A little earlier this morning, we brought you the news that big-time Arsenal fan, Sir Keir Starmer, has gifted Xi Jinping a football. 

But not just any ball.

As in our 9am post, we reported that the Chinese president was given the match ball from Arsenal's game against Manchester United on Sunday. 

Apparently, the Chinese leader is a big fan of United - though when he came to the UK in 2015, then-PM David Cameron took him for a tour of Manchester City Football Academy, instead.

Regardless, the ball from a game where Xi's team beat Starmer's 3-2 - in a game the PM attended in person - seems a fitting present.

Anyway - we now know what the prime minister has received in return.

The Chinese president has gifted Starmer a copper statue of a horse, Downing Street has said.

Meanwhile, Xi's number two - Premier Li Qian - has given the PM three kinds of flutes.

The prime minister is said to be a talented flautist and played abroad in the Croydon Youth Philharmonic Orchestra as a child.

He's also able to play the violin, piano and recorder.

Of course, perhaps the real gift from China is the 10 agreements the UK has signed, visa-free travel for Britons and the ability for Starmer to return to the UK claiming he's brought home the goods.

The government has restated its rejection of the campaign from women who claimed they were owed billions after their state pensions age was changed.

The Women Against State Pensions Inequality - Waspi - campaign has lobbied extensively after claiming they were not given sufficient warning of the state pension age for women being lifted to be in line with men from 60 to 65.

Having rejected this claim in December 2024, the government announced a review in November last year when it would consider new evidence.

The Waspi argument centres on the claim the change of pension age was done too quickly, leaving some women financially unprepared to cope with the number of years when they were no longer able to claim their state pension.

The government said in December that they would not be compensated, because most women knew the changes were coming.

Around 3.6 million women were impacted by the change to the state pension age. The government has previously said compensating them could cost up to £10.5bn.

Women born between April 1951 and 1960 were impacted.

The changes were first announced in the 1995 Pensions Act, with a target to equalise male and female pensions by 2020.

In 2011, this was sped up to 2018.

Pensions minister Pat McFadden announced the government's restated rejection in the Commons on Thursday afternoon, saying such a compensation scheme would not be "practical or fair".

Waspi campaign responds

Angela Madden, chair of the Waspi campaign, said: "Ministers have demonstrated their utter contempt for 1950s-born women, for parliament and for the parliamentary ombudsman. 

"The government has kicked the can down the road for months, only to arrive at exactly the same conclusion it has always wanted to. 

"This is a disgraceful political choice by a small group of very powerful people who have decided the harm and injustice suffered by millions of ordinary women simply does not matter."

She added that the campaign is taking legal advice and "all options remain on the table".

Sir Keir Starmer has told business representatives that he wants a more "sophisticated relationship" with China - drawing on a Chinese story.

The PM has been addressing the UK-China Business Council alongside Premier Li Qian this evening (yes, evening in China).

It comes as the UK government announced Britons will now be able to travel to China for up to 30 days without a visa, brining the UK in line with around 50 other nations.

Starmer has brought almost 60  British business representatives along to Beijing, and the council was joined by Chinese CEOs and chairs of leading companies as well.

He told the audience: "President Xi tells the story of blind men being presented with an elephant.

"One touches the leg and thinks it's a pillow, another feels the belly and thinks it's a wall.

"And too often this reflects how China is seen. 

"But I profoundly believe that with broader and deeper engagement, which we've been talking about all this week, is our way of seeing the whole elephant and therefore building a more sophisticated relationship fit for these times."

The PM added: "I would like to echo a Chinese phrase, which I think captures the essence of what I'm talking about: pursue common goals whilst reserving differences. 

"That's what we are working together to achieve."

Earlier in the day, the boss of AstraZeneca, Sir Pascal Soriot, used the council to announce his company will be investing 100bn yuan (£10.4bn) into China by 2030.

The government has also signed 10 agreements with China today, which cover issues including illegal migration, exports to China, vocational training and food safety.

Business Secretary Peter Kyle said the visit is a "springboard into a future with far more action to come".

Sir Keir Starmer has been given a ceremonial welcome at Beijing's Great Hall of The People, as his visit to China continues. 

This morning (around 2am UK time), the PM had his all-important meeting with Xi Jinping, the country's president - where they discussed a whole range of issues.

Starmer then toured the Forbidden City, once home to China's emperors.

Now, he's been welcomed by a military band who played God Save The King and China's national anthem, March of The Volunteers. 

Starmer also met with China's second-most influential politician, Premier Li Qian.

The pair began by inspecting an honour guard made of up around 140 members of the Chinese army, navy and air force.

At the beginning of the meeting, Li announced that the British and Chinese people both want "open cooperation" between their countries.

He also praised the PM's effort to improve relations between the UK and China, saying this has been "widely welcomed".

Li said it shows "open cooperation and mutual benefit is what the people want".

He added: "It also serves the shared interest of us both.

"The more we are in a changing world, the more valuable such stability is".

Meanwhile, the PM insisted that he wanted to "find ways to work together in a manner which is fit for these times".

He explained: "This means being more open and frank, to deal directly with difficulties, and it also means recognising and respecting modern China in all its vastness and complexity, for everything it has achieved and as a power whose fortunes directly affect the United Kingdom."

Next up on the PM's agenda is the UK-China Business Council.

Starmer is speaking to the almost 60 business representatives which he flew over with, along with Chinese company owners and CEOs.

The five-day trip is all about drumming up more trade between the two countries in a bid to boost economic growth. 

Downing Street is hopeful it will be able to announce more deals in the coming days. 

Sir Keir Starmer had a substantive conversation about the issue of human rights abuses during his meeting with Xi Jinping, Paste BN understands.

The PM already told journalists that he "raised" the issue of imprisoned British citizen and pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai.

But it's now understood that this wasn't a fleeting moment, but a substantive discussion, which the Chinese leadership engaged with proportionately.

It's also thought the reason the meeting ran over - ending up being almost double the intended length - was because a number of issues were raised and explored in detail.

It's also understood that the two men discussed the war in Ukraine, and that both agreed the conflict needs to end. 

China has been a tacit supporter of Russian actions in Ukraine, helping with supplies and funding, such as by buying Russian oil.

But it's believed that both men stressed their desire for the war to conclude.

The prime minister will maintain a "frank and open dialogue on areas of disagreement" with his Chinese counterpart, Number 10 has said. 

It follows Sir Keir Starmer telling journalists a little earlier that he "raised" issues around British citizen and imprisoned pro-democracy activist Jimmy Lai with Xi Jinping.

Now, the read-out of the PM's meeting with the Chinese president has been released.

It adds that Starmer thanked Xi for a "warm welcome to China" and both "affirmed their shared commitment to build a consistent, long-term and strategic partnership".

The statement continues: "They agreed they would continue to enhance co-operation on areas of mutual interest, while maintaining frank and open dialogue on areas of disagreement. 

"The prime minister raised areas of concern to the United Kingdom."

Those areas of concern will include Lai, but also China's tacit support for Russia's war against Ukraine, and human rights abuses against the Uygher ethnic group in the Xinjiang region of China.

The read-out concludes: "The prime minister added that he hoped new partnerships could be forged, and new opportunities unlocked for them [British businesses] in China.

"Growth and prosperity at home is directly linked to our engagement with the world's biggest powers abroad, the prime minister added."

There's a knack to political gift-giving. 

Often, it's a symbolically important present, or an historic artifact. Other times, it's something flashy.

Think the silver necklace that US President Donald Trump gave to Sir Keir Starmer during his second state visit last year. 

That, along with personalised golf clubs and cowboy boots.

But when the prime minister met Xi Jinping today - it was all about football.

Starmer is famously an Arsenal fan, while the Chinese president is reportedly mad for Manchester United.

So, what better gift was there for the PM to give Xi, than a football used during last weekend's Premier League fixture between the two teams. 

Perhaps Starmer was especially willing to give it away, given his side lost 3-2.

Sir Keir Starmer's comments make it clear he is in China to "drum up trade", our political editor Beth Rigby says.

She points out China is the world's second-biggest economy and the UK's third-biggest trading partner.

"This is a real effort from him to drive business and drive cooperation," Beth adds. 

The PM spoke about making progress on whisky exports, securing visa-free travel to China for Brits (which China says it will "actively consider") and tackling small boat crossings. 

"Look, in the bigger picture, this is a very significant reset," Beth explains.

She says: "The UK and China have had poor relations for a number of years. 

"President Xi himself said in the opening remarks ahead of this meeting that the 'twists and turns' in the relationship have helped neither country, and he has called on these two nations to come together to work both in terms of economy and diplomacy. 

"That is what the prime minister is trying to do."

Beth also points out that the PM says he did raise difficult subjects, such as human rights, with his Chinese counterpart - but "we haven't got any details of that yet".

She also points to Tory leader Kemi Badenoch saying she would not have come to China if she was PM as she believes it is the wrong time for closer relations. 

But Beth adds: "For the prime minister - he definitely thinks trying to reset the relationship, have deeper economic ties is something worth doing.

"He will be pleased with how this bilateral meeting has gone."

She notes that President Xi was very warm in the meeting with Starmer, and "clearly wants to offer the hand of friendship".

The challenge for Starmer will be to perform the "delicate dance" of keeping US Donald Trump on side, while expanding trading relations with China.

The latest episode of Politics at Sam and Anne's has dropped - and is now available to stream.

On today's edition - Prime Minister Keir Starmer meets China's President Xi calling for a "more sophisticated relationship" - but can both nations achieve that amidst global uncertainty?

Sam and Anne dive into the details, looking at who is on the trip and reflect on the "twists and turns" of the relations between the two nations.

Back in London, is the assisted dying bill on its last legs with the clock ticking on the time to debate and scrutinise the legislation in the House of Lords.

Plus, have the welfare reforms – led by Pat McFadden – been shelved for the foreseeable future? 

Listen to the full episode below...