The Latest Breaking News from Polly Toynbee

‘Above all, it’s the symbolism that matters’ – Polly Toynbee answered your questions on Andy Burnham’s first week

After seven days in charge, how is the new UK PM doing? You asked our political columnist about electoral reform, social care and more.

The Guardian - UK · Jul 28

So many British people have it better than they think – it’s up to Burnham to make them see that

A new survey suggests voters are becoming more cynical and pessimistic. A few goodwill gestures from No 10 won’t change all that – but it’s a start, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

The Guardian - UK · Jul 24

With PM Burnham, we’ll get warmth, audacity and knowhow. For everything else, cling to hope

He looks the part, with a rise as impressive as his speeches, but is that enough? You cannot know if someone is up to the job until they have to do it, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

The Guardian - UK · Jul 20

Burnham will stand or fall on his plans for youth employment: he must put the next generation first

Labour has to match the success of its New Deal for young people in the late 1990s, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

The Guardian - UK · Jun 29

Ignore the miserabilists: Andy Burnham as PM is a moment when things really can get better

He’s the only person who can keep Nigel Farage out of Downing Street, so let’s embrace his unique blend of optimism and realism, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

The Guardian - UK · Jun 26

‘I feel entirely vindicated’: three Guardian columnists debate Brexit and its legacy

Ten years on, our writers met to reflect on whether leaving the EU has made the UK richer or more racist – and how the union is doing without us

The Guardian - UK · Jun 23

Monday briefing: What’s next for no-drama Starmer as his ‘political challenges’ pile up?

In today’s newsletter: Our senior political correspondent talks about how the coming days and weeks may unfold for the Labour government, and how Keir Starmer ended up the most unpopular prime minister in memory

The Guardian - UK · Jun 22

As Starmer eyes the exit, here’s a vital lesson for Andy Burnham: first impressions are everything

If the Makerfield MP is to be our next PM, he needs some immediate and memorable cost of living policies to avoid his predecessor’s fate, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

The Guardian - UK · Jun 21

All of a sudden Labour is rushing to do some good. Call it the ‘Burnham effect’

The end of outsourcing government jobs is just one progressive idea set in motion in this pivotal byelection week, says Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee

The Guardian - UK · Jun 18

The politics of intergenerational wealth inequality

Letters: Dr Rajiv Prabhakar assesses the best age at which grants should be provided to young people, while Jeremy Galtress argues against redistribution

The Guardian - UK · Jun 15