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The Guardian Politics16 May 2026

‘Why are we even doing this?’ The week that left Britain’s PM looking like an interim leader

PM has shed authority in week that has made him look like an interim leader in office only until replacement found It was a minute or so into his BBC interview on Friday morning, after being asked about “moves” to remove Keir Starmer, that Steve Reed ran out of patience. “There is no contest,” he interrupted. “‘Moves’ mean nothing. People need 81 nominations to stand against the prime minister.” The housing secretary, a close ally of Starmer and a founding member of the Labour Together thinktank

Housing
The Guardian Politics16 May 2026

‘An hour of abuse thrown at me’: Jeremy Corbyn on being the target of a Labour coup

As Keir Starmer endures a slow ousting as PM, former Labour leader Corbyn recalls his own expulsion and looks at the runners and riders “Yeah, I do feel [sorry for him],” said Jeremy Corbyn, with only a little hesitation. “On a personal level it must be devastating. It is a horrible feeling. You suddenly realise that this person doesn’t trust you at all and really doesn’t wish you well at all, and you suddenly realise that any trust that was there actually disappears.” There are few in politics

Politics
The Guardian Politics16 May 2026

Down and then out in Paris and London? Why Starmer isn’t the only one with a popularity problem

As continent faces tough headwinds, leaders are bearing brunt of delivering bad news to frustrated electorates “People hate you,” the adviser informed his leader. A think-piece in a daily newspaper noted that “almost everyone agrees on one thing: they don’t like him”. The recent disastrous set of local election results in the UK built on Keir Starmer’s longstanding reputational problem: only 11% of Britons believe he has been a good or great prime minister, and nearly 60% believe he has been poo

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

How team Burnham finally cleared the first of many hurdles on route to Westminster

At one stage the northern mayor looked to be locked out of parliament, again, but he is still only one step along the road to his No 10 ambitions For weeks, Andy Burnham’s supporters had told MPs to “hold the line”, that he had a seat in parliament in his sights and that he would be a contender in any leadership contest. That was never the full truth. His path to No 10 – if he makes it – is littered with more failed attempts than almost any other politician. Two leadership contests, a block on a

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Andy Burnham will push to become PM before Labour conference, allies say

Autumn conference in Liverpool targeted for victorious homecoming but Reform UK to fight hard in byelection Andy Burnham will push to become prime minister in time to address Labour’s autumn party conference in Liverpool, his supporters have said. The Greater Manchester mayor cleared his first hurdle to becoming the candidate in the Makerfield byelection on Friday as Labour’s ruling body gave him permission to stand for the seat. Continue reading...

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Met police preparing for large scale far-right and pro-Palestine protests in London

Officers said to be granted extra powers as marches through capital set for same day as FA Cup final British police are preparing to mount one of their largest scale operations in recent memory with more than 100,000 protesters set to march through the streets of London on the same day as the FA Cup final in Wembley. The Guardian understands that officers in vast swathes of central London will be granted extra powers in order to police the far-right Unite the Kingdom march organised by Stephen Y

Crime
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Questions over Farage’s houses and £5m gift renew scrutiny of finances

Property portfolio in spotlight as Reform UK leader faces official inquiry over money accepted from billionaire A week ago, Nigel Farage was toasting Reform UK’s successes in the May elections, and bragging about his prospects of becoming prime minister. But there is a saying about a week in politics – and it has been a long seven days for the party leader, who is now facing questions over a £5m gift and his extensive property portfolio. Continue reading...

PoliticsReformHousing
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Burnham byelection: the small town that could decide next PM – The Latest

Andy Burnham may have a route back to Westminster – and a path to the Labour leadership. But first the Greater Manchester mayor must win a byelection in Makerfield, where Nigel Farage has vowed Reform UK will ‘throw absolutely everything’ at the contest. Lucy Hough speaks to the Guardian’s north of England correspondent Hannah al-Othman, who has been talking to voters in the constituency Continue reading...

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Labour’s NEC approves Burnham’s byelection pathway back to parliament

If he stands in Makerfield there will also need to be a mayoral contest to replace him in Greater Manchester Labour’s national executive committee has approved Andy Burnham’s request to stand in the candidate selection process for the upcoming Makerfield byelection. The Greater Manchester mayor still has two more years of his term, meaning that if he stands there will need to be a mayoral byelection. Under Labour rules, sitting mayors need NEC approval to stand for Westminster. He would also nee

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Martin Rowson on the battle for the Labour leadership – cartoon

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The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Who is James Murray, the new health secretary replacing Wes Streeting?

The MP for Ealing North has not run a major department before, but has a reputation as one of the few politicians ‘nobody hates’ The softly spoken former Treasury minister who has replaced Wes Streeting has spent most of his parliamentary career toeing the party line, staying out of the headlines and quietly burnishing his credentials as a reliable cabinet colleague. At the age of 42, James Murray, the Labour and Co-operative MP for Ealing North, now has one of the biggest jobs in government. He

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

No more chancers or failures - the coming contest must produce a British PM worthy of the title | Jonathan Freedland

Labour must rise to a historic responsibility by choosing a leader who can win over the nation. The alternative is Farage on the steps of No 10 They’re looking like the gang that couldn’t shoot straight. Labour’s upper echelon, both the prime minister and his rivals, have served up a performance of such political ineptitude, walking into doors and tripping over their own feet, that it’s hard to argue with the cabinet minister who glumly told me this was the week when the government did itself da

PoliticsReform