It will take more than blokeish affability to reach across the Brexit faultline that scars British politics Andy Burnhamâs stint as health secretary in the final year of Gordon Brownâs government was not especially memorable, although one observation from a senior civil servant in the department at the time has stuck in my mind. Working for Burnham, I was told, felt like ârevising for exams with a mate who might turn to you and say: âshall we sack this off for a bit and play football instead?ââ It was meant as a compliment, mostly. The secretary of state didnât defer government business for kickabouts on Whitehall, he just had the vibe of someone who was tempted. That image confirms everything Burnhamâs Labour supporters and critics already think about him. Enthusiasts see serious purpose worn amiably. This, it is said, has been a winning combination in the Greater Manchester mayoralty. Transplanted to Downing Street, it might reconnect the government with audiences it has lost under Keir Starmer. Sceptics say Burnhamâs congeniality comes with indecision; that the arc of his political career has been shaped by a preference for being liked over confronting hard cho
Jun 3, 2026 → Jun 20, 2026
Having literally campaigned in poetry, the new Makerfield MP needs a summer of knuckling down to the small print By the end, it had become less a byelection, more a mythical quest. Whoever could draw the sword from Makerfield’s stone – or…
Read original at The Guardian →6 updates from 3 sources over 2 weeks.
Having literally campaigned in poetry, the new Makerfield MP needs a summer of knuckling down to the small print By the end, it had become less a byelection, more a mythical quest. Whoever could draw the sword from…
Read original at The Guardian →May figure of £23.3bn underlines challenge facing Andy Burnham if he ends up as Labour leader The UK borrowed a higher-than-expected £23.3bn in May amid the economic fallout from the Iran war, underlining the fiscal…
Read original at The Guardian →Far from the gilded halls of Westminster, an unassuming community center â squat, utilitarian, and with a parking lot whose potholes overflow with water whenever it rains â has become the center of power in British…
Read original at CNN →Sir Keir Starmer can prove his critics wrong and survive a leadership challenge, his friend Lord Hermer has told the BBC. In his first interview with BBC Radio 4's Political Thinking, the attorney general said people…
Read original at BBC →Prospective MP and potential Labour leader has said tackling the issue is a priority. But why is the system in crisis and what can be done about it? âI wouldnât flinchâ: Burnham on social care, markets, Brexit â…
Read original at The Guardian →It will take more than blokeish affability to reach across the Brexit faultline that scars British politics Andy Burnhamâs stint as health secretary in the final year of Gordon Brownâs government was not especially…
Read original at The Guardian →What this story stands on. Tier 0 is a primary record or the subject's own words; higher tiers must be attributed, never stated as bare fact.
Having literally campaigned in poetry, the new Makerfield MP needs a summer of knuckling down to the small print By the end, it had become less a byelection, more a mythical quest. Whoever could draw the sword from Makerfield’s stone – or…
View source →May figure of £23.3bn underlines challenge facing Andy Burnham if he ends up as Labour leader The UK borrowed a higher-than-expected £23.3bn in May amid the economic fallout from the Iran war, underlining the fiscal pressures facing Andy…
View source →Far from the gilded halls of Westminster, an unassuming community center â squat, utilitarian, and with a parking lot whose potholes overflow with water whenever it rains â has become the center of power in British politics. Here, in…
View source →Sir Keir Starmer can prove his critics wrong and survive a leadership challenge, his friend Lord Hermer has told the BBC. In his first interview with BBC Radio 4's Political Thinking, the attorney general said people had always…
View source →Prospective MP and potential Labour leader has said tackling the issue is a priority. But why is the system in crisis and what can be done about it? âI wouldnât flinchâ: Burnham on social care, markets, Brexit â and the prospect of…
View source →It will take more than blokeish affability to reach across the Brexit faultline that scars British politics Andy Burnhamâs stint as health secretary in the final year of Gordon Brownâs government was not especially memorable, although…
View source →Tier key: T0 = Primary source · T1 = Wire · T2 = Outlet report · T3 = Commentary
Long-running fight over Trump-backed maps takes another turn as absentee voting is already under way in Missouri. This blog is now closed. Sign up for US Breaking News emails Xi…
Seven months into war with the US, Iran’s leaders are feeling the strain.
The AI lab had argued multiple violations of its rights, but a divided panel of judges sided with the Trump administration.
Iran stuck to its seven-day proposal for reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz, saying it won’t soften its conditions, while President Donald Trump sent mixed signals about his…
Lawmaker rejects Apple excuse for banning ICE-tracking apps as unconstitutional.
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-PA) says the federal government must play a role in regulating artificial intelligence and work to establish guardrails, arguing that competition with China…
