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The Guardian Politics30 Jun 2026

‘Commanding heights of the economy’: the postwar blueprint that inspires Burnham

In the second of a series on nationalisation, we look at the lessons from Clement Attlee’s administration Will Andy Burnham ‘go big’ in expanding the role of the state? A prime minister with ambitious plans for state ownership. Private companies that put profits before investment. A country struggling with onerous debts. The UK in 2026 with a new prime minister weighing up how and what price public utilities can be nationalised? No, this was Clement Attlee’s government in 1945, committed to ta

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics29 Jun 2026

Asylum seekers to pay £10,000 towards living costs under new UK law

Means-tested scheme included in immigration and asylum bill condemned by charities for placing tax on refugees Asylum seekers will be ordered to pay about £10,000 to cover their state-funded living costs or be denied settled status in the UK under a new law to be considered by MPs on Tuesday. The means-tested scheme, compared by officials to student loans and included in the immigration and asylum bill, has been condemned by charities for placing a tax on refugees fleeing war, torture and famin

PoliticsEconomyImmigrationDefence
The Guardian Politics29 Jun 2026

New defence secretary wins another £1.5bn to boost drone spending

Dan Jarvis persuaded Rachel Reeves to reduce £18bn funding gap that led to predecessor resigning The new defence secretary has secured an extra £1.5bn to the UK’s long-delayed defence investment plan, with the bulk of that to be spent on drones to deter Russia and Iran. Rows about closing an £18bn funding gap had led to the resignation of John Healey and raised questions about Britain’s commitments to Nato – though on Monday the head of the alliance told the Guardian he believed the UK would hon

Defence
The Guardian Politics29 Jun 2026

Burnham brings emotional connection and optimism in vibe shift from Starmer

Labour MPs value Burnham’s warmth as a communicator but they know that will not be enough on its own When Keir Starmer welcomed Mark Rutte, the Nato secretary general, outside No 10 on Monday, the attire fitted the moment: dark formal suits, polished leather shoes. Almost 200 miles to the north, when Andy Burnham strode into the engine hall of the People’s History Museum in Manchester, the vibe could not have been more different. Dressed in his trademark dark T-shirt and jacket, Burnham could ju

PoliticsDefenceHousing
The Guardian Politics29 Jun 2026

Nato chief says he is confident Burnham will stick to defence spending target

Mark Rutte stressed need for military investment ahead of long-awaited UK funding announcement on Tuesday Nato’s secretary general has said he is confident Andy Burnham will stick to the alliance’s long-term spending commitments, and that the man expected to be the UK’s next prime minister would recognise that rearmament can spur economic growth. During a visit to London, Mark Rutte said he did not expect the UK to meet an alliance target to spend 3.5% of GDP on defence by 2035 “in one big step”

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics29 Jun 2026

Can Andy Burnham’s ‘No 10 North’ change anything? – podcast

Andy Burnham, the prime minister-in-waiting, has made his first major speech since becoming the MP for Makerfield. Speaking in Manchester, he said the Westminster system was ‘broken’ and that a ‘more of the same’ attitude would not work. He promised a ‘No 10 North’ as part of his proposals for devolution, the biggest council housebuilding programme since the post-war period, and ‘good growth in every postcode’. Pippa and Kiran look at what the speech tells us about Burnham’s ambitions for the ec

PoliticsDefenceHousing
The Guardian Politics29 Jun 2026

Former Tory MP Craig Williams pleads guilty to cheating at gambling with election bets

Former parliamentary private secretary to Rishi Sunak admits offence relating to betting on date of 2024 election The former Conservative MP Craig Williams, who was parliamentary private secretary to Rishi Sunak, has pleaded guilty at Southwark crown court to cheating at gambling with bets on the date of the 2024 general election. More details soon … Continue reading...

PoliticsDefenceCrime
The Guardian Politics29 Jun 2026

UK state threats bill could pull British journalists into terror prosecutions – experts

Two independent reviewers of terrorism legislation call for safeguards for NGOs and journalists before bill becomes law this week British foreign correspondents could be at risk of prosecution if they use sources within state-backed groups in countries such as Iran under national security legislation being rushed through parliament this week. David Anderson, the UK’s former independent reviewer of terrorism legislation, has warned that unless the bill is amended it could accidentally pull journa

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics28 Jun 2026

London mayor to override opposition to outdoor dining in Soho next summer

Exclusive: Sadiq Khan plans to use new powers after local council opposes city scheme for seasonal pedestrianisation The mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, plans to override opposition to al fresco dining in Soho after the local council failed to apply to a scheme for seasonal pedestrianisation that is being introduced across the capital this summer. From 2027, restaurants in London’s entertainment district will be allowed to put chairs outside in the warmer months despite a longstanding local row on

Defence
The Guardian Politics28 Jun 2026

Burnham may have to boost defence spending to pass ‘Moscow test’, says ex-military chief

Adm Sir Tony Radakin says UK currenly ‘falls short’ of level required to keep Russian threats at bay The former head of the armed forces has told Andy Burnham that plans for defence spending must meet a “Moscow test” to keep Russian threats at bay, warning the UK currently “falls short” of that level of commitment. Adm Sir Tony Radakin, who was the chief of the defence staff until last year, said that if the government’s defence investment plan (Dip), expected to be published this week, was “not

DefenceHousing
The Guardian Politics28 Jun 2026

Ed Miliband as chancellor would benefit every part of the UK – and the bond markets | Josh Ryan-Collins

If Andy Burnham chooses the energy secretary, Labour could fully use the benefits of net zero to promote growth and jobs It should have been a great week for Ed Miliband and his mission to decarbonise the UK economy. Western Europe has experienced one of its worst ever heatwaves, providing powerful evidence of the need to transition away from fossil-fuel-driven energy production to reduce the carbon emissions that are contributing to global warming. Instead, however, he has been attacked by an u

EconomyDefenceEnvironment
The Guardian Politics28 Jun 2026

Rising cost of insuring against climate crisis will have wider knock-on effects for UK economy | Heather Stewart

As extreme weather events become more common, economists say government will need to take more active role to protect consumers Anyone attempting to notch up a productive day’s work in the searing heat of southern England this last week was left in little doubt about the impact of extreme weather. But the economic effects of the climate crisis for the UK are not confined to the many hours lost to quietly perspiring – or fetching kids dismissed early from scorching classrooms. Continue reading..

EconomyDefenceEnvironment