Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy with what you need to know about the day ahead in British politics. All in under 20 minutes and in your feed around 7.30am. They're across the key interviews, the main stories and what the parties are saying. Whatever they're talking about, Westminster will be talking about today.
Andy Burnham has thrown the future of assisted dying into doubt. After telling Sam Coates that he does not want legislation to proceed until social care and palliative care are "fixed", supporters of the bill insist they are pressing ahead. But has the Prime Minister's intervention made its passage through Parliament far less likely? Sam and Anne examine what Burnham's comments mean for MPs ahead of the crucial September vote. Plus, new polling from POLITICO shows again the ‘Burnham bounce’ as his approval rating goes up in every demographic, except one – Reform voters. What will this mean in the long term? And, before Sam and Anne take some time off over summer, what do they make of Burnham’s first two weeks?
Anne shares what she's been hearing about the new top team at the Foreign Office and Ed Miliband reveals what his grandfather would have said about his new job. Meanwhile, can Andy Burnham really fix Britain's social care system? That's the big question as the new Prime Minister hosts cross-party talks on one of the country's biggest challenges. There's just one problem: the invitations only went out on Tuesday, and neither Kemi Badenoch nor Ed Davey will be in the room. The Conservative leader is sending the shadow health secretary in her place, while Davey will join by Zoom. Nigel Farage and the Green Party's Zack Polanski weren't invited. Sam and Anne dig into what, if anything, today's meeting could achieve.
No wonder the new prime minister is feeling chipper. Labour and Reform are now neck and neck in the polls for first time in more than a year. The biggest change? Among young voters. But the ‘Burnham Bounce’ doesn’t stop there – with the PM not only having the pleasure of meeting President Zelenskyy on a visit to a naval base but also our very own Sam Coates. Sam tells Anne McElvoy about his time with Andy Burnham and how his positivity and communication skills are a clear change from some of his predecessors. The duo also discuss the latest policy announcement from No.10. This time, a radical shift in the education system that will allow teenagers to take technical subjects alongside academic ones. But how will this actually work in practice?
Andy Burnham came into office promising the biggest change in Britain for 40 years. But one week into his premiership, is Britain seeing transformation or just a different style of politics? As Burnham unveils plans on social care, devolution and welfare, Sam and Anne ask just how big the policies announced by Burnham actually are. Is this just a continuation of Starmer with a new face? They also discuss Burnham's foreign policy as he prepares to welcome Volodymyr Zelenskyy later today at a British naval base.
The latest policy announcement from Burnham’s new government is a 20% tax break for pubs, clubs and live music venues. That means that pub could save an estimated £1,100 a year. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy delve into the details and again ask, how will this be funded? The two also discuss Burnham’s communication style and if it might need more discipline now that he’s in No.10. This is in light of the new PM’s comments on a potential review of early prison release in England and Wales. Also, the Foreign Office has withdrawn its remaining UK staff from Iran as Donald Trump ramps up pressure on Tehran. Sam and Anne talk about what this could mean for the new Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband.
Andy Burnham wants to talk about his new bus fare cap but, and Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy point out, there isn’t much chance to talk about anything else without the Commons sitting. They go through how the bus fare plan is funded. Chancellor John Healey says it will be “no burden to British taxpayers” but the small print raises questions about how the scheme will be funded. At the Farnborough Air Show, there is chance to talk defence spending – and fresh questions about how to fill the funding gap from Keit Starmer’s pledges. Plus, Sam and Anne round-up the latest ministerial movements.
The Andy Burnham era is underway, and the new prime minister is kicking off with a bang – cutting VAT on electricity bills. He promised the country some “breathing space” on the cost of living, but with prices still rising will anyone actually feel better off? And is it properly funded? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy examine what the announcement shows about Burnham’s direction of travel in government, as his new cabinet gathers for the first time. Plus, the duo unpack the biggest cabinet appointments – from John Healey as chancellor to Wes Streeting at Defence – after many Starmer loyalists were shown the door.
The bloodless coup reaches its climax today as Andy Burnham is set to become the 59th Prime Minister of the United Kingdom - but does a new face mark a new era of British politics? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy dissect the choreography of the handover, preview Burnham’s first words as PM and analyse the key cabinet appointments that will reveal the shape of his government. Will anything really change? The duo also consider how a small cosmetic change could signal a new way in which Andy Burnham wants to operate. Plus, with little policy on the table so far, Sam and Anne assess the early indicators and direction of strategy and how it will impact the work of his incoming chancellor.
With just one day until Andy Burnham is crowned Labour leader, many are still scratching their heads – what will a Burnham government actually look like? The incoming PM says he’s in no rush and will take his time over cabinet appointments – having already signalled a budget is likely in October. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy assess who could land the biggest jobs – especially at the Treasury, where Shabana Mahmood is emerging as the favourite for No11. The duo also wonder if the announcement that British Steel is being renationalised will set Burnham up for a diplomatic row with the Chinese government early in his premiership. Plus, as Starmer clocks up the “Keir miles” one last time on a farewell trip to Kyiv, will his bond with Zelenskyy endure after he leaves office?
It’s Keir Starmer’s final PMQs so Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy wonder if he’ll get a softer side of Kemi Badenoch in the chamber today. But, as Starmer picks up his engraved carriage clock gift from cabinet, there’s a shift in the chat about who Andy Burnham’s neighbour at number 11 might be. Have Team Burnham gone off the idea of Ed Miliband as Chancellor because of soft left optics? And who else is in the frame?
Keir Starmer’s farewell tour is well underway – but is he destined to spend most of it out of the UK? With an extra day in Paris for the Bastille Day celebrations and a possible dash state side for the World Cup final, Starmer is ending his premiership on the world stage – arguably his happy place. Back in Westminster, Prime Minister in waiting – Andy Burnham – ramps up preparations for government, telling colleagues his cabinet will reflect a “broad church.” But with days to go, cabinet ministers still don’t know who will survive the reshuffle. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy assess the challenges awaiting the Burnham government and what his first appointments and decisions will say about the direction of travel. Elsewhere, Rachel Reeves delivers her final Mansion House speech as chancellor setting out the economic legacy she wants to leave behind. Plus, Anne catches up with Tony Blair. What advice does the former Labour leader have for Labour’s next Prime Minister?
The political week starts with the shockwaves from the murder of Reform politician – Ann Widdecombe – which has put MPs security firmly back in the spotlight. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy have the latest on the police investigation, Nigel Farage’s response and the wider political fallout. It comes as the row over political party donations intensifies, with Reform arguing that the current safeguards aren’t strong enough. Meanwhile, Keir Starmer enters his final week as Prime Minister, while his successor Andy Burnham faces another major test in front of the Parliamentary Labour Party. Plus, will the Home Secretary be forced to soften her immigration reforms as she attempts to change the law to deport a recently released ringleader of a Rochdale grooming gang.
The Andy Burnham era of politics is fast approaching – and the prime minister-in-waiting has finally set out some of his priorities for government. As Labour leadership nominations open – with his last active challenger Al Carns officially stepping aside – Burnham’s path to power is now all but certain. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy dissect his blueprint for Number 10, with a specific look at: A foreign policy vision built around plans to “reindustrialise through defence” A rumoured UK tour of “overlooked communities” A promise to be more accessible and transform his relationship with Labour MPs Plus, as preparations for the Clacton by-election ramp up, Sam considers how Nigel Farage’s gamble could backfire and asks whether coverage restrictions will cause headaches for broadcasters.
Nigel Farage has triggered a political earthquake by quitting as an MP – but is he trying to get ahead of an inevitable scandal? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy unpack why Farage has called a by-election in Clacton and why none of the major parties are standing against him – with some describing it as a “gimmick.” The duo also examine whether his plans will have any material impact on the Parliamentary Standards investigation into his links with Christopher Harbone and George Cottrell. And could this extraordinary political gamble end with a stranger twist of a second by-election just weeks later? Plus, what impact will Rupert Lowe’s Restore Party have on potential Reform supporters.
After new claims about Nigel Farage’s funding arrangements, Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy discuss the bits of the new allegations which are worrying Reform. Plus, what will an Andy Burnham government actually be like? On the Treasury, the reports that he might try to split it in two seem have gone quiet but there seems to be an appetite to go early for this autumn’s budget. Anne has also been speaking to Burnham advisor, Jim O’Neill, about what the Burnham foreign policy vision might be.
Could Nigel Farage’s alleged financial relationship with a convicted fraudster come back to haunt him? The Reform leader is already under scrutiny over his £5 million gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harbone and these fresh allegations about his association with George Cottrell will intensify the pressure. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy unpack the political, legal and ethical questions at the heart of the claims and examine whether the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards could widen his investigation. Nigel Farage insists he "has done no wrongdoing, followed the rules" and says he is considering legal action. Elsewhere, with a fortnight until Andy Burnham enters No10, cabinet colleagues are continuing to jostle for their positions to keep their jobs. Plus, Sam has a potential conspiracy theory on who could end up as Andy Burnham’s chancellor.
Andy Burnham could be just days away from entering Downing Street – but who are the winners and losers from the arrival of a new Prime Minister? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy examine how Britain’s political landscape could be reshaped and what it means for the main opposition parties: Can Kemi Badenoch turn Labour’s transition into a Tory revival? Will Reform recover following a turbulent few weeks? What are the chances of the Liberal Democrats’ quiet planning making a difference at the next general election? Could a left-leaning PM squeeze the Greens’ vote? The duo break down the biggest opportunities, the major threats, and the new political battlegrounds as British politics enters a new era. The full list of candidates standing for the Manchester Mayoralty can be found here.
Team Burnham have been properly triggered over the Defence Investment Plan now they’ve found out £4.7bn of it is still to be funded. For the first time in the transition, they’re feeling furious. Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy have news that the scale of the blackhole is even bigger than that. Also - is a former Conservative mayor in the running to chair Great British Railways? And can you have more Milibands than women in the great offices of state?
Will the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan be the Prime Minister’s final and most contentious act? Months of delays, a multi-billion-pound funding gap and the resignation of his Defence Secretary has Keir Starmer done enough to satisfy his military chiefs? Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy unpack the political and strategic stakes and assess how NATO allies, not least Donald Trump, will make of the plans. Elsewhere, with the PM’s departure from No10 on the horizon, is Labour already seeing a polling bounce? And, after more than two years of disruption has Health Secretary – James Murray – finally succeeded where others have failed by bringing the resident doctors strike to an end?
Barring any last-minute surprises, Andy Burnham will become Prime Minister three weeks today. But what is his 10-year mission for the country and how will he achieve it? In his first major speech in Manchester, Burnham will set out his plans for the economy, welfare and devolution with a pledge to deliver “good growth in every postcode.” Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy examine whether his promise of the biggest transfer of power out of Whitehall in modern times amounts to a genuine political reset. Back in London, the battle for future cabinet jobs is already underway and Anne reveals why one senior role could have David Miliband’s name on it. Plus, with Keir Starmer’s authority in office draining can he get the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan through without any hiccups from his military chiefs?
