Evening briefing Wednesday 13th May

0:00This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwCWC. Staying competitive means getting ahead, not just keeping up. So how do business leaders cut through the noise and focus on what really matters? PwC takes you further with tech, from optimising the systems that put your data to work, to scaling AI from proof of concept to competitive edge. PwC helps you meet tomorrow's tech demands so you can compete at a speed that rewrites the rules. Discover more at pwc.co.uk. This is the Times Radio evening briefing for Wednesday the 13th of May. I'm Will Hobbs. Wes Streeting has told allies he's preparing to resign and trigger a Labour leadership contest as soon as tomorrow.

0:46The Prime Minister's spokesperson, meanwhile, says Keir Starmer has full confidence in his health secretary. It remains unclear whether Streeting will be able to gather the required 81 MPs behind him in order to trigger a leadership challenge. The Times' political correspondent Aubrey Allegretti is convinced he will, but says Streeting's receiving mixed advice from allies. One thing I've been picking up this afternoon that I've found quite interesting is actually moderate MPs who are politically aligned with Wes Streeting urging him not to go over the top. Not for the reason that he shouldn't demonstrate Keir Starmer, but they're actually making a different point.

1:20They say that he would lose a Labour leadership election to a candidate of the left and he would effectively be ushering in somebody other than himself. They say he wouldn't win. And so even by triggering this contest, they have a huge amount to lose. Kemi Baden-Ock gave her commentary in the Commons this afternoon. They are so arrogant. They want to lead our country. They can't even lead a coup. It is so obvious, Mr Speaker, that they cannot handle being in government, giving inflation-busting pay rises to the unions. 28 % for the doctors who are still striking, handing out more benefits to the only people who will still vote for them because Labour don't understand that poverty isn't created by a lack of benefits, it's created by a failing economy.

2:09Skir Starmer, meanwhile, defended his plans for his government's future. This king's speech is a strike against the status quo that has failed working people. A King's speech for the children who, under the party opposite, had to go to school without breakfast. For the backbone of this country, for working people who worry about the cost of living, want their town centres to thrive, their public services to work, their government to be on their side. And Mr Speaker, we are, because the heart of this programme is a plan to make Britain stronger and Britain fairer. In the King's speech, it was announced the government will go ahead with digital IDs and introduce laws to rebuild closer ties with the EU.

2:51Parliament's sleaze watchdog is launching an investigation into Nigel Farage over a£5 million gift. The money was given to the reform leader by crypto billionaire Christopher Harbourn in 2024, weeks before Farage announced he'd stand for Parliament. Rules say MPs must register earnings received in the 12 months before election. Police in Brighton have described the death of three women found on the seafront as a tragic accident. Officers were called at 5.45 this morning. They're still working to confirm their identities but are not searching for anyone else. US President Donald Trump survived in China for a two-day state visit.

3:25Trade and the war in Iran will be on the agenda. And in cricket, batters Emilio Gaye and James Rue, both uncapped, have been named in England's 15-man squad for the first test against New Zealand in June. Zach Crawley has been dropped. Ollie Robinson, the scene bowler, has been recalled. Spinner Sher Bashir and Ren Ahmed have also been named, but Joffre Archer has not been included. You can hear plenty more on these stories throughout the evening on Times Radio.

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