News

Original reporting and the latest political headlines from across the UK.

Our Articles

Mainstream Headlines

Filtering by:Source: The Guardian Politics×Clear all

3103 headlines found — Page 8 of 259

The Guardian Politics20 Aug 2026

Working in Keir Starmer’s No 10 ‘unbearable’, says Sue Gray

Former chief of staff tells of fears her conversations were being recorded and leaked to media by colleagues Keir Starmer’s former chief of staff has lifted the lid on how “unbearable” it was working in No 10, revealing she feared her conversations were being recorded by colleagues seeking to leak her remarks to the media. Sue Gray, who was the most powerful adviser in Downing Street before her resignation in 2024, was highly critical of the working environment under Starmer, saying she was “dis

PoliticsEnvironment
The Guardian Politics20 Aug 2026

From bone-dry to soaked to the bone, welcome to the age of climate whiplash | Aditya Chakrabortty

This punishingly hot and dry summer will probably be followed by another wet winter. But it’s nothing compared with what Britain will endure in years to come This summer could be the hottest, driest and deadliest in English history. Successive heatwaves have so far claimed almost 3,000 lives. Nearly three-quarters of England and all of Wales is in drought, while key reservoirs are parched. Across this brown and stickily unpleasant land, from Grimsby down to St Ives, hosepipe bans are in force, w

Environment
The Guardian Politics20 Aug 2026

Drill Andy drill? Burnham’s North Sea dilemma – podcast

Helena Horton on why the government may decide to allow more oil and gas drilling in the North Sea The government is considering whether to allow new oil and gas drilling at two sites in the North Sea, a move environmental activists warn will accelerate climate chaos. Helen Pidd speaks to reporter Helena Horton about the government’s dilemma – and what it tells us about Andy Burnham’s approach to the green energy transition Continue reading...

DefenceEnvironment
The Guardian Politics19 Aug 2026

Taxpayers to fund clear-up of illegal dumps in West Yorkshire, Surrey and Kent

Andy Burnham promises drive to tackle toxic waste, raise fines and use AI-powered drones to detect illegal activity Illegal dumps in West Yorkshire, Surrey and Kent will be cleared up using taxpayer money, Andy Burnham has announced, as the prime minister promises a new drive to tackle toxic waste. Ministers have identified dumps in Bradford, Runnymede and the Isle of Sheppey, which collectively contain about 22,000 tonnes of illegal waste, to be cleared in the next phase of the government’s nat

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics19 Aug 2026

Compulsory GCSE resits in England harm teenagers’ mental wellbeing, study finds

UCL researchers warn repeated exam attempts may dent students’ confidence and raise risk of dropping out Forcing teenagers who fail GCSEs into multiple resits has a negative impact on their mental health, according to research to be published as pupils receive their grades on Thursday. The study by academics at University College London (UCL) compared the mental wellbeing of students in England, Wales and Northern Ireland who failed to reach a grade 4 or equivalent in maths or English GCSEs – an

DefenceEducationHealthcare
The Guardian Politics19 Aug 2026

What has Burnham promised since he became PM, and when will it happen?

From cutting household bills to cheaper bus fares, how will the measures announced be put into action? Since becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham has floated a number of policies, ideas and ambitions for his government, from shifting power out of Westminster, bringing services like transport under public control and addressing the rising cost of living. But many of his promises are not actually firm commitments, so what has he pledged, how much will it cost and when should the public expect to

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics19 Aug 2026

Can Andy Burnham tame the power of the Treasury to boost growth?

PM wants to reduce department’s stranglehold on public purse and bring long-term thinking to economic policy Andy Burnham is far from the first prime minister to dream of taming the power of the mighty Treasury. Boris Johnson all but forced the resignation of Sajid Javid by handpicking his team; Margaret Thatcher favoured her economic adviser Alan Walters over Nigel Lawson, prompting the latter’s furious resignation; Tony Blair and Gordon Brown’s power struggle was the stuff of Whitehall legend.

Economy
The Guardian Politics19 Aug 2026

The Guardian view on the Ebola outbreak in the DRC: a case study in why international aid matters | Editorial

The Trump administration’s ‘America first’ approach has contributed to the scale of the crisis now unfolding in one of the world’s poorest countries For months health experts have warned that the scale of the Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) could surpass the one that swept west Africa in 2014-16. This week, the authorities in the DRC announced that a grim milestone has already been passed: at least 2,325 people have died from the virus, making it the deadliest of the

Defence
The Guardian Politics19 Aug 2026

All power to the UK competition watchdog’s war on ‘drip pricing’

CMA on message with new PM’s planned purge of hidden fees and add-on charges Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School face investigation The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) is on-message with Andy Burnham’s declaration of war on the small – and sometimes not-so-small – hassles and expenses of everyday consumer life created by companies’ underhand and misleading pricing tactics. Trainline, Virgin Atlantic and Red Driving School found themselves under investigation on Wednesday

Defence
The Guardian Politics19 Aug 2026

Farage’s futile election gamble: inside the 21 August Guardian Weekly

Political stunt brings Reform UK leader full circle. Plus: Russia’s scramble for soldiers • Get the Guardian Weekly delivered to your home address The curtain came down last week on the summer sideshow of the Clacton byelection, called by Nigel Farage amid mounting scrutiny of his finances. For our big story this week, Daniel Boffey explores what this campaign – in which the Reform UK leader’s main challenger was a parody candidate called Count Binface – tells us about the current state of polit

PoliticsReformHousing
The Guardian Politics19 Aug 2026

‘Burnham’s writing cheques, this one might bounce’: homeless people doubt PM’s plan

Rough sleepers and charities say they have heard similar political declarations before but seen little success Andy Burnham calls on wider society to help end rough sleeping by Christmas As Andy Burnham set out his plan to end rough sleeping on Tuesday night, volunteers from homelessness charity Under One Sky were offering hot drinks, sandwiches, socks, underwear and soap to dozens of rough sleepers around Tottenham Court Road in central London. Among those sleeping on the streets, the prime m

PoliticsCrime
The Guardian Politics19 Aug 2026

Tice should apologise to firefighters for ‘enjoy it’ remark on extreme heat, says Labour

Exclusive: Bridget Phillipson’s comments show her party feels voters have been alienated by Reform net zero attacks Richard Tice should apologise to firefighters for his comments this week urging British people to “enjoy” this summer’s extreme heat, according to the Labour party chair. Bridget Phillipson has called on Reform’s deputy leader to say sorry to those who have battled wildfires across the country over the last few weeks, forcing evacuations and destroying homes. Continue reading...

EnvironmentReformHousing