Keir Starmer is enjoying his first weekend as Prime Minister - wasting no time in appointing his new Cabinet and taking questions from the press in his first news conference.
Mr Starmer revealed his government's ambitions to fix the NHS, tackle knife crime and reaffirm the country's commitment to NATO as he said he's "restless for change".
The new PM tempered expectations by suggesting change would not happen overnight but also insisted Brits would see their lives improve in the coming months and early years of his administration.
Labour returned to government following 14 years of Conservative electoral dominance after securing 412 MPs in a landslide victory. Mr Starmer met with King Charles on Friday to be formally confirmed as the new leader of the country.
Follow the latest updates below.
ID? Who she?
Labour has already ruled out introducing digital ID cards - nearly two decades after Tony Blair's doomed plan to bring in individual ID for everybody in the country.
The former Labour PM, writing in today's Sunday Times, suggested they could be used to help secure the country’s borders. "We need a plan to control immigration" and "we should move as the world is moving to digital ID" to help keep track of who is in the country,” he said.
But new Business Secretary Jonny Reynolds told Times Radio: "I can rule out ID cards for you. That's not something which is part of our plans. We'll be tough on crime, we'll be tough on the causes of crime.
"If we're going to hark back to advice from former Prime Ministers, I think that is the right method."
That's teenagers for you
Keir Starmer's biographer Tom Baldwin, who was with the Labour leader on election night, has revealed Keir's daughter's iconic reaction to her dad becoming PM.
The 13-year-old - in line with all other 13-year-olds across time and space - let out a long "ewww" as her dad's face popped up on the telly as the exit poll was announced, revealing Keir was on track to deliver a historic Labour victory.
Out of the mouths of babes.
And so it begins
After Marcus Fysh tweeted his resignation from the "dead" Tory party, the tattered remnants descended into infighting.
Mr Fysh announced his resignation from the party on X over the weekend, saying: "It's dead. No chance of ever being electable again with its current non-Conservative Parliamentary composition. Move on. Let's do something else."
Sir Nicolas Soames branded him a "total idiot", and the ex-Yeovil MP hit back: "Mate, you are a total weapon."
Classy stuff.
'Conservative Party should be put out of its misery'
Strong words from ex-Tory MP Marcus Fysh, who lost his Yeovil seat on Friday to Lib Dem Adam Dance.
Mr Fysh quit the Tory party yesterday, and on Times Radio this morning called for the party to be 'wound down'.
"Everyone is wasting their time with it and I'm just calling it how I see it, really. If it was my business I'd wind it up," he said. "The sooner it's put out of its misery the better, and that is what I think needs to happen. I would actually dissolve the corporate entity of the party and I would start again with a new brand, a new leader and everything."
Ouch.
I wanna be where the people are...
New Transport Secretary Louise Haigh has reacted with delight after a commentator compared her to the Little Mermaid.
Striding into Downing Street with her red hair, a long green swishy skirt and a cream jacket, the new Cabinet member looked like she'd taken a leaf out of Ariel's book.
"Is that the new Secretary of State for gadgets and gizmos aplenty, whosits and whatsits galore?" quipped the X user.
"Delighted with this. Ariel is absolutely my inspo," Louise tweeted back.
Delighted with this. Ariel is absolutely my inspo https://t.co/JjcHe7lMHz
— Louise Haigh (@LouHaigh) July 6, 2024
"A credible instrument of punishment"
Tony Blair - the last person to win a Labour victory - has had his say on Mr Starmer's monumental win, calling it "the most remarkable turnaround in recent British electoral history and the most stunning in the 120-year history of the Labour Party".
Writing in the Sunday Times, he points out: "There is no doubting that this was also the most peculiar election of recent times. There was a huge desire not just to put the Conservative Party out, but to punish them. Labour was a credible instrument of punishment."
He urges Starmer's government to harness the power of articifical intelligence to cut costs and improve efficiency, and says Labour now needs a plan to control immigration - pushing for a compulsory digital ID rollout.
"If we don't have rules, we get prejudices. In office, I believed the best solution was a system of identity, so that we know precisely who has a right to be here," he writes. "With, again, technology, we should move as the world is moving to digital ID. If not, new border controls will have to be highly effective."
Like rats in a sack
Nadhim Zahawi, speaking on Sky News this morning, said the Tories have been punished by voters for years of infighting - and let slip the most senior Conservatives still standing will have already started manoeuvring for the top job.
The former Chancellor, who stood down as an MP before the election, was the only senior Tory figure willing to go on air - a fact Sky's Trevor Phillips found "extraordinary".
But Mr Zahawi said they were "probably exhausted", adding: "I suspect the very senior ones are working out whether they are going to run or not for the leadership."
A reminder that Mr Zahawi was sacked by Mr Sunak for a "serious breach" of the ministerial code after it emerged that he had settled a multi-million tax dispute - including a penalty - with HMRC while he was Chancellor...
So why DID Rishi Sunak call the election?
It was baffling six weeks ago, and it's baffling now - but a new theory has shed some light on the ex-PM's decision. Former deputy PM Oliver Dowden - who managed to cling on to his seat - pushed for the early poll after realising "every month fixed term mortgage rates were ending for 135,000 homeowners" - forcing Brits to take up ever pricier mortgage deals that add thousands of pounds to their monthly outgoings.
"Oliver was obsessed by it," a source told MailOnline. "He flapped, as usual, as he feared that by November another 800,000 homeowners would have mortgages which had doubled in cost."
The Tories were also worried about more boats crossing the Channel, highlighting their utter failure to stop the wave of immigration through small boats - and so decided to call that snap election.
It didn't take long...
Predictably, the tattered remains of the Tory party are already scrapping among themselves as the knives come out for the next party leadership battle. A number of would-be leaders were toppled as the results came in - notably Steve Baker - but ex Home Sec Suella Braverman is widely expected to throw her hat in the ring in the not-too-distant future.
She said: “We've just got to take our time, we've got to figure out what the situation is. It's been a really bad result. There's no two ways about it. Hundreds of excellent Tory MPs have been kicked out of office."
But there's seething fury at the woman who penned an article declaring the election “lost” days before polls opened - and praising Nigel Farage ’s Reform UK.
Two sources suggested Ms Braverman’s article had cost some candidates the election. “Some people lost by 10 or 15 seats,” one Tory source said. “While they were knocking on doors she was sitting writing op-eds slagging us off."
Oh dear.
Good morning
Hello and welcome to the first Sunday morning under a Labour government for 14 years. We're going to be bringing you up to speed on everything that's happened overnight - especially for those of you who went a little too hard celebrating England getting through to the Euros semis on penalties. Penalties! The first time England have won a penalty shootout under a Labour government!
Anyway... here's what you might have missed overnight: A rarely seen clip of the first phone call between a US president and a newly elected UK Prime Minister was put out. In it, Joe Biden congratulates Keir Starmer on "a hell of a victory" from his seat on Air Force One.
The pair are set to meet later this week at the NATO summit in Washington.
RECAP: Starmer proud to have cabinet with ministers who 'didn't have easiest start'
Sir Keir Starmer said he was proud to have Cabinet ministers who “didn’t have the easiest of starts in life” and reflect the “aspiration” at the heart of Britain.
The Prime Minister told journalists at a Downing Street press conference: “I’m really proud of the fact that my Cabinet reflects the aspiration that I believe lies at the heart of our country.
“That aspiration that so many people have, wherever they started from, to make a journey in life for themselves, for their families, their communities and ultimately for their country.”
Sir Keir had to catch himself referring to the “shadow cabinet”, quickly corrected to say that at the Cabinet meeting, he had told ministers “I’m proud of the fact that we have people around the Cabinet table who didn’t have the easiest of starts in life but to see them sitting in the Cabinet this morning was a proud moment for me and this changed Labour Party and a reinforcement of my belief in that aspiration, which is a value I use to help me make decisions.”
He refused to be drawn on the prospect of further peerages being given to experts, saying: “I don’t want to get ahead of myself. We are making further appointments this afternoon in relation to the front bench.”
David Lammy vows 'ironclad' commitment to Ukraine
New Foreign Secretary Foreign Secretary David Lammy has confirmed the UK's "ironclad" commitment to Ukraine.
In a response to David Cameron, Mr Lammy responded to an X/Twitter post from David Cameron, adding: "Thank you @David_Cameron not only for your kind words, but for treating the democratic transition with bipartisan spirit and grace.
"This government will continue the UK's leadership on Ukraine and our ironclad commitment to Ukraine's security."
RECAP: The Mirror's time on the General Election campaign trail
The Mirror's Sophie Huskisson has shared her time on the General Election trail.
From Tory campaign woes to Labour's election journey, there is plenty packed in this clip.
It’s been a totally incredible experience covering my first General Election… here’s a flavour of my camera roll over the last six weeks pic.twitter.com/BA8DaPO7ZV
— Sophie Huskisson (@soph_husk) July 6, 2024
Farage brands event disrupted by protesters 'full-on theatre'
Nigel Farage called an event on Friday where he was joined by his fellow parliamentarians which was disrupted by protesters “full-on theatre”.
He said: “Well, it was full-on theatre wasn’t it. We had protesters, I probably enjoyed it more than they did.
“But no, I mean, look, the one thing about press conferences that I do, complete contrast to what Sunak and Starmer have been doing, is we take questions from any press organisation, we’re not afraid of anything.”
Lib Dems share one last stunt following strong election performance
The Liberal Democrats have shared one final stunt as the party returns to Parliament with more than 70 seats.
In a post shared to X/Twitter, leader Ed Davey could be seen cheering as a number of blue-painted jumbo Jenga pieces fell onto the ground.
Throughout the election campaign, the Lib Dems became known for their stunts across the country.
The party ousted the SNP to become the third largest party in the House of Commons.
the blue wall be like pic.twitter.com/fHuEEkRNkW
— Liberal Democrats (@LibDems) July 6, 2024
Farage wants Reform UK to become 'movement for real change'
Nigel Farage said his aim is to “build a mass movement for real change leading up to the next sets of elections”.
Speaking from Wyldecrest Sports Country Club in Essex, the Reform UK leader said: “We will do what we can with five in Parliament, what I will do for certain is provide real opposition in the country.
“And my aim and ambition is to build a mass movement for real change, leading up to the next sets of elections.”
Asked how he would sell proportional representation to the public, Mr Farage said: “Well, the fact that for every Reform MP there are 800,000 voters, and for every Labour MP there are 30,000 voters suggests something is very badly, fundamentally wrong.”
He added: “We have five MPs, PR would have given us 97 MPs, but we are where we are.”
Asked who he would like to see as Conservative Party leader, Mr Farage said: “Honestly, I don’t think it matters who they pick as leader. This party is split down the middle, they call it a broad church, well, it’s a broad church with no common shared religion.”
Mr Farage said Reform is “going to do very, very well” in the Senedd election and based on how it performed in Scotland during the General Election, the party would “very much be in the territory of winning seats in the Scottish Parliament too”.
Nigel Farage reacts to Labour cabinet
Nigel Farage said “with a couple of exceptions”, the new Cabinet is “the most inexperienced people ever to have got into a British cabinet”.
The Reform UK leader was speaking from Wyldecrest Sports Country Club in Essex where he has come to watch East Thurrock Community Football Club’s first match.
Asked for his thoughts on Keir Starmer’s new Cabinet, Mr Farage said: “With a couple of exceptions, they are I think the most inexperienced people ever to have got into a British cabinet.
“If you actually look at their life stories, their backgrounds and bear in mind, these are people making executive decisions that fundamentally affect people’s lives, I think they’re going to find it very, very hard. And I say that because the country faces some really fundamental problems, I suspect this Government could be in trouble pretty quickly.”
And asked for his reaction to the Prime Minister scrapping the Rwanda scheme, Mr Farage said: “Well he said he would do it, at least he’s kept a promise I suppose.
“Look, Rwanda was never going to work. What Keir Starmer is proposing, which is, tackle the gangs, well, frankly, you know, the last Government were doing that for the last few years, it’s not going to work. At the minute it’s wild and windy, but we do have some pretty strong first hand accounts that as soon as we get a calm spell, they’ll be crossing the English Channel in their thousands, and let’s face it, Keir Starmer does not have a plan to deal with it.”
Keir Starmer says how he feels as Prime Minister in three-word vow giving hope to nation
Keir Starmer promised that "self-interest is yesterday's politics" in his first press conference as Prime Minister.
The PM said the landslide victory in the General Election gave Labour "a clear mandate to govern in all four corners of the United Kingdom". Mr Starmer said he is "restless for change" and has told his Cabinet "will be judged on actions not on words".
In a bid to show he is getting straight to work, the PM stood at the podium in a Downing Street briefing room for the first time and laid out his plan for the future of the country. He said the "mindset" in Government has already changed. "It's a mindset of service, of country first, of party second," he said.
Mr Starmer's party stormed to victory, winning an historic 176-seat majority in Thursday's General Election. The PM chaired his first Cabinet meeting with his top team on Saturday, which he described as a "moment in history".
Read more: Keir Starmer says how he feels as Prime Minister in three-word vow giving hope to nation
In-DEPTH: Starmer says it's 'impossible' to say government will stop early prison releases
Sir Keir Starmer said it is “impossible” to say the Government will stop the early release of prisoners.
He told a press conference in Downing Street: “We’ve got too many prisoners, not enough prisons.
“That’s a monumental failure of the last government on any basic view of government to get to a situation where you haven’t got enough prison places for prisoners, doesn’t matter what your political stripe, that is a failure of government.
“It’s a failure of government to instruct the police not to arrest. This has not had enough attention, in my view, but it’s what happened.
“We will fix that, but we can’t fix it overnight and therefore it is impossible to simply say we will stop the early release of prisoners and you wouldn’t believe me if I did say it.”
RECAP: Watch Keir Starmer address nation in first press conference as Prime Minister
The Mirror's Sophie Huskisson has published a detailed break-down of Keir Starmer's first press conference as Prime Minister.
Mr Starmer promised that "self-interest is yesterday's politics" in his first press conference as Prime Minister.
The PM said the landslide victory in the General Election gave Labour "a clear mandate to govern in all four corners of the United Kingdom". Mr Starmer said he is "restless for change" and has told his Cabinet "will be judged on actions not on words".
Read more: Watch Keir Starmer address nation in first press conference as Prime Minister
First press conference with Keir Starmer ends
The first news conference with Keir Starmer and members of the press has come to an end.
Mr Starmer said he had a mandate from Wales, England and Scotland. He added that he would reafirm the UK's commitment to NATO in the coming days.
The Prime Minister said he wanted to tackle crime and improve the NHS.
Starmer confirms Rwanda scheme is 'dead and buried'
The controversial Rwanda scheme is "dead and buried," Keir Starmer confirmed.
Mr Starmer said the previous Government’s controversial plan to send migrants to Rwanda was “dead and buried”.
Rishi Sunak made the Rwanda scheme a central part of his government's priorities.
It failed to send a single person to the African country, although a limited number volunteered to go to the country.
Starmer vows to reduce knife crime
Keir Starmer said he wants to reduce knife crime in the UK.
The Labour leader told reporters he wanted to see "early intervention" with teenage boys to prevent knife crime from happening.
Mr Starmer also said he wanted to further reduce crime and stop the "escalator" of sending people to prison.
Starmer confirms 2 child benefit cap will remain for now
The two child benefit cap will remain in place for now, Keir Starmer confirmed.
Mr Starmer said "it was all the more urgent" to tackle child poverty but conceded that for the time being the benefit cap would not be removed.
He stressed Labour has a plan to tackle child poverty throughout his government.
Starmer commits to giving compensation to contaminated blood scandal victims
Victims of the contaminated blood scandal will receive compensation, Keir Starmer confirmed.
Mr Starmer was asked if he could confirm that victims would be compensated, to which he answered, "yes."
Brits can expect change in 'early months and years' of government
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Brits can expect to see change in the "early months and years" of his government.
He mentioned change would not happen overnight, but that Brits could expect to see their lives improve in the coming months and early years of his government.
But Mr Starmer added he did not want people to expect everything to be fixed in the short term.
'Tribal' politics held UK back, says Starmer
Keir Starmer said he wanted to end "tribal" politics in the country.
He said the former government had made decisions based on the party's interest and not in that of the country.
'We're going to have to take the tough decisions,' Starmer says
Keir Starmer told the press that the Labour government would "have to take the tough decisions."
He said "tough decisions" would be needed to fix the NHS and other issues facing the country.
The PM also said he wanted to "repay" people who voted for Labour for the first time and that he wanted to "govern for the whole country."
'Mindset of government changed already,' says Starmer
Keir Starmer said his government has already taken steps to deliver in his first 100 days in office.
He referred to Health Secretary Wes Streeting's first message in post where he said the government's view was the NHS was "broken" and needed to be fixed.
Mr Starmer also said the mindset of the government had changed by having a policy of "country first, party second."
Starmer is 'restless for change'
Keir Starmer has said he is "restless for change" as he takes questions from the media.
Answering a question from the BBC's Chris Mason, Mr Starmer said he wanted to "hit the ground running." The Labour leader said his cabinet appointments had already shown he was keen to show he was ready for change.