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The Guardian Politics8 Aug 2026

The night Belfast burned: how the Northern Ireland race riots unfolded

A horrific knife attack on a street in June sparked another summer’s night of racial violence, stoked by loyalist groups. How did the unrest erupt – and why do many fear it will happen again? Shortly after 10.30pm on Monday 8 June, as a summer twilight lingered over Belfast, a horrific scene unfolded on Kinnaird Avenue: a man straddled and repeatedly stabbed a figure lying on the ground in a bloody assault that ended only after onlookers intervened. Others captured the drama on cameraphones and

The Guardian Politics8 Aug 2026

Union calls for robust review of OBR over fears it holds back economic growth

TUC will urge John Healey to order ‘root and branch’ assessment of watchdog amid claims its forecasts downplay investment benefits The TUC is urging the new chancellor, John Healey, to order a “root and branch” review of the Office for Budget Responsibility, claiming the forecaster’s approach holds back investment. With Andy Burnham promising “good growth in every postcode”, the union umbrella body is calling on Healey to use his first budget on 28 October to re-examine the assessments of the wa

Economy
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

Thetford residents remain on edge after days of ‘mob rule’ over asylum plans

People voice frustration with officials’ failure to engage with community over placement of asylum seekers in area A smashed window pane and some broken eggshells on a footpath were some of the tell-tale signs of events that took place this week on a residential street at the edge of Thetford. On Friday afternoon it was not hard to find local people with a sense of foreboding after the latest disorder in the Norfolk market town which has seen crowds attempt to break into properties believed to b

Immigration
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

Millions in England face longer waits for mental health care as NHS providers plan cuts

Exclusive: Seven in 10 survey respondents expect services to be reduced or shut, while more than half anticipate job losses Millions of adults and children in England face being forced to wait longer for mental health care, with more than two-thirds of NHS providers planning to cut services and half expected to axe jobs, the Guardian can reveal. With mental health services already under extraordinary pressure amid soaring demand for support, experts warned the proposed cuts – drawn up by trusts

DefenceHealthcare
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

A ‘Keminaissance’ for the Tories is wishful thinking – Badenoch’s Reform-lite summer will only end one way | Jonathan Freedland

Hiring a convicted antisemite as an adviser; rabble rousing at a time of violent unrest. She is still in a race to the bottom and making too many mistakes The Keminaissance will be delayed. For nearly a year, Conservative optimists and a clutch of supportive pundits have been forecasting an upturn in the fortunes of Kemi Badenoch, confident that her party will emerge from the crater it fell into in 2024, overtake Reform UK to become once again the main party of the right and, who knows, maybe, w

Reform
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

It must be tricky for Nige to remember what’s what. It’s so hideously complicated | John Crace

I can’t pass up the moment the Reform leader celebrates his byelection victory against a man with a dustbin on his head You would have thought that after 35 years of writing for the Guardian I would have mastered some of the basics of holiday protocol by now. Apparently not. So while I had remembered to let the newsdesk know that I wouldn’t be writing the political sketch for two weeks, it had completely slipped my mind to inform the Saturday editor. So rather than leave her with the headache of

PoliticsHousing
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

Kemi Badenoch’s weird week: defence of ex-neo-Nazi raises questions over Tory direction

Some in party are delighted by leader’s tack rightwards but opponents have savoured latest Conservative controversy There was a moment in the middle of this week when a news alert raised eyebrows among the politically committed. It read: “Kemi Badenoch: Former neo-Nazi candidate would just be sorting out bins.” It was a collection of words that might prompt palpitations in the most sanguine of communications professionals, followed by panicked advice that retreat was necessary. But as a deeply w

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

How divided is the UK really? Here’s a way to find out | Brendan Cox

Social media-fuelled riots and fractured politics make us feel more divided than ever, but is that so? Our study hopes to reveal what bring us together – and pushes us apart Take part in the National Conversation Brendan Cox is co-founder of the Together Coalition, which acts as the secretariat for the Independent Commission on Community and Cohesion When my late wife Jo Cox was killed by a far-right extremist 10 years ago, the phrase “more in common”, taken from her maiden speech in parliame

Politics
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

Labour government says more people working illegally are being arrested and deported – UK politics live

More than double number of arrests made since 2024 compared with previous two-year period Morning and welcome to our UK politics blog. The government said more arrests are being made for illegal working, with Home Office figures showing more than 17,000 people have been arrested since the July 2024 general election – more than double the number recorded in the previous two-year period. Chaos has descended on the Norfolk town of Thetford for a third night in a row as violent anti-immigration prot

PoliticsImmigrationRemigration
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

Tory plan to ban foreign nationals from social housing condemned as ‘divisive’

Housing charity says move would drive up homelessness, while Labour dismisses proposal as ‘unworkable’ Plans to ban foreign nationals from social housing under a Conservative government have been condemned as “divisive”. Under proposals revealed on Friday, the party said about 230,000 homes would become available if foreign nationals were prevented from accessing social housing. Continue reading...

Housing
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

Primary schools to be told to identify children at risk of future unemployment

Exclusive: Neet crisis review to call for teachers to be asked to spot those at risk of leaving education jobless at 16 What can Dublin teach us? Milburn goes on quest to learn Primary schools in England should be required to identify children at risk of leaving education at 16 without finding a job, a government review is to recommend. Alan Milburn, who is leading a review into Britain’s crisis in youth worklessness, said he would call for sweeping changes in education policy alongside a shak

Education
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

What can Dublin teach us? Milburn goes on a quest to solve youth jobs crisis

The former UK minister discovers how apprenticeships and support networks helped slash Ireland’s Neet rate English primary schools to be told to identify children at risk of future unemployment Alan Milburn is guiding a metal loop along the serpentine wire of an electrical buzzer game as he explains the challenge of Britain’s youth jobs crisis. “We have got more than a million young people not in education, employment or training (Neet). Crisis is an over-used word – but this is a crisis.” On

EducationReformHousing