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The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

Andy Burnham has plan to return to Westminster ‘within weeks’, allies say

Exclusive: Greater Manchester mayor said to have identified seats where MPs would step aside to allow leadership bid Andy Burnham has a credible plan to return to Westminster “within weeks”, his allies have said, with the Greater Manchester mayor expected to use a byelection fight to set out a new agenda for government. Burnham, who was blocked by Labour’s ruling body from running in February’s Gorton and Denton byelection, has identified several seats where MPs are prepared to step aside for hi

Politics
The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

The Guardian view on Britain’s fragile systems: when global shocks hit your shopping bill | Editorial

Energy disruption abroad drives prices at home, showing how few safeguards are built in – which is why a call for resilience must be heeded When the Bank of England warned this week that food inflation could reach 7% by the end of the year, it revealed how little stands between a geopolitical jolt and a domestic crisis in Britain. A shock wave in the Gulf feeds through energy, fertiliser and supermarket prices into falling incomes, weak growth and job losses. What it exposes is not just inflatio

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

Foreign Office cuts will weaken oversight of international law, MPs warn

Cross-party group says closure of humanitarian unit will undermine monitoring of legal violations and arms exports MPs have expressed alarm at the closure of the Foreign Office’s international humanitarian law unit, warning it “will impair the UK’s ability to anticipate, assess and respond to serious violations of international law across multiple contexts”. News of the closure, revealed by the Guardian, was raised with Keir Starmer at prime minister’s questions this week by the independent MP f

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

Zack Polanski apologises for sharing tweet criticising police at Golders Green stabbings

Apology comes after head of Met police said Green party leader risked undermining public confidence in his officers Zack Polanski has apologised for sharing a social media post critical of police after the Golders Green stabbings, after the head of the Metropolitan police said the Green leader risked undermining public confidence in his officers. Polanski, who leads the Greens in England and Wales, said he was sorry for having shared someone else’s post “in haste”. Continue reading...

EnvironmentCrime
The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

Charles tamed Trump while rebuking Trumpism in ego-flattering masterstroke

King skillfully appeals to Republicans fond of Britain and Democrats anxious about rules-based order in state visit For his last trick, the king revealed a bell that hung from the conning tower of a Royal Navy submarine launched from a UK shipyard in 1944. Its name was HMS Trump. “And should you ever need to get hold of us,” Charles III said, “well, just give us a ring.” The polished brass bell bearing the name “Trump”, presented at Tuesday’s state dinner at the White House, was an ego-flatterin

Defence
The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

End of Trump tariffs on whisky sparks row between Scottish parties over claiming credit

Labour called SNP first minister John Swinney ‘shameless’ for claiming credit when it was the result of king’s US visit Donald Trump’s announcement that he will lift punishing US tariffs on scotch whisky has been overshadowed by a row between rival Scottish party leaders over claiming credit for the decision. The whisky industry and business leaders were delighted by the US president’s sudden announcement on his Truth Social network on Thursday that he would end the tariffs to mark the visit by

The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

If I could vote in next week’s Senedd election, I’d choose Plaid Cymru. Here’s why | Simon Jenkins

Wales could be richer than any other area of the UK. I just wish Plaid’s leader would be more confident about independence If I were living in Wales, next week I would vote Welsh nationalist, for Plaid Cymru. But I would do so for what its leader claims to support but doesn’t talk about enough: independence. Wales is where I have spent a fifth of each year for almost all of my life. Its natural beauty, the charm of (most of) its towns and the talents of its people should render it the richest pl

Politics
The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

Too good to be true: on the road with Nigel Farage – photo essay

Guardian photojournalist Sean Smith has been following the Reform UK leader as he criss-crosses the country on a busy schedule of walkabouts and meet-ups with prospective councillors and supporters before the May elections Nigel Farage and Reform are campaigning around the country in the local elections and consistently polling higher than the other parties. Reform’s campaign started with a series of rallies for supporters and candidates, where they asked attenders who were not already members t

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

Met police commissioner denies ‘intervening in politics’ after accusing Polanski of fueling tensions – UK politics live

The Green party leader reshared a post on social media that appeared to show officers kicking the suspect in the Golders Green attack in the head Full report: Zack Polanski’s criticism of Golders Green attack arrest will have ‘chilling effect’, says Met chief Morning, welcome to our UK politics blog. The Metropolitan police commissioner Mark Rowley has denied he was “intervening in politics” after he wrote an open letter to Zack Polanski over the way officers arrested the Golders Green attack

PoliticsEnvironmentCrime
The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

Watchdog weighs investigation into Farage’s undisclosed £5m donation

Electoral Commission reviewing whether Reform UK leader should have declared billionaire’s gift before entering parliament Analysis: Farage’s bid to get ahead of story only raises more questions Farage referred to standards watchdog over undisclosed £5m gift The UK elections watchdog is considering whether to investigate an undisclosed £5m donation received by Nigel Farage before he announced his candidacy at the last general election. The move comes after the Guardian revealed this week that

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

As a schoolboy, I was dazzled by the Festival of Britain in 1951 – but it revealed a divided nation | Michael Billington

From the Dome of Discovery to the massive cigar-shaped Skylon, the spectacular cultural showcase was an exhilarating sight in 1951. The Tories demolished those prime exhibits yet, 75 years on, it has a significant legacy ‘We ought to do something jolly … we need something to give Britain a lift.” So said Herbert Morrison, a key figure in Clement Attlee’s postwar Labour government, selling to the cabinet the idea of a Festival of Britain. It kicked off 75 years ago this weekend with a service of

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics1 May 2026

My advice to Hannah Spencer? Before calling out MPs’ boozing, try to understand the reasons behind it | Gaby Hinsliff

The new MP is right that parliament’s drinking culture is fundamentally weird. But to change it, we need to reset the whole institution Seven o’clock on a Monday night and I am standing in the House of Commons, nursing a glass of vinegary white wine. All around me are people doing the same, though it’s polite sipping rather than getting sloshed. Waiters ferry bottles between the terrace function rooms, where MPs are hosting dinners or campaign launches like the one I’m at. Between the clanging d

Politics