Newslinks for Thursday the 10th of July 2025

July 10, 2025

Badenoch to warn UK risks becoming “a welfare state with an economy attached”

“Ministers have offered Labour rebels fresh concessions on welfare as analysis shows that people on sickness benefits can take home more than a minimum-wage worker. Dozens of Labour MPs voted against the watered-down benefits bill on Wednesday. The revolt by 47 was the second biggest the government had suffered, narrowly behind the 49 Labour MPs who opposed the welfare bill last week. Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative leader, will warn on Thursday that Britain is becoming “a welfare state with an economy attached” as she points to analysis showing that many people on a range of sickness benefits will have incomes greater than the take-home pay of a worker on the minimum wage. The Centre for Social Justice think tank calculated that a claimant on universal credit incapacity benefits who was claiming personal independence payments (PIP) for disability and housing benefit would have an income of £25,000, more than the £22,500 post-tax income of almost two million workers on the national living wage.” The Times

Proof work doesn’t pay under Starmer’s Labour: Sickness benefits to be worth £2,500 MORE than a minimum wage job – as Kemi warns UK is becoming ‘welfare state with an economy attached’ – Daily Mail
The proof that benefits pay more than a full-time job – Daily Telegraph
Work doesn’t pay. Sickness benefit claimants are £2,500 better off each year than full-time minimum wage workers – The Sun
UN panel raises concerns over Government’s welfare bill – The i

Comment

Britain is killing itself with compassion – Sam Ashworth-Hayes, Daily Telegraph
Britain’s broken welfare system costs billions and traps claimants in long-term dependency – Iain Duncan Smith – Daily Mail

>Today

In the face of an unknowable future, policy ‘locks’ are a very bad idea

Only 50 migrants a month to be returned to France under so called “one in one out” deal with France

“Anglo-French talks over a migration deal were deadlocked on Wednesday night, with negotiators haggling over how much Britain will pay towards the cost of policing small boat crossings. Keir Starmer had hoped to announce a returns deal – under which Britain would send back some asylum seekers once they had crossed the Channel – as the close of a three-day state visit by the French president, Emmanuel Macron. But just hours before the start of a bilateral summit on today, aides on both sides said there remained several significant hurdles to a deal, including money, potential legal challenges in France and opposition from other European countries. One British official said the talks were “complex” and “fluid”, adding that they needed to be agreed not only with France but also in consultation with other EU countries.” – Guardian

Britain ‘to return just 50 migrants to France per week’ under trial of ‘one in one out deal’ as Starmer tells Macron he is trying to make UK less appealing – Daily Mail
C’est tout! Tiny number of migrants France will take back each week revealed after Starmer’s do-or-die deal with Macron – The Sun
Migrant benefits could be cut in bid to tackle small boats crisis – The i
Fury over Keir Starmer’s rumoured Channel migrant surrender to Macron – ‘Pathetic!’ – The Express
Le stich up. Macron offers to loan Bayeux Tapestry to Britain again as he’s accused of trying to stitch us up on migration. – The Sun
Five radical moves Starmer can make to crack down on small boats – The i
Border Farce. Two deported Albanians sneak back into UK to run £1m cannabis farm… and are banished from the country again – The Sun
Britain and France to join forces on nuclear deterrents for first time – Daily Telegraph

Comment

If there’s a more disgusting spectacle than Starmer grovelling to Macron, I’ve yet to see it – Allister Heath, Daily Telegraph
Britain’s own policies are driving surge in small boat crossings – Henry Hill, Unherd
From France with love – Sebastian Milbank, Critic

Former Tory chairman defects to Reform in blow to Badenoch’s renewal

“A former Conservative chairman has defected to Reform UK and accused the party of “abandoning the British people”. Sir Jake Berry said that the Conservatives had “lost their way” and no longer stood for low taxes, free enterprise or secure borders. Writing in The Sun, he said: “British politics has become a grotesque pantomime, with the British political class competing to do our country down, telling us we should be ashamed of our history while at the same time putting us on a path to managed decline.” Berry, who lost his Rossendale & Darwen seat in the general election last year, said that Reform is now “the real opposition” rather than the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats.” – The Times

Hammer Blow. Ex-Tory chairman Sir Jake Berry defects to Reform as he says party is ‘last chance to pull Britain back from decline’ – The Sun
Tory ex-chairman defects to Reform – Daily Telegraph
Ex-Tory chairman Sir Jake Berry defects to Reform UK and declares it is ‘the last chance to pull Britain back’ – Daily Mail
Former Conservative party chair Jake Berry defects to Reform UK – Guardian
Ex-Tory chairman Jake Berry defects to Reform UK – The i
Huge blow for Kemi Badenoch as former Tory Party chairman announces defection to Reform – Daily Express

Starmer eyes summer ‘refresh’ after rocky first year as PM

“Sir Keir Starmer is hoping to get his premiership back on track with a summer “refresh” after weeks of setbacks and controversies. The Prime Minister is planning to use the annual long recess of Parliament, which begins on July 22, to inject more purpose into the Government and could reshuffle ministers as soon as next week. The plans will begin on Friday, when Cabinet ministers have been summoned for an “away day” with the Prime Minister at an undisclosed central London location. Over lunch and afternoon meetings, Sir Keir’s top team will discuss the Government’s upcoming plans ahead of the Autumn Budget, in which Rachel Reeves is widely expected to announce a wealth tax to plug a fiscal black hole worth tens of billions.” – Daily Telegraph

Taxing Times. Fears of £8bn stealth income tax raid as Keir Starmer fails to rule out another Budget U-turn – The Sun
Keir Starmer refuses to rule out extending tax-band freeze – FT
Labour MPs call on Starmer to focus on radical ideas to lower cost of living – Guardian
David Lammy appoints campaign donor to Foreign Office board – The Times
Rayner backs down in Islamophobia free speech row – Daily Telegraph
Infected blood judge angered by slow and ‘unjust’ compensation – The Times

Comment

I’ve learned Labour’s deranged new ‘masterplan’… Starmer and Reeves have gone mad – Dan Hodges, Daily Mail
Only private enterprise can save us from our failing state – Prof Tim Evans, CapX
One of our most ancient freedoms is under threat. This Labour plot cannot stand – Robert Jenrick, Daily Telegraph
How to topple a Labour leader. There are no Starmerites left – Richard Johnson, Unherd
The reign of Rayner – Tim Shipman, Spectator
The UK’s profligacy will soon collide with the markets – Gerard Lyons, CapX

>Today

Labour has lost the market’s trust, and it is now in vigilante mode

Rishi Sunak returns to Goldman Sachs with new banking role and gives his salary to maths charity

“Rishi Sunak is to return to Goldman Sachs as a senior adviser, first major role since resigning as Tory leader following last year’s bruising election defeat. The former prime minister began his career in financial services as a summer intern at the investment bank in 2001. He left the company as a junior analyst in 2004 to work at a hedge fund. The independent Advisory Committee on Business Appointments, which advises former ministers who are seeking to take jobs in the private sector after leaving office, had recommended that Sunak not begin his role at the bank until at least 12 months after his last day in government, which was last Friday. He has also been advised that for a further year, he ought not to get involved in any projects that include lobbying the UK government or any of its arm’s-length bodies. Sunak announced that he will donate all of his salary from Goldman Sachs to the Richmond Project, a charity launched by him and his wife to improve maths skills in the UK.” – The Times