Date: 30 September 2026 Tags: UK Politics, Brexit, European Union, Labour Summary: Prime Minister Andy Burnham said rejoining the European Union is among options the government could examine. Burnham said the existing Brexit settlement had caused “more harm than good” and Britain should consider its long-term relationship. Options mentioned include maintaining current arrangements, joining a customs union, entering the single market or pursuing full EU membership. Burnham sai

Date: 29 September 2026 Tags: UK Politics, Pensions, Social Care, Labour Summary: Prime Minister Andy Burnham outlined major reforms during his first Labour conference speech as prime minister. Burnham proposed changing the state pension triple lock from 2030 to help finance a national care service. Pensions would still rise annually by at least inflation or 2.5%, but automatic annual earnings linkage would end. Officials estimate the pension reform could eventually save arou

Date: 28 September 2026 Tags: UK Politics, Social Care, Pensions, Labour Summary: Prime Minister Andy Burnham faces calls from Labour figures to reform the state pension triple lock to help fund social care. Burnham is expected to outline plans for an NHS-style care system providing support free at the point of use. Baroness Casey is reviewing England’s social care system and will advise the government on delivering proposed reforms. Former minister Darren Jones suggested som

Date: 28 September 2026 Tags: UK Politics, Economy, Labour, Business Summary: Chancellor John Healey said Britain has significantly less money available than during Labour governments of the 1990s. Healey blamed weak growth, austerity, Brexit and the 2022 mini-budget for contributing to current economic pressures. He said high government debt costs continue to place pressure on both public finances and households. Healey argued sustained economic growth is necessary to fund L

Date: 27 September 2026 Tags: UK Politics, Immigration, Labour, Visas Summary: Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has raised concerns about Labour proposals extending the wait for permanent UK residency. Most migrants would wait 10 years instead of five, while health and social care workers could face 15 years. Rayner objected particularly to applying new rules retrospectively to migrants who arrived expecting to qualify under existing arrangements. She said changing the rules c

Date: 27 September 2026 Tags: UK Politics, Social Care, NHS, Labour Summary: Prime Minister Andy Burnham wants social care in England to become free at the point of use for everyone eligible. Burnham described his proposed model as one where “everyone contributes, everyone is covered”, based broadly on NHS principles. He did not rule out tax increases to fund the system, saying no funding options were currently excluded. Burnham said the reforms would not be introduced during

Date: 16 September 2026 Tags: UK Politics, Economy, Budget, Labour Summary: Prime Minister Andy Burnham rejected claims financial markets increasingly view his government as pursuing traditional “tax and spend” policies. Former Bank of England chief economist Andy Haldane said investors were questioning Burnham’s willingness to reduce public spending. Haldane said October’s Budget presents a choice between increasing taxes and cutting government expenditure. Burnham said he w

Date: 13 September 2026 Tags: UK Politics, Housing, Labour, Economy Summary: Housing Secretary Angela Rayner says there is only a “slim chance” of meeting Labour’s 1.5 million homes target. Labour pledged to build 1.5 million homes in England by the end of the current Parliament. Meeting the target by summer 2029 would require an average of approximately 300,000 new homes annually. Rayner blamed pressures including the Iran war and rising construction costs for making the ta

Date: 3 September 2026 Tags: UK Politics, Green Party, Labour, By-election Summary: Green Party leader Zack Polanski wants to contest the Holborn and St Pancras parliamentary by-election. The election was triggered by former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer resigning as the constituency’s MP. Polanski currently serves in the London Assembly and has never been a Westminster MP. He still requires formal selection by local Green Party members before becoming the official candidat

Date: 21 April 2026 Tags: Transport, UK, Labour Summary: 24-hour London Underground strike begins at midday Tuesday, causing major disruption across the network. Second 24-hour strike scheduled from Thursday midday to Friday midday. Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) members, representing about half of Tube drivers, are striking. Dispute centres on Transport for London (TfL) proposal for voluntary compressed four-day working week. RMT says longer shifts risk driver fatigue an