Dominic Raab has defended the Government’s approach of telling workers to accept real terms pay cuts while increasing the state pension and benefits in line with double-digit inflation.

       The Deputy Prime Minister said pensioners are in a “different position” to regular workers because they are “disproportionately affected by the increase in energy costs which we know everyone is facing”.

       Mr Raab said the Government’s driving focus during the cost-of-living crisis is to “protect the most vulnerable”.

       The Treasury yesterday confirmed that the pension “triple lock” will be reinstated after it was put on pause during the pandemic, taking the annual payout for retirees beyond ￡10,000 for the first time.

       Around six million people will also see their benefits rise in line with inflation, with the two decisions set to cost taxpayers as much as ￡20 billion.

       At the same time, No 10 has insisted that the working population should accept pay rises below inflation, which is expected to hit 11 per cent this year.

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       Dominic Raab said the UK economy is well-positioned to bounce back from its current problems as he argued the Government must take a "disciplined approach" to stop rampant inflation.

       He told the BBC: “The vital statistics, the fundamentals are strong, but we have got to make sure we don’t… inflict extra damage to the economy by not taking a disciplined approach to inflation.”

       The state pension and benefits are set to rise in line with double-digit inflation, despite the Government telling workers to accept a real terms pay cut (you can read the full story here).

       Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister, has defended the approach as he said pensioners are in a "different position" to regular workers and need more support.

       He told the BBC Radio 4 Today programme: “Look, it is very important we rally together and try and get through this inflation spike as swiftly as we can.

       “I would say two things, one on your specific question, it is not true to say the constant, unyielding or blind support for pensioners, the triple lock was relaxed recently and temporarily.

       “But the reason they are in a different position, and our overall objective to answer the narrative point is to protect the most vulnerable, it is because they are particularly vulnerable and are disproportionately affected by the increase in energy costs which we know everyone is facing.”

       Train passengers continue to suffer disruption from the rail strikes this morning after yesterday's industrial action across the country.

       Services started later than normal today as trains were delayed leaving depots due to Network Rail (NR) signallers and control room staff who would usually have worked overnight shifts taking part in the strike.

       Just 60 per cent of trains will run across the day as a whole, and some operators will wind down services slightly earlier than normal ahead of the second day of strikes tomorrow.

       The third strike of the week is planned for Saturday. Talks between the unions, Network Rail and train operating companies will resume today in a bid to resolve the bitter dispute over jobs, pay and conditions.

       Liberal Democrat Treasury Spokesperson Christine Jardine MP said: "Rishi Sunak is standing by while millions of people suffer from eye-watering levels of inflation - he either hasn't got any sense or any heart to not intervene.

       "This Chancellor has hiked taxes time and time again, refusing to slash them to help with the cost of living emergency. Even when we know slashing VAT is a sure-fire way to help families while keeping inflation under control.

       "Instead, the Chancellor, his Prime Minister and his colleagues continue to sit on their hands while the country suffers, they are not fit for purpose."

       Rachel Reeves, the shadow chancellor, said: "Today's rising inflation is another milestone for people watching wages, growth and living standards continue to plummet.

       "Though rapid inflation is pushing family finances to the brink, the low wage spiral faced by many in Britain isn’t new.

       "Over the last decade, Tory mismanagement of our economy has meant living standards and real wages have failed to grow.

       "We need more than sticking plasters to get us back on course - we need a stronger, and more secure economy.

       Inflation rose by 9.1 per cent in the 12 months to May this year, according to data published by the Office for National Statistics. That is a slight increase on the nine per cent recorded in April.

       Rishi Sunak, the Chancellor, said: “I know that people are worried about the rising cost of living, which is why we have taken targeted action to help families, getting ￡1,200 to the eight million most vulnerable households.

       “We are using all the tools at our disposal to bring inflation down and combat rising prices – we can build a stronger economy through independent monetary policy, responsible fiscal policy which doesn't add to inflationary pressures, and by boosting our long-term productivity and growth."

       A former adviser to Sir Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, has warned there will be an "explosion" if the party disciplines any frontbenchers who joined picket lines in support of striking rail workers.

       Simon Fletcher, who also advised former leaders Jeremy Corbyn and Ed Miliband, said there has been "a lot of simmering resentment and irritation" over the party's current position.

       Sir Keir is considering possible disciplinary action after he ordered frontbenchers not to join picket lines outside stations, as the country faces the biggest rail strike in a generation.

       You can read the full story here.

       Labour has said it does not want the rail strikes to happen but it has not criticised the unions, instead opting to blame the Government for failing to intervene in the dispute.

       Lucy Powell, the shadow culture secretary, was asked this morning whose side Labour is on in the strikes.

       She told the BBC: “We are on the side of the travelling public. I think that is really clear. Obviously we support workers, we support workers in trying to negotiate better pay for themselves and they deserve a fairer pay settlement than is being offered at the moment.

       “But the Government want to try and make these strikes about the Labour Party but these strikes sit on the lap of the Government.”

       Sir Keir Starmer was defied by four frontbenchers who joined picket lines yesterday despite being ordered not to as he was accused of “hiding” over the rail strikes (you can read the full story here)

       Lucy Powell, the shadow culture secretary, has confirmed that Labour frontbenchers were told to stay away from picket lines.

       She told the BBC: “Yeah, we were advised not to do that. I wouldn’t have chosen to do that. I am a member of the shadow cabinet, I have influence, I have a role here as a national parliamentarian to take action, to raise issues in parliament and that is my job which we have tried to do.”

       Asked if the frontbenchers who defied the order should be disciplined, Ms Powell refused to be drawn. She said: “That is a matter for the whips. But as I say, nobody wants to see these strikes happen.”

       The Government is today bringing forward its long-awaited Bill of Rights which will, among other things, give the UK powers to overrule European judges (you can read the full story here).

       Dominic Raab, the Justice Secretary, said the legislation will help crackdown on “elastic interpretations of human rights” in the legal system.

       He told Sky News: “We have got a proud tradition of liberty in this country, we want to reinforce the quintessentially UK freedoms, particularly freedom of speech which we have seen whittled away in various ways.

       “We think that that is the liberty that guards all the others. At the same time we have seen a lot of elastic interpretations of human rights particularly fuelled by the human rights Act… and we think it is right to have a proper separation of powers.

       “The UK Supreme Court should do what it says on the tin and be supreme in the legal interpretations and if the goal posts shift and you will remember the whole context around prisoner voting where we were told we had to give prisoners the vote, I think Parliament should have the last word when it comes to the law of the land."

       Barristers have voted to go on strike in a row over legal aid funding. The Criminal Bar Association (CBA), which represents barristers in England and Wales, said several days of court walkouts will begin from next week.

       The strike is in protest at a proposed 15 per cent increase in the legal aid budget, which it claims is inadequate. It is demanding a minimum of 25 per cent.

       Dominic Raab, the Justice Secretary, said this morning that the strike is “regrettable” but he has no intention of giving ground.

       Asked if the Government could meet the request for 25 per cent, he told Sky News: “No, they will get 15 per cent as I have already made clear.”

       The Government must "stand firm" on pay restraint in the public sector in order to bring down soaring inflation more quickly, Dominic Raab argued this morning.

       The Justice Secretary was asked during an interview on Sky News if he believes there will be a "summer of discontent".

       He said: “We have got unemployment at record lows, lowest levels since I was born in 1974, the fundamentals of the economy are strong.

       “We do understand all of those pressures on workers, particularly for the next year with inflation high. But if we want to get inflation down quicker we cannot relent… on these demands.

       “I always want to avoid conflict if I can but I think we have got to protect the public and the lowest paid and that means not allowing a vicious cycle of higher inflation for longer. That is an argument that we must stand firm on.”

       Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister, has signalled that the Government is ready for a lengthy stand-off with unions over pay rises.

       He said the Government "can't allow" unions to "win this argument".

       Asked how long the Government is prepared to let strikes go on for, Mr Raab told Sky News: “We can’t allow, I’m afraid, the unions in this very militant way that they’ve proceeded to win this argument because it will only hurt the poorest in our society.”

       Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister, has warned that big public sector pay rises would fuel inflation and erode wages as he argued in favour of pay restraint.

       He told Sky News: "If we don’t have those restraints inflation will go higher for longer and that will only undermine the pay packages of workers, particularly the most vulnerable workers, for a longer period of time.

       “We are taking the action, we are taking a firm line with, for example, the RMT union precisely because we want to protect this erosion of pay packets by inflation.”

       Good morning and welcome to today's politics live blog.

       Soaring inflation and rail strikes are the two main issues of the day in Westminster while the Government is also bringing forward its long-awaited Bill of Rights.

       Dominic Raab, the Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, is on the morning media round for the Government and he has been talking about all three issues.

       Let's start the day by looking at what he has said.

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