The State of It

Andy Burnham's welfare reforms are likely to start with more, not less, spending. In his review into Neets, young people not in education, employment or training, Alan Milburn will propose restricting access to universal credit for 16 to 24-year-olds, and spending money instead on employment support. The prime minister will tell MPs the government needs to spend first, cut later to bring about meaningful welfare reform. That may please Labour MPs but will the bond markets keep the faith?

Meanwhile, the home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, is facing opposition within Labour over plans to double the wait for indefinite...

In this live recording of The State of It, Patrick and Steve assess the state of play ahead of budget day.

John Healey is preparing a steady-as-she-goes budget, but with the big decisions on welfare, defence and tax rises pushed into next year, is Labour ducking the difficult choices?

Meanwhile, AI evangelists want Britain to seize the opportunities, while Ed Miliband is pushing back on environmental grounds. Cue an almighty cabinet row.

Reform UK’s poll lead has narrowed as Restore eats into its support. But is Westminster writing off Nigel Farage too so...

Andy Burnham has pulled the lever marked ‘Brexit’, threatening to reignite the wars of yesteryear. The soft left are delighted, but there’s unease in his cabinet. Is this a route back to a referendum, or just a meagre SPS (Sanitary and Phytosanitary) deal? Or is Burnham already firing the opening shots of his election campaign — at the expense of the leave-voting areas he promised to win over? Has he already failed the Makerfield test?

It’s budget season, and speculation is mounting over what’s inside John Healey’s red box. This is billed as a budget for t...

Zack Polanski's defeat in the Holborn & St Pancras by-election puts him in a tough position. The Green leader lost the by-election by 3,300 votes to Sagal Abdi-Wali, the Labour candidate. He's also facing criticism after the Green Party voted to declare that Zionism is racism. Polanski did not vote and has been accused of failing to show leadership. How tenable is his position now?

Plus, parliament is back next week and the real business of government gets going. We look at what's in store and how the chancellor, John Healey, is preparing for a very, very difficult...

Kemi Badenoch's attack on Reform UK was all about character and her attack on Labour was all about economics. In her speech at the Conservative Party conference in Birmingham, she said she would to scrap inheritance tax on family homes and that under a Conservative government, couples would be able to leave an extra £1m inheritance tax free to their children.

Badenoch was withering about Nigel Farage and Reform UK, saying: "The circus goes on and on and it will never stop because this is who Reform are — so to those who say ‘unite the right’, we are not...

The Labour Party is jubilant. Andy Burnham has fired the starting gun for the next general election with one of the most consequential conference speeches in recent memory. He used it to set out a series of major proposals, including an end to the triple lock, the abolition of first-past-the-post and closer ties with Europe.

At the heart of his national project is a care service free at the point of use. Burnham has set out a vision that promises to put Britain on a different road. But can he persuade the country to buy into it?<...

At the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, the mood is jubilant. They have a popular leader who can speak fluently in public. Andy Burnham's speech on Tuesday will be a big moment and it's expected to be full of announcements. Whitehall and cabinet ministers are trying to keep up.

The problem, as always, is making the sums add up. The prime minister has made social care the main topic of conversation. We discuss whether he is ready to ditch the triple-lock on pensions to pay for social care reform and whether he could fight an election promising...

John Healey, the chancellor, tells us his budget will offer people breathing space on both the cost of living and the cost of business. He said he was concerned about the rising price of fuel and that he wanted wealthy people to stay in Britain. In July, Andy Burnham, the prime minister, said that he would use "any flexibility" in the government's fiscal rules, but Healey was clear that there was no room for manoeuvre on the fiscal rules. Listen to the full interview to hear how he's getting notes in caps lock from Gordon Brown, his thoughts on...

The Labour Party conference starts in Liverpool this weekend. It's a chance for Andy Burnham to lay out his vision for the country. Expect worldview, class, solidarity and hope. How much criticism is likely to come from allies of Keir Starmer? Darren Jones, Starmer's former right-hand-man, has been giving interviews. Will others do the same?

Could Burnham call a snap election?

An MRP mega poll for The Times and Sky News suggested that if an election were held now Labour would win 241 seats, the Conservatives would have 130 and Reform UK would be in third on 123...

What a difference a year makes

The Labour Party conference awaits. Has Andy Burnham's folksy charm and optimism taken the party as far as it can, or can he consolidate power and popularity?

Six-party politics

A YouGov poll for The Times and Sky News puts Reform UK and the Conservative Party on level pegging for the first time in 18 months. Thursday's mega poll, the first MRP from YouGov in a year, will be a fascinating snapshot of the shifting electoral tectonic plates. Labour MPs are pinning their hopes on a split on the...

The Burnham Trump meeting

Andy Burnham and Donald Trump will meet for the first time in New York next week. It's the biggest foreign policy moment in Burnham's premiership so far and there are many different ways in which it could go wrong. Burnham wants to be more confrontational with Trump than Starmer was...without damaging relations with the US.

Autumn budget: the walls are closing in

It's now accepted that next month's budget will be a money-raising budget. Does the new government have a plan for growth?

Are the Liberal...

Will Labour raise taxes?

The cost of government borrowing is going up and up. That means the chancellor, John Healey, may well need to cut spending or raise taxes next month - and tax rises are much more likely.

Labour MPs are overwhelmingly happy for the first time in living memory, but is that because they haven't woken up to the grim economic reality? The Labour Party conference slogan this year is 'Hope Again', but while the prime minister is projecting optimism, the chancellor is cutting a much more sombre figure as his fiscal headroom...

MPs have voted against the assisted dying bill. The legislation was defeated by a margin of 16 votes, with 286 MPs in favour and 270 against, after 314 MPs backed the plan last year. It's a huge moment in the House of Commons.

Plus, Andy...

Ed Miliband, the foreign secretary, is announcing sanctions on Israel over West Bank settlements. Why is it such a priority for Andy Burnham's government and what are the risks? It creates yet another diplomatic sticking point for the prime minister when he meets President Trump later this month. At Reform UK's conference, a protester who disrupted Nigel Farage's speech was whacked with a stick and had her hair pulled. The party's economic spokesman Robert Jenrick says she had it coming. An astute political calculation or will it put off wavering voters?Has Reform weathered the storm after last week's resignations...

Reform UK’s 2026 conference has begun in Birmingham under a cloud after Channel 4 broadcast allegations of an attempt to circumvent the rules on foreign donations — prompting Nigel Farage to turn on two of his closest aides, Dan Jukes and James Orr. 

Farage’s relationship with Jukes has been described as “father-son” so it’s a huge step for Farage and for Reform. Find out how it all unfolded in the early hours. 

The extraordinary fallout has overshadowed Farage’s big migration announcement with Jordan Bardella, Marine Le Pen’s National Rally running mate and the man who hopes...

Andy Burnham wants the first day back in the Commons to be all about hope. But how long can he and his chancellor John Healey keep up the feel-good vibes? After much talk of change, there's a whiff of continuity in the air. Find out what is making Labour MPs most nervous and angry - and why.The toughest calls on defence spending and the economy are deferred to 2027, creating a juggernaut for next year.The PM says that public control is a priority but a decision on Thames Water has been postponed.

What is Labour's policy on North...

Scoop: Ed Miliband is expected to announce two different kinds of sanctions over Israeli settlements in the West Bank. We have the details, but will the plan be enforceable?Get ready for politics on hyperspeed this autumn: a decision on North Sea oil and gas, an announcement about the prisoner early release scheme, two welfare reviews, conferences, a budget and a 10-year plan. But amidst the flurry of activity, is Andy Burnham putting off some tough decisions?Reform UK says British-born workers should get priority for social housing. We look at the shifting Overton window on citizenship as three parties...

The prison early release scheme is Andy Burnham's first big test as prime minister. There are no good options. Can he make a successful argument that he's picked the least bad?No 10 wants the Autumn Budget to be all about devolution, but they also need to raise money - a lot of money. Fraser believes there are reasons to be cheerful about welfare reform. Can Labour MPs really get behind a plan that inevitably will come with painful political decisions?Reform UK has suspended Tim Montgomerie as a member. What's going on within the party?And Gabriel lifts the veil...

Nigel Farage has done the inevitable and defeated Count Binface in the Clacton by-election. To celebrate, Reform threw a gigantic Glastonbury-style festival on Clacton beach. Farage-fest 2026 featured disco, live music and even a Ferris wheel.

But during his victory speech, Farage admitted for the first time that he may have made a mistake by failing to declare the £5m gift he received from Christopher Harborne.

Now, just hours after his victory, the parliamentary standards watchdog has resumed its investigation into the Reform leader. So, after the Ferris wheel and the fanfare, what next for the e...

Last week, Andy Burnham said he had reached “the very limits of what is possible”, appearing powerless to prevent the early release of PC Andrew Harper’s killers. But after a wave of public outrage, he has now promised to stop it. This is Burnham’s first major collision between style and substance – can his positive-vibes politics really trump the reality of a political nightmare?

Then over to Clacton, where a tanned Nigel Farage has embedded himself in his constituency. What comes next for Reform’s leader after he does the inevitable and defeats Count Binface in the by-el...

Has Andy Burnham's vibes-based politics collided with the reality of governing as he wrestles with the prison early release crisis?

Restore leader and right-wing insurgent Rupert Lowe has publicly reached out to Nigel Farage, urging him to unite the right. Can Farage and Lowe finally put the bad blood behind them, or is the divide simply too deep?

And on the left, the Greens have endured a bruising few weeks, with leader Zack Polanski's social media habits creating unwelcome headlines. But has Westminster been too quick to write them off? With Polanski at...

Andy Burnham's first week as prime minister has been decisive, optimistic and proactive. Labour has overtaken Reform UK in the polls for the first time in more than a year. Now Burnham is taking on education and social care reform: knotty political questions with many landmines. We look at the pitfalls that lie ahead.

Zack Polanski's Green Party is losing support. And as Reform and the Conservatives fight to be the main party of the right, how does the new Labour government change things for Nigel Farage and Kemi Badenoch? 

Patrick Maguire, chief political c...

Andy Burnham's first week as Prime Minister has been all about creating good vibes. He's pledged to end rough sleeping, cut VAT on energy bills, cap bus fares at £2, and save Britain's pubs. The obvious question is: how is he going to pay for it all?

Steve takes us inside Burnham's call with Donald Trump, where everything was surprisingly cordial and the pair ended up talking about their mums.

But next week, the easy announcements give way to the hard choices. Burnham is expected to unveil major interventions on social care and unemployment. Can he d...

The Grafton Pub Purge: inside the pub where Keir Starmer had drinks with allies as they were sacked one by one. It's fair to say that Andy Burnham's new cabinet has caused an astonishing amount of bitterness in the Labour Party. The Chancellor Shock: John Healey's surprise appointment as chancellor means he'll have to find £25bn, or the equivalent of 3p on income tax, to fund defence.Get ready for a Mega Budget: the new government is preparing announcements on bus fares and Thames Water, but it's still unclear how they will pay for spending pledges.

S...

Who is Shabana Mahmood, the 'ruthless' politician set to enter Downing Street as Andy Burnham’s Chancellor? After a fierce cabinet debate effectively ended Ed Miliband's hopes for the Treasury, all eyes are on her. And what does her potential appointment means for the future of UK politics, from welfare reform to the economy?

Meanwhile, Westminser has descended into a surreal waiting game as the incoming Prime Minister prepares to take power. No one knows if their job is safe, and desperate insiders have resorted to asking our very own Steven Swinford if he knows anything they do...

Who will be in Andy Burnham's cabinet? It looks like Ed Miliband will not be chancellor after all. We have scoops for you about who's in line for the big jobs in the Westminster cabinet reshuffle.Burnham needs to make room for allies like Louise Haigh and Lucy Powell, so who will be sacked on Monday when Burnham takes over as prime minister?Westminster is like a hornet's nest of briefing and counter-briefing as Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner, Dan Jarvis, Yvette Cooper and others wait to hear what next week will bring.David Lammy has organised a whip-round for Keir...

A furious Nigel Farage has said he will ‘stick two fingers up to the establishment’ by resigning and then winning a by-election in Clacton. Kemi Badenoch has accused him of having a hissy fit and Andy Burnham has said it's a gimmick designed to distract from questions over undeclared gifts.

Wh...

Nigel Farage could face an investigation by the parliamentary watchdog after a Sunday Times investigation and podcast series raised questions about gifts and benefits in kind that he has received from George Cottrell, a crypto-gambler and convicted fraudster, who's better known as Posh George. Gabriel and Steve discuss how Reform UK has reacted to the story and what could happen next.

Both George Cottrell and Nigel Farage deny any wrongdoing. 

Listen to the series here: podfollow.com/posh-george

Episode 3 is out on Thursday 9th July

Steven Swinford, political editor, T...

Andy Burnham is keeping his cards close to his chest and no one seems to know who'll get what job. That means there's a huge amount of paranoia and jostling for position the Labour Party. Cabinet ministers and MPs are lavishing praise upon him, but they're worried about his plans - both on policy and personnel. There's a lot of ill-feeling that could bubble up to the surface surprisingly quickly.

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times

Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson

Executive...

There is considerable intrigue around Andy Burnham's possible cabinet, not least because the eldest Miliband brother is being linked to the position of Foreign Secretary. Are we about to see UK politic's Cain and Able story return for a second round? And most importantly, Is Andy Burnham ready?

Burnham's debut speech caused headlines with his bold plans to reshape the British state. But there are difficult questions lurking behind the rhetoric, namely what does any of it actually mean? Plus, Reform UK gears up to choose their top candidates to challenge Burnham in his own backyard.

Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer both want an orderly transition but one day in, it's looking anything but orderly.

It's a transition beset with bad blood and uncertainty and also some serious technical hurdles. Is he building a plane mid-flight or is he more like Gromit, sitting on a speeding train, laying down the track in front of him?

The biggest unanswered question facing Andy Burnham is who will be his chancellor. Three names are in contention: bookmakers' favourite Wes Streeting, rank outsider Shabana Mahmood, and Ed Miliband — the bête noire of the bond mar...

Andy Burnham could be prime minister within weeks after Keir Starmer's resignation. He may now need to build a government before the World Cup final. This is where the real trade-offs start. How long can Andy Burnham's hopey, changey, Northern Soul vibes last in Downing Street? There's already an almighty row going on over who will be his chancellor.

Also today, where did all go wrong for Keir Starmer and what did Labour MPs think of his resignation speech?

Wes Streeting has said he will not contest Andy Burnham for the Labour leadership, but are...

Andy Burnham's victory in Makerfield makes him Labour leader and prime minister in waiting. How will the next days and weeks play out?

Keir Starmer has said he will stand in a leadership contest if one is triggered. So does that mean a bloody contest rather than a coronation?

In a special episode recorded live on Times Radio with Ed Vaizey, we go through the possible scenarios.

And if Andy Burnham does become prime minister, what will he do with power? Who will be in his cabinet? We're told that Shabana Mahmood has...

Makerfield is the most consequential by-election in history. Andy Burnham is confident he'll win. What happens then? When and how does he make a move? What can Keir Starmer do to thwart him? We have several scoops for you today.

Listen to find out which cabinet ministers are thinking of resigning after Makerfield and which senior figure has been ghosting the PM.

If Andy Burnham does get to Number 10, the whole direction of his premiership will depend on who he picks for his cabinet. We bring you the latest on what his team is thinking.<...

Exclusive stories from the front line of the government's war over defence spending.

And there's a swagger about Andy Burnham's team: they're more and more confident that he'll win in Makerfield. What happens next? And how will the enmity between Andy Burnham and Keir Starmer influence the outcome?

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times

Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson

Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture: Getty Images

Email us: [email protected]

Nigel Farage has said that the death of Henry Nowak is proof that "we’re living in a two-tier culture...where the rights and privileges of white people matter less than those of ethnic minorities". Police bodycam footage shows Nowak, 18, being arrested for alleged racial abuse minutes before he died from stab wounds in December 2025. It's a tragedy that's very quickly become political. We explain why it's an issue that's particularly tricky for Labour to respond to. Also, a snapshot of strange by-election campaign where cabinet members are not welcome, Labour MPs might be allowed a selfie with Andy Burnham (if...

In the Makerfield by-election, Reform UK have put forward a local plumber in the hope of derailing Burnham’s push for power — but a string of deeply questionable old social media posts has left the campaign wobbling. Meanwhile, on Reform’s right flank, Rupert Lowe’s Restore Britain party is threatening to split the vote after a Sunday Times poll put them on 7% — enough to potentially hand Labour the advantage.

Back in Downing Street, Rachel Reeves is machine-gunning her colleagues. The question is whether she genuinely believes she can survive in post under an Andy Burnham leadership.

<...

Scoop: Keir Starmer thinks he can remain prime minister till 2027, even if Andy Burnham wins in Makerfield...And if Burnham loses, what then?Fear and loathing in Number 10: we have details about the extraordinary levels of anger at the top of government.Makerfield is the most consequential by-election in history. Can Andy Burnham win in this pro-Brexit, anti-establishment seat? He's pitching himself as the anti-politics candidate, while simultaneously plotting his route to Downing Street.And if he does win, what will he do with power? Could he end up as a Keir Starmer in running shorts?

...

Wes Streeting has resigned as health secretary, but he hasn't launched a leadership challenge. Why not? More than 90 Labour MPs have now called for the prime minister to go, but Keir Starmer is hanging on. What can he do now? And what's the next move for Angela Rayner, Andy Burnham and Ed Miliband?

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times

Lara Spirit, deputy political editor, The Sunday Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson

Executive producer: Molly Guinness

Picture credit: Getty Images

This podcast was brought...

An extraordinary day in British politics: Keir Starmer vows to fight on, but the resignations keep on coming. How long can the prime minister survive? What's next, and who will move first? Wes Streeting has one shot: will he take it? What is Andy Burnham's plan?

Recorded at Temple Church as part of the Fleet Street Quarter Festival of Words.

Steven Swinford, political editor, The Times

Patrick Maguire, chief political commentator, The Times

Gabriel Pogrund, editor of Insight, The Sunday Times

Producers: Euan Dawtrey, Harry Kitson<...