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The UK's unemployment rate ticked up to 4.6% in April while the number of people in work fell sharply, according to official figures released in the last hour.

The ONS said the new unemployment rate covering the three months to April was the highest since July 2021.

It previously stood at 4.5% - a total of more than 1.6 million people.

At 4.6%, it is above the peak level predicted for this year, just in March, by the Office for Budget Responsibility.

It follows a number of tax hikes taking effect in the spring.

Figures highlighted by the ONS also show the number of people in payrolled employment during May fell by 109,000 - double April's revised figure of 55,000 - and the biggest monthly drop in five years.

The numbers put further pressure on Rachel Reeves ahead of her spending review tomorrow.

Reacting to the figures, the shadow business secretary said rising unemployment is "disappointing but no surprise".

Andrew Griffith added: "Businesses are still absorbing a £25 billion Jobs Tax, but things are about to get even worse as Labour’s £5 billion ‘Bill for Unemployment� hits businesses with higher regulation."

The 'jobs tax' refers to the rise in employer national insurance contributions (NICs) introduced by the chancellor earlier this year.

We will be hearing more from Griffith on Sky News shortly.

Ed Miliband has defended the chancellor as someone with "an absolute commitment to fiscal stability".

The energy security and net-zero secretary is being asked about Rachel Reeves' decision-making after she U-turned on her cuts to winter fuel payments yesterday. 

Miliband says most of the cuts have been reversed, as the chancellor has now "stabilised the public finances".

He believes making more pensioners eligible for payments is "the right thing to do".

Pushed on whether Reeves was forced into the U-turn by a wave of frustration and anger from pensioners, MPs and pressure groups, Miliband responds that Reeves "heard from lots of people".

He says: "The feeling [was] that the level of the threshold is unfair - that it isn't set high enough. And that's why she's responded."

Yesterday, Reeves raised the threshold so that any person of pension age with an income of £35,000 or less will now receive the benefit. Previously, only those receiving pension credit or similar were entitled to winter fuel payments.

Winter fuel payment threshold 'wasn't correct', admits minister

Pushed again, this time on the fact that the return of winter fuel payments is now an unfunded commitment Reeves did not want to make, Miliband responds that "chancellors always get criticism".

He says: "I think one of the criticisms of Rachel Reeves that people wouldn't make is she showed real fiscal responsibility. This is somebody who's shown a willingness to take the tough decisions, and this is somebody who's had an absolute commitment to fiscal stability."

Miliband says he thinks "it's correct what she's done".

But he acknowledges that many people felt the principle of removing benefits from the richest pensioners "wasn't wrong but the threshold wasn't correct".

A top team of former government ministers and military and security chiefs have taken part in a wargame that simulates a Russian attack on the UK for a new podcast series by Sky News and Tortoise Media.

The first two episodes premiere today across Sky News.

As the government unveils its strategic defence review, the scenario is designed to test Britain's defences and national resilience at a time of mounting tensions with Russia.

It also explores the reliability - or otherwise - of key allies like the US.

Join us for a live Q&A to coincide with the launch with security and defence editor Deborah Haynes, who wrote and presents the podcast, and Sir Richard Barrons, a leader of the major defence review who plays the role of chief of the defence staff, the UK's top military officer.

Our lead politics presenter Sophy Ridge will be putting your questions to her on anything from the UK's preparedness for a hostile attack to the making of the podcast.

Ed Miliband says the government has unveiled the "biggest investment in nuclear for half a century".

The energy secretary told Sky News that the government has decided to do this "for energy security" and "for good jobs".

He says the construction of Sizewell C will be "faster and cheaper" than work to build Hinkley Point C, a nuclear power plant in Somerset. 

Construction there is currently already underway and the project has been hit by delays and risings costs.

He says: "The reason it will be is because it's a replication of Hinkley. 

"Hinkley was the first of a kind project in the UK. And there's always, there's always challenges you face with that. The important thing about Sizewell is it replicates it. 

"And if you like, there's some good evidence that it can be cheaper and quicker because the second unit at Hinkley, the original plant, is being built 25% faster than the first unit."

Small modular reactors are really exciting

The government has also announced that Rolls-Royce will build a fleet of small modular reactors, which are smaller scale sites.

Asked if these smaller reactors are worth the money, the energy secretary responds: "I think small modular reactors are really exciting and they're exciting because you're able to do lots more of them in a kind of factory setting. 

"And doing lots of them gives you that opportunity to bring down the cost - that's a big prospect. And, you know, it's huge for our energy security, but it's also a huge opportunity for Britain."

The shadow energy secretary has said he welcomes the government investing billions of pounds in Sizewell C nuclear plant - but thinks the government has not gone far enough.

Andrew Bowie said he was the first ever Minister for Nuclear, during which the then-Conservative government set-up GB Nuclear, the SMR competition and "put the first spade in the ground at Sizewell C".

He added: "So, of course, I welcome money being invested in Sizewell C today.

"However, what we need is an ambitious plan to grow our nuclear fleet, secure our nuclear future and create the jobs of the future.

"Today does not deliver that."

The Conservative MP also pointed out that it has taken 18 months between construction formally getting underway at the nuclear power station in Suffolk and the chancellor's announcement today. 

"Today is a good day", he said. "But it has taken far too long to get to this stage."

The chancellor is set to confirm the government will commit more than £14bn to build the Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk.

The plant was first proposed 15 years ago and will take a further nine to 12 years to build.

But Rachel Reeves will confirm the Treasury is putting the cash behind the plan in a speech at the GMB union conference later this morning.

She says this money will create 10,000 jobs, including around 1,500 apprenticeships, and will also support thousands more jobs around the UK.

It's all part of what Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, has called the "golden age" of nuclear power - as the UK seeks to boost its energy security.

It follows it being revealed yesterday that Britain's nuclear power sector grew by a quarter in 2024, compared to three years ago. 

It's now worth £20bn and employs around 87,000 people according to research by the Nuclear Power Association. 

What is Sizewell C nuclear power station, and why has it taken so long?

The nuclear power plant in Suffolk was first proposed more than a decade ago by EDF, the French energy company and China General Nuclear Power Group.

Three years ago, the Conservative government bought out the Chinese company as the UK sought to secure its critical national energy infrastructure.

The state now owns 83.5% of the project, with the rest controlled by EDF.

The Tories gave the green light for construction to begin at Sizewell C 18 months ago, leading to contracts worth £330m being signed with local companies.

Reeves also backed the project in her autumn budget last year, committing £2.7bn to the power station.

But campaigners against the project have warned that it might become a bottomless money pit and have called it 'HS2 mark two' - after the high-speed train line that has faced high costs, delays and has had parts of it axed.

Instead, the Stop Sizewell C group would like to see the money spent on "other priorities" and say the power station "is guaranteed to be late and overspent".

Good morning and welcome to the Politics Hub this Tuesday, 10 June. 

All eyes in Westminster are on the chancellor ahead of her spending review tomorrow, with confirmation yesterday afternoon that the final details have now been agreed. 

But Rachel Reeves has another rabbit to pull out of the hat first. 

She's set to confirm a £14.2bn commitment to fund the construction of the Sizewell C nuclear power station in Suffolk, some 15 years after it was first proposed.

Reeves will make the announcement at the GMB Union's conference later this morning, as the government welcomes in a "golden age" of nuclear power to boost the UK's energy security.

It says the funding for the plant will create 10,000 jobs including 1,500 apprenticeships. Building the plant will take an estimated nine to 12 years, but will provide around six million homes with energy. 

We'll hear more from Ed Miliband, the energy secretary, on this shortly.

Reeves isn't the only one seeking headlines this morning, though.

Sir Keir Starmer is making two energy-related visits near to where the plant will be. The PM will meet workers at a construction site this morning before speaking to pupils at a nearby school.

At the same time that Starmer's (presumably) donning high vis in Suffolk, Nigel Farage will be bathing in the spotlight in Westminster. 

The Reform UK leader is set to unveil the party's new chairman, following the departure and partial return of Zia Yusuf at a news conference in Westminster. 

And let's not forget, limelight-loving leader, Sir Ed Davey. He'll be playing interactive games in front of the cameras this afternoon to highlight the challenges faced by unpaid carers. The Lib Dem leader will also speak to the media to mark carer's week.

Coming up on Sky News this morning: 

• Ed Miliband, the energy secretary;
• Andrew Griffith, the shadow business secretary; 
• Ben Wallace, the former Tory defence secretary.

Stay with us throughout the day as we bring you all the latest updates right here on the Politics Hub.

That's all for tonight.

Join us again for more politics again in the morning - as we get a day closer to the spending review.

The government has spent much of today outlining how it'll be spending more money on pensioners - but lest we forget there's also pressure to spend more on defence.

NATO chief Mark Rutte has been in town today, holding talks with the prime minister in Downing Street and also making a speech at the international affairs thinktank Chatham House.

And he had a rather chilling warning for what might happen if Britain doesn't increase defence spending to upwards of 5% of GDP.

Rutte warned: "If you do not do this […] you can still have the NHS, or in other countries their health systems, the pension system, etc, but you had better learn to speak Russian."

For context: The government has so far only committed to 2.5% by 2027, and 3% during the next parliament.

Rutte told reporters he had a "clear view" on when NATO allies should be spending 5% on defence, but would be making that point in private conversations rather than in public for now.

There is a NATO summit in the Netherlands later this month.

Former minister Tulip Siddiq has written to the interim leader of Bangladesh requesting a meeting during his visit to the UK to discuss accusations of corruption that have been levelled at her.

In the letter seen by Sky News, Siddiq invited Muhammad Yunus for "lunch or afternoon tea" to "clear up the misunderstanding� that I have questions to answer".

Watch: The Tulip Siddiq accusations explained

The Anti-Corruption Commission in Bangladesh has opened multiple inquiries involving the London MP over alleged links to her aunt's political party in the country.

A former prime minister of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina is currently standing trial in absentia in Dhaka over alleged killings during deadly protests that swept the country last summer.

Siddiq resigned as a Treasury minister in January after being named in the corruption inquiries.

Documents showed she lived in several London properties that had links back to the Awami League political party that her aunt still leads.

She referred herself to the prime minister's standards adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, who said he had "not identified evidence of improprieties", but added it was "regrettable" Siddiq had not been more alert to the "potential reputational risks" of the ties to her aunt.

Siddiq said continuing in her role would be "a distraction" for the government but insisted she had done nothing wrong.

'Fantasy investigation'

In her letter to the chief adviser of Bangladesh, Siddiq writes: "[The Anti-Corruption Commission] refuse to engage with my lawyers in London and apparently keep sending correspondence to a random address in Dhaka. 

"Every move in this fantasy investigation is briefed to the media and yet no engagement was facilitated with my legal team."

Muhammad Yunus left Bangladesh for his UK visit on Monday afternoon.

Bangladeshi media reported his spokesperson as saying they had not received the letter.

A source close to Siddiq said she had not received a reply.