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Guardian senior political correspondent. DMs open. Email: peter.walker@theguardian.com Secure email if needed: peter.walker.guardian@protonmail.com
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Articles by Peter Walker
Labour hails byelection win as return of leftwing voters after Starmer era
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Labour byelection win shows party starting to win back voters on left
Labour is starting to win back voters on the left who became disillusioned under Keir Starmer's leadership, the party's deputy leader has claimed after it saw off Zack Polanski and the Greens to win the Holborn and St Pancras byelection. Labour's Sagal Abdi-Wali took 45% of a relatively low turnout to keep Starmer's old north London seat for the party, pushing Polanski, who had stood for the party he leads, into second place on 33%.
Labour byelection win shows party starting to win back voters on left
Labour is starting to win back voters on the left who became disillusioned under Keir Starmer’s leadership, the party’s deputy leader has claimed after it saw off Zack Polanski and the Greens to win the Holborn and St Pancras byelection. Labour’s Sagal Abdi-Wali took 45% of a relatively low turnout to keep Starmer’s old north London seat for the party, pushing Polanski, who had stood for the party he leads, into second place on 33%.
Labour byelection win shows party starting to win back voters on left
Education secretary Lucy Powell (left) with newly elected MP Sagal Abdi-Wali, who won the Holborn and St Pancras byelection. Photograph: Jordan Pettitt/PA Labour is starting to win back voters on the left who became disillusioned under Keir Starmer’s leadership, the party’s deputy leader has claimed after it saw off Zack Polanski and the Greens to win the Holborn and St Pancras byelection.
‘All me’: Tory party riding high on Kemi Badenoch’s wave of popularity
Kemi Badenoch has long said that the Conservatives were “under new management”, but in a TV interview to mark the end of a party conference at which she has been front and centre of more or less everything, she took the analogy further. “Your viewers will know that sometimes you have a football team that’s disappointing,” the Tory leader told GB News.
‘All me’: Tory party riding high on Kemi Badenoch’s wave of popularity
Kemi Badenoch: ‘There’s a new captain, there’s a new coach, there’s a new owner, effectively – which is all me.’ Photograph: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images Kemi Badenoch has long said that the Conservatives were “under new management”, but in a TV interview to mark the end of a party conference at which she has been front and centre of more or less everything, she took the analogy further.
Labour figures rule out working with Greens after ‘Zionism is racism’ vote
Senior Labour party figures said it is very unlikely their party would cooperate with the Greens in the future after they adopted a policy treating Zionism as a form of racism. One Labour minister said they could not foresee how the two parties could work together, while a government official said Labour should formally rule out a future coalition or other arrangement.
Labour figures rule out working with Greens after ‘Zionism is racism’ vote
Green Party leader Zack Polanski stopped short of endorsing or criticising the motion. Photograph: Andy Rain/EPA Senior Labour party figures said it is very unlikely their party would cooperate with the Greens in the future after they adopted a policy treating Zionism as a form of racism. One Labour minister said they could not foresee how the two parties could work together, while a government official said Labour should formally rule out a future coalition or other arrangement.
Green party of England and Wales facing ostracism over ‘Zionism is racism’ vote
The English and Welsh Greens are facing international ostracism after adopting a policy declaring Zionism as a form of racism, which has drawn dismay from the group representing European Greens. The co-leader of the German Greens separately said the policy was "intolerable and unacceptable", running contrary to its belief in the right of Israel to exist. The binding policy motion passed in a vote at the Greens' conference in Brighton on Sunday. Four of the party's five MPs opposed it.
Green party votes to adopt policy that equates Zionism with racism
The Greens have formally adopted a policy which equates Zionism with racism, a move that will dismay the bulk of the party’s MPs and has alarmed some Jewish members. In a vote at the party’s annual conference in Brighton about whether to back a motion which calls for Zionism, the movement for a Jewish state, to be “treated as any other form of racism”, it passed by 1,022 votes to 813.
Grenfell police hand files on 20 organisations and 54 people to CPS
Police investigating the Grenfell Tower fire have asked prosecutors to consider charges including manslaughter and fraud against a range of companies and individuals. The Metropolitan police announced they had given prosecutors evidence relating to 20 companies and organisations and 54 individuals ahead of charging decisions, in what the force described as a “milestone moment”.
Grenfell police hand files on 20 organisations and 54 people to CPS
Police investigating the Grenfell Tower fire have asked prosecutors to consider charges including manslaughter and fraud against a range of companies and individuals. The Metropolitan police announced they had given prosecutors evidence relating to 20 companies and organisations and 54 individuals ahead of charging decisions, in what the force described as a "milestone moment".
From Brexit to electoral reform: key takeaways from Andy Burnham’s conference speech
Andy Burnham’s first speech to a Labour conference as prime minister was not only quite long, at over an hour, but unusually dense with policy. Here are some of the things he set out: One of Burnham’s most concrete promises was to end the triple lock as we know it. For the last 15 years, the state pension has increased by whichever is the highest out of earnings, inflation or 2.5%.
From Brexit to electoral reform: key takeaways from Andy Burnham’s conference speech
‘Brexit has done more harm than good,’ Burnham told the Labour conference. Photograph: Wiktor Szymanowicz/Zuma Press Wire/Shutterstock Ending the pensions triple lock One of Burnham’s most concrete promises was to end the triple lock as we know it. For the last 15 years, the state pension has increased by whichever is the highest out of earnings, inflation or 2.5%.
From Brexit to electoral reform: key takeaways from Andy Burnham’s conference speech
Andy Burnham's first speech to a Labour conference as prime minister was not only quite long, at over an hour, but unusually dense with policy. Here are some of the things he set out: Ending the pensions triple lock One of Burnham's most concrete promises was to end the triple lock as we know it. For the last 15 years, the state pension has increased by whichever is the highest out of earnings, inflation or 2.5%.
From Brexit to electoral reform: key takeaways from Andy Burnham’s conference speech
Andy Burnham's first speech to a Labour conference as prime minister was not only quite long, at over an hour, but unusually dense with policy. Here are some of the things he set out: Ending the pensions triple lock One of Burnham's most concrete promises was to end the triple lock as we know it. For the last 15 years, the state pension has increased by whichever is the highest out of earnings, inflation or 2.5%.
From Brexit to electoral reform: key takeaways from Andy Burnham’s conference speech
Andy Burnham's first speech to a Labour conference as prime minister was not only quite long, at over an hour, but unusually dense with policy. Here are some of the things he set out: One of Burnham's most concrete promises was to end the triple lock as we know it. For the last 15 years, the state pension has increased by whichever is the highest out of earnings, inflation or 2.5%.
No signs Chagos deal can be adapted to suit Trump, say UK officials
The Chagos Islands deal is on hold for as long as Donald Trump objects to it, UK officials believe, with no immediate signs it can be adapted to suit the US president. After Trump savaged the three-way plan as “a terrible deal” during a meeting with Andy Burnham at the UN general assembly , the prime minister said he was “confident” the UK would be able to find a solution to revive the idea.
No signs Chagos deal can be adapted to suit Trump, UK officials believe
The Chagos Islands deal is on hold for as long as Donald Trump objects to it, UK officials believe, with no immediate signs it can be adapted to suit the US president. After Trump savaged the three-way plan as “a terrible deal” during a meeting with Andy Burnham at the UN general assembly, the prime minister said he was “confident” the UK would be able to find a solution to revive the idea.
Ed Davey promises £17bn income tax cut if Lib Dems are elected Original
Ed Davey has unveiled a plan for a £17bn income tax cut in a speech aimed at shoring up the party's support among former Conservative voters, but which risked disappointing some Liberal Democrat MPs who want a bolder vision for the party.
Halt super-intelligent AI with non-proliferation treaty, Ed Davey to say
Ed Davey is to call for a global nuclear-style non-proliferation treaty to halt the development of super-intelligent AI when he makes his keynote speech at the Liberal Democrat conference, accusing Andy Burnham of relying on Donald Trump and “tech bros” to solve the problem.
Lib Dems use conference to set out £2bn plan to cut fuel duty
The Liberal Democrats have used their conference to unveil a £2bn plan to cut fuel duty, part of a series of policy proposals intended to tackle worries that not enough voters know what Ed Davey 's party stands for. The proposal to cut fuel duty by 10p a litre for a fixed three-month period came as polling showed Lib Dem policies are less well known than those of Restore Britain , which only launched as a political party in February and has one MP – Rupert Lowe – to their 71.
‘Flip the table and rise up’: Lib Dems’ president in combative mood as party gathers in Brighton
Standing outside Toynbee Hall in the East End of London, Josh Babarinde doesn’t exactly look like a rabble-rouser. But despite the well-cut suit and disarmingly large smile, the president of the Liberal Democrats is, apparently, up for a fight. “There are big modern giants that are getting in the way of people’s ability to thrive, and it is the job of Liberal Democrats to address that,” says the 33-year-old. “How are we going to do that?
When is an ebike not an ebike? When it has a powerful, illegal engine. Get this menace off our roads
One of the curiosities of debates about cycling in the UK is that almost all of them centre on the place with the greatest concentration of not only bikes but also politicians and journalists: inner London. Inevitably this is just a small part of the story. Much of the current focus is on so-called share bikes operated by companies such as Lime and Forest – nippy electric-assist machines that can be picked up and left on pavements.
UK unions split over party donations cap as TUC chief says ‘super-rich’ corrupting politics
Britain’s trade union movement leader Paul Nowak has said the government must act to “stop the super-rich corrupting our politics”, as union leaders met on Monday to discuss possible support for a domestic cap on donations. Union leaders are split on the prospect of limiting domestic donations to political parties, with many including the GMB fearing it would lead a future rightwing government to curb union donations.
Protesters outside Portsmouth hotel mistake Pakistan U19 cricket team for asylum seekers
A group of masked agitators gathered outside a four-star hotel in Portsmouth after reports a group of asylum seekers had been taken there, when it was in fact Pakistan's under-19 cricket team on a tour. George Madgwick, a Reform councillor called to the hotel to mediate between staff and the assembled crowd, said it was a “massively unfortunate incident”.
Protesters outside Portsmouth hotel mistake Pakistan U19 cricket team for asylum seekers
Police officers at Eastney beach, Portsmouth, where hundreds of protesters gathered on Sunday, leaving tensions high in the Hampshire city. Photograph: PA
Farage still Reform’s best hope as rivals struggle to match appeal to party faithful
Few British politicians unleash the kind of evangelical zeal among their party faithful as Nigel Farage. Despite being weighed down by weeks of scandal, last weekend's Reform UK conference showed that – as far as the membership is concerned – the lustre has not come off their man. So it was notable that Farage felt compelled to reassure his disciples that he wasn't going anywhere.
No 10 condemns ‘thuggish’ far-right activists after Portsmouth unrest
Downing Street has condemned the "thuggish and intimidating behaviour" of far-right activists who blocked roads in Portsmouth when a boat carrying asylum seekers arrived in the city, two days after similar scenes in Dover. Hundreds of men, some dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, tried to stop the arrivals from being transported for processing until 3am, when police removed them with threats of arrest.
Ministers condemn ‘thuggish’ far-right activists after Portsmouth unrest
The government has condemned the “thuggish and intimidating behaviour” of far-right activists who blocked roads in Portsmouth after a boat carrying asylum seekers arrived in the city, two days after similar scenes in Dover. Hundreds of men, some dressed in black and wearing balaclavas, tried to stop the arrivals from being transported for processing until 3am, when police removed them with threats of arrest. A witness said two police car windscreens were smashed.
‘I wasn’t even listening,’ Farage says of donations scandal meeting
Nigel Farage has claimed that he "wasn't even listening" during a meeting at the centre of a controversy about whether his party considered evading the law on accepting donations from overseas. The Reform UK leader also claimed that he knew donation law "better than anybody" during interviews as he sought to salvage the final day of his party conference from the fallout that has already cost him two of his closest aides.
Ministers consider closing social mobility watchdog as part of planned shake-up
Ministers are considering a shake-up of the government's social mobility watchdog that could range from giving it more teeth to abolishing it outright. The move comes amid concerns that the Social Mobility Commission (SMC) – originally conceived under Gordon Brown's government in 2010 – has become ineffective.
Ireland will be united, says Gordon Brown
Now One person has been taken to hospital to be treated for smoke inhalation following an arson attack in Coalisland, in County Tyrone. Police said they received a report of a house fire in Ballynakilly Road at about 01:40 BST on Saturday. They added that officers attended the incident alongside …
Ireland will be united, says Gordon Brown
The former prime minister Gordon Brown has said it is inevitable that Ireland will become united at some point in the future, in a wide-ranging interview with the Guardian. While he added that any union would necessarily be “a long process” and based on mutual agreement, Brown's comments are notable both because of his vehement opposition to Scottish independence, but also because of his involvement in government in efforts to bring peace to Northern Ireland.
UK officials prepare for potential Trump talks as Burnham plans New York trip
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UK officials prepare for potential Trump talks as Burnham plans New York trip
UK officials are making preparations for a potential meeting between Andy Burnham and Donald Trump after the prime minister said he hoped to attend next month’s UN general assembly in New York. Burnham is known to be particularly keen to attend the annual gathering after meeting Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Kyiv on Monday, when he pledged to help drum up more international support for Ukraine. Any meeting with the US president, whether in New York or Washington, is notably more speculative.
Standards watchdog resumes Farage probe as rivals slam needless byelection
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Nurses fainting in ‘inhumane’ conditions due to extreme heat, union warns
Nurses are collapsing during shifts amid “inhumane and impossible” conditions caused by extreme heat, their union has warned, as Andy Burnham promised to grapple with “the bigger questions” of climate adaptation. Amid growing pressure from Labour backbenches to fully acknowledge the urgency of adaptation measures as the climate crisis bites, Burnham said he was for now focusing on the immediate crises caused by an ongoing summer of extreme heat.
Probation staff vote to strike in blow to Burnham plans on early release
Probation staff have voted overwhelmingly to go on strike, in a potentially serious complication to Andy Burnham’s plans to tweak an early release scheme for prisoners to try to exclude more serious offenders, among them the killers of PC Andrew Harper. While the vote by members of Napo was not directly connected to the early release plans, the probation officers’ union has previously criticised the proposals as rushed.
Burnham risks first revolt as PM over apparent support for North Sea drilling
Andy Burnham was told he could face the first revolt of his premiership as Labour MPs and climate experts condemned his apparent support for renewed drilling for oil and gas. As the UK suffers through drought, fires and heatwaves, the prime minister gave the strongest indication yet on Friday he was minded to allow new drilling. His comments came just hours before the UN secretary-general warned “every new fossil fuel project” made heatwaves more dangerous.
Burnham to tell schools in England to adapt teaching to local business needs
Andy Burnham will tell schools across England to adapt their curriculums to the needs of local businesses as part of a devolution drive aimed at tackling the jobs crisis for young people. By moving decision-making to local areas, the PM hopes the plan will make technical and vocational skills as valued as academic qualifications – and help cut the benefits bill.
Families in London temporary housing told they cannot use in-built air conditioning
Homeless families placed in temporary accommodation in London were told they could not use the in-built air conditioning as it had “not been offered as an amenity” for them, leading to two children being hospitalised during recent heatwaves. Other families placed in Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, south-west London, also experienced such stifling conditions that young children became ill.
Families in London temporary housing told they cannot use in-built air conditioning
Some residents at Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, London, experienced such stifling conditions young children became ill. Photograph: Paul Gapper/Alamy Homeless families placed in temporary accommodation in London were told they could not use the in-built air conditioning as it had “not been offered as an amenity” for them, leading to two children being hospitalised during recent heatwaves.
Families in London temporary housing told they cannot use in-built air conditioning
Homeless families placed in temporary accommodation in London were told they could not use the in-built air conditioning as it had “not been offered as an amenity” for them, leading to two children being hospitalised during recent heatwaves. Other families placed in Britannia Point in Colliers Wood, south-west London, also experienced such stifling conditions that young children became ill.
Prisoner early release scheme paused by Andy Burnham may still go ahead
An early release scheme for thousands of prisoners paused by Andy Burnham after an outcry from victims could still take place this autumn, despite warnings by probation officers of potential chaos. The prime minister ordered an urgent review into the proposed early release of about 6,000 prisoners, due to begin in September with an initial group of about 700, saying he wanted to “minimise risk to the public” and would not hesitate to make changes.
Andy Burnham implores cabinet to examine 'all possible ways' to tackle cost of living crisis
Andy Burnham is under mounting pressure to explain how he will pay for his policy pledges as he implored his new cabinet to examine “all possible ways” to tackle the cost of living crisis. On his first full day in power, the prime minister faced questions about how he would fund the removal of VAT from electricity bills and also an expected uplift in defence spending – an issue that led his new chancellor, John Healey, to resign as Keir Starmer's defence secretary last month.
Andy Burnham’s first Labour cabinet: who’s in and who’s out?
Andy Burnham has appointed his first cabinet, with the new prime minister rewarding those who have been loyal to his takeover efforts. He had promised to pick his top team from all wings of the party in an effort to show he is trying to run a more inclusive administration. But at the same time, his decision to have a brutal clearout of Starmer allies resulted in many considered to be on the right of the party or close to the former prime minister losing their jobs.
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