UK politics live: Starmer rejects Scotland’s calls for more immigration powers as anti-vaping bill introduced

Education unions have labelled the planned university tuition fee rises as “economically and morally wrong”, after it was announced that fees for domestic undergraduate students in England will rise to £9,535 per year after eight years of being frozen at a maximum of £9,250.

Branding the rise “economically and morally wrong”, Jo Grady, general secretary of the University and College Union (UCU), said: “Taking more money from debt-ridden students and handing it to overpaid underperforming vice-chancellors is ill conceived and won’t come close to addressing the sector’s core issues.”

The National Union of Students (NUS) said students were being asked to “foot the bill” to keep the lights and heating on in their universities and to prevent their courses from closing down amid the “crisis”.

Alex Stanley, vice president for higher education of the NUS, said: “This is, and can only ever be, a sticking plaster. Universities cannot continue to be funded by an ever-increasing burden of debt on students.”

But Vivienne Stern, chief executive of Universities UK (UUK), which represents 141 universities, said the Government’s decision was “the right thing to do”.

Ms Phillipson announced that maintenance loans would also rise in line with inflation in the 2025/26 academic year to help students facing cost pressures, by an increase of 3.1 per cent.

Welcoming the government’s move, Ms Stern said: “A decade-long freeze in England has seen inflation erode the real value of student fees and maintenance loans by around a third, which is completely unsustainable for both students and universities.”

Asked if Kemi Badenoch was “infuriated” about media reports that she had appointed her leadership rival Robert Jenrick to the post of shadow justice secretary, after he warned that such reports “might be jumping the gun”, Tory party co-chair Nigel Huddleston told GB News: “It takes a lot to make Kemi furious.”

“She wants to make sure that this is a shadow cabinet and a shadow team that reflects the breadth of the party and embraces all the talents,” he said.

Political observers had questioned the wisdom of appointing Mr Jenrick to the role given his insistence on the policy of departing from the European Convention on Human Rights.

Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has rejected calls for immigration powers to be devolved to the Scottish government.

Speaking in Glasgow at the Interpol General Assembly, Sir Keir expressed a desire to “reset” the relationship between Holyrood and Westminster, after it has deteriorated under successive Tory governments.

But when asked by journalists whether this included devolving immigration powers, he said: “No, we’re not looking at that.”

Scottish deputy first minister Kate Forbes says UK immigration policies are “actively harming” Scotland’s economy. In June, she called for a “tailored migration system” to suit the specific needs of certain Scottish industries.

The first meeting of Kemi Badenoch’s shadow cabinet is planned to take place around 10am, the new Conservative Party co-chair has said.

Nigel Huddleston told GB News he expected most of the key roles to be officially announced ahead of the meeting.

But he said reports of the appointment of Robert Jenrick as shadow justice secretary “might be jumping the gun”.

The Tobacco and Vapes Bill is set to be introduced in the House of Commons on Tuesday, bidding to create the “first smoke-free generation” in the UK.

It will prevent anyone born after 1 January 2009 from legally smoking by raising the the age at which tobacco can be bought. The bill will also introduce restrictions on vape advertising and will restrict flavours.

Separate environmental legislation will see disposable vapes banned from June 2025.

Health Secretary Wes Streeting said: ”Unless we act to help people stay healthy, the rising tide of ill health in our society threatens to overwhelm and bankrupt our NHS. Prevention is better than cure.

“This Government is taking bold action to create the first smoke-free generation, clamp down on kids getting hooked on nicotine through vapes, and protect children and vulnerable people from the harms of secondhand smoke.

“This historic legislation will save thousands of lives and protect the NHS. By building a healthy society, we will also help to build a healthy economy, with fewer people off work sick.”

Good morning, and thanks for joining us on The Independent’s politics live blog.

We’ll be bringing you the latest updates as the government’s new Tobacco and Vapes Bill is introduced the House of Commons, and Westminster watchers warily turn their gaze to the US election.