'The climate crisis is a national security issue!' Andy Burnham addresses international summit as he reaffirms commitment to Net Zero

Andy Burnham has jetted off to Turkey and addressed Cop31, where he has warned European leaders that "climate change is national security issue" and reaffirmed Labour's commitment to Net Zero.

The Prime Minister joined Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband, who landed in Antalya on Tuesday, and insisted the UK "remains determined to reach Net Zero by 2050", adding: "We should all recognise the summer was not normal.

"The climate crisis is upon all of us now. The world has changed. The consensus we once enjoyed on science and climate action has broken down.

"We will not stand by and that’s why I’ve pledged a new era of British leadership over the next decade."

He is expected to face questions on the Rosebank, the second proposed oil site in the North Sea, after Labour approved Jackdaw last month.

Ruth Fuller, chief climate adviser at the WWF conservation organisation, said: "Any commitments at Cop31 will ring hollow if he allows drilling in the Rosebank oilfield and rolls back on targets for electric vehicles.

"All eyes are on what Andy Burnham does on climate to help bring down food and energy bills in the UK.

"It will either highlight genuine leadership or disappointing lip service."

Mr Burnham will be the sole leader of a G7 country present in Turkey today, with President Donald Trump refusing to send any delegations for the second year running.

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​Economy grows 0.7 per cent in third quarter - fastest rate in more than two years

The UK's economy has grown at the fastest quarterly rate in more than two years, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS).

The 0.7 per cent growth has been attributed to a boost in tech services and AI investment.

The ONS said the growth was "almost entirely" down to the UK's service sector. Computer programming has grown at the fastest rate in three years.

It comes despite just a 0.2 per cent growth in September.

Last quarter, between July and September, the UK recorded a 0.5 per cent growth in GDP.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham welcomed the news, saying: "Despite a year where events around the world have pushed up costs here at home, our economy is growing, bringing hope for the future."

Young people to lose disability benefits as welfare system is 'rebuilt from scratch'

Young people are set to lose access to disability benefits under the Milburn Review.

Alan Milburn, a former Labour Health Secretary, has revealed what the long-awaited second part of his review into the welfare system will say.

Adults under 25 would no longer be able to claim two disability benefits, the health element of Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payments (Pip), under his proposals.

He told The Times that after hundreds of interviews and dozens of visits, he concluded the "whole system needs to be changed".

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