'Starmer takes on Farage' and 'Two-child benefit cap will be lifted'

Keir Starmer used his Labour conference speech to rouse a "patriotic fight against Nigel Farage".
- Published
The Guardian reports, external that Chancellor Rachel Reeves will lift the two-child benefit cap in her autumn budget. Reeves is understood by the Sun , externalto be considering a "tapered" system of paying parents less for each child they have, while acknowledging the details remain under discussion. The i Paper puts the cost, external at £3bn and says it will be accompanied by tough decisions in the budget.
"The day Labour dragged politics into the gutter" is the Daily Mail's headline, external, as it leads on the prime minister's conference speech. The paper says Sir Keir Starmer's repeated attacks on Nigel Farage risk importing the toxic political culture of the United States. "Who's the nasty party now?" the Mail asks.
Sir Keir sought to unite Labour against a common enemy, according to the Times, external. It highlights the response of Farage, who called the comments a "disgrace" in light of the murder of Charlie Kirk in the US. The Financial Times, external and the Daily Telegraph, external focus on flag-waving, calling it a tilt towards working-class voters.
An editorial in the Daily Express says, external the prime minister flunked his conference speech with a turgid sermon. The paper leads on an interview, external with the Conservative leader, Kemi Badenoch, who vows to "clean up this almighty mess".
The Daily Mirror, external gives its backing to Sir Keir's criticism of Farage, saying he "comprehensively trashed" the Reform leader, in an "unusually aggressive" but necessary move for the prime minister. The Daily Star's, external headline is "Things can only get bitter".
The Telegraph has, external a rare interview with a prominent Freemason, Adrian Mars, who denies there is anything secret about the organisation. He says a Metropolitan Police consultation on whether officers should declare masonic membership is "sinister". The paper says the Freemasons are attempting to shed their perceived cloak of secrecy, most recently with a YouTube clip showing members acting out their rituals.

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