Politics latest: Labour MPs assemble for huge photo - as 'YIMBY' chancellor outlines 'planning revolution' (2024)

By Faye Brown, political reporter

Sir Keir Starmer has vowed to "hit the ground running" with a focus on delivery from day one after returning his party to government for the first time in 14 years.

Already he hasassembled his cabinet, scrapped the Rwanda scheme, announced mission delivery boards and embarked ona whistle-stop tour of the devolved nations.

That's all before parliament has even reconvened, with MPs due to be sworn in from Tuesday to officially kick off the first 100 days of a Labour government.

Below, Sky News takes a look at what we can expect to happen over the next few months:

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Chancellor Rachel Reeves has acknowledged the "scale of the huge challenge ahead" as she began her first week as head of the Treasury.

Visiting the Oval Village housing project in London, Ms Reeves was asked how she felt when she realised how bad the economic situation is.

"I knew the scale of the inheritance, the scale of the challenge ahead, was going to be huge," she says.

"That's why today I've got started, and I've spent the whole weekend working on developing that plan for growth to unlock private investment.

"In the end, we're not going to be able to improve living standards of working people or have the money that we need for our public services unless we can grow the economy."

Ms Reeves was speaking after her first major event as chancellor, where she announced her intention to reform planning rules, restore mandatory housing targets, and reverse the ban on new onshore wind projects to help drive economic growth and investment.

Labour's 412 MPs have assembled in Westminster for a family photo.

There are so many of them after last week's general election that some will likely end up taking seats on the opposition benches when parliament's packed out for events like PMQs.

Sir Keir Starmer got the plumb spot for the photo, flanked by his deputy Angela Rayner and Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

"Fantastic to welcome all of our returning and new Labour MPs today," said the prime minister.

'Like the first day at school!'

As our chief political correspondent Jon Craig explains, MPs new and returning have been at Westminster today for the first time since the election result.

"They've been given a lot of advice about security, Commons procedure, and they've been given a buddy to help them," he says.

"It's a bit like the first day at school!"

They still need to find an office and staff - it's a big challenge because of how many MPs are from the governing party.

They'll start being sworn in tomorrow, and a Speaker is being elected.

The prime minister, meanwhile, will be holding a meeting with metro mayors like Andy Burnham and Ben Houchen.

It's been a busy start to the week for the new government - from the prime minister wrapping up his tour of the home nations, to the chancellor making a major speech on planning reform and the health secretary holding talks with dentists.

Our deputy political editor Sam Coates says that's very much the idea: they want to be seen to be busy.

Each appearance by a cabinet minister is a "promise of action" to deal with the problems facing the country, says Sam.

That includes Sir Keir Starmer himself, who in Northern Ireland today "was keen to make clear he would look again at bits of the Brexit deal".

'The sh*t list'

But it's all very well to seem busy, says Sam - the challenges are vast.

"Sue Grey, the chief of staff to Keir Starmer, had a list of problematic things this government was going to have to do," he notes.

Within Westminster, it became known as the "sh*t list" - covering everything from prison overcrowding to universities in financial ruin.

The government's work so far "is framed by solving the problems of the past" rather than "setting Britain on a new course".

But with more than 400 Labour MPs now in Westminster, the prime minister has a tough job keeping them all happy.

Despite the difficulties, Sam says "they're going to be wanting a lot out of this government".

Sky News' deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico's Jack Blanchard are back in your podcast feeds.

On this episode, they discuss how the prime minister is tackling his first full week and his government’s approach to home and foreign affairs.

And how will the Conservative Party choose a new leader?

All that more below:

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A migrant processing centre in Kent will be visited by the Children's Commissioner over concerns raised about safeguarding children at the site.

Dame Rachel de Souza is expected to visit the former military base in Manston this week, according to her office.

The facility is used to process new arrivals of people who have entered the UK by boat crossing the English Channel.

Overcrowding with "unacceptable conditions" had previously been flagged by inspectors in October 2022, while the Home Office has said significant improvements have been made since that period.

The Office of the Children's Commissioner is a national public body tasked with promoting and protecting the rights of children in the UK, including unaccompanied asylum seeking children.

A Home Office spokesperson said: "The treatment of unaccompanied children is taken very seriously by the Home Office and they are not routinely taken to Manston.

"Those who arrive with their families are accommodated separately from single adult males, and the health and well-being of all arrivals is taken seriously at every stage of the process."

Rhun ap Iorwerth, the leader of Plaid Cymru, has today welcomed his party's four MPs to Westminster.

They have already written to Sir Keir Starmer to ask for a meeting on resetting the relationship between London and Wales, he added.

It comes after the prime minister embarked on a UK tour to meet the leaders of the devolved governments, including Vaughan Gething in Cardiff earlier today.

Mr Iorwerth said it had to be a "meaningful reset", as he vowed his party's MPs would hold Sir Keir's government to account.

'We will make case for Wales at every opportunity'

"Labour have shown time and time again that they want to cast aside our aspirations on fair funding, on more powers," he said.

"Our four MPs will not allow that to happen.

"We want to make the case for Wales at every possible opportunity.

"That is what these four MPs will do, and we need to see signs, very early and clear signs, from Sir Keir Starmer that he will listen, that he will listen to our aspirations and act in the interests of Wales."

Carla Denyer, the co-leader of the Green Party, has urged Sir Keir Starmer to "take some swift actions" on "low-hanging fruit" in the first 100 days of government.

She pressed Labour to scrap the two-child benefit cap and revoke the licence for the Rosebank oil field as she arrived at parliament as one of four newly elected Green MPs.

Ms Denyer was elected alongside her fellow co-leader Adrian Ramsay, Ellie Chowns and Sian Berry in last week's general election.

'Not even that expensive' to lift benefit cap

Ms Denyer said maintaining the two-child benefit cap "holds 250,000 children in poverty unnecessarily", and claimed it's "not even that expensive to lift".

While she opposed the new licence for the Rosebank oil and gas field, 80 miles west of Shetland, she welcomed the party's lifting of the ban on new onshore wind projects.

"That is long overdue," she said.

Ms Denyer said the Greens - up from one MP to four compared to the previous parliament - "will be pushing" the government to take stronger action that will "help fix the issues in this country".