As usual for midweek, Sir Keir Starmer will face off with his Conservative counterpart Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions at noon.
Wednesday 22 January 2025 10:11, UK
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
As we reported earlier, there is speculation that Chancellor Rachel Reeves could back the expansion of Heathrow Airport.
Speaking in Davos, Ms Reeves said she wanted to ensure any pro-growth measure in the UK “trumps other things”.
If she were to back the expansion of Heathrow, this would put her at odds with a number of Labour allies, including cabinet minister Ed Miliband and Sir Sadiq Khan.
A spokesperson for the mayor of London reiterated today that Sir Sadiq has a “long-standing opposition” to airport expansion around the capital.
They said: “The mayor has a long-standing opposition to airport expansion around London – linked to the negative impact on air quality, noise and London’s ability to reach net-zero by 2030.”
Meanwhile, Kenton Jarvis, the chief executive of EasyJet, welcomed the reports.
He said: “We welcome the decisive action by the Government to grow the economy.
“We’ve always said that aviation, the industry, is an enabler of economic growth.
“When it comes to Heathrow, I’ve always thought Heathrow would fit our network of primary airports with great catchment areas.
“It would be a unique opportunity to operate from Heathrow at scale – because obviously right now it’s slot-constrained – and give us an opportunity to provide lower fares for UK consumers that currently at Heathrow just have the option of flag carriers.”
👉 Listen to Politics At Jack And Sam’s on your podcast app👈
Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy look ahead to the day ahead in British politics.
Anne is still in Davos, where Rachel Reeves is kickstarting her economic fightback. The chair of the Competition and Markets Authority has been moved on and there’s big moves on AI, nature and unemployment.
But will it all create the growth the chancellor is desperately seeking?
Meanwhile, back in Westminster, how will Sir Keir Starmer fare in his first PMQs since Axel Rudakubana’s guilty pleas to the Southport murders?
You can send us a WhatsApp on 07511 867 633 or email us: jackandsam@sky.uk
Digital driving licences will be introduced later this year under plans to use technology to “overhaul” public services.
The licences will be available on a new government mobile phone app and will be accepted as a form of ID for buying restricted items like alcohol and for voting in elections, as well as proving someone’s right to drive.
Veteran cards will also be available on the “GOV.UK Wallet” app when it launches this summer, with DBS checks, Blue Badges and other government-issued credentials to come later down the line.
Science Secretary Peter Kyle said the app “will mean that every letter or identity document you receive from the government could be issued to you virtually”.
The changes follow a report which found that public services were missing out on £45bn in productivity savings because of old and outdated technology.
By Serena Barker-Singh, political correspondent
Former staffers and members of the GMB union have launched an official complaint to the equalities watchdog this week over allegations of institutional sexism and bullying, Sky News understands.
In the complaint, which Sky News has seen, the women allege that there is a “pattern of victimisation and harassment against women who speak out” about wrongdoing inside the Labour–backed union. They argue it could be a breach of GMB’s duties under the Equality Act.
GMB has struggled with these issues before. Four years ago, a damning report written by Karon Monaghan KC branded the union ‘institutionally sexist’ and, according to a number of women complaining to the EHRC this week, they insist the union hasn’t changed.
In Ms Monaghan’s initial report she described “bullying, misogyny, cronyism and sexual harassment” being rife inside the union and described the culture in GMB as “heavy drinking and late-night socialising, salacious gossip and a lack of professionalism”.
Last year, members in the Yorkshire and Humber region balloted to strike over complaints of bullying and harassment which have been staved off following the union’s concession to invite Ms Monaghan back inside the union to investigate.
But now, a group of around a dozen former and current GMB staff have written to the equalities watchdog to demand an external investigation.
Chancellor Rachel Reeves has insisted she would face down opposition to pro-growth policies in the wake of speculation she will back the expansion of Heathrow.
This is despite reservations about the scheme from Labour allies.
Ms Reeves, who is at the World Economic Forum in Davos, said she wanted to ensure any pro-growth measure “trumps other things”.
But she would not comment on speculation around a Heathrow decision, which could trigger a row with critics of the scheme including London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan and Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
Speaking at a Bloomberg event, the chancellor said: “This was the problem with the last government, that there was always somebody that said ‘Oh yes, of course we want to grow the economy, but we don’t like that investment, we don’t like that wind farm, we don’t like those pylons, we don’t like that airport, we don’t want that housing near us’.
“But the answer can’t always be ‘no’ and that’s been the problem in Britain for a long time, that when there was a choice between something that would grow the economy and anything else, anything else always won.
“Now, of course, there are other things that matter, but when we say that growth is the number one mission of this government, we mean it, and that means it trumps other things.”
Matt Vickers, the shadow policing minister, is now joining Kay Burley on Sky News Breakfast.
He is asked about the Southport attack, and what he would want the parameters of the government’s inquiry to be.
Mr Vickers says the probe should be “as broad as possible”.
He adds: “I think it’s right that we have the inquiry to get to the bottom of what went wrong. Whether we can do more to prevent it.
“We saw all the times that this guy’s been referred to Prevent where various agencies have seen the issues that you have and the problem that you might pose and the risk you might pose, and we want to make sure that that’s covered.
“But we also want to make sure that the right amount of information is shared with the government.”
Mr Vickers says the inquiry should move as “quickly as possible”.
“We want it to move fast, but we also want it to be broadened to cover all of those options,” he explains.
“We’ve now got a big debate around who knew what and when within government.
“We know what Angela Rayner said in July about the fact that people who were suggesting it was terrorism were peddling conspiracy theories and fake news.
“We know that isn’t the case.”
Mr Vickers insists the government needs to be “upfront and honest with people”.
Yesterday, Sir Keir Starmer sought to explain why information wasn’t shared with the public, saying the trial of Axel Rudakubana could have been compromised.
👉 Listen to Politics At Jack And Sam’s on your podcast app👈
Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy look ahead to the day ahead in British politics.
Anne is still in Davos, where Rachel Reeves is kickstarting her economic fightback. The chair of the Competition and Markets Authority has been moved on and there’s big moves on AI, nature and unemployment. But will it all create the growth the chancellor is desperately seeking?
Meanwhile back in Westminster, how will Sir Keir Starmer fare in his first PMQs since Axel Rudakubana’s guilty pleas to the Southport Murders?
You can send us a WhatsApp on 07511 867 633 or email us: jackandsam@sky.uk
Leading tech firms have helped to develop a set of safety expectations for artificial intelligence tools in the classroom, the government has announced.
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson will set out plans to use technology to “modernise” the education system, support teachers and “deliver” for pupils.
In a keynote speech at ed tech event The Bett Show, Ms Phillipson is expected to say that using AI to reduce workload will help with teacher shortages.
She is due to tell the event in London: “Each great moment of technological change throughout history came with fears for an unfamiliar future.
“But I know AI can be a radical, modernising force for change, a force for good in the lives of working people and I am so excited for what it means for education.”
The Department for Education (DfE) is expected to announce that tech firms – including Google, Microsoft, Adobe and Amazon Web Services – have helped develop a set of expectations which AI tools should meet to be considered safe for classroom use.
The “AI Product Safety Expectations in Education” framework sets out safeguards – including enhanced filtering of harmful content.
Alison McGovern, the employment minister, is now joining Kay Burley on Sky News Breakfast to discuss the Southport murders.
She is asked what role tech companies played in the attack, after it emerged that Axel Rudakubana purchased the knife he used from Amazon when he was 17 years old.
Ms McGovern points to a “full inquiry” which has been launched by the government.
She says: “In response to the horrendous situation that led to that attack, we’re going to have a full inquiry.
“That’s important for transparency, so the answer to your question will be found out by that inquiry.”
However, the minister says “where we need to tighten legislation so that we limit people’s access to knives that can do such a damage, we will take those steps”.
Asked if Amazon should be punished for selling a knife to a 17-year-old, Ms McGovern says: “We’ve got to have the right powers to stop this.”
However, she refuses to “pre-judge” any of the findings of the inquiry.
And asked how long the inquiry will take, Ms McGovern says she’s sure those undertaking it will “want it to happen quickly”.
Sir Keir Starmer has insisted the UK ‘must use’ age verification checks for online sales of knives to ‘protect our children’ after the Southport attacks last year.
Axel Rudakubana, 18, pleaded guilty to the murder of three young girls in a knife attack at a dance class on 29 July.
It emerged afterwards that he had purchased the knife he used from Amazon when he was 17, despite laws prohibiting the sale of most blades to under 18s.
Amazon has insisted that it takes “responsibility around the sale of all age-restricted items – including bladed products – extremely seriously”, the BBC reports.
Sir Keir has now insisted that “technology is there to set up age-verification checks” – and “we must use it”.
He told The Sun that it “remains shockingly easy for our children to get their hands on deadly knives”.
“The technology is there to set up age-verification checks, even for kitchen knives ordered online. We must now use it to protect our children from future attack and I will ensure that this happens.”
At the moment, anyone buying a knife from Amazon is required to provide proof of age and a signature upon delivery.
A review of online knife sales by Commander Stephen Clayman, the National Police Chiefs’ Council’s lead for knife crime, has suggested stronger ID checks.
These could include asking buyers to submit formal ID – and a video proving their age.
Be the first to get Breaking News
Install the Sky News app for free
