UK politics latest: Burnham backs controversial asylum reforms amid Labour rebellion

The Hillsborough Bill will be approved in the House of Commons on Tuesday after ministers agreed that the duty of candor would also apply to the intelligence services.

Sir Keir Starmer said he was “proud” to bring back legislation aimed at preventing cover-ups by requiring authorities to be transparent during inquiries and investigations into state failures.

The Prime Minister will personally shepherd the legislation through the final stages of the House of Commons as he looks to secure his legacy in the final days of his premiership.

He postponed what was expected to be the last Cabinet meeting to Wednesday to talk about the legislation at its third reading stage.

The legislation was a key promise in Labour’s 2024 manifesto but has been delayed by debate over how the “duty of honesty” would apply to spies.

A planned debate on the legislation, formally called the Public Office (Accountability) Bill, was withdrawn due to disagreement earlier this year; Campaigners have said they cannot accept a version of the law that gives heads of intelligence services a veto over whether their officers can disclose sensitive information.

On Tuesday, ministers will amend the bill to include spies in the duty of honesty, but the amendment will include a “secure process” for disclosing information that could affect national security.

Sir Ed Davey will warn new prime minister Andy Burnham to introduce proportional representation before the next election, amid fears delay will mean change will come “too late”.

Speaking to the Institute of Government on Tuesday, the Liberal Democrat leader is expected to warn Labor “cannot afford to do everything” to change the voting system after the next election.

And he will encourage Mr Burnham to work with him in his office, saying his “door is open” if he is “serious about changing the way we do politics”.

The incoming prime minister, Mr Burnham, has previously spoken in favor of changing the voting system in parliamentary elections to better reflect the support parties receive across the country.

But during his campaign in Makerfield he suggested that if he became prime minister he would not immediately change the voting system, but would instead include the commitment in Labour’s next manifesto to gain a mandate for change from the public.

On Tuesday Sir Ed will tell Mr Burnham to “be brave, be brave” as he presses for proportional representation, adding: “And do it now. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”

“Don’t wait until after the next election; then you won’t be able to do anything about it.”

Sir Tony Blair has urged Andy Burnham to maintain a strong relationship with the US no matter who becomes president.

He also warned the former Greater Manchester mayor about continuing energy minister Ed Miliband’s net zero policies and said he “will not be loved” despite the wave of popularity that has taken him to 10th place.

Prime Minister candidate Andy Burnham has voted in favor of Shabana Mahmood’s controversial plans for asylum reform, less than a week before she is expected to become prime minister.

On Monday night the Immigration and Asylum Bill passed its second reading by 264 votes to 90, with a majority of 174.

The proposals aim to reduce the number of small boat crossings and instead direct people to alternative “safe and legal routes”.

These include stricter new rules on how to implement Article 8 of the European Convention on Human Rights, which covers the individual’s right to a private and family life, and the Home Office hopes this will reduce the number of asylum applications accepted.

However, the plans were criticized by some backbenchers, and 14 of them rebelled against the government.