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The Guardian Politics19 May 2026

UK unemployment unexpectedly rises to 5% as firms squeezed by Iran war

Pay growth eases to 3.4% as businesses face pressure from soaring energy costs Unemployment in the UK has unexpectedly risen to 5% while wage growth has slowed, according to official figures, in the first snapshot of how companies are reacting to the impact of the Iran war. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said the rate of unemployment was up in the three months to March, from 4.9% in February, a rate that City economists had expected to hold. Continue reading...

Defence
The Guardian Politics19 May 2026

After the painful ruse of Starmerism, the left should be cautious about Andy Burnham | Owen Jones

With the Greens now a viable alternative, a Labour leader will not win power again without the progressive vote. But they will need to earn it Labour’s failures have made a rightwing authoritarian government not just a nightmare, but a plausible next chapter. Having enraged its natural voters – many of whom have flocked to the Greens – Labour MPs have clambered on to a lifeboat named Andy Burnham. Do the rest of us blindly hop on board? Burnham is, indisputably, Labour’s best bet. He is the part

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics19 May 2026

Peter Mandelson scandal: the key questions that remain unanswered

The foreign affairs select committee meets this week to discuss next steps and there are concerns any conclusions reached at this stage may be premature The parliamentary inquiry into Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador has heard more than 77,000 words of evidence from five of the most senior officials and advisers in government. Yet, as MPs on the foreign affairs select committee meet this week to discuss next steps, there are concerns that key questions remain unanswered. The commit

Politics
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Free up fertiliser supplies to avert global food crisis, Yvette Cooper urges

UK foreign secretary says urgent pressure needed to get strait of Hormuz reopened and fertiliser and fuel moving Global fertiliser supplies must be freed up within weeks to avoid disaster, with harvests suffering and food prices rising, the UK’s foreign secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said. The war in Iran has frozen shipments of fertiliser through the strait of Hormuz, creating a supply crunch that has already damaged farming in the UK, Europe and the US and is having its worst impacts in the dev

Defence
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

‘Dodgy’ shops handling criminal cash targeted by new unit

Estimates suggest £1bn a year is laundered through high street businesses, with some connected to tax evasion, drugs and counterfeit goods “Dodgy” retail outlets such as vape stores, barbers, mini-marts and sweet shops suspected of being used to launder £1bn of criminal money will be targeted by a new specialist unit, the government has said. A £20m National Crime Agency cell will run and coordinate investigations and raids into businesses suspected of acting as fronts for gangsters, the Home Of

EconomyCrime
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

No ‘tailor-made’ deal for UK if it wants to rejoin bloc, say former EU Brexit officials

Britain likely to face ‘warm, welcoming stance’ if it seeks re-entry but also a ‘hard-headed one’ – with no special deals Britain would not be able to rejoin the EU on the special terms it enjoyed in the past, veterans of the Brexit negotiations have said. According to former officials from around Europe, the UK should not expect to achieve as beneficial a deal as it once had if it decided to begin negotiations on re-entry. Continue reading...

Defence
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Andy Burnham vows to ‘change Labour’ in direct challenge to Keir Starmer

Expected candidate in Makerfield byelection says party ‘needs to change if we are to regain people’s trust’ Andy Burnham drew the battle lines for the future of the Labour party on Monday as the Greater Manchester mayor promised he would “change Labour” and win back the voters the party had lost. Burnham, who is expected to be Labour’s candidate in the Makerfield byelection, claimed it would be no ordinary campaign and said he would make it about national issues where Labour was failing, in a di

Politics
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

The Guardian view on a new National Conversation: whether this works will depend on who is listening | Editorial

Asking people how they feel about the places where they live is worthwhile. But will it change anything? Established in the aftermath of the 2024 riots triggered by the Southport murders, the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion set itself the task of bridging divides. Set up on a cross‑party basis with Labour and Tory co-chairs (Jon Cruddas and Sir Sajid Javid), the project leans on a “more in common” philosophy of looking for what connects people, particularly in the places where t

Crime
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Makerfield byelection is about more than Andy Burnham

If most popular Labour politician cannot win this seat then party’s electoral problems run deeper than Keir Starmer The Makerfield byelection is bigger than Andy Burnham. Of the Labour MPs who were back on the constituency’s doorsteps in Hindley Green and Winstanley, just after an intensive local election campaign, many said the fight feels existential. It matters because it is probably the closest the UK will ever come to a direct presidential-style election, run through one single constituency

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Farage claim he bought £1.4m house with I’m a Celebrity fee under scrutiny

Accounts for Reform UK leader’s media company suggest money was not withdrawn at time of property purchase Nigel Farage is facing fresh scrutiny over his claim that he paid for his £1.4m house from a reality show fee rather than the millions gifted to him by a crypto billionaire. Accounts for the Reform leader’s personal media company, Thorn in the Side Ltd, suggest that money was not withdrawn from the firm at the time of the house purchase. Continue reading...

ReformHousing
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Greens split over how hard to challenge Burnham in Makerfield byelection

Some in party fear all-out campaign could boost Reform UK chances The Greens are locked in an internal debate about how hard to challenge Andy Burnham in the Makerfield byelection, with some worried about allowing Reform UK to win and others wanting the party to go all out. While characterised by insiders as “very civilised”, the discussion has highlighted existing differences between Greens who believe concessions can be won from Labour through informal cooperation and others – including some n

PoliticsEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Avanti West Coast to cut one in seven trains on its busiest intercity routes

Train operator says passenger demand will still be met as it trims summer timetable at government’s behest Avanti West Coast is to cut about one in seven trains on its busiest intercity routes this summer to reduce costs. The train operator said it was reducing its timetable between London Euston and Birmingham, Liverpool and Manchester in response to a government request to lower spending. Continue reading...