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The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Ministers have no authority to withhold Mandelson vetting file, committee says

Group of MPs and peers in effect accuse government of failing to comply with parliament’s will over release of files A powerful parliamentary committee tasked with reviewing files relating to Peter Mandelson’s appointment as US ambassador has revealed that the government is withholding his vetting file despite not having the authority to do so. In an extraordinary intervention, the intelligence and security committee (ISC) has criticised the government over its handling of the release of Mandels

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Far-right activists barred from UK ahead of Tommy Robinson rally

Keir Starmer accuses Robinson of ‘peddling hatred and division’ and archbishop of Canterbury urges people to ‘choose hope’ Eleven foreign far-right activists have been blocked from the UK ahead of a rally by Tommy Robinson supporters as Keir Starmer accused him of “peddling hatred and division”. The archbishop of Canterbury also urged people to “choose hope”, and faith leaders spoke out before the rally on Saturday, the second of its kind after more than 100,000 attended one last year. Contin

The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Pound heads for worst week in 18 months as Burnham lines up Labour bid

UK government borrowing costs jump amid political uncertainty and oil price rise that fuelled inflation worries Business live – latest updates The pound was heading for its worst week in 18 months on Friday as City traders anticipated that the UK prime minister, Keir Starmer, could face a challenge from the Manchester mayor, Andy Burnham, later this year. After days of uncertainty over Starmer’s future, sterling dropped by almost three cents, or 2%, during the week to $1.336 on Friday, a five-

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Starmer, Burnham, Farage Polanski: they make a week in politics feel like an eternity in Hades | Marina Hyde

It’s your life in their hands, but what kind of life is that? No wonder a wearied, confused public has mobilised into tribes – or just tuned out On the basis that you’re never too cooked to get a new catchphrase, Keir Starmer has repeatedly warned this week that we are in a “battle for the soul of our nation”. I wish he’d stop saying it. The thought of your very soul being fought over by Nigel Farage, Keir Starmer, Zack Polanski, Kemi Badenoch and the others is like something out of a sealed sec

PoliticsDefenceReform
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Tories suspend leader at Worcestershire council after he made deal to oust Reform

Adam Kent suspended after Tory councillors joined forces with Greens and Lib Dems to end Reform’s minority control The Conservatives have suspended the party’s leader at Worcestershire county council after he made a deal with the Greens and Liberal Democrats to oust Reform. Reform UK gained control of the council a year ago but its tenure has been marked by a series of controversies and political infighting. This included a bitter leadership battle in which the now former Reform councillor Jo Mo

PoliticsEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

From Team Reeves to Manchesterism: Labour’s four economic camps explained

Wes Streeting or Andy Burnham could launch a leadership bid – here are policies from which they could choose Wes Streeting may not have launched a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer, but he has called for a “battle of ideas” about the government’s future direction. When it comes to economic policy, there are (at least) four overlapping Labour camps, which have recently generated a flurry of policies from which leadership contenders could choose. Here we run through the main ideas behind e

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Why rights groups fear new ECHR declaration could weaken migrant protections

Political statement agreed by all 46 Council of Europe states could give them more leeway to carry out deportations A political declaration aimed at clarifying key aspects of the European convention on human rights was published on Friday, agreed by all 46 member states of the Council of Europe. Critics fear that it will weaken human rights protections for migrants. The ECHR system has become a political battleground, with both the Conservatives and Reform UK pledging to leave the convention if

PoliticsImmigrationReformRemigration
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Men in the mirror: Trump and Xi’s suits put ‘chameleon effect’ to test in Beijing

Mirroring of each other’s attire may signal alignment – though the look wasn’t a huge departure for either leader When Donald Trump and Xi Jinping met for a welcome ceremony in Tiananmen Square this week with the world’s gaze on them, they mirrored one another in strikingly similar suits. Both were blue, single-breasted with flap pockets. Both had two buttons with only the top one done up. Both wore red ties. Continue reading...

The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

What might happen next in Labour leadership challenge?

How a contest to become PM is triggered, and Andy Burnham’s chances in the Makerfield byelection UK politics live – latest updates With Andy Burnham offered a path back to parliament, the chances of a Labour leadership challenge to Keir Starmer appear to have increased dramatically. Manchester’s mayor said he wanted to return to Westminster to “make politics work properly for people” after Josh Simons, the Labour MP for Makerfield, said he would stand down so Burnham could run in the seat in t

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Politics has tossed friendship out of the window – as Keir Starmer is realising | Simon Jenkins

Britain’s embattled PM is beset by enemies. One reason is that Westminster has ceased to be a club and turned into a shambles The Tories took years of Westminster turmoil to reach their Liz Truss moment. It has taken Labour only two. Britain has a weakened prime minister, a fatally divided government and a shambolic House of Commons. No one beyond Keir Starmer’s looming rivals can seriously believe the cure lies in his immediate toppling. There is no leader in waiting obviously superior to Starm

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Digested week: Starmer’s day of reckoning was foreseen – just not the level of drama | John Crace

While Tories are quite ruthless about removing a leader, Labour MPs can’t decide whether their regicide is a tragedy or comedy No one can say they weren’t warned. Last week’s elections had always been marked out as a time of maximum danger for Keir Starmer if the results were as bad as feared. And so it proved. Only no one had anticipated quite the level of drama that would go with it. While the Tories have always been quite ruthless about getting rid of a leader they deem surplus to requirement

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics15 May 2026

Greens suggest they will properly contest byelection in blow for Burnham

Statement follows speculation party would not field candidate in Makerfield or barely fight seat UK politics live – latest updates The Greens are going to campaign for the upcoming Makerfield byelection, complicating Andy Burnham’s potential route back to parliament against what is expected to be a strong Reform UK challenge. A statement from the Greens said candidate selection was in process, and that the party had learned from its win in another Greater Manchester seat in February, when the

PoliticsEnvironmentReform