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This morning, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer touched down in Egypt for an international summit where a long-awaited peace plan for Gaza is expected to be signed. Downing Street says he will thank Egypt, Qatar, and Turkey for their mediation, praise Donald Trump’s role in the negotiations, and restate the UK’s backing for both peace and humanitarian aid. Starmer will also host a UK-led reconstruction summit on Monday, bringing together officials from Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Germany, and the Palestinian Authority.

Of course, it would not be diplomacy without a bit of drama. Secretary of State for Education Bridget Phillipson claimed the UK played a key behind-the-scenes role in brokering the deal. US and Israeli officials were not impressed. In fact, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee flatly called her “delusional”.

Meanwhile, back in Westminster, Parliament is back in session and party conference season is in the rearview. Reform UK emerged with a confident populist message and growing momentum. Labour held the lead but not without turbulence - Starmer’s leadership and economic plans faced scrutiny, even as his combative speech in Liverpool earned praise. The Conservatives, still struggling to pin down a clear strategy, had a few standout moments, especially from Leader Kemi Badenoch. If one theme has emerged this season, it is that the general election may still be many months away, the campaign for power has quietly begun…

Looking ahead to this week, expect fireworks as MPs question ministers over the collapse of the China spy trial. Kemi Badenoch has already demanded the Government address Parliament over the scandal.

There is also growing buzz around the Green Party, which just hit 100,000 members for the first time. Membership has jumped nearly 50 percent since Zack Polanski took over, and the party is starting to look less like an outsider and more like a real challenger.

Finally, we are approaching the long-awaited budget. Submissions are due this Wednesday, and reports suggest the Chancellor is looking to build a stronger fiscal buffer to guard against rising borrowing costs and jittery bond markets.

Headlines

What’s on in Parliament

Monday 13th October 
House of Commons

  • Oral questions: Housing, Communities and Local Government
  • Backbench Business Debate: General debate on baby loss
  • Adjournment: Government support for heritage in the East of England

House of Lords

  • Oral questions: Number of asylum claims based on religious conversion
  • Oral questions: Current state of the jobs market in the UK, and the implications for the economy
  • Legislation: Border Security, Asylum and Immigration Bill - committee stage (day 6) - part one

 
Tuesday 14th October 
House of Commons

  • Oral questions: Energy Security and Net Zero
  • Presentation of Bill: Young Carers (Educational and Employment Support)
  • Westminster Hall Debate: COP30 and global food system transformation

House of Lords

  • Oral questions: Policy changes to prevent released prisoners from reoffending
  • Oral questions: The Jaguar Land Rover cyber attack
  • Debate: Initial proposal for an amended National Policy Statement for Ports

Wednesday 15th October 
House of Commons

  • Oral questions: Northern Ireland
  • Prime Minister’s Question
  • Westminster Hall Debate: Knife crime
  • Westminster Hall Debate: Reforming the education assessment system

 
House of Lords

  • Oral questions: NHS support to unpaid carers
  • Oral questions: The role of UK manufacturing in the Government's modular nuclear programme
  • Legislation: Absent Voting (Elections in Scotland and Wales) Bill - committee stage

Thursday 16th October 
House of Commons

  • Oral questions: Culture, Media and Sport
  • Business Statement:  Business Questions to the Leader of the House
  • Westminster Hall Debate: World Menopause Day
  • Westminster Hall Debate: Ada Lovelace Day and Government support for women in science, technology, engineering and mathematics

House of Lords

  • Oral questions: Proposals for limiting stablecoin ownership
  • Oral questions: Steps to reduce youth unemployment
  • Short debate: Use of starvation as a weapon of war globally, and steps to ensure that international humanitarian law is upheld in this regard
  • Short debate: Maintaining affordable access to specialist music and dance schools for talented children of all social backgrounds

 Friday 18th October 
*Parliament is not sitting and will return on 20th October 

Consultations

Statistics and Research