Labour vows to protect Sure Start-type system from any future Reform assault Exclusive: Education secretary says scheme will be so deeply embedded that no rightwing party can unpick it The Guardian - UK · Jul 7, 2025
Monday briefing: What Zarah Sultana’s new breakaway party could mean for Labour and the left In today’s newsletter: the former Labour MP – and reportedly Jeremy Corbyn – will launch a new left party in a bid to challenge ‘broken’ Westminster politics. But will it work? The Guardian - UK · Jul 7, 2025
Starmer is turning into ‘continuity Rishi Sunak’, says Liberal Democrats leader Exclusive: PM lacks ambition and vision, says Ed Davey in damning assessment of first 12 months in power The Guardian - UK · Jul 6, 2025
New poll predicts Reform Westminster win with no Scottish MPs – see the map A new poll has suggested Reform UK could be within touching distance of winning a majority in Westminster - without any Scottish MPs. The National (Scotland) · Jul 6, 2025
Starmer’s approval ratings at lowest level since becoming PM after welfare chaos A More in Common poll also found seven in 10 voters think Sir Keir’s government is at least as chaotic as the Tories’ previous term The Independent UK · Jul 6, 2025
Big pay days and top of the polls: Nigel Farage’s first year as an MP In year since Reform party leader was elected at eighth attempt he has been largely absent from Commons votes and very present in the media The Guardian - UK · Jul 6, 2025
Met chief Sir Mark Rowley urges creation of 15 ‘mega forces’ in radical police reform plan Sir Mark Rowley said bigger forces would be better able to utilise modern technology and reduce expenses. Evening Standard · Jul 6, 2025
Conservatives will look to amend Government welfare Bill Kemi Badenoch will pledge that the Tories are ‘now the only party committed to serious welfare reform’. Evening Standard · Jul 5, 2025
Raise taxes or this government will fail, Rachel Reeves’s former top adviser warns Exclusive: Jim O’Neill warns that the chancellor will have to raise income tax, national insurance or VAT to fill the £5bn black hole left by the welfare climbdown The Independent UK · Jul 5, 2025
James McMurdock says ‘business dealings’ compliant after he resigns Reform whip James McMurdock has agreed to co-operate with any investigation, the party said. Evening Standard · Jul 5, 2025
Reform UK under fire for putting teenagers in charge of vital public services Party has put youngsters in charge of hundreds of millions of pounds of spending at local authorities The Independent UK · Jul 5, 2025
Voices: Could Nigel Farage do worse as prime minister? You better believe it COMMENT: We ought to take Reform seriously as a possible party of government – and Nigel Farage as a possible PM – so let’s give his ideas the scrutiny they deserve, writes John Rentoul The Independent UK · Jul 5, 2025
Reform UK MP James McMurdock withdraws party whip over pandemic-era business allegations Mr McMurdock has represented South Basildon and East Thurrock since last July’s general election Evening Standard · Jul 5, 2025
Reform MP James McMurdock resigns whip pending ‘business propriety’ investigation Allegations in Sunday Times say MP took out government loans during the Covid pandemic for businesses with no employees The Guardian - UK · Jul 5, 2025
The Independent UK · Jul 5, 2025 Reform MP James McMurdock resigns whip over allegations of business impropriety The MP said he resigned the Reform whip to protect the party but has denied any wrongdoing
The National (Scotland) · Jul 5, 2025 Reform UK MP suspends himself from party amid probe A Reform UK MP has suspended himself from the party
The Guardian - UK · Jul 5, 2025 Reform UK puts teenagers in charge of vital public services Concerns raised about council appointments, including 19-year-old overseeing children and family services
Evening Standard · Jul 5, 2025 Steve Coogan says ‘disappointing’ Labour year will ‘pave the way’ for Reform UK The 59-year old actor and comedian reportedly supported the Labour party until last year, when he backed the Green Party.
The Independent UK · Jul 5, 2025 Steve Coogan claims Keir Starmer’s Labour will ‘pave the way’ for Reform UK ‘Alan Partridge’ star claimed Labour are ‘putting Band-Aids on the gash in the side of the Titanic’
The Guardian - UK · Jul 5, 2025 Steve Coogan accuses Labour of paving way for Reform UK Exclusive: Actor says Keir Starmer’s party has caused a ‘derogation of all the principles they were supposed to represent’
The Guardian - UK · Jul 5, 2025 ‘We promised change but people aren’t feeling it yet’: Labour rues poor first year MPs, aides and other party figures reflect on what went wrong and how they could still turn things around
The Independent UK · Jul 5, 2025 Reform backtrack on claim ‘trans-related’ library book was in children’s section Reform have rowed back on leader’s social media claims the adult-aimed book was found in the children’s section
Evening Standard · Jul 5, 2025 Reform council claim ‘trans-related’ library book ban ‘not a change of policy’ The council has since rowed back on suggestions that the book was in the children’s section.
The Independent UK · Jul 4, 2025 A year of Keir: the first 365 days of Starmer in power Three trade deals, five U-turns, 2.5 per cent of GDP on defence, eight ministerial resignations, 49 welfare rebels, record small boat crossings – the statistics behind Keir Starmer’s first year as prime minister explored by Alicja Hagopian and David Maddox
The Independent UK · Jul 4, 2025 We now know what Starmerism is – but the prime minister lacks an inspirational vision NEWS ANALYSIS: As Sir Keir Starmer marks a year since his huge general election victory, he still has a lot to prove if he wants to continue being prime minister, writes David Maddox