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327 headlines found — Page 4 of 28

The Guardian Politics4 Aug 2026

Labour members ‘have tougher view on welfare than you might think’, poll suggests

Survey finds party members see health, the economy, cost of living and climate crisis among biggest challenges Andy Burnham has inherited a Labour membership that is sceptical about increased welfare spending, supportive of higher defence spending, and ranks the climate crisis as one of the country’s biggest challenges, according to new polling. The survey of 788 members between the end of June and the end of July shows them ranking health (43%), the economy (42%), cost of living (39%) and clima

EconomyDefenceEnvironment
The Guardian Politics1 Aug 2026

EU relations, climate crisis and Gaza: why Ed Miliband is fired up by Foreign Office challenges

Labour veteran is said to relish role that requires careful negotiation of Trump and impending G20 leadership Extraordinarily, given the importance of geopolitics, the office of foreign secretary has sometimes appeared a consolation prize in British politics, perhaps reflecting the transfer of responsibility to Downing Street or the Cabinet Office. That is not how Ed Miliband views the job. His allies say suggestions that he nurses resentment after he was deprived of the chance to be chancellor

PoliticsEnvironmentHealthcare
The Guardian Politics31 Jul 2026

Labour wins decisive victory in Greater Manchester mayoral byelection

Bev Craig, the city council leader, succeeds Andy Burnham as mayor, reversing Reform gains in May local elections Labour has stormed to a decisive victory in the Greater Manchester mayoral byelection, seizing back areas that recently fell to Reform UK and the Greens. Labour’s Bev Craig, the Manchester city council leader, will now succeed Andy Burnham and hold one of the most powerful political positions outside Westminster. Continue reading...

PoliticsEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics31 Jul 2026

Burnham risks first revolt as PM over apparent support for North Sea drilling

Labour MPs fear No 10 team lack up-to-date energy insight and don’t fully recognise voters’ climate concerns Andy Burnham was told he could face the first revolt of his premiership as Labour MPs and climate experts condemned his apparent support for renewed drilling for oil and gas. As the UK suffers through drought, fires and heatwaves, the prime minister gave the strongest indication yet on Friday he was minded to allow for new drilling. His comments came just hours before the UN secretary-gen

PoliticsEnvironmentHousing
The Guardian Politics31 Jul 2026

The Burnham bounce is eclipsing the Green surge – and Zack Polanski’s radical hope is being tested | Gaby Hinsliff

The new PM is enjoying a honeymoon period but, longer-term, the Greens have the freedom to say whatever Labour won’t Cackling happily into their pints, the two most powerful men in the country scoff their way through a selection of pub snacks. Pork scratchings or scampi fries? Or maybe old-school peanuts? It’s hardly the toughest choice currently facing Andy Burnham and the chancellor, John Healey, so some may find this week’s made-to-go-viral Instagram reel of them gleefully ranking crisps a b

PoliticsEnvironmentHousing
The Guardian Politics30 Jul 2026

Will we pay more tax to fund social care? – podcast

Andy Burnham gave a major speech on Wednesday on his plans for a national care service. He sought cross-party consensus on the issue by speaking to the Tories and Lib Dems. But not Reform UK or the Greens. On Thursday, Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick held a press conference claiming the prime minister wanted a ‘death tax’. But is that what Burnham set out? Plus, Zack Polanski is under fire for a social media post. Is the Green party leader too ‘online’? Pippa Crerar and Peter Walker discuss Read Pete

EconomyEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics30 Jul 2026

Reform UK to hold press conference after Met rules out investigating Polanski over anti-Farage message – UK politics live

Green party said it was ‘obvious from the start’ that Polanski had not committed an offence Good morning. Reform UK are holding a press conference this morning. It is going to feature Robert Jenrick, the party’s Treasury spokesperson, and he wants to talk about Andy Burnham’s speech yesterday about social care reform. But we already know what Jenrick thinks about that, and there are plenty of other stories that reporters might want to ask about. For a start, there is Anna Isaac’s latest Guardia

PoliticsEconomyEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics29 Jul 2026

Burnham to give speech on social care as Louise Casey plays down cost concerns saying many families ‘already paying’ – UK politics live

PM will not discuss details but will focus on need to find ‘common ground’ and to build political consensus Zack Polanski, the Green party leader, has said he made an “inadvertent mistake” by sharing an Instagram post of a man wearing a T-shirt featuring an image of a guillotine and the phrase “we’re only making plans for Nigel”, but he repeatedly said he would not apologise to Nigel Farage. Aletha Adu has the story. Good morning. Andy Burnham is this morning giving a speech on social care. He

PoliticsEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics29 Jul 2026

‘Terminally online’: why frustrated Greens want Polanski to hand over his social media

As Labour enjoy a ‘Burnham bounce’, post by Green leader that appeared to welcome violence against Nigel Farage has left some supporters bemused It is just coincidence that a very public mishap by Zack Polanski arrived at the same time as new polls showed Labour in the lead. But it did neatly illustrate the point that while Andy Burnham is enjoying a political honeymoon, the Green leader’s now seems over. This is not to say the Green party in England and Wales is too worried about the arrival o

PoliticsEnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics29 Jul 2026

Zack Polanski will not say sorry to Farage for sharing ‘dangerous’ image

Green party leader says it was ‘a mistake’ and if Farage wants to apologise for times he’s put people in danger he’ll be happy to say sorry The Green party leader, Zack Polanski, has said he made an “inadvertent mistake” over a social media image but will not apologise to Nigel Farage. The image, which Polanski said he “shared inadvertently” on Instagram and then removed, featured a man wearing a black T-shirt with the message “We’re only making plans for Nigel” and an image of a guillotine. C

EnvironmentReform
The Guardian Politics27 Jul 2026

Police make inquiries after Farage reports Polanski post for ‘inciting murder’

Green party leader shared picture of man wearing T-shirt with words ‘we’re only making plans for Nigel’ alongside a guillotine Police are “conducting inquiries” into an image shared by Green party leader Zack Polanski on Instagram after Reform UK reported it for “inciting murder”. The image showed a man wearing a black T-shirt with the words “we’re only making plans for Nigel”, alongside a photograph of a guillotine. Continue reading...

EnvironmentReformCrime
The Guardian Politics27 Jul 2026

When it comes to predicting the future, why are TV writers better than politicians? | Zoe Williams

From BBC drama The Rapture on the climate crisis to Apple’s Criminal Record on the rise of the far right, culture often sees what politics fails to In the BBC’s new apocalypse drama, The Rapture, the UK is engulfed in a terrifying heatwave. I watched a preview of the programme in May, while preparing to interview the lead actor Ruth Madeley. I thought at the time: “This will be much more frightening when it chimes with the real life weather, bad luck for them that it’s not coming out for a coupl

PoliticsEnvironmentCrime