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The Guardian Politics9 Jul 2026

Britain’s dysfunctional dynamic: the public wants change, but those in power always tell them it’s not possible | Andy Beckett

Whenever major reform is proposed the media, big business and Westminster quickly conclude it’s too expensive and disruptive. This doesn’t bode well for Andy Burnham In an old, often anxious and conservative country, the perception of risk is a potent political weapon. If a policy or a project for reforming the UK seems too risky, or can be made to seem so by its opponents, then it can usually be quickly killed off. It can be added to the pile of possible futures that never occurred. In politics

Politics
The Guardian Politics9 Jul 2026

Nigel Farage v Count Binface - podcast

Political correspondent Ben Quinn talks about the forthcoming byelection in Clacton after all Reform’s serious rivals declined to take part On Tuesday, after months of scandal about his finances, Nigel Farage tried to take back the initiative. He was resigning as an MP, he explained, to trigger a byelection in his Clacton seat – giving “the people” a chance back him against “the establishment”. But, as the Guardian political correspondent Ben Quinn explains, things may not have gone quite to pla

PoliticsReform
The Guardian Politics8 Jul 2026

Pet prescriptions could be capped at £21 under proposed vet sector reforms

Ministers also considering licence requirement and regulator to try to cut bills and increase choice UK vets may have to have a licence and cap prescriptions for pet medicine at £21 under plans being considered by the government. Ministers are also considering establishing a regulator for the veterinary sector, including inspections, a mandatory licensing system and published compliance reports to improve accountability and choice. Every vet practice could need an official operating licence – s

Reform
The Guardian Politics8 Jul 2026

All lobbying should be publicly declared in transparency laws shake-up, watchdog says

Ethics and integrity commission chief says overhaul is crucial to help restore trust in standards All lobbying of government ministers, aides and senior officials should be publicly declared – from WhatsApp chats to party conference meetings – in a fundamental shake-up of transparency laws, the government’s ethics watchdog has said. A review led by Doug Chalmers, the head of the ethics and integrity commission, has called for a new register to highlight who is lobbying, which policies they are s

The Guardian Politics8 Jul 2026

Disability benefits system ‘not working’ Timms review finds

Interim report into Pip found process had systematic and deep-rooted problems and required bold and radical overhaul A landmark government review of disability benefits has warned “challenging discussions” remain on how to overhaul and pay for a system it concludes is unfit for purpose and too often leaves vulnerable claimants dehumanised and degraded. The Timms review of the personal independence payment (Pip) concluded the benefit, claimed by nearly 4 million people in England and Wales, suffe

Defence
The Guardian Politics8 Jul 2026

Ambassadorial appointments should be subject to veto by MPs, committee recommends

Foreign affairs select committee says Peter Mandelson episode was ‘nothing short of disastrous’ for government Political selections for ambassador posts should be subject to a veto by MPs, a parliamentary committee has recommended, as it made damning criticisms of how Peter Mandelson became Britain’s top diplomat in Washington. The foreign affairs select committee concluded that Mandelson’s appointment was “nothing short of disastrous”, “highly damaging” for the British government and “painful a

Politics
The Guardian Politics8 Jul 2026

Burnham promises Labour MPs he will not use party discipline to ‘stifle debate’

Prime minister in waiting looks to address frustrations backbenchers had with Keir Starmer’s style of party management Andy Burnham has promised MPs that he will never use party discipline to “stifle debate” and says they should raise problems and policy ideas “without fear or favour”. Nominations for the Labour leadership will open on Thursday, and Burnham is expected to be the only candidate. On Wednesday night the former armed forces minister Al Carns confirmed he would not seek to enter the

PoliticsDefence
The Guardian Politics8 Jul 2026

Mahmood to close loophole blocking deportation of Rochdale grooming gang ringleader

Home secretary expected to amend Immigration Act but hurdles remain if Pakistan continues to refuse to take Shabir Ahmed back Shabana Mahmood is planning to change the law so the government can move towards deporting the ringleader of the Rochdale grooming gang. The home secretary is expected to amend the 1971 Immigration Act, which prevents Shabir Ahmed from being removed from Britain. Continue reading...

ImmigrationDefenceRemigration
The Guardian Politics8 Jul 2026

Police investigate £37,500 donation to Jenrick leadership campaign

Met confirms inquiry after elections watchdog referred allegations that donations in 2024 were from foreign source Police have launched an investigation into £37,500 of donations to Robert Jenrick’s campaign to become Conservative leader in 2024 after a referral from the elections watchdog. The Metropolitan police confirmed on Wednesday they were undertaking an inquiry after the Guardian revealed in April that they were assessing the evidence about donations to Jenrick, who has since joined Refo

PoliticsCrime
The Guardian Politics8 Jul 2026

Reform’s Fleet Street ‘spoilers’: how party deploys tactic to get ahead of stories

Richard Tice’s NCA leak claims in the Telegraph would not be the first time Reform has used a more sympathetic outlet UK politics live – latest updates Late on Tuesday afternoon, as the British media was absorbing Nigel Farage’s shock decision to hold a byelection amid scrutiny over his finances, his Reform UK party supplied the Telegraph with a different story. The article revealed that Richard Tice, Reform’s deputy leader, had accused the National Crime Agency (NCA) of leaking financial inf

PoliticsReformHousingCrime
The Guardian Politics8 Jul 2026

Starmer says Trump wants to ‘stay in touch’ after he steps down

PM suggests maintaining links with US president will be part of his continued responsibility to UK-US relationship Europe live – latest updates Donald Trump has agreed to stay in touch with Keir Starmer after he steps down from No 10 despite his increasingly tense relationship with the UK prime minister over recent months. After meeting at the Nato summit in Ankara, Starmer suggested that maintaining links with the US president would be part of his continued responsibilities to the strategic r

Defence
The Guardian Politics8 Jul 2026

Ben Jennings on Nigel Farage taking on the establishment – cartoon

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Reform