Farage claims doctors ‘massively over-diagnosing’ children with Send and mental health conditions – UK politics live

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Here are some more comments from Keir Starmer on defence spending from his visit to the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, today:

The increased defence spending is the highest sustained increase since the cold war. That’s necessary, necessary for security and our defence as a country, but really important that is measured and felt in good, secure, well paid jobs across the country.

The south-west has a particular contribution. It’s because of the specialisms and the capabilities that it has. I just want to say thank you to those who are involved in the south-west because a lot of the capability you’re seeing onboard here represents the hard work of skilled professionals in those jobs.

I want SMEs, small companies in the supply chain, also to play their part. The south-west has my thanks and my gratitude to what they are doing to support the frontline, which we are seeing displayed here. I think there’s also an element here of making sure that our service personnel have the facilities, the backup that they need, which is why I’m really pleased that we’ve been able to take the measures we have.

For example, in the south-west on housing for our military, to make sure that there’s good, secure housing taking stock back into public ownership so we can provide the sort of backup that they deserve and that they’re entitled to. We’re already taking them back into public ownership. Those homes now will be there for members of our military.

That’s really important. A good, secure home, and that’s part of the wider contribution.

Of course last year there was the highest pay award for our service personnel for many, many years, again to represent the service they give our country, particularly at this time of global instability.

Speaking onboard the HMS Prince of Wales today, Keir Starmer told broadcasters that the world was in a “new era” of global insecurity and uncertainty.

The prime minister said:

It’s incredible to be onboard the carrier strike group and to see the incredible capability.

We all know that the world is more uncertain than it felt a few months or years before – we’re in a new era.

That’s why we’ve doubled down on defence spending as a government, but also to come and see strike group as it starts its journey, a really important journey, bringing together thousands of personnel across the group from many different countries.

A real statement to our adversaries of UK leadership on global issues and security and defence, but also a real show of unity with our allies, particularly our Nato allies that we are working with.

It is an opportunity for me to say, as prime minister, thank you to the personnel on board doing complicated, skilled, professional, challenging work, to say thank you on behalf of the government, but also thank you on behalf of the country, for millions of people who would love to be here to say thank you to the very many people who are involved in this endeavour.

Prime minister Keir Starmer told broadcasters onboard the Royal Navy’s flagship aircraft carrier, HMS Prince of Wales, that it was “hugely important” the UK played a role in global security.

“It’s hugely important for the UK to play a leading role, as we are playing on this deployment,” Starmer said.

The PA news agency reports that Starmer said:

It shows our capability, it shows our sense of global leadership on defence and security, but also on trade and the economy – we’re a free trading nation.

This is a mission that’s going to go across the entire world, down to the Indo-Pacific as well.

It’s a UK sense of our leadership and a message to our adversaries but also an important UK message to our allies about the way that we work with our allies in what we do in our defence and security.

I’m very proud of what all the teams are doing here.

Wood-burning stoves to be allowed in new-build homes in England despite concerns

Wood-burning stoves will be allowed to heat new-build homes in England despite growing evidence showing their significant contribution to air pollution and carbon emissions.

The government is writing its Future Homes Standards, a set of rules for developers aimed at decarbonising England’s housing stock. Heating the UK’s 28m homes accounts for about 18% of greenhouse gas emissions.

However, there are fears that after intense lobbying, these standards will be weakened. The Guardian recently reported that the Labour party is considering making solar panels optional on new homes in England after pressure from housebuilders.

The Stove Industry Association (SIA) has released a letter it received from government confirming the appliances will be allowed in new homes.

It reads:

A full technical consultation on the Future Homes Standard was launched in December 2023 and closed in March 2024. Under the standards proposed in the consultation, a wood-burning stove would be permitted as a secondary heating source in new homes.

The Climate Change Committee has recommended the phasing out of wood-burning stoves in homes because of the carbon they emit. They also produce dangerous PM2.5 particles that, according to a growing body of research, are responsible for a range of health problems including heart and lung disease, as well as diabetes, cancer, brain function and premature births.

Last year, a study by Prof Chris Whitty, the chief medical officer for England, found that even “eco-design” wood-burning stoves produced 450 times more toxic air pollution than gas central heating.

Farage claims doctors 'massively over-diagnosing' children with Send and mental health conditions

Nigel Farage has claimed that doctors are “massively over-diagnosing” children with special educational needs and disabilities (Send) and mental health conditions.

Asked at this press conference about the rising number of children diagnosed with Send, and what could be done to help them, Farage replied:

It’s a massive problem. I have to say, for my own money, when you get to 18 and you put somebody on a disability register, unemployed, with a high level of benefits, you’re telling people aged 18 that they’re that they’re victims. And if you are told you’re a victim, and you think you’re a victim, you are likely to stay [a victim].

So many of these diagnoses, for Send before 18, for disability register after 18 – so many of these have been conducted on Zoom, with the family GP.

I think that is a massive mistake. I think you’re the family GP, and I’ve know your family for generations, and you’re saying to me there’s a real problem here with depression, or whatever it may be, it’s quite hard for me as your GP to say no.

I don’t think any of these allocations should be done by family GPs. I think should be done independently.

And I think we are massively – I’m not being heartless, I’m being frank – I think we are massively over-diagnosing those with mental illness problems and those with other general behavioural disabilities. And I think we’re creating class of victims in Britain that will struggle ever to get out of it.

My colleague Amy Sedghi is taking over for a while now. I will be back later.

Q: There is an estimate you could win 450 seats in the local elections next week. Do you think that’s right?

Farage says he does not know.

But he says, if the forecast does turn out to be right, that would be “quite a political revolution”.

The question referred to a prediction from Lord Hayward, a Tory peer and respected pollster. He said this week that he expects his party to lose between 475 and 525 seats in the local elections next week, and Reform UK to win between 400 and 450.

Many of these losses are expected to be to Reform in the Midlands and the North, with Mr Farage’s party possibly winning 400 to 450 seats.

Q: In Kent could Reform UK councillors do anything differently on immigration?

They could complain, says Farage. And they could refuse to accept migrant hotels.

Lisa O’Carroll is a Guardian correspondent covering the EU and Brexit.

European commission president Ursula von der Leyen’s meeting with Keir Starmer today is a key meeting to forge a deal ahead of the first UK-EU summit next month in London, the EU has said.

A spokeswoman for the European Commission said this morning that the meeting would lay the groundwork for the first bilateral summit since the UK left the EU five years ago.

The summit is expected to deliver a new defence and security pact along with a deal on youth mobility, carbon emissions pricing on cross border trade and a potential veterinary deal to remove barriers for food and drink exporters.

The EU’s chief spokeswoman Paula Pinho said:

The objective of that bilateral meeting [today] is, among other things, to prepare the ground for the summit in May. This is very much unique in the past years. All the preparatory work is being done, including at the highest level, and that’s as much as we can say now.

Farage says the Reform UK membership has now passed 225,000.

Farage claims defence pact with EU could 'fundamentally damage' UK's relations with Nato and US

Q: Should the government make fishing concessions to the EU?

Farage claims he is the only MP with a financial interest in a commercial fishing boat. Since Brexit, there have been more EU fishing boats fishing near the British coast, he says.

He says many people in the fishing industry think Brexit has made things worse for the sector. He claims further concessions could finish it off.

He says he is worried that Keir Starmer wants more alignment with the EU. And he says is worried the proposed defence and security pact with the EU will “fundamental damage our relationship with Nato and America”.

Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, opened his press conference with a long speech about immigration. But largely it was a repeat of things he has said many times before. He confirmed that Reform UK would take the UK out of the European convention on human rights, to enable the government to remove all people arriving in the country illegally.

He is now taking questions.

Q: What would you do if you were in charge of Birmingham? Would you talk to the unions?

Farage starts talking about his time as a metal trader, and he says that in that period he worked with people in manufacturing.

He says Reform UK wants to reindustrialise the country. That will involve talks with the unions.

He says he expects further Birmingham-style disputes this year. He says the government is facing a “very difficult summer and autum”.

Mahmood says young offender institutions more violent than adult jails, as she allows pepper spray to be used in them

Shabana Mahmood, the justice secretary, has confirmed that she is authorising prison officers to use Pava pepper spray to incapacitate children in youth offender institutions (YOIs). She has published a written ministerial statement announcing the decision, which Rajeev Syal first reported two days ago.

Explaining why prison officers needed more protection in YOIs, Mahmood said that level of voilence in these jails was “unacceptable”, and higher than in adult prisons. She said:

The levels of violence across the Children and Young People’s Secure Estate are unacceptable. On a weekly basis there are assaults involving young people in custody. Serious assaults can see these young people use homemade weapons, including stabbing implements, against each other and our staff.

Today, levels of violence are higher than in the adult prison estate. For the 12 months to Dec 2024, the rate of assaults by children and young people, on staff across the three public YOIs (HMYOI Feltham A, HMYOI Werrington and HMYOI Wetherby) increased by almost 25% compared to previous year – rates are around 14 times higher than that in the adult estate. In July 2024, HM Inspectorate of Prisons described HMP & YOI Feltham A as the ‘most violent prison in the country’.

The Howard League for Penal Reform has condemned the decision to authorise the use of Pava in YOIs. It said Pava is “a chemical irritant spray that can cause severe pain” and is classified as a prohibited weapon under the Firearms Act 1968.

Andrea Coomber, the Howard League’s chief executive, said:

There is too much violence in prisons holding children, but this is a direct consequence of a failing system that keeps boys as young as 15 locked in their cells for up to 23 hours a day without meaningful access to education or social interaction.

It reflects a profound failure on the part of those responsible for children in custody that they would consider introducing weapons in the name of safety. The Howard League will take whatever steps necessary, including legal action, to challenge this decision.

Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, is about to speak at a press conference in Dover. There is a live feed here.

Opening the press conference, Zia Yusuf, the party chair, said the party was now leading in national polling.

(The Economist’s poll tracker has Reform UK on 25%, Labour on 23% and the Conservatives on 22%.)

Streeting says men hit particularly hard by some illnesses as he seeks input for England's first men's health strategy

Men are “disproportionately affected” by a number of serious medical conditions including cancer, heart disease and type 2 diabetes, health leaders have said as they called for input on a men’s health plan. PA Media says:

On average, men have a shorter life expectancy compared to women – a difference of almost four years – and officials are asking for views on what must be done to “close the gap”.

Men are also more likely to die by suicide compared to women, the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) added.

The department said that action must be taken to “prevent and tackle” the biggest issues facing men as it called for insights on what needs to be included in England’s men’s health strategy.

Announcing a call for evidence for what is described as England’s first ever men’s health strategy, Wes Streeting the health secretary, said: “Every day, men across England are dying early from preventable causes.

“Men are hit harder by a range of conditions, while tragically suicide is the leading cause of death for men under 50.

“Our Plan for Change means we will tackle these issues head on through a men’s health strategy, and today’s call for evidence is the crucial next step in understanding what works, what doesn’t, and how we can design services men will actually use.

“I urge people to come forward to share their views.”

Shoplifting offences in England and Wales passed 500,000 for first time in 2024, ONS says

Crime figures for England and Wales in 2024 have been published this morning in a report from the Office for Statisics. Here are some of the main points, picked up by PA Media.

The number of shoplifting offences recorded by police in England and Wales has passed half a million for the first time, figures show. PA says:

A total of 516,971 offences were logged by forces last year, up 20% from 429,873 in 2023.

The figure is the highest since current police recording practices began in the year to March 2003, according to the ONS.

Shoplifting offences have been running at record levels for the past two years and have seen a “sharp rise” since the Covid-19 pandemic, the ONS said.

Some 152,416 theft from the person offences were recorded by police in England and Wales last year, up 22% from 125,379 in 2023 and the highest number since current data began in 2003. PA says:

A total of 1.80 million theft offences were recorded by forces in 2024, up 1% on 2023.

The increase was driven by the rise in shoplifting and theft from the person, the ONS said.

Knife crime recorded by police in England and Wales stood at 54,587 offences in 2024, up 2% from 53,413 in 2023 but 1% below the the pre-pandemic figure of 55,170 in the year to March 2020. PA says:

The number of offences involving possession of an article with a blade or point stood at 28,150, up 1% year-on-year from 27,892 and higher than the pre-pandemic figure of 23,264 in 2019/20.

Knife-enabled homicides stood at 216, down 16% from 258 in 2023.

The number of homicides recorded by police in England and Wales has fallen to its lowest level in a decade. PA says:

Some 535 homicide offences were recorded by forces in 2024, down 5% from 563 in 2023 and the lowest figure since 533 in the 12 months to March 2014.

And here is a graphic from the ONS report showing trends in main crime types.