British Labour and Co-operative politician, MP for Redcar (since 2024)
A two-vehicle collision on the A66 near Middlesbrough has left seven people dead, including two Cleveland Police officers. The crash occurred at 3:39 a.m. after a Passat travelling the wrong way collided with a police vehicle. Investigations are under way by the IOPC as police urge the public to avoid speculation.
The Guardian reports Andy Burnham is publicly positioned to win Makerfield and is exploring a future leadership bid, while the Green Party has limited resources and reopens its candidate selection after Chris Kennedy’s withdrawal. The by-election is set for 18 June, with Labour facing Reform UK in a high-stakes contest.
Labour leaders are racing to confirm Andy Burnham as next prime minister as leadership contest talks wane. With nominations opening mid-July, Burnham appears the clear frontrunner and could be PM within days if no challenger secures the 81 backers needed.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage faces renewed scrutiny as Labour calls for a regulator to probe potential conflicts of interest amid disclosed crypto donor links. A Bank of England meeting and a push against a state-backed digital currency are central to the debate.
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage faces a standards inquiry over a £5m gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne and questions about lobbying the Bank of England for crypto interests. The investigation follows a string of donor-related and financial disclosures that have unsettled the party and shifted public perception.
Nigel Farage faces renewed questions over finances after revelations of a £5m gift and payments from Direct Bullion and other crypto-linked associates. MPs’ interests show substantial payments for promotional work, while critics demand greater transparency and accountability.
Record crossings by mega-dinghies have surged across the English Channel, with boats carrying hundreds of migrants. Authorities are reinforcing enforcement and international cooperation as numbers fall overall but risks rise for those onboard.
Since 2022 the UK has prosecuted those who pilot illegal small-boat crossings. Recent convictions show the government is intensifying enforcement, with multiple pilots receiving prison terms as fatalities at sea underscore ongoing risks and political pressure to curb crossings.
A record summer of heat, drought and wildfires has prompted an emergency Cobra meeting and voluntary retailer suspensions of disposable-barbecue sales. Green groups have written to Prime Minister Andy Burnham urging him to call the crisis 'climate change' and stop new North Sea drilling; Reform UK deputy leader Richard Tice has questioned net zero and urged adaptation and celebration of warmer weather.
AP reports dozens of military relatives have been detained as Trump-era protections for service members’ families were rolled back. Democrats have opened investigations into deportations of service members and relatives. One case highlights Maisa Lopes Eliaser, detained after a July appointment, who was returned to the U.S. and faces a future court date to reopen her case.
The government has announced a plan to prevent further early releases under the prison overcrowding scheme, with a focus on limiting exemptions for manslaughter. Ministers are facing pressure as the families of PC Andrew Harper express ongoing distress. The government has changed the release rules to reduce the number of prisoners freed early and is seeking cross-party consensus.
The Home Office has proposed housing 1,250 asylum seekers at a former military site near Piddington, triggering protests from residents and remarks from politicians about shared responsibility. Ministers say the scheme is contained and more affordable than hotels, while communities push back over location, process and safety concerns.
Farage has secured a victory in Clacton’s by-election amid a broad field of 34 candidates, but investigations into gifts and finances loom, and a second by-election could follow if rules are breached.
Rightmove data shows a 104% rise in searches for homes with air conditioning as the UK endures record heat. Buyers are weighing comfort and energy costs, with expert comment on how climate drives property choices and the market remains subdued in overall activity.