Badenoch accused of wanting to cut state pension as Labour deny Musk forced gangs inquiries: Politics live

Some more this morning on Labour’s plans on the BBC licence fee.

Culture secretary Lisa Nandy was asked on the issue as the fee, which the government has committed to increasing in line with inflation each year until 2027, is to rise to £174.50 in April.

The broadcaster has been cash-strapped in recent years following the licence fee being frozen for two years at £159.

Ms Nandy told BBC Breakfast that the licence fee was “not only insufficient, it’s raising insufficient money to support the BBC, but it also is deeply regressive”.

The Government will use a review of the BBC’s Royal Charter, which will include a public consultation, to consider funding options to support the broadcaster’s long-term future.

Ms Nandy said she has “already started initial discussions with the BBC leadership about the charter review”, that she hopes will “future proof our national broadcaster until well into the latter half of this century”.

She added: “I think the one that has been speculated about is general taxation.

“That’s not something that we are considering, not least because we want to make sure that we protect the BBC from the sort of political interference that we saw under the last government.”

Rachel Reeves compared herself to ‘Iron Lady’ Margaret Thatcher as she said she will not resign, after coming under pressure over the state of the economy.

There have also been concerns about the fall in the pound and a rise in government borrowing costs.

Earlier this week, Sir Keir Starmer was asked if Ms Reeves would continue in her role as chancellor.

Speaking to BBC’s Political Thinking with Nick Robinson, Ms Reeves said she was not going to let her critics get her down, and said she would not resign. Ms Reeves said she did not take attacks on her personally and “strongly believes” she has “what it takes” and “the ideas to turn things around”.

She also said she was happy to be known as the ‘Iron Lady’.

Lisa Nandy has dismissed claims that Elon Musk’s slew of social media posts about grooming gangs kick-started the Government into action.

“I utterly refute that,” the Culture Secretary told Sky News when asked about the billionaire’s interest in the scandal.

Ms Nandy also told the broadcaster the Government would accept a “majority” of the recommendations set out by Professor Alexis Jay aimed at preventing future child sexual abuse.

The home secretary also pledged five new local inquiries backed by government funding.

The partial climb down comes after three Labour MPs from the North West and Manchester mayor Andy Burnham broke ranks to demand a rethink.

So, we had Kemi Badenoch appearing on the LBC phone-in this morning, revealing she was considering means testing the triple-lock pension.

Then Labour accused the Tories of planning to cut the state pension.

Now the Tories have hit back, accusing Labour of “fake news”.

A Conservative Party headquarters spokesperson said: “The Labour Party is skewing her words for political gain and lying about what she said. We will look at means testing. But the Conservatives have always protected the triple lock. Ignore the fake news! Read the transcript.”

Not long after Kemi Badenoch appeared on the LBC phone-in, both the Labour and Lib Dem parties responded.

A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Kemi Badenoch has put pensioners on notice – she’s going to cut your state pension. The Labour government has taken tough action to clean up the mess the Tories left our economy in, meaning we can guarantee a £470 cash boost for pensioners in April.

“The Tories have let the mask slip though and are happy to leave pensioners worse off. Yet again, the Conservatives haven’t listened and they haven’t learned.”

A spokesperson for the Liberal Democrats, part of the coalition that introduced the triple-lock system 14 years ago, said: “Bungling Badenoch has finally come up with her first new policy, slashing the state pension.

“The Liberal Democrats are proud we introduced the triple-lock and will fight tooth and nail against Conservative attempts to weaken it.”

The triple lock guarantees that the state pension rises every year in line with inflation, earnings or 2.5 per cent – whichever is highest.

The policy helps to ensure pensioners’ living standards keep up with those of the wider population.

More than 12 million people receive the state pension.

Kemi Badenoch said Tories will consider means-testing the triple-lock.

The Conservative leader said that while in government the party had supported the system, but added that “we need to make sure we are growing”.

During a phone-in on LBC, Mrs Badenoch was asked whether she would “look at” the triple-lock, to which she replied: “We’re going to look at means-testing. Means-testing is something which we don’t do properly here.”

“The triple-lock is a policy which we supported throughout our 14 years in government, that was a Conservative policy, but we need to make sure that we are growing.

“Starting with the triple-lock is not how to solve the problem. We need to start with, why are we not making the same kind of money we used to make?

She added: “We’ve got to give something to the next generation. What are we leaving them with?

“And that’s what we’ve got to sort out. We can’t just make ourselves comfortable now, spending their future.”

The suggestion quickly came under fire from political opponents, with Labour accusing the Tory leader of “putting pensioners on notice” while the Liberal Democrats said the Conservatives should “clarify what she meant”.