Aditya Chakrabortty

Britain’s increasingly severe climate swings are expected to produce hotter, drier summers and wetter, more destructive winters, creating water shortages alongside flooding. The column argues that the country’s privatized water system, weakened expertise and inadequate political response leave it unprepared for this climate whiplash. It calls for substantially greater investment, potentially public ownership, and a fairer billing system based on ability to pay.

A confidential UK-US pharmaceutical treaty negotiated by Keir Starmer and Donald Trump is projected to significantly increase NHS drug spending, divert funding from essential services and cause substantial excess deaths by 2036, according to new BMJ analysis. The agreement obliges the UK to double its drug spending share of national income, contradicting government assurances and potentially costing £44.7bn by decade’s end. Critics warn that the deal was pushed through without proper parliamentary scrutiny or transparency, with minimal media coverage. With a new prime minister incoming, questions remain about whether the agreement will be reversed.

Billions are expected to be diverted from NHS services to fund new medicines under the US-UK trade deal agreed in December, a shift projected to contribute to over 200,000 excess deaths. Ministers argue the agreement benefits drug exports and patient access to treatments, while critics accuse the Labour government of yielding to pressure from Donald Trump.

Argues that Andy Burnham’s greatest threat as incoming prime minister is not turmoil in the bond markets but the volatility and self-interest of Labour MPs who quickly turn on leaders they view as electoral liabilities. Market fears are exaggerated, with energy prices and global shocks playing a larger role in influencing bond yields than domestic political shifts. The UK’s reliance on foreign capital persists, but practical policy options exist to address this. The public’s demand for substantial change remains unmet, and if Burnham fails to enact meaningful reforms, party support could fracture and internal pressures could again destabilize leadership.

Three Guardian columnists reflect on the political, economic and social consequences of Brexit a decade after the referendum. They describe confusion among leaders, lack of planning by both leave campaigners and government institutions, and the hard Brexit outcome shaped by political manoeuvring. The conversation highlights enduring divisions over immigration, the mainstreaming of extreme rhetoric, and ongoing debates over whether the UK should move toward closer integration with the EU. Economic costs, regulatory burdens and future strategic choices dominate their assessment, with calls for clearer public debate and recognition of geopolitical threats such as Russia.

Public anger that fueled the Brexit vote persists a decade later, shaping current political dynamics and driving support for new right‑wing parties such as Reform UK and Restore Britain. While media and political narratives focus on elite conflicts or trade issues, the deeper disaffection rooted in economic decline, distrust of institutions, and anti‑establishment sentiment has been neglected. This unrest has allowed figures like Nigel Farage to channel frustration into ethnic resentment, while mainstream parties, including Labour under Keir Starmer, remain focused on institutional resets rather than addressing social and economic grievances. Extremism has become more normalized, with significant public acceptance of political violence, underscoring how unresolved post‑Brexit frustrations continue to define British politics.

Blairite influence continues to dominate Labour politics, with Tony Blair and his allies receiving disproportionate media attention and shaping debates long after leaving power. Keir Starmer’s government is described as overly deferential to this legacy, lacking originality and failing to reassess the political and economic assumptions that collapsed during the financial crisis. Internal exchanges among key Labour figures highlight outdated thinking and minimal policy substance, while the party leadership remains constrained by fear of past failures and entrenched ideological habits.

Labour faces internal turmoil as leadership contenders emerge amid worsening public dissatisfaction and rising support for Reform. Keir Starmer is portrayed as losing voter trust, while the political mainstream struggles to address long-term economic decline, cost of living pressures and collapsing living standards. The article argues that Labour’s infighting reflects a political class disconnected from public hardship and warns that only a serious plan to confront structural issues can prevent further electoral losses.

Labour faces a severe electoral collapse as Keir Starmer’s leadership is criticised for relying on an image of technocratic adulthood rather than substantive political vision. The column argues that appeals to ‘grownup politics’ mask ideological emptiness and suppress debate, leaving the government unprepared for Britain’s structural crises. With expectations unmet and voter disillusionment rising, Starmer is likely to become the scapegoat, yet any successor will struggle due to Labour’s limited mandate and lack of transformative proposals. The political climate remains volatile as dissatisfaction with traditional party politics grows.

Labour faces major losses in London’s upcoming local elections as long‑standing support erodes, driven by anger over the party’s stance on Gaza, immigration rhetoric and especially its historic and ongoing failures on housing. The Greens are positioned to make significant gains by foregrounding housing justice and capitalising on discontent with Labour‑led estate transfers, gentrification and limited action on renters’ rights. The collapse of Labour’s London stronghold threatens key national figures and highlights the consequences of policy decisions dating back to the Blair era, leaving party leaders to confront their own role in the downturn.

A decade after the Brexit referendum, political identities centred on leave and remain continue to dominate public attitudes, shaping perceptions of reality and deepening social division. Research by Sara Hobolt and James Tilley shows that post‑referendum dynamics entrenched these identities, fuelling mistrust and discrimination between the two camps. The persistence of Brexit tribalism has overshadowed class politics, enabling cultural conflicts to replace debates over material conditions. Political elites, particularly those behind the referendum, are depicted as benefiting from the resulting turmoil, while the country remains polarised and politically stagnant.

A new inflationary shock triggered by the US‑Israel war on Iran and the resulting disruption of global oil supplies is spreading economic turmoil, hitting Asian economies first and threatening the UK ahead of its elections. The article argues that rising prices will worsen inequality, with poorer households suffering disproportionately, as they did during previous crises. It calls for progressive utility pricing, rapid movement away from fossil fuels and a rejection of growth‑based economic assumptions that have repeatedly failed. Political leaders, particularly Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves, are urged to redesign economic policy to protect low‑income households and confront structural weaknesses in the UK economy.

Healthy life expectancy in the UK has fallen to its lowest level since 2011, with children born today expected to enjoy good health only until age 61. The decline highlights widening health inequality and is linked to years of austerity policies that reduced public spending and weakened social support. Experts warn that deteriorating health reflects deeper societal decline, particularly affecting poorer communities. While other countries such as Sweden have improved healthy life spans through targeted policies, British governments have prioritized economic growth over public health. The lack of political focus and limited media coverage underscore systemic complacency despite rising midlife mortality and worsening inequality.

Argues that Keir Starmer’s government is collapsing due to a lack of substance, shrinking ambitions and a leadership culture defined by U-turns, lobbying ties and internal purges. Criticism focuses on Starmer’s failure to deliver promised reforms, reliance on myth-making around advisers such as Morgan McSweeney, and a narrowing ideological base that has weakened Labour’s political identity. The party’s electoral strength is attributed more to Conservative failures than Labour’s vision, while left-leaning voters increasingly look to alternative parties. The piece warns that Labour’s long-term survival may be jeopardized by its current trajectory.

A surge in Green Party activism, particularly in Lewisham, reflects a broader shift among left‑leaning voters away from Labour, driven largely by dissatisfaction with Keir Starmer’s leadership, Gaza-related positions and perceived moral drift. While Zack Polanski is popular, the movement’s momentum stems from grassroots frustration with Labour rather than leadership charisma. Rising membership, expanding campaigns and growing expectations signal the Greens’ transition from a fringe party to a national force, presenting both opportunity and organisational strain as they attempt to scale rapidly and develop policy to meet new political demands.

Grass‑roots resistance in Minneapolis forced Trump’s immigration chief from the city and destabilized parts of the administration’s immigration crackdown. Weeks of mass nonviolent protest, mutual aid and community organization persisted despite state violence, contrasted with institutional capitulation on the national stage. The article argues that collective action from ordinary Minnesotans demonstrates the power of bottom‑up leadership against authoritarian overreach and offers a counternarrative to claims of an unstoppable Trumpian political shift.