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1222 headlines found — Page 33 of 102

The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

It’s byelection bingo! Get ready for the Brexit arguments you heard 10 years ago, only louder | Zoe Williams

Makerfield will be a test of what Labour would have to look like to beat Reform – so prepare yourself for regrets, broken promises and baffling assertions about ‘red wall’ voters It is a gruesome shock and yet was entirely predictable: we stand on the brink of a byelection that is three things at once. First, a straight popularity contest for Andy Burnham, which itself is a worry, because there must be a limit to how many times you can be called “King of the North” without it boiling your brain,

Politics
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Reeves poised to cancel planned fuel duty rise to help with cost of living

Chancellor has been under pressure to extend 5p temporary cut at an estimated cost to government of £2.4bn a year UK politics live – latest updates Rachel Reeves is planning to cancel a rise in fuel duty this week when she unveils a package of measures to reduce the cost of living. The chancellor will announce she will not put up the tax by 1p as was due to happen in September, government sources said, and she could cancel all of a 5p rise that is due to happen in stages over the subsequent si

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Andy Burnham says he will not try to return UK to EU

Burnham vows to have ‘relentless domestic focus’ in first speech since announcing Makerfield byelection run UK politics live – latest updates Andy Burnham has said he will not try to return the UK to the EU, saying Britain would be stuck in a “a permanent rut if we’re just constantly arguing”. In his first major speech since announcing his byelection run, the mayor of Greater Manchester said he would have a “relentless domestic focus” in Makerfield, saying: “Let’s fix our own country. Let’s ge

Politics
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Rejoin, reset or go Swiss-style? How the UK could try to unpick Brexit

Wes Streeting has suggested he wants to see the UK ‘back in the EU’ one day – but the bloc might take some convincing UK politics live – latest updates Is it too soon? Is it even doable? Few expected that, 10 years after the Brexit referendum and barely six years after its exit from the European Union, the UK would be talking about rejoining. Over the weekend, the former health secretary and posible Labour leadership contender Wes Streeting claimed Keir Starmer’s government needed “a new speci

Politics
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

The Green party is split between two factions – but there is a strategy that could bring them together | Joe Todd

If Zack Polanski can be both popular and radical – think price controls to manage the cost of living – then he will have found a uniting mission The Greens are jubilant after sweeping through Labour heartlands in last week’s elections, winning Norwich, Hastings, Waltham Forest, Hackney and Lewisham, while becoming the largest party in Haringey and Lambeth too. At the same time, there are reports that Zack Polanski is “plotting” to water down the Green policy platform. That’s not quite true. As l

PoliticsEconomyEnvironment
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Lammy dismisses Streeting’s call for UK to rejoin EU as ‘sixth form’ debating position – UK politics live

Deputy PM says the public will not forgive weeks of internal debate on the EU and Labour leadership, warning it will play into Reform’s hands Good morning. Harold Wilson was right; a week is a long time etc etc. Seven days ago, the biggest threat to Keir Starmer was a half-baked challenge from Catherine West. A week on, with Andy Burnham on a viable path back to Westminster within the next few weeks, it now seems more likely than not that Burnham will be prime minister by the autumn, perhaps ear

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

Starmer is not setting out timetable for his departure, says David Lammy

Deputy PM says Andy Burnham would be ‘great addition to parliament’, but leadership row is an ‘own goal’ for Labour Keir Starmer is not about to set a timetable for his departure from Downing Street, David Lammy, one of the prime minister’s closest cabinet allies, has said, calling on Labour to get beyond the “spectacular own goal” of repeated leadership speculation. While allies of Starmer have suggested he is potentially willing to step aside if Andy Burnham wins next month’s Makerfield byelec

Politics
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

I've interviewed Reform UK voters – and they're much more progressive than you might think | Sacha Hilhorst

Over the past five years, I’ve spoken to people struggling to get by in post-industrial northern England. They’re crying out for more radicalism, not less Among other defeats, the recent local elections saw Labour lose heavily across the Midlands and the north of England. The results are reminiscent of the 2016 Brexit vote and, with the return of those electoral geographies, some of the old tropes have resurfaced, too. Once again, England’s post-industrial towns are cast as the angry, reactionar

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

The result of normalising Reform’s ideas? Neighbour is turned against neighbour | Nesrine Malik

‘Concern’ about immigration has now morphed into policing how ethnic minorities exist in our communities Turn away, for a moment, from Westminster and the battle to be the next prime minister – and towards the lives of the ethnic minorities and immigrants who live in England and who just saw many parts of their country turn turquoise at the May local elections. How are these people to be treated by Reform representatives when that party thinks they are lesser humans – and a threat to the social

PoliticsImmigrationDefence
The Guardian Politics18 May 2026

UK’s next ambassador to Japan may be called to give evidence in Mandelson inquiry

MPs will decide whether Corin Robertson will face questions over decision to award security clearance against advice The UK’s next ambassador to Japan could be called to give evidence over the decision to award Peter Mandelson security clearance against the advice of vetting officials. Corin Robertson was the Foreign Office’s (FCDO) chief operating officer when she was involved in the decision in late January 2025 to grant Mandelson clearance, according to evidence given to MPs. Continue readin

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics17 May 2026

Andy Burnham faces perilous race to win Makerfield byelection, allies say

Reform, which won more than 50% of the local election vote, is likely to focus heavily on immigration and Brexit Andy Burnham faces a perilous race to win the Makerfield seat, his allies have warned, as he gears up to fight a byelection that could decide the long-term future of Labour and the country. The Greater Manchester mayor is likely to be confirmed as Labour’s candidate for the north-west constituency later this week, but those close to him say he faces an uphill battle to beat Reform UK.

PoliticsImmigrationDefenceReform
The Guardian Politics17 May 2026

Where does UK-EU relationship stand and how might bid to rejoin bloc be received?

Labour leadership contender Wes Streeting calls Brexit a ‘catastrophic mistake’ while Andy Burnham sees ‘long-term case’ for rejoining EU Wes Streeting, who resigned as the health secretary last week and has said he will run in any contest to replace Keir Starmer as the Labour leader and prime minister, has described Brexit as a “catastrophic mistake” and said the UK should rejoin the EU. Andy Burnham, the Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, who will fight an upcoming byelection on a promise to

Politics