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Could Starmer bring back Rayner to steady ship – and would she get onboard?

Former deputy PM has walked a line between loyalty and interventionism since resigning last September It is nearly eight months since Angela Rayner quit the cabinet because of her tax arrangements, but some might argue her influence on the government has not gone away. And soon she might return, whether as Keir Starmer’s saviour or, perhaps, his usurper. There is increasing speculation that the prime minister could carry out a small-scale reshuffle, primarily to bring back Rayner, his former dep

Why is Britain’s economy so stuck? It’s the tension between what voters want and what the bond markets allow | Larry Elliott

There is no such thing as the Bond Dealers party, but there might as well be – the people who trade in UK debt exert a stranglehold over our politics The days of two-party politics are over. When voters go to the polls in England next week, they will have five main contenders to choose from. In Scotland and Wales, the nationalists make it a six-strong race. This fragmentation reflects the deep discontent with Labour and the Conservatives. One thing in common between the Greens and Reform UK is t

Politics LIVE: Nightmare for Keir Starmer as pollster makes dire election prediction

Labour is set to face huge losses, while Reform UK will make major gains.

Is it a stunt or just doing the job? Either way the PM’s been playing politics as much as anyone else

Starmer’s comment about a stunt ‘just before elections’ supposes in one way that a ‘stunt’ is one thing, but it’s 'simply not cricket’ to deploy it just ahead of going to the polls. As he famously once said to a Tory Prime Minister - 'Come off it' The post Is it a stunt or just doing the job? Either way the PM’s been playing politics as much as anyone else appeared first on Conservative Home.

Labour is facing wipeout in its final stronghold. Why? It’s housing, housing, housing | Aditya Chakrabortty

In the 1980s, Labour-controlled London built 52,000 council homes. During the Tony Blair decade, just 280. It’s brought this local-election catastrophe on itself Over the week to come, journalists will repeat three things until they, and you, are sick: that local elections fall next Thursday; that the results will decide the fate of Keir Starmer; and that he is set to do badly. But just how badly, and where? Last week, Starmer’s own party dropped a big clue. The most popular politician in Britai

<a href='https://news.sky.com/video/kemi-badenoch-defends-record-as-tory-leader-and-says-golders-green-attack-is-a-national-emergency-13538163'>Era of two-party politics 'has gone', Badenoch tells Cathy Newman</a>

The Guardian view on assisted dying reform: now try a citizens’ assembly | Editorial

Parliament’s failure to change the law on a difficult issue should be the spur to democratic innovation The prorogation of parliament on Wednesday signals the end of the road for the terminally ill adults (end of life) bill. The proposal to allow some patients in England and Wales, under very specific circumstances, to have medical assistance in ending their own lives was still at committee stage in the Lords when the house rose. Since it was introduced as a private member’s bill, it cannot be c

Rachel Reeves’s plan to mandate how pension funds invest was always a mistake | Nils Pratley

You can understand the motivation – more UK investment by UK funds means faster UK growth – but fiduciary duty trumps all A simple principle lies at the heart of pension investment: the pension manager must invest in the best interest of the client. UK ministers have often wished UK funds would show more home bias by channelling more pensioners’ cash towards domestic assets in the interests of economic growth, but the fundamental rule of the game has always been understood. You don’t mess with t

Leasehold ban in England and Wales unlikely before next general election, minister says

Matthew Pennycook says ending system must be done slowly to avoid hitting housing supply and legal pitfalls A ban on new leasehold properties in England and Wales is unlikely to come into force until after the next election, the housing minister has said, as he defended the government’s piecemeal attempts to dismantle the system. The long-promised end would take years to “switch on”, Matthew Pennycook said, even though the ban of leaseholds on new houses was passed in 2024 and the government int

Nigel Farage referred to standards watchdog over undisclosed £5m gift

Rival parties demand investigation as Tory party chair refers Reform UK leader to commissioner over gift from crypto tycoon Exclusive: Farage given undisclosed £5m by crypto tyoon Analysis: Farage’s attempt to get ahead of story raises more questions Nigel Farage has been referred to parliament’s standards watchdog after the Guardian revealed he received an undeclared £5m gift from a party donor. The referral was made by the Conservative party citing rules that require MPs to declare any “per

Leasehold ban 'unlikely to come into force' before next general election, housing minister says

It's "highly likely" the ban on new leasehold properties won't come into force until the next parliament, Matthew Pennycook has said.

How King Charles’s speech was written – and how to read it

King’s carefully crafted address to US Congress was the result of close liaison with aides, No 10 and Foreign Office Donald Trump called it “fantastic”, Democrats cheered references to Magna Carta, while the joint session of the US Congress came together in giving it a standing ovation. King Charles’s address to US lawmakers, while non-political, did not shy from politics. And, though the president did not take offence – “He made a great speech, I was very jealous” – its pointed mentions of subj