Evening briefing Tuesday 1st July

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1:25Sir Keir Starmer has abandoned a key element of his welfare reforms entirely in the face of a mass rebellion by Labour MPs. The government will now delay implementing proposed changes to welfare until a review is complete. The rebellion has been led by York Central MP Rachel Maskell. I cannot cross by on the other side. for one, let alone for the 150 ,000 who will be pushed further into poverty. And as so many of us fear, and as the evidence shows, since 600 people took their lives under the Tories' brutal reforms, the tragedy of this ideology could be worse. The government had planned to change eligibility criteria for disability benefits for all new claimants from November 2026.

2:18But the new system will now be delayed until a review by Sir Stephen Timms, the welfare minister, has concluded. Times political reporter Max Kendix told Times Radio this comes after last week's concession on spending, which took government savings from£5 billion down to around£2 billion. But the OBR only ever scored those concessions because they were not subject to any kind of consultation. They were going to come in as part of the government's agenda in November 2026. Now, with this further concession that we're likely to see this afternoon, that essentially would be wiped out. The OBR would not count it.

2:56The band Bob Villan claim they're being targeted for speaking up about killing in Gaza. The punk rap group who led chants of death to the IDF during their Glastonbury show have released a statement saying they're not for the death of any race or group of people. Police are investigating whether the comments amount to a criminal offence. Deputy Leader of Reform UK has drawn comparisons with the case of Lucy Connolly, the wife of a Tory councillor, sentenced to 31 months in prison for inciting racial hatred online. With that in mind, Richard Tice told Andrew Neil on Times Radio the band's frontman Bobby Villan should be arrested and charged.

3:34If you think 31 months was appropriate for Lucy Connolly, then presumably Mr Villain, if he's arrested and charged and convicted, should be sentenced for much longer than that. If you look at what he said and the output, the outlay that he had in terms of a huge audience on the BBC, etc., it went to a far broader audience. So, you know, it's about this consistent application of sentencing. And the UK has seen the hottest day of the year so far. 33.6 degrees Celsius was recorded at Frittenden in Kent. The Times journalist told Jane and Fee on Times Radio he's using an ice pack to keep cool. And I literally, and it sounds ludicrous, I shove it down the back of my trousers or at least down the back of my chair.

4:19And it works. It's amazing. I mean, obviously it only works for about an hour and then you have to report it. but it actually reduces your body temperature. I realise that's not actually a sensible solution if you work in an office. Harry suggests handheld fans as an alternative. For more on these stories, listen to Times Radio.

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