Oliver Wright

Exclusive interview with Kemi Badenoch ahead of Tory conference: * Badenoch has pledged to end the "completely broken" system under which GPs sign patients off sick to stop millions of people from being becoming "stuck" on benefits. She warned that people are "cheating the system" and pressuring doctors to secure fit notes * This time last year Badenoch appeared on brink. She is now moulding the party in her image. “Last year was about telling the party who I was," Badenoch says. "Now the party is going to be showing the country who we are. A strong team of people who, you know, we actually like each other." * Badenoch’s Tories are more aggressive. “Certainly punchy, it's aggressively fighting for those people who no one is speaking for,” she says * On “grumpy grandpa” Farage: “He is grumpy," she says. "Nigel Farage has fallen out with everyone he has ever worked with in every other party he has been in. They have shown us that they are neck deep in sleaze and scandal.” * On Andy Burnham: “He's not just a proud socialist, he is someone who is looking at the past and I'm looking to the future. He is someone who believes that the government and more politicians are the answer to everything.” * On the economy: “I am worried about a generation of young people who simply don't have the opportunities we had. Jobs in particular, a graduate recruitment crisis, benefits paying more than jobs. The energy problem is coming further down the line. We have no money. All Andy Burnham is talking about is what he wants to spend it on. It's laudable to want to fix social care, but he hasn't found the money for it” * PLUS the first glimpse of the 87-foot Tory version of the Bayeux Tapestry that will be displayed at Tory conference… featuring Kemi Badenoch towering over a tiny, weeping Robert Jenrick thetimes.com/article/21d074d…

EXCLUSIVE: Britain needs to take a “tough love” approach to young people who are on benefits by giving them greater employment support in exchange for a new “duty to engage”, a government adviser has said Alan Milburn, a former Labour cabinet minister who is writing a review on youth unemployment, said the state should provide young people with more opportunities to stop them from being “consigned to a life on benefits” However, in an interview with The Times, he said those on health and disability benefits who are capable of working — particularly those with conditions such as mild ADHD and anxiety — should face an “obligation” to take advantage of employment support He said that Britain should introduce a “backstop” like other welfare systems in Europe, which would ultimately see people’s benefits reduced if they repeatedly fail to engage It would only be used as a “last resort” and be for those who are able to work rather than for those with “severe and enduring” disabilities The time has come to stop “pussyfooting around the issue”, he said, because the current system was a “total state failure” and “morally indefensible” “There’s a deal. And the deal is that as the opportunities increase, so must the obligations because otherwise we will end up with a situation where more and more young people are consigned to a life on benefits “And young people have an obligation to engage with that. And I know that sounds like tough love. But tough love is what is needed here.” The number of out of work young people who receive means-tested benefits with no requirement to engage with employment support had almost doubled from 160,000 in 2019 to 300,000 at the end of last year “At the moment what we’re doing is basically saying to a near majority ‘oh it’s fine’,” Milburn said. “It’s the state at its worst. A total state failure. Obviously apart from those with severe and enduring disabilities all financial support for young people should have support attached to it to get into work and training and should have requirements attached to it.” He added: “It isn’t controversial [in continental Europe]. But it’s controversial in the UK for reasons I don’t understand. We’re happy talking about welfare state. We’re not happy talking about a working state “But a working state has to have some rules. Work beats welfare every single time. I think sometimes with this there’s been a bit of pussyfooting around.” thetimes.com/article/a3a3165…

EXCLUSIVE: Andy Burnham is expected to appoint a former Blairite cabinet minister who is one of his oldest political allies as his chief of staff as he seeks to overhaul No 10 James Purnell, who served as pensions minister, culture secretary, and work and pensions secretary in the New Labour governments of Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, is the frontrunner for the role, The Times has been told He is said to be viewed by Burnham as a “serious figure” who is capable of implementing his radical plans to reform Downing Street and Whitehall The pair, who entered parliament together in 2001, shared an office as novice Greater Manchester MPs, with Burnham representing Leigh and Purnell holding Stalybridge & Hyde Burnham frequently joked that he was overlooked for broadcast interviews in favour of Purnell, who was educated in France and Surrey Purnell is chief executive of Flint Global, a major PR and lobbying firm, a role that may present issues over potential conflicts of interest in government thetimes.com/uk/politics/art…

Exclusive:   Britain must not be “squeamish” about reducing the welfare bill to fund additional spending on defence, Andy Burnham has said.   The mayor of Greater Manchester said that the government must “listen to” the concerns raised by John Healey, who resigned as defence secretary after accusing the prime minister of jeopardising the security of the nation.   In an interview with The Times he said that “the world has changed” and it is “obvious” that the government is going to have to adjust assumptions about defence spending in response.   He said that rather than implementing “crude cuts” to the welfare budget he favours a “preventative” approach that will provide the support people need to get back into work.   He unveiled plans for a 10-year public investment plan which will require all government procurement to include commitments to spending on apprenticeships and work placements for young people.   “I am not squeamish about saying that the plan would be to reduce the welfare bill. Not at all.   "But it is not the traditional Westminster way of just crude cuts, short-term crude cuts that then create a backlash and create more political turbulence.   "It is actually going to do things that will actually reduce the benefits bill, which is moving towards a more preventative state that makes the right investments to support people into work.”   thetimes.com/article/1f3d91c…

Huge congratulations to @MaxKendix on becoming our new Washington Correspondent - a richly deserved move for a brilliant young reporter. Have no doubt you will absolutely own it over there but you will be sorely missed by all of us here in Westminster

EXCLUSIVE with @patrickkmaguire and @Geri_E_L_Scott Ed Miliband has privately suggested to Sir Keir Starmer that he should consider setting out a timeline for his departure amid concerns he will be forced out of No 10 in the wake of the election results, The Times has been told Two sources familiar with the discussion said that the energy secretary and former Labour leader made the suggestion during a private meeting with the prime minister about a fortnight ago While Miliband remains supportive of Starmer he is concerned that Labour will descend into a bitter and damaging leadership contest in the wake of the elections, which are expected to be disastrous for Starmer Angela Rayner, the former deputy prime minister, and Wes Streeting, the health secretary, are both said to have the support of the 81 Labour MPs needed to trigger a contest. Rayner is considering making a move despite the fact she has not been cleared by HM Revenue & Customs over her tax affairs Miliband is viewed by allies as a “kingmaker” to a potential run for the leadership by Andy Burnham. Burnham, the mayor of Greater Manchester, is understood to have told supporters in recent days that a backbench MP is willing to stand down as soon as this weekend to facilitate his return to Westminster Miliband will join cabinet loyalists in backing Starmer this weekend, but he has significant concerns about the risk of Labour descending into a civil war and the damage it would do to the party and the government unless the prime minister sets a timeline for his departure He is understood to have raised his concerns during a private discussion with Starmer during which the two men talked about the aftermath of the elections A spokesman for Miliband would not comment on “private conversations” but said: “We do not accept this account.” He did not dispute that the discussion had taken place and declined to say how the accounts differed. “Ed has always supported the prime minister and continues to do so as he delivers on his mandate for change,” the spokesman said. Burnham has told several Labour MPs on Merseyside and in Greater Manchester that a backbencher is willing to resign their seat to facilitate his comeback. Those who have spoken to the mayor said an announcement could be made as soon as Saturday thetimes.com/article/8fe95de…

EXCLUSIVE Sir Keir Starmer WILL face a vote on whether he should be referred to a parliamentary sleaze inquiry over the appointment of Lord Mandelson as US ambassador Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker of the Commons, is expected allow a debate and a vote tomorrow on whether to refer the prime minister to the privileges committee over claims he misled the House The Tories and other opposition parties have accused Starmer of misleading MPs by claiming that "due process" was followed in the appointment of Mandelson as ambassador to the United States and there was "no pressure whatsoever" Starmer's claims were contradicted last week by Sir Olly Robbins, who Starmer sacked as permanent secretary at the Foreign Office. He said there was "constant pressure" over Mandelson's appointment. The Times has been told that Hoyle is expected to allow the request for the debate and vote because the procedural bar for doing so is "relatively low". Parliamentary rules state that complaints must not be "frivolous" As we revealed this morning Starmer is likely to whip his MPs to oppose the motion. It will be a three line whip. So the question remains how many of them are likely to defy him? Starmer’s allies argue that the vote is a distraction from more important issues like the fallout from Iran and the impending cost of living crisis. They deny claims that he misled the Commons thetimes.com/article/ceb8bf1…

Exclusive from @benclatworthy The price of tomatoes, cucumbers, lettuce and asparagus will soar in the coming weeks Prices of salad items that are grown in greenhouses are expected to rise as the economic impact of the Middle East crisis is felt at supermarket checkouts. Food industry executives are particularly concerned about the impact on energy-intensive groceries. Karen Betts, chief executive of the Food & Drink Federation (FDF), said “anything grown in a greenhouse in the UK” was at risk because of the soaring cost of energy. Businesses are not protected by the price cap that Ofgem, the regulator, sets for domestic users Dr Liliana Danila, the chief economist at the FDF, warned that fresh food - such as salads that have a short supply chain - would be the first to have additional costs passed on to consumers thetimes.com/uk/politics/art…