5 h. ago Tories withdraw ‘mental health’ briefing about Suella Braverman after former Tory home secretary joins Reform – UK politics live

Her defection means there are now eight Reform MPs in the CommonsKeir Starmer was being interview by Beth Rigby from Sky News this morning when he defended the decision not to let Andy Burnham be a byelection candidate.After Starmer delivered his first answer (see 10.15am), Rigby asked him to what he would say to Labour MPs who think he is being “cowardly” and just blocking Burnham to avoid the risk of a leadership contest.Millions of people will be better off if we have the continuation of a Labour government in Wales, and if we’re able to win the government in Scotland and retain and win councils across England.When I came into politics in 2015, the first thing I did was support Andy Burnham’s leadership campaign. The first team I worked in was for Andy Burnham. And in the job he’s doing now, he and I work closely together ..So there’s no question of me and Andy not working very well together. He’s doing an excellent job.The battle of our times is the battle between patriotic, Lab...

Society

6 h. ago Starmer defends Labour decision to bar Burnham from byelection

Greater Manchester mayor’s participation in 26 February byelection would ‘divert resources’, says prime ministerUK politics live – latest updatesKeir Starmer has defended Labour’s decision to block Andy Burnham from standing for parliament, a move which has triggered a major backlash against the prime minister from sections of his own party.Starmer said on Monday he and his fellow officers on Labour’s ruling executive committee had decided not to let Burnham quit as mayor of Greater Manchester to avoid triggering a costly mayoral election. Continue reading...

Politics

7 h. ago Labour says Farage ‘stuffing his party full of failed Tories’ after Suella Braverman joins Reform – UK politics live

Her defection comes shortly after Robert Jenrick joined Nigel Farage’s party, meaning there are now eight Reform MPs in the CommonsKeir Starmer was being interview by Beth Rigby from Sky News this morning when he defended the decision not to let Andy Burnham be a byelection candidate.After Starmer delivered his first answer (see 10.15am), Rigby asked him to what he would say to Labour MPs who think he is being “cowardly” and just blocking Burnham to avoid the risk of a leadership contest.Millions of people will be better off if we have the continuation of a Labour government in Wales, and if we’re able to win the government in Scotland and retain and win councils across England.When I came into politics in 2015, the first thing I did was support Andy Burnham’s leadership campaign. The first team I worked in was for Andy Burnham. And in the job he’s doing now, he and I work closely together ..So there’s no question of me and Andy not working very well together. He’s doing an excellen...

Politics

7 h. ago Andy Burnham's rise from 'one of the lads' to 'King of the North' power battle

As Andy Burnham is barred from standing in the Gorton and Denton by-election, the Mirror takes a look at the Manchester mayor's rise to power, from humble origins to 'King of the North'

Events

8 h. ago ‘I feel like I’ve come home’: former Tory home secretary Suella Braverman defects to Reform UK – UK politics live

Her defection comes shortly after Robert Jenrick joined Nigel Farage’s party, meaning there are now eight Reform MPs in the Commons.Keir Starmer was being interview by Beth Rigby from Sky News this morning when he defended the decision not to let Andy Burnham be a byelection candidate.After Starmer delivered his first answer (see 10.15am), Rigby asked him to what he would say to Labour MPs who think he is being “cowardly” and just blocking Burnham to avoid the risk of a leadership contest.Millions of people will be better off if we have the continuation of a Labour government in Wales, and if we’re able to win the government in Scotland and retain and win councils across England.When I came into politics in 2015, the first thing I did was support Andy Burnham’s leadership campaign. The first team I worked in was for Andy Burnham. And in the job he’s doing now, he and I work closely together ..So there’s no question of me and Andy not working very well together. He’s doing an excelle...

Society

10 h. ago Starmer brushes off claims blocking Burnham from byelection was ‘cowardly’ – UK politics live

PM praises Manchester mayor and urges Labour to unite to fight Reform Keir Starmer was being interview by Beth Rigby from Sky News this morning when he defended the decision not to let Andy Burnham be a byelection candidate.After Starmer delivered his first answer (see 10.15am), Rigby asked him to what he would say to Labour MPs who think he is being “cowardly” and just blocking Burnham to avoid the risk of a leadership contest.Millions of people will be better off if we have the continuation of a Labour government in Wales, and if we’re able to win the government in Scotland and retain and win councils across England.When I came into politics in 2015, the first thing I did was support Andy Burnham’s leadership campaign. The first team I worked in was for Andy Burnham. And in the job he’s doing now, he and I work closely together ..So there’s no question of me and Andy not working very well together. He’s doing an excellent job.The battle of our times is the battle between patriotic...

Politics

10 h. ago Keir Starmer defends blocking Andy Burnham Commons comeback but Labour MP calls for him to quit

The Prime Minister was facing a Labour revolt after party chiefs stopped Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham from being able to stand in the Gorton and Denton by-election

Events

11 h. ago Starmer dismisses fury at blocking rival Andy Burnham from MP bid saying it would cost Labour too much money

Andy Burnham voiced frustration after the PM led a dramatic move by the ruling national executive committee to prevent him standing.

Economics

11 h. ago Starmer defends blocking Burnham from standing in byelection – UK politics live

PM says holding a mayoral election in Manchester would divert resources from local council, Scottish and Welsh campaigns for LabourKeir Starmer has defended the decision not to allow Andy Burnham to stand to be Labour’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton byelection. Starmer was on the 10-strong panel that took the near-unanimous decision to block Burnham yesterday, and, speaking to broadcasters today, he set out the same argument used by Douglas Alexander earlier. (See 8.51am.) Starmer said:We have really important elections already across England for local councils, very important elections in Wales for the government there and very important elections in Scotland for the Scottish government that will affect millions of people. And we’re out campaigning on the cost of living and they’re very important elections.We need all of our focus on those elections.There’s also a political point here. What does our constitution say as a democratic socialist party? “By the strength of our comm...

Politics

12 h. ago Burnham suggests Labour more likely to lose byelection after blocking him – UK politics live

Minister defends move, saying that a mayoral campaign in Greater Manchester would have ‘a substantial and disproportionate impact’ on party resourcesThere are claims this morning saying Labour MPs opposed to the decision to block Andy Burnham from being a candidate in the Gorton and Denton byelection will try to get the issued referred to a full meeting of Labour’s national executive committee, in the hope that the NEC will reverse it. The decision yesterday was taken by the NEC’s 1o-strong officers’ group, which is dominated by leadership loyalists.The NEC as a whole has about 40 members, and it contains people who would vote against Keir Starmer on this issue. But the leadership still has a clear majority on the NEC. In their story in the Times, Max Kendix, Steven Swinford and Oliver Wright say:In private, allies of Burnham in ­Westminster are looking at ways to overturn the decision, including the ­possibility of trying to convene an emergency meeting of the whole ­40-strong NEC,...

Politics

12 h. ago Endgame for Starmer: Andy Burnham warns Labour will LOSE Manchester by

Andy Burnham voiced frustration after the PM led a dramatic move by the ruling national executive committee to prevent him standing.

Events

12 h. ago ‘Psychodrama’ threat to Labour led party chiefs to block Andy Burnham Commons comeback, says minister

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer hit by furious backlash from MPs, particularly on the Left of the Labour Party

Events

12 h. ago Burnham barred from byelection to help Labour ‘focus’, says Scotland secretary

Commons seat campaign by Greater Manchester mayor mid-term would drain resources, says Douglas AlexanderLabour’s decision to bar Andy Burnham from standing in a Westminster byelection was about “focus than about factionalism”, so the party would not be distracted ahead of vital elections in May, Douglas Alexander, the Scotland secretary, has said.Defending the decision by the party’s national executive committee (NEC) to block the Greater Manchester mayor from being a candidate for the Gorton and Denton byelection, Alexander said this was not because Keir Starmer was scared of a leadership challenge. Continue reading...

Politics

15 h. ago Labour’s Burnham veto has made a tricky Manchester byelection much harder

Preventing the mayor from returning to Westminster deprives the party of its most potent candidate in Gorton and DentonWhen Labour dignitaries gathered at the Titanic hotel in Liverpool on Friday night, one question loomed above all others: to change captain or not?For many, that question has become even more pressing after Keir Starmer’s allies brutally stopped Andy Burnham’s return to Westminster before it had even begun. Continue reading...

Politics

26 h. ago ‘Huge mistake’: Labour in turmoil as Burnham blocked from byelection race

Allies of Greater Manchester mayor say No 10 has ‘chosen factionalism’ as decision leads to a furious backlashThe Labour party faced the prospect of civil war on Sunday night after Keir Starmer and his allies blocked Andy Burnham’s return to parliament to stave off a potential leadership challenge.There was widespread anger among Labour MPs and union backers after the 10-strong “officers’ group” of the party’s ruling body, including the prime minister himself, voted overwhelmingly to reject Burnham’s request to seek selection for the upcoming Gorton and Denton byelection. Continue reading...

Politics

32 h. ago Labour row erupts after Andy Burnham blocked from byelection race

Allies of Greater Manchester mayor say No 10 has ‘chosen factionalism’ as decision leads to a furious backlashLabour’s national executive committee (NEC) has blocked Andy Burnham’s request to seek selection for the Gorton and Denton byelection, setting off an immediate and furious row within the party.In a vote of the 10-strong “officers’ group” of the NEC, only one person, Lucy Powell, the party deputy leader and a close ally of Burnham, voted to allow the Greater Manchester mayor to compete to be a candidate in the seat vacated by Andrew Gwynne last week. Continue reading...

Politics

33 h. ago Andy Burnham blocked from byelection race by Labour ruling committee

Decision likely to set off ferocious row between Keir Starmer loyalists and allies of Greater Manchester mayorLabour’s national executive committee has blocked Andy Burnham’s request to seek selection for the Gorton and Denton byelection, according to Labour sources.The decision is likely to set off a ferocious row with allies of the Greater Manchester mayor. Continue reading...

Politics

48 h. ago Starmer allies urge him to block Andy Burnham from running in byelection

Greater Manchester mayor has applied to stand for Labour in Gorton and Denton, setting up potential fight for PM’s political futureKeir Starmer’s allies are urging him to block Andy Burnham from running in the Gorton and Denton byelection, after the Greater Manchester mayor declared his intention to stand, setting up a potential fight for the prime minister’s political future.Burnham said on Saturday he wanted to contest the seat after the sitting MP, Andrew Gwynne, said he intended to stand down. Continue reading...

Politics

4 w. ago Police Scotland responds to calls about domestic abuse every eight minutes

Police Scotland insisted its “relentless” focus on tackling the problem had seen 32 “high harm and serious” offenders sentenced to more than 228 years in prison during 2025.

Events