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The Guardian Politics16 Jul 2026

Defence is the one public budget we dare not question – will Andy Burnham break this cycle? | Andy Beckett

Any boost for the military will be paid for by cuts elsewhere. Britain’s new PM should be careful he is not being sold a pup For many British voters, politicians and journalists, public spending has had a bad name since the late 1970s, when Margaret Thatcher’s government began its long campaign to tame the supposedly bloated state. From this perspective, the public sector wastes money, commissions unnecessary or out-of-date projects and generates endless jargon and reasons for its own existence,

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics15 Jul 2026

Shabana Mahmood expected to be named Andy Burnham’s chancellor

The home secretary is the frontrunner for the role ahead of ‘risky’ Ed Miliband, according to senior Labour figures Shabana Mahmood has emerged as the frontrunner to become Andy Burnham’s chancellor after a fierce briefing war over the prospect of Ed Miliband being appointed to the powerful role. Senior Labour figures with knowledge of Burnham’s thinking told the Guardian they expected the home secretary to be moved to the Treasury amid concerns that Miliband would become a target for criticism

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics15 Jul 2026

Andy Burnham signals a wealth tax is off the agenda for now

Incoming prime minister says he doesn’t want to ‘create new divisions’ as Mahmood is tipped to be chancellor Andy Burnham has signalled that he will not increase wealth taxes immediately after becoming prime minister, easing concerns among the business community but limiting his economic room for manoeuvre. He said on Wednesday he did not want to “create new divisions” with his tax policy, in comments that allies said were a sign that he did not intend to raise money by taxing wealth. Continue

Economy
The Guardian Politics15 Jul 2026

Burnham urged to drop ‘flawed’ plans that may let developers bypass environment laws for £1

Exclusive: allowing firms to dodge biodiversity protections by paying into levy will harm nature and economy, say 100 experts in letter The UK government has been accused of “rushing through” planning changes that could give developers permission to “trash” nature for as little as £1. A letter signed by more than 100 conservationists, scientists, celebrities and businesses, including the actor and writer Stephen Fry and the broadcaster Chris Packham, has urged the incoming prime minister, Andy B

EconomyEnvironment
The Guardian Politics15 Jul 2026

Labour should ditch triple-lock pensions promise, says OECD

Organisation’s experts say pledge puts pressure on UK public finances and ‘adds significant fiscal risks’ Labour should ditch the triple-lock pensions promise to help tackle the UK’s straitened public finances, the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development has urged. In its latest survey of the UK economy, the Paris-based club of industrialised nations added its voice to those calling for an end to the pledge, which uprates the state pension each year by whichever is the highest of w

Economy
The Guardian Politics14 Jul 2026

Nigel Farage turned down taxpayer-funded security including bodyguard, car and driver last year – UK politics live

The head of Reform UK refused the security, which was a similar level to that received by the leader of the opposition, because he considered it inadequate Continue reading...

PoliticsEconomyReform
The Guardian Politics14 Jul 2026

Robert Jenrick criticises government for not offering Nigel Farage earlier security meeting

Reform’s Treasury spokesperson said talks over party leader’s protection only happening ‘as a result’ of Ann Widdecombe’s death UK politics live – latest updates Robert Jenrick has criticised the government for not offering Nigel Farage a security meeting earlier, saying it has only happened “as a result” of the death of Ann Widdecombe. The Reform UK Treasury spokesperson claimed ministers had chosen not to give Farage the security “that he needed”, and had only agreed to arrange a meeting wit

PoliticsEconomyReform
The Guardian Politics14 Jul 2026

Burnham has a chance to overhaul Pip. Here's what a truly progressive system could look like | Frances Ryan

Last week’s Timms report shows how disability is still vilified. But some pragmatic fixes would help both claimants and the economy “Broken Britain” has become the favourite narrative of the right in recent months. The playbook goes like this: politicians and pundits alike exploit genuine concerns about squeezed services and living standards to propagate a sense of division and despair. Meanwhile, the parts of the state that actually need radical change are then either ignored or misrepresented,

Economy
The Guardian Politics13 Jul 2026

JP Morgan boss pressed by US senator about contact with Jeffrey Epstein

Elizabeth Warren asks Jamie Dimon if he was advised to ‘mildly threaten’ UK chancellor over tax on bankers’ bonuses A leading Democratic senator has written to the boss of JP Morgan to request clarification on the bank’s contact with the child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Elizabeth Warren, the top Democrat on the senate banking committee, wrote to Jamie Dimon last week to ask if he took advice from Epstein while lobbying against a UK tax on banker bonuses, in a letter published by the committee

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics11 Jul 2026

Labour MPs call for Andy Burnham to restore aid spending target set by Brown

Thinktank urges prospective prime minister to reclaim UK’s role as an international leader on development Influential backbenchers are calling on Andy Burnham to reclaim Labour’s leadership on international development and chart a course back to spending 0.7% of national income on overseas aid. In a collection of essays to be published soon by the New Economics Foundation (NEF) thinktank, MPs lay out proposals for a Burnham-led government to rethink foreign policy. Continue reading...

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics10 Jul 2026

The Guardian view on disability benefits: Pip must not become another route for cuts | Editorial

Stronger European welfare states expose a Tory myth. Benefits can enable independence, work and growth Sir Stephen Timms, Labour’s minister for social security and disability, is widely acknowledged to be a parliamentary expert on welfare. He has seen the system from almost every angle: as a pensions and Treasury minister under New Labour, a shadow welfare spokesperson, a select committee chair, and now as a government minister. After Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves’s ham-fisted attempt to b

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics10 Jul 2026

The bulging in-tray of challenges Andy Burnham faces upon entering No 10

From welfare and defence spending to cost of living and geopolitics, we the look at issues leftover from Keir Starmer UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham is expected to become prime minister in less than two weeks, and has promised to significantly change Labour’s agenda and deliver better for all parts of the UK. But he will arrive with a bulging in-tray of challenges on multiple fronts and issues leftover from Keir Starmer – from geopolitics to the cost of living. Here is what Bur

PoliticsEconomyDefence