Good morning. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is set to land in China shortly, having spoken to journalists aboard his flight. As is often the case when a British leader travels overseas, domestic political concerns have followed him across continents, refusing to be left behind.
Byelection Battle Heats Up as Reform UK Names Candidate
As political editor Pippa Crerar reports, Starmer was questioned about the upcoming Gorton and Denton byelection, where Reform UK yesterday announced its candidate: Matt Goodwin, a GB News presenter and prominent hard-right commentator. Starmer asserted that only Labour can defeat Reform in this constituency, framing the contest as a direct clash of values.
He stated emphatically: "There’s only one party to stop Reform and that’s the Labour party. We can already see what the byelection is going to be about, which is Labour values which are about delivering on the cost of living with a strong record in that constituency of what we’ve already done versus Reform."
Starmer went on to criticise Reform UK's approach, suggesting their candidate signals a divisive political strategy. "You can see from their candidate what politics they’re going to bring to that constituency: the politics of division, of toxic division, of tearing people apart. That’s not what that constituency is about, it’s not what Manchester is about, so this is a straight fight between Labour and Reform."
However, this characterisation is not universally accepted. The Green Party would certainly dispute Starmer's binary analysis, and even bookmakers appear to offer more nuanced odds on the outcome.
Human Rights on the Agenda for China Talks
Amidst these domestic preoccupations, Starmer confirmed he intends to address sensitive international issues during his visit. He told reporters he would "raise the issues that need to be raised" on human rights when he meets Chinese leader Xi Jinping tomorrow.
This commitment comes amid ongoing international pressure concerning cases like that of Hong Kong media tycoon Jimmy Lai, highlighting the delicate balance Starmer must strike between diplomatic engagement and principled criticism.
Today's Political Agenda
The political landscape remains busy on the home front:
- Around 9.30am (UK time): Keir Starmer arrives in Beijing. He is scheduled to deliver a speech to a business delegation later in the morning (around 11.45am UK time).
- 10am: Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch is set to give a speech criticising what she terms the 'psychodrama' of both Reform UK and the Labour Party.
- Noon: Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy will stand in for Starmer at Prime Minister's Questions.
- 1.30pm: Scotland's First Minister, John Swinney, will deliver a speech in Edinburgh focusing on international affairs.
As the day unfolds, the intersection of foreign diplomacy and fierce domestic political competition will continue to define the narrative surrounding the Prime Minister's high-profile trip.
