Starmer meets political leaders in Belfast as country tour continues – UK Politics Live | Politics

David Lammy PA Media reported that Foreign Minister Lamy met with Canada’s Foreign Minister, his first official visit as foreign minister. Foreign Minister Lamy met with Canadian Foreign Minister Melanie Joly on Monday morning.

“I would like to thank you so much for your first official visit to the UK as Foreign Secretary,” he said.

“I’ve known Canada my whole life and it’s a country I love. I have family here so this means a lot to me.”

Foreign Minister Lamy stressed the “very close relationship” between the two countries and said he met Jolie when he was shadow foreign secretary.

He added: “We had much to discuss this morning and I can’t express in words how pleased I am that you all came along for my first official visit, making this such a special day.”

The event is Lammy’s first to host but he has already visited Europe, meeting key figures and promising Britain will be a “good neighbour” after years of bitter conflict over Brexit.

Patrick Winter More details about Ramy’s weekend getaway can be found here. Here is an excerpt.

British authorities did not miss the opportunity that, after years as the sick man of Europe, a country led by a government with an impregnable majority and in power for at least four years, could suddenly look like an oasis of stability.

Beyond warm words, Lammy also sought to outline a plan for an EU-UK security arrangement. Carefully crafted by the opposition and in some ways reviving ideas that had been stalled in the original Brexit negotiations, the plan is more ambitious and far-reaching than is generally realised, as security is defined by Lammy’s team in the broadest sense, to include not just defence but the range of issues that make up modern security, from the climate crisis to energy, pandemics, cyber, investment strategies and critical minerals.

Read the full article here.

Sinn Féin leaders welcomed the formation of a Labour government after meeting with Keir Starmer in Belfast. Mary Lou McDonaldBoth MacDonald, the Leader of the Irish Opposition and Leader of Sinn Féin, and Michelle O’Neill, the First Minister of Northern Ireland and Leader of Sinn Féin, have made it clear that they would prefer to work with a Labour government rather than a Conservative government.

This is a government that we want to work with in a constructive way. We are very aware that 26 years ago, a UK Labour government was central to the creation of the Good Friday Agreement. We want this UK government to honour that agreement and be central to implementing that agreement in all its aspects. And we will be working very constructively to make sure that happens.

For while the challenges we face as a society are real and significant, the opportunities are also within our reach.

So I think we need to express a real sense of optimism today that we can move forward together, work closely together to honour the Good Friday Agreement, ensure that public services in Northern Ireland are properly funded, and tackle pressing issues like immigration together. So we look forward to that.

Speaking in an interview this morning, Chancellor of the Exchequer Darren Jones also denied suggestions Labour had a secret plan to raise taxes. He said:

There is no secret tax plan. This is a Conservative attack and does not reflect reality.

Our manifesto commitments, the priorities we are currently implementing, the first six steps and our mission are funded by changes to a loophole that was at the back of the manifesto that people voted for last Thursday.

Finance Minister Rachel Reeves is expected to allow the new government to ease town planning rules in her speech this morning. Darren JonesThe Treasury’s deputy chief executive said local communities would have a say in planning decisions. He told Times Radio:

It is our policy that local communities will continue to be involved in the planning process and will not exclude them.

What we’re talking about today, and the Prime Minister will explain in more detail later, is that we need to speed up the decision-making process, particularly when it comes to large-scale developments, large-scale national infrastructure.

This doesn’t mean excluding people’s voices from the decision-making process, it just means we don’t wait years and …

So people can continue to have their say and it will be taken into account within the law in the normal way, but we want to speed up the delivery of infrastructure.

Prime Minister Keir Starmer met with Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly in Belfast, PA Media reported.

The Prime Minister will visit Belfast after visiting Scotland on Sunday and then Wales to conclude his tour of the three devolved nations.

President Trump began his first week in office by arriving at Stormont Castle early on Monday morning to attend a NATO summit in Washington on Tuesday.

Mr O’Neill and Ms Littlepengelly welcomed Mr Starmer and Northern Ireland Secretary of State Hilary Benn at the castle entrance before meeting inside the castle, where Mr O’Neill congratulated Mr Starmer on his election victory and discussed the parliamentary timetable for Westminster and Stormont.

The new Prime Minister met with Stormont leaders for around 30 minutes before proceeding to Parliament, where he was received at the foot of the iconic steps by Speaker Edwin Poots, where he met with representatives of the main Stormont parties.

Good morning and welcome to the first day of a new Labour government. Parliament doesn’t sit until tomorrow, but many new MPs are arriving at Westminster hoping to find offices (good luck, it usually takes a while). The new Cabinet is busy. Keir Starmer is in Belfast on the latest leg of his meet-and-greets with devolved governments. Rachel Reeves will deliver a key speech on growth this morning. Home Secretary Yvette Cooper is starting the process of creating a new Border Force. Health Secretary Wes Streeting is meeting with the British Dental Association to discuss changes to the dental contract. And Downing Street is holding the first lobbying briefing of the new regime.

Darren JonesSecretary of the Treasury John E. Kelly was also present for the media interviews. He didn’t have anything particularly new to say on policy, but in an interview with the BBC he spoke confidently, even as he sharply criticized the previous government. When asked whether he thought the Conservative Party could not create a credible opposition, even though the leadership election may take time, he replied:

I expect we will be challenged in the House of Representatives.

Of course the Conservatives suffered a historic defeat, but that doesn’t mean there is no opposition in the House of Commons, and of course there is the House of Lords which can pass legislation.

And the key thing you will see from this Labour government is that we will get back to serving the British people and getting back to the principles. We will get the adults back in the room.

Any announcements we make will be tabled in Parliament and follow due parliamentary procedures, and we welcome challenge and scrutiny from colleagues across the political spectrum.

That is the right and proper way to do business and that is what we will get from a Labour Government.

Today’s agenda includes:

morning: Prime Minister Keir Starmer will meet Northern Ireland’s First Minister Michelle O’Neill and Deputy First Minister Emma Little Pengelly in Northern Ireland. A press conference is due to take place at 10.30am.

10:30 AM: President Rachel Reeves will deliver a speech about growth.

11:30 AM: It will be Downing Street’s first lobbying briefing since Starmer became prime minister.

1pm: Reeves visited building sites in London alongside Levelling Up Secretary Angela Rayner.

1:30pm: Plaid Cymru leader Rune ap Iowelt held a press conference in Westminster alongside four of his party’s MPs.

2 pm: Green Party MPs Carla Denier and Sian Berry held a press conference in Westminster.

afternoon: Starmer met Welsh First Minister Vaughan Gething in Cardiff.

And today Health Minister Wes Streeting is due to meet with the British Dental Association to discuss changes to the dental contract.

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