British Labour politician; Deputy Leader since 2025; MP for Manchester Central since 2012
Prime minister has announced an 850 million VAT cut on household electricity bills from October, funded by scrapping the Digital ID programme. The move is part of a broader plan to ease the cost of living, with ministers pledging to pass savings through to consumers as cabinet reshuffles unfold.
The government has unveiled a major reform to place technical education on par with academic routes for 14-year-olds, starting from September 2028. The plan links studies to local jobs, expands work experience, and shifts school performance measures to reflect technical pathways. Reactions from unions and educators highlight funding and implementation questions amid a broader debate on youth unemployment and post-16 education.
The government has pledged to end long-term rough sleeping across the UK on its first day in office, backed by 340m in funding to create 1,200 homes and provide intensive support for at least 3,000 rough sleepers over five years. The plan builds on Covid-era schemes and Manchester’s Bed Every Night approach as rough sleeping numbers rise to a record 4,793 on a single autumn night in 2025.
Labour has moved into a narrow lead in the latest polls after Andy Burnham’s leadership win. The government has introduced a high-stakes cabinet reshuffle with fresh faces and a sizeable energy tax cut to ease living costs, while Reform UK faces fresh scrutiny over funding.
The Labour leadership has appointed John Healey as chancellor, with Andy Burnham promising rapid moves to cut living costs and boost growth, while reshaping defence and economic policy. Cabinet changes reflect a broader reshuffle aimed at reunifying Labour after leadership transitions.
New prime minister Andy Burnham has unveiled early measures aimed at easing living costs, including a VAT cut on energy bills, a 2 cap on bus fares, and targeted business rates relief for small venues. He is also expanding power through No 10 North and assembling a Cabinet as critics question the plan’s funding and ambition.
Labour has signalled a review of Plan 2 student loans, including the earnings threshold and the interest rate, as debate grows over how much graduates repay.
Local and devolved votes held 7–8 May have produced major gains for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK and for the Green Party while Labour has lost hundreds of council seats and control of key authorities. Scotland and Wales results are reshaping national parliaments; Keir Starmer has said he will stay in office and has taken responsibility for the losses.
The mayor of Greater Manchester has entered the Makerfield by-election campaign in June, with Labour framing the race as a test for leadership ambitions and regional renewal amid national political tensions.
Labour has won Makerfield by-election with a large margin, intensifying pressure on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to quit and paving the way for Andy Burnham to pursue leadership. Ministers are weighing resignations and Burnham is moving to establish a Downing Street operation while Starmer vows to fight on.
Andy Burnham has emerged as the clear frontrunner to replace Keir Starmer and is using a Manchester speech to press a major devolution agenda. He has proposed shifting decision‑making and parts of the prime ministerial operation north, a 10‑year mission on living standards and changes to public procurement to favour British jobs.
Andy Burnham has outlined a plan to devolve power away from Whitehall, establishing a No 10 North unit in Manchester to oversee regional reform, housing, transport and economic policy. He has positioned himself as the voice for English regions and signalled potential changes to where key decisions are made.
Andy Burnham is the only declared candidate to replace Sir Keir Starmer as Labour leader. Nominations are opening, with MPs backing Burnham. Some potential challengers are assessing their options, but a swift transition appears likely as Burnham moves toward becoming prime minister.
Andy Burnham is weighing Ed Miliband for the role of chancellor as Labour faces internal and market scrutiny over plans for the economy and the North Sea. The Guardian and The Times report simmering tensions about energy policy and fiscal strategy as Burnham prepares to take office.
Labour's Andy Burnham has delivered a speech at the People’s History Museum in Manchester, outlining a pathway to devolve power and resources to local leaders and promise a decade of renewal. He argues that Westminster is broken and voters deserve hope and local control as he positions himself as a potential prime minister-in-waiting.
Labor deputy leader pushes for election-specific duties on major platforms to counter misinformation and foreign interference. She wants a digital code of practice and framework during elections, with the Electoral Commission collaborating with Ofcom and platforms. Critics say the move aims to protect democracy by ensuring informed choices amid opaque algorithms. The issue comes as ministers flagged concerns over platform responsibility.
Labour’s leadership bid faces intensified scrutiny as Andy Burnham is pressed to appoint more women to senior roles; a draft WPLP letter calls for gender equality measures, including a female deputy PM and a 50/50 ministerial split.
Reform UK politicians face renewed scrutiny over protective security as counter-terror police lead the investigation into Ann Widdecombe’s death. Ministers are reviewing MP protection; Nigel Farage’s security package is under renewed debate after he reportedly declined a government offer.
Andy Burnham has been installed as the UK’s prime minister and has reshuffled the cabinet, appointing John Healey as chancellor and moving Ed Miliband to the Foreign Office while keeping Shabana Mahmood at the Home Office. He has promised immediate measures to give households "breathing space" on the cost of living and pledged a 10-year plan for Britain, while markets are watching how his team will fund the programme.
Andy Burnham has been confirmed as Labour leader and will become prime minister after Keir Starmer formally resigns to the King. Burnham has promised a "distinctively Labour" government focused on devolving power to regions, tackling social care, reindustrialisation and easing the cost-of-living squeeze. He has scrapped the planned national digital ID scheme.
Growing pressure surrounds North Sea developments as Labour’s Burnham weighs policy changes. Rosebank and Jackdaw face regulatory reviews and environmental scrutiny, while the EPL windfall tax looms over investment. Officials caution against early approvals as consultations wrap up, with debates centring on energy security, jobs, and climate impacts.
Andy Burnham has been confirmed as Labour's new leader, pledging to unite the party and reverse four decades of neoliberal policies. He outlines five points, including devolution and a distinctively Labour approach, while delaying final cabinet selections until after the handover. The speech signals a shift but leaves policy details unclear as Reform gathers momentum.
Andy Burnham has become UK prime minister, pledging to tackle the cost of living, end rough sleeping, and shift power from Westminster to local authorities. He is naming a new cabinet with Ed Miliband as foreign secretary and Louise Haigh in a senior role. The transition follows Sir Keir Starmer's resignation and a ceremonial handover to the monarch.
Labour leader Andy Burnham has moved to consolidate power after key reshuffles, but tensions within the party signal persistent factionalism. Bloomberg and The Guardian report on the widening rift between Burnham’s camp and rivals, with lingering concerns over policy direction and leadership dynamics.
The new Labour leader, Andy Burnham, has delivered a nationwide address outlining priorities for restoring government credibility and easing the cost of living. He frames his tenure as a call for honesty, reflection, and a cautious path to steady governance, with a pledge to deliver tangible improvements.
Lenders to Thames Water have revised their rescue proposal, incorporating a “golden share” and greater local oversight as Andy Burnham’s government signals plans for stronger public control of essential services. Regulators are being consulted while the government weighs temporary nationalisation as a pathway to stabilising the troubled utility serving 16 million people.
New prime minister has pledged to reduce the welfare bill and make some benefits conditional on work while warning that the NHS could collapse if social care is not fixed. He says there will be no early election and will defend Britain’s interests in dealings with the US, including Donald Trump.
The Guardian and other outlets report that No 10 North is opening in Manchester to push devolved power to local postcodes. Burnham chairs the NEC meeting and aims to drive growth across every region; leaders from business and unions are set to attend.