Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed his government will abandon a planned increase in fuel duty as costs continue to soar as a result of the conflict in Iran.
The prime minister in the Commons that the increase of 5p will now not go ahead, after he was accused of a “u-turn” on the matter by Kemi Badenoch.
The Conservative leader also branded Labour plans to ease sanctions on Russian oil as “insane”. But Sir Keir insisted the move was part of a new package of sanctions to mark “more pressure” on Putin.
Sir Keir is facing MPs in the Commons for the first time since a bruising string of resignations last week.
Health secretary Wes Streeting wrote he had “lost confidence” in the prime minister in a blistering attack as he stood down. His resignation paves the way for a leadership contest in which Sir Keir is set to face Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham if he wins a by-election in Ashton-in-Makerfield.
“This is a new set of sanctions” which he insisted are being “phased in”.
It comes as a new poll has suggested an Andy Burnham-led Labour Party could beat Reform UK in a general election.
