Starmer resigns as Prime Minister June 22, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has resigned as Prime Minister less than two years after winning a landslide victory at the 2024 general election. Starmer had faced mounting pressure in recent days after challenger Andy Burnham swept to victory in the Makerfield by-election. In a speech outside Downing Street, the Prime Minister said his position had become [...]
Babcock predicts global government defence spending spree after hit to profit June 22, 2026 Babcock said it had suffered a £140m financial hit due to delays in a contract with the Royal Navy but reiterated its financial targets for the next year, predicting high spending as global governments plough cash into defence. Profit before tax slumped to £267.2m from £339.4m in the prior year after problems with its Type [...]
Who could be Andy Burnham’s Chancellor? June 22, 2026 As speculation over the Labour leadership grips Westminster, Maurício Alencar looks at the possible candidates for the next Chancellor – an appointment that will face heavy scrutiny by the markets. Andy Burnham’s journey toward Downing Street so far has featured scores of polls outlining his popularity among Labour members and the public, Labour MPs travelling [...]
As it happened: FTSE 100 finishes higher as US-Iran talks progress and Starmer resigns; Space X shares fall after bond sale June 22, 2026 Welcome back to the Morning Wire liveblog. Markets are set to start off the new week facing renewed threats on both the domestic and geopolitical front. Over the weekend, fractures that were forming in the US-Iran peace deal burst wide open after Iran’s top military command said it shut the Strait of Hormuz after “violations” [...]
Brexit 10 years on: Labour’s EU reset deal is ‘no growth strategy’ June 22, 2026 The Labour government’s “reset” deal with the EU is not delivering substantial gains on growth, trade specialists and economists have warned on the anniversary of the Brexit referendum’s polling day. The government’s first deal with the EU struck in May last year, which will be ratified by parliament in a bill over the course of [...]
Kaleb Cooper: Brits don’t care about the price of milk June 19, 2026 Brits don’t care about the price of milk, Kaleb Cooper has said, as he urged shoppers to buy more locally-made produce. The Clarkson’s Farm star told Morning Wire that farmers would be “very, very grateful” for price rises if passed on to producers amid a battle to stay profitable in the face of higher costs. [...]
Burnham must walk a tightrope on his ascent to Downing Street June 19, 2026 After Andy Burnham cleared the path for a run at the Labour leadership with an emphatic win in the Makerfield by-election. Maurício Alencar sketches out what an Andy Burnham government could look like – and the balancing act he faces on the way there Despite romping home to victory in the Makerfield by-election on Friday, [...]
Starmer insists he will challenge Burnham in a leadership contest June 19, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer has said he will not stand down as Prime Minister and intends to fight any contest for the Labour leadership, in a challenge to Andy Burnham after his win in the Makerfield by-election. Speaking on Friday morning, Starmer congratulated the former Manchester mayor after he won an emphatic victory over Reform UK [...]
Burnham turns to ex-OBR and Bank of England chiefs on economic policy June 19, 2026 Andy Burnham has turned to a crop of heavyweight economic advisers, including a former Bank of England economist and the ex-head of the Office for Budget Responsibility, in a bid to bolster his economic credentials ahead of a potential Labour leadership challenge, it has been reported. The new MP for Makerfield has sought advice from [...]
The Bank of England is keeping Britain in the waiting room June 19, 2026 The MPC’s decision to holding the Bank rate for the fourth meeting is downstream of a government, and a country, that’s run out of ideas, says Emmanuel Igwe What sound does a country make when it has run out of ideas? Rather than cacophonous noise or a muted groan, I would say that sound is [...]