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| King Charles makes rare joint visit with Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner | King Charles makes rare joint visit with Keir Starmer and Angela Rayner |
| (32 minutes later) | |
| The King, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister on a visit together in Cornwall | The King, Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister on a visit together in Cornwall |
| King Charles has given Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer a guided tour of his environmentally friendly, sustainable housing project in Cornwall, in a rare joint visit. | |
| Deputy PM and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner was also part of this unusual, high-powered gathering, as they toured houses, a school and orchard in Nansledan. | Deputy PM and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner was also part of this unusual, high-powered gathering, as they toured houses, a school and orchard in Nansledan. |
| The King wanted to show them a project that brings together traditional building materials, sustainable living and training projects. But as monarch the King has to avoid getting drawn into party politics. | The King wanted to show them a project that brings together traditional building materials, sustainable living and training projects. But as monarch the King has to avoid getting drawn into party politics. |
| Building new homes is a priority for the government with its target of building 1.5 million new homes by 2029. | Building new homes is a priority for the government with its target of building 1.5 million new homes by 2029. |
| The King regularly meets the prime minister for a weekly audience and they are said to have a good relationship. There also seems to be a good rapport between the King and Angela Rayner. | The King regularly meets the prime minister for a weekly audience and they are said to have a good relationship. There also seems to be a good rapport between the King and Angela Rayner. |
| But it's very unusual for them take part in an engagement like this together. | |
| "I was really surprised to see all three of them," said Rory Bendle, who was helping in the gardens at Nansledan when the visitors arrived. | |
| In his role as head of state, the monarch is expected to avoid straying into party politics. | |
| As Prince of Wales, Charles had been vocal on his views on architecture and other issues, with accusations of meddling, as he wrote to ministers in so-called "black spider" memos, named after his style of handwriting. | As Prince of Wales, Charles had been vocal on his views on architecture and other issues, with accusations of meddling, as he wrote to ministers in so-called "black spider" memos, named after his style of handwriting. |
| King Charles and Angela Rayner sharing a joke on their visit to Nansledan | King Charles and Angela Rayner sharing a joke on their visit to Nansledan |
| Monday's trip to Cornwall was a "joint initiative" between the King and prime minister, following discussions between them on their shared interest in housing, according to royal sources. | Monday's trip to Cornwall was a "joint initiative" between the King and prime minister, following discussions between them on their shared interest in housing, according to royal sources. |
| The King had highlighted his own housing development and had offered to show around Sir Keir, with Monday's visit the first date that could be arranged. | The King had highlighted his own housing development and had offered to show around Sir Keir, with Monday's visit the first date that could be arranged. |
| Angela Rayner, as secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, also came for a first-hand view of this style of building. | Angela Rayner, as secretary of state for housing, communities and local government, also came for a first-hand view of this style of building. |
| The trio met Nansledan residents and visited local businesses, saw a community kitchen which provides training and skills, visited a primary school and saw an orchard, which provides locally-grown food and supports 45 jobs. | The trio met Nansledan residents and visited local businesses, saw a community kitchen which provides training and skills, visited a primary school and saw an orchard, which provides locally-grown food and supports 45 jobs. |
| On questions of accommodation, one of the children at the school in Nansledan asked: "Do you live in Buckingham Palace?" | On questions of accommodation, one of the children at the school in Nansledan asked: "Do you live in Buckingham Palace?" |
| Another young pupil called to him: "King Charles, King Charles" and then tried a more formal approach, calling out: "King Charles III." | Another young pupil called to him: "King Charles, King Charles" and then tried a more formal approach, calling out: "King Charles III." |
| Nansledan, near Newquay, was launched in 2014 as a "human-scale" housing development that drew on the King's environmental principles, providing green spaces, using local materials and training people in building skills. | Nansledan, near Newquay, was launched in 2014 as a "human-scale" housing development that drew on the King's environmental principles, providing green spaces, using local materials and training people in building skills. |
| So far there are 840 houses built out of an intended 3,700, in a project that began when Charles was Prince of Wales and owned the Duchy of Cornwall. | So far there are 840 houses built out of an intended 3,700, in a project that began when Charles was Prince of Wales and owned the Duchy of Cornwall. |
| The Duchy of Cornwall is an estate, mostly in the South West, which provides a private income for the Prince of Wales. The most recent annual income was almost £24m. | |
| Housing is a key issue for the government - under pressure to increase the volume of homes being built and to improve the affordability. | Housing is a key issue for the government - under pressure to increase the volume of homes being built and to improve the affordability. |
| Rayner, interviewed on BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg this weekend, said she was determined to achieve the promise of an extra 1.5 million homes. | Rayner, interviewed on BBC One's Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg this weekend, said she was determined to achieve the promise of an extra 1.5 million homes. |
| "There are no excuses to not build those homes that people desperately need," she said. | "There are no excuses to not build those homes that people desperately need," she said. |
| "And we mean business on this, because far too many people are not getting these homes." | "And we mean business on this, because far too many people are not getting these homes." |
| Gillian Keegan, a former Conservative MP and education secretary, argued the previous government had made progress but warned that the pace of building remained "too slow". | Gillian Keegan, a former Conservative MP and education secretary, argued the previous government had made progress but warned that the pace of building remained "too slow". |
| The importance of teaching skills, on display at Nansledan, was also relevant, as the construction industry has warned that housebuilding targets will be blocked by a lack of staff. | The importance of teaching skills, on display at Nansledan, was also relevant, as the construction industry has warned that housebuilding targets will be blocked by a lack of staff. |
| Building firms have blamed several factors including a skills shortage, an ageing workforce and Brexit for the shrinking pool of construction workers. | Building firms have blamed several factors including a skills shortage, an ageing workforce and Brexit for the shrinking pool of construction workers. |
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