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578 headlines found — Page 5 of 49

The Guardian Politics9 Aug 2026

Burnham vows crackdown on ‘rip-off’ business practices to ease cost of living

First of PM’s ‘everyday fixes’ to be banning fake discounts and making it easier to cancel unwanted subscriptions Andy Burnham: I’ll end the rip-offs that people hate Andy Burnham has promised a series of measures to tackle the cost of living, including a ban on fake discounts and making it easier for people to escape unwanted subscriptions. The crackdown on “rip-off” business practices is expected to benefit consumers to the tune of £400m a year and will be the first in a range of “everyday f

EconomyReform
The Guardian Politics9 Aug 2026

Subscriptions you can’t easily cancel, sales that aren’t sales – I’ll end the rip-offs that British people hate | Andy Burnham

These everyday hassles are small, but they add up – especially in a cost of living crisis. That’s why my government will tackle them head-on Andy Burnham is the UK prime minister Burnham vows crackdown on ‘rip-off’ business practices It’s remarkable how much of modern life can seem designed to wear us down. Every “sale” seems to come with an asterisk. Consumer contracts often find a way of costing more than you expected. And too many companies want you to sign up in seconds, but then make it

EconomyReform
The Guardian Politics9 Aug 2026

Pilot pulls off Count Binface stunt for Clacton byelection

Plane spends 30 minutes off the Essex coast marking out shape of a bin in apparent tribute to Nigel Farage’s rival A pilot has traced the shape of a bin with their flight path near Clacton before Count Binface challenges Nigel Farage in a byelection on Thursday. The light aircraft spent around half an hour between 2,100ft and 4,150ft above the sea near the Essex coastal town zigzagging to mark out the shape of a bin, according to data from Flightradar24. Continue reading...

PoliticsDefenceReformHousing
The Guardian Politics8 Aug 2026

Arron Banks ‘hired private detective’ to look into journalist who investigated Reform UK

Asked whether he targeted reporter who investigated party finances, Brexit campaigner says: ‘When you live by the sword, you die by the sword’ The prominent Reform UK member and Brexit campaigner Arron Banks is said to have set private investigators on a Sunday Times journalist after he broke a series of stories about Nigel Farage. Banks is alleged to have paid for the services of investigators to examine Gabriel Pogrund, editor of the paper’s Insight investigations team. Continue reading...

Reform
The Guardian Politics8 Aug 2026

US accused of meddling in British politics with $500,000 grant scheme promoting ‘shared values’

Documents published on US embassy’s website prompt claims of attempt to export Maga propaganda to UK The US embassy in London is offering grants of up to half a million dollars for new “public education” programmes in what has been criticised as interference in British domestic politics. Using language that the pro-Trump Maga movement has sought to appropriate, a funding notice identifies a goal of fostering a “national conversation” about “shared civilizational values” underpinning US-UK ties.

PoliticsEducationReform
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

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
The Guardian Politics7 Aug 2026

As a Tory, I say things are looking up. Farage is fading, and the looming threat to No 10 is called Kemi | Simon Hart

My party has seen difficult times – but with a few canny moves the leader is finally cutting through, and there are clear signs of recovery Something is afoot. The bookies can feel it. “Badenoch overtakes Farage as favourite to be next prime minister,” was the word from betting website William Hill this week. Let me tell you what is happening. This is a challenging political time. Even today, there is controversy for Kemi Badenoch to deal with. But as a Conservative it seems to me that in the pa

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics6 Aug 2026

Reform to unveil controversial plan to fine firms and jail bosses who employ illegal workers – UK politics live

Reform say employers would be held responsible even if they were unaware of the worker’s immigration status Hello and welcome to the UK politics live blog. Reform UK says it will fine firms 10% of their global revenues and imprison bosses who employ illegal migrant workers under the party’s latest plans to bring down immigration. Under a Reform government, Britain will have the harshest penalties in the world for employing illegal migrants. Bosses of companies employing illegal migrants will be

PoliticsImmigrationDefenceReformCrimeRestoreRemigration
The Guardian Politics5 Aug 2026

Justice minister defends early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers amid possible legal challenge – UK politics live

Jake Richard acknowledges ‘unimaginable pain’ of Harper’s family but says government faces an ‘unenviable position’ The Thames Valley chief constable has said he is “receiving legal advice” and would “certainly consider” joining the Police Federation’s legal action over the possible release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers. Asked if he would join the case, Jason Hogg told the BBC’s Today programme on Wednesday: This is something I certainly would consider. But like I said, I urge the government now

PoliticsReformCrime
The Guardian Politics4 Aug 2026

‘We fought for a tougher sentence’: Victims’ families share their outrage at early release schemes

The family of PC Andrew Harper are among those who say they are devastated by killers getting out of jail early When Calvin Buckley, whose pregnant partner was killed by a dangerous driver in 2023, successfully secured a tougher sentence for the man who took her life, he felt some justice had been served. Now, under plans to release prisoners early to ease overcrowding, Adil Iqbal, who filmed himself speeding at 123mph before he crashed into 38-year-old Frankie Jules-Hough, may serve less time i

ReformCrime
The Guardian Politics4 Aug 2026

About 1,000 fewer prisoners to get early release as Burnham tightens rules

Justice secretary says ministers would have liked to block more but doing so would cause prison system to ‘break’ UK politics live – latest updates About 1,000 fewer prisoners will be released early after Andy Burnham’s intervention to exclude those convicted of rape, serious child sexual offences and grooming from the scheme. The justice secretary, Alex Norris, said 5,000 prisoners would be released over 10 months from October in England and Wales, down from the government’s original plan for

PoliticsReformCrime