Badenoch says UK is ‘welfare state with economy attached’ and Farage like ‘Corbyn with a pint’ – UK politics live

<p>Conservative leader says half of UK is working to pay benefits to the other half and launches attack on Reform UK leader</p><p>Sky News is now broadcasting remarks from <strong>Keir Starmer</strong> and Emmanuel Macron at their summit in Downing Street.</p><p>Starmer says the situation in the Channel cannot go on as it is now.</p><p>We all agree the situation in the channel cannot go on as it is. So we’re bringing new tactics into play and a new level of intent to tackle illegal migration and break the business model of the criminal gangs.</p><p>In uncertain times, we achieve more by strengthening our relationship with our allies, so that is what today is all about working together on the priorities that we share as two nations.</p><p>For us, it’s about delivering the changes that the British people want to see, and we will agree the situation in the Channel cannot go on as it is. So we’re bringing new tactics into play and a new level of intent to tackle illegal migration and break the business model of the criminal gangs …</p><p>An estimated 7.36 million treatments were waiting to be carried out at the end of May, relating to just under 6.23 million patients – down from 7.39 million treatments and just over 6.23 million patients at the end of April.</p><p>These are the lowest figures since March 2023 for treatments and April 2023 for patients.</p><p>Monthly NHS data shows the overall waiting list dropped by nearly 30,000 in May to 7.36 million – the lowest total since March 2023 – with 60.9% waiting 18 weeks or less for planned care (the highest proportion since July 2022).</p><p>Staff carried out an average of 75,009 planned treatments each working day in May – the highest number on record – with a total of 1.5 million treatments across the month, which is up on 1.45 million in April and higher than 1,437,914 pre-pandemic (May 2019).</p> <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/politics/live/2025/jul/10/keir-starmer-emmanuel-macron-tories-migration-france-kemi-badenoch-uk-politics-live-news">Continue reading...</a>