Good morning. The Green party starts its conference today, with its membership up to a record high (over 80,000) following the election of "eco-populist" Zack Polanski as leader. But the Greens struggle for coverage at the best of times, and these aren't the best of times. The news today will be dominated by the repurcussions from the Manchester synagogue attack.
We are covering the synagogue terror attack on a separate live blog and that will be the place to go to updates.
The attack has triggered a fierce political debate about the causes of rising antisemitism, and I will be picking up on some of that here. But the events in Manchester are subject to an ongoing police investigation and, if we do open comments, we won't be allowing comments relating directly to them BTL. If readers don't comply with at, comments will get closed.
According to extracts of his speech released in advance, Polanski is going to accuse Labour of playing "handmaidens" to the the "dangerous, deceitful politics" of Reform UK. He will say:
When Farage says jump, Labour asks 'how high'. But the Greens won't dance to the tune of a Trump-loving, NHS-dismantling corporate stooge. Let's say it loud and clear: migrants and refugees are not the problem; they are part of what makes Britain great. The real threat to our high streets, to our homes, to our NHS, comes from decades of austerity, privatisation and an economic system that rigs the rules for billionaires.
Polanski will also restate his party's commitment to invest more in public services with the proceeds of a wealth tax.
At every opportunity, our message will be clear: the Green party will bring down your bills, cut the cost of living and protect our NHS ... We will tax the wealthiest, end rip-off Britain, and invest in public services that work for everyone ...
If Reform can rocket through the polls with a politics of despair, then it's time for the Green Party to do the same thing with a politics of hope.
According to the speech extracts released overnight, Polanski's will also describe Reform UK's politics as "hateful" and "divisive". But in interviews this morning he has also been grilled over comments by Mothin Ali, the Green co-deputy party leader, that led to a former university rabbi having to flee his home. Polanski said Ali had apologised for those comments. I will post more details soon.
Polanski is addressing the conference at 1.30pm, and at 3.45pm Andrew Slaughter, the Green leader in Wales, is speaking.
Otherwise, there is not much in the diary today, but two events are happening in private today that are significant. The Office for Budget Responsibility is due to hand its latest economic forecasts to the Treasury, which will in effect tell her quite how much tax she will need to rise in the budget next month. And Kemi Badenoch is chairing a shadow cabinet meeting where they will discuss the plan to leave the European convention on human rights that Badenoch is due to announce on Sunday.