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Politics latest news: Starmer calls for 'closer trading relationship with EU' after UK signs Indo-Pacific deal

Labour Party leader Keir Starmer hosts a Q&A session with staff during his visit to Burts Crisps factory, in Plymouth, Devon, today. - Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images Europe
Labour Party leader Keir Starmer hosts a Q&A session with staff during his visit to Burts Crisps factory, in Plymouth, Devon, today. - Finnbarr Webster/Getty Images Europe

Sir Keir Starmer called for the UK to have a "closer trading relationship with the EU" as he gave a lukewarm welcome to the Government’s deal to join a major Indo-Pacific trade bloc.

The UK has now formally joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP).

Sir Keir said it was "good to have a new trade deal, but better to have a closer relationship with the EU to go alongside it" as he argued the economic benefits of the CPTPP pact would be "very small".

Speaking during a visit to Plymouth, the Labour leader said: "I welcome any trade deal, but I have to say we need to bear in mind that the net contribution to our economy will be something in the order of 0.08 per cent.

"What we need alongside that is a closer trading relationship with the EU. Businesses across the country are crying out for a better deal than the one that the Government has put in front of them.

"So, yes, good to have a new trade deal, but better to have a closer relationship with the EU to go alongside it and to help our businesses grow our economy and take us through and out of this cost-of-living crisis."

The CPTPP deal will cut tariffs for UK exporters to a group of 11 countries which – with Britain’s accession – will have a total gross domestic product (GDP) of £11 trillion.

You can follow the latest updates below. 


04:00 PM

That is all for today...

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I will be back early on Monday morning.


03:17 PM

Poll: Labour more trusted than Tories in most policy areas

Voters trust Labour more than the Tories in 13 out of 15 key policy areas, according to a new survey.

A poll conducted by Redfield & Wilton Strategies on March 26 found Labour was more trusted on supporting the NHS, tackling poverty, protecting the environment, combatting crime and handling immigration as well as a handful of other issues.

The Tories were more trusted than Labour on managing foreign affairs and responding to the war in Ukraine.


02:58 PM

Economy and NHS most important issues for voters - poll

The economy and the NHS are the two most important issues for voters when considering which party they would back at the next general election, a new poll has found.

A Redfield & Wilton Strategies survey conducted on March 26 asked people to choose a maximum of three most important issues when it comes to determining voting intention.

The economy was chosen by 60 per cent of respondents, just ahead of healthcare which was picked by 59 per cent of people.

Immigration was the third most chosen issue, on 31 per cent, and education was fourth with 28 per cent.


02:21 PM

Security crackdown after eco protesters wreak havoc at Humza Yousaf's FMQs debut

Holyrood's presiding officer has announced a security crackdown after environmental protestors created chaos at Humza Yousaf's debut First Minister's Questions.

Alison Johnstone said the perpetrators would be banned from Holyrood's public gallery for six months and "more stringent measures" would be introduced to identify in advance those who intend to disrupt proceedings.

You can read the full story here.


01:45 PM

Starmer tells Sunak 'get on with it' on publishing relationship guidance for schools

Rishi Sunak should "get on with it" and publish guidance for schools on relationships and sex education, Sir Keir Starmer has said.

During a visit to a food manufacturing factory in Plymouth, the Labour leader told broadcasters: "The Labour Party has been saying for a very long time now we need guidance.

"Schools are struggling with this understandably. It’s a really difficult position that they’re put in. Understandably, parents are concerned. They want transparency, they want to know what’s going on. As a parent I completely understand that.

"That’s why we said to the Government you need to put guidance in place, help schools through this. The Government actually promised that a year ago but hasn’t done it. The Prime Minister now says ‘well, I’ll do it sometime later this year’. My message to him would be ‘get on with it'."


01:09 PM

Sir Keir Starmer calls for 'closer trading relationship with the EU'

Sir Keir Starmer has called for the UK to have a "closer trading relationship with the EU" as he welcomed joining the CPTPP but said it will only have a "very small" impact on the economy.

The Labour leader said it is "good to have a new trade deal, but better to have a closer relationship with the EU to go alongside it".

Speaking during a visit to Plymouth, Sir Keir said: "I welcome any trade deal, but I have to say we need to bear in mind that the net contribution to our economy will be something in the order of 0.08 per cent.

"What we need alongside that is a closer trading relationship with the EU. Businesses across the country are crying out for a better deal than the one that the Government has put in front of them.

"So, yes, good to have a new trade deal, but better to have a closer relationship with the EU to go alongside it and to help our businesses grow our economy and take us through and out of this cost-of-living crisis."

He continued: "I do think it’s an important trade deal, but the yield is very small. Hopefully that will grow over time.

"But the rule in trade is that you’re more likely to trade with your nearer neighbours more and more often, so we do need that improved, that better trading relationship with the EU alongside any other trade deals that we sign."


12:39 PM

Pictured: Sir Keir Starmer visits crisp factory in Plymouth as he campaigns ahead of local elections

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer is pictured during a visit to Burt's Crisps factory in Plymouth, Devon, as he outlines Labour's promise to build a better Britain at the start of campaigning for the local elections in May - Matt Keeble/PA
Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer is pictured during a visit to Burt's Crisps factory in Plymouth, Devon, as he outlines Labour's promise to build a better Britain at the start of campaigning for the local elections in May - Matt Keeble/PA

12:20 PM

Pictured: Humza Yousaf holds first Cabinet meeting as First Minister of Scotland

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf holds his first Cabinet meeting at Bute House in Edinburgh today - Russell Cheyne /AFP
Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf holds his first Cabinet meeting at Bute House in Edinburgh today - Russell Cheyne /AFP

12:12 PM

Rishi Sunak announces new powers to tackle potholes during local elections campaign visit

Rishi Sunak is on the campaign trail in the North East of England this morning ahead of the May local elections.

The Prime Minister used a visit to Darlington to set out the Government's plans to fix the nation's potholes.

Asked how he intended to persuade people in the North East to vote Tory, Mr Sunak said: "The Conservatives locally are delivering for the North East, for Teesside in particular but today we are announcing more money for potholes, we all hate them, the Government is putting more money in to fix them, tens of millions of pounds across Teesside to fix potholes, repair roads and actually some new powers we are announcing today to clamp down on utility companies who are not repairing the roads after they have done their work.

"There will be more fines, more inspections, that is also  going to help. We want to make sure it is easy for people to get around. That is what our local team are delivering here."

Rishi Sunak inspects pothole during a visit to Darlington this morning. The Prime Minister is pictured with Darlington Council leader Jonathan Dulston (far left), Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen (far right) and Darlington MP Peter Gibson (second from left) - Stefan Rousseau/PA
Rishi Sunak inspects pothole during a visit to Darlington this morning. The Prime Minister is pictured with Darlington Council leader Jonathan Dulston (far left), Tees Valley Mayor Ben Houchen (far right) and Darlington MP Peter Gibson (second from left) - Stefan Rousseau/PA

11:45 AM

Lib Dems call for Therese Coffey to resign over water company sewage dumping figures

Sir Ed Davey, the leader of the Liberal Democrats, has called for Therese Coffey, the Environment Secretary, to resign or be sacked after statistics revealed water companies had dumped sewage into the UK's waterways on more than 300,000 occasions  last year (see the post below at 11.18).

Sir Ed said: "These figures are a damning verdict on the Government's failure to protect our treasured rivers and lakes. This is a national scandal and it is happening on the Conservatives’ watch. A historic drought is no excuse for this Government’s inaction and failure.

"The Environment Secretary has let water companies get away with these environmental crimes for far too long. It is clear she simply doesn't care enough to get tough on these polluting firms.

"Thérèse Coffey must now resign or be sacked so we can have an Environment Secretary who actually cares about saving our rivers from destruction. If the Prime Minister fails to take action now, we will hold him personally to account for killing our rivers and wildlife."


11:18 AM

Sewage dumped in UK waterways by water companies more than 300,000 times last year

Sewage was dumped into the UK’s waterways by water companies on more than 300,000 occasions in 2022, new figures published this morning have revealed.

Data published by the Environment Agency showed there were 301,091 sewage spills recorded last year.

That represented a 19 per cent reduction in the number of sewage spills on 2021 but the Environment Agency said this decrease was "largely due to last year’s below average rainfall".

Environment Agency executive director John Leyland said: "The decrease in spills in 2022 is largely down to dry weather, not water company action.

"We want to see quicker progress from water companies on reducing spills and acting on monitoring data.

"We expect them to be fully across the detail of their networks and to maintain and invest in them to the high standard that the public expect and the regulator demands."


11:05 AM

Lib Dems criticise 'out of touch' Rishi Sunak over private jet use

Rishi Sunak's use of private jets (see the post below at 10.56) showed how "completely out of touch" the Government is, according to the Lib Dems.

Wera Hobhouse, the party's energy and climate spokeswoman, said: "This is a shocking waste of taxpayer’s money at a time when people are struggling to pay their bills. Yet again this Conservative government is completely out of touch.

"The government can pretend to care about a greener future with their so called ‘Green Day’ but the reality is they are trashing their own promises."


10:57 AM

Pictured: Rishi Sunak visits a community centre in Darlington this morning

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets staff and local party members at Firthmoor Community Centre during a visit to Darlington, County Durham, this morning - Stefan Rousseau /PA
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets staff and local party members at Firthmoor Community Centre during a visit to Darlington, County Durham, this morning - Stefan Rousseau /PA

10:56 AM

Rishi Sunak spent more than £500,000 on private jet hire in two weeks

Rishi Sunak spent more than £500,000 of taxpayer cash on private jet hire in the space of two weeks, new data published this week has revealed.

The Prime Minister made a last-minute trip to the Cop27 climate change conference in Egypt in November before attending the G20 Summit in Indonesia the following week.

This was followed by journeys to Latvia and Estonia for a meeting of Joint Expeditionary Force (JEF) nations and an HM Forces visit.

Downing Street insisted that the combined £512,321 cost of private jet or RAF plane hire across an eight-day period was needed for "vital" engagements as it came under fire over the scale of the spending.

You can read the full story here.


10:33 AM

WWF claims UK 'encouraging hugely destructive agriculture' by joining CPTPP

The World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) said that by joining the CPTPP the UK Government was "encouraging hugely destructive agriculture".

Angela Francis, WWF director of policy solutions, said: "By joining the CPTPP, the UK Government is encouraging hugely destructive agriculture, which would be illegal in the UK, into our market. This announcement risks more imports of food produced in ways that drive deforestation, use harmful pesticides, or rely on unregulated fishing practices - all of which undermine the high standards UK producers are already required to meet.

"There are currently no environmental standards on food imported into the UK, and the Government must fix this by implementing a set of core environmental standards.

"To fix our broken food system and save our wild isles, the UK must show it is serious about delivering on its climate and nature promises."


10:03 AM

'You have to make trade-offs'

Lower tariffs on Malaysian palm oil under the CPTPP trade pact will not lead to greater deforestation, according to Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch.

Amid concerns the deal could encourage further destruction of nature, she told Sky News: "You have to make trade-offs. But we take in already just about one per cent, it’s actually slightly less than one per cent, of Malaysian palm oil exports.

"Moving the tariff from two per cent to zero per cent is not what’s going to cause deforestation. And actually, the standards which are set by this Government, by the Department for the Environment, is what’s going to dictate what comes into the country.

"But also being in the trade bloc means that we’re going to have more influence on sustainability. Palm oil is actually a great product. It’s in so many of the things we use. This is not some illegal substance we’re talking about."


09:48 AM

Liz Truss: CPTPP deal a 'vital development' in push for economic growth


09:25 AM

Rishi Sunak: Joining CPTPP will deliver 'huge boost' to UK economy


08:52 AM

Labour gives CPTPP deal 'a cautious welcome'

Pat McFadden, the shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said Labour gives the UK accession to the CPTPP a "cautious" welcome.

He also said that if Labour wins the next general election it will keep the UK in the Indo-Pacific trade bloc.

Mr McFadden told Sky News: "We give this a welcome but also a cautious welcome, because what we’ve experienced over the past few years is that when the Government has signed trade deals, they often – once you to look at the detail – they’re not quite as advantageous as the Government has first claimed."


08:40 AM

Chancellor: Joining CPTPP presents 'massive opportunity' to UK businesses

Joining the CPTPP Indo-Pacific trade bloc presents British businesses with a "massive opportunity", the Chancellor said this morning.

Jeremy Hunt told broadcasters that by joining the bloc the UK was increasing its access to "one of the fastest growing areas in the world".

He said: "The significance of joining the Pacific trade bloc is that this is one of the fastest growing areas in the world. Around half of the world’s middle-class consumers will be in this bloc of countries by the end of the decade.

"It is a massive opportunity for British exporters and combined with the very attractive business taxes that we introduced in the Budget…  that will mean that the UK economy has very big long term growth opportunities."


08:28 AM

Jeremy Hunt: GDP figures highlight 'underlying resilience' of UK economy

Jeremy Hunt said today's GDP figures (see the post below at 08.24) highlighted the "underlying resilience" of the UK economy.

The Chancellor told broadcasters this morning: "These figures show there is underlying resilience in the UK economy which is obviously a good thing but we should also remember that families up and down the country are facing real pressure which is why we introduced a windfall tax which means that about half the bill of the average family is being paid, a total of £3,000 of support.

"And the root cause of this pressure is something that hasn’t changed today which is inflation is still more than 10 per cent."


08:24 AM

UK economy grew by 0.1 per cent in fourth quarter of 2022

The UK economy grew by just 0.1 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2022, new data published this morning by the Office for National Statistics showed.

The 0.1 per cent growth figure for October to December was revised up from an initial estimate of no growth.

Meanwhile, UK GDP in the fourth quarter of 2022 was estimated to be 0.6 per cent below where it was pre-Covid in the fourth quarter of 2019.


08:22 AM

Kemi Badenoch: People should 'not keep talking about a vote from seven years ago'

It was suggested to Kemi Badenoch that joining the CPTPP will still not be as good in terms of trade as the UK being a part of the European Union.

The Business and Trade Secretary suggested the nation needed to move on from Brexit as she said people should "not keep talking about a vote from seven years ago".

She told Times Radio: "We are still in a free trade agreement with the EU. This is in addition to our free trade agreement.

"I think it would be quite ridiculous to suggest that we shouldn’t carry out any free trade deals now we have left the EU."

She added: "We have left the EU so we need to look at what to do in order to grow the UK economy and not keep talking about a vote from seven years ago."


08:18 AM

UK has 'got in early' by joining CPTPP now and 'lots of other countries' want to join, says Trade Secretary

Kemi Badenoch said the UK had "got in early" by joining the CPTPP Indo-Pacific trade bloc now and that it could now help to shape the bloc's future.

The Business and Trade Secretary told Times Radio this morning: "This is not a deal about tomorrow. It is a deal about the future."

She added: "There are lots of other countries that are in the queue to join so we have got in early and we will be able to have a say in shaping the bloc."


08:16 AM

Kemi Badenoch hails 'very significant' CPTPP trade deal

Kemi Badenoch, the Business and Trade Secretary, described the UK joining the CPTPP as "very significant".

Asked how significant the moment is, Ms Badenoch told Times Radio: "Very significant. I am unbelievably excited about it. It may not sound like that because I am talking on four hours sleep but it is one of the biggest trade deals we have ever done.

"It is certainly the biggest trade bloc we have entered since we joined the European Economic Community and what it is going to do is open up our economy to where the new global growth is coming from."


07:47 AM

Labour: Government has 'desperately poor' record on signing trade deals

Labour said the Government had a "desperately poor" record on striking trade deals as it said it needed to see the detail of the CPTPP agreement.

Shadow trade secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said: "The Conservative Government’s track record in striking good trade deals is desperately poor.

"Other countries joining CPTPP arrangements have secured important safeguards and put in place support for their producers: it is vital that ministers set out if they plan to do the same."


07:41 AM

How much will joining the CPTPP benefit the UK economy?

Joining the CPTPP represents the UK's biggest post-Brexit trade deal to date.

It will cut tariffs for UK exporters to a group of nations which – with Britain’s accession – will have a total gross domestic product (GDP) of £11 trillion, accounting for 15 per cent of global GDP, according to UK officials.

However, critics have said the impact will be limited, with official estimates suggesting it will add just £1.8 billion a year to the economy after 10 years, representing less than one per cent of UK GDP.


07:38 AM

Who else is in the CPTPP?

Britain is the first new member, and first European nation, to join the CPTPP trade bloc – comprising Australia, Brunei, Canada, Chile, Japan, Malaysia, Mexico, New Zealand, Peru, Singapore and Vietnam – since its formation in 2018.

It follows nearly two years of negotiations, culminating in intensive talks in Vietnam earlier this month, when representatives of all 11 existing members agreed to the UK joining.

While Britain already has trade agreements with most of the CPTPP members, apart from Malaysia, officials said it would deepen existing arrangements, with 99 per cent of UK goods exported to the bloc now eligible for zero tariffs.


07:37 AM

Rishi Sunak hails new post-Brexit trade deal as UK joins CPTPP

Rishi Sunak has hailed the UK joining a major Indo-Pacific trade bloc as he said it will put the country in a "prime position in the global economy".

The UK has now formally joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) in a move which represents its biggest post-Brexit trade deal.

The deal was formally confirmed in a telephone call late last night between Business and Trade Secretary Kemi Badenoch and counterparts from the bloc.

Mr Sunak said the deal highlighted the "real economic benefits of our post-Brexit freedoms".

He said: "We are at our heart an open and free-trading nation, and this deal demonstrates the real economic benefits of our post-Brexit freedoms.

"As part of CPTPP, the UK is now in a prime position in the global economy to seize opportunities for new jobs, growth and innovation."