Starmer’s chief of staff Morgan McSweeney resigns over Mandelson appointment February 8, 2026 The chief of staff to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has resigned following mounting criticism over the appointment of Peter Mandelson to the US ambassadorship. Morgan McSweeney – who succeeded Sue Gray to the post in October 2024 – said the decision to nominate Lord Mandelson as ambassador to the US was “wrong” and he [...]
Union bosses call for another workers’ rights push amid Labour turmoil February 8, 2026 Union bosses are capitalising on the turmoil across the Labour party leadership to push for another major workers’ rights shakeup as Prime Minister Keir Starmer tries to fend of a rebellion from the left. The government is being urged to go beyond its manifesto commitments and hand all workers the right to guaranteed hours – [...]
Peter Mandelson should return five-figure payoff after being sacked, says minister February 8, 2026 A Cabinet minister and key ally of the Prime Minister has said Peter Mandelson should return the payoff he bagged after being sacked as the UK’s ambassador to the US. Work and Pensions Secretary Pat McFadden told Sky News Mandelson should “give [the payoff] back or give it to a charity, perhaps one involving violence [...]
Households to pay more for BBC TV licence, government confirms February 6, 2026 Households across the country will see their bills rise after the Labour government increased the TV licence fee that funds the BBC. The Department of Culture, Media and Sport said on Friday that the annual levy will be increased to £180 from 1 April. This marks a £5.50 yearly increase. The move follows rules brought [...]
FTSE 100 Live: Starmer unease rattles markets; Big tech sell-off February 6, 2026 Good morning and welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Speculation over Keir Starmer’s future has unleashed a fresh round of market unease as investors dumped the pound, UK equities and long-dated government bonds amid rising political uncertainty. The gulf in price between the UK’s short- and long-term debt – known as the yield curve – reached [...]
Majority of landlords to hike rent due to Reeves’ tax raid February 6, 2026 The majority of landlords increasing rents blamed Rachel Reeves’ new tax on property income from April next year, a survey has shown. According to the National Residential Landlords Association (NRLA), two thirds of landlords (65 per cent) raising prices over the next year cited the government’s plans to charge a two percentage point tax rate [...]
Mandelson car crash shows Starmer’s Labour has no ideology, only in-fighting February 5, 2026 Peter Mandelson was given the job because he’s from the right faction of the Labour party. Keir Starmer’s government doesn’t believe in anything except fighting itself, says John McTernan Politics is – at its best – a battle of ideas. Successful politicians need to be able to fight and think at the same time. Peter [...]
The Mandelson Epstein scandal: Squalid, brazen and outrageous February 5, 2026 Sex, money, power and influence. Peter Mandelson, once a towering figure in Labour, in the government and in the City, has fallen. He is now the subject of a police investigation into allegations of misconduct in public office after thousands of emails contained in the latest Epstein files released by the US Department of Justice [...]
UK construction ‘exits tailspin’ but job losses persist as housebuilding slumps February 5, 2026 The UK’s struggling construction sector showed signs it was turning a corner at the beginning of the year even as job losses and shrinking order books persisted. The latest construction Purchasing Manager’s Index (PMI) from S&P Global – which serves as a headline index tracking industry activity – edged up to 46.4, up from 40.1 [...]
Starmer’s faith in Mandelson was a catastrophic error of judgement February 5, 2026 If Keir Starmer had hoped that his own indignation, doubtless sincerely felt, would put distance between Downing Street and the Peter Mandelson scandal, he was mistaken. Amid dramatic and at times chaotic scenes in the House of Commons yesterday, the Prime Minister was forced into a humiliating u-turn as opposition and Labour MPs united to [...]