General election result not a ‘foregone conclusion,’ says Sunak – UK politics as it happened

The party’s annual conference in Aberdeen decided that if the SNP wins a majority of Scotland’s Westminster seats at the general election, it will have the mandate to negotiate independence with the UK government.

Rishi Sunak said he was “deeply concerned” about the prospect of an Israeli offensive and said that the priority must be for all parties – “and particularly Hamas” – to agree to a deal that would pave the way for the release of hostages and for aid to go into Gaza.

Asked if he would make changes after the heavy electoral defeats – including the Blackpool South by-election, council and mayoral elections – Sunak said that “for my part, reflecting on it,” he was determined to show that “progress is being made”

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak meets volunteers preparing food packages during a visit to OmNom, a restaurant and community centre in north London Photograph: Henry Nicholls/PA The Cass Review has to be taken “extremely seriously” and the government will take a “rational evidence based approach” drawing on the positions of clinicians, John Swinney says.

“He is hitting some of the right notes in terms of saying hie is going to focus attention of government on jobs, education, housing, the health services, the things that rally matter,” said Salmond, adding that Swinney’s predecessor had become “a prisoner” of the Green Partyw, which he said appeared to be more concerned with “identity politics.”

The party’s annual conference in Aberdeen decided that if the SNP wins a majority of Scotland’s Westminster seats at the general election, it will have the mandate to negotiate independence with the UK government.