s not going to be a crude exercise. I think one of the problems we have is that planning is at the moment very, very localised. There isn’t the ability to look across a wider area and say: ‘Where would the best place be for this development? Where could we have a new town?’ And so we need to bulldoze through it, but we also need to be pragmatic about how we do it. But I’m going to be clear: we aren’t going to have to do things which previous governments haven’t done because otherwise we’ll end up where we are now, which is talking about housing – this has been the story of the last 13 years – but not actually getting very much done. Asked about his own opposition in the past to the plan to take HS2 to Euston, which is in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency, Starmer said that MPs were entitled to stand up for their constituents, but that government had a different role. He said: You will always get – and quite understandably and quite rightly – individual MPs standing up for the communities in their patch. The role of government is obviously different. The role of government is to deliver on big projects. And we’re going to have to get that balance right. In a separate interview with Times Radio, he indicated that he would not let Labour MPs block his plans in the way that Tory MPs vetoed mandatory housing targets. He said: We are going to have to be tough with anybody who stands in the way of that and that will include any Labour MPs who say: ‘Well, I’m signed up to the project but just not here.’ Afternoon summary Keir Starmer has declared himself a “yimby”, as he promises to ensure developers can overcome local planning objections to get more houses built. Starmer has said he is “bomb-proofing” all of his policy pledges to ensure a Labour government does not break promises, as he defended the lack of new announcements in his speech to the party conference. Starmer has been accused by the Labour Muslim Network of backing a “war crime” after he defended Israel’s right to place Gaza under seige. (See 4.27pm.) The BBC has defended its decision to describe Hamas as militants rather than terrorists in its news coverage of the Israel-Hamas war following strong criticism from Grant Shapps, the defence secretary. (See 12.33pm.) Starmer says he would like overall tax burden on working people to fall under Labour Keir Starmer has said he wants to reduce the overall tax burdern for working people in the next parliament. In an interview with Christopher Hope from GB News, Starmer was asked if he would like the tax burden to come down under Labour. He replied: I would like the overall burden, particularly on working people to come down, but obviously we will operate, of course and always, within our fiscal rules. Starmer says it"s his ambition to get waiting lists down to around 2.3m by end of next parliament Keir Starmer has said that he is aiming to get the NHS waiting list down to around 2.3m by the end of the first term of a Labour government. During the party conference the party said it wanted to tackle the waiting list backlog. In an interview with Beth Rigby from Sky News, Starmer was asked if this mean he would cut the backlog from 7.7m, the current figure, to 2.3m by the end of the next parliament. He replied: Yes. My ambition is to clear it. And when Rigby asked if he could really do this in one parliament, Starmer replied: By, the end of the next parliament, 2 million a year, 40,000 a week and that’s why we’ve set out the ambitious project for it, partly for the health of the individuals, of course, but also because the economy depends on people being in work and this is a huge drag. Starmer says he"s a Yimby, determined to bulldoze through local opposition to housebuilding Keir Starmer has reaffirmed his determination to brush aside local opposition to his plans to increase housebuilding. (See 9.47am and 10.08am.) When the BBC’s Chris Mason asked him if he was “saying bluntly this is so important you will, bulldoze through local opposition”, Starmer replied: “Yes, that’s exactly what I’m saying.” And when Mason put it to him that he was a Yimby (Yes in my back yard), Starmer replied: I am Yes. I think that it’s very important that we build the homes that we need for the future. Starrmer says Israel should act against Hamas within international law - but avoids calling for "restraint" Keir Starmer has stressed the importance of Israel acting within international law in Gaza – but without explicitly calling for “restraint”. Asked in an interview with the BBC’s Chris Mason if he was calling for resraint, Starmer replied: What we’re seeing in recent days is appalling and shocking acts of cold blooded murder in relation to men, women, and children and responsibility for that terrorism lies with Hamas. Israel does have, must have the right to defend herself. Obviously, that’s within the framework of international law. But I think that Hamas should immediately release these hostages because Israel does have the right to defend herself, but also to take action to ensure the hostages are safely returned. Hamas should release those hostages, including children immediately. And in an interview with Andy Bell from 5 News, Starmer said: Israel has the right to defend herself. Obviously this is within the framework of international law. International law matters and everything should be done in accordance with international law but I don’t think we should deflect from the fact that the aggressor here, the terrorist acts, are those of Hamas and they bear responsibility for what is happening. Pregnant Then Screwed, which campaigns against the motherhood penalty, has welcomed Labour’s announcement of a review of early years provision. (See 3.47pm.) Joeli Brearley, its founder, said: We are elated to have confirmation that Labour is starting work on an independent review but we need to be mindful of parents who are making decisions right now on whether they can afford to have more children based on the cost of childcare and their parental leave entitlements. For now, parents will continue to be confused about whether childcare will be more affordable under a Labour government. They need certainty so that they can plan for the future. Keir Starmer has recorded a series of TV interviews, all embargoed until 5pm. I will post highlights from them in about 15 minutes. Starmer accused of backing "war crime" by Labour Muslim Network after he defended seige of Gaza A reader asks: Am I right in thinking that Keir, in saying on LBC this morning that Israel has the right to withhold food and water to Gaza, is supporting the breaking of the Geneva Convention? Arguably. On LBC this morning was asked by Nick Ferrari if he thought the seige of Gaza by Israel was appropriate, “cutting off power, cutting off water”. In response, Keir Starmer defending what Israel was doing – while also saying they should be acting within international law. Starmer replied: I think that Israel does have that right. It is an ongoing situation. Obviously, everything should be done within international law. But I don’t want to step away from the core principles that Israel have a right to defend herself and Hamas bears responsibility for these terrorist acts. The difficulty with this response is that Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, (here) and Volker Türk, the UN high commissioner for human rights, (here) are among the many experts who are saying that what Israel is doing is not allowed under international law. Alex Nunns, a former speechwriter for Jeremy Corbyn when Corbyn was Labour leader has posted the clip on X. The Labour Muslim Network later said that in his LBC interview Starmer was endorsing the collective punishment of 2.2 million people in Gaza. It said: Collective punishment is a war crime. Cutting off power and water to hospitals and life-serving facilities is a war crime. No government, no army, and no country can ever be above international law. We ask you directly, Sir Keir: retract your comments, apologise to Palestinians, and meet urgently with Palestinian representatives and organisations in the UK, LMN and the Muslim Council of Britain. Labour gives details of its review of early years provision Here is a bit more detail from Labour about the review of early years provision announced by Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, in her speech this morning. It will be led by Sir David Bell, a former permanent secretary at the Department for Education and a former head of Ofsted. The party said: Labour said its review would develop a plan for the widening of childcare eligibility promised by the Conservatives at the 2023 budget, look at ways to increase the amount of primary school-based nursery provision due to falling birth rates and how to build on Labour’s victory in the levelling up bill to remove restrictions on local authorities from opening nursery provision. The review will consider major reform of the childcare workforce as well as inform Labour’s plan and deal with the lack of available childcare in England, where there are two children for every childcare place. Commenting on his appointment to lead the review, Bell said: I am delighted to have been invited to chair Labour’s early years review, which will inform the landmark creation of a new modern childcare system that embeds quality and availability throughout early years education. It’s only through that relentless focus on high and rising standards and the better integration of early years into our wider education system that Labour will meet the ambitious aim of half a million more children meeting early learning goals by 2030. And just as Unite is saying that Labour’s plans for the NHS must involve higher pay for staff (see 3.01pm), teaching unions are also saying that a Labour government would have to pay teachers more. Responding to Bridget Phillipson’s speech this morning, Paul Whiteman, the general secretary of the NAHT, the union for school leaders, said: We welcome the ambition expressed by the shadow education secretary and her acknowledgement of some of serious issues facing schools. Be it the recruitment and retention crisis, crumbling buildings, or the high-stakes, often unfair inspection regime, we need a coherent plan to fix these problems, and prioritise children’s education. Action is also needed to address unsustainable levels of staff workload and years of below-inflation pay and funding settlements. And Daniel Kebede, the general secretary of the National Education Union, said: Labour politicians are recognising that a re-set between the teaching profession and government is required – and that very little of national government ambitions can be achieved without working with, and in partnership, with teachers … What is abundantly clear is that to maintain educational quality or get a step-change on pupil attendance and well-being will need adequate funding. High and rising standards will need more teachers and more time for teachers to focus on the core responsibilities of teaching and strong relationships with students. Current surveys show individual pupil needs is the top trend contributing to the work intensity of teachers. The recruitment and retention challenge simply must be solved - and this means making teaching, and the leading of schools in these times much more attractive. But unions welcome Phillipson’s announcement of a review of early years provision. (See 11.26am.) Unite has said that Labour’s plan to improve and reform the NHS will fail unless it is accompanied by pay rises reversing the real-terms cuts that staff have endured. Responding to Wes Streeting’s speech to the Labour conference this morning (see 12.02pm), Sharon Graham, the Unite general secretary, said: Labour’s focus on the NHS is welcome – but it must come with a clear workforce plan that includes the reversal of real-terms pay cuts. We cannot fix the NHS if we don’t reverse the crippling staff shortages. And we can’t do that if we don’t improve pay and conditions. Dedicated staff are leaving in droves because they cannot make ends meet, many are visiting food banks. There is a real opportunity here to invest in the NHS and its staff. Court rejects legal challenge against Home Office putting asylum barge in Portland without planning permission The high court has rejected a challenge by the mayor of Portland in Dorset, Carralyn Parkes, acting in a personal capacity, against the Home Office use of Bibby Stockholm barge to accommodate asylum seekers there. Mr Justice Holgate rejected the claim that the Home Office had circumvented planning laws by not obtaining planning permission to use the barge to accommodate about 500 asylum seekers, in an oral judgment in the high court this morning. He said the claim needed to be brought against Dorset council rather than against the Home Office. Parkes’s legal team sought permission to bring judicial review proceedings against the Home Office in a court hearing on Tuesday, arguing that the housing of asylum seekers on the barge was a “breach of planning control”. Government lawyers said that Dorset council, the local planning authority did not think planning permission was required. Parkes’s legal team is considering an appeal and is also considering bringing a case against Dorset council. In written submissions to the high court about the case, Dorset council said it was considering possible planning enforcement action against the Home Office for its use of an area onshore close to the barge. The Labour conference has now wrapped up. Apart from when Jeremy Corbyn gave the leader’s speech on the final day of conference, in recent years the conference has concluded with someone giving a Tory-bashing speech full of jokes. Often it was the deputy leader, but today it was Jonathan Ashworth, the shadow paymaster general (a slightly ill-defined role which means he’s an all-purpose fixer). Here is an extract from his speech. Did you see [the Tories] last week? Penny Mordaunt kept telling the Tory conference to “stand up and fight”. No one stood up, but they did fight one another. There was Michael Gove complaining about the Tory tax burden. Rees-Mogg complaining about the lack of economic growth. Jeremy Hunt complaining about civil servant numbers. All of them complaining about the runaway costs of HS2. It’s astonishing, who do these people think have been in power for the past 13 years? Did you see the fringe? There was Priti Patel skipping the light fandango with Nigel Farage. Farage waltzing his way back into the Tory party and Sunak too weak to stop him. And then there was Liz Truss too. Letting it be known she wants a second chance to outlast the lettuce and crash and smash family finances all over again. That was their conference fringe. But I tell you it’s also the Conservative party’s future. More turmoil, more risk, more chaos with Truss, Braverman, Rees-Mogg and Farage calling the shots Vote Sunak, get Truss. That’s the fifth Tory term we have to stop. We were promised we would see “Rishi be Rishi”. But no one liked what they saw. The Tory members’ WhatsApp group branded Sunak a “loser” who has, and I quote, “about as much enthusiasm and appeal as a doorknob”. Bit harsh on doorknobs. They are at least useful. The conference ended, as it traditionally does, with renditions of the Red Flag and Jerusalem. Before Ashworth spoke, the conference was addressed by Anthony Albanese, the Australian Labor party prime minister (via video) and by Oleksandr Korniyenko, the deputy speaker of the Ukrainian parliament (in person). BBC defends its decision to call Hamas militants, not terrorists, after Shapps calls it "verging on disgraceful" The BBC has defended its decision to describe Hamas as militants rather than terrorists in its news coverage of the Israel-Hamas war. It issued a statement in response to Grant Shapps, the defence secretary, telling LBC this morning that the decision not to use the term terrorists was “verging on disgraceful”. Keir Starmer also said he thought the term terrorists was appropriate, and he urged the BBC to provide an explanation. (See 10.31am.) A BBC spokesperson said: We always take our use of language very seriously. Anyone watching or listening to our coverage will hear the word ‘terrorist’ used many times – we attribute it to those who are using it, for example, the UK government. This is an approach that has been used for decades, and is in line with that of other broadcasters. The BBC is an editorially independent broadcaster whose job is to explain precisely what is happening ‘on the ground’ so our audiences can make their own judgment. Shapps told LBC this morning: I actually think it is verging on disgraceful, this idea that there is some sort of equivalence, and they’ll always say well there’s two sides … what Hamas have done, as a proscribed terrorist organisation, meaning that they are illegal in Britain, it’s illegal to support them, is to have gone out and slaughtered innocent people, babies, festival-goers, pensioners. They are not freedom fighters, they are not militants, they are pure and simple terrorists and it’s remarkable to go to the BBC website and still see them talking about gunmen and militants and not calling them terrorists. Streeting says Sunak"s decision to ban younger generations from buying cigarettes shows Labour "winning battle of ideas" Wes Streeting also claimed in his conference speech that Rishi Sunak’s decision to back plans to stop younger generations ever being able to buy cigarettes showed that Labour was winning the battle of ideas – because he proposed the policy first. He said: Back in January, I proposed going even further by outlawing the sale of cigarettes to the next generation altogether. Tory MPs said it was “nanny state”, “an attack on ordinary people and their culture”, They accused me of “health fascism”. Unfortunately for them, Labour is winning the battle of ideas, and where Labour leads Rishi Sunak follows. We’ll vote through the ban on selling cigarettes to kids, so that young people are even less likely to smoke than they are to vote Tory. Streeting announced that Labour would consult on the idea in an interview with the BBC in January. The policy was first proposed officially in the UK in 2022, in an indepedent review of smoking policy by Dr Javed Khan published by the Department of Health and Social Care when Sajid Javid was health secretary. With Boris Johnson, and then Liz Truss, in No 10, the proposal was at the time buried by the government. Streeting said he would consult on it because radical public health measures were needed, but in May he gave an interview saying he needed to be convinced the plan would be practical. NHS at risk of going bankrupt if it does not reform, Wes Streeting says Wes Streeting, the shadow health secretary, said in his speech this morning the NHS is at risk of going bust if it does not reform. Addressing the Labour conference, he said: Labour will never abandon the founding principles of the NHS as a publicly funded public service, free at the point of use. I make the case for reform not in opposition to those principles but in defence of them. I’m blunt about the fact that the NHS is no longer the envy of the world, not to undermine it, but to reassure people that we’ve noticed. I argue that our NHS must modernise or die, not as a threat but a choice. The crisis really is that existential. Just because as waiting lists rise, public confidence falls … In the longer term the challenge of rising chronic disease, combined with our ageing society, threatens to bankrupt the NHS. The Tories answer is all sticking plasters in the short term but an abandonment of the NHS in the longer term. As we saw in Manchester last week, the Conservative party dances to the tune of Nigel Farage now. And the more they move to the right, the greater their threat to our NHS becomes. So it falls to us, the party that founded the NHS 75 years ago, to rescue, rebuild and renew the health service today.