Rachel Reeves has said she has "more to do in the budget this year" as chancellor, despite expectations that she will lose her job.
Asked if she would accept a different role in his cabinet, she said she would not “pre-empt the decisions” the new prime minster will make, as she added she is is “backing” Andy Burnham for the job.
Asked if she has unfinished business in her role, she told a BBC conferene: "I'm proud of my record. Yes, I've got more to do in the budget this year.”
Mr Burnham, the former Greater Manchester mayor, has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Sir Keir Starmer. But he is reportedly yet to settle on his choice of chancellor.
Ms Reeves said: “I know that whoever is prime minister and chancellor in the future will inherit a stronger economy than the one I inherited two years ago.”
Meanwhile, Donald Trump made his first comments about PM hopeful Mr Burnham during a meeting with the secretary general of Nato.
After being asked on Wednesday by reporters about his opinion on the new Labour MP for Makerfield, Mr Trump said: “I hear he is extremely liberal, extremely.”
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Read MoreAndy Burnham issued warning over tax rises should he become prime minister
Andy Burnham responds to Kemi Badenoch’s ‘t-shirt and a pair of eyelashes’ PMQs jab
How to spot a Northern ‘power woman’ and why you should never ever mess with one
Trump calls Andy Burnham ‘extremely liberal’ in first remarks on PM hopeful
Burnham eyes up ‘No 10 in the North’ as path to a coronation becomes clearer
Key Points
- Rachel Reeves says she has 'more to do' as chancellor
- Chancellor backs Andy Burnham as next PM despite cabinet speculation
- Trump makes first comments about Andy Burnham
- Sir Keir Starmer met with huge cheers as he enters the Commons
- Former cabinet minister reportedly being sized up to be Burnham's chief of staff
- Burnham tops poll as politician most likely to make a good PM
In pictures: Cheerful Starmer serves popcorn to schoolchildren in cinema
13:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainSir Keir Starmer looked positively cheerful as he served popcorn to pupils from Summerfield Primary School.
The outgoing prime minister was promoting the official launch of the Great British Summer Savings scheme, at Odeon Milton Keynes Stadium cinema.
Reeves insists she has ‘unfinished business’ as chancellor amid speculation she could be ousted by Burnham
12:46 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRachel Reeves has insisted she has “unfinished business” as chancellor as she pitches herself for a role in Andy Burnham’s new cabinet.
The chancellor has found herself at the centre of rumours that she could be ousted or demoted from her role if, as expected, the Makerfield MP becomes the next prime minister.
As she fights to remain in her current role, Ms Reeves said on Thursday she is “backing” Mr Burnham to be the next prime minister, but said she could not “pre-empt” his decision.
Speaking at the British Chambers of Commerce conference in central London on Thursday, Ms Reeves was asked if she wanted to stay on as Mr Burnham’s chancellor.
Athena Stavrou reports:
Reeves insists she has ‘unfinished business’ amid speculation she could be ousted
Andy Burnham responds to Kemi Badenoch’s ‘eyelashes and black T-shirt’ jab
12:22 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAndy Burnham has responded to Kemi Badenoch after she described him as a “pair of eyelashes and a black T-shirt”.
During a fiery Prime Minister's Questions, the Conservative leader took several swipes at Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party.
“They have abandoned him, and what for? A pair of eyelashes and a black T-shirt,” Ms Badenoch said on Wednesday.
In a video response posted hours later, the MP for Makerfield donned a T-shirt as he batted his eyelashes at the camera and clarified, “It’s dark blue, actually”.
Andy Burnham responds to Kemi Badenoch’s ‘eyelashes and black T-shirt’ jab
TUC gen sec urges next PM not to 'water down' their agenda
12:00 , Maryam Zakir-HussainTrades Union Congress general secretary Paul Nowak urged the next prime minister not to “water down” their agenda in the face of pressure from “vested interests”.
He told Sky News: “We’re very clear, you can’t keep those vested interests happy. Show you’re on the side of working people, their families and communities, and deliver the change the country needs.”
But Mr Nowak declined to say whether he thought Mr Miliband should be chancellor, saying he would not “play fantasy football with cabinet positions”.
Who could Burnham pick for his chancellor and cabinet?
11:45 , Maryam Zakir-HussainWith the prospect of Andy Burnham becoming prime minister now looking inevitable, all eyes are on what his top team could look like - but the contest over who will be his next chancellor is hotting up.
Darren Jones has given up on a threat to stand against Mr Burnham but with the hope, according to some Labour sources, that he will become chancellor instead of the one of the other frontrunners. These included former health secretary Wes Streeting, energy secretary Ed Miliband and home secretary Shabana Mahmood.
Who could Burnham pick for his chancellor and cabinet?
In The Room: Why Andy Burnham might not be ready for No 10
11:35 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAs Rachel Reeves’ future as chancellor hangs in the balance, Andy Burnham’s team have reportedly been asking MPs which jobs they’d like to take on.
But ex-Whitehall insiders Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson, who host The Independent’s political podcast In The Room, stressed in this week’s episode that wooing MPs with flashy jobs is not the way to go.
“Do you imagine that in three weeks you're gonna muster up a completely coherent program for government? No, you're not,” Helen explains.
“It's a question of really focusing on the things that really need to be done, like writing the speech that he's going to give on the steps of Downing Street.
“One of the criticisms of Starmer, which I know my former colleagues in the civil service feel very strongly: they don't feel like they've had an anchor, or any grounding. Like, what is the purpose of this government? What am I here for?”
Listen to the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or watch on YouTube.
Purnell hire eases some Labour fears over Burnham
11:25 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAnalysis, by Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor
Figures on the right of the Labour party have been reassured by Andy Burnham’s decision to appoint former cabinet minister James Purnell as his chief of staff should he enter Downing Street.
Mr Purnell, a Blairite and a former work and pensions secretary, hit the headlines when he resigned in protest against Gordon Brown’s premiership in 2009.
The choice has eased fears that Burnham will tack the party far to the left.
These were heightened last week when Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow chancellor John McDonnell teared up while discussing Burnham on television.
Mr Purnell was described as a politician who “gets it” and “knows how to get things done inside government.”
However, concerns still remain inside the party.
One Labour peer told The Independent: “I still think the whole thing is doomed, but I was pleased to see he is bringing back Purnell.”
Chancellor: 'I’m really proud of my record'
11:10 , Maryam Zakir-HussainRachel Reeves has urged her successor as chancellor to stay the course with her economic plans as they are “beginning to bear fruit”.
Asked at the British Chambers of Commerce conference what her advice would be to the next chancellor, Ms Reeves said: “I am not sure anyone wants my advice, but my advice would be: you’ve got a brilliant set of officials at the Treasury who will back you if you are clear about what you want to do, and I’ve been very clear about what I wanted to achieve as Chancellor.
“I wanted to restore stability to the economy, I wanted to induce investment, both public and private, into the economy, and I wanted to change how the economy works with a regulatory burden that is fairer and more efficient, with a planning system that actually allows things to get built in our country.”
She added: “I’m really proud of my record, and I hope that whoever is Chancellor in the future, whenever that future may be, sticks to what I’m doing because it is beginning to bear fruit, and we are seeing that investment return to the economy, that growth return to the economy, and crucially, that stability, so that businesses can plan and invest in the future.”
Asked how she hoped the history books would remember her, Ms Reeves replied: “When I became Chancellor of the Exchequer, the first speech I gave was in the atrium of the Treasury, and I said in that speech that I would judge my time in office as a success if children from working-class backgrounds had more opportunities than when I became Chancellor, and whether women and girls felt that there should be no ceiling on their ambition.
“It’ll be up to others to judge whether I’ve achieved my goals, but I’m very proud of what I’ve done, and believe I have.”
Purnell hire eases some Labour fears over Burnham
10:57 , Maryam Zakir-HussainAnalysis, by Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor
Figures on the right of the Labour party have been reassured by Andy Burnham’s decision to appoint former cabinet minister James Purnell as his chief of staff should he enter Downing Street.
Mr Purnell, a Blairite and a former work and pensions secretary, hit the headlines when he resigned in protest against Gordon Brown’s premiership in 2009.
The choice has eased fears that Burnham will tack the party far to the left.
These were heightened last week when Jeremy Corbyn’s shadow chancellor John McDonnell teared up while discussing Burnham on television.
Mr Purnell was described as a politician who “gets it” and “knows how to get things done inside government.”
However, concerns still remain inside the party.One Labour peer told The Independent: “I still think the whole thing is doomed, but I was pleased to see he is bringing back Purnell.”
Only a third want general election after Keir Starmer's resignation - poll
10:09 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOnly a third of people in the UK want an election after Sir Keir Starmer’s resignation, polling has suggested.
According to the survey, 43 per cent of people say Sir Keir’s replacement – widely expected to be Andy Burnham – will have a mandate and should get on and govern.
Only 37 per cent believe there should be a general election called, the More in Common poll which asked 2,993 people found.
The polling also found that in a hypothetical general election with Mr Burnham as Labour leader, the party would beat Reform UK – but only by a single point.
The former Greater Manchester mayor was the only hypothetical party leader to have a positive net favourability, it suggested.
The survey suggested Labour would win 27 per cent of the vote ahead of Reform on 26 per cent and the Conservatives on 23 per cent.
Whoever is Burnham's chancellor will have a better economy than when I started, says Reeves
09:53 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
"Whoever is chancellor in a few weeks time" will have a "better economy" than before Labour took office, Rachel Reeves has insisted, suggesting she is aware that she may lose her job under Andy Burnham.
She said: "I'm proud of my record as chancellor. We do have an economy that's growing. We do have an economy where inflation and government borrowing are under control.
“And for whoever is prime minister and whoever is chancellor in a few weeks' time will have a better economy that is growing more strongly, that is more secure, that is more more stable than the economy that I inherited just two years ago."
Watch: Rachel Reeves backs Andy Burnham as next PM
09:40 , Holly EvansReeves: It is a 'good thing' Burnham has committed to my fiscal rules
09:40 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
It is a “good thing” Andy Burnham has committed to her fiscal rules, Rachel Reeves has said.
The chancellor told the British Chambers of Commerce conference in central London: “I think that Andy Burnham, who will be the next prime minister, has been really clear that he is committed to those rules.
“And that is a good thing, because it means that businesses here can be confident that that stability… which is essential for getting inflation and interest rates down, will be continued.”
Reeves says she has 'more to do' as chancellor
09:29 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Asked whether she thinks she has "unfinished business" as chancellor, Rachel Reeves said she has "more to do in the budget this year".
It comes despite expectations that she will lose her job when a new prime minister takes office.
She told the BCC conference: "I'm proud of my record. Yes, I've got more to do in the budget this year.
"We've got plans around fiscal devolution, for example, further reforms to business rates that I set out earlier this week, using revenues from properly taxing low-value imports from overseas, for example.
"So yes, there is more to do, but all of that has to be anchored around that stability that I've returned to the economy."
Speculation mounts over Burnham's choice for chancellor
09:20 , Holly EvansAndy Burnham, the Makerfield MP, who has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Sir Keir Starmer, is reportedly yet to settle on his choice of chancellor.
Speculation has focused on the Energy Secretary Ed Miliband.
But some within Labour have cautioned against appointing Mr Miliband, with chief secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones appearing to suggest the former party leader would not meet his “tests” for a new chancellor.
Mr Jones said any new chancellor should not seek to “control” the prime minister, and would have to “reassure” markets, trade unions, MPs and the public – and he declined to say whether he thought Mr Miliband passed those “tests”.
Reeves refuses to say whether she thinks she will remain as chancellor
09:17 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
Rachel Reeves refused to say whether or not she thinks she will be kept on as chancellor under a possible Burnham government.
"Those would be choices for him. I'm not going to preempt those", she told the BCC conference.
"When he becomes prime minister, he will make those decisions around that top team around him, but I'm not going to preempt that. Those are his decisions."
Andy Burnham will be the next prime minister, Reeves says
09:15 , Maryam Zakir-HussainOur political correspondent Millie Cooke reports:
"Andy Burnham will be the next prime minister", Rachel Reeves has said, insisting he is committed to her fiscal rules.
Speaking at a British Chambers' of Commerce conference in London, the chancellor said: "Andy Burnham, who will be the next prime minister, has been really clear that he is committed to those fiscal rules.
"And that is a good thing, because it means that businesses here can be confident that that stability, that rigor to policy making, that tight grip on the public finances, which is essential for getting inflation and interest rates down, will be continued."
Meet ‘action man’ Al Carns – the man who could challenge Andy Burnham for the top job
09:05 , Holly EvansFollowing Keir Starmer’s resignation announcement on Monday, the prospect of an Andy Burnham premiership is being treated as something of a foregone conclusion – despite the fact that the new MP for Makerfield had only returned to the House of Commons that very same day, after spending the best part of a decade as the mayor of Greater Manchester. But Burnham could still face a fight for the keys to Downing Street. A small number of MPs are reportedly considering a leadership run to avoid a “coronation” of Burnham, and to make sure that his policy ideas are challenged.
One of these potential opponents is Al Carns, the 45-year-old former Royal Marine turned MP for Birmingham’s Selly Oak constituency. One of the 243 new Labour MPs who arrived in parliament in 2024 following Starmer’s victory, he made headlines earlier this month when he resigned from his role as Armed Forces minister, stating that he could not “in good conscience stand at the dispatch box and defend a level of investment [in defence] I know to be inadequate to the task”.
Read the full analysis here:
Meet Al Carns: the man who might challenge Andy Burnham for the keys to Number 10
Nigel Farage referred to financial regulator over donations from crypto-billionaire
08:50 , Holly EvansNigel Farage has been referred to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) over claims his cryptocurrency advocacy has benefited his billionaire backer, Christopher Harbone.
The Reform UK leader has previously insisted the millions donated by the Thailand-based crypto investor was gifted to him and the party with the expectation of “absolutely nothing in return at all”.
But the Chair of the Labour Party has now written to the financial regulator calling for an investigation into whether Mr Farage’s efforts to promote cryptocurrencies and stablecoins may have benefited Mr Harborne.
“Mr Farage’s public advocacy for stablecoins and cryptoassets raises issues within the FCA’s remit,” the letter reads.
Read the full article here:
Nigel Farage referred to financial regulator over donations from crypto-billionaire
It was the right decision for Starmer to quit, TUC chief says
08:32 , Millie CookeThe general secretary of the TUC has said it "was the right decision" for Sir Keir Starmer to quit, but said he did so with "good grace".
Asked whether he is glad the prime minister quit his job, Paul Nowak told Sky News: "No, I'm not glad that we saw the prime minister resign in the way that he did, but I think it was the right decision.
"I think it was a decision that he took with good grace, and I think now we've got an opportunity to really deliver the change people voted for back in July 2024."
Treasure minister refuses to play 'fantasy cabinet'
08:16 , Holly EvansA Treasury minister declined to comment on who the next chancellor should be once the new prime minister is in office.
Dan Tomlinson told Sky News: “That’s a decision for whoever the prime minister is.
“As we all know, I think it seems very likely now that’s going to be Andy Burnham.
“I’m not going to play fantasy cabinet with you here today.”
Reeves and Healey 'were working very productively together' before his resignation, minister insists
07:56 , Holly EvansRachel Reeves and John Healey were "working very productively together" before the former defence secretary quit his post accusing the Treasury of blocking defence funding, a minister has claimed.
Treasury minister Dan Tomlinson said: "My understanding is they were working very productively together over the weeks while the government was working on the defence investment plan.
"I know the chancellor has been in touch pretty much every day with Dan Jarvis since he was appointed. And of course there are always tensions between individual government departments and between the Treasury, because it's the Treasury's role to look across the piece to make sure that we can manage public finance as well, and and invest in the things that we need to, including in defence."
Starmer should be 'proud' of the work he did but it was 'overshadowed by errors', TUC boss says
07:52 , Millie CookeTUC general secretary Paul Nowak has said Sir Keir Starmer can be "proud of the work that his government did" but said it was "overshadowed by self-inflicted mistakes".
The union boss told Sky News there should be a "reset" under the new prime minister.
He said: "Keir Starmer, I think, can be proud of the work that his government did in delivering the Employment Rights Act, record investment in our NHS, bringing railways back into public ownership, lifting that two child benefit cap. The list could go on and on.
"The reality is all too often that good work was overshadowed by self-inflicted mistakes, and I think for far too many people, they just feel that change, which was the one word was on the front of the manifesto in July 2024 hasn't been delivered.
"So we want the new prime minister to spend the first 100 days delivering policies with every single policy, every single speech proving they're on the side of working people, their families, and communities.
"And that's action to tackle the cost of living crisis and to rebuild our economy, which isn't working for far too many people."
Rachel Reeves backing Andy Burnham as next PM despite cabinet speculation
07:34 , Holly EvansRachel Reeves says she is “backing” Andy Burnham to be the UK’s next prime minister amid speculation she could be replaced as Chancellor if he takes office.
Speaking to the BBC, Ms Reeves, who is predicted to be replaced if Mr Burnham becomes prime minister, would not be drawn on reports she may accept another role.
“I’m not going to pre-empt the decisions that the new prime minister will make,” she said.
“I’m backing Andy.
“I think he’d be a great prime minister, but those are his decisions, not mine to make.”
The Makerfield MP, who has emerged as the frontrunner to replace Sir Keir Starmer, is reportedly yet to settle on his choice of chancellor.
Ms Reeves added that “no one could doubt” her commitment to Sir Keir in recent years.
“I’ve been by his side for six years now as shadow chancellor and then as Chancellor of the Exchequer,” she told the public broadcaster.
The Chancellor said: “I know that whoever is prime minister and chancellor in the future will inherit a stronger economy than the one I inherited two years ago.”
Watch: Trump advises 'extremely liberal' Burnham open up North Sea drilling to save 'dying' UK
07:00 , Rebecca WhittakerRachel Reeves’ ISA tax raid could be her final own goal as chancellor
06:00 , Rebecca WhittakerWhen it comes to personal finance, so much of what Labour has tried to do over the past couple of years has had potential.
The execution, however, leaves a lot to be desired – and the latest changes to the ISA landscape sit right in that bracket.
Under new rules announced on Tuesday, and which come into force next year, those who hold cash in their stocks and shares ISAs will be hit with a 22 per cent levy on interest earned.
Read more here:
Rachel Reeves’ ISA tax raid could be her final own goal as chancellor
Watch: Starmer shows his relaxed side now he knows it's all over
05:00 , Rebecca WhittakerRecap: Trump says 'extremely liberal' Andy Burnham is unlikely to open up the North Sea
04:00 , Rebecca WhittakerUS President Donald Trump made his first comments about PM hopeful Andy Burnham during a meeting with the secretary general of Nato.
After being asked by reporters of his opinion on Andy Burnham, the Labour MP for Makerfield, Trump said: “I hear he is extremely liberal, extremely”.
The president then turned his attention to the North Sea and suggested Mr Burnham ”probably won’t open up the North Sea.”
“I gave Keir Starmer some pretty good advice, I said open up the North Sea,” he added.
He said Aberdeen was the “hottest city in the whole continent, it was the oil city”. But since the UK government has permanently blocked new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, Trump claims the “UK is dying”.
He added that oil companies “would give anything to drill in the North Sea.”
Asked whether he'd like to be among the first on his list for a visit from Mr Burnham, if he is the next Prime Minister, Trump said: "No. But I think we're of a different persuasion. He's very liberal."
Watch: Andy Burnham responds to Kemi Badenoch's 't-shirt and a pair of eyelashes' PMQs jab
03:00 , Rebecca WhittakerRecap: Defence investment plan (Dip) will reflect 'the lessons of Ukraine', says Starmer
02:00 , Rebecca WhittakerThe Government’s defence investment plan (Dip) will reflect “the lessons of Ukraine”, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Speaking alongside fellow E5 leaders in Berlin, the Prime Minister said the Dip will “completely overhaul” how defence funding is spent.
Sir Keir wants to complete work on the Dip before he leaves Downing Street, so he can present it at the Nato summit in Turkey on July 7, as part of efforts to establish his legacy.
He said: “The UK is ready to implement the largest sustained increase in defence funding since the Cold War.
“We’ve already taken steps last year to that end, and we’ll take further steps, and we’re going further, working to deliver our defence investment plan ahead of the Nato summit, not just to increase how much we spend on defence, but to completely overhaul how we spend it, to learn the lessons of Ukraine, and to ensure that we are ready to meet the threats of today and of tomorrow.”
Recap: Burnham 'to set up No 10 in the north'
01:00 , Rebecca WhittakerAndy Burnham would reportedly move parts of his prime ministerial operation to Manchester in an attempt to address the UK’s regional inequality and move power out of Westminster.
The former Greater Manchester mayor would establish a “number 10 in the north” if he succeeds Sir Keir Starmer as prime minister, the Financial Times reports.
One person briefed on the plans told the FT: “Andy has big plans on devolution and that includes having an office in the north.”
Mr Burnham said in his victory speech following last Thursday’s by-election that he would put “a Makerfield test at the heart of British politics”, to “make sure that the places Westminster has neglected will now get fairness.”
The new MP for Makerfield has put devolution at the centre of his political vision in recent years, particularly during his time running Greater Manchester.
In his 2024 book ‘Head North’, written with Liverpool City Region mayor Steve Rotheram, he advocates the “rewiring of Britain”, which would involve the decentralisation of power and a more federal approach to the country’s politics, similar to that seen in Germany.
Watch: Starmer ally Darren Jones rules himself out of Labour leadership contest
Thursday 25 June 2026 00:00 , Rebecca WhittakerIn Focus: The reason Andy Burnham may already be repeating Keir Starmer’s biggest mistake
Wednesday 24 June 2026 23:00 , Rebecca WhittakerNominations to replace Keir Starmer won’t even begin until 9 July – but just days after being sworn in, Burnham may already showing some red flags, warn Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson.
Read more here by by Athena Stavrou and Maja Anushka:
The reason Andy Burnham may already be repeating Keir Starmer’s biggest mistake
Watch: Trump advises 'extremely liberal' Burnham open up North Sea drilling to save 'dying' UK
Wednesday 24 June 2026 22:40 , Rebecca WhittakerNigel Farage referred to financial regulator over donations from crypto-billionaire
Wednesday 24 June 2026 22:39 , Rebecca WhittakerNigel Farage has been referred to the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) over claims his cryptocurrency advocacy has benefited his billionaire backer, Christopher Harbone.
The Reform UK leader has previously insisted the millions donated by the Thailand-based crypto investor was gifted to him and the party with the expectation of “absolutely nothing in return at all”.
But the Chair of the Labour Party has now written to the financial regulator calling for an investigation into whether Mr Farage’s efforts to promote cryptocurrencies and stablecoins may have benefited Mr Harborne.
Read more here:
Nigel Farage referred to financial regulator over donations from crypto-billionaire
Watch: Starmer met with cheers as he enters the Commons after resignation
Wednesday 24 June 2026 22:00 , Rebecca WhittakerTrump says 'extremely liberal' Andy Burnham is unlikely to open up the North Sea
Wednesday 24 June 2026 21:53 , Rebecca WhittakerUS President Donald Trump expressed his "disappointment" with the UK during a meeting with the Secretary General of NATO.
After being asked by reporters of his opinion on Andy Burnham, the Labour MP for Makerfield, Trump said: “I hear he is extremely liberal, extremely”.
The president then turned his attention to the North Sea and suggested Mr Burnham ”probably won’t open up the North Sea.”
“I gave Keir Starmer some pretty good advice, I said open up the North Sea,” he added.
He said Aberdeen was the “hottest city in the whole continent, it was the oil city”. But since the UK government has permanently blocked new oil and gas exploration in the North Sea, Trump claims the “UK is dying”.
He added that oil companies “would give anything to drill in the North Sea.”
Asked whether he'd like to be among the first on his list for a visit from Mr Burnham, if he is the next Prime Minister, Trump said: "No. But I think we're of a different persuasion. He's very liberal."
Recap: Ed Davey calls on Starmer’s successor to tackle climate change
Wednesday 24 June 2026 21:00 , Athena StavrouEd Davey has asked Sir Keir Starmer to tell his successor to tackle climate change as record-breaking temperatures of 40C are expected on Wednesday
The Liberal Democrat leader said he was “alarmed” some politicians “follow Donald trump with policies to send temperatures soaring even higher”.
“As we swelter through this dangerous heatwave, we see the damage caused by extreme weather and climate change,” he said
“Schools closed, travel chaos, lives at risk.”
Sir Keir said the weather today “reminds us just how important” the issue of climate change is, and said the UK should be a leader on it globally.
Recap: Health secretary says findings of report into NHS’s largest maternity scandal are ‘chilling’
Wednesday 24 June 2026 20:00 , Kate DevlinThe health secretary James Murray has pledged not to stop until the families affected had the “justice” they deserve.
He added: “I say today on behalf of the NHS I am sorry.
“I am sorry not just for the failures or the heartless and undignified treatment, but also because your cries of concern went unheard for too long, and so the government will act.”
He said that, having met the families and having seen the report, “I feel appalled by the neglect, incompetence, racism, discrimination, contempt, and harassment that so many suffered.
“And I feel heartbroken to know that at so many times when they tried to raise the alarm about their care they were ignored, sneered at, disbelieved, blamed, and lied to.
“The question... is how on earth could this have happened?”
The Brexit Debates: Has Brexit been good for Britain’s economy? Plus, have your say
Wednesday 24 June 2026 19:20 , Rebecca WhittakerEconomist Julian Jessop and the Independent’s associate editor Sean O’Grady set out the case for and against Brexit delivering the booming British economy that was promised.
Read more here:
The Brexit Debates: Has Brexit been good for Britain’s economy? Plus, have your say
