MPs will need courage to cut the welfare bill September 23, 2026 Over 100 Labour MPs also have more claimants for mental health conditions such as anxiety, ADHD and autism than their majorities, says Joseph Dinnage The unsustainable expansion of the welfare state is the most important domestic political issue of our time. Britain’s pervasive lack of ambition, dependence, profligacy and idleness are all symptoms of this [...]
Burnham adviser slams ‘growth in every postcode’ pledge September 22, 2026 Andy Burnham’s pledge to deliver “growth in every postcode” will result in “wasted taxpayer money and create political problems”, according to one the PM’s most valued economic advisers. Jim O’Neill, who was tipped to take an official role in Burnham’s government, said the Prime Minister should focus on getting gilt yields to fall by 150 [...]
Burnham: Rejoining the EU is a debate ‘for another day’ September 22, 2026 Andy Burnham has refused to rule out launching a bid for the UK to rejoin the EU, saying the debate is “for another day.” Speaking to reporters in New York at the United Nations summit on Tuesday, the Prime Minister said his priority was to “build on the good work that Keir [Starmer] did in [...]
Burnham and Trump strike UK-US defence AI deal September 22, 2026 Britain will link its military AI taskforce with its US counterpart under a new defence pact, deepening transatlantic tech ties as AI plays a growing role on the battlefield. The UK’s Defence Rapid AI Delivery Taskforce will work with the US Department of War’s Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office to accelerate the deployment of [...]
The Greenland question has been settled – now what? September 22, 2026 Now the Greenland deal has landed, it is worth taking stock of how we got here and what Burnham should aim for next, writes Michael Martins.
Ban non-compete clauses to ‘boost Britain’s fastest growing firms’ September 22, 2026 Rising hiring costs and difficulties recruiting talent are making it harder for Britain’s most promising companies to grow, with three quarters saying they could create at least 10 per cent more jobs if barriers to expansion were removed. New research from Enterprise Britain found the cost of employing staff has become one of the main [...]
Davey calls for AI ‘pause’ as Burnham inks US-UK tech deal September 21, 2026 Liberal Democrats leader Sir Ed Davey has called for the government to spearhead a treaty that would “press pause on super-intelligent AI” just as Andy Burnham unveiled a deal with President Trump to advance engagement on the technology. Davey is set to tell party members on Tuesday that the UK could be home to an [...]
Burnham to meet Trump amid Iran war’s inflation spike September 21, 2026 Andy Burnham is set to meet President Donald Trump face-to-face for the first time against the backdrop of the Iran war pushing inflation up to above four per cent within months. On his trip to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, Burnham will meet Trump and several other world leaders. Burnham’s meeting with [...]
Treating London and Manchester as rivals is absurd September 21, 2026 London's dominance is presented as a whirlpool, greedily sucking in talent from other regions. But London's growth aids Manchester, Birmingham and beyond.
Property tax uncertainty causes London luxury rents to soar September 21, 2026 Uncertainty over how the government might shake up property taxes at next month’s Budget is contributing to huge increases in the cost of renting a luxury house in London. Luxury property experts said fears that Andy Burnham could crack down on high-value homes, along with an influx of demand from the US and the Middle [...]