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1708 headlines found — Page 23 of 143

The Guardian Politics16 Jul 2026

How green is Andy Burnham? Britain’s next PM faces tough climate decisions

Heatwaves, high energy prices, calls for reindustrialisation and North Sea drilling are all high on the to-do list UK politics live – latest updates Wildfires cast a pall of smoke this week over Greater Manchester, whose former mayor Andy Burnham stands on the threshold of No 10. Amid three UK heatwaves so far this year, which have killed thousands of people in England and Wales, damaged harvests and left children crying in classrooms, the new prime minister’s plans for the climate crisis rema

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics16 Jul 2026

Mahmood v Miliband: who will Burnham choose for chancellor? – podcast

Andy Burnham will become prime minister of the UK on Monday. But he has yet to reveal any cabinet picks, and rumours suggest he still hasn’t chosen a chancellor. What do we actually know about his plans for governing? Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey chat about the new PM’s options and the likely issues on the top of his in-tray You can read Dan Boffey’s profile of Andy Burnham here Please keep sending your comments and questions to Pippa and Kiran at politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com You can watch

Politics
The Guardian Politics16 Jul 2026

UK government drops plan to stop paying coastguard volunteers

Move raises questions over position of the head of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency UK politics live – latest updates Ministers have U-turned on plans to strip volunteer coastguard officers of their hourly pay after coming in for intense criticism over the plan. The announcement, made by the maritime minister in parliament on Thursday, was described as a huge win for coastguards many of whom had said they would reduce their hours or leave the service altogether if the government had pushed a

Politics
The Guardian Politics16 Jul 2026

Starmer nationalises British Steel and visits Ukraine on last full day as Labour leader – UK politics live

Outgoing PM moves to cements his legacy before his replacement by Andy Burnham as party leader tomorrow Good morning. Conventional wisdom has it that, once a PM announces they are going to stand down, all their power vanishes faster than water down a clear plughole. Broadly that’s correct. But in the last week or so Keir Starmer seems to have been acting with a decisiveness that eluded him for most of his time in office: finalising the defence investment plan; delivering the long-awaited apology

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics16 Jul 2026

From Cambridge ‘imposter’ to New Labour star: Andy Burnham’s winding path to power

In the first of a two-part profile, Daniel Boffey traces the incoming PM’s early forays into politics and his rise to prominence – ultimately leading to him leaving London for Manchester Andy Burnham had emerged victorious, but niggling doubts remained about his mandate. It was the summer of 1987 and the 17-year-old had represented Labour in a school hustings as Margaret Thatcher and Neil Kinnock were battling it out in that year’s general election. “Andy was standing against another guy, a real

Politics
The Guardian Politics16 Jul 2026

Burnham must avoid ‘summer of speculation’ on tax, warns CBI chief

Rain Newton-Smith calls for a new generation of public-private partnerships to fund major projects Andy Burnham must avoid another “summer of speculation” on tax and spend that would spook British business, the chief executive of the CBI has warned. As Burnham prepares to take up the Labour leadership on Friday, with a new cabinet to be announced on Monday, Rain Newton-Smith urged him to tread carefully. Continue reading...

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics16 Jul 2026

The Andy Burnham I know – podcast

Today in Focus hears from friends, colleagues and mentors of Andy Burnham to find out more about the man soon to be prime minister On Monday, Andy Burnham will become the UK prime minister. The former Greater Manchester mayor has faced neither a general election nor a Labour leadership contest to get there, leaving many to wonder: who is he and what does he stand for? Continue reading...

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 Jul 2026

The Guardian view on Keir Starmer’s farewell: a dignified departure and a necessary one | Editorial

The outgoing prime minister was on good form during his sometimes emotional last PMQs. But Labour MPs were right that change was needed Mercifully for a prime minister whose defenestration was swift and brutal after Labour’s catastrophic local election results in May, Sir Keir Starmer’s valedictory week has offered several opportunities to point to what he got right. Sir Keir’s steadfast record in corralling international support for Ukraine – and ensuring Britain stayed out of Donald Trump’s il

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 Jul 2026

The Guardian view on obesity: put public health before food industry pressure | Editorial

Obesity reflects prices, advertising and access, not simply weak willpower. Ministers must now act Britain has spent the last three decades asking individuals to make healthier choices inside a market that makes those choices more expensive and less visible. It is no surprise then that the proportion of adults in England living with obesity nearly doubled in that time, to 30%. MPs on the health select committee have decided enough is enough. Preventing obesity in future generations, they say, mu

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 Jul 2026

Andy Burnham’s path to No 10: inside the 17 July Guardian Weekly

The challenges facing Britain’s next PM. Plus: Fury amid the rubble in Venezuela Andy Burnham is to become Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade, having secured the Labour leadership with the landslide support of his party’s MPs. The former Manchester mayor is now set to replace Starmer as Labour leader on Friday before walking through the doors of No 10 and becoming prime minister next Monday. Continue reading...

Politics
The Guardian Politics15 Jul 2026

In Wales, I've seen what happens when devolution isn't done right. Here's what Andy Burnham must know | Will Hayward

In my country, devolution has been the equivalent of giving someone a new electric car without the capacity to charge it. That can’t be the model for the whole UK As a journalist, I have specialised in Wales, Welsh politics and devolution for the past 10 years. Devolution, in particular, could be considered a bit niche as subjects go. But suddenly, everyone wants to talk about it because Andy Burnham is making it front and centre of his offer as prime minister. MPs have been falling over themsel

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics15 Jul 2026

Farage said he would need ‘a million a year’ to stand as MP in 2024

Exclusive: Politician spoke to senior figures in Reform in March that year about covering lost earnings, sources tell the Guardian Nigel Farage told senior figures in Reform UK he would need “a million a year” to cover lost earnings if he stood for parliament in the 2024 general election, sources have told the Guardian, raising further questions about why he was given £5m by a crypto billionaire. Sources say the discussion took place in March 2024 – shortly before the undeclared gift was made by

PoliticsReform