Birleşik Krallık Başbakanı (2026-görevde)
- Diplomatik15 Eki
PM remarks at the King’s Trust Centre: 15 October 2026
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's remarks at the King’s Trust Centre in Manchester today.
- Diplomatik16 Eki
PM speech in Scotland: 16 October 2026
Prime Minister Andy Burnham delivered a speech in Scotland today.
The Guardian view on Trump’s deal with Putin: grim and grubby, but not gamechanging | Editorial
President Zelenskyy’s allies must show the Russian president that American perfidy won’t alter the course of a war the Kremlin is losing When Donald Trump pledged to end the war in Ukraine within 24 hours of re-entering the White House last year, no one with any depth of insight into the conflict believed him. But Mr Trump took his own words seriously enough to feel the lack of a ceasefire as an affront to his self-image as a master dealmaker. After a period when it seemed that Kyiv’s European allies had steered the US president away from pro‑Kremlin partisanship, he has reverted to the grotesque view that Ukrainian capitulation is a necessary precondition for peace. These are the perilous circumstances in which President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Andy Burnham on Wednesday in Downing Street. In recent days, the US president has called for a change of government in Ukraine. He claimed that a partial ceasefire had been agreed, while Russia escalated its bombardments. According to Mr Zelenskyy, the latest missile strikes have come without the intelligence warnings from the US that have, in the past, facilitated self-defence. There have been reports of Ukrainian soldiers losing access to the Starlink satellite network, controlled by Elon Musk, the US tech oligarch. This raises suspicion of coordinated pressure to tip the scales in Russia’s favour after many months when Mr Putin’s forces have failed to deliver significant advances and his country’s economy has been suffering from the effect of Ukrainian missile and drone counterstrikes. 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...
The Guardian view on Trump’s deal with Putin: grim and grubby, but not gamechanging | EditorialWife of UK PM top adviser in row over Palestine Action post
Downing Street on Friday distanced itself from comments by the wife of the British prime minister’s national security advisor who voiced support for Palestine Action, a group banned under UK law. Sarah Helm, a journalist and author and wife of Jonathan Powell, Andy Burnham’s national security adviser, posted on X on Thursday “God help us authors who support Palestine and Palestine Action”, an activist group proscribed as terrorist by the UK government last year. Helm was commenting after publisher Faber said on Wednesday that its Irish author Sally Rooney cannot sell her books in the UK because of her support for Palestine Action, which it is now illegal in the UK to support or finance. Helm’s X post criticised another British journalist who said Rooney had an anti-Israel and anti-Jewish stance, claiming he would “have all our books swept off the shelves in a jiffy”. A government spokeswoman said of Helm’s post: “These views are held by an individual who does not represent the government in any capacity.” The Campaign Against Antisemitism wrote on X that Helm’s post was “gobsmacking” and “clearly, the police need to investigate and Ms Helm must face the full force of the law”. It urged Powell to “publicly denounce this rhetoric” because he is involved in Middle East diplomacy. Asked by AFP for comment, London’s Metropolitan Police did not immediately react. Helm is a journalist who has written for The Sunday Times and The Independent newspapers. In 2011 she wrote a play called “Loyalty” based on her relationship with Powell when he worked for Tony Blair as his chief of staff. Powell is a civil servant who also served under former prime minister Keir Starmer. Helm’s X account posts about international politics and has over 1,000 followers including Palestine Action’s co-founder Huda Ammori. Britain’s Supreme Court is set to hear an appeal against the Palestine Action ban from Ammori next month.
- Siyasi13 Eki
The Guardian view on probation: overcrowded prisons need an outlet | Editorial
To win support for early releases, the government will have to show that community supervision works The early release of thousands of prisoners was bound to be awkward for a new prime minister. Politically speaking, Andy Burnham’s decision to exclude those convicted of manslaughter and some other offences made sense. But with about 2,000 offenders being freed this month, the risk is that by cutting the numbers, he has added to overcrowding problems inside. With the prison and probation services under huge pressure, and a ballot on industrial action expected, there is an urgent need for moves from the government to strengthen both. Shielded from view as prisons are, and despite the efforts of campaigners and writers such as Jimmy McGovern to draw attention to them, conditions have been allowed to deteriorate to a shocking extent. The latest annual report from the prisons watchdog drew a dismal picture of rampant drug use, organised crime and governors wasting time on form-filling. It warned that the Prison Service’s managers appear to favour crisis management over improvement. 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...
Wes Streeting might be an unlikely defence secretary – but he’s still a better bet than Penny Mordaunt
For the first time in his life, Wes is enjoying keeping secrets – though he did admit he isn’t ‘keen on fighting a war’ When Andy Burnham announced his first cabinet in July, few would have had Wes Streeting marked down as a likely defence secretary. Not even Wes. And no one is more bullish about Wes’s life chances than Wes. It just didn’t seem a natural fit. Defence secretaries tend to be more the unsmiling types who operate in the shadows. Politicians like John Healey, with the pallor of someone who has spent too long in underground bunkers with military chief of staffs. People who slide in and out of rooms without making a fuss. Wes has always been someone who likes to be noticed. Enjoys the theatre of Westminster. The first to arrive at a party and the last to leave. A natural gossip. “Psst – you’ll never guess what Zelenskyy just said to Trump.” Continue reading...
The Guardian view on Burnham’s Brexit reset: overdue, but proceed with care | Editorial
The prime minister is correct to judge the time is right to push for closer links with the EU. The political risk is far outweighed by the potential rewards The German philosopher GWF Hegel famously evoked the owl of Minerva when discussing the historical wisdom that comes through hindsight. This autumn, she has flown tirelessly over the landscape of British politics. Party conference season was dominated by conflicting Labour and Conservative accounts of the 1970s and 80s. And a decade after the United Kingdom voted to leave the European Union, Andy Burnham this week abandoned all equivocation over the damage – economic but also strategic – that resulted from that decision. Having declared that it is time to “face up to the reality that Brexit has done more harm than good”, Mr Burnham told the House of Commons on Monday that it would be a “dereliction of duty” not to explore all options for closer relations with Brussels. Though he confirmed that in this parliament he will honour the red lines in Sir Keir Starmer’s Labour manifesto, all bets will subsequently be off. Continue reading...
Iran seeking 'harder targets' for attacks abroad, UK warns
The warning from the head of the UK's domestic security agency comes after PM Burnham said an attempted plot at an air force base hosting US bombers was "almost certainly" coordinated in Tehran.
Andy Burnham will take Britain back into European Union, Neil Kinnock claims – UK politics live
Former Labour leader says he believes the prime minister has an ‘authentic commitment’ to taking the UK back into the EU Andy Burnham promises ‘serious dialogue’ over UK’s relationship with EU Here are pictures of ministers arriving for cabinet today. John Healey should “stay the course” and continue repairing the UK’s public finances, the International Monetary Fund’s top economist has said, after the fund lifted its growth forecast for Britain, Heather Stewart reports. Continue reading...
Tuesday briefing: Could Burnham take Britain back towards the EU?
In today’s newsletter: The prime minister is calling for closer ties with the EU, but what could this actually amount to? Good morning. After a holiday spent contracting nursery bugs from an 11-month-old, it’s good to return. Yesterday, Andy Burnham marked his first day back after party conference by calling for a closer relationship with the EU and drawing a line under a decade of “drift and division”. On Sunday, he said it was “clear” the Kremlin had been involved with the 2016 Brexit referendum vote. Both statements mark a break, rhetorically at least, from his predecessors. Conservative governments long insisted there was no evidence of Russian interference in the Brexit vote. Keir Starmer attempted to put the entire issue of Brexit behind him, treating it as a historic event rather than a cause of economic pain. UK | Andy Burnham said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps were “almost certainly” behind threats to RAF Fairford, the firmest attribution of responsibility made so far by the UK after an incident late last month. UK politics | A close adviser to Nigel Farage had an influential role at a national polling company despite not being publicly associated with the firm, the Guardian revealed. Ukraine | Volodymyr Zelenskyy has vowed to respond to Russia’s continuing attacks on the Ukrainian power grid as European leaders rally around Kyiv amid a feud with Donald Trump over Ukraine’s strikes on oil refineries. Israel | Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the country’s attorney general and the head of the Shin Bet security service to reveal the identities of soldiers and officers interviewed in the documentary NAZA and prosecute them for causing “harm to Israel’s diplomatic and security interests”. US news | RJ Mitte, the young actor best known for playing Walter White Jr in the award-winning TV series Breaking Bad, died on Monday. He was 34. Continue reading...
29 ülkeden ortak İran açıklaması: "Şiddet içeren saldırılara başvurmasını kınıyoruz"
İngiltere’nin de aralarında bulunduğu 29 ülke, RAF Fairford hava üssüne yönelik şüpheli saldırı planında İran’ın rolüne işaret eden değerlendirmeye destek verdi. İngiltere Başbakanı Andy Burnham’ın ülkesindeki RAF Fairford hava üssüne yönelik şüpheli saldırı planının "yüksek ihtimalle" İran'dan koordine edildiği ve "neredeyse kesin olarak" İran Devrim Muhafızları Ordusu (DMO) tarafından yönlendirildiği yönündeki açıklamasının yankıları sürerken, İngiltere’nin de aralarında bulunduğu 29 ülkenin hükümetinden söz konusu değerlendirmeye destek geldi. ABD, İngiltere, Avustralya, Avusturya, Belçika, Bulgaristan, Kanada, Hırvatistan, Çek Cumhuriyeti, Danimarka, Estonya, Finlandiya, Fransa, Almanya, Yunanistan, Macaristan, İrlanda, Letonya, Litvanya, Lüksemburg, Hollanda, Yeni Zelanda, Norveç, Portekiz, Romanya, Slovakya, Slovenya, İspanya ve İsveç hükümetleri, yayımladıkları ortak yazılı açıklamada olayda İran’ın rolünün bulunduğuna ilişkin değerlendirmeye katıldıklarını belirtti. İngiltere hükümetinin ayrıca şüpheli saldırı planında İran Devrim Muhafızları Ordusu’nun rolüne dikkat çektiği hatırlatılarak, "İran'ın bize ve ortaklarımıza karşı ölümcül komplo, kundaklama, sabotaj, siber saldırı ve diğer hibrit faaliyetler dahil şiddet içeren saldırılara başvurmasını en güçlü şekilde kınıyoruz" ifadeleri kullanıldı. “DÜŞMANCA FAALİYETLERE KARŞI HAREKETE GEÇECEĞİZ” İran’ın yabancı ülkelerdeki insanları herhangi bir yolla tehdit etme, susturma, sindirme, taciz etme, zarar verme veya baskı kurma yönündeki tüm girişimlerinin "kabul edilemez" olduğu belirtilen açıklamada, "İran veya başka herhangi bir devlet adına düşmanca faaliyetler yürüten herkes; bu eylemleri tespit etmek, soruşturmak, engellemek ve faillerini yargılamak için harekete geçeceğimizi bilmelidir" uyarısında bulunuldu. Açıklamada, "İran, egemenliğimizi koruma, uluslararası koordinasyonumuzu güçlendirme, ulusal dayanıklılığımızı artırma, topluluklarımızı koruma ve sorumlulardan hesap sorulmasını sağlama konusunda birlik içinde olduğumuzdan ve kararlılığımızı sürdürdüğümüzden hiçbir şüphe duymamalıdır." denildi. RAF FAİRFORD ÜSSÜ ŞÜPHELİ SALDIRI PLANIYLA GÜNDEME GELMİŞTİ İngiliz polisi 27 Eylül Pazar günü 3 minibüsün ABD Hava Kuvvetleri'ne ev sahipliği yapan Kraliyet Hava Kuvvetleri (RAF) Fairford üssüne doğru gittiği ihbarı üzerine harekete geçmiş, 20'li yaşlarındaki 5 kişi Gloucestershire kırsalında "patlayıcı ve terör suçları" şüphesiyle gözaltına alınmıştı. Gözaltına alınanlar daha sonra kefaletle serbest bırakılmıştı. 1 Ekim ve 6 Ekim’de gözaltına alınan diğer 2 şüpheli de yine kefaletle serbest kalmıştı. Yaşananlar üsse yönelik saldırı planı endişelerine yol açarken, İran ise olayla bağlantısı olduğu yönündeki iddiaları reddetmişti. İNGİLTERE BAŞBAKANI İRAN'IN ROLÜNE İŞARET ETTİ İngiltere Başbakanı Andy Burnham, son olarak parlamentoda yaptığı konuşmada Fairford hava üssüne yönelik şüpheli saldırı planıyla ilgili "Değerlendirmemize göre, planın İran'da koordine edilmiş olmasının yüksek ihtimal olduğunu ve neredeyse kesin olarak İran Devrim Muhafızları Ordusu tarafından yönlendirildiğini doğrulayabilirim" ifadelerini kullanmıştı.
29 ülkeden ortak İran açıklaması: "Şiddet içeren saldırılara başvurmasını kınıyoruz"- Diplomatik12 Eki
PM statement to the House of Commons: 12 October 2026
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's statement to the House of Commons.
Zelenskyy blindsided after Trump announces ‘energy ceasefire’ in Ukraine war | | First Thing
Ukrainian president says the deal is ‘news to me’ and that Russia is still attacking energy infrastructure. Plus, investigation into continuing mystery of Havana syndrome Good morning. The Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has said it was “news to me” after Donald Trump announced a partial ceasefire deal in the Ukraine war. The US president had posted to social media to say: “Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed.” There was no sign that the Kremlin was observing Trump’s ceasefire. According to Zelenskyy, Russian drones took to the sky “throughout the day” on Sunday and there were several airstrikes, including on energy infrastructure. He said Russia hit a power station in Kharkiv – the latest of more than 200 strikes during the past week against electricity generation and transmission facilities in Ukraine. How has the prospect of a deal been welcomed? Despite the unconventional nature of the announcement, the ceasefire appeared to garner support from Ukraine’s key western allies. The French president, Emmanuel Macron, said Paris supported a “real energy ceasefire” and the UK prime minister, Andy Burnham, said a sustained energy ceasefire was “the best route to get energy and fuel back into world markets”. Will Trump’s deal with Putin bring down gas prices? The agreement to temporarily lift sanctions on US imports of Russian diesel will have little “meaningful” effect on motorists and businesses in the US and overseas, energy and foreign policy analysts have predicted. Continue reading...
Russia interfered in 2016 Brexit vote, says Burnham
LONDON: British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit vote, as he warned voters in France and Germany about Moscow-backed efforts to influence their politics. Burnham, who took over as Britain’s leader in July and said last month that Britain could consider rejoining the European Union in the future, is the first British prime minister to say openly there was evidence of Russian interference in the referendum a decade ago. “I asked the question coming to Downing Street, was there interference in the 2016 referendum from Russia? And I’ve had the clear answer that yes, there was,” Burnham said in an interview with The Rest Is Politics podcast released on Sunday. Burnham did not spell out how he believed that Russia interfered in the referendum and gave no details on what evidence this statement was based. The Russian embassy in London did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Russia has previously denied meddling in the Brexit vote, casting Britain as gripped by anti-Russian hysteria. Burnham’s comments mark a departure from those of former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who campaigned to leave the EU, and said in 2020 there was no evidence of Russian interference in the referendum. Britons voted 52pc-48pc to leave the EU in 2016, plunging the country into its biggest political crisis since World War Two. Burnham said voters in European democracies needed to be better informed about efforts to disrupt their politics. “I mean, these things are important now to put clearly on the record, and I believe, help voters in Germany and France understand that some of this politics is instigated via our enemies, namely Russia,” he said. Britain’s government failed to establish whether Russia meddled in the 2016 referendum on membership of the EU, according to a report by parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee in 2020. The report also found that Russia had sought to influence Scotland’s 2014 independence referendum, in which voters rejected independence. Burnham last month said he could campaign to take Britain back into the EU at the next general election, reopening the country’s divisive debate on its relationship with the continent. Published in Dawn, October 12th, 2026
UK politics live: Tories accuse Burnham of being ‘dangerous and divisive’ after he confirms Russian interference in Brexit campaign
Shadow minister says referendum was a ‘legitimate vote’ and PM is seeking to ‘reopen debate’ with statement on Russia’s involvement Burnham to urge MPs to embrace closer ties with EU Nigel Farage is set to announce a pledge to ban anyone from being granted asylum for five years if Reform were elected, the Press Association reports. PA says: The Reform UK leader will announce a plan this morning to suspend the asylum system for a full parliamentary term and declare void any applications in progress. All asylum tribunals, legal refugee routes and resettlement schemes will be scrapped. Today, I am announcing that a Reform UK Government will SHUT DOWN the asylum system. This is a national security emergency and must be dealt with. I’m not going to agree with Andy Burnham on everything, but this statement needed to be said by a prime minister. After the Conservatives suppressed the truth for years, this took courage. We must do far more to protect our democracy from attack by the Kremlin and other hostile states, before it is too late. Continue reading...
PM says it is ‘clear’ Russia interfered with Brexit vote
Andy Burnham has said Russia did interfere with the Brexit referendum and warned that similar activities were taking place in France and Germany.
Trump enerji ateşkesini duyurmuştu: Rusya'nın Ukrayna'ya saldırılarının sürdüğü iddiası gündemde!
Trump'ın dün açıkladığı ateşkesin Rusya ve Ukrayna arasındaki suları biraz da olsa durultması bekleniyordu ancak Zelenski'nin ateşkes sonrası yaptığı açıklamada bunun tam tersi görülüyordu. AFP'nin haberine göre, Ukrayna Devlet Başkanı, sosyal medyada yaptığı açıklamada, dün ateşkesin sağlanmasından sonra Kiev'deki bir enerji santraline insansız hava aracı (İHA) isabet ettiğini ve başkentte elektrik kesintilerine yol açtığını belirtti. Kısa bir süre sonra, doğu kenti Kharkiv'deki CHP-5 enerji santraline bir saldırı olduğunu söyleyerek, "Ukrayna semaları gün boyu Rus 'şahedleri' [İHA'lar] ile doluydu" diye ekledi. Zelenksi, Trump'ın ateşkesi duyurması karşısındaşaşkınlığını dile getirerek daha fazla ayrıntı aradığını belirtmiş ve "Ukrayna ateşkesi destekliyor ve Rusya'nın da bunu desteklemesi önemli" diye eklemişti. Rusya henüz anlaşmayı teyit etmediği dikkat çekiyor. Rusya, 2022'de komşusuna karşı topyekün bir işgal başlattığından beri, Ukrayna'nın enerji altyapısını sistematik olarak hedef alarak enerji ve ısınma kıtlığına yol açtı. Bu da Ukrayna'nın savaşı finanse ettiğini söylediği Rus petrol rafinerilerine misilleme yapmasına neden oldu. LİDERLER DE KARARI DESTEKLEMİŞTİ Pazar günü itibarıyla ateşkes, İngiltere, Fransa, Kanada ve Avrupa Komisyonu da dahil olmak üzere Ukrayna'nın önemli batılı müttefiklerinden destek görmüş gibi görünüyor. İngiliz Başbakanı Andy Burnham, sürdürülebilir bir enerji ateşkesinin "dünya pazarlarına enerji ve yakıtı geri getirmenin en iyi yolu" olduğunu söyledi. Fransız Cumhurbaşkanı Emmanuel Macron, Paris'in Rusya ve Ukrayna arasında "gerçek bir enerji ateşkesini" desteklediğini belirtti. Mısır-Sudan sınırındaki altın madenine hava saldırısı: 72 madenci hayatını kaybetti 2 yıl hapis yattı, 1,6 milyon dolar kazandı! Bir daha Nevada'ya geri dönmek bile istemiyor
BM'den kritik uyarı: 8,3 milyon kişi hayati yardımları kaybedebilirUK PM Burnham says Russia interfered in 2016 Brexit vote
British PM Andy Burnham said Russia interfered in the 2016 Brexit referendum, warning voters in France and Germany of similar threats, but provided no details of the evidence.
- Diplomatik09 Eki
PM speech at the Innovation Nation Summit: 9 October 2026
Prime Minister Andy Burnham delivered a speech at the Innovation Nation Summit this morning.
İngiliz İşçi Partisi'nde seçim. Eski Başbakan'ın koltuğuna Somalili sığınmacı
İngiltere'de eski Başbakan Starmer'ın milletvekilliğinden çekilmesiyle boşalan sandalye için yapılan ara seçimi Somalili bir sığınmacı olan İşçi Partisi adayı Sagal Abdi-Wali kazandı. İngiltere'de eski Başbakan ve eski İşçi Partisi lideri Keir Starmer'ın milletvekilliğinden istifasıyla boşalan Londra'daki Holborn ve St Pancras seçim bölgesinde yapılan ara seçimi, İşçi Partisi adayı Sagal Abdi-Wali kazandı. Starmer'ın Temmuz 2026'da başbakanlıktan ayrılmasının ardından 1 Eylül'de Avam Kamarası üyeliğini de bırakması üzerine gidilen ara seçimde 15 aday yarıştı. Seçmenlerin yüzde 45,17'sinin desteğini alarak 12 bin 292 oya ulaşan 42 yaşındaki Abdi-Wali, parlamentoya giren ilk Somali kökenli İngiliz milletvekili oldu. Abdi-Wali'nin en güçlü rakibi konumundaki İngiltere ve Galler Yeşiller Partisi lideri Zack Polanski ise 8 bin 928 oyla yüzde 32,81'de kaldı. Bu sonuçla seçim bölgesindeki sandalye İşçi Partisinde kaldı. SIĞINMACILIKTAN WESTMINSTER VEKİLLİĞİNE Somali'de 1984 yılında doğan ve 1990'ların başında iç savaştan kaçarak ailesiyle çocuk yaşta sığınmacı olarak İngiltere'ye gelen Abdi-Wali, Londra'nın Camden bölgesinde büyüdü. On yılı aşkın süre yerel derneklerde gönüllülük ve yöneticilik yapan, iki okulda idarecilik görevini üstlenen Abdi-Wali, Camden Belediyesinde konut görevlisi olarak çalıştı. Siyasi kariyerinde 2022 yılında Camden Belediye Meclisi üyeliğine seçilen Abdi-Wali, 2024'te konut politikasından sorumlu kabine üyeliğine getirildi ve bu süreçte 670 milyon sterlinlik sosyal konut iyileştirme programını yönetti. Abdi-Wali, Mayıs 2026'da ise Camden Bölge Konseyi liderliği görevini üstlendi. ÖNCELİK KONUT KRİZİ Seçim zaferinin ardından BBC'ye açıklamalarda bulunan Abdi-Wali, konut krizinin Camden genelinde, Londra'da ve ülke çapında büyük bir sorun olduğunu belirterek temel çalışma alanının bu kriz olacağını bildirdi. Krizden çıkış yolunun daha fazla sosyal ve erişilebilir konut inşa etmekten geçtiğini kaydeden Abdi-Wali, hükümetin bu konuda kendisiyle aynı görüşte olduğunu belirtti. Su dağıtım şirketi Thames Water'ın yeniden kamu mülkiyetine geçirilmesini savunan Abdi-Wali, gençler için sunulan imkanların da öncelikleri arasında yer aldığını aktardı. Oy sayımının ardından yaptığı konuşmada kendisini siyasete iten ana etkenin evsizlik meselesi olduğunu vurgulayan Abdi-Wali, "Camden bana bir topluluk sağladı; sosyal adalete, eşitliğe ve hakkaniyete inanç aşıladı. Şimdi bu topluluğu parlamentoda temsil etme ayrıcalığına erişmek, büyük bir gurur ve tevazuyla taşıyacağım bir sorumluluktur" değerlendirmesini yaptı. Başbakan Andy Burnham yürüttüğü başarılı seçim kampanyası dolayısıyla Abdi-Wali'yi tebrik ederek birlikte çalışmayı sabırsızlıkla beklediğini kaydetti. Koltuğunu devreden eski Başbakan Keir Starmer da sonucu memnuniyetle karşıladığını bildirdi. Starmer, milletvekilliğinden ayrılırken savunma, güvenlik, ticaret ve teknoloji gibi küresel başlıklara odaklanacağını ve kadınlara yönelik şiddetle mücadele çalışmalarını sürdüreceğini açıklamıştı.
British households would be £5,000 richer if we were more innovative. Let’s unleash our talents | Gordon Brown
We have a deep reservoir of assets, but struggle to turn small companies into global success stories. Innovation needs to be at the heart of government policy Gordon Brown was UK prime minister from 2007 to 2010 The coming 10 years are almost certain to be the decade that sees the greatest scientific breakthroughs in a century. The question is whether advances now under way in AI, quantum computing and biology can address cancer, find ways to treat or prevent dementia, and overcome the growing resistance to antibiotics. Can we find sustainable ways to address our energy needs and protect the environment at the same time? Can AI transform the way we deliver education, health and social care to the benefit of millions, as well as advance modern manufacturing strength? And what role can Britain’s inventors, investors and industrialists play in developing these transformative technologies? While the US and China are the world’s obvious innovation powerhouses, the UK also has enormous assets, as the Innovation Nation Conference in Manchester addressed by the prime minister, Andy Burnham, will hear today. We are home to four of the world’s top 10 universities and 16 of the top 100, five of which are in Europe’s top 10 for spin-outs, startups based on intellectual property produced through a university’s research. With less than 1% of the world’s population, the UK produces 6% of the world’s research papers, nearly 9% of citations and 12% of the most highly cited research. Gordon Brown was UK prime minister from 2007 to 2010 Continue reading...
£1bn German investment to deliver 4,000 affordable homes across the UK
Prime Minister Andy Burnham today welcomed £1bn of new investment in affordable homes across the UK.
Britain’s Burnham says open to Germany joining warplane project
Britain, Italy and Japan are working on the Global Combat Air Programme, which aims to replace the Eurofighter Typhoon and Mitsubishi F-2 jets used by those countries.
Britain’s Burnham says open to Germany joining warplane projectUK, Germany to launch partnership to counter cyberattacks as Burnham visits Berlin
Britain and Germany will launch a joint partnership to counter sabotage and cyberattacks as Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor Friedrich Merz meet in Berlin on Thursday, shortly after both leaders warned of the hybrid threat from Russia. France 24's Nick Holdsworth has the latest from Berlin.
Stockpile food – and wash your hands: is that really how to prepare for environmental catastrophe? | George Monbiot
The UK state is dumping its responsibilities on our doorsteps, while green-lighting policies that lead us closer to crisis Would you mind fixing the NHS? And while you’re at it, could you please build an anti-missile system in your garden? Then regulate the banks, replace the water mains, tax the very rich and use the proceeds to rebuild our schools. Well, come on people: what are you waiting for? I exaggerate, but this isn’t very far from the approach taken by the government’s Prepare campaign. Crucial functions, way beyond the scope of individual action, are dumped on our doorsteps while those in power fail to act. As a result, our national resilience is arguably lower than at any time since the second world war. At the Labour conference last week, Andy Burnham promised “a Britain where people feel the country has got their back again”. To make good on that pledge, he will have to change almost everything. George Monbiot is a Guardian columnist Continue reading...
UK and Germany launch joint-partnership to counter sabotage and cyber attacks
Prime Minister Andy Burnham will travel to Berlin today for talks with Chancellor Friedrich Merz.
UK, Germany to launch new partnership to counter sabotage, cyberattacks
LONDON, Oct 8 - Britain and Germany will launch a joint partnership to counter sabotage and cyberattacks as Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Chancellor Friedrich Merz meet in Berlin on Thursday, shortly after both leaders warned of the hybrid threat from Russia.
British Jewish groups hold London vigil for victims of 7 October attacks
Organisations honour those who died three years ago as Andy Burnham says government stands with British Jews British Jewish organisations gathered in central London on Wednesday for a vigil honouring victims of the 7 October attacks in Israel, after a day of tributes from politicians and community leaders. The vigil took place at Richmond Terrace, opposite Downing Street. The Board of Deputies of British Jews said: “Three years ago, Hamas terrorists infiltrated Israel, murdering 1,200 men, women and children, injuring thousands and taking 251 people captive. May their memories for ever remain a blessing.” Continue reading...
British Jewish groups hold London vigil for victims of 7 October attacksAfter the RAF Fairford incident, the UK should develop its homeland defence forces
After the RAF Fairford incident, the UK should develop its homeland defence forces Expert comment thilton.drupal 7 October 2026 The threat of hybrid attacks from Iran and Russia means the UK should develop a force dedicated to protecting its bases and infrastructure at home. Finland and Poland offer lessons. The US’s withdrawal of its bombers from RAF Fairford, following a suspected terror plot against the base, has brought attention to how the UK defends its homeland military bases and other critical infrastructure. The UK government has insisted RAF Fairford is safe following the arrest of five men near the base on 27 September. President Donald Trump said the US withdrew its bombers from the base because of an unspecified ‘threat’ to the base. The investigation into the incident is still ongoing. Prime Minister Andy Burnham said that there are ‘strong indications that Iran played a part,’ which Iran’s embassy in London has rejected. In March, the UK approved a US request to use RAF Fairford for what it described as defensive strikes on Iran. Tehran responded that any base used for ‘aggression against Iranian territory’ would be a ‘legitimate target’ for its forces. Bases such as Fairford have their own protection forces that guard the perimeter. But incidents like this highlight the need for the UK to improve its wider homeland defence forces in the face of sustained pressure from hostile actors such as Iran and Russia. While the UK has specialist counter-terrorism units that can respond to incidents, and its armed forces and reserves can be deployed domestically to aid civil authorities in a crisis, it lacks a specialist domestic-only force that could protect a wider range of sites for a longer period. Response versus protection The Fairford incident is just one example of the various hybrid threats facing the UK. Alongside Iran, Russia in particular poses a major threat. The Cabinet Office recently announced it would brief the chief executives of UK critical national infrastructure providers and defence firms on the ‘enduring and significant threat’ from Russia. Danish intelligence has also warned that Russia could mount a limited military attack against a NATO member within months. Across Europe, states have attributed drone incursions, arson and sabotage to Russia. Protecting domestic sites is different to identifying the perpetrators or deciding on retaliatory measures. These happen after an attack; protection must be in place before one. This requires forces built for protection, not just response – which is what some UK allies already have. Poland and Finland’s approaches Poland and Finland have both taken a structural approach, creating forces whose primary purpose is the defence of their own territory. Established in 2017, Poland’s Territorial Defence Force is the fifth branch of its armed forces. Recruited locally and organized around a brigade in each province, it remains in its own province when Poland mobilizes its forces, rather than reinforcing the regular military. Its stated tasks include protecting critical national infrastructure. Related work Russia’s Kaliningrad threats show the value of Baltic preparedness Finland’s approach is broader. A permanent security committee coordinates preparedness across government, working from a list of key functions that the state must keep running in a crisis such as water, energy and transport. Military and civilian planning sits within a single framework rather than separate departments. The premise is that defending the home territory is a permanent task, rather than a contingency to be activated during a conflict. Neither of these two models directly transfers to the UK. Poland’s territorial force reflects its position bordering Belarus and Russia’s Kaliningrad. Finland’s rests on conscription and a political culture influenced by its long border with Russia. However, the principle beneath both examples is transferable: protecting home territory requires forces raised specifically for the task, not carved out of regular forces each time they are needed. The UK has currently not adopted this principle. It does not have a dedicated force assigned to protecting a wide set of UK sites for a long period. Architecture without dedicated forces The UK is not starting from scratch. The Cabinet Office runs the Home Defence Programme, a cross-government effort to align military and civilian planning for threats to the UK. The 2026 Resilience Action Plan implementation report said the programme was being accelerated, with updated crisis response protocols and a planned national home defence exercise in 2027. The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has a Director of Homeland Defence and Strategic Threats. Standing Joint Command is the MOD’s operational headquarters for UK resilience tasks. A report published in January by researchers at the University of Exeter set out what this architecture lacks. The report argues that home defence activity is fragmented; that no lead department holds a mandate with executive tasking authority and adequate resources; and that the UK is at a standing start while allies including Finland, Poland and the Baltic states are years ahead. Its recommendation of a designated lead department is a good starting point. Protecting home territory requires forces raised specifically for the task. However, even if these recommendations were implemented, a mandate does not produce troops. The UK has a reserve force. But alongside maintaining the UK’s own defence and resilience, this force is also expected to contribute to NATO’s collective defence and can be deployed abroad. Relying on the same reservists for both tasks only works while these two demands do not arrive at the same time. UK land forces are designed on the assumption that they will be deployed abroad, rather than defend domestic sites. In a crisis on the European continent, the task of domestic protection would not disappear. It would compete with the demand for British land forces to be deployed elsewhere. Three changes the UK should make Three changes follow. The UK should base its approach on the Polish design principle. This means setting up new reserve sub-units with a purely domestic protective role, recruited and based locally. These new units would be positioned near the bases and critical national infrastructure most likely to attract attention, and not counted as reinforcements for deploying formations elsewhere. The new units would not replace existing forces. Guard forces such as the MOD Police and the Military Provost Guard Service, along with the RAF Regiment for air bases, would remain responsible for perimeters and immediate site security. And specialist units would still respond to incidents. Instead, the new units would do what the existing forces are not designed to do: secure non-military critical infrastructure, cover the ground beyond the perimeters, and protect multiple locations during a period of heightened threat. They would be designed to hold these sites for periods of months rather than days. In a crisis on the European continent, the task of domestic protection would not disappear. This does come at a cost. Every reservist given a home defence role is one fewer available for deployment, and that is a real reduction in what the UK can send abroad. But in a situation when both home defence and overseas demands occur, the choice of home defence will need to be prioritized by default. Making that choice deliberately now means the force is generated and ready before that happens. From Finland, the UK should take the treatment of homeland protection as a permanent function rather than a contingency. This means protecting a budget for it, since activity funded from training and readiness budgets is vulnerable when defence budgets are squeezed. The British Army has already reportedly been told to suspend major exercises this year for lack of funds, and in September it was reported that army reservists are set to serve fewer days because of budget cuts. Want to hear more on the evolving security landscape? Join experts and policymakers at our Security and Defence Conference for candid analysis of today’s most pressing threats. Finally, the UK’s distribution of its protective forces should follow from the government’s decisions and the threats those decisions potentially attract, rather than from isolated incidents. When the government permits an operation from British territory, as it did at Fairford, it should decide the protective requirements at the site and its surrounding areas at the same time. The UK has the intelligence capability and the legal framework to protect its domestic sites. It also has the beginnings of a coordinating structure, though it needs a clearer lead. What it now also needs is a dedicated force assigned to protecting those sites across the homeland.
End of the Brexit era? Burnham's pivot back to Europe
Brexit has done severe damage to the UK and that's why Burnham has, after just 10 weeks in the job, concluded that more has to be done to reverse or at least further mitigate the colossal act of self-harm that Brexit constituted.
- Diplomatik06 Eki
PM statement on October 7th attacks
Prime Minister Andy Burnham's statement three years on from the October 7th attacks.
Three years of genocide: How has Britain’s policy shifted on Israel?
Burnham government has made Britain’s most significant policy change toward Israel in 50 years, journalist Peter Oborne tells Anadolu
Three years of genocide: How has Britain’s policy shifted on Israel?Japan PM Takaichi defends skipping G7 online meeting
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi defended her absence from a Group of Seven online meeting, responding over social media to some critics who questioned why she did not attend despite her apparently free schedule. “This was a last-minute meeting arranged by the chair, France, and allowed for substitute representatives. I understand that UK Prime Minister Burnham did not attend in person and had someone fill in for him, and that European Council president Costa was also absent,” she posted...
Zeytinburnu'nda surlarda erkek cesedi bulundu
Olay, akşam saatlerinde Maltepe Mahallesi 10. Yıl Caddesi’nde meydana geldi. İddiaya göre, surların etrafında dolaşanlar yerde hareketsiz yatan kişiyi gördü. İhbar üzerine olay yerine sağlık ve polis ekipleri sevk edildi. Sağlık ekiplerinin kontrollerinde yerde yatan kişinin hayatını kaybettiği belirlendi. Erkek olduğu öğrenilen kişinin cenazesi olay yerindeki çalışmaların ardından kimlik tespiti ve otopsi işlemleri için Adli Tıp Kurumu morguna götürüldü. NASA'nın Adanalı astronotu Deniz Burnham 2027 uzay görevi öncesi Türkiye'ye seslendi Deprem uzmanları konum verdi! '5 ile 5.8 arası' diyerek duyurdu: En beklenen bölge
NASA'nın Adanalı astronotu Deniz Burnham 2027 uzay görevi öncesi Türkiye'ye seslendi
Annesi Türk babası ile ABD'li bir asker olan, babasının bir dönem görev yaptığı İncirlik Hava Üssü’nde dünyaya gelen NASA astronotu Deniz Burnham, 2027 yılında katılacağı ilk uzay görevine ilişkin açıklamalarda bulundu. Deniz Burnham, yayınladığı video mesajda ailesi ve Türkiye ile bağlarını anlattı. Burnham, mesajında özellikle anneannesi ve dedesinin çocukluğundaki etkisine dikkat çekti. DEDESİNİN TELESKOBUYLA YILDIZLARI İZLEDİ Asker bir ailenin çocuğu olarak büyüyen Deniz Burnham, Türkiye’deki çocukluk anılarını şu ifadelerle paylaştı: “Benim Aynur anneannem Eceabatlı. Kadir dedem Afyonlu. Anneannem bizi çok güzel Türk yemekleriyle büyüttü. Dedemin uzaya olan merakı tüm ailemizi etkiledi. Kendi teleskoplarını yaptığını hatırlıyorum. Arka bahçemizde yıldızları ve gezegenleri izleyerek sayısız saatler geçirirdik. Anneannem ve dedem Türkiye’deler. Tatillerimde onları ziyaret etmeyi çok seviyorum. Uzaydan anneannem ile dedeme, Adanalı hemşehrilerime ve bütün dünyaya el sallayacağım.” Son dakika... Cumhurbaşkanı Erdoğan: 3.5 ton ağırlığındaki ay uzay aracımız yüzde 80 yerlilik oranına sahip DENİZ BURNHAM KİMDİR Deniz Burnham, NASA tarafından 2021 Astronot Adayı Sınıfı'na katılmak üzere seçildi ve Ocak 2022'de görevine başladı. Daha önce NASA Ames Araştırma Merkezi'nde staj yapan Burnham, lisans derecesini Kaliforniya Üniversitesi, San Diego'da kimya mühendisliği alanında, yüksek lisans derecesini ise Los Angeles'taki Güney Kaliforniya Üniversitesi'nde makine mühendisliği alanında tamamladı. Burnham, ABD Donanması Yedek Kuvvetleri'nde Mühendislik Görev Subayı olarak hizmet verdi. Kendisi, tek motorlu kara ve deniz uçağı, aletli uçuş (instrument rating) ve döner kanatlı hava aracı (helikopter) yetkilerine sahip, lisanslı bir özel pilottur. Burnham şu anda, kozmonotlar Dmitri Petelin ve Konstantin Borisov ile birlikte Roscosmos'a ait Soyuz MS-30 uzay aracıyla gerçekleştirilecek olan Uluslararası Uzay İstasyonu'ndaki ilk görevi için eğitim görmeye devam ediyor. Yeşilçam’ın usta ismi Göksel Arsoy hayatını kaybetti
NASA'nın Adanalı astronotu Deniz Burnham 2027 uzay görevi öncesi Türkiye'ye seslendiHow the insurance industry can help society adapt to climate change
How the insurance industry can help society adapt to climate change Expert comment LToremark 1 October 2026 As climate change threatens to make homes uninsurable, the insurance industry is often the bearer of bad news. But its understanding of future risks can be used to help society adapt to a warming world. There are increasingly frequent headlines about how climate change is affecting insurance coverage and affordability: homeowners in areas prone to wildfires, hurricanes or flooding discovering that their existing policies cannot be renewed, or that cover has become unaffordable or vanished altogether. The word often attached to these stories is a stark one: uninsurability. Beyond the headlines, banks worry about what declining cover means for the value of properties securing long-term mortgages. In turn, regulators worry about the systemic consequences if large numbers of properties lose value at once. Mayors worry about gaps in coverage impacting long-term investment in their cities. Governments, meanwhile, are becoming more interventionist as people are being priced out of protection, stepping in to keep cover flowing. They are right to worry. But framing the problem as insurance failure misdiagnoses what is going wrong – and lets everyone else off the hook. Uninsurability is a symptom of deeper problems Want to hear more on the path to a secure energy transition? Join us at our climate and energy summit, where policymakers and industry leaders tackle the toughest questions on climate and energy security. The term uninsurability implies that the issue lies within the insurance industry. But it is almost always a symptom of deeper problems – of which climate change is the most important, but far from the only one. California is perhaps the most famous example of climate-driven market failure. While wildfire risk has undoubtedly risen, the retreat of insurance was as much a consequence of political choices to suppress premiums as of climate change. When the true cost of risk collides with an artificial cap on what may be charged for it, cover does not just become expensive – it becomes uneconomic to offer at all. Climate change did not break the market on its own; the market failed because society was unwilling to pay the true price of the risk it faced. The pattern is repeated elsewhere. Yes, rising premiums reflect climate change. But they also reflect dysfunctional planning systems that permit construction in areas prone to climate hazards and decades of chronic underinvestment in risk reduction and resilience. Insurers are, in effect, the messengers: rising prices are among the first clear signals that risks have become intolerable. And shooting the messenger is always a tempting option. The dangers of blaming insurers The narrative that insurance is failing carries real reputational and regulatory danger for the insurance industry. As rising premiums and thinning cover drag on property values, societies will look to place blame and insurers risk becoming scapegoats for a collective failure they did not cause. Governments may respond with more intervention, tighter constraints on pricing and more pressure to write cover at a loss. This narrative also creates danger in society at large. Insurers have built a uniquely sophisticated architecture to understand and price risk. That architecture is now increasingly signalling a stark truth: as climate change intensifies, historical decisions about where and how to build are rapidly becoming too costly – or too challenging – to maintain. When the plight of homeowners in California and elsewhere is only viewed as a failure of insurance, we miss the opportunity to have a vital public conversation not only about making today’s society resilient, but also about what structural changes and trade-offs are required for societies to thrive in a rapidly changing climate. Prominent industry voices sounding the alarm on insurability can be helpful if the result is greater government action on emissions and adaptation. But it is not enough on its own. As climate impacts intensify, insurance will find itself dragged into uncomfortable political arguments about who bears the cost of loss and damage, which places are worth defending and which will have to be abandoned. This is unavoidable; insurance will shape these outcomes by determining what gets cover, who is compensated and who pays. An industry that has cast itself only as the bearer of bad news risks becoming viewed as part of the problem. Where insurance can – and should – do more All this obscures how much agency insurance has. Arguably no other industry is better placed to help societies adapt to climate change. Insurers have the data and models to anticipate how risks are evolving – exactly the intelligence governments and developers need to decide where to build and what to adapt. Risk-based premiums, so often cast as the problem, are among the most powerful adaptation signals we have. And insurers’ risk-advisory teams can help design the defences, retrofits and hardened infrastructure that keep places insurable in the first place. Related work Europe’s summer of fires: Burnham must centre climate adaptation in policies This is not only about defending markets and preserving insurability – it is a genuine growth opportunity that also addresses a pressing societal need. A recent report from the UK Government Office for Science estimated cumulative global adaptation spending of £3.5 trillion over the next decade, with insurance highlighted among the sectors positioned to benefit. Other estimates of the market potential for adaptation goods and services are even higher. It is likely to be one of the defining market opportunities of the next 20 years. The imperative is to get off the back foot: stop being the messenger and start being a solution. There are already signals of change. Capitalizing on this momentum means three things. One, being far clearer about what is needed from national and local governments on adaptation – not vague calls for ‘better planning’, but concrete asks tied to the risks insurers can see coming. Two, putting the industry’s modelling and advisory expertise to work on adaptation, visibly and at scale. Three, making peace with increased government intervention. Historically, the industry has eyed public schemes and public–private partnerships with suspicion, concerned that they will crowd out private insurance. But the use of these schemes will grow as concerns about insurability mount. Insurers should instead help shape them so they reduce risk rather than subsidise its accumulation, and support adaptation rather than undermine it through blunted price signals. What governments should do Climate adaptation is rapidly gaining momentum but is too often focused on technical solutions to flood and heat, not the economic and social architecture required to make adaptation a reality. Governments need to build the mechanisms for insurance to engage on adaptation early and at scale. At the national level, this could include establishing country platforms to coordinate and finance adaptation strategies. Similar mechanisms could be developed at the city level. Above all, governments must start having the conversations everyone would rather avoid: about where societies should adapt and where they should retreat – and they must involve insurers in these discussions. The retreat of insurance from the climate front line is real and frightening. But it is also an opportunity. Read as a failure of the insurance industry, it will misdirect blame, encourage clumsy market interventions and delay adaptation. Read as information – and met by an industry willing to move from warning to action – it could instead prompt the urgent work and hard choices that a warming world demands. That choice, for now, is still ours.
How the insurance industry can help society adapt to climate changeUS withdraws all bomber aircraft from UK airbase used during Iran war
The United States confirmed that it had withdrawn all B-1 bombers from the British airbase of RAF Fairford, reportedly due to “new threats”, with Britain’s government insisting on Monday that the site is safe. Police were called to the base in southwest England on Sept 27 after a local farmer reported a group of men with several vans engaged in “suspicious” activity. The scare prompted a counter-terrorism probe and forced evacuations at 85 homes near the airbase, which was used by the US to launch strikes on Iran. Investigators did not find any explosives in the vans, but “a quantity of petrol was recovered”, according to counter-terrorism police. A statement from a Pentagon official on Sunday said, “We can acknowledge now that all US bombers that were deployed to RAF Fairford have redeployed to their home stations in the United States.” The statement noted that “operational security precluded us from confirming the movement of our assets and forces in real-time”. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday expressed “confidence in the security of all of our bases”. US facilities “theoretically could be threatened at any moment, and that’s why there’s so much security built around them”, Rubio said, adding that Washington had worked with London on the investigation and “they couldn’t be more cooperative”. An unidentified US official told CNN that the bombers were moved after “an unspecified new threat”, with the source calling the latest threat a “real world incident”. It was unusual to move the bombers back to their home stations instead of deploying them to another base in the region, the official reportedly said. Two US officials told the New York Times that the bombers were moved after commanders received new threats about an alleged Iran-backed plot against the base. One American official said the new information was part of the same threat warnings that surfaced three weeks ago, but the situation became urgent in the past 24 hours, NYT reported. Asked whether the base was safe, UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham’s official spokesman said: “Yes.” “We have tried and tested approaches to defend our bases around the country and throughout the world,” he told reporters. Heightened security Speculation about the motives behind the incident ranged from terror threat to fuel theft, as energy prices in the UK hit record highs this week. Burnham has said there were “strong indications that Iran played a part” in the incident, a charge rejected by Tehran. Six London-based Britons arrested in the September incident, including a UK-Iranian dual national, all men in their mid-20s, were released on bail, drawing rebuke from Washington. “I wouldn’t have done that,” US President Donald Trump told reporters, while Rubio alleged a “foreign actor” was involved. Iran’s embassy in London said it “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” speculation that Tehran was involved. Adding to the mystery, British media reported that officers were alerted to the incident by one of the initial suspects, but police have not commented on the reports. Security at the base had reportedly been heightened recently. Britain gave Washington permission in March to use Fairford for “specific defensive operations into Iran”, and US bombers and other planes have since been seen taking off and landing at the base. Fairford is the only airbase on Britain’s mainland used for this purpose. The incident came after a farmer living in the village of Whelford, near the airbase, called the police after seeing three vans blocking a road and a group of masked men fleeing the scene. Aerial footage of the vans showed they appeared to contain barrels, and at least one was marked with a fake logo and phone number, giving the false impression that it was owned by a legitimate diesel delivery firm.
No 10 insists RAF Fairford is safe after US withdraws its bombers – UK politics live
Downing Street offered more details about the redeployment of US bombers from the British airbase Yesterday, as a gimmick, the Tories were handing out “Bottler Burnham” bottles of water (“0% strength”) to make a point about Burnham supposedly cancelling plans for an early election under pressure from the Tories. It is a version of a stunt they pulled in 2008 when they gave journalists bottles of a “Bottler Brown” beer. (Gordon Brown did pull plans for an early election at the last minute; this time the jibe is unfair, because there were no Burnham plans for an early election.) The new bottles feature the image of Burnham produced by the Manchester artist Stan Chow. The SNP’s effective ban on new nuclear energy in Scotland flies in the face of common-sense. No part of Great Britain should be missing out on plans for new nuclear renewal. Continue reading...
Trump heads to Nebraska in attempt to shore up GOP’s midterm vote – US politics live
President to visit Grand Island as his plan to allow more foreign beef imports proves unpopular in agriculture-rich state Sign up for the Breaking News US email Hello and welcome to the US politics live blog. Donald Trump will be in Nebraska later today, campaigning alongside Republican senator Pete Ricketts, in an attempt to salvage the GOP’s dwindling midterms campaign. The White House has defended a newly hired press aide who posed for a holiday photograph in 2021 wearing a “Fuck Joe Biden” T-shirt and holding a rifle. Beni Rae Harmony, the new assistant White House press secretary, revealed on Friday that she was going to work for Donald Trump just days after covering him as a correspondent for Real America’s Voice, a partisan rightwing outlet originally created as a video podcast platform for the president’s former adviser Steve Bannon. Trump on Sunday named Jay Clayton, the director of national intelligence, to also serve as the new White House AI czar. Clayton, who leads the US’s 18 intelligence agencies, previously served as the top federal prosecutor in Manhattan and led the Securities and Exchange Commission during Trump’s first term. The United States has removed its B-1 bombers from a British air base one week after five men were arrested nearby on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, a suspected plot that British prime minister Andy Burnham said was likely backed by Iran. The planes had been stationed at RAF Fairford, the preferred European base for US bombers 90 miles west of London, which had recently been used for US strikes on Iran. Continue reading...
US withdraws all bombers from UK base at centre of suspected terror attack
The United States has removed its B-1 bombers from a British air base one week after five men were arrested nearby on suspicion of preparing terrorist acts, a suspected plot that British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said was likely backed by Iran. The planes had been stationed at RAF Fairford, which had recently been used for US strikes on Iran.
The UK’s G20 presidency will push Andy Burnham to the centre of the global stage. What will he use it for? | Michael Jacobs
This is a chance for the PM to advance his progressive agenda and tackle urgent issues such as AI regulation and climate action Among the many crucial decisions Andy Burnham has to make over the next few weeks, one has gone almost completely unremarked: what Britain’s priorities will be when it assumes the presidency of the G20 next year. Burnham has said he wants to concentrate on domestic policy. But with the world in turmoil, chairing the group of the world’s largest economies will be one of his most important responsibilities. Michael Jacobs is professor of political economy at the University of Sheffield and a former energy and climate change adviser to Gordon Brown when he was prime minister Continue reading...
Milyarderler İngiltere'yi terk ediyor. Ülkeden çıkan servet 160 milyar dolara ulaştı
Bloomberg Milyarderler Endeksi verilerine göre son iki yılda İngiltere'den ayrılan ultra zenginlerin toplam varlığı 160 milyar dolara ulaştı. İngiltere'den son iki yılda bağlarını koparan ya da zayıflatan süper zenginlerin toplam servetinin 160 milyar dolara ulaştığı hesaplandı. Bloomberg Milyarderler Endeksi'nin yayımladığı analiz, ülkeden ayrılan isimlerin kontrol ettiği varlıkların, endekste yer alıp İngiltere'de yaşamayı sürdürenlerin toplam servetini geride bıraktığını ortaya koydu. Varlıklı kesimi hedef alan vergi reformları ve Londra'nın iş ortamına dair algının değişmesi, sermaye sahiplerinin ülkeden ayrılışını hızlandırıyor. Resmi verilere göre İngiltere'de en çok kazanan yüzde 1'lik kesim, ülkedeki tüm gelir vergisi gelirlerinin yaklaşık yüzde 27'sini karşılıyor. Bu kitlenin göçü, doğrudan vergi kayıplarının yanı sıra yüksek harcama gücünün de ülke dışına çıkması anlamına geliyor. VERGİ REFORMALARI VE "NON-DOM" REJİMİNİN SONU GÖÇÜ HIZLANDIRDI İşçi Partisi hükümetinin göreve gelmesinin ardından yürürlüğe giren mali düzenlemeler, varlıklı kesim ile hükümet arasındaki ilişkileri gerdi. Ülkede yaşayan yabancıların yurt dışı gelir ve kazançlarından 15 yıla kadar vergi muafiyeti sağlayan ve "non-dom" olarak bilinen daimi ikametsiz statüsü Nisan 2025'te kaldırıldı. Muafiyetin kaldırılmasını önceki Muhafazakar Parti hükümeti planlamış, ardından İşçi Partisi yeni ve daha kısa süreli bir modelle uygulamaya koymuştu. Ayrılan grubun yarısı, söz konusu reformların yürürlüğe girdiği Nisan 2025 öncesindeki haftalarda Monako, İsviçre ve Birleşik Arap Emirlikleri gibi ülkelere taşınma işlemlerini tamamladı. Bloomberg'ün verilerine göre ayrılanlar arasında çelik üreticisi Lakshmi Mittal ve Hindistanlı iş insanı Sunil Mittal'ın 39 yaşındaki oğlu Shravin Mittal da yer aldı. İngiltere'de doğup büyüyen risk fonu yöneticisi Chris Rokos'un Yunanistan'a yerleşmesi ise yerli finans çevrelerinde ayrılışların genişleyebileceğine dair endişeleri artırdı. Telefon perakendecisi Phones 4u'nun kurucusu milyarder John Caudwell, Bloomberg'e yaptığı değerlendirmede gelişmeleri felaket olarak nitelendirdi. Caudwell, "Milyonerleri, milyarderleri ve doğrudan yatırımı çeken bir döngü kurmak yerine tam tersini yapıyoruz" dedi. AYRILIKLAR LÜKS KONUT PİYASASINI VURDU Süper zenginlerin gidişi Londra'daki lüks sektörlere de yansıyor. Başkentte üst segment konut satışları gerilerken Mayfair bölgesindeki lüks restoran işletmecileri gelir düşüşünde vergi artışlarının payına işaret ediyor. Danimarkalı giyim grubu Bestseller'ın kurucusu Troels Holch Povlsen, memleketine dönmesinin ardından İngiltere'deki yatırım şirketi üzerinden Londra'daki bir gayrimenkul işletmesini satarak 57 milyon sterlin kâr payı dağıttı. Diğer yandan Başbakan Andy Burnham, bankaların kârlarına yönelik olası ek vergi planları nedeniyle sektörün itirazlarıyla karşılaşıyor. Finans çevreleri bu adımların sermaye çıkışını hızlandıracağı uyarısını dile getirirken Burnham ve Maliye Bakanı John Healey iş dünyasını destekleyen bir yönetim yürüteceklerini savunuyor. "İNGİLTERE, 2028'E KADAR MİLYONERLERİNİN YÜZDE 17'SİNİ YİTİREBİLİR" Öte yandan varlıklı kesimin vergi politikaları karşısındaki rahatsızlığı yeni değil. İşçi Partisi'nin iktidara geldiği Temmuz 2024'te Reuters'a konuşan girişimci Bassim Haidar, miras vergisi ve "non-dom" düzenlemeleri nedeniyle Monako ve Yunanistan'da ev aradığını, İngiltere'nin zenginler için girilmez bir alana dönüştüğünü söylemişti. Haidar, bu gerekçeyle finans şirketi Optasia'yı Londra Borsası'nda halka arz etme kararını askıya aldığını açıklamıştı. İsviçre merkezli yatırım bankası UBS'in yayımladığı Küresel Servet Raporu'na göre İngiltere, 2,4 milyonu aşkın dolar milyoneriyle dünyada beşinci sırada yer alıyor. Fakat UBS, İngiltere'deki dolar milyoneri sayısının 2028 yılına kadar yüzde 17 azalarak 2,5 milyon düzeyine ineceğini öngörüyor. Aynı dönemde dolar milyoneri sayısının ABD'de yüzde 16, Almanya'da yüzde 14, Fransa'da yüzde 16 ve İtalya'da yüzde 9 artacağı tahmin ediliyor.
Milyarderler İngiltere'yi terk ediyor. Ülkeden çıkan servet 160 milyar dolara ulaştıBritish government ‘complacent about food as a national security matter’
Experts say country does not have plan to feed people in a crisis and is unprepared for future shortages Britain does not have a plan for how to feed people in a crisis and is unprepared for potential future food shortages, according to a warning from more than 150 experts delivered to Andy Burnham. The climate crisis, geopolitical shocks, cyber-attacks and energy outages are among the threats to food chain security, according to the open letter, which claims the government is “complacent about food as a national security matter”. Establish a new system of local food resilience committees under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004. Audit the UK’s reliance on a few very large food companies and food imports. Realign national food production around nutritional needs. Create national, regional, local and community food storage schemes. Support the decentralisation of the UK’s food supply. Continue reading...
Ball in UK’s court: EU ambassador says Brussels will be ‘ready to engage‘ after country decides what it wants
Jukka Salovaara, who served in London during Cool Britannia era, will be ‘very close’ to negotiations as Burnham government resets relations with EU Jukka Salovaara, the newly installed European Union ambassador to the UK, is likely to become a ubiquitous figure in national politics as the Andy Burnham government grapples with the question of its future relationship with the European Union. Burnham has been clearer than his predecessor Keir Starmer in saying that what exists now is not working and that a full range of options, including rejoining, has to be on the table ahead of Labour’s next election manifesto. Continue reading...
The Guardian view on trapped leaseholders: Labour must keep its promise to set them free | Editorial
The government pledged to end an unfair system. Ministers must give homeowners power over costs, rather than another place to complain “To the millions of leaseholders across the country, you have my word. The days of you being squeezed for every penny are coming to an end,” Andy Burnham told the Labour party conference. Only a few hours earlier, his housing secretary, Angela Rayner, had announced that the government would legislate for a new independent regulator and launch a consultation to cap “rip off” administrative fees. While these are undoubtedly steps in the right direction, they are miles away from Labour’s manifesto promise to “finally bring the feudal leasehold system to an end”. In its modern form, leasehold in England and Wales turns homes into income streams for freeholders. It should be abolished. There are powerful vested interests – billionaires, aristocrats and big businesses – that would oppose this move. But the system of service charges is crippling the housing market because its exorbitant cost puts off prospective buyers. The average annual service charge for a flat in England and Wales is now £2,405, up 32.6% since 2020 and 55.6% over a decade. Owners of flats in high-rise blocks in London are paying service charges of more than £7,000 a year. Little wonder that first-time buyers are increasingly bypassing flats. Continue reading...
Burnham’s plans for social care and its workers are admirable but changes must come quickly | Heather Stewart
Money is needed now for a system that has left families including mine struggling their way unsupported and forgotten As one of many hundreds of thousands of people in the UK with a parent with Alzheimer’s, the passage in Andy Burnham’s speech about social care moved me to tears. My mother had not even been diagnosed when I watched Theresa May announce her 2017 general election manifesto in a hall in Halifax – with care funding at its heart. Continue reading...
The football horse that Andy Burnham rode in on is now bucking his vibe | Barney Ronay
PM’s contortions over the Manchester City verdicts have landed him with an early test of what he wants to stand for. Realpolitik, or real values? It’s coming for you. It’s coming for you. Oh Andy Burnham, the hugely problematic relationship between principle and realpolitik in post-cash Britain. It’s coming for you. We are going all in on football chat these days, aren’t we? Football populism, football blokeyness, the stylings of the football everyman. That was certainly the horse the prime minister rode in on a few months ago. And right now it’s a horse that’s still very much snorting around the cabinet room, and threatening to run right over the top of him. Also: fresh plot twists. Previous governments have been thrown into early-term crisis by things such as war, sex scandals and economic meltdown. But never, and historians will have time to pore over this in the coming decades, by the urgent need to overpay for Jack Grealish. “The ramifications of this are MASSIVE,” the man on the radio said on Thursday morning. And he was right. There are ramifications here. And the ramifications, well, Clive, they’re massive. In this case the man on the radio was discussing the United Kingdom’s multilayered geopolitical meltdown through the prism of whether this means Spurs are less or more likely to get relegated. And to be fair there are very few global events that can’t be better understood through a Spurs-in-crisis lens. Continue reading...
Can Britain really afford to diverge from EU tariffs on Chinese EVs?
The European Union’s demand that Britain raise tariffs on Chinese cars exposes an awkward truth about post-Brexit trade. Britain might have left the EU, but it cannot easily escape the bloc’s industrial policy. According to the Financial Times, EU officials have told Prime Minister Andy Burnham that Britain needs to align more closely with EU trade policy towards China if it wants British manufacturers to avoid discriminatory treatment under the bloc’s proposed “Made in Europe” rules. The...
Digested week: My heart sank at seeing Labour’s ‘Hope Again’ conference slogan. But then came Andy Burnham
The prime minister gave far and away the most powerful, emotional and gamechanging leader’s speech of the century Words I thought I’d never write. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Tory party. Look, I know we ended up with Theresa May and Boris Johnson in the Conservative party leadership contests of 2016 and 2019 – and they were shockers, both of them – but at least the Tory MPs twice ensured we dodged the bullet of Michael Gove. Last week, Sky broadcast The War Game, a reality show for superannuated politicians and former senior civil servants and military officers. The set up was that the Russians had engineered an attack on a British warship in the North Sea and over the course of four episodes set in the Cobra emergency situation room, the assembled cast had to figure how to respond. We were left hanging at the final credits, but a nuclear apocalypse felt like the most likely outcome. And for that we have The Govester to thank. He was playing the prime minister and – to be blunt – he had an absolute shocker. For the first two episodes he seemed to be in a coma. All he could manage was to repeat back what the last person had said to him and then shout “asap”. But that was far more preferable to the Gove that turned up for the last two episodes. Despite frequently being warned about the dangers of escalation and the inadequacy of the UK war machine, Mikey kept on taking the option that would get the most people killed. Why bomb one Russian city when you can bomb two? The game ended with what were almost certainly nuclear warheads minutes away from destroying a major city in the UK. Still, Gove wasn’t the only deadbeat. Nicola Sturgeon, acting the deputy prime minister, was as hopeless as you would expect of someone who failed to notice her kitchen filling up with new appliances. It was terrifying TV. Not so much in the premise. What was really scary was the knowledge that our politicians were even more clueless than the rest of us. Continue reading...
Digested week: My heart sank at seeing Labour’s ‘Hope Again’ conference slogan. But then came Andy BurnhamBadenoch claims Labour is preparing for a general election in May 2027 – UK politics live
Speculation about an early election continue to persist even as Andy Burnham ruled it out People should not worry about diesel shortages, the government has said, amid pressure from the US for European countries to use their reserves. Transport minister Keir Mather said Britain’s supply of diesel was “robust” and “resilient” and the country had a wide range of sources. Britain joined crisis talks with Brussels on Thursday, as they discussed whether to release fuel stocks amid rocketing prices. I want to reassure people this morning that the United Kingdom has got a diverse range of supply when it comes to diesel. We have resilience built into our system for that reason. We are working very closely with our US counterparts to stress the importance of that relationship, and the importance of sustaining flows of diesel around the world, but also working through international fora in the International Energy Agency and partners in Europe from whom we get a proportion of our diesel imports as well. Although prices have gone up at the pump, the government is aware of that and the freeze in fuel duty is still in place. People shouldn’t be concerned about shortages because of the inherent resilience that is built into that system. Continue reading...