Politics
Wes Streeting Allies Confirm He Will Run For Labour Leadership Amid Burnham By-Election
Wes Streeting will definitely run in the upcoming Labour leadership contest, his allies have told HuffPost UK.
It is the first confirmation that he plans to mount a bid to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister.
Supporters of Starmer have claimed that the former health secretary – who resigned with a ferocious attack on the prime minister yesterday – does not have enough support from Labour MPs to mount a challenge.
Under Labour Party rules, any candidate must have the support of at least 20% of its MPs to make it onto the ballot paper. At the moment, that is 81 MPs.
Starmer allies have claimed that Streeting currently only has 43 names, leaving him well short of the number required.
They said that was why he did not formally trigger a contest when he quit the cabinet, as had been expected.
But a source close to Streeting told HuffPost UK: “He has the numbers and will be a candidate when there’s a contest.”
In his resignation letter, Streeting stopped short of saying he would challenge the PM.
But he said: “It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election and that Labour MPs and Labour unions want the debate about what comes next to be a battle of ideas, not of personalities or petty factionalism.
“It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates. I support that approach and I hope that you will facilitate this.”
A leadership contest appears inevitable, despite Starmer insisting he “won’t walk away” from No.10.
Cabinet ministers, including home secretary Shabana Mahmood and foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, have personally told the PM to set out a timetable for his departure.
More than 90 Labour MPs have so far publicly called on him to quit, while four junior ministers have also resigned from the government.
Andy Burnham kicked off his own attempt to be the next PM when it was announced that Labour MP Josh Simons is standing down to let the Greater Manchester mayor stand in his Makerfield seat.
Labour’s ruling national executive committee (NEC) is not expected to block Burnham’s bid to be the party’s candidate in the resulting by-election.
However, he faces a huge challenge to see off Reform UK and be elected the new MP for the constituency.
If Burnham wins, he is expected to immediately challenge Starmer, triggering a full leadership contest.
Others who could throw their hats into the ring include former deputy PM Angela Rayner, defence secretary John Healey, energy secretary Ed Miliband, Mahmood, Cooper and junior defence minister Al Carns
Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
Politics
Rally for rapists: how two protests show Zionists attitude on for sexual violence against Palestinians
Zionists are losing their shit over a New York Times (NYT) article called “The Silence that Meets the Rape of Palestinians,” written by journalist Nicholas Kristof. As is commonplace with Zionists, a protest has broken out in New York where a group gathered outside the NYT’ Manhattan office not to condemn sexual violence against Palestinians, but to attack the newspaper that published an article detailing violence against Palestinians prisoners by Israeli settlers, soldiers, and prison guards.
A Times of Israel journalist posted a video of the protests outside the NYT’s office.
Several hundred demonstrators outside the New York Times to protest Kristof column pic.twitter.com/20K0KNzXTf
— Luke Tress (@luketress) May 14, 2026
Zionist butcher threatens to sue the NYT
The butcher of Gaza, Benjamin Netanyahu, also spoke up on the NYT article, saying he would take legal action over the article.
Netanyahu’s post said that he had instructed legal advisers to consider the “harshest legal action against The New York Times and Nicholas Kristof.” He blustered:
They defamed the soldiers of Israel and perpetuated a blood libel about rape, trying to create a false symmetry between the genocidal terrorists of Hamas and Israel’s valiant soldiers.
Under my leadership, Israel will not be silent. We will fight these lies in the court of public opinion and in the court of law. Truth will prevail.
Israel’s systematic rape of Palestinians is widely documented.
The ICC wanted-war criminal, who has previously threatened to sue the NYT wants truth to prevail. The NYT itself has its hands soaked in Palestinian blood. Just because it is now reporting on one of the Zionist entity’s vile crimes does not absolve it of the role it has played.
“As Israel now continues to carry out a uniquely horrific crime in Gaza with the firm backing of the global superpower (the US), Bret Stephens’s genocidal journalism [for the New York Times] is also uniquely horrific.”
— #AJOpinion by Belén Fernández
https://t.co/mFBr0tIVFn
— Al Jazeera English (@AJEnglish) July 25, 2025
The organisation called Writers Against the War on Gaza recently published a “dossier” which exposed the “material and ideological ties to occupation and apartheid held by many high-ranking editors, journalists, and executive officers at the Times.”
So, this tussle between Netanyahu and the NYT is no more than right-wing infighting.
Pattern of behaviour
In late July 2024 a similarly unbelievable protest broke out in Israel. The protest was to protect rapists. Hundreds of far-right Israeli demonstrators, including masked and armed soldiers from the IDF’s Force 100 unit, gathered outside the Beit Lid military base. They were demanding the release of ten of their colleagues who had been arrested on suspicion of raping a Palestinian detainee at the Sde Teiman military base.
According to Physicians for Human Rights the victim had been hospitalised with severe injuries to his rectum.
These two protests reflect the attitude of Zionists and their perceived impunity from crimes of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees or hostages in Israeli prisons.
Palestinian testimonies reveal the use of sexual violence
The Canary has covered the extensive use of sexual violence against Palestinians in Israeli prisons:
More documented evidence of Israel’s use of sexual violence in Palestinian prisons
Palestinian testimonies reveal the use of sexual violence, including rape, as a means of torture inside Israeli prisons. @alaashamaly on @MiddleEastEye‘s investigation: https://t.co/a70HdbFOMO
— Canary (@TheCanaryUK) December 22, 2025
In testimonies published by Middle East Eye, two former Palestinian prisoners gave shocking accounts of sexual assault and physical and psychological torture inside Israeli detention centres.
They emphasised that what they experienced cannot be classified as isolated incidents, but rather part of a systematic policy practised against prisoners, especially during the initial phase of detention, known among detainees as the “welcome party.”
Euro-Med Monitor has also met with hundreds of Palestinians released from Israeli detention. The organisation recently said:
Their testimonies reveal at least 40 forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
Eleven of those are
- stripped searches and forced nudity
- urinating and spitting on detainees
- breaking bones and teeth
- forcing detainees to imitate animal sounds
- humiliation by making detainees wear diapers
- rape and sexual assault
- threat of rape
- filming detainees and bringing Israeli civilians to watch their torture
- deprivation of sanitation pads for women
- deprivation of performing religious practices
- electric shocks
Over the past two years, Euro-Med Monitor has met hundreds of Palestinians released from Israeli detention.
Their testimonies reveal at least 40 forms of torture and other cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment.
In the thread, we highlight 11 of these practices
pic.twitter.com/kYXmZJST5S
— Euro-Med Monitor (@EuroMedHR) May 14, 2026
Israelis are carrying out a systematic policy of sexual violence on detainees with impunity, enabled by a government that rallies around accused rapists rather than holding them accountable.
A tale of two protests reflects the attitude of Zionists and their perceived impunity from crimes of sexual violence against Palestinian detainees.
Featured image via X
By The Canary
Politics
Labour’s water reforms ‘a gift to shareholders’ and ‘an insult to every community impacted by sewage’
The Labour Government’s proposed reforms to the water industry – via its Clean Water Bill, announced in the King’s Speech – have been met with widespread criticism from environmentalists and campaigners.
In his speech to parliament, written by Keir Starmer’s government, King Charles said:
My Government will improve critical infrastructure with legislation to clean-up the water industry.
Alongside the speech, the government published much more detailed briefing notes explaining its plans for each area of planned legislation.
Uncertain plans
Challenges to Keir Starmer’s leadership, following Labour’s reckoning at the local elections earlier in May, mean that there is huge uncertainty over whether those plans will come to pass.
Regarding the Clean Water Bill, the notes said:
This once-in-a-generation Bill will shift the sector away from a system where water companies mark their own homework by putting in place stronger, active supervision and oversight through a powerful new regulator capable of integrated management of the water system.
They went on to say:
The Bill will strengthen confidence in the water sector – restoring the public’s trust, giving investors the stability to back long-term upgrades, and providing the clarity needed to support economic growth. It will ensure the sector plays its full part in delivering clean water and a healthy environment.
The briefing also said that the Bill would:
put consumers firmly first with a new Water Ombudsman to ensure complaints are taken seriously and resolved quickly.
And it would:
create a new, independent and integrated water regulator by bringing together the relevant functions of Ofwat, the Drinking Water Inspectorate, the Environment Agency and Natural England.
Somewhat surprisingly, the government’s own notes acknowledge the failings of the water sector, which it linked to privatisation.
The notes said:
The water industry in England and Wales was privatised in 1989, water supply and sewerage are delivered by 16 private companies. However, unlike most markets, water companies are regional monopolies with limited competition.
England and Wales are unusual in having a fully privatised water system, whereby companies own the assets, infrastructure, and operation of water services.
The water system, regulation and the regulators have failed customers and the environment. In the 37 years since privatisation the population has grown by 11M, climate change and aging infrastructure has created unprecedented demands on the water system and reform is now needed.
This has been compounded by a failure of regulation, with a system that relied too heavily on water companies marking their own homework.
It added that:
water companies are not delivering what is expected of them, both by regulators and the public.
And said:
transformative change is therefore needed to secure a system that will work for the long-term. This Bill delivers that change.
The Bill was heavily criticised by democratic ownership campaigners, environmental non-governmental organisations and anti-sewage pollution activists.
British Steel nationalisation shows water sector could be renationalised too – campaigner
We Own It lead campaigner Sophie Conquest told the Canary:
This government’s proposed reforms for the water industry are a gift to shareholders.
The water white paper sets out plans for a ‘tailored approach’ for each water company, giving them even more scope to bend and break the rules for profit. Measures like ‘constrained discretion’ will give polluters more room to dodge fines.
Regulation of the water sector has been a decisive failure. Despite this government promising to be tough on polluters, the EA hasn’t completed a single prosecution for sewage dumping committed in the past 5 years.
The Labour Government has been in power since 2024, before which the Conservatives were in government from 2010.
While our pockets empty and our rivers fill with sewage, this government is busy handing over even more power to the polluters. The public have had enough.
This government’s decision to bring legislation to nationalise British Steel shows that they absolutely can nationalise key infrastructure. And they can do it quickly.
They must now do the same for water. Under public ownership, we can ensure that households’ money is being used to fix infrastructure and lower bills.
Thames Water is already in breach of its licence, and has buried itself in a mountain of debt. It has wrought havoc on our seas and rivers, all while charging households eyewatering bills for the privilege. It’s outrageous that the utility has not yet returned to public hands.
This government should be acting in the interests of the 82% of us who want to see water in public hands, starting with the collapsing Thames Water.
Privatisation has ‘failed’ – campaigner
Windrush Against Sewage Pollution (WASP) founder Ash Smith told the Canary that the Clean Water Bill is based on a review whose independence he questioned, and said the Bill did nothing to address the evidence that privatisation of the water sector had “failed”.
Smith was portrayed by David Thewlis in Channel 4’s docudrama, Dirty Business.
The Canary previously reported that the public responded to Dirty Business – which exposed the damage done by the sewage scandal – with “widespread praise”, whereas discussions on social media about water companies, the regulator and public bodies was “overwhelmingly negative”, according to the government’s own analysis.
Smith said:
The water regulation changes proposed are based on the instantly accepted report from the Cunliffe Commission, which far from being the independent review it claimed to be, was designed, directed, administered, and reported on by Defra – the government department responsible for water industry regulation and its failure. Cleverly, in classic ‘Yes, Minister’ style, it investigated itself.
Its terms of reference directed Sir Jon Cunliffe to make regulation more attractive to shareholders and to dismiss taking water into public ownership, despite the compelling evidence that privatisation has failed.
We regard it as a massive retrograde step that, rather than addressing regulatory capture and corruption, makes compromise more likely with a single body. This vital aspect was ignored by the review, which was being steered by Defra into a forward-looking approach, thereby burying many serious issues that have arisen over the years, some of which were exposed in Dirty Business.
Smith added that the Bill proposes to make regulation of the sector “supervisory” which would mean that responsibility for “criminal pollution” by water companies will be for the regulators to resolve.
He added:
It is time people woke up before it is too late. Ironically and cynically, even contemptuously, one might say, the environmental champion, King Charles, has been made to usher it in, no doubt reassured by the major NGO’s usual weak challenges.
Bill is ‘an insult to every community impacted by sewage pollution’ – anti-sewage campaigner
Surfers Against Sewage CEO Giles Bristow said:
The government’s self-proclaimed ‘once-in-a-generation’ reforms will do little more than prop up a broken industry built on pollution for profit. The Clean Water Bill is an insult to every community impacted by sewage pollution and and every bill-payer forced to fund rising water bills while shareholders continue to profit.
The reality of this Bill is that the Government is choosing to keep the profit motive and ignoring alternative ownership models for the water industry. Regulation alone cannot fix a system that rewards pollution and failure. Only a fundamental reset of the water industry will.
It’s clear from last week’s election results and the Prime Minister now fighting for his job that the same old tweaks around the edges of this broken system just don’t cut it.
This weekend, people across the country will take to beaches, rivers and lakes to demand better. The public mandate for bold action is undeniable.
Concerns about independence of water commission, which ‘avoided’ underlying problems
River Action CEO James Wallace told the Canary:
River Action welcomed the new Government’s decision to review the failing water industry and the performance of environmental regulators. However, we are deeply concerned that the Independent Water Commission has failed to be truly independent and has avoided addressing the underlying structural problems around water company ownership, governance and investment.
While we remain hopeful that the forthcoming Water Reform Bill will deliver a far more ambitious and effective regulatory regime, the Government continues to ignore the fundamental damage caused by a wholly privatised water industry.
Until water companies are owned and operated for public benefit and environmental protection, rather than shareholder profit, no amount of regulatory tinkering will stop polluters from continuing to pollute for profit.
We are also concerned by the continued lack of meaningful action on agricultural pollution, which is one of the biggest sources of river pollution. Any serious attempt to restore our rivers must tackle not only sewage discharges, but also help farmers tackle the unchecked runoff of slurry, fertilisers and other agricultural waste into our waterways.
The chaos at the top of the Labour party makes it less likely that the government will be able to successfully pass all the bills it proposed in its King’s Speech, but public anger over the state of the country’s water companies is unlikely to subside any time soon.
Featured image via the Canary
By Tom Pashby
Politics
Helen Whately: Starmer’s failure is a stark warning to all politicians who think they can wing it and promise the moon
Helen Whately is the Shadow Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.
The resignations started. The ‘King in the North’ is on the march. The chatter in Westminster is no longer ‘will Keir Starmer survive?’ but ‘when will he go?’
How did it all go so wrong for Sir Keir? Less than two years ago Labour won a massive majority on a promise of “change”.
People are sick of broken promises from politicians – but in fact there has been change. The country has changed for the worse.
Taxes are up, as are borrowing, inflation, unemployment and government spending. People feel poorer, because they are.
Labour MPs point to the war in the Middle East. But in truth these figures were heading in the wrong direction well before Trump bombed Iran.
Governing is hard. Governing the UK right now is especially hard. We’ve had years of sluggish growth. Inflation surged after Covid and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The pandemic has left us with higher debt, along with an appetite for generous state support irrespective of people’s contributions.
None of this was a secret in the run up to the last election. But Labour did nothing to prepare for it. Except for Ed Miliband’s Net Zero mission and a bonanza of trade-union drafted red tape, they had no plan for Government – nor a mandate to make any of the tough choices that governing requires.
Most Labour MPs hold a principled belief that spending more of other people’s money is the answer to every problem. Even if Keir Starmer held a different view, he doesn’t have what it takes to win his MPs over.
So what now? In the days, weeks or months ahead, Labour MPs need to pick someone who can make a decent fist of being Prime Minister. The country hopes they succeed.
Because beyond Westminster, people are despairing. Family breadwinners are losing their jobs, homes are being sold to pay the bills, and young people are losing hope of getting on the career ladder. Millions have drifted out of work altogether; claiming benefits makes more sense. Businesses are struggling with rising costs and regulation, while inflation has quietly hollowed out living standards.
Threats are growing more serious too. Russian vessels are probing our critical infrastructure. Government borrowing costs are rising by the hour. And still the welfare bill goes on up.
More of the same is not the answer. Government spending must come down, along with taxes and borrowing. Swathes of red tape must go. Only then will we get the growth and jobs needed to start turning things around.
To me it seems obvious. But to the Labour MPs choosing their next leader? I doubt it.
The problem isn’t just Starmer; it’s also the MPs behind him. They clamoured for more welfare spending and the lifting of the two-child cap. They cheered taxes on farmers, family businesses and schools. And though some pay lip service to defence investment, the will to find the money simply isn’t there.
With his back against the wall, it’s no surprise that Keir Starmer’s King’s Speech contained no welfare savings, no succour for businesses drowning in red tape, no lightening of the tax burden and no serious plan for funding defence. What it did promise was the so-called ‘Regulation for Growth Bill’ – a contradiction in terms if ever there was one.
In anticipation, we set out our Alternative King’s Speech outlining 16 bills to deliver our plan for the country. It covers all those gaps: £23 billion of welfare savings, a list of business regulations we would repeal, cuts to business taxes, the end of stamp duty, investment in defence – along with tougher measures on crime, leaving the ECHR and drilling in the North Sea.
To govern, a plan is necessary – but it’s not sufficient. You also need principles, conviction and courage. In Kemi Badenoch, the Conservative Party has a leader with those qualities in spades.
The country is fed up. Fed up with politicians promising but not delivering. Fed up with seeing their taxes spent on things they don’t want – from far flung aid projects to hand-outs to migrants. Fed up with working all hours and having nothing left at the end of the month.
Kemi articulated this mood in her response to the King’s Speech in Parliament on Wednesday. A Labour Minister foolishly criticised her for being rude. Not so; she was telling the truth, but it’s a truth they don’t want to hear.
And this is the nub of it. They came to power on empty promises, having failed to understand the country’s problems. They were not even listening. So, they were totally unprepared.
As I said in Parliament as we debated the King’s Speech, being in power is not an end in itself: what matters is what you do with the power voters trust you with.
We have learnt from our mistakes, and we are also learning from theirs. Read our Alternative King’s Speech and you will see what I mean.
Politics
Sorry, Andy, there’s no such thing as a Labour safe seat
The post Sorry, Andy, there’s no such thing as a Labour safe seat appeared first on spiked.
Politics
Grogu Steals The Show At Mandalorian Movie Premiere
After three delightful seasons on the small screen, The Mandalorian is about to hit cinemas for the first time.
Later this month, Pedro Pascal and his right-hand man Grogu will be starring in the hit Star Wars spin-off’s first feature-length adventure, which had its world premiere in Los Angeles on Thursday night.
And it probably goes without saying that all eyes were on one man in particular at The Mandalorian And Grogu’s debut.
Yes, we’re obviously talking about Grogu.
The adorable alien was pictured stealing the show on the event’s red carpet, with video footage also showing striking a pose for photographers.
Naturally, it was all too much for some fans to take…
And if you liked that, you’ll love these dancing droids busting a move on the red carpet, too…
Disney’s official synopsis for the new movie in the Star Wars franchise teases: “The evil Empire has fallen, and Imperial warlords remain scattered throughout the galaxy.
“As the fledgling New Republic works to protect everything the Rebellion fought for, they have enlisted the help of legendary Mandalorian bounty hunter Din Djarin and his young apprentice Grogu.”
In addition to Pedro reprising his role as Din Djarin from the original TV series, The Mandalorian And Grogu will feature appearances from several Star Wars regulars, plus Sigourney Weaver as a new character, Ward, a former Rebel Alliance pilot.
Meanwhile, Emmy winner Jeremy Allen White will also be lending his voice to Rotta the Hutt, son of Jabba, with Jon Favreau – who previously helmed Iron Man and Disney’s Jungle Book and Lion King remakes – on writing and directing duties.

Originally, a fourth season of The Mandalorian was planned, but these plans were put on ice in favour of making a film.
Speaking to SFX magazine, Jon Favreau explained that he had to “start from scratch” when putting together The Mandalorian And Grogu, rather than adapting his planned scripts for season four.
“[Season four] would have heavily linked to Ahsoka season two,” he explained. “You can’t just take those scripts and turn them into a movie. There were a lot of characters, it assumed you’d watched the whole show, and it was teeing up what was happening moving into [season two of] Ahsoka.
“It was about Grand Admiral Thrawn and following the larger storyline [of this era of the Star Wars timeline]. This is a completely different medium. So I had to start from scratch, essentially.”
It’s still unclear whether The Mandalorian could get a fourth season, after its creator gave a rather cryptic answer when asked about it on the red carpet.
Politics
UK Gardeners Advised To Place Pan Of Water On Their Lawn
This month’s dry, sunny weather might be good news to sunbathers, but it can be tough on gardeners – plants may be missing the much-needed rain.
But sometimes, even when you do everything right, your garden still looks a little… lacklustre.
That’s partly because, as the Royal Horticultural Society writes, watering during a hot spell (or at all) is a delicate thing.
Flowers, raised beds, potted plants, and grass all have different needs, for instance. Even within those, not all soils are created equal.
So it’s a good thing Montana State University has a solution involving a pan and some water.
Mark the top of the water
Cheryl Moore-Gough, a horticulturalist at the university, says that those wanting to figure out exactly how much soil their specific garden is losing should try a “simple pan test.”
Using a straight-sided pan, she says you should fill it with water and mark the top of the liquid.
Then, you should watch it for “a week.”
“The amount that has evaporated is about the amount of evaporation that has occurred from the soil profile,” she explains.
“You’ll need to water that much to make up for evaporation plus the amount the plant has lost due to transpiration.”
This is especially useful in the sort of unpredictable and unseasonable warmth and dryness we’re seeing now, because it reveals how much moisture the weather has drawn out of your specific garden in your exact location.
Any other hot weather watering tips?
Speaking to HuffPost UK previously, gardening expert Chris Cooper from Hayter, manufacturer of battery lawnmowers, said that you should water in the morning when it’s hot out to prevent evaporation.
“When the sun begins to rise, your grass and plants will begin to soak up the water for healthy growth – so make sure they start the day with a decent breakfast,” he added.
“This is especially important in a heatwave, as the weather will be much cooler in the morning than at midday when the temperature is at its peak.”
Politics
Starmer’s Time As Prime Minister Is Under Threat. What Could Happen Next?
Keir Starmer’s premiership is hanging by a thread following Labour’s disastrous performance in the local elections.
A growing body of MPs are calling for the prime minister to resign, less than two years into the role, but Starmer is digging in.
With no clear successor putting their head above the parapet for the mutinous party to rally behind, MPs are in limbo.
So what might happen next? Here’s what you need to know.
How Did We Get To This Point?
Starmer became prime minister in July 2024 after Labour won a landslide victory in the general election.
But within weeks, his government was plunged into crisis by the decision to scrap winter fuel payments for 10 million pensioners and a row over free clothes and hospitality accepted by Starmer and other senior Labour figures.
A series of messy U-turns on things like the two-child benefit cap, digital ID and the farmers’ inheritance tax also led to the prime minister’s approval rating plummeting.
The controversy over his decision to make Peter Mandelson the UK’s ambassador to Washington also helped push the PM’s unpopularity to new depths.
In Labour’s biggest electoral test since the 2024 election last week, voters overwhelmingly rejected the party in England, Scotland and Wales – triggering further anger towards the PM from the party’s MPs.
More than 50 of then have called on Starmer to stand down following the devastating bloodbath.
What Might Happen Next?
It’s incredibly hard to predict exactly what happens next, especially Labour Party makes it difficult to oust the party’s leader.
But here are the options MPs are considering, as of Monday…
A Labour MP Challenges Starmer
Under the party’s rules, a challenger needs the backing of at least 20% of Labour MPs to trigger a leadership contest. That currently works out to 81 MPs.
Even then, the sitting leader would automatically be put on the ballot paper.
Former Foreign Office minister Catherine West stunned Westminster on Saturday by announcing she would challenge the PM if the cabinet did not choose someone to replace Starmer.
But by Monday she had backed down, instead calling for MPs to sign a letter urging Starmer to set out a timetable to allow him to be replaced by September.
Among others thought to be weighing up a leadership bid are former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner and health secretary Wes Streeting.

A Labour MP Stands Aside For Andy Burnham
Starmer’s other major opponent is the mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham.
However Burnham left Westminster in 2017 and would have to become an MP again in order to stand.
Labour’s ruling National Executive Committee (NEC), blocked him from running as the party’s candidate in the Gorton and Denton by-election in February – at the behest of Starmer.
On Thursday, Labour MP Josh Simons announced he agreed to stand down from his Makerfield seat to make way for the Greater Manchester mayor, less than two years after being elected.
However, there are no guarantees Burnham would win the subsequent by-election.
His decision to stand would also trigger a mayoral contest in Greater Manchester – which could give rival parties another chance to hammer Labour at the ballot box.
Wes Streeting mounts leadership challenge
Wes Streeting will definitely run in the upcoming Labour leadership contest, his allies have told HuffPost UK.
It is the first confirmation that he plans to mount a bid to replace Keir Starmer as prime minister.
Starmer Agrees To Step Down As MP Backlash Mounts
As the number of MPs calling on him to resign rises, the PM could decide he doesn’t need the hassle and announce he is quitting.
However, he has insisted he “won’t walk away” from the job, and in an interview with The Observer insisted he still planned to be prime minister for 10 years.
Starmer Clings On
With the PM’s opponents apparently racked with indecision about what to do next, there is a world in which he rides out his latest leadership crisis.
In his make-or-break speech on Monday setting out how he plans to turn around Labour’s fortunes, Starmer said: “I know that people are frustrated by the state of Britain, frustrated by politics, and some people – frustrated with me.
“I know I have my doubters and I know I need to prove them wrong, and I will.”
Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.
Politics
Astronomer Warns SpaceX Rocket Will Crash Into The Moon
A big section of the SpaceX rocket Falcon 9 is predicted to crash into the moon on August 5, astronomer Bill Gray said on his site, Project Pluto.
Gray is the creator of various software, some of which tracks “near-Earth” objects, asteroids, comets, and items in orbit.
His calculations found that the “upper stage” part of the rocket – or the bit which carries the “payload” of the vessel, where the important part, be it people or tracking equipment, lies – should hit the Einstein crater of the moon next month.
There are no people on board. Per ScienceAlert, the Falcon 9 is a partially reusable rocket, which means “its first, larger stage returns to Earth and alights on a barge so it can be refilled and re-flown, while the second stage remains in orbit”. That second part is the bit that’s set to hit the moon.
When exactly will the collision happen?
The astronomer’s best estimation so far is August 5, 7:44am UK time.
Will we be able to see the crash from Earth?
Not without special equipment, BBC Sky At Night suggests.
Why is the rocket section loose?
It’s normal to leave this part of a rocket in orbit. They’re often designed to detach.
Hundreds of Falcon 9 rockets have been launched, Gray added, with many of their upper stages orbiting or falling back down to Earth. Some are orbiting the sun.
The one projected to hit the moon in August has been orbiting the Earth for about a year. It was the 10th rocket launched by the company, whose CEO is Elon Musk, in 2025.
Gray called loose bits of spacecraft and other manmade debris in orbit “space junk” and said the issue is increasing “steeply”.
How big is the upper stage of the rocket?
It’s about the size of a five-storey building, the astronomer said.
Why do we think it’s going to crash into the moon?
Gray used his own software to identify the predicted trajectory. “Space junk”, he explained, usually behaves quite predictably: it’s guided by the gravity of celestial bodies around it, like the Earth and moon. That should make tracking and predicting their movements easy.
But these objects are also “pushed around by sunlight,” he added. This is a very slight force, but it adds up over time, and as the object moves around, it’s hard to say exactly how much sun will hit it.
As a result, the astronomer explained, “I can be sure it will impact near the time and place I’ve predicted, but those varying forces mean that the actual impact will be at least a little off from that time and place”.
How fast will the rocket be?
It’s predicted to zip along at 8,700km an hour.
Which part of the moon will the rocket hit?
It’s set to hit the “Einstein crater,” which BBC Sky At Night said sits at a “10 o’clock” position from the perspective of the Earth.
Will this be dangerous?
Almost certainly not, the expert said. We’ve even sent items to crash into the moon on purpose before.
But the broader issue of “space junk” might be something we should worry about more, Gray stated.
It can ruin stargazers’ view, might pollute our upper atmosphere on re-entering Earth, and crash into other bodies and other bits of “junk” too.
“The worst-case scenario would be the Kessler effect: we have enough junk in orbit so that a few collisions generate shrapnel that causes more collisions, generating still more shrapnel until just about everything is colliding,” Gray said.
Politics
Ryanair Greece Flight Cuts 2026: The Full List Of Cancelled Flights And Cancelled Seats
Budget airline Ryanair has announced that it will no longer run flights from its Greek Thessaloniki base.
It will also reduce its capacity for Athens Airport during the upcoming winter season (2026), and plans to suspend operations at Crete airports, Chania and Heraklion, in the off-peak season too.
Overall, the site reads, these changes will result in the loss of about 700,000 inbound and outbound flights and 12 routes.
The company’s chief commercial officer, Jason McGuinness, claimed that Ryanair had been responsible fo 90% of international capacity to Thessaloniki.
He added that they will be reallocating the aircraft no longer used for these locations to Albania, regional Italy and Sweden.
Why are Ryanair cutting so many seats in these airports?
Though jet fuel costs have ballooned since the US-Iran conflict, Ryanair cited another price hike here.
The company said on their site that “This devastating loss in off-peak winter connectivity is the direct result of the hopelessly uncompetitive costs charged at the German-run Fraport Greece monopoly and Athens Airport”.
They stated that the Greek government reduced Airport Development Fees from €12 (£10.40) to €3 (£2.60) in 2024. Ryanair called this change “wise”.
But they said these savings haven’t been passed on to consumers and alleged that some Greek airports have “continued to increase charges, which are now +66% above their pre-Covid levels”.
They added that Athens airport will see fee hikes this winter, too.
In response, Fraport Greece has said, “Any claims linking this decision to airport charges or the airport development fee imposed by the Greek state are entirely unfounded”.
They added that it has invested millions to upgrade its Thessaloniki airport.
Which Ryanair routes are affected?
will be shut entirely during the off-season of 2026 (winter), per Ryanair.
And Ryanair said the following routes have also been canned entirely for now:
- Thessaloniki to Berlin,
- Thessaloniki to Frankfurt-H,
- Thessaloniki to Gothenburg,
- Thessaloniki to Niederrhein,
- Thessaloniki to Poznan,
- Thessaloniki to Stockholm,
- Thessaloniki to Venice-T,
- Thessaloniki to Zagreb,
- Athens to Milan-M,
- Chania to Paphos,
- Thessaloniki to Heraklion,
- Thessaloniki to Chania.
Will these routes be shut forever?
We don’t know for sure.
Fraport Greece has called Ryanair an “important partner”.
And Ryanair said that the flight and aircraft losses were “preventable” and have only shared these updates for winter 2026 so far.
They shared, “Regrettably, Greece will continue to miss out on investment opportunities, tourism and traffic development until Fraport Greece and Athens abandon their shameless practice of pocketing this tax cut.”
And McGuinness added, “There is an opportunity for Greece to secure significant year-round traffic growth; however, this investment can only be realised once the German-run Fraport Greece monopoly fully passes through the Greek Govt.’s sensible tax cut from November’24”.
He continued to say that the aircraft lost to other countries as a result of this process will be moving to areas “where airports have passed on their Govt’s aviation tax savings”.
Politics
Aaron Taylor-Johnson Or Jacob Elordi? James Bond Casting Is Underway
James Bond bosses have shared an update on the search for the next 007 – and unfortunately, it sounds like we might still be in for a bit of a wait.
And while recent rumours indicated that Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Callum Turner and Jacob Elordi were all in the running, it seems that production company Amazon MGM Studios is still a little way off casting anyone.
On Friday morning, the studio shared an “update on the search for the next James Bond”, confirming that the casting process has only just begun.
“The search for the next James Bond is underway. While we don’t plan to comment on specific details during the casting process, we’re excited to share more news with 007 fans as soon as the time is right,” a spokesperson said.
A press release noted that work has been underway on the film “has been taking shape over the past several months”, albeit without a leading man.

Eon/Danjaq/Sony/Kobal/Shutterstock
Last month, Amazon MGM Studios’ head of film Courtenay Valenti told fans: “I know you’re all wondering when we’re going to announce who’s playing James Bond.
“Please know that we’re taking the time to do this with care and deep respect. It is the dream of a lifetime for all of us to bring audiences this next chapter, and it’s a responsibility we don’t take lightly.”
It was already confirmed that Oscar nominee Denis Villeneuve, who has recently enjoyed huge success with his Dune movies, will be on directing duties, while the script has been penned by Steven Knight.
Steven Knight is best known as the creator of Peaky Blinders, but has also helmed shows like A Thousand Blows for Disney+ and House Of Guinness for Netflix.
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