UK politics live: No 10 rejects new accusations over Taylor Swift ticket and police escort row

Health secretary Wes Streeting has said the new hospitals programme will be delivered on a “credible” timetable.

The government announced in July that all projects within the programme promised by the previous Conservative administration would be placed under a spending review, with 25 schemes still under consideration.

Mr Streeting noted a proposed redevelopment is “desperately” needed for Whipps Cross Hospital, in east London, which serves his Ilford North constituency.

He told Tory former minister Sir Iain Duncan Smith: “That is why, in common with so many Members right across the House, I am absolutely furious that the previous government had a new hospitals programme whose timetable was a work of fiction and where the money runs out in March.

“The assurance I can give him, his constituents, my constituents and the constituents of every other MP across the House whose constituents are waiting for news on the new hospitals programme, is we will deliver that programme, we will deliver it on a timetable that is credible and a programme that is funded, giving our constituents the clarity that they deserve, the consistency that they deserve and also rebuilding faith in government amongst our construction industry and supply chain.”

During the election Labour made a clear promise “not to raise taxes on working people”. This specifically included income tax, VAT and national insurance contributions.

The problem Rachel Reeves has as her first Budget approaches on 30 October is that somehow she has to pay for an estimated £25bn in spending commitments and encourage economic growth with little room for manoeuvre.

Her former Bank of England mentor Lord Mervyn King has warned her against extra borrowing even by rewriting the fiscals and suggested she raises national insurance instead to invest.

It is clear from the prime minister’s words this morning that national insurance rises on employer contributions is now a strong possibility. But does this mean a breach in the manifesto promises from just over 100 days ago?

The Tories say yes - they would - but so does the independent Institute for Fiscal Studies director Paul Johnson.

It appears that Labour are planning on using a lawyer’s way out - appropriate for the prime minister - to emphasise that their pledge was “for working people” not employers.

Downing Street has ruled out scrapping voter ID before the May local elections next year.

Asked whether there was any prospect of the rules being abandoned soon, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “Not ahead of the May local elections.”

Number 10 acknowledged “inconsistencies” in some voter ID rules after being asked whether it would be adding any kind of cards that young people can use.

Asked whether the government was committed to the principle of voter ID, he said: “There is a review of voter ID under way to address some of the inconsistencies in voter ID rules.”

In an earlier post today we reported that the government have changed the rules so that veterans’ ID cards will be a valid form of identification for upcoming elections.

In an open letter, former governor of the Bank of England Mervyn King shares his advice for the chancellor ahead of her first ever Budget

Former Bank of England governor Mervyn King has made a dramatic intervention warning Rachel Reeves that she must raise national insurance in her Budget on 30 October.

According to the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS), the chancellor has an estimated £25bn black hole to fill in order to meet Labour’s spending commitments.

But in an open letter published in The Independent, Lord King warns her against higher borrowing.

Our political editor David Maddox reports

Veterans’ ID cards will be a valid form of identification for upcoming elections, ministers have announced.

The government is also undertaking a wider review of the voter ID policy, which was introduced by the Tories and has been tested at local elections and this summer’s general election.

Under the rules, voters have to present an acceptable form of ID to be able to cast their ballot.

These include passports, driving licences, Proof of Age Standards Scheme (Pass) cards, Blue Badges and some concessionary travel cards.

In May’s local elections, some veterans were dismayed that their ex-forces ID cards were not included in the list of acceptable forms of identification, which led to an apology from then-veterans minister Johnny Mercer.

On Tuesday, the government brought forward changes to the law in Parliament via a statutory instrument, which will add the veterans’ card to the list of acceptable ID.

The news was welcomed by the Royal British Legion, which said veterans had “found it frustrating that they were unable to use their Armed Forces Veteran Card as voter identification”.

David Cameron has hit back at the claim he threatened to “f***” Boris Johnson up forever if he backed Brexit in the 2016 referendum, saying he finds it “hard to believe”.

Lord Cameron channelled the late Queen Elizabeth II in saying “recollections differ” after Mr Johnson had claimed those were his “exact words”.

Speaking out for the first time since Mr Johnson made the explosive claim, Lord Cameron said: “I find that hard to believe.”

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports

The Liberal Democrats urged the chancellor to “think again” over the rumoured increase to employer national insurance contributions in the Budget

Treasury spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “The burden of this budget should fall on the likes of big banks, social media giants and oil and gas firms, instead of our local community businesses. The Chancellor should be protecting these smaller businesses, who are the backbone of our economy and the heartbeat of our communities.

“Now is not the time to raise national insurance rates on our high streets, local businesses and dynamic entrepreneurs.

“The Conservative government has left our economy on life support. Now is the time to boost growth by backing small businesses and repairing our crumbling public services.”

As chancellor Rachel Reeves prepares to deliver Labour’s first Budget in 14 years, there is significant interest in the potential fiscal changes on the horizon.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has highlighted that the focus will be on “making people better off,” outlining three key priorities: improving living standards, strengthening the NHS, and rebuilding the country, particularly in terms of housing.

We would like to hear your thoughts on what you would like to see introduced in Reeves’ Budget. Should she focus on measures to support homeowners, such as the Freedom to Buy scheme? Or would you prefer a focus on closing tax loopholes, such as abolishing non-dom status, to ensure a fairer tax system?

Click on the link below to share your comments

The previous Tory government was preparing to sanction two Israeli ministers over comments encouraging blocking aid to Gaza, David Cameron has said.

Piling pressure on Labour to revive his plans, Lord Cameron said that before the general election he was “working up” sanctions on Israeli finance minister Bezalel Smotrich and national security minister Itamar Ben-Gevir as a way of putting “pressure on Netanyahu“ to act within international law.

Mr Smotrich was recently criticised for appearing to suggest it might be “just and moral” to withhold food aid from Gaza, while Mr Ben-Gvir has backed the expansion of illegal settlements in the West Bank.

Our political correspondent Archie Mitchell reports