Labour defends Burnham’s ‘very powerful’ No 10 North plans July 5, 2026 Andy Burnham’s proposed ‘No 10 North’ would lead to a “very powerful reorganisation of government”, deputy Labour leader Lucy Powell has said. Her words come as ministers push ahead with one of the biggest overhauls of English local government in decades before Burnham is expected to enter Downing Street later this month, with Labour arguing [...]
Inside the trippy French vineyard owned by ousted Claridge’s billionaire July 3, 2026 Tracey Emin and Damien Hirst have designed pieces for Chateau La Coste, France’s totally surreal vineyard, the vision of the billionaire who formerly owned Claridge’s. Adam Bloodworth on the trippiest Provençal escape Resting on the side of a dirt road at Chateau La Coste, a vineyard and country estate half an hour outside of Marseille, [...]
‘Good growth in every postcode’? Not in Greater Manchester July 2, 2026 Greater Manchester’s relative growth success story has not translated into a boom in earnings or income for people in outer boroughs, according to a new report. Oxford Economics research has suggested that “exceptional economic growth” has not translated into higher earnings or income growth around the region. Economists said high levels of inactivity and the [...]
Devolution is the shakeup Britain needs July 2, 2026 In France, Germany and Italy, productivity levels in second cities are 20 to 30 per cent higher than in the UK. Devolution could help.
Ealing stalls on Voi contract as ‘sensitive discussions’ threaten West London e-bike network July 1, 2026 Ealing Council has held back from signing a fresh e-bike agreement with operator Voi, City AM understands, stalling its upcoming operating period as backroom negotiations expose growing regulatory divide on London’s high streets. Town hall chiefs have admitted that negotiations have hit a deadlock, revealing they are mired in non-disclosure talks ahead of a looming [...]
I’ve taken the best train trips in the world. Here are my 5 favourites July 1, 2026 From the Highlands to the Andes, Luke Abrahams explores the world’s best train trips and asks why, in an age of speed and screens, slow travel still holds a unique allure Since I was a child, I’ve loved the rhythmic sway of a train. The sedate pace, the repeating wallpaper of landscape rolling past the [...]
City launches new Digital ID framework against AI fraud June 30, 2026 The City of London Corporation has unveiled plans for a new digital identity framework it claims could unlock more than £5bn for the UK economy, as policymakers and the financial sector race to tackle increasingly sophisticated AI-enabled fraud. A blueprint published on Tuesday proposes a “Digital Verification Orchestrator”, or DVO – a system set to [...]
Uber slams £340m London cabbie case as ‘completely unfounded’ June 30, 2026 Uber slammed a court case brought against it by thousands of black cab drivers as “completely unfounded” on Monday as the £340m lawsuit headed to trial. The preliminary hearing, which took place at the High Court, marks the first major test in one of the UK’s biggest competition and damages claims, brought by the 13,000 [...]
Is Andy Burnham a left-wing Liz Truss? June 29, 2026 Say what you like about Andy Burnham (and I intend to say a lot) but he’s not short on ambition. Armed with a single by election victory he now intends to oversee “the biggest change in our lifetime to the way Britain is run.” The PM-in-waiting had popped down to London for some selfies before [...]
‘Biggest change in our lifetime’ – Burnham vows ‘greater public control’ over utilities June 29, 2026 Andy Burnham has vowed to empower local government to take “greater public control” over energy, housing, water and transport as councils are set to be handed greater powers as part of sweeping economic and political reform. In a speech on Monday setting out his 10-year vision to raise living standards, the likely next Prime Minister [...]