Summary

  • Shadow chancellor Mel Stride tells Laura Kuenssberg that Rachel Reeves took the wrong choices as chancellor

  • Reeves, meanwhile, in an interview with Kuenssberg, warns that Burnham needs a worked-through plan to govern from the start

  • This week in politics: A 28-year-old man is arrested following the death of former MP Ann Widdecombe; Labour MPs back Burnham's leadership bid; Nigel Farage resigns as Clacton MP, triggering a by-election

  1. What we've heard from the panel this morningpublished at 10:20 BST

    Miatta Fahnbulleh and Nadhim Zahawi pictured on the set of Sundays with Laura Kuenssberg.

    We're wrapping up our coverage now, but before we go, here's what was discussed on this week's panel.

    On the death of former Conservative minister turned Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe, Reform's Nadhim Zahawi says she was "always warm, courteous and kind".

    "It's heartbreaking what's happened," he adds.

    On Rachel Reeves' time as chancellor, Miatta Fahnbulleh says she had a "really difficult" set of cards dealt to her in an economy that had been stagnating. Her legacy will be that she made the choice to invest, and record investment into the NHS.

    Whether Reeves stays in her role when Starmer leaves office, Fahnbullehsays this is a decision for Andy Burnham, or whoever is in the top job, to make.

    Zahawi, though, says Reeves made some "very bad choices". He says there is stagnation and low or no growth and asks why Labour have not invested in our gas and oil.

    And, on Nigel Farage - who officially resigned from his Clacton seat this week following intense scrutiny over financial support he has received - Zahawi said the party's leader has "done the right thing".

    He claims there is a "co-ordinated attack" on Farage, who has denied any wrongdoing.

    Fahnbulleh responds, saying "if you do things wrong, you have to be held to account".

    We're wrapping up our text coverage now.

  2. Reeves came into government without plan, says Stridepublished at 10:16 BST

    Mel Stride and Laura Kuenssberg pictured on the set of the show, sitting in red chairs.

    Stride is also asked about Rachel Reeves, and her record as chancellor.

    He tells Laura Kuenssberg that he does not think she has been a responsible chancellor overall, and that she "came into government without a plan".

    He says the country has seen "very anaemic growth" since she has been at the Treasury, and there have been "wrong choices" such as "putting up taxes" on businesses.

    Stride says he does not accept that Reeves has been a force for stability for markets.

    "I'm afraid her scorecard is very low when it comes to securing the economic future of our country and commanding the confidence of those markets," he says.

  3. Stride on Widdecombe: 'Real conviction but a twinkle in her eye'published at 10:02 BST

    Mel Stride is pictured on the set of Sundays with Laura Kuenssberg.

    Shadow chancellor Mel Stride speaks first about Ann Widdecombe.

    The former Conservative politician's house is in his constituency of Central Devon.

    Asked if he can say anything to bring the audience up to date, he says it is a "terrible, terrible event" that has occurred and his thoughts are with her family and those who knew her.

    He says it wouldn't be appropriate to start speculating on the incident.

    Asked if he has any particular memory of Widdecombe, he recalls when he was first elected and she would go around to events with him such as church fetes.

    "I was always struck both by the fact that she had real conviction as an individual [....] yet she had that twinkle in her eye, that enormous energy and that great sense of humour and a rather arresting laugh as well."

  4. Reeves on her toughest day as chancellorpublished at 09:18 BST

    "Don't cry on national television," says Rachel Reeves, as she reflects on her hardest day as chancellor.

    See the clip in full below, or watch live above.

    Media caption,

    'Don't cry on national television': Reeves on toughest day as chancellor

  5. 'I want Andy to be a success, and I'm sure he will be' - Reeves tells Kuenssbergpublished at 09:12 BST

    In what is likely to be her final interview as chancellor, Rachel Reeves tells Laura Kuenssberg she wants Andy Burnham "to be a success" days after the newly-elected Makerfield MP secured the backing of enough MPs to make a leadership bid.

    "It is important that when Andy walks through that door, he has a worked-through plan because governing is hard in Britain," Reeves says.

    The full interview is airing on the programme - you can watch live above, or read Laura Kuenssberg's piece here.

    Media caption,

    Important for Burnham to have a worked-through plan, says Reeves

  6. Panel discusses suspected murder of former MP Ann Widdecombepublished at 09:06 BST

    Ann Widdecomb is picturd speaking at an event, holding a microphone and wearing a green jacket over a floral patterned top.Image source, Reuters

    First up, the panel is discussing the death of Ann Widdecombe.

    Here's a reminder of what's happened:

    Police say a 28-year-old man has been arrested in South Yorkshire on suspicion of the murder of Ann Widdecombe.

    "The suspect, who is a white British national, is now in police custody," a statement from Devon and Cornwall Police said.

    Widdecombe, a former Conservative minister turned Reform UK spokesperson, was found dead with serious injuries at her home in Haytor, Devon at 11:40 BST on Thursday. Police believe she was attacked almost 24 hours earlier.

    A man, 26, had been arrested earlier in Newton Abbot, 11 miles (18km) away, on suspicion of murder before being released on Saturday, after which police said he was "no longer part of the investigation".

    The latest arrest took place at an address in South Yorkshire, police say, approximately 270 miles (430km) from Widdecombe's Devon property.

  7. Welcome to today's Sunday with Laura Kuenssbergpublished at 08:43 BST

    Caitlin Doherty
    Live reporter

    On today's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg, we'll hear from shadow chancellor Mel Stride, and Reform UK's Nadhim Zahawi, as well as Miatta Fahnbulleh, a Labour MP who has been advising Andy Burnham.

    It comes as Rachel Reeves told the programme that Burnham needs to arrive in Number 10 "with a worked-through plan" as "governing is hard". You can see the interview in full on this morning's show from 09:00.

    This week saw a vast majority of Labour MPs nominate the ex-mayor of Greater Manchester to be party leader and the next prime minister, a role he is expected to take up in around a week's time.

    Meanwhile, Nigel Farage officially resigned from his Clacton seat on Tuesday, triggering a by-election that he will stand in, following intense scrutiny over financial support the Reform UK leader has received.

    We won't be bringing you regular text updates but you can watch the show live at the top of this page.