Dispatch: Discos and despair at the Labour Party Conference Opinion Labour conference parties, the Guinness revolution and the triple lock kibosh; catch up on the latest gossip in The Capitalist.
Why Burnham’s housing revolution won’t work Opinion Despite giving a passionate defence of everything home ownership can give to a family, Burnham’s actual policies do alarmingly little.
Why is Burnham set to turn against the triple lock? Politics The controversial pension triple lock is reportedly set to face the axe as Andy Burnham looks to rewire the UK’s pension landscape to fund his plans. In his maiden conference speech as prime minister on Tuesday, Burnham is expected to signal the death of the triple lock after 16 years, bringing an end to pensioner’s [...]
Burnham set to signal end of triple lock in conference speech September 29, 2026 Andy Burnham is set to signal the end of the triple lock on pensions in his maiden conference speech as Prime Minister, in a move that is likely to divide the Labour party. In his maiden conference speech as Labour leader, Burnham will suggest the policy is not sustainable in its current form and should [...]
‘Last days of the honeymoon’: Anxious bosses prepare charm offensive at Labour conference September 25, 2026 Ahead of the Labour Party Conference on Sunday, and one month away from the Budget, businesses are feeling nervous, write Mauricio Alencar and Felix Armstrong Stepping onto an early-morning Avanti West Coast train from London Euston is now a familiar feeling for the Prime Minister. Andy Burnham is set to make the journey more regularly [...]
What to expect from Andy Burnham at Labour party conference September 24, 2026 Andy Burnham’s first conference speech will crown an extraordinary for the former Mayor of Manchester turned Prime Minister, but it’s also the moment he must explain how he will meet the challenges ahead, says Douglas Beattie What a difference a year makes – 12 months ago, amid growing leadership speculation, Andy Burnham was telling journalists [...]
Business versus the Budget: How a ‘dismal’ fiscal picture could disrupt Labour’s Party conference September 24, 2026 As business chiefs look forward to the Labour Party conference and the ensuing Budget, Maurício Alencar explores how a difficult fiscal backdrop could disrupt meetings and undermine high expectations. In the months leading up to the Budget, hundreds of notes fly through the Treasury’s letterbox. Emails ping on officials’ phones. Lobbyists for academics, retailers, councillors, [...]
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 [...]
Conference season has made one thing clear: Labour has already failed October 8, 2025 Polling in the aftermath of Labour conference tells a brutal story of a party that has already failed, writes Brandon Lewis.
What should Labour supporters make of a conference dominated by Reform? October 1, 2025 Keir Starmer wants to frame the choice facing Britain as one between decency and division, but will a restless electorate anxious to see results let him? Asks Douglas Beattie There are three types of party conference – the dreary, the victorious and the tense. The first of these often emerges after a long period in [...]