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Politics latest: Michael Gove predicts November election; 'no need' for me to see Angela Rayner legal advice, Keir Starmer says

Michael Gove thinks the election will be in November - but professes to have "no inside knowledge". Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner have launched Labour's local elections campaign.

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'We don't have the time or money' to nationalise water companies, says Labour's Louise Haigh

Next on the show is Louise Haigh, the shadow secretary of state for transport.

Sophy asks her whether nationalisation should be on the table for water companies in light of possible bill increases of up to 40% for customers.

"We don't have the time, or frankly the money, to be nationalising water companies right now because it would take far too to unpick the very complex regulatory and privatised system that we have," she says. 

She says it is the government's "regulatory system that has allowed companies like Thames Water to get into huge amounts of debt".

She says Labour has set out plans to "radically reform" regulatory systems, and to "put proper sanctions" on water company bosses. 

Has the privatisation of water companies been a success?

That is Sophy's next question of Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden.

It comes after the chief executive of Thames Water refused to rule out bill increases of up to 40% for customers.

The business, which serves nearly a quarter of the UK's population, is struggling with more than £15bn of debt and the huge interest payments required to service it.

Mr Holden says: "It's a highly regulated sector, and that's because it's essentially a privatised monopoly."

He says that is "why we're doing things which we wouldn't do with other companies, such as totally monitoring everything they now do, [their] ability to stop them paying dividends, which we wouldn't do to the private companies, [their] ability to issue unlimited fines, which we wouldn't do with other sectors". 

He adds: "What I'd say is that, I don't think that when you look at other parts of the world or the parts of the UK, which don't have exactly the same system, that you see a vastly different outcome."

A vote for Reform is a vote for Labour, Tory chairman says

Conservative Party chairman Richard Holden tells Sophy Ridge that a vote for Reform UK amounts to a vote for Labour.

"It's quite clear that a vote for Reform, all it's going to do is help Keir Starmer get into Downing Street," he says.

Sophy had asked him about reports in POLITICO this evening that some Tory MPs are suggesting the prime minister should try and buy off Nigel Farage and the threat of Reform by offering him an appealing job, such as ambassador to Washington. 

Asked whether he thinks that would be a good idea, Mr Holden points to the recent Rochdale by-election, at which he says the vote for Reform "went backwards" compared to the last one. 

Pressed further, he says he believes the question is "irrelevant to what people are talking about on the ground".

"What they're interested in is their lives, what's happening in their communities, and what they want to see is the Conservative party, working together, united, delivering as we have done since 2010 on the people's priorities such as now cutting tax for the future," he says. 

Tories have 'delivered devolution' where Labour 'failed', says Tory chairman

Sophy's first guest on the show is Richard Holden, the Conservative Party chairman.

Sophy starts by asking him about Sir Keir Starmer's comments today that Rishi Sunak "strangled" levelling up "at birth" and that if the public want to level up, they should vote for Labour. 

"Well, what I'd say is that over the last 14 years, we've actually delivered devolution in England, something which Labour failed to do over their 14 years in office," he says. 

"That's delivering huge amounts of spending power to fantastic mayors up and down the country." 

He contrasts that with Labour's performance in Wales, which he says is "not going that well". 

Sophy challenges him by saying only 10% of the funding that was earmarked for levelling up projects has been spent, according to the Public Accounts Committee, and highlighting a £4bn funding gap. 

After an initial deviation to talk about the police, he says: "Those levelling up projects are only a part of that overall levelling up agenda that we're doing right across the country."

Thames Water boss refuses to rule out bill increases of up to 40% to secure company's future

By Sharon Marris, business reporter

The chief executive of Thames Water has refused to rule out bill increases of up to 40% for customers as the troubled company tries to secure its future.

It comes as the business, which serves nearly a quarter of the UK's population, struggles with more than £15bn of debt and the huge interest payments required to service it.

Earlier on Thursday, its situation got worse when it was revealed that a £500m funding injection from shareholders expected by the end of this month would not be forthcoming.

When asked by Sky News' Ian King if bills could be hiked to fill the gap, Thames Water chief executive Chris Weston replied: "I don't think we have been at all secretive about that.

"But the plans that we have put forward - which are very much in accordance with what customers are asking us to do - require an investment of around £20bn in that 2025-2030 period, and that would result in a bill (increase) of around 40%."

Mr Weston added: "It is very clear listening to our customers that what they value most is high-quality clean drinking water and that we do all that we can to protect the environment.

"Those two things are primarily what is driving the investment that we are having to make in our network in that five-year period."

The rise in bills would - if approved - come at a time when the cost of living is still rising, albeit at a slower rate than in recent months.

Read more here:

Labour is signalling change will 'take time'

Our political editor Beth Rigby was at Labour's local election launch in Dudley today - and she interviewed Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer. 

She says the message we are seeing increasingly from Labour is that change is going to "take time".

The launch today focused on devolution, but councils are facing "pressing" financial problems, she says. 

What emerged today was the acknowledgement that it would take a Labour government time to address these issues as there is "no magic money tree". 

She said it was an admission that "change means patience".

You can watch Beth's interview with Sir Keir here:

Starmer speaks of 'frustration' at Johnson's 'unforgiveable failure' to level up - but says idea was 'right'

By Alexandra Rogers, political reporter

Sir Keir Starmer has admitted Boris Johnson was "right" to propose levelling up but said he was "frustrated" by the former prime minister's "unforgivable" failure to deliver.

The Labour leader also claimed the policy, which defined Mr Johnson's premiership, was "strangled at birth" by his successor, Rishi Sunak.

Speaking to Sky News' political editor Beth Rigby at the launch of Labour's local election campaign in Dudley, Sir Keir said "the idea" of levelling up that was put before the electorate in 2019 by Mr Johnson was "right".

But he added: "What that requires - and this is where I get frustrated - is if you really believe that... I'm afraid you've got to roll your sleeves up, you've got to put a plan on the table, you go the hard yards.

"And so what is unforgivable about Boris Johnson is, having made that the focus, he didn't do the hard yards of delivery and that's why people feel even more let down."

The Labour leader was equally critical of Mr Sunak, whom he said had "strangled levelling up at birth because he wouldn't put the funding behind it - and we know what the consequences are."

However, despite criticising the Conservatives for their failure to put money behind the policy, Sir Keir refused to commit any new funding to local councils, which are straddling an estimated funding gap of £4bn over the next two years. 

Read more here: 

What does levelling up actually mean?

Tonight we're talking levelling up.

It was the flagship policy of Boris Johnson - who stormed to victory in 2019 promising to level up.

And now Sir Keir Starmer is staking his claim on the concept, telling Beth Rigby that Rishi Sunak "strangled the idea at birth" but he wants to bring it back to life.

And why wouldn't he put it at the heart of his pitch? The Conservatives showed previously that it was an election winner. A campaign slogan that says you'll listen to people who feel they've been forgotten. Everyone agrees with the principle of levelling up, of opportunity for all.

But I've got a question. What does levelling up actually mean?

Devolution? Social mobility? Job opportunities? Redeveloping high streets? Improving transport links?

All that takes time, reform - and money. The one thing there won't be a lot of after the election.

Levelling up is a great campaign slogan. But it's a damn hard thing to actually pull off. Perhaps it's no wonder nobody has managed it yet.

Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge is live on Sky News

Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge is live now on Sky News.

The fast-paced programme dissects the inner workings of Westminster, with interviews, insights, and analysis - bringing the audience into the corridors of power.

Sophy will be joined by Richard Holden, the Conservative Party chairman.

Also on the show is Louise Haigh, the shadow secretary of state for transport.

On Sophy's panel tonight are:

  • Jacqui Smith, former Labour home secretary and chair of the Jo Cox Foundation;
  • Tim Montgomerie, founder of Conservative Home.

Watch Politics Hub from Monday to Thursday on Sky channel 501, Virgin channel 602, Freeview channel 233, on the Sky News website and app or on YouTube.

Rantzen hails 'historic' assisted dying legislation at Holyrood

Dame Esther Rantzen has hailed "historic" assisted dying legislation that has been introduced at Holyrood on Thursday.

The veteran broadcaster, who has revealed she is considering travelling to Switzerland for an assisted death after being diagnosed with stage four lung cancer, said those who are terminally ill should have the "right to choose".

Liberal Democrat MSP Liam McArthur has published a bill at the Scottish parliament that, if passed, will allow people living in Scotland with a terminal illness to be given help to end their life.

Dame Esther said: "I want to congratulate the Scottish parliament for prioritising this debate so that they can carefully consider this crucial issue and scrutinise this historic assisted dying bill.

"The current law is cruel, complicated and causes terrible suffering to vulnerable people."

Read her full comments here: