Tim Baker

Exc: Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to help motorists beat fuel cost rises caused by the war in Iran has suffered a setback after problems with the government-backed price tracker. Downing Street has been pressing for the service, named Fuel Finder, to be ramped up as quickly as possible but performance issues have delayed its full introduction. The Times understands that 20% of petrol stations were not updating their prices weekly, despite the fact that many forecourts are changing their prices every day because of the volatility in the market. 15% of those signed up to the scheme have not reported a single pump price since regulations came into force in February. 10% of petrol stations have also yet to be uploaded to the service, which is designed to monitor their costs in real time. Under the regulations, fuel retailers must update the government portal within 30 minutes of any change of pump price. There is concern over the speed at which the data will be incorporated into user-friendly mobile and web applications, such as Google Maps. Whitehall insiders said that the function would not be possible until later in the year — significantly reducing the number of people who can quickly access the data. Privately ministers are threatening to strip a contract worth nearly £2 million from the company responsible for the programme. It is understood that the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero (DESNZ) is holding twice-weekly meetings with the contractor to try to force improvements. The payment for the “private beta” phase of the project has been delayed and there is the threat of future payments being held up if the service does not improve. A DESNZ spokesperson said: “We are acting at pace to ensure that all fuel retailers register and report prices on Fuel Finder. In the last week we have secured Asda reporting their prices, and we are working with major search engines to integrate Fuel Finder data. Fuel Finder will play a crucial part in our work to tackle the cost-of-living head on, with potential savings for households who own a car of around £40 a year at the pump.”

Yeah, here we go again. Hijri - tries to infiltrate Syria - punishes the attempt Israel - punishes Syria It's going to be a never ending story.

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a curiously poor picture of Clegg, unveiled at the National Liberal Club yesterday

Breaking: Traders now fully price two quarter point Bank of England interest rate hikes this year Andrew Bailey warns policy must “respond to the risk of a more persistent effect on UK CPI inflation” caused by Trump’s war in Iran Govt borrowing costs are now surging

📽️ From Donald Trump to Britain's wind power trade body, there's a growing coalition calling for more drilling in the North Sea. Raising the question: if we DID encourage more exploration, how much oil & gas could we actually get? Our MEGA primer on the North Sea👇 Ps it's longer than usual, but it turns out this topic has SO MANY misconceptions. Time to put some of them right. Let me know what you think

Culture Sec Lisa Nandy is “really concerned” about the efficacy of press regulator IPSO She questioned: “If only 1% of complaints are upheld and nobody has ever been fined, is that because everything that is produced by the press in this country is 100% true and accurate...?"

🚨 Major intervention tonight by Angela Rayner at a Mainstream rally in which she: - Warned Starmer he’s “running out of time” and Labour is now seen as “the Establishment” in some voters’ eyes - Branded looming migration reforms “un-British” - Gave a rallying cry for Labour to emulate successful progressive parties that have seen off the threat from a surge on the right In her sights were plans to hike the automatic qualifying period after which legal migrants gain the right to permanent residence from 5 to 10 years. Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, announced the reforms earlier this month and said they were vital to stop a £10bn drain on the public finances - due to extra demands for healthcare and housing. But Rayner said: “Enforcing a fair deal is not the same as ripping up a deal halfway through. "Many people came here to Britain on the understanding that if they've worked in the sectors where we needed them, obeyed the law and paid their taxes, that they could stay. If we suddenly change that, it pulls the rug from under those that have planned their lives and commitments and they're contributing to our economy and to our society. That would not just be bad policy, but a breach of trust. "The people already in the system who made a huge investment now fear for their future. "They do not have stability and they do not know what will happen. "We cannot talk about earning a settlement if we keep moving the goal posts, because moving the goal post undermines our sense of fair play. It's un-British." There were also some sharp critiques of Starmer’s political approach. Rayner said: "It's our job to show the British people whose side we're on. Like other social democratic parties across the West, the very survival of the Labour Party is at stake. And it's that serious for us, because political parties do not have the right to exist." She added: "In Canada, in Austria, in Norway, the centre-left parties surged back to win again. They showed that they would tackle the issues that mattered most to people and voters decided that a progressive government that puts people first and lowers the cost for ordinary people was the better choice… “We cannot just go through the motions in the face of decline, there's no safe ground for us, and we're running out of time.” Holding a glass of white wine as she approached the podium to speak, Rayner made clear she plans to be more vocal after her seven months on the backbenches. “I’ve got a lot to say and I’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time,” she told the room.

Here we go. Reeves now begins Brexit blame game in Mais lecture. 75 people watching Reuters live stream.