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

Former chancellor George Osborne has weighed in on the Conservative leadership contest.

He claimed that Robert Jenrick would emerge a “more ruthless” leader compared to rival Kemi Badenoch.

Speaking on his Political Currency podcast, Mr Osborne described Mr Jenrick’s willingness to be “malleable” as a political asset, suggesting that his ability to adapt positions to secure wins makes him the best candidate.

He said: “I would say that Robert Jenrick is in some ways a sort of safer choice because he is playing safe.

“He’s shown he’s very - this will be taken the wrong way, but I don’t mean it like this - sort of malleable. He’ll move to where he thinks he can win, and in an opposition leader, that’s a very attractive quality.”

He added: “I think Jenrick will be more ruthless. If he thinks you can win on the centre ground, he’ll move the party to the centre ground. I think Kemi Badenoch is more authentic, in the sense of, ‘this is what I believe and you can take it or leave it’.

“Anyone who’s dealt with her in private will know she’s very robust, and she quite often puts people’s backs up, because she tells people what she thinks, but that’s also a very attractive quality.”

In a strategic move to appeal to centrist Conservatives, Robert Jenrick has suggested he could invite James Cleverly to join his shadow cabinet if he wins.

Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Jenrick described Mr Cleverly as a “friend” and “would be delighted for him to serve in the shadow cabinet, should he want to do so”.

The shadow home secretary, a centrist voice within the party, was eliminated from the leadership contest on Wednesday, leaving Mr Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch as the final two contenders.

However, Tory Reform Group, representing many one-nation Conservatives, voiced dissatisfaction with both rivals.

As Labour approaches its 100th day in power, a YouGov poll has revealed that nearly 60 per cent of the public disapproves of the government’s performance so far.

The survey indicates that 59 per cent felt unimpressed, with only 18 per cent expressing approval.

The results represent a rocky start for Sir Keir Starmer, but they are not as dire as the previous government’s ratings.

Despite the discontent, a portion of the public remains cautiously optimistic.

About 37 per cent of respondents claimed they do not have high hopes for the government but are willing to give it a chance, while 17 per cent expressed confidence that Labour would succeed.

Specific policies have triggered disapproval, particularly the early release of prisoners, a decision aimed at easing overcrowding, which 68 per cent of respondents opposed.

The means testing of the winter fuel allowance also garnered criticism, with more than half disapproving.

The UK economy grew in August after two months of being flat, the latest official figures show.

Gross domestic product (GDP) recorded a 0.2 per cent growth in August, an increase on no growth in June and July, figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said.

While growth was already forecast in economic predictions, it will come as a boost for new Chancellor Rachel Reeves ahead of the autumn budget at the end of October.

But ONS warned that the “broader picture” still reflects one of “slowing growth” compared to the first half of this year.

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Robert Jenrick has launched an intense critique of French President Emmanuel Macron.

The Tory leadership candidate claimed that the UK cannot depend on France to resolve the ongoing crisis of small boat crossings in the English Channel.

Speaking on LBC, he accused Mr Macron’s government of being “immensely unhelpful” regarding illegal migration, suggesting that France has the power to rectify the situation swiftly but has chosen not to.

Mr Jenrick said: “They could fix this problem tomorrow if they wished,” emphasising that the inaction of the French government has resulted in significant financial waste, strained public services, and even fatalities in the Channel.

When pressed about whether he considers Mr Macron a friend or foe, Jenrick’s response was pointed: “On this particular issue, the French have been deeply unhelpful.”

He added: “They could fix this problem tomorrow if they wished but president Macron and his government have refused to do so.

“And that has led to all of the many problems that people across our country are facing now - the billions of pounds wasted, the asylum hotels, the deaths in the Channel. This is needless. The French could stop this. They won’t.”

Asked if he therefore viewed Mr Macron as more of a foe than a friend, he said: “On this particular issue the French have been deeply unhelpful to the UK and this is what led me to the conclusion that you can’t rely on the French, you have got to create a proper deterrent, that is why I support the Rwanda scheme… you can’t rely on the kindness of strangers to protect the borders of the United Kingdom.”

Robert Jenrick has suggested he regrets his previous decision to order the removal of murals depicting cartoon characters at a children’s asylum centre during his tenure as immigration minister.

Speaking on LBC, Jenrick admitted that he initially took the action due to concerns about adults illegally entering the UK while posing as children.

At the time, he believed it was crucial to establish a law enforcement atmosphere in such facilities to help identify those potentially misrepresenting their age.

“I think that was the right decision,” he said. But admitted that he has since reflected on the implications of that choice.

“There are lessons to be learned from it, and I probably would have done things differently if I had my time again.

“What I did want to do then and feel just as passionately about today is that we have got to weed out those people who are posing as children when they first arrive,” he added.

Robert Jenrick has said he was “a bit surprised” when James Cleverly was knocked out from the Tory leadership contest.

The Conservative contender told LBC this morning that “horse-trading” of votes is common in political contests but he could not say “with any certainty exactly what happened”.

Mr Cleverly was leading the third round of voting in the leadership contest but he surprisingly fell to third place in the final vote by Conservative MPs, leaving Mr Jenrick and Kemi Badenoch in the final two.

In a thinly-veiled attack on Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick has said the Conservative Party must not become a “party of Twitter spats”.

He told the BBC: “I am focusing on a whole spectrum of issues which I would argue are the most salient ones to the public.

“I don’t want us to go down rabbit holes and to be a party of Twitter spats. I want us to heal the party and focus on the big issues facing the people of this country.”

Ahead of Rachel Reeves’ landmark Labour budget on 30 October, Scotland’s deputy first minister has called for a reevaluation of the fiscal rules governing Labour’s fiscal strategy.

Speaking to Sky News, Kate Forbes cited constraints imposed by the current framework, which she attributed to the Conservative Party.

As Sir Keir Starmer meets leaders of the devolved administrations, the focus shifts to the potential for fiscal reform that could allow an increased investment through expanded borrowing.

Ms Forbes urged the government to “prioritise the right kind of spend”, which she believes is essential for stimulating growth and boosting public services across the country.