UK election latest: Starmer embarks on 'reset' tour - as he receives advice from Blair (2024)

The business secretary is now asked why the prime minister has looked to some of the veterans from the Blair era, rather than his 411 MPs, to fill some roles.

Jonathan Reynolds says his generation of Labour MPs "can hold our heads high" in returning Labour to power, but "we are very much aware" that bringing expertise to government is a "sign of strength".

Trevor Phillips turns to how the MPs were elected, with the first past the post system delivering seats disproportional to votes.

"I think it's really important to say there are results in the past that are similar to this. I don't think you can say a system is unfair just as one side wins it," says Mr Reynolds.

"When you've got a system, you run your campaign to win under that system. You can't then look at it through a different lens. We have had elections in the past where Labour has had extraordinary majorities in a small number of places - that's not good enough."

Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, is asked if he felt the absence of one of his former shadow cabinet colleagues - Jonathan Ashworth - at yesterday's cabinet meeting.

Mr Ashworth, who was the shadow work and pensions secretary, lost his seat in Leicester South on Thursday to independent candidate Shockat Adam.

"I did," Mr Reynolds says.

"I've known Jonathan a long time. He put in a credible service to the campaign. Maybe to his own personal cost in that way.

"And, of course, to be in a political system where you can win a landslide, get that mandate, but lose very close colleagues... British politics is tough."

Trevor says it is thought this seat - and others in Birmingham - were lost due to ethnic rivalries.

Is this going to be an issue for Labour?

The minister says his party "take the loss of any support seriously".

Put to him that the loss of these seats could be due to his party's stance on Gaza, Mr Reynolds says: "I really understand people's frustration.

"There are... particularly younger people, but not just confined to one community. By the way, this is across the board.

"They've never seen a real peace process in the Middle East."

He adds: "What I hope we can now do as a government is show real leadership on the world stage to find a real solution to that conflict."

Jonathan Reynolds is asked whether Tony Blair's public intervention has been helpful this early in the prime minister's term.

The business secretary says the expertise of people with experience of government is invaluable.

Trevor Phillips notes the involvement of politicians from the Blairite era in Sir Keir's government, which Mr Reynolds says will help the government tackle problems.

Turning to the EU, Phillips asks what the relationship will look like under Labour.

Mr Reynolds says a relationship "not determined by the internal politics of the Conservative Party is very much in the national interest".

Constitutional arguments - like Brexit - will not be revisited, but trade opportunities could be explored, he says.

This includes looking at removing barriers to food and agricultural trade, recognising professional qualifications and the challenges faced by the creative industries.

JoiningTrevor Phillips nowis Jonathan Reynolds - the UK's new business secretary.

This is a position Mr Reynolds held in the shadow cabinet, but how does it feel to run the governmental office?

"It does feel very special on a personal level," he says. "To have had that experience of being asked to walk up Downing Street, to go into an office that used to belong to Winston Churchill in the... Department of Business and Trade."

But the minister says the most "exciting bit" is "to be able to get on with the job and deliver on the mandate that we've received".

Trevor now points to a lengthy article penned by former prime minister Tony Blair, who has urged Labour to detail its plan for migration.

He suggests Mr Blair seemingly thinks the new government doesn't have a plan on migration?

Mr Reynolds says: "The policies we put forward in the election are, I think, what the country needs.

"It's not just about tackling illegal immigration, important is that is, we've got to look at legal migration.

"We've got to to look at the relationship to the skills system.

"Why, for instance, have there been jobs on the shortage occupations list now for 15 years or since the list came into existence?"

Asked specifically about Sir Tony's call for ID cards to be instated, Mr Reynolds refuses to "pre-empt" decisions for Home Secretary Yvette Cooper.

He says: "I would push back on the assertion that we've not made already significant political decisions recognising public concern on legal migration."

Our flagship Sunday morning show, hosted byTrevor Phillips, is live on Sky News - and we have a packed line-up for you after a momentous week in British politics.

Trevor will be chatting to:

• Jonathan Reynolds, business secretary
• Joanna Cherry, former SNP member
• Simon Harris, Ireland's Taoiseach
• Ben Page, chief executive at Ipsos
• Nadhim Zahawi, former chancellor

On Trevor's expert panel will be:

• Tom Baldwin, former Labour director of communications
• Fraser Nelson, editor of the Spectator
• Bronwen Maddox, chief executive of Chatham House

Watch live on Sky News and in the stream at the top of this page - and follow updates here in the Politics Hub.

WatchSunday Morning with Trevor Phillipsfrom 8.30am every Sunday on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on theSky News websiteandappor onYouTube.

Labour MP Jess Phillips is back with Beth and Ruth to unpick the election results.

On this episode they discuss how Jess was heckled when she narrowly held her seat of Birmingham Yardley.

They also look at the wider Labour results and talk through Rishi Sunak's resignation speech, as well as discussing why Reform and the Liberal Democrats took seats from the two main parties.

👉Click here to follow Electoral Dysfunction wherever you get your podcasts👈

Email Beth, Ruth, and Jess at electoraldysfunction@sky.uk, post on X to @BethRigby, or send a WhatsApp voice note on 07934 200 444.

Sir Keir Starmer has entered 10 Downing Street as the first Labour leader to become prime minister after an election since Sir Tony Blair in 1997.

While it is Sir Keir who has the top job, credit for his rise to power has also been given to the tight-knit team that surrounds him.

In the below article, our political reporter Alexandra Rogerstakes a look at the figures in the prime minister's inner circle who are likely to play a crucial role in the running of Downing Street.

Sir Tony Blair has urged Sir Keir Starmer to roll out ID cards as part of a new digital system to aid border control.

He had attempted to introduce the policy while in power before it was killed off by the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition.

"The only game-changer is the full embrace of the potential of technology," Sir Tony wrote in the Sunday Times.

"We need a plan to control immigration. If we don't have rules, we get prejudices.

"In office, I believed the best solution was a system of identity, so that we know precisely who has a right to be here."

While congratulating Sir Keir for the "most remarkable turnaround in recent British electoral history", he warned of the electoral threat of Reform and "a challenge in part of the Muslim community".

Parallels have been drawn between the Labour prime ministers in their successful efforts to revive the party as an electoral force.

Both played a role in moving the party closer to the centre-ground following failed manifestos aligned with its left wing.

But while it took 14 years to "modernise" Labour following the party's drubbing underMichael Foot in 1983, Sir Keir's repositioning after Jeremy Corbyn's defeat took just one term.

The prime minister has previously said he spoke "a lot" to Mr Blair before the election to draw on his experience of preparing for power in 1997.

Sir Keir Starmer's first days in government are on the front pages of Sunday's papers - overshadowed only by England's nail-biting victory against Switzerland last night.

It was the first time the men's team won a penalty shootout under a Labour government.

A keen football fan, the prime minister was no doubt celebrating last night, but today it's back to business on the front page of the Mirror, which tops with Sir Keir's UK-wide tour.

The Labour leader's first cabinet meeting is splashed on the frontpage of the Observer, highlighting plans for the NHS and prisons.

The health service also takes centre stage in The Sunday Telegraph, which reports the prime minister is to seek advice from Tony Blair's former health secretary.

The former Labour prime minister also makes the front page of Sunday Times with advice to Sir Keir on immigration.

And the end of the Rwanda scheme is splashed across the Sunday Express.

By Tim Baker, politics reporter

Jeremy Hunt has ruled himself out of the Conservative leadership contest, Sky News understands.

With the party now heading into opposition for the first time since 2010, the race is on to find its next leader.

So who is likely to throw their hat into the ring, what do they believe in and, crucially, do they have the backing of party members?