People welcoming the 'candour' in Starmer's Observer interview. In it, he concedes he gave a major speech on immigration, the number one issue of concern to voters. But admits he hadn't properly read it, didn't believe it, didn't want to do it, and regrets delivering it.

I gather some musicians have political views. Oh for the days when this would lead to letters to the papers calling for anything except classical music to be banned.

There are over 400 Labour MPs. Being PM is just about the biggest, most important and time consuming job there is. Am I the only one who finds complaints that the PM “hasn’t spoken to me and doesn’t know my name” a little childish? Entitled? Self obsessed?

For info: I promised the Greater Manchester Disabled People’s Panel that I would represent their opposition to this Bill all the way to the end and that is exactly what I am doing. My job. 👍🏻

This effectively would be a full retreat on the most contentious point. They would no longer be forcing through an OBR-scorable saving that will deny help to those who can't wash and dress below the waist

If government row back on this PIP reform, that's a £4.5 billion a year saving by 2029 on hold This is how the OBR scored the change in the Spring Statement

Disability minister Stephen Timms to announce yet another government concession on the welfare bill imminently. Changes to PIP will now not happen until after his review of the system (which is the opposite of what Liz Kendall told MPs earlier). All a bit shambolic.

Any changes to PIP eligibility to wait until Timms review (due Autumn '26). Under current plans, govt had been due to save £4.5bn 2029/30 by changing PIP assessment so claimants must score 4 points in any one activity from 26/27. So big Qs about cost of this concession & what

UPDATE: In a major u-turn, Keir Starmer has now scrapped the entire PIP section of the welfare bill. The Timms review will report back in autumn 2026 and, as it is being conducted with disability groups, is highly unlikely to opt for four-point eligibility criteria. This

Think one of the lasting impacts of the welfare row, wherever the policy ends up is going to be this - a growing perception that Labour is divided - with a stark difference in perceptions of unity, fairly or not, between Reform and Labour.

Sky's Sam Coates Sky reflects on the first Prime Minister's questions since the passing of the welfare bill where the Chancellor Rachel Reeves appears to be crying. trib.al/kdXA2Dr 📺 Sky 501, Virgin 602, Freeview 233 and YouTube

'The level of unhappiness in parts of the Labour party is so striking that right now, I am hearing from ministers in the govt, Keir Starmer might have to go in months' Sam Coates Sky reflects on what has been happening in Westminster today⬇️ trib.al/ftpea6d

I hear that this new direct train from Paris to Berlin usually leaves heavily booked, with up to 75% of tickets sold for the whole 8h journey. #trainnotplane

Nowcast Update: Reform slip back slightly, but remain by far the largest party. RFM: 291 (+286), 28.4% - [35 Short] LAB: 159 (-252), 24.3% LDM: 80 (+8), 13.6% CON: 40 (-81), 17.8% SNP: 40 (+31), 2.6% PLC: 7 (+3), 1.1% GRN: 5 (+1), 9.0% Oth: 9 (+4), 3.2% electionmaps.uk/nowcast

NEW OBR fiscal risks report: - Triple lock is costing treble what it was initially assumed to cost when introduced in 2012… - £15.5bn a year rather than £5bn a year and is - State Pension on course to cost 7.5% of the UK’s entire GDP within 50 years, was 2% in 50s, now 5%

Also suspended, despite warnings of ECML capacity problems with December 2025’s timetable, is NR’s scheme to improve capacity at York, which has includes its partially built third line north of the station.

Ahead of a BIG weekend in Manchester … ☀️ … we will set out later today our new ambitions for GM for the next decade and beyond …👇🏻 … look out for some small, medium and large sized announcements from 5pm. 👀

A source reminds me that this scheme is vital if there’s to be any hope of restoring the second hourly Newcastle-Manchester service. That service is something Northern politicians only grudgingly gave up to let more East Coast Main Line trains serve London.

Tweet of the day from Lewis Goodall

BREAKING: Thousands of Afghans being relocated to UK as part of secret £850m scheme set up after major personal data leak of those who supported British forces. A dataset containing personal information of nearly 19,000 people who applied for the Afghan relocations and