Richard Wheeler

Andy Burnham says he is not embarrassed by exchanging messages with someone impersonating US President Donald Trump’s chief of staff, Susie Wiles. He says the exchange was minimal, contained no consequential information and was promptly reported. Liberal Democrat MP James MacCleary has asked Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee to investigate what he calls a serious security breach. The UK and US have reportedly taken corrective action, while the White House said the incident was unrelated to the earlier hacking of Wiles’s phone. The episode follows a similar 2024 hoax involving former UK foreign secretary David Cameron and an impersonator posing as former Ukrainian president Petro Poroshenko.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham says he is not embarrassed after exchanging a small number of messages with someone impersonating Susie Wiles, Donald Trump's chief of staff. He insists the exchange contained no consequential information and that he promptly reported it. Liberal Democrat MP James MacCleary has asked Parliament's Intelligence and Security Committee to investigate the breach, while UK and US authorities are taking unspecified corrective action. The incident is reported alongside a previous hacking episode involving Wiles and a 2024 hoax call targeting then-Foreign Secretary David Cameron.

Count Binface won 9,455 votes and 26.9% of the vote in the Clacton by-election, finishing second to Reform UK leader Nigel Farage and achieving what is believed to be the strongest result ever for a novelty candidate. The contest followed a boycott by the main UK parties and featured a record 34 candidates. Farage did not attend the count, saying Essex Police had warned him of a credible threat, while the BBC reported that the force said it had not advised any candidate to stay away. The result could be followed by another by-election if a parliamentary standards investigation into Farage’s undeclared £5m gift leads to a suspension and recall petition.

Andy Burnham has argued that wealthier UK communities should house more asylum seekers so that poorer areas do not bear a disproportionate burden. His comments followed protests over plans to accommodate asylum seekers at a former military base near Piddington in Oxfordshire. The Labour government says it is replacing costly asylum hotels with secure sites and aims to close all hotels by 2029, while immigration minister Anna Turley says the new approach will distribute responsibility more fairly. Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp rejected housing asylum seekers anywhere and renewed calls for rapid deportation, including to safe third countries. Government figures recorded 97,519 people receiving asylum support at the end of March, including 20,885 in hotels, with the highest concentrations in several northern English regions and major cities.

Andy Burnham has argued that wealthier parts of the UK should house more asylum seekers rather than leaving poorer communities to accommodate a disproportionate share. His comments followed protests in Piddington, Oxfordshire, over plans to use a former military base, while Conservative shadow home secretary Chris Philp called for asylum seekers to be deported. The Labour government says it is replacing costly asylum hotels with military bases and other secure sites, reducing hotel use from 400 to 160 and pledging to close the remaining hotels by 2029. Government figures show 97,519 people receiving asylum support, with the greatest concentrations in northern England and several major cities.

Nigel Farage says he discussed Reform UK’s potential financial liabilities with then-leader Richard Tice in spring 2024 before deciding whether to return to politics, but denies negotiating a leadership deal. He maintains that a £5m gift from cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne was an unconditional personal gift received before he became an MP and therefore did not need to be declared. Labour chair Bridget Phillipson says the discussions undermine that explanation. An investigation by the Parliamentary Standards Commissioner was suspended after Farage resigned as Clacton MP to trigger a by-election and will resume if he wins on 13 August.

Nigel Farage says he discussed Reform UK's potential financial liabilities with then-leader Richard Tice in spring 2024, before deciding to return to frontline politics, but denies that the talks amounted to a deal. The disclosure follows reports that he negotiated such an arrangement and has prompted Labour criticism of his explanation for not declaring a £5m gift from cryptocurrency investor Christopher Harborne. A parliamentary standards investigation into whether Farage breached MPs' registration rules was suspended after he resigned as the MP for Clacton; it will resume if he wins the 13 August by-election.

New Education Secretary Lucy Powell says reviewing the fairness of England’s Plan 2 student-loan system is at the top of her priorities. She maintains that the RPI-plus-3% interest rate is “egregious” and calls the issue a significant cost-of-living concern, but says she cannot promise changes. The government has frozen the repayment threshold from 2027 to 2030 and capped interest on some loans at 6%, while campaigners and the Treasury Committee have criticized the policies and past government messaging. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has proposed capping interest at RPI alone.

Angela Rayner has told the BBC that she will not repay the £16,876 ministerial severance payment she received after resigning as deputy prime minister and housing secretary in September 2025. She returned to the cabinet as housing secretary under Prime Minister Andy Burnham, prompting Conservative demands that she return the money. Rayner said she had worked in government and was entitled to the payment under the rules. Her resignation followed a ministerial-code breach related to tax on a flat in Hove; an ethics adviser said she acted with integrity, and she later settled £40,000 in unpaid stamp duty with HMRC. Rayner says she wants to pursue unfinished business in government, including a major expansion of council-house building and the delivery of £39bn in social and affordable housing funding.

Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to announce measures to ease the cost of living crisis as his new cabinet meets for the first time, following key appointments including John Healey as chancellor and Ed Miliband as foreign secretary. Angela Rayner returns as housing secretary, Yvette Cooper takes on social care reform, and Wes Streeting becomes defence secretary with pressure to meet NATO spending commitments. Opposition leaders criticise Burnham for lacking a clear plan, while international counterparts including Donald Trump, Volodymyr Zelensky and Ursula von der Leyen express support or discuss cooperation in early calls.

Andy Burnham made ending long‑term rough sleeping his first policy pledge as prime minister, announcing £340m to provide housing and support for thousands of people in England. The plan prioritises securing homes for those sleeping rough long term and coordinating national and local government efforts. Critics, including Conservative and Reform UK figures, questioned Burnham’s record in Manchester and the funding details. Supporters, including the homelessness charity Crisis, welcomed the shift toward addressing root causes. The pledge builds on previous national homelessness strategies and echoes earlier commitments made within the Labour Party.

Keir Starmer said he will maintain contact with US President Donald Trump as he prepares to leave office, emphasising their working relationship despite recent tensions over Iran and other policy disagreements. Speaking at the NATO summit in Ankara, Starmer stressed the importance of strong UK‑US ties and said the alliance emerged more united after the meeting. The article recounts the evolution of their relationship, including cooperative moments, diplomatic friction over military bases and trade threats, and internal Labour concerns. Trump continued to press NATO members to increase defence spending, describing the summit as successful.

Keir Starmer said he intends to maintain contact with US President Donald Trump after leaving office, despite policy clashes over Iran and defence cooperation. Starmer emphasised the importance of strong personal ties between UK and US leaders and highlighted enduring strategic cooperation. At the NATO summit in Ankara he received a personalised firearm gift and said the alliance emerged more unified, while Trump repeated criticisms of UK decisions but praised increased defence commitments from member states. The article also notes Starmer’s impending resignation and the likelihood of Andy Burnham succeeding him.

The government plans to restrict overseas voters moving to the UK to a £100,000 donations cap for one year, aiming to curb foreign influence in elections alongside tightening company donation rules. The proposals would affect major Reform UK donors Christopher Harborne and Ben Delo, who have contributed large sums and intend to return to Britain. Additional measures include verifying candidate funding sources and basing company donation eligibility on post‑tax profits. The changes will be introduced as amendments to the Representation of the People Bill, forming part of a broader response to concerns about foreign interference in UK political finance, while Reform UK criticizes the reforms as targeting its funding.