James Heale

The UK has finally signed a free-trade deal with India after three-and-a-half years of negotiation. The agreement will open up trade for cars, whisky, clothing and food products, with ministers claiming it will boost the British economy by £4.8 billion. For Keir Starmer, it offers much-needed economic and political good news. For Indian prime minister Narendra Modi, it shows that the £3 trillion Indian economy is willing to shake off its protectionist tradition and open up to international investors. The trade deal is an all-too-rare example of Labour getting things right in opposition The trade deal is an all-too-rare example of Labour getting things right in opposition. Jonathan Reynolds, the Trade Secretary, met with his Indian counterpart, Piyush Goyal, in February last year.

Kemi Badenoch has saved the biggest news of the Tory reshuffle for last. This morning, the headlines were dominated by news of James Cleverly’s return. But this evening, the only story causing shockwaves is Lee Rowley’s departure as Badenoch’s chief of staff. His importance to the Kemi project cannot be overstated. The pair entered parliament together in 2017 and spent countless hours debating the future of the Tory party. After Rowley lost his seat in July 2024, Badenoch appointed him as her most senior adviser. ‘It’s like having another me out there’, she said of Rowley in an interview with this publication in December. ‘He is pretty much my closest friend in politics.

If you want a sign of how badly things have gone wrong for this government, compare Keir Starmer's third Liaison Committee grilling with his first. Back in December, it was all stonewalling and smiles, as the Prime Minister gently dead-batted questions in front of a (largely) sympathetic crowd. Seven months on, the audience remains the same: 18 of the 26 select committees in the Commons are chaired by Labour MPs. But now the tone has hardened considerably. Today's session focused on poverty and international affairs. Normally, these might be regarded as areas in which a redistributive social democrat premier would excel. But after the benefits U-turn a fortnight ago, Starmer found himself subjected to some hostile grilling.

After a two-year impasse, the future of the Daily Telegraph could be resolved shortly. A £500m deal has been struck for US firm Redbird Capital to take control of the Telegraph Media Group, with state-backed Abu Dhabi investment vehicle IMI among investors. But a fresh challenge has arisen in the House of Lords. Peers are threatening to block minister's efforts to change the law to give foreign companies a greater stake in British media outfits – up from the existing five per cent to 15 cent. This is a necessary legal change to allow the Telegraph sale to go ahead. A 'fatal motion' will be held in the Lords on Tuesday; if passed, it would kill the government's plans. It is a device seldom wielded by peers, having been last used in 2012.

Labour woes mean Tory smiles. The Conservatives have ended the parliamentary session on a (reasonable) high, after last week's benefits debacle. At the shadow cabinet yesterday, frontbenchers were treated to a presentation by Mark McInnes, the new chief executive, and Paul Bristow – the only real success story from May's local elections. This evening, it was the turn of Kemi Badenoch to address the 1922 Committee for their final meeting before the summer recess. Badenoch's speech was an upbeat affair. She pointed to the U-turns secured on welfare, grooming gangs and winter fuel. Progress was highlighted in a number of key areas, after the shambles of the last election. Following the betting scandal, the Tories have now rebuilt their candidates' team.

Some big news in Labour land today. Angela Rayner, the party’s deputy leader, has had her membership of Unite suspended following her comments on the Birmingham bin strike. Or at least, that’s what the trade union said. It accused Rayner of supporting a Labour-run council that had ‘peddled lies’, after she urged bin workers to accept its pay offer. Sharon Graham, Unite’s general secretary, told its annual conference that ‘Rayner has had every opportunity to intervene and resolve this dispute but has instead backed a rogue council that has peddled lies and smeared its workers fighting huge pay cuts.’ However, the New Statesman reported that Rayner had resigned her membership of Unite ‘several months ago’, meaning she can’t be suspended. Who’s telling the truth?