UK politics live: Half of Labour voters ‘let down’ by Starmer, Jenrick vows he won’t return Tories to centre

Kemi Badenoch’s leadership bid has a “star quality” that puts her ahead of Robert Jenrick, former chancellor George Osborne has said.

In his Political Currency podcast, Mr Osborne said that Ms Badenoch’s appeal resonated more with the Conservative grassroots, even as she narrowly topped the most recent vote by just a single ballot.

He said: “When [Kemi Badenoch] says she’s the next Mrs T, is it Mrs Thatcher or Mrs Truss? That’s the thing her critics say. I would think she’s the current favourite. She emerged only by one vote top of the poll.

“She probably has the more kind of star quality and may get more of the Conservative press back, but Jenrick has run a better campaign than hers.”

Peter Mandelson has suggested that the UK could begin discussions on rejoining the EU within a decade.

The Labour peer said that while the political landscape on both sides Channel currently prevents such talks, the conversation could shift within ten years.

Speaking at an event in Edinburgh hosted by the think tank Reform Scotland, he said: “The very hard Brexit forced through by Boris Johnson means that we are for now driving with the economic handbrake on – we can’t let that handbrake off. It is what is.”

He added: “It is difficult to see this being reversed within the next decade. That’s not just about our politics but the politics of the European Union. We are repeating the mistakes of the Brexit economic saboteurs if we think re-entry to the EU or even renegotiation is anything like a unilateral decision on our part. It isn’t.

“So the new government will have to focus in the meantime on mitigating the higher barriers we have created to our nearest and largest market as best we possibly can.”

Sir Keir Starmer opened the first Council of Nations and Regions summit in Edinburgh with a call for deeper collaboration between the UK government and devolved administrations.

The newly formed council, which includes first ministers and metro mayors, is part of Sir Keir’s pledge to “rewire” how Westminster engages with the devolved nations.

Addressing the leaders, the prime minister emphasised the need for a cooperative approach.

He said: “This council is a statement of intent on my behalf and the government about the way in which we want to work with all of you.

“I think that is as important as the substance of what we discuss, is how we collaborate, how we work together.

“Because the UK is really strong, we’ve got so much to offer, particularly when it comes to growth and investment, but we are a bit complicated.”

The PM went on to say the UK should “harness” the different identities in the country, adding he sees facilitating collaboration between them as a “responsibility of this government”.

The government’s much-anticipated Investment Summit has dealt with a significant setback after DP World, a major player in global logistics, pulled a planned £1bn investment announcement for its London Gateway container port.

Dubai-based DP World had been slated to headline the summit, which aims to showcase the UK’s attractiveness to foreign investors and will be attended by the prime minister and the chancellor.

But Sky News reports that the company is now reconsidering the investment in the wake of sharp rebukes from transport secretary Lousie Haigh and deputy prime minister Angela Rayner.

Both ministers condemned P&O Ferries for its notorious decision in March 2022 to dismiss 800 British seafarers, replacing them with cheaper international workers.

Ms Haigh labelled the company a “rouge operator”, while Ms Rayner called the move “an outrageous example of employer manipulation”.

A councillor who had oversight of Grenfell Tower and dismissed some residents’ complaints about refurbishments as “grossly exaggerated” has donated to Kemi Badenoch’s Tory leadership campaign.

Quentin Marshall, who has been a councillor in Kensington and Chelsea since 2008, has given £5,000 to the right-winger’s bid to succeed Rishi Sunak.

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell has the full story below:

Downing Street has refused to say why Sue Gray is taking a break from work that has seen her miss a meeting with regional leaders, which is key to her new role.

A Number 10 spokeswoman insisted the gathering of the Council of Nations and Regions was “by no means the extent of our engagement” and Ms Gray would play a “huge role” going forward.

“The whole point of the reset is that we will be working much more closely and collaboratively with both devolved governments and with mayors,” she said.

“So, you can expect to see – as you already have – much more continued close engagement and the new envoy will play a huge role in that.”

Asked why Ms Gray was taking a break from work, the spokeswoman said: “It’s not routine for us to give a running commentary on individual members of staff.”

She refused to “add to” the commentary surrounding Ms Gray’s position, which the former senior civil servant cited in a statement announcing her resignation on Sunday.

Paul Scully, a former Tory minister, has expressed frustration over James Cleverly’s exclusion from the final ballot.

As part of a growing chorus of voices calling the process flawed, Mr Scully took to social media to air his concerns.

The former minister was also controversially excluded from the shortlist for London mayoral candidate.

Mr Scully, like Cleverly, is in the more centrist position of the party and has argued that the exclusion of a candidate representing that wing denies party members a genuine choice.

He posted: “Cleverly and Tugendhat were fishing in one pool, Badenoch and Jenrick in another. To cut out one philosophical choice denies members a real choice about how to rebuild.

“Denied by MPs considering this to be a game, however, it transpired with vote lending or individuals trying to second guess the result. The members will be all the poorer for that and the party’s fortune hangs in the balance.”

Tory grandee Damian Green, who was deputy prime minister under Theresa May, has urged fellow moderate party members to get behind Kemi Badenoch in the leadership election.

The significant intervention by the former chair of the liberal One Nation caucus of Conservative MPs came after the Tory Reform Group (TRG) on the left of the party refused to endorse either rightwing candidate.

Our political editor David Maddox has the exclusive story below: