Politics latest: 'Moral mission' to end 'sick note culture', Rishi Sunak says; Labour demands police investigate suspended Tory MP Mark Menzies (2024)

Over a year ago, Rishi Sunak made five pledges for voters to judge him on.

The prime minister met his promise to halve inflation by the end of 2023.

But with the general election approaching, how is Mr Sunak doing on delivering his other promises?

You can see the progress for yourself below:

The British Medical Association (BMA) has just issued a response to Rishi Sunak's speech, in which they criticise his "hostile rhetoric".

In a statement, Dr Katie Bramall-Stainer, chair of the union's GP committee, saying fit notes are "carefully considered before they are written", adding that GPs will "sign their patient off work only if they are not well enough to undertake their duties".

The union said it does "recognise the health benefits of good work, and that most people do want to work", but added that people who are unwell need "prompt care".

Dr Bramall-Stainer continued: "Further review of how fit notes are issued may relieve the administrative burden upon GPs to free up time to see more patients.

"Recent progress means issuing these notes can now be undertaken by other doctors as well as nurses, occupational therapists and physiotherapists."

But she also said that the size of NHS waiting lists mean "patients cannot get the treatment they need to be able to return to work".

"So rather than pushing a hostile rhetoric on 'sick note culture', perhaps the prime minister should focus on removing what is stopping patients from receiving the physical and mental healthcare they need, which in turn prevents them from going back to work."

We've just had a response to Rishi Sunak's speech on welfare reforms from disability charity Scope (read the key points from the speech here).

James Taylor, the charity's director of strategy, saying in a statement: "This feels like a full-on assault on disabled people. These proposals are dangerous and risk leaving disabled people destitute."

He said that during a cost of living crisis, suggesting cutting Personal Independence Payments (PIP) is a "horrific proposal".

He added that calls are "pouring in" to them from disabled people because they face extra costs of around £950 a month, and cutting their payments "isn't going to solve the problem of economic inactivity".

Mr Taylor continued: "Sanctions and ending claims will only heap more misery on people at the sharp end of our cost of living crisis.

"Much of the current record levels of inactivity are because our public services are crumbling, the quality of jobs is poor and the rate of poverty amongst disabled households is growing."

Finally, Rishi Sunak is asked if he has a direct message to Iran following its attack on Israel on Saturday night, and the Israeli response in the early hours of this morning.

The PM replies: "I would probably just echo what I've said before. I've been very clear - I just unequivocally condemn the dangerous escalation that they displayed over the weekend, condemned it in the strongest possible terms, and that's why we participated in an international effort over the weekend.

"Right now, everyone, calm heads should prevail. Any significant escalation in the region is not what anyone needs, it would not be in anyone's interests.

"But as I say, we're working now to establish the facts and the details of what happened overnight with our allies."

The prime minister is asked next about the situation facing Labour's deputy leader, Angela Rayner.

She is being investigated by Greater Manchester Police over what property was her main residence 10 years ago, before she was an MP, and whether she paid the correct tax on the profit from the sale of her ex-council home in Stockport (she denies any wrongdoing).

Ms Rayner previously called for ex-PM Boris Johnson to step down when he was under police investigation over partygate, and the PM is asked if Ms Rayner should do the same.

Rishi Sunak replies that he has made his point of view on the broader issue "clear".

"The question is actually for [Labour leader] Keir Starmer, and the question for Keir Starmer is why he's refusing to himself read the [legal] advice [given to Ms Rayner] that seems to exist, that has not been published, and make a decision on this."

He adds Sir Keir is displaying "a lack of leadership and weakness".

"There clearly are questions to answer. That's clear for everyone to see.

"And he, you know, rather than hiding behind his team, just actually read the advice himself, publish the advice and clear this up.

"Obviously, I'm not going to comment on an ongoing police investigation.

"But that's what I said on Wednesday, and that's what I think the right thing to do is."

Next, Rishi Sunak is asked what he would say to his critics who would describe it as immoral to remove benefits from the long-term unemployed, who could be left destitute.

He replies it's "important" to have an "honest" conversation about welfare, which "should always be a safety net and not a lifestyle choice".

At this point, around half a million people have been on unemployment benefits for six months, and a quarter of a million for 12 months, when there are around a million job vacancies, the PM says.

"These are people who don't have any medical condition that bars them from working," he says, and he says that is "not good for the economy" nor taxpayers.

In terms of their financial situation, the PM says moving from benefits to work makes people £7,000 a year better off.

He says it is "entirely reasonable and fair" for benefits to be cut off if someone does not take a job, having made full use of all the help and support to find one.

The Rwanda bill will finally be passed on Monday, Rishi Sunak has said.

Under the controversial plan, those arriving in the UK illegally will be sent to the African country for processing.

The prime minister said delays in getting the legislation onto the statute book were "frustrating" and claimed that "repeatedly, everyone has tried to block us getting this bill through".

He said: "Yet again, you saw it this week. You saw Labour peers blocking us again.

"Everyone's patience with this has run thin. Mine certainly has."

But he told reporters the end is drawing near.

"Our intention now is to get this done on Monday," he said.

"No more prevarication, no more delay.

"We are going to get this done on Monday and we will sit there and vote until it's done."

Mr Sunak said it is vital to have a deterrent against illegal migration because it is the "only way to resolve this issue".

And getting flights off to Rwanda is the way to "build that deterrent", he said.

The PM commented: "If you care about stopping the boats [coming across the English Channel] you've got to have a deterrent.

"You've got to have somewhere that you can send people so they know that if they come here illegally, they won't get to stay.

"It's as simple as that.

"The bill is the way we're going to deliver that."

Next, Rishi Sunak is asked if Mark Menzies MP should quit as an MP.

As we've reported, the MP for Fylde in Lancashire has been suspended from the Tory parliamentary party in light of allegations he abused local party funds to pay off "bad people".

Mr Menzies strongly disputes the claims, which also include accusations he used campaign funds to pay his personal medical bills.

Mr Sunak says: "It's right that Mark Menzies has resigned the Conservative whip. He's been suspended from his position as a trade envoy whilst the investigations into those allegations continue.

"For our part, I can't comment on our ongoing investigation while it's happening, and he's no longer a Conservative MP."

According to The Times newspaper, the Tory party has been investigating the allegations against Mr Menzies for three months, and so Mr Sunak is asked why the whip wasn't removed sooner.

But he declines to comment, saying it is an "ongoing investigation".

The PM is also asked if it is right to put such a vast additional burden on Job Centre staff who already have a vast workload.

Mr Sunak replies that work coaches do "a fantastic job" and are "transforming people's lives" by getting people back into work.

He says the government has invested "literally billions of pounds" in recent years to support work coaches.

He acknowledges there is more work to do to, and the systems will "only improve over time".

Israel "absolutely has the right to self-defence" but "significant escalation is not in anyone's interest", the prime minister has said.

Responding to an apparent Israeli strike in Iran overnight, Rishi Sunak said his government had "condemned Iran's reckless and dangerous barrage of missiles against Israel on Saturday".

He added, however: "As I said to Prime Minister Netanyahu when I spoke to him last week, and more generally, significant escalation is not in anyone's interest.

"What we want to see is calm heads prevailing across the region."

Regarding what happened overnight, the PM said: "It's a developing situation.

"It wouldn't be right for me to speculate until the facts are clear.

"And we're working to confirm the details together with allies."

Rishi Sunak has just delivered a speech at the Centre for Social Justice in London on welfare reforms.

Here are the key points of the PM's speech:

• The PM says he wants to address "the growing number of people who've become economically inactive since the pandemic", saying it's a "moral mission" to reform the welfare system;
• He says those who will never be able work due to severe conditions "will always be supported", but the welfare state should help people "get back into work;
• He says the number of economically inactive people has increased by 850,000 since the pandemic;
• "I will never dismiss or downplay the illnesses people have", he says, but adds that it would be "wrong" to accept the current "growing trend";
• He announces that in the next parliament, the Tories - if re-elected - will "significantly reform and control welfare";
• He moves to key reforms - the first is being "more ambitious in assessing people's potential for work", and ensuring employers make "reasonable adjustments";
• Second, he announces the government will "test" shifting the "fit note" system to "specialist work and health professionals" rather than GPs;
• Third, he announces that anyone working less than half of a full-time work week will now have to try and find extra work in return for benefits;
• He says that "anyone who doesn't comply with the conditions set by the work coach, such as accepting an available job will, after 12 months, have their claim closed and their benefits removed entirely";
• Fourth, the PM says the government will consult on a "more objective and rigorous approach" to Personal Independence Payments (PIP), particularly for those with mental health struggles;
• Fifth, he announces a crackdown on fraud in the welfare system.