Andy Burnham outlined plans for a national care service, seeking cross-party support from Tories and Lib Dems. Robert Jenrick (Reform UK) claimed the PM desired a 'death tax'. Green Party's Zack Polanski faces criticism over a social media post, prompting discussion by Pippa Crerar and Peter Walker.
Andy Burnham apologises for Labour's slow response on Gaza ceasefire. He calls for more pressure on Israel, including a ban on trade with illegal settlements, and notes evidence of war crimes.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy stated that Vladimir Putin's influence is waning and his war machine is crumbling, asserting that the Russian president's days are numbered. Zelenskyy emphasized the importance of European and global unity during a recent visit to London.
Wes Streeting discusses his resignation from Keir Starmer's cabinet, his views on Andy Burnham, Labour's missteps, and his aspirations for leadership in an interview with Pippa Crerar.
The Guardian secured multiple honors at the Press Awards in London, including Political Journalist of the Year for Pippa Crerar, Broadsheet Feature Writer for Simon Hattenstone, and Young Journalist of the Year for Malak A Tantesh's Gaza reporting.
Wes Streeting, UK Health Secretary, met with Labour leader Keir Starmer for 16 minutes amid speculation of a leadership challenge. Streeting's brief departure suggests a lack of cordiality, but it's unclear if a challenge was declared. The meeting coincides with the King's state opening of parliament.
Keir Starmer faces calls to resign as several ministers quit and over 80 MPs demand his departure
Several frontbenchers told the Guardian they agreed the prime minister’s time in office should not go beyond the end of the yearMapped: how Labour lost ground in different directionsPippa Crerar: Starmer under pressure to agree exit planGordon Brown has been appointed as a special envoy on global finance.Number 10 said:The PM has committed to boosting the country’s security and resilience’In this role, Gordon Brown will advise on how global finance cooperation can help to achieve this. Continue reading...
Green Party leader Zack Polanski has apologised for sharing a social media post criticising police officers who arrested the suspect in the Golders Green attack. Polanski reshared a post alleging officers 'were repeatedly and violently kicking a mentally ill man in the head when he was already incapacitated by Taser.' Metropolitan Police Commissioner Mark Rowley accused him of fuelling rising tensions and undermining officer confidence, prompting Polanski to invite Rowley to meet and discuss the police response.
Pippa Crerar is joined by the election analyst Prof Rob Ford to look at the upcoming local and devolved elections. Will Reform dominate across England? Can the Greens remove Labour’s longstanding hold over London? And will the nationalists win in Scotland and Wales? Continue reading...
PMQs takes place today as the final session of the 2024-26 parliamentary session. The government comfortably won Kemi Badenoch's vote to refer Keir Starmer to the privileges committee. Fifteen Labour MPs rebelled by voting with Badenoch, while 53 did not take part in the division. Housing secretary Steve Reed played down the prospect of the rebels losing the whip, calling them a handful of usual suspects.
Cat Little, Cabinet Office permanent secretary, will give evidence to MPs regarding the vetting of Peter Mandelson for ambassadorial clearance. The hearing follows controversy over Olly Robbins's sacking and the discovery of a recommendation against granting Mandelson clearance.
Keir Starmer faces PMQs today with the Peter Mandelson vetting row dominating the Westminster agenda. Olly Robbins, the former Foreign Office permanent secretary whom Starmer sacked, gave evidence to MPs yesterday, with Labour MPs warning the prime minister's leadership is now on borrowed time. Former cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill said Robbins should get his job back.
Douglas Alexander defends PM ahead of Commons showdown over Mandelson scandalJudgment day for PM over Mandelson scandalDavid Lammy, the deputy PM and justice secretary who was foreign secretary when Peter Mandelson was made ambassador to the US, has said that he was never told that Mandelson failed the security vetting interview. Mandelson’s was only technically approved because Olly Robbins, the head of Foreign Office, exercised his discretion to ignore the recommendation from the people doing the vetting.Lammy gave his account of this in an interview with Pippa Crerar.The problem ultimately is caused by the prime minister choosing an ambassador with a known integrity problem. Everybody understood that about Peter Mandelson, if you look at his past record.I’m not criticising his abilities, but as the talisman for New Labour, he had a very dodgy series of relationships. We won’t go into that. So there should have been, the prime minister should have thought through before announcing the appointment how he was going to manage that aspect of choosing Mandelson. Continue reading...
