Andy Burnham

Markets slide as inflation fears trigger global bond sell-off – business live

Rolling coverage of the latest economic and financial news The Guardian view on the global bond shock: Andy Burnham should take note Oil has hit its highest level in almost six weeks today, after the US has launched new airstrikes on Iranian targets. Brent crude traded as high as $97 a barrel, for the first time since 24 July, having jumped by 4.6% yesterday. “Developments in recent days brought risks to regional oil supplies back into focus ... We’ve seen oil flow through the Strait of Hormuz despite the stalemate between the US and Iran, but rising tensions clearly put crossings at risk.” Continue reading...

Wednesday briefing: ​What’s behind the global backlash against datacentres?

In today’s newsletter: Communities from Scotland to India are pushing back against datacentres they feel have been forced upon them, warning they threaten energy supplies and the climate Good morning. This summer, datacentres have become targets of resistance across the world. Ever since the arrival of ChatGPT, big tech has been lobbying for the creation of enormous new facilities. Many governments claim they’re essential in any country that wants to cash in on AI. Campaigners argue datacentres drain resources and exacerbate the climate crisis. The Scottish National Party has backed a moratorium on new developments; so has the Greens. The boom has been immense, and so has the backlash. Today’s newsletter explains why. UK politics | Andy Burnham has blamed Brexit and Margaret Thatcher for a decade of low growth in the UK, arguing that Britain needs to be brutally honest about having taken “a series of wrong turns” in the last 40 years. Nepal-Tibet | A week on from the flash flooding disaster, authorities are urging relatives of the thousands of missing and dead to provide blood samples. Middle East | The US has launched new airstrikes on Iranian targets, prompting counter strikes by Tehran targeting American interests in Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Iraq, fuelling concerns about a ⁠wider renewal of hostilities. Ukraine | Russia has opened a deadly new phase in its war against Ukraine by deliberately targeting the country’s railway network, with six employees killed on Tuesday in the latest strikes on Kyiv. US news | Mark Carney has rebuked Donald Trump’s administration and urged officials in Washington to “start being serious” amid escalation trade tensions between the US and Canada. Continue reading...

UK vows anti-settler measures as Israel warns of retaliation

Britain’s foreign secretary vowed a tough response to “appalling” violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, drawing threats from Israel that it would retaliate if the UK imposed sanctions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his right-wing allies have been ramping up support for settlements in the run-up to close-fought elections, despite increasing attacks by extremist settlers who seek to drive out Palestinians. But the issue has drawn mounting criticism from foreign governments, many of which had already seen their ties with Israel strained over its conduct of the Gaza war. Speaking in parliament on Tuesday, British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said the world had “seen appalling settler terrorism and Palestinians driven from their homes”, and vowed a “comprehensive reset of our policy”. “This government will not acquiesce in the destruction of the two-state solution. We will act, and I will set out a comprehensive set of measures in the coming weeks,” Miliband said. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar later told a podcast: “If Britain acts against the State of Israel, the State of Israel will act against Britain.” Saar did not explain how Israel would retaliate against Britain, a veto-wielding member of the UN Security Council and the world’s fifth-largest economy, but it has reportedly looked at expelling diplomats. “The era in which it was possible to act against the State of Israel and the State of Israel did not respond is over. If they act, I think they will be making a big mistake,” Saar said, also accusing London of “meddling” in the October 27 election. Hardening UK stance British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said that his predecessor Keir Starmer was too soft on Israel, which has come under intense international criticism over its relentless offensive that flattened much of Gaza in response to the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, the worst ever against Israel. Starmer’s government did, however, announce sanctions in June on six entities and one person “involved in financing, enabling and carrying out settler violence” as part of a set of measures in coordination with a handful of other Western countries. Miliband on Tuesday called the so-called E1 development plan — under which more than 1,200 settler homes were greenlit by Israel last year — “the crossing of a red line, as it cuts through the heart of the West Bank and risks making a Palestinian state unviable”. Israel recently went ahead with tenders for the project, which has long been opposed by the Palestinians as it would divide the West Bank’s north and the south. Buildings in the Israeli settlement of Har Bracha (Brakha) are pictured in the background as an Israeli military excavator demolishes a Palestinian building on the outskirts of Nablus in the Israeli-occupied West Bank on August 31, 2026. — AFP Miliband, the son of Jewish refugees, said that Britain was looking at “our wider economic relationship with the occupied territories”. “We do not want British companies financing, constructing or advertising new settlements,” he said. Israel has fought against foreign governments making any distinction between goods from Israel and West Bank settlements, which are considered illegal under international law. Israel recently expelled two Dutch diplomats from a US-led centre in charge of coordinating a fledgling Gaza ceasefire after the Netherlands, traditionally one of Europe’s more pro-Israeli countries, banned trade from settlements. The British embassy in Israel afterwards said that it was participating in the centre at the request of the United States and to support the Gaza peace plan, and that removing it would “undermine these joint efforts”. Rising violence More than 500,000 Israelis live in settlements in the West Bank, which Israel has occupied since 1967, alongside three million Palestinians. Extremist Israeli settlers, many of whom believe in a biblical right to the territory, have been carrying out increasingly brazen attacks against Palestinians, including seizing their land and destroying their crops. In one of the latest incidents, settlers on Tuesday tried to set fire to a mosque in the northern West Bank, in what the Palestinian ministry of religious affairs said was the 13th such desecration of a mosque this year. A man stands by graffiti in Hebrew left by Israeli settlers following a reported arson attack on a mosque in the Palestinian village of Bazzaryah, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, on September 1, 2026. — AFP The settlers left graffiti with threatening messages in Hebrew and criticism of the US ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, AFP pictures showed. Israel has long enjoyed robust support from the United States and Huckabee, an evangelical pastor, has long championed settlements. But Huckabee issued rare criticism and described a group of settlers as “terrorists” after they tried to cut off Palestinian homes in Qusra, including one belonging to a US citizen.

The Guardian view on the global bond shock: Andy Burnham should take note | Editorial

Japan’s collision with Donald Trump reveals the dilemma facing Britain: economic independence is becoming more necessary – and more tricky to achieve “In the midst of every crisis lies great opportunity” is an aphorism attributed to Albert Einstein. It seems to be taken to heart by this White House. A global bond sell-off sparked by an inflationary shock emanating from the Gulf sees Donald Trump seeking to restrict plans by Japan – a longtime ally – to reduce dependence on an international system America dominates. Japan, a successful exporter, has long done things its own way. For years Tokyo saw off the bond vigilantes despite running enormous deficits and a huge national debt. It demonstrated how a central bank could fund public spending and keep interest rates low if it wanted to. This economic model was refined by Shinzo Abe, Japan’s longest-serving prime minister. However, this week the US treasury secretary, Scott Bessent, called time on Abenomics as his price for US help in stabilising Japan’s currency. Japan’s Sanae Takaichi, he indicated, should shrink her $2tn spending plans and raise rates. Abenomics did not suddenly become financially impossible. It became inconvenient to the issuer of the world’s reserve currency. Continue reading...

Prime Minister Andy Burnham's statement in response to the German attribution

Prime Minister Andy Burnham's statement in response to the German attribution.

PM statement to the House of Commons: 1 September 2026

Prime Minister Andy Burnham's statement to the House of Commons.

Ousted UK PM Keir Starmer quits parliament to focus on international affairs

Keir Starmer will stand down as a member of parliament, he said on Tuesday, some six weeks after he resigned as Britain’s prime minister having lost the support of his Labour Party. Starmer guided Labour into power in 2024 with one of the biggest parliamentary majorities in Britain’s modern history, completing a remarkable turnaround having become Labour leader four years earlier after its worst election showing since 1935. But the former lawyer, whose tenure as prime minister was marked by several damaging U-turns, failed to connect with voters and steadily lost the support of the public and his party. Starmer had previously said he would remain as a lawmaker until the next general election. But he told the Camden New Journal, a local newspaper in his North London constituency, that he had changed his mind and intended to “concentrate on international affairs”. He confirmed his resignation in a statement on X. Despite the sagging popularity at home that cost him his job, foreign affairs were often seen as a strength during Starmer’s premiership. He worked closely with French President Emmanuel Macron to establish the so-called Coalition of the Willing in support of Ukraine, reset ties with China, recognised a Palestinian state and had mixed success in efforts to build relations with US President Donald Trump. The newspaper report did not give a timeframe for when an election would be held for Starmer’s seat in the constituency of Holborn and St Pancras. Starmer comfortably held the seat in 2024 with a majority of just over 11,500, though an independent candidate who campaigned primarily on opposition to Israel’s assault on Gaza took nearly 19 per cent of the vote. He was replaced as prime minister in July by Andy Burnham, who became Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade. Burnham’s accession has led to a bounce in the polls for Labour, though he faces a sterner test when parliament resumes later on Tuesday.

Ousted UK Prime Minister Starmer quits parliament to focus on international affairs

Keir Starmer will stand down as a member of parliament, he said on Tuesday, some six weeks after he resigned as Britain’s prime minister having lost the support of his Labour Party. Starmer guided Labour into power in 2024 with one of the biggest parliamentary majorities in Britain’s modern history, completing a remarkable turnaround having become Labour leader four years earlier after its worst election showing since 1935. But the former lawyer, whose tenure as prime minister was marked by several damaging U-turns, failed to connect with voters and steadily lost the support of the public and his party. Starmer had previously said he would remain as a lawmaker until the next general election. But he told the Camden New Journal, a local newspaper in his North London constituency, that he had changed his mind and intended to “concentrate on international affairs”. He confirmed his resignation in a statement on X. Despite the sagging popularity at home that cost him his job, foreign affairs were often seen as a strength during Starmer’s premiership. He worked closely with French President Emmanuel Macron to establish the so-called Coalition of the Willing in support of Ukraine, reset ties with China, recognised a Palestinian state and had mixed success in efforts to build relations with US President Donald Trump. The newspaper report did not give a timeframe for when an election would be held for Starmer’s seat in the constituency of Holborn and St Pancras. Starmer comfortably held the seat in 2024 with a majority of just over 11,500, though an independent candidate who campaigned primarily on opposition to Israel’s assault on Gaza took nearly 19 per cent of the vote. He was replaced as prime minister in July by Andy Burnham, who became Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade. Burnham’s accession has led to a bounce in the polls for Labour, though he faces a sterner test when parliament resumes later on Tuesday.

Burnham chairs cabinet meeting before first statement to MPs as prime minister – UK politics live

PM will tell Commons he wants to unlock ‘positivity’ after a summer of policy announcements and improved poll ratings Andy Burnham has refused to rule out tax rises to fund higher public spending in the budget – although he has also played down the prospect of big changes. In an article for the Times, Darren Jones, who was chief secretary to the PM under Keir Starmer but who left government when Burnham took power, has warned that higher public spending on its own won’t make Britain richer. He says: Britain is poorer than we often think. We won’t get richer based on higher public spending alone, and we can’t tax billionaires who don’t live here. We shouldn’t rely on public spending as a route to some romantic version of making Britain great again as we look in the rearview mirror for a great history that is no longer available to us. We must face the future, and I know my colleagues are up to the challenge. Crucially, we must create the right conditions for a dynamic, thriving market. This includes getting ahead of what artificial intelligence will mean for our services-dominated economy. Politically, we shouldn’t see conflict between growth and fairness, or business and workers, or the market and the state. These are false choices. Continue reading...

Monday briefing: Nepal and Tibet’s floods are a warning for the future

In today’s newsletter: As rescuers search for survivors after catastrophic floods, the disaster offers a stark warning about the climate risks facing the region, and the world Good morning. Over the weekend, rescue workers in Nepal and Tibet raced to find people who are still trapped in villages affected by catastrophic flash floods. As of this morning, the death toll stands at 903, and more than 4,000 people are missing. For those of you reading this in a place where life continues as usual, the scale of devastation is hard to fathom. In a matter of minutes, a torrent of mud and debris engulfed entire villages, snapped bridges and swept away people’s homes and families. Some survivors are marooned on top of buildings that rescue workers can’t reach. Others are trapped in tunnels beneath the ground. Many have no idea if their loved ones are still alive. UK politics | PC Andrew Harper’s killers will remain in prison after Andy Burnham announced changes to the early release scheme that will see anyone convicted of unlawful killing, including all forms of manslaughter, excluded from the scheme. Milo Yiannopoulos | Far-right British media provocateur Milo Yiannopoulos has been deported from the US back to the UK by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) in connection with what the agency said was expired authorisation to be in the country. US-Iran | Iran has launched retaliatory strikes on airbases in Jordan after the United States attacked Iranian rocket launchers on an island in the strait of Hormuz, the first such strikes in a month. Iceland | In a blow to Brussels, Iceland has held a referendum that has narrowly ⁠rejected ⁠the government’s proposal ​to hold ⁠accession talks with ⁠the ​EU. Nepal-Tibet disaster | A headteacher in Nepal evacuated 900 children from a school moments before a deadly wall of water struck their town amid the devastating flash floods that have killed almost 800 people and left thousands missing. Tuesday | Justice secretary Alex Norris is due to present the government’s revised plans for the prisoner early release scheme, which includes a headroom review aimed at freeing up more space in the system. Thursday | In the first UK visit by an EU leader of Andy Burnham’s tenure, the prime minister is will host talks with French president Emmanuel Macron. Saturday | Officials from Jamaica will visit the UK to lodge a petition with King Charles to seek legal guidance from the privy council on the country’s request for reparations over Britain’s involvement in the slave trade, on the anniversary of the 1781 Zong slave ship departure from West Africa. Continue reading...

Andy Burnham pledge to end indefinite jail terms ‘a step towards healing’

Campaigners welcome plan to bring IPP sentences to a close but say the move is long overdue Campaigners have hailed Andy Burnham’s pledge to bring an end to indefinite jail terms as “a day that thousands of families have spent years fighting for”. The prime minister has said he will “end the injustice” of imprisonment for public protection (IPP) sentences during this parliament, meaning people will no longer be trapped indefinitely under a sentence abolished more than a decade ago. In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on freephone 116 123. In the US, you can call or text the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline on 988, chat on 988lifeline.org, or text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at befrienders.org Continue reading...

Mayors are the big winners in Burnham’s devolution drive. So what happens to areas without mayors? | John Harris

Labour has promised a ‘fundamental rewiring’ of power. But some areas are years into their devolution journey while others scramble to get started Apart from the joyous hyperactivity that comes with suddenly making it to No 10, there are good reasons why Andy Burnham seems to be a prime minister in a hurry. If he decides that his first term is going to run to its maximum length, he has three years, which is a maddening time-frame: too long for him to just tinker here and there, set out his long-term vision and then ask the electorate for permission to do more, but probably too short to start and finish many of his key projects. His chosen solution, it seems, is a mixture of the strategies he would use for each approach, which includes running at some issues at breakneck pace. So it is with his specialist subject: devolution for England. The huge changes now afoot actually began under Keir Starmer, with the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act passed earlier this year. Areas that previously had two tiers of local government will see them replaced with new unitary councils. But the most historic move centres on regional mayors – what the government calls “strategic authorities” – and a shift that the Whitehall PR machine is hyping up as a “fundamental rewiring of the way our country works, surrendering power that for too long has been held in Westminster and Whitehall”. In principle, this is unquestionably worth celebrating. But it also gives rise to a whole range of increasingly urgent and awkward questions. John Harris is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...

On long road back from Brexit, north-east’s recovery rides on survival of Nissan’s ‘shining star’ plant

Operating at only half its capacity, Japanese carmaker’s Sunderland factory seeks deal with China’s Chery as it battles Brexit threats In a factory in Gateshead, engineers carefully wind metal wires around iron cores to go in electric motors. Here, workers produce a smaller “pancake motor”, which generates higher torque than conventional versions for supercars or construction equipment. These workers form part of north-east England’s automotive industry, which has experienced a long line of political disruptions, from Margaret Thatcher’s efforts to attract international investment, through Brexit and now Andy Burnham’s reindustrialisation strategy. Continue reading...

The Guardian view on political donations: Labour should curb the power of big money | Editorial

Before becoming prime minister, Andy Burnham favoured a £500,000 donations cap. In office, he’s backing away. That is a mistake On the campaign trail in Makerfield, Andy Burnham told a democracy activist that he favoured a political donations cap of around £500,000 and wanted it reduced over time. His government is now resisting amendments that would move in precisely that direction. Mr Burnham was right in May. He is wrong now. It is difficult to argue that restricting a single person to giving half a million pounds a year to a political party would damage democracy. Such a cap would only affect the mega-rich. Reducing the cap would force parties to wean themselves off the present regime that allows the rich too much say. There are two contra arguments swilling around Labour. The first is that there should be room for wealthy, progressive donors – whose cash helps rebut claims that Labour is in the pocket of the trade unions. The second is the warning from unions that a cap could undermine their ability to contribute to the Labour party. Do you have an opinion on the issues raised in this article? If you would like to submit a response of up to 300 words by email to be considered for publication in our letters section, please click here. Continue reading...

PM letter to ministers on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill

Prime Minister Andy Burnham's letter to ministers on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill.

Tajani says doesn't think Putin will attack NATO

(ANSA) - ROME, AUG 28 - Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said Friday he did not think that Russian President Vladmiri Putin would attack NATO after Moscow threatened British bases after Premier Andy Burnham gave long-range missile tech to Kyiv. "I don't think Russia will attack NATO, and certainly what they're doing from Moscow shouldn't be underestimated: I'm thinking of cyber attacks," said Tajani, who is also deputy premier. "We're organized, we're reacting, we repel them daily. But I don't think we should be overly alarmed. I'm always opposed to creating a climate of agitation and fear. "Also because a Russian attack against the West would leave Russia the loser," he added, "so I don't think Putin would make the mistake of attacking to be defeated." (ANSA). Read article...

Russia threatens strikes on UK military targets

MOSCOW/WASHINGTON: Russia warned on Thursday that it could strike British military targets inside and outside Ukraine in response to Ukrainian attacks on targets inside Russia using long-range British cruise missiles. The warning, delivered by Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova at a news briefing in Moscow, has been made before but without such rhetorical force or urgency. Zakharova said that London was just “one step away” from becoming legally complicit in Moscow’s eyes for what she called “terrorism” against Russian civilians and warned of “inevitable catastrophic consequences” unless Britain changed course. Her reference to “terrorism” was related to the use of the Franco-British Storm Shadow/SCALP missiles by Ukraine to strike targets inside Russia or targets on territory in eastern Ukraine, which Russia claims as its own. Trump says Putin is ‘not going to attack’ Nato territory “We have repeatedly warned that any British military installations and equipment in Ukraine and beyond its borders could be targeted in response to Ukrainian strikes on Russian territory carried out using British weapons,” Zakharova said. “We propose that the British leadership once again carefully analyse the situation and immediately, in the most resolute and unequivocal manner, abandon the hostile, aggressive line which can only ... create the risk of the conflict escalating to an entirely new level,” she said. A spokesperson for Britain’s Ministry of Defence said London stood “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine and was committed to providing the equipment that Kyiv needed “to defend itself against (Presi­dent Vladimir) Putin’s illegal invasion”. “Russia should be in no doubt about the resolve of this Government to stand against Russian aggression, in Ukraine and against the UK and our allies,” the spokesperson told Reuters. Western analysts said the strength of Moscow’s warning reflected Russian fury over Britain’s decision made public on Monday to allow Kyiv access to classified technology to start its own production of Storm Shadow cruise missiles, capable of carrying out strikes deep within Russia. The Kremlin said that Britain was methodically adding “fuel to the fire” after the announcement. Trump rules out Russian attack US President Donald Trump on Thursday said Vladimir Putin is “not going to attack” Nato territory, pushing back against media reports that Washington is concerned about a possible Russian move on Europe. Trump’s comments came two days after CIA Director John Ratcliffe flew to Moscow for surprise talks that US media said were to warn Moscow not to attack the Nato alliance. “I’ve had good talks with him. He’s not going to be attacking a Nato territory,” Trump told reporters in the Oval Office when asked if the Russian president had agreed not to do so. Asked to confirm the reports about Ratcliffe delivering a warning to the Russians, Trump replied: “I don’t want to comment on that, but they’re not going to attack.” Trump also played down the need to punish Russia for trading with their ally Iran, after his administration announced an “economic D-Day” targeting Tehran if it refuses to open the Strait of Hormuz. “So far, I think Russia’s behaved quite well, having to do with the Strait of Hormuz,” he said. ‘Dangerous path’ France has already given its assent to license the technology for the European missile, and Zakharova on Thursday also appeared to threaten Paris too. She said that France and Britain were both “playing with fire” by supplying sensitive missile technology to Ukraine, something she said could have unpredictable consequences. She also took aim at British Prime Minister Andy Burnham, saying he seemed to think he had a mandate for escalation and had chosen the most dangerous path when it came to Ukraine. Zakharova issued her warning a day after Russia accused Ukraine of firing British Storm Shadow missiles at a shopping centre in the Russian-controlled city of Donetsk in eastern Ukraine in an attack it said wounded civilians, including children. There was no immediate comment from Ukraine and Reuters could not independently verify the details of the attack. Both sides deny deliberately targeting civilians. Thousands of civilians have been killed since Russia sent its troops into Ukraine in 2022. Published in Dawn, August 28th, 2026

Cost of living and young people priorities for the PM during first visit to Northern Ireland

Prime Minister Andy Burnham has arrived in Northern Ireland as part of his summer tour of the United Kingdom.

Russia warns Britain is ‘playing with fire’ over its support of Ukraine

Kremlin threatens retaliation after Burnham says UK will help Ukraine start producing long-range missiles Russia has said it could retaliate against the UK for its support of Kyiv by striking military targets inside and outside Ukraine, amid reports that the director of the CIA warned the Kremlin against attacking Nato during a secretive visit this week. Andy Burnham, Britain’s prime minister, said on Monday the UK would allow Kyiv access to classified technology to start ⁠its own production of Storm Shadow ​long-range ​cruise missiles. Maria ⁠Zakharova, Russia’s foreign ministry spokesperson, said on Thursday Britain and France were “playing ⁠with ​fire”. Continue reading...

PM statement in response to flooding along the Nepal-China border: 26 August 2026

Prime Minister Andy Burnham's statement in response to flooding along the Nepal-China border.

Octopus Boss Warns UK Is Too Exposed to Global Gas Prices

Octopus boss Greg Jackson has called on Andy Burnham to deliver “urgent reform” to the energy market to protect households from “volatile” gas prices. Jackson, founder of the UK’s biggest household electricity supplier, said: “The government’s decision to take VAT off electricity and remove some of the levies from bills has helped soften the blow this winter, but bills are still too high. “Britain remains far too exposed to volatile global gas prices. The wars in Ukraine and Iran have created an unprecedented…

UK to back Ukraine with missile blueprints amid Russia-Ukraine strikes

UK PM Andy Burnham visited Kyiv on his first foreign trip, pledging to give cruise missile designs to Ukraine.

Government lays out housing plans but Burnham backtracks on social renting pledge – UK politics live

£10bn for housing with 60% social renting is at odds with PM’s previous call for programme to be spent entirely on social homes Ministers are looking at “a range of support” for vulnerable households struggling with rising bills, the energy secretary has said ahead of tomorrow’s Ofgem announcement on the energy cap level. PA Media reports forecasts have indicated that households could see their bills rise by another 4% to the equivalent of £1,729 a year, as the widened conflict in the Middle East sparked by Donald Trump’s war on Iran continues to push up wholesale energy prices. Continue reading...

British PM Burnham plans US trip in Sept to lobby Trump on Ukraine needs

He stressed that while Britain did not use the Patriot missiles required by Ukraine, other European nations needed to step up.

Burnham to take Zelenskyy’s pleas for Patriot missiles to Trump – Europe live

UK PM to join delegation of leaders lobbying US president to step up supplies Burnham plans trip to New York as Ukraine pleads for US-made missiles Zelenskyy has been thanking world leaders individually on X for their messages of support on Ukraine’s independence day (35 and counting so far). Here is his message to King Charles and Queen Camilla: Warm and sincere Independence Day wishes from His Majesty King Charles III and Her Majesty The Queen are deeply moving and exceptionally meaningful. I am grateful for the emphasis on Ukraine’s history, rich culture, and unyielding national spirit, as well as the resilience of the Ukrainian people, who continue to defend their homeland and uphold the values that define our state. I received warm and heartening congratulations from President Trump on the 35th Anniversary of the Restoration of Ukraine’s Independence: “Dear Mr. President: Continue reading...

Reader Q&A: ask international correspondent Luke Harding a question now

The Guardian’s senior international reporter Luke Harding will be answering your questions live from 1pm BST. Ask him about his new book on Trump and Putin, the state of the war in Ukraine, or his career reporting from Kyiv, Moscow and around the world Ask a question: log in or sign up here Luke Harding, author and award-winning foreign correspondent, has covered wars in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Syria and most recently Ukraine. Between 2007 and 2011 he was the Guardian’s chief writer in Moscow before being expelled by the Kremlin. Luke has been reporting this week on the Andy Burnham’s renewal of support for Ukraine and Russia’s loudening threats to Britain. He has also recently written in depth about Ukraine’s increasingly successful drone warfare tactics and the aftermath of injuries for Ukrainian soldiers. Continue reading...

Burnham plans trip to New York as Ukraine pleads for US-made missiles

UK prime minister ‘likely’ to travel to US in September, after meeting Zelenskyy and saying supply problem is ‘fixable’ Andy Burnham has said he plans to travel to the US next month to join European leaders lobbying Donald Trump to supply Ukraine with Patriot missiles. The UK prime minister told Bloomberg he was “looking forward to going to New York” in September, which is when the UN General Assembly will meet. He said details of the trip were not “fully confirmed” but it was “likely” to go ahead. The trip would be Burnham’s first US visit since becoming prime minister in July. Continue reading...

The UK will help Ukraine make long-range missiles by sharing classified tech information

Burnham, who was in Kyiv for Ukraine's Independence Day, said defense firm MBDA will release details on U.K.-made parts for the SCALP missile to Ukraine to help the country assemble the weapons.

Burnham refuses to rule out tax rises in autumn Budget

Experts have warned that he and Chancellor John Healey will have little room to manoeuvre in their first Budget.

Britain said it will help Kyiv build Storm Shadow missiles in Ukraine. Hours later, the Kremlin announced that Russian forces are already working to find the production sites.

Ukraine marked the 35th anniversary of its independence on August 24. The leaders of Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Finland, Romania, Moldova, and Luxembourg traveled to Kyiv for the occasion, as did Britain’s new prime minister, Andy Burnham, on his first official visit to Ukraine.

Andy Burnham, European leaders plan US trip to seek Patriot missiles for Ukraine - report

The leaders of Britain and France pledged to provide Ukraine with stronger military support, including access to classified technology and faster deliveries of air defense missiles.

Burnham’s visit to Kyiv marks a renewal of badly needed support for Ukraine

As well as pledging military help and diplomatic backing, the prime minister could be useful in dealing with the US Since moving into Downing Street in July, Andy Burnham – a foreign policy neophyte – has expressed strong support for Ukraine. But on Monday he saw the bitter human cost of the war up close for the first time, visiting Kyiv during his first international trip as prime minister. The occasion was the 35th anniversary of Ukraine’s independence. Volodymyr Zelenskyy gave awards to the families of fallen soldiers. Relatives wept, hugging Ukraine’s president. Photos of young men in their prime were shown on a giant screen. Continue reading...

UK PM Burnham vows support for Ukraine despite 'outrageous threats' from Russia

It comes after Moscow warned of "consequences" over the reported use of British drones by Ukraine.

Pro-Palestinian groups plan Labour conference protests to push U.K. Gaza genocide recognition

Pro-Palestinian groups are set to mobilize at Labour's annual conference next month, pressing Prime Minister Andy Burnham to adopt a series of measures against Israel

"Throwing Oil On Fire": Russia Slams Britain Over Missile Help To Ukraine

The warning came as British Prime Minister Andy Burnham pledged to keep backing Ukraine militarily during a visit to Kyiv.

Russia accuses Burnham of fuelling Ukraine war fires

UK ‘adding fuel to the fire’ by giving weaponry blueprints to Ukraine, says Russia

Moscow warns of increased tensions with Britain as Burnham visits Kyiv to offer declassified details of missile components Europe live – latest updates The Kremlin has warned of an escalation in tensions between the UK and Russia as Andy Burnham arrived in Kyiv to present Ukraine with newly declassified blueprints to allow Ukraine to improve its production of long range missiles. In his first trip abroad as the prime minister, Burnham will give Ukraine previously classified information on the British manufactured components for long-range cruise missiles. Continue reading...

Andy Burnham arrives in Ukraine with plans to share UK blueprints for long-range missiles - Europe live

UK PM to announce support for France in setting up assembly lines for long-range missiles during his Kyiv visit, as coalition of willing the meets later today Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Europe. I am kicking us off but Jakub Krupa will be taking over a little later on. UK ⁠prime ⁠minister Andy ​Burnham arrived in ⁠the Ukrainian capital Kyiv on Monday alongside a number of European leaders ⁠to mark ​the ‌country’s independence ‌day. Continue reading...

New UK PM Andy Burnham to make visit to Kyiv on Monday – office

LONDON — British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will visit Kyiv on Monday on his first international visit since taking office last month, his office said, as Ukraine marks its 35th independence anniversary. Burnham has vowed to give strong support to Ukraine as it battles Russia’s invasion. The Labour Party leader’s visit comes as he announced

Britain is 100% behind you: Prime Minister Andy Burnham visits Kyiv on Ukrainian Independence Day for first international trip

Andy Burnham will arrive in Ukraine on Monday 24 August for his first overseas visit as Prime Minister.

UK PM Andy Burnham to visit Kyiv on Monday as Ukraine marks independence anniversary

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham will visit Kyiv on Monday on his first international visit since taking office last month, his office said, as Ukraine marks its 35th independence anniversary. Burnham has vowed to give strong support to Ukraine as it battles Russia’s invasion. The Labour Party leader’s visit comes as he announced that Britain had “agreed that defence firm MBDA can release classified information on UK components for the long-range missile, SCALP, to establish local assembly...

Burnham to visit Ukraine with promise of boost for Kyiv’s long-range missiles

PM will use independence day trip to announce sharing of classified information about Storm Shadow components Britain will boost Ukraine’s capacity to make its own long-range missiles, Andy Burnham will announce on Monday, as he travels to Kyiv for the country’s independence day on his first foreign visit as prime minister. Burnham will arrive in the Ukrainian capital on Monday morning at a crucial time in the war, with Kyiv braced for another wave of Russian missile attacks and the country’s president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, facing his most direct domestic challenge. Continue reading...

The Guardian view on Andy Burnham’s foreign policy: work in progress | Editorial

The prime minister has focused on domestic affairs since coming to office. But at a time of global disruption, he will need to define Britain’s place in the world A run of volatility in domestic British politics in recent years has tracked a period of global turbulence, and yet foreign policy over the same period has been an area of relative stability. What little is known about Andy Burnham’s approach to international relations expresses more continuity with Sir Keir Starmer’s administration than deviation. In negotiations with the EU, the red lines that prohibit membership of the single market or customs union still stand. Where Washington is concerned, Mr Burnham shows no interest in performances of bonhomie with Donald Trump, but his predecessor had already swapped that approach for a cooler pragmatic tone by the end of his tenure. The new foreign secretary, Ed Miliband, has opened a good dialogue with Marco Rubio, his US counterpart. Such is the density of integration in defence and security matters that incoming UK prime ministers, regardless of ideology, have little choice but to invest time in cultivating a bond with whoever sits in the White House. Anyone hoping for a spectacular transatlantic rupture and sudden clinch with Brussels will be disappointed. Continue reading...

The PM is promising to fix our everyday annoyances – and I have a list to get him started | Emma Beddington

Andy Burnham hopes we’ll forget the big stuff if he sorts out our minor frustrations and low-level gripes. Pothole politics hasn’t won me over yet, but I know some changes that could This is a vulnerable confession, but I spend way too much time on the social media of the New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani. Whether he is seemingly effortlessly speaking Mandarin, hanging out with kids or charmingly accepting that he should wear a cycle helmet, the man with the million-watt smile is my antidepressant. (Even more vulnerable confession: I believe, irrationally, he is looking after my elder son, who lives there.) This means that I know all about Mamdani’s fight against what Business Insider recently deemed the “annoyance economy” – daily frustrations that make you poorer or drive you slowly, miserably mad. These include the absurd complexity of cancelling subscriptions; hidden fees; getting charged more for something you looked up last week, because of cookies; never being able to find a public toilet; and potholes. He has taken to responding when he gets tagged in people’s “Mamdani, fix this” posts to the point where Britons online are even jokily asking him to take on their problems. Continue reading...

UK PM Andy Burnham leads tributes after 2 police officers among 7 killed in northeast England

Burnham to face pressure at Labour conference to recognise Israel’s actions in Gaza as genocide

Grassroot groups preparing to put pressure on PM to break with Starmer policy and impose full arms embargo on Israel Grassroot Labour groups are gearing up for a conference showdown with Andy Burnham over Gaza, as the party’s members seek to force the prime minister to recognise Israel’s actions as a genocide, and impose a full arms embargo. Momentum, Labour & Palestine, the Campaign for Labour Party Democracy and Palestine Solidarity Campaign (PSC) will ramp up pressure on Burnham before his first Labour conference as prime minister next month. Continue reading...

Former British and French diplomats urge action over Israel’s ‘erasure’ of Palestine

In letter to Macron and Burnham, more than 100 senior figures accuse Israel of ethnic cleansing and call for measures including trade ban More than 100 French and British former diplomats have said Palestine is being erased in front of the world’s eyes and called for urgent action including trade and arms sales bans to press Israel to accept a Palestinian state. An unprecedented joint letter dispenses with diplomatic language by accusing Israel of ethnic cleansing and warning that the world no longer sees Israel as a genuine democracy. Uphold the decisions of the international court of justice and the international criminal court. Suspend the EU-Israel association agreement and the UK-Israel trade and partnership agreement for breach of human rights provisions. Suspend arms transfers to and from Israel and all bilateral military cooperation. Insist on unrestricted aid access to Gaza, led by the UN Relief and Works Agency, other UN agencies and international NGOs, with consequences for non-compliance, and access too for journalists, diplomats and parliamentarians. Ban all trade with settlements, including goods, investment, insurance and other financial services. Warn potential bidders for the “red line” E1 settlement or other settlement financing/construction that their interests in and with the UK and France will suffer. Make it an offence for British and French citizens to buy property on stolen Palestinian land and remove charitable status from “charities” funding settlements. Continue reading...

Burnham announces plans to clean up illegal waste dumps – UK politics live

The prime minister has promised a crackdown on criminal gangs making money from dumping waste Hello and welcome to the UK politics live blog. The days of criminal gangs making easy money from dumping waste are “over”, the prime minister will say on a visit to a waste site in Yorkshire later today. These toxic dumps have blighted communities for too long. I said we would clean them up – and that’s exactly what we’re announcing today. These mountains of rubbish have been a clear sign to communities that politics hasn’t been working for them or their area. This government is going to tackle the issues that have been ignored by Westminster for too long and bring back hope. Andy Burnham has said government money alone may not be enough to get rough sleepers off the streets by Christmas, as he issued a “rallying call” for councils, charities and communities to help solve the problem. Speaking on a visit to the north-east of England, he said he felt “very passionately” about tackling homelessness and wanted the wider society to play a part in wiping it out. Burnham is “too chicken” to approve the controversial Jackdaw and Rosebank oil and gasfields, the Tories have claimed. Production had been approved by the previous Conservative government, but those decisions were quashed after a legal challenge by Greenpeace, leaving Labour ministers to decide whether drilling should go ahead. Labour could lose dozens of seats to the Green party if the government allows new drilling in the North Sea, according to internal research shared with the Guardian. Green party analysis suggests up to 50 Labour MPs – including key Andy Burnham ally Louise Haigh – could lose their seats at the next election if the government fails to make urgent climate action a priority or allows new drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea. The Tories believe they can cut energy bills by £540 a year for the next two decades by prioritising cheap energy over net zero. Speaking in London, the shadow energy secretary Claire Coutinho said, when she was a minister, civil servants had been unable to prove to her that wind and solar energy was cheaper than fossil fuels. Burnham has warned of the dangers of open-water swimming as he called the deaths of a mother, father and their teenage daughter who got into difficulty in water off Sussex “a terrible family tragedy”. The prime minister expressed his sympathies as a young girl from the same family remained in a critical condition in hospital. Continue reading...

Travelodge boss resigns following criticism of handling of assaults; rising consumer confidence gives Burnham ‘golden opportunity’ – business live

Joanna Boydell leaves as budget hotel chain scrambles to improve safety Travelodge has set out the details of its security review, along with its latest financial results today. It claimed it had “acted quickly to make changes to improve safety and security across our operations”. Most importantly, it has changed its room access security policy, so "any additional or replacement room key now requires explicit permission from the guest staying in the room, the company said. An independent review led by Paul Greaney KC, a leading barrister specialising in public inquiries concerning security, serious violent crime, and health and safety, to examine its room access security policies and escalation procedures A partnership with a leading Violence Against Women and Girls expert who are delivering a tailored programme of senior leadership training. Ongoing working with UK Hospitality, participating in their Guest Security Working Group, helping to develop industry Guest Security Principles & Good Practice guidance, which aims to promote best practice across the hospitality sector An internal review, which is ongoing, and making a number of changes as a result, including changes to room access security policy. Any additional or replacement room key now requires explicit permission from the guest staying in the room. This builds on our existing policy to never confirm to any third party that a guest is staying at one of our hotels A new room access security policy, now live across all 600+ hotels, backed by training for our 12,000 customer-facing colleagues and ongoing independent audit and mystery shopper programmes Management consultancy AlixPartners have been brought in to assess, audit, build and reinforce the work underway A completed deadbolt audit across all UK rooms, confirming all key-card doors have a secondary deadbolt Ongoing proactive engagement with parliament, government, and UK Hospitality’s Guest Security Working Group. Continue reading...

Burnham pledges to get thousands of rough sleepers off streets for Christmas – UK politics live

PM promises to mount ‘Covid-style campaign’ to get homeless people off streets in winter Hello and welcome to the UK politics live blog. Andy Burnham has pledged to work to “get everyone in for Christmas” as he continues to build on his policy to end rough sleeping. We see people bedded down in doorways and sat outside stations, carrying their lives in rucksacks and sleeping bags on their backs. And I think most people have the same reaction: this isn’t right. It shouldn’t be happening here. But we’ve lived with it for so long that something that used to shock us now feels like part of the scenery. We did it in the pandemic. We got people out of the cold because, as a country, we decided it had to be done. We can do it again. That’s why the first thing I announced when I became prime minister was a commitment to end rough sleeping. Not to manage it, not to reduce it – but to end it. And today, we’re taking the first step in getting it done. Burnham confirmed a new partnership between the government and the West Midlands Combined Authority (WMCA) to take local control of bus services in the region. Burnham said the “absolutely massive” move would protect thousands of jobs, which were threatened after the parent company behind local operator National Express indicated it was leaving the market. Burnham said “nothing of consequence” was exchanged when he was text messaging somebody impersonating Donald Trump’s chief of staff Susie Wiles. “All politicians are receiving these pressures and these challenges, but I did everything right. There was a minimal exchange of information of zero consequence, and it was quickly reported,” he told reporters. Burnham said he will present findings on a review of the early release scheme in England and Wales when parliament returns in two weeks’ time. Justice secretary Alex Norris is drawing up plans to “maximise public safety and minimise the early release of prisoners”, the prime minister said. The green energy entrepreneur and Labour donor Dale Vince has urged the prime minister to allow more drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea, in a reversal of his previous position. Vince, who has given more than £5m to Labour over several years, said he had told Andy Burnham that the Rosebank and Jackdaw projects should be approved as long as the oil and gas produced were subject to price controls to make them cheaper than energy imported from overseas. Continue reading...