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The Guardian Politics14 May 2026

Angela Rayner cleared by HMRC over tax affairs paving the way for potential leadership bid

Exclusive: former deputy prime minister says investigation ‘clipped my wings’ as she settles £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty Angela Rayner has been cleared by HMRC of deliberate wrongdoing or carelessness over her tax affairs, the Guardian can reveal, paving the way for a potential leadership bid as Keir Starmer’s grip on power unravels. The former deputy prime minister has settled £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty after initially paying the lower rate, but has not paid any penalty as a result of the in

Economy
The Guardian Politics13 May 2026

Wes Streeting prepares to launch leadership challenge against Keir Starmer

Health secretary’s move to force race sparks scramble on left of Labour for candidate to oppose him UK politics live – latest updates Wes Streeting is preparing to launch a leadership challenge against Keir Starmer on Thursday if the health secretary can secure the support of enough MPs to trigger a contest. Streeting’s move to force a race has sparked a frantic scramble on the left of Labour to find a candidate to oppose him, with Ed Miliband and Angela Rayner both possible contenders. Conti

Politics
The Guardian Politics13 May 2026

Wes Streeting: PM-in-waiting or ‘this generation’s David Miliband’?

Health secretary’s lack of challenge had reassured Starmer and his allies – but then briefings for a speculative Thursday launch emerged As the unofficial political truce of the king’s speech approached, with still no sign of a leadership challenge from Wes Streeting, some of his Labour colleagues assumed the health secretary’s chance to go for the top job might have passed for ever. “There is a risk he becomes the David Miliband of this generation if he doesn’t do something,” one MP said, a ref

Politics
The Guardian Politics13 May 2026

Who would be in Wes Streeting’s corner if he ran for the Labour leadership?

The health secretary’s backers have different – not always ideological – reasons for supporting him Wes Streeting plans to resign and mount leadership challenge, allies say For all that Labour’s left denounce Wes Streeting as a reincarnated Blairite, he has friendships and alliances across various Labour factions, not all of which lean into each other. As he considers a possible bid to challenge Keir Starmer, the MPs supporting him are not ideological clones. Some are personal allies, while

PoliticsHousing
The Guardian Politics13 May 2026

‘Hold the line’: Burnham tells allies in parliament he still has options to return

Greater Manchester mayor seeks to reassure his supporters after potential seats for him fail to materialise Andy Burnham has told Labour MPs they should hold the line and that he has options to return to parliament after several seats identified by allies of the Greater Manchester mayor failed to materialise. Two seats his backers had described as “nailed on” as recently as Monday night are now out of contention after the MPs concerned got cold feet. Continue reading...

Politics
The Guardian Politics13 May 2026

As Westminster rages, and Labour sinks into civil war: what about the people? | Aditya Chakrabortty

Voters are desperate for a turnaround in living standards. The runners and riders for the Labour leadership must address this “Westminster is a cocoon. Lots of people in lovely jobs, so it becomes easy to forget the world outside.” Catherine West should know. She’s been an MP for 11 years, even if you hadn’t heard of her until this weekend when the Labour backbencher threatened Keir Starmer for the leadership, firing the first shots in the civil war that now engulfs the government. Before Wes St

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics13 May 2026

‘It’s more incrementalism’: Starmer’s safe king’s speech fails to quell mutiny

One of PM’s expanding cohort of critics in Labour party says policy programme ‘sums up where we have gone wrong’ For Keir Starmer’s Labour critics, his second king’s speech, in which the government set out what it would do in parliament over the next 12 to 18 months, was a crystallisation of everything that was wrong with the prime minister’s strategy. Over 34 bills and three draft ones, Starmer set out a programme he said would “make this country stronger and fairer”. But the package, which inc

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics13 May 2026

The Guardian view on the king’s speech: an agenda for a government that lacks conviction | Editorial

Keir Starmer’s programme is fatally limited by the timidity of an election manifesto that shied away from hard arguments Ending 14 years of Conservative rule was supposed to bring an end to dysfunctional government. In the speech that launched his 2024 general election campaign, Sir Keir Starmer said that “a vote for Labour is a vote for stability … a vote to stop the chaos”. Less than two years later, Sir Keir’s government looks no sturdier than its predecessors. The prime minister’s chances o

Politics
The Guardian Politics13 May 2026

King’s speech might be the last word on Starmer as reluctant monarch does his duty | John Crace

With the PM’s future numbered in days no wonder Charles might have felt reading out the government’s agenda was not the best use of his time The king looked fed up. His attempts to throw a sickie had come to nothing. Did the government really want to go ahead with the state opening? Apparently it did. Would it be OK if he phoned it in? He fancied a day WFP. Working from palace. It wouldn’t. It was a three-line whip. One of the few occasions a monarch was obliged to attend. “My lords. Pray be sea

PoliticsHousing
The Guardian Politics13 May 2026

The key questions for Nigel Farage over £5m gift from crypto-billionaire

Reform UK leader insists the sum did not have to be declared but there are also other aspects of his finances to be addressed Farage faces inquiry over £5m gift Nigel Farage has been dogged by questions about his finances since the Guardian revealed he received a £5m gift from a donor in 2024. Although he insists the gift did not have to be declared, several important questions remain unanswered. Continue reading...

Reform
The Guardian Politics13 May 2026

The king’s speech: what is the government’s legislative agenda for the next 12 months?

Keir Starmer set out bills to abolish NHS England, overhaul Send provision, limit jury trials and forge ties with EU Keir Starmer has laid out long-promised changes to education, health and the courts in the king’s speech, which maps out the government’s agenda for the next year. The speech included bills to abolish NHS England, overhaul the provision of special educational needs teaching, limit trials by jury, introduce digital ID and end the leasehold system in England and Wales. It also provi

EducationCrimeHealthcare