Josh Self

Andy Burnham’s sensational victory in the Makerfield by-election rendered untenable the continuation of Keir Starmer’s premiership. The prime minister, to his credit, left his Downing Street bunker on Monday morning and bowed to the inevitable. Starmer’s strained insistence that he would, in the words of another outgoing prime minister, “fight on” and “fight to win”... Read more »

The defence secretary has wished Count Binface “good luck” in the Clacton by-election after the satirical candidate vowed to challenge Nigel Farage. The intervention comes after Farage, the leader of Reform UK, sensationally announced that he would resign as the MP for Clacton and stand in the subsequent by-election so that voters could be the... Read more »

More than a quarter of the House of Commons has signed an amendment calling for a national commission on electoral reform, in what backers are describing as an “open goal” for Andy Burnham, the likely incoming prime minister. The amendment to the Representation of the People Bill, tabled by Labour MP Alex Sobel, has attracted... Read more »

Nigel Farage’s statement on Tuesday afternoon, broadcast live from Reform UK headquarters, was supposed to be sensational. After weeks of relative quiet, Farage teased his intervention with a statement on social media, promising an update on his “future in public life”. The scene was set. In Trumpian tones, Farage furiously portrayed an anti-Reform conspiracy spanning... Read more »

Andy Burnham’s coronation as Labour leader and therefore prime minister is confirmed. The leadership crisis that engulfed Labour between May and July 2026 has reached a resolution. Burnham’s succession, backed by 379 MPs out of a total 403, would point to an outbreak of harmony in the ranks of the parliamentary Labour Party (PLP). Rebel... Read more »

Andy Burnham will vow to give Britain “more breathing space” in his first speech outside 10 Downing Street as he takes office as prime minister. The former mayor of Greater Manchester, who will become the seventh prime minister in just 10 years, is expected to call for honesty and reflection. Burnham’s address is set to... Read more »

A senior Conservative MP has announced that they will stand down from parliament at the next general election. Helen Grant, the shadow solicitor general, was first elected to parliament in 2010 as the MP for Maidstone and The Weald, and has represented the redrawn seat of Maidstone and Malling after boundary changes took effect in... Read more »

Steve Reed has left government within hours of Andy Burnham’s appointment as prime minister with a parting shot at “disloyal” MPs. Reed, a longstanding ally of former prime minister Keir Starmer, said he was “disappointed to be leaving government now” but wished Burnham’s “new team every success”. Reed was appointed to the post of secretary... Read more »

Andy Burnham has begun appointing his cabinet, hours after entering Downing Street as Britain’s new prime minister. Burnham was formally appointed by King Charles at Buckingham Palace on Monday afternoon, succeeding Keir Starmer, who resigned as Labour leader last month. Speaking outside No 10 in his first address as prime minister, Burnham promised to “make... Read more »

Andy Burnham has held his first call with Donald Trump as prime minister, congratulating the US president on a “successful World Cup” and floating a future presidential visit to Manchester. The call took place on Monday afternoon, shortly after Burnham was appointed prime minister by King Charles at Buckingham Palace following Keir Starmer’s resignation. According... Read more »