The prime minister has not yet spoken with President Trump following his inauguration, Downing Street has said.
Friday 24 January 2025 15:19, UK
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While MPs were debating the pros and cons of potentially forcing the government to comply with climate targets, it was announced that a new solar farm had been given the green light.
Heckington Fen Solar Park in Lincolnshire has been given the go ahead, and is expected to be able to generate around 500MW in solar energy when it is up and running.
During the debate, some MPs spoke in opposition to large solar farms, on the grounds they impacted local fauna and flora, and also farmland.
However, the government has now approved several such projects as part of its infrastructure programme.
After four and a half hours of debate on the Climate and Nature Bill, the has been adjourned to 11 July.
However, in practice, it is likely the bill will fall by teh wayside.
MPs vote by 120 to 7 to resume the debate in around six and half months time.
Notably, it appears that the Liberal Democrats – who were proposing the law – abstained.
They seem to have withdrawn their backing on the promise of meetings with ministers to hash out the details.
We don’t know who voted against the bill being adjourned, but it likely includes the Green MPs and potentially a few Labour rebels or independents like Jeremy Corbyn.
We’re getting to towards the end of the debate on the Climate and Nature Bill.
After hours of electrifying debate, starting at 9.30am, we have a deadline of 2.30pm for speakers to finish.
Notably, many Labour MPs are now arriving in the chamber – likely the cavalry who will vote down the bill should a division be pushed.
Mary Creagh, the junior environment minister, is laying out the government’s position.
Back in the Commons with the Climate and Nature Bill, and Green Party MP Carla Denyer has just given her speech.
To gasps in the chamber, she claims that the bill’s main proposer – Roz Savage – has decided not to push the legislation to a vote in exchange for a meeting with the government.
Ms Denyer, who cosponsored the bill, says she wants to push the bill to a vote today anyway.
Ms Savage then intervenes to “set the record straight”.
She says she has been an environmental campaigner for 20 years, and tried “placard waving”, marching “in the streets” but now wants to take a legislative approach.
The Lib Dem MP says the only way to do this is by “working with the government” – and that is why she wants to pull the vote today.
Ms Denyer replies by saying that voting the bill to the committee stage is “not placard waving” – to shouted criticisms from the Liberal Democrats in front of her.
Nadia Whittome, the Labour MP who is very much not a part of government, stands up to back Ms Savage for not pushing a vote.
She says the current situation is”not the ceiling of what we want to achieve” – and rather is another step on their goal to strengthen the UK’s stance on the climate.
Speaking to journalists this morning, the prime minister’s spokesperson confirmed that the prime minister still hasn’t spoken to the president.
Sir Keir Starmer met with Donald Trump last year, and spoke to him after the election on the phone.
However, Sir Keir and Mr Trump have not spoken since the latter returned to the White House four days ago.
The spokesperson said Sir Keir would “welcome” an opportunity to speak to Mr Trump at the earliest time.
They were not able to give an update on when Peter Mandelson will become the US ambassador.
The prime minister’s spokesperson has been giving their daily briefing to journalists.
Unsurprisingly, the Southport killings and Axel Rudakubana come up.
Reform MPs like Lee Anderson yesterday called for a return of the death penalty after Rudakubana was sentenced to a minimum of 52 years in prison.
Downing Street says the government has no plans to bring back capital punishment – pointing out it was ended more than 50 years ago.
Asked why Rudakubana could not be given a whole life tariff, the spokesperson explains that he committed the crime while 17, and so international law prevents a whole life term being imposed.
However, the spokesperson says the government shares the public’s “disgust” at the crimes, pointing out Rudakubana was given the second-longest prison sentence in English history.
Back on to the debate over the Climate and Nature Bill, and shadow energy minister Andrew Bowie is speaking for the Tory front bench.
He lays out why the opposition is opposing the bill on the table.
Mr Bowie tells the Commons: “It is not [protecting the environment] with which we take umbrage.
“However, it is quite clear that we should not support the damaging measures which this bill would require.
“This bill, if it became law, would do damage to our country and our prosperity, and to the lives of individuals and indeed industries across this United Kingdom.”
By Faye Brown, political reporter
The government has hinted it is open to joining a tariff-free trading scheme as part of its plan to “reset” its relationship with Europe.
Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds suggested that joining the Pan-Euro-Mediterranean Convention (PEM) could be acceptable as it “is not a customs union”.
The cabinet minister was speaking to the BBC following a meeting on Thursday with Maros Sefcovic, the EU’s trade commissioner responsible for post-Brexit negotiations.
Mr Sefcovic had earlier told the broadcaster the EU would consider the UK joining the PEM, which allows for tariff-free trade of goods across Europe as well as some North African and Levantine nations.
Mr Reynolds described his comments as “incredibly positive” and “helpful”.
He added: “We can improve the terms of trade with the EU in a way which doesn’t revisit customs unions or single markets or the arguments of Brexit, and we can do that whilst pursuing closer trade links around the world.”
Maria Eagle, a defence minister, is now giving a statement in the Commons.
It has been announced that Rolls-Royce has won a £9bn deal with the government.
The deal will strengthen the Royal Navy’s continuous at-sea deterrent, under which at least one nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine patrols the seas at all times, according to the government.
While Ms Eagle is giving the statement in the House, Defence Secretary John Healey is in Derby at the Rolls-Royce factory, engaging in his ministerial duties of shakings hands with apprentices.
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