The Guardian Politics

The Guardian view on Kemi Badenoch and the economy: a plan stuck in the Tory comfort zone | Editorial

The Conservative leader’s choice of a new shadow chancellor shows a lack of insight into the reasons why the party was defeated at the last electionTo outlast a prime minister always counts as some kind of achievement for an opposition leader, although Kemi Badenoch cannot claim credit for Sir Keir Starmer’s downfall. Sir Keir’s wounds were mostly self-inflicted. To the extent that opposition pressure was involved, it was electoral threats from Reform UK and the Green party that stoked Labo

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

The Guardian view on Israeli settlements: Britain can no longer look away | Editorial

International law, European action and UK public opinion point the same way. Britain should stop helping to sustain Israeli settlements economicallyIn the Commons this week, the foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, appeared to have accepted the principle of a trade ban between the UK and Israeli settlements, which Britain says are illegal under international law. This is long overdue. The test now is whether his promised “comprehensive reset” deserves the name. Stopping settlement-produced goods

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Ben Jennings on the rise of datacentres in Britain – cartoon

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politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Burnham beware, the bond markets will demand proper answers in the budget | Nils Pratley

Fair to say the current sell-off is international, but the PM has said little yet to make investors rethink the UK’s statusIt’s too soon to say the bond markets have turned on Andy Burnham. Tuesday’s spike in gilt yields, taking the UK’s 30-year borrowing costs to their highest level since 1998, was part of an international sell-off of government debt.The main contributors are well-known. The Iran war, by increasing the cost of energy, has overturned the comforting start-of-the-year thesis of fa

politics  Sep 2, 2026

BBC Politics

Burnham pressed on economy at first PMQs as UK borrowing costs rise

Burnham said he had already cut taxes, including VAT on energy bills and hospitality business rates.

politics  Sep 2, 2026

BBC Politics

Nigel Farage insists he's 'broken no rules'

The Reform leader has been dogged by questions over his finances after receiving a £5 million sum from Christopher Harborne.

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Burnham’s first PMQs showed a leader who wants to please – but knows how to push back

Despite a long absence from parliament, Burnham showed he could hold his own and, despite some nerves, even enjoy himselfThe coming months will show whether Andy Burnham fits Kemi Badenoch’s charge of a leader too obsessed with being liked to make hard choices. One thing, however, does seem clear from his first outing at prime minister’s questions: he likes saying yes.The very first question came from a political opponent – Ann Davies of Plaid Cymru – but Burnham replied as if she was a valued c

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Andy Burnham faces an impossible job. At least he’s got a secret weapon – Kemi Badenoch

Labour is up against a Tory party with a leader who can’t stop getting lost in her own sense of brilliance. And then there’s Andrew GriffithCall it the gentlest of all reality checks. A quantum realignment in expectations. The faintest reminder to both Andy Burnham and Labour backbenchers that international bond markets are impervious to Manchester charm and positivity. Despite a summer of feel good announcements from the government, there is no escaping the fact that the country is still up shi

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Reform UK bans three journalists who have criticised party from its conference

Guardian city editor Anna Isaac, investigative reporter Peter Geoghegan and broadcaster Michael Crick refused entryReform UK has banned at least three journalists who have reported critically on the party and Nigel Farage from its annual conference, which begins on Thursday.The Guardian’s city editor, Anna Isaac, the investigative reporter Peter Geoghegan and the broadcaster and biographer Michael Crick were told this week that their credentials to cover the event had been declined. Continue rea

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Farage compares standards inquiry with investigations faced by fellow ‘outsider’ Trump

Reform UK leader dismisses criticism of his failure to register £5m gift as a sign of a ‘complainants’ society’Nigel Farage has compared his situation to that of Donald Trump being pursued by investigators for years, saying both of them are “outsiders” up against “the system”, as he admitted having become tetchy and aggrieved this summer.The Reform UK leader has been under huge scrutiny over his finances after failing to declare a £5m gift from the Thailand-based donor Christopher Harborne and f

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Mass breeding of game birds without welfare checks may be curtailed in England

Campaigners say pheasants and partridges reared ‘on industrial scale’ do not have same protections as chickensThe government is considering a crackdown on pheasant shooting in England as part of a consultation on strict new animal welfare laws that would affect shoot organisers.Ministers are already considering plans for the issuing of licences for those who run game bird shoots. The proposals mean anybody associated with wildlife crime, such as the poisoning or shooting of birds of prey, would

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Farewell Keir Starmer, a terrible politician whom we desperately wanted to be something more | Zoe Williams

‘U-turn’ doesn’t do justice to the myriad ways he found to break a pledge. Now the former PM is resigning as an MP, why did I have such high hopes?Keir Starmer exits the British political stage as he entered it: doing the exact opposite of the thing he said he was going to do. It’s only 10 weeks since he pledged to remain as MP for Holborn and St Pancras until the next election, despite stepping down as prime minister. That’s plainly the decent course of action: a dedicated Labour man wouldn’t w

politics  Sep 2, 2026

BBC Politics

Reform deputy leader defends unlicensed party

Richard Tice says it was "a private party and it was a good party".

politics  Sep 2, 2026

BBC Politics

Burnham's PMQs debut shows the challenge of delivering new style of politics

Burnham's exchanges with Kemi Badenoch slipped into familiar territory of trading barbs, writes Alex Forsyth.

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

UK government does not know what datacentres are being used for, FoI request shows

Lack of information raises fears over environmental impact of the AI boomUK politics live – latest updatesThe UK government does not know what the country’s datacentres are being used for despite fears over the growing environmental impact of the AI boom.When asked in a freedom of information (FoI) request who was using the largest sites and what for, the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology said it did “not hold the requested information”. The ministry has since been dissolved. Con

politics  Sep 2, 2026

BBC Politics

'Friendly fire' at Andy Burnham's first PMQs

Andy Burnham had his first session of Prime Minister's Questions in the role on Wednesday.

politics  Sep 2, 2026

BBC Politics

Faisal Islam: Why bond market wildfire is keeping world leaders up at night

Huge AI spending plans and the ongoing war in Iran are driving up borrowing costs around the world.

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

Andy Burnham blames Tory legacy for leaving UK economy vulnerable

In first PMQs clash with Kemi Badenoch, prime minister rejects comparison to Liz Truss’s governmentUK politics live – latest updatesAndy Burnham blamed the Conservatives’ legacy for leaving the UK vulnerable to market turmoil, in his first prime ministers’ questions clash with Kemi Badenoch, as the UK’s borrowing costs climbed further.The Conservative leader compared the market pressure on Burnham’s second day to Liz Truss’s mini-Budget. But the prime minister said it was the Tories’ failure to

politics  Sep 2, 2026

The Guardian Politics

British banks in crosshairs as pressure mounts on Burnham to tax profits

Chancellor John Healey considering windfall tax on banks and oil firmsBusiness live – latest updatesThe countdown is on. Two months out from Andy Burnham’s inaugural autumn budget, bank executives are wringing their hands over whether the government will target their bumper profits with fresh taxes.The chancellor, John Healey, is reportedly considering a windfall tax on both banks and oil companies in the late October Westminster setpiece. Continue reading...

politics  Sep 2, 2026

BBC Politics

Reform up against 'complainants' society', Farage tells BBC

The Reform UK leader said a "whole ecosystem" didn't want "new kids on the block succeeding".

politics  Sep 2, 2026