Starmer to give Burnham access to government June 23, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer is set to hand Andy Burnham access to the civil service “as soon as possible”. After announcing his resignation, Starmer is preparing for a transition in government over the next four weeks. A government spokesperson confirmed that Burnham and other prospective Prime Ministers would be able to engage with senior civil servants [...]
Warning lights: UK services suffer worst shock since January 2023 June 23, 2026 Business activity across the UK economy is at a 14-month low, research has suggested, as growth has taken a toll from Labour’s political woes and the impact of the continued trade disruption. The initial estimate for S&P Global’s purchasing managers’ index (PMI) dropped to a score of 49.4 in June, falling further below the neutral [...]
Brexit 10 years on: Business does not want a referendum rerun, says CBI chief June 23, 2026 British businesses are focused on the future and do not want a rerun of the Brexit referendum, the leader of the UK’s largest business lobby group has warned. Speaking to the FT, CBI director-general Rain Newton-Smith, on the tenth anniversary of the referendum, stated that despite the economic pain of leaving the EU, businesses don’t [...]
As it happened: Stocks recover after markets rocked by tech-sell off; US claims ‘good foundations’ of Iran deal June 23, 2026 Welcome back to the City AM liveblog. Markets have shrugged off the latest developments in US-Iran peace with the FTSE 100 falling at open as London got swept up in the wider sell-off that rocked Asia and Wall Street overnight. This comes despite some progress in the Middle East, with Trump’s Vice President JD Vance [...]
Here’s what a government led by Andy Burnham will look like June 23, 2026 The political economy of an Andy Burnham government is clear, it will be radically interventionist: nationalising failing utilities like Thames Water, investing in the green transition – and seeing the Iran War as a spur to the ultimate energy security of renewables plus nuclear; building a progressive economy of opportunity and prosperity for all, says [...]
Burnham might lift Labour’s mood but he won’t save the country June 23, 2026 It was a little under two years ago that Keir Starmer stood outside 10 Downing Street and declared that his new government would “end the era of noisy performance [and] tread a little more lightly on your lives.” It was a bold ambition and, after a shambolic end to Tory rule, a welcome one. Was [...]
Speed or stability? Bond markets strap in for Andy Burnham coronation June 22, 2026 City bond traders are strapping in for a “jumpy” ride as Andy Burnham looks set to cruise into Downing Street uncontested – even if a coronation helps head off the worst volatility, analysts have said. The former Manchester Mayor’s bid for the top job won a major boost today as former health secretary Wes Streeting [...]
As it happened: How Starmer resigned and when Streeting backed Burnham June 22, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer resigned as Prime Minister. The Labour leader said on Monday he “had heard the answer of the parliamentary party” that he was not the right person to lead the party into the next election. He said nominations for a new leader will open on July 9, and if a contest goes ahead, [...]
Nigel Farage calls for General Election after Starmer replacement June 22, 2026 Reform UK leader Nigel Farage has called for a general election after Sir Keir Starmer announced his resignation today. In a Substack essay, Farage hit out at Andy Burnham – the likely successor to Starmer – and said that the UK could not “afford to waste another week drifting from crisis to crisis”. “To men [...]
Andy Burnham: being all things to all men will end up letting everyone down June 22, 2026 Andy Burnham has made a series of promises he knows he can’t keep. Either that he does not care, so consumed is he with ambition to be Prime Minister, or that he believes he will somehow find a way to make the circle appear squared and satisfy a broad spectrum of opinion. Indifference or mendacity [...]