Minister struggles to defend Keir Starmer over his record of accepting freebies – UK politics live

Ed Davey is about to deliver his speech to the Lib Dem conference.

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Lammy sidesteps questions about how much extra UK will contribute to help poor countries tackle climate crisis

Fiona Harvey

David Lammy’s speech on foreign policy and the climate crisis was lauded by the ambassadors – the Azerbaijani ambassador was there, alongside the Brazilian ambassador, both of whose countries are soon to host climate Cops; and the German ambassador and representatives from the EU and other countries – as well as academics and campaigners present, who were impressed by its change of tone compared with the previous government.

But, as one ambassador noted drily afterwards, “great speech – not much detail”.

The key climate question for developing countries this year is money. Countries are gathering in Azerbaijan in November to discuss a “new collective quantified goal” on climate finance – which means, the amount that rich countries will dedicate from their public coffers to the developing world, to help vulnerable countries cut their emissions and cope with the impacts of the climate crisis.

Last time such a sum was discussed was in 2009, when the rich promised $100bn would flow in climate finance to the poor world each year by 2020. That target was missed, by a couple of years, but has now been fulfilled. The key question is what happens next?

Needs are much greater this time round. About $1 trillion a year is the sum most developing countries are settling on. There is no way that will all be met by taxpayers in the rich world, but a certain proportion of it must be for the promise to have credibility.

Lammy knows this, and in his speech addressed the need for cash to ensure “climate justice” in the developing world. But his hands are tied – he cannot promise new cash ahead of Rachel Reeves’ autumn budget at the end of next month. The last government promised £11.6bn in climate finance by 2026 – that promise is still intact though not necessarily immune to Reeves’ axe if she feels very pressed – but Labour has said nothing yet on what follows.

In the Q&A after his speech, Lammy was asked three times, in varying degrees of subtlety, how much the UK would front up. Each time he batted the question away, finally conceding good-naturedly that he would “get into a storm with Rachel Reeves” if he tried to answer. The buck is now firmly with the Treasury.

Sally Weale

Ofsted banners tied to school railings to promote an “outstanding” or “good” grade after inspection are to be banned, according to clarification of recent changes to school inspection in England.

It follows the government’s decision earlier this month to scrap overall effectiveness judgments with immediate effect. Schools inspected this year will continue to be graded against four sub-judgments until next September when report cards will be introduced.

According to Ofsted’s newly updated school inspection handbook, schools that receive a full inspection this year will not be able to use Ofsted judgment logos based on any of the four sub-judgments.

Schools inspected at any point up until the end of the last academic year, under the old system, will however continue to be able to use banners and logos on their websites to promote their overall effectiveness grade.

School banners celebrating Ofsted judgments have become an increasingly familiar sight outside school gates, though there had been calls for their removal after the suicide of head teacher Ruth Perry last year and a growing disillusion with the school inspectorate.

The handbook says:

Schools judged to be outstanding or good for overall effectiveness before September 2024 can use specific Ofsted logos to promote that judgment, for example on their websites.

Schools that receive a graded inspection from September 2024 onwards may no longer use the Ofsted judgment logos as they relate only to overall effectiveness, which is no longer part of our judgments.

Diane Abbott has accused Keir Starmer of treating her as a “non-person” after comments by the Conservative donor Frank Hester who said that looking at the Hackney MP made “you just want to hate all black women” and that she “should be shot”, Jessica Elgot reports.

As the BBC reports, Universities UK, which represents 141 universities, says higher tuition fees and direct government funding are needed to avoid a funding crisis for universities in England. They want fees, which have been capped at £9,250 in England since 2017, to go up in line with inflation.

Asked if the government accepted this, a Downing Street spokesperson told journalists at the lobby briefing this morning:

We’re focused on ensuring that universities are supported so that they continue to create a secure future for our world-leading universities and deliver for students.

The secretary of state has refocused the role of the Office for Students so it can concentrate on key areas, including monitoring financial sustainability. That work is ongoing with them.

We do appreciate that the government inherited a challenging set of circumstances in higher education. Universities are ultimately independent and responsible for the necessary decisions to ensure their long-term financial sustainability. But we are working with them.

Asked if the PM was opposed to a rise in tuition fees, the spokesperson said tuition fees were set for this year, and that there was a process in place for deciding them. But she did not say a rise was being ruled out.

My colleagues Fiona Harvey and Patrick Greenfield have written an analysis of the David Lammy speech here.

And here is an extract.

The message could not be clearer: this government wants to tackle the climate and ecological crises head-on, reinvigorate green diplomacy and forge a global coalition for action before it is too late. The contrast with the previous government could scarcely be greater. Sunak skipped key international meetings, axed the post of climate envoy, made a U-turn on green policy and waged a “culture war” on the climate …

The UK could also fill a vacuum in climate leadership among major developed nations, with countries such as France and Germany distracted by domestic political upheavals. Paul Bledsoe, a lecturer at American University in Washington and a former White House climate official, said: “Far more aggressive UK climate leadership under the new Labour government will have a tremendously positive influence globally, and will specifically be crucial to emboldening US policy should Kamala Harris be elected this November.”

But for all the enthusiasm that has greeted the change of government, at home and overseas Labour will have to do more than make stirring speeches and hold cosy meetings with allies to make a real impression. Tough decisions must be made, and soon.