Politics latest: Labour government will be 'more Gareth Southgate and less Michael Gove' (2024)

Following the maelstrom of activity over the past several weeks during the election, things have started to return to their usual cadence in Westminster.

For example, parliament is not sitting today - so there are no debates or committees to report on.

The Commons will be back on Tuesday - and new MPs will continue to swear the oaths to the King as they take their seats.

Then on Wednesday, it's the state opening of parliament and the King's Speech.

This mixes a big ceremonial set piece - with the monarch taking their seat on the throne in the House of Lords - with legislation and agenda setting.

The speech King Charles will make is written by the government, and will set out what the new administration wants to achieve in the next year or so.

MPs will continue to debate the speech until at least Thursday next week - and with 35 bills set to be included, there's a lot of ground to cover.

But on Thursday of this week, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is hosting a summit of theEuropean Political Community on 18 June.

The EPC, which first met in October 2022, will gather at Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire.

The group was created following the invasion of Ukraine by Russia, and is separate to the European Union.

Around 50 leaders from around the continent will gather at Winston Churchill's birthplace, with Sir Keir already saying he wants a closer relationship with Europe than his predecessor.

One of the rows that looks set to engulf Sir Keir Starmer's early tenure is the two child benefit cap.

This is the policy that means parents can only claim welfare for two offspring in a household - regardless of how many children live there.

While the Labour frontbench has signalled it wants to end the policy, the prime minister has indicated it is not in a position to do so due to the country's finances.

There is pressure within parts of the party to take action, and from opposition parties as well.

The SNP has written today to Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar - who is not an MP - urging him to tell Scottish Labour MPs to back their amendment to the King's Speech seeking for the cap to be abolished.

With the government running a majority of 180, it would require a very large rebellion for them to be defeated.

While Sir Keir Starmer can fend off rebellion from opponents easily, a protracted fight with his own benches so early in the life of his government would probably be less than desirable.

Andrew Mitchell, the Conservative's shadow foreign secretary, was speaking to Sky News a little earlier.

He was asked about the attack on Donald Trump over the weekend.

Mr Mitchell condemned the incident - and said political debate has "coarsened" in the UK because of social media.

On the specifics of Saturday's events, Mr Mitchell says "everyone has to learn lessons" - including those around the former president.

He also says: "Of course, there's the whole issue of guns and gun licensing in America which lurks in the foreground rather than the background on all of this".

Mr Mitchell says he prefers to "play the ball and not the man or woman" in politics - and encourages other people to do the same.

He says politicians respecting each other will "perhaps" lead to more respect for politicians from the public.

Speaking to Sky News a little earlier, Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy was asked about the attack on Donald Trump over the weekend - and whether the government had concerns about the political situation in the US.

Ms Nandy said the attack was "incredibly concerning" to Americans and the world.

She added that it was "extremely worrying when you consider that we've had a lot of division, and hatred and poison spreading into politics on both sides of the Atlantic - and across Europe as well in recent times".

The culture secretary reiterated that it was for the US people to choose their next leader.

She added that the UK-US relationship "matters" regardless of who is in the White House, with issues like defence, security and climate change all important for both London and Washington to work together on.

"It's our intention as the newly elected government here in the UK, that whoever wins that election, that that relationship continues," Ms Nandy said.

Sky News' deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard are here with their guide to the day ahead in politics.

On day 10 of the new Labour government,Jack and Sam cover the fallout from the attempted assassination of Donald Trump, preparations for the King's Speech, and if one Tory beast has ambitions to be interim leader.

Email Jack and Sam: jackandsam@sky.uk

👉Tap here to follow Politics at Jack and Sam's wherever you get your podcasts👈

Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy was at the Euro 2024 final last night in Berlin.

Speaking to Sky News this morning, Ms Nandy says the current funding for grassroots football is set to expire in April - but the government is committing to continue it.

It is worth noting that not doing so would have been a very drastic step.

Speaking about the final, Ms Nandy says it's not for her to comment on the status of Gareth Southgate as manager of the Three Lions.

But she does praise Southgate for his contribution to football - saying it has been "enormous" and that he has assembled a team of footballers "drawn from every community across the country who look and sound and feel like modern Britain".

The minister says the football team has told "an inclusive story" about the country at a time when it has been "very difficult for people to feel part of our national story".

Ms Nandy explicitly blames the previous government - saying Labour "will be far more Gareth Southgate and far less Michael Gove".

By Alix Culbertson, political reporter

Larry the Downing Street cat may be the UK's most famous mouser, but he's got some sharp competition with the Commons' newest furry occupant.

Jennie the golden retriever (who is a quarter Labrador) has become quite the star in her first few days of the new parliament.

Guide dog to new Liberal Democrat MP Steve Darling, who is registered blind, Jennie made her debut in the Commons last week.

She was seen patiently lying down by the front benches as MPs gathered in the chamber for the first time to elect the Speaker.

And Mr Darling, former leader of Torbay council, could be heard gently telling her to "stay there, good girl" as he was sworn in as the MP for Torbay on Wednesday.

Her X account (@rthonjennie) was only set up on Wednesday, but already has nearly 16,000 followers.

She needs a few more followers to reach Larry's 890,000-strong fanbase - but he does have a 13-year start on her.

Read more here:

By Jon Craig, chief political correspondent

What are the lessons for UK politicians from the assassination attempt on Donald Trump?

Are our ministers and MPs safe?

Just hours before the Trump shooting, Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle declared that his biggest concern is the safety of MPs and their staff.

"Security is the thing that keeps me awake at night," he told The Daily Telegraph, before insisting measures are already being taken "to make people safe".

Sir Lindsay voiced his fears a week after a bruising UK general election campaign and only days before Westminster's biggest security operation swings into action for the State Opening of Parliament.

The election campaign saw several politicians tell of intimidation, prompting ex-MP Harriet Harman to claim it was the worst she'd seen in 40 years and to call on Sir Lindsay to hold a special summit on MPs' safety.

In Pennsylvania, not even the US Secret Service's finest could prevent a young man taking a shot at the heavily guarded former president and now Republican candidate for the White House.

Here in the UK, our most senior politicians - the prime minister and cabinet ministers such as the foreign, defence and home secretaries - have round-the-clock close protection.

But backbenchers and less prominent politicians do not.

Read Jon Craig's full analysis here:

By Jennifer Scott, political reporter

The new Labour government will unveil more than 35 bills during the first King's Speech of its tenure, Downing Street has said.

Trailing the significant moment on Wednesday, which will see the King announce the party's plans for power in a ceremony full of pomp, ministers promised to focus on economic growth and to ensure its legislation supported their mission to "rebuild Britain".

The raft of bills will include promises on housebuilding, improving transport, increasing jobs and securing clean energy - reflecting Sir Keir Starmer's "first steps" for government that he campaigned on during the general election.

Number 10 also confirmed a new bill to enforce tough new spending rules, "designed to ensure economic growth, while avoiding the chaos which left families with spiralling bills and wreaked misery on people's lives", by strengthening the role of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR).

And there will be legislation to "empower regions to deliver change for their communities", with a promise to "hand the power back to local leaders who know what is best for their areas".

Reports have also suggested reform of the House of Lords will be included that could see peers forced to retire aged 80, alongside a roadmap for getting rid of hereditary peers.

Read more about Labour's plans here:

Following England's run in the men's Euro 2024 tournament, and the Lioness's victory in 2022, the government has announced it wants to break down the "barriers of opportunity" in the sport.

This is expected to include supporting grassroots clubs and improving access in schools, although there is very little detail in the announcement.

The prime minister said: "The Three Lions and the Lionesses have brought the nation so much joy over the last years. The men's team have excited and gripped us all with their talent and determination in never giving up.

"Playing each week, I know the importance and joy that football and sport more widely brings to so many people.

"Inspired by the Three Lions, we are breaking down the barriers to opportunity which stops the new generation of footballers from taking to the field and will celebrate those who keep the beautiful game alive in our communities and clubs."

The government also wants to support the Football Foundation - a charity which receives funding from the Premier League, FA, and the state.

Part of the work will be to improve the state of the amateur clubs, and transfer ownership of the team's pitches to the clubs and away from local authorities.

Sir Keir Starmer also wants to expand access to sport in schools, with a curriculum review in the works, and also wants to limit the number of branded pieces of uniform and PE kit schools can require to cut costs for parents.