Keir Starmer has spent most of the past week in his happy place, being a global statesman and rubbing shoulders with fellow leaders.
The prime minister flew to the Middle East just hours after America and Iran agreed what has so far proven to be an uneasy ceasefire.
With Labour expected to suffer major losses in the elections on May 7, Starmer might have been tempted to remain in the world’s most dangerous hotspot until it’s all over.
The elections for the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Senedd and a host of councils across England will uppermost in MPs’ minds as they return to Westminster on Monday after the Easter recess.
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They will only be back for two weeks, however, before parliament is prorogued until the King’s Speech on May 13, by which time the full extent of Labour’s nightmare will be apparent.
“It’s going to be a fucking bloodbath,” one gloomy MP told HuffPost UK. ”I don’t see a world where you can broadcast those results before the watershed.”
“The focus is on rallying the troops over the next few weeks, there’s not a lot of thought about parliamentary business,” another backbencher said.
“Loads of colleagues in Scotland, Wales and across England just want to get through to May 8.”
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The opinion polls are consistent and clear. Labour – and, to a lesser extent, the Tories – are going to have a horrific night.
The SNP will win again in Scotland, while Plaid Cymru are set to be the government in Wales for the first time since devolution.
In England, Labour are expected to lose between 1,500 and 2,000 seats as previously-solid councils fall to both Reform UK and the Greens.
One MP with elections in his patch said “it feels terminal on the doorstep”, with voters making clear their unhappiness with Labour’s performance in government so far.
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In particular, the MP said, the party leadership have failed to appreciate the scale of the challenge posed to Labour by Zack Polanski’s Green Party.
“The trouble with Keir and his goons is they are analogue minded in a digital world,” they said. “It’s like we’ve ordered Tony Blair’s 1997 operation on Temu.
“If you’re in the middle of the road you get run over, and the Greens have forced us into the middle of the road by playing our favourite tunes, but better.
“Our attack lines about them wanting to legalise drugs and pull us out of Nato just don’t work, not least because Trump wants to leave Nato as well.
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“That type of attack might have worked in the 90s, but it doesn’t work now.”
Nigel Farage unveiled his party’s local election slogan on Thursday: “Vote Reform. Get Starmer Out.”
He’s likely to be disappointed, however, with the PM’s position more secure than it has been in months. There is little indication that he faces an imminent leadership challenge, no matter how bad May 7 is for his party.
This is largely down to the war in Iran, with the PM widely seen to have got the big calls right.
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Unlike Kemi Badenoch and Nigel Farage, he did not rush to support the US and Israel’s decision to start bombing, even though it has shattered the previously-good relationship he had with Trump.
The president rarely misses an opportunity now to have a pop at the prime minister, who responded on Thursday by comparing the president to Vladimir Putin – an unthinkable situation just a few short weeks ago.
One Starmer ally said: “He’s in a good place, I think. Events in Iran and Trump’s outrageous social media posts have shown that he’s the statesman we need at this time and that cool heads need to prevail.
“He made the right call at the beginning of the war, and that is feeding into the domestic political debate. Voters are proactively mentioning Farage’s closeness to Trump on the doorsteps.”
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Nigel Farage says a vote for Reform is a vote to remove Starmer as PM.
The MP added: “I think Keir’s secure to the end of the year. How can you challenge the PM in the middle of an energy crisis, a war in the Middle East and a US administration coming out with bonkers statement on a daily basis?”
That analysis is not only confined to Starmer’s supporters. Even those who have long since made up their minds that the PM cannot lead Labour into the next election acknowledge that now is not the time for him to be removed.
“We’re all keen that nothing rocks the boat over the next three weeks,” an MP said. “We’re all just retreating into our own little foxholes and fighting our local battles.”
One MP said leadership hopefuls like Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting should keep their heads down until the full extent of Labour’s losses are known.
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He said: “Doing something unhelpful now decreases your chances of becoming PM. There is nothing to be gained from causing trouble now ahead of the locals.
“Whatever your view on a change of leadership, if a contender starts surfacing and causes you to lose votes in your area, then you’re not going to back that contender in a ballot.”
One backbencher said Labour was currently in “the calm before the storm”.
May 7 will lead to “recriminations and backbiting”, the MP said, if not a challenge to Starmer’s position.
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He said: “A lot of people will be asking why are Reform doing so well, why are we only polling at 18%, and what is the ceiling for Green support nationally.
“MPs who lose councillors in their patch will also be very worried about their own election chances. But the message needs to be that now is the time for cool heads.”
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.
Two teenagers were declared dead at the scene after a car left a bridge and collided with a minibus
Peter Hennessy UK & World News Editor
07:22, 11 Apr 2026
Two teenagers have lost their lives following a serious collision on a busy UK motorway.
Officers were called to the incident shortly before junction 20 of the M1 in Leicestershire at 1.33pm on Friday afternoon, April 10.
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According to police, a blue car travelling along Gilmorton Lane towards Lutterworth had left the road bridge spanning the carriageway and struck a minibus heading southbound on the M1.
Leicestershire Fire and Rescue Service and East Midlands Ambulance Service were also deployed to the scene.
A spokesperson for Leicestershire Police said: “Four people in the minibus – a white Fiat Ducato – were taken to hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. The driver, a man, has been discharged and three women remain in hospital.”
“The two people in the blue car, both teenagers, were declared dead at the scene.”
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The carriageway was shut for several hours while forensic examinations took place at the scene.
Officers are appealing for anyone who was travelling on Gilmorton Lane or the M1 near junction 20 – in either direction – at approximately 1.30pm on Friday afternoon to come forward.
Anyone with dashcam footage or who witnessed either vehicle prior to the collision is urged to contact police.
You can contact us on 101, quoting incident number 308 of 10th April or visit Making a road traffic incident report | Leicestershire Police
Sky broadband customers can bag 500Mbps for the price of 300Mbps and get up to £200 to switch.
Jake Hackney Senior Consumer Writer
06:54, 11 Apr 2026
This article contains affiliate links, we will receive a commission on any sales we generate from it. Learn more
Sky has massively undercut BT by dishing out upgrades with one of its super-fast broadband deals. The TV and broadband provider is also dishing out a major upgrade at no extra cost with its 500Mbps Full Fibre Broadband.
It’s currently on offer at £28 per month or roughly 90p per day, the same price as Sky’s slower 300Mbps plan. These speeds are ideal for 4K streaming or online gaming, with Sky estimating a HD TV programme will take around 25 seconds to download.
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What’s more, Sky is paying new customers up to £200 in bill credit if they switch to cover and fees from their old provider. Sky’s Full Fibre 500 deal beats the equivalent plan at BT, where the same speeds cost £40.99 per month after a three-month free promotional period.
BT has also confirmed its monthly prices will rise by £4 each April. Sky says its rates ‘may change’ during the 24-month term too, but its customers are given the opportunity to cancel their contract if a price change is announced.
It’s worth noting that, as Sky says its full fibre is available to 60% of UK homes, not everyone will be able to get 500Mbps speeds. New customers can use Sky’s postcode checker to check their eligibility.
Sky’s 500Mbps Full Fibre Broadband
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Sky is offering 500Mbps for the price of 300Mbps with its Full Fibre 500 broadband deal.
Sky’s Full Fibre 500 deal also rivals a similar plan at Virgin Media, where the M500 Fibre Broadband – delivering speeds up to a slightly faster 516Mbps – comes in at £29.99. However, there’s a free upgrade here too, as the deal comes with a free subscription to Netflix.
For those opting for Sky’s 500Mbps Full Fibre Broadband, customers have left thousands of positive reviews of the brand on Trustpilot. Of these, some have praised the ‘reliable’ and ‘buffering-free’ internet and ‘excellent’ service.
One glowing review says: “I ditched my old broadband because the company insisted I have a phone line, which I wasn’t even using. Enter Sky Broadband: no phone, just pure internet bliss. I’m honestly amazed – it hasn’t dropped once. Cheers to buffering-free surfing.”
Another says: “Went to transfer my broadband from BT to Sky. The service was excellent, I got a great deal and I know exactly what will happen on my installation day and going forward.”
Despite being happy with Sky’s fibre broadband, this customer deducted a star for their customer service, saying: “Had no problems with the broadband. It worked well, reliable, speed was decent. Bills are easy to access online. The only problem is when you need to contact them.”
Meanwhile, another five-star review says: “Great help on saving money on broadband and helping with how to do everything step by step.”
Tyson Fury has come out of retirement to face Russian boxer Arslanbek Makhmudov in a heavyweight clash in London on April 11. The fight will stream live on Netflix, which fans can get for free with Sky’s £15 Essential TV bundle or £24 Ultimate TV bundle, the latter of which also includes HBO Max and Disney+.
Arne Slot’s side are winless in three Premier League games, with a draw at home to relegation-threatened Tottenham sandwiched between losses against Wolves and Brighton.
Furthermore, the Reds go into this game on the back of three straight defeats and have failed to score in their last two.
Fulham, meanwhile, have an outside chance of Champions League qualification but remain in the battle for Europe nonetheless and arrive on Merseyside having won three of their last five league games.
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Here’s everything you need to know about where to watch…
How to watch Liverpool vs Fulham
TV channel: In the UK, the game will be televised live on Sky Sports. Coverage starts at 5pm BST on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Premier League.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can also catch the contest live online via the Sky Go app.
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Live blog: You can follow all the action on matchday via Standard Sport’s live blog.
WARNING, GRAPHIC CONTENT: Giuseppe Di Matteo, 12, was kidnapped by Giovanni Brusca’s Sicilian Mafia gang to stop his father Santino testifying against them
Young Giuseppe Di Matteo thought he was off to see his father when police officers came to pick him up one day in 1993.
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Ex- Mafia associate Santino Di Matteo had recently turned his back on his criminal comrades and was under the protection of the authorities for his own safety.
However, his 12-year-old son became a casualty when Cosa Nostra criminals in Sicily, Italy posed as police officers and kidnapped him.
The horrifying plot was masterminded by hitman Giovanni Brusca and crime boss Salvatore ‘Toto’ Riina. For nearly 800 days, the helpless lad endured unimaginable torment while held captive in a café.
He was beaten and starved by the criminals, who also sent photos of the boy to Santino as part of their sick mind games.
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The initial aim was to stop the informant from giving evidence in the trial of anti-Mafia judge Giovanni Falcone, who had been killed in a car bomb attack.
The esteemed judge had devoted his career to prosecuting organised crime, notably leading the notorious “maxi trial” in 1986, which led to the conviction of 342 mafiosi, according to the Mirror.
Woolly mammoths will return in 2028, how you could live to 200, alien signals lost in the weather, could we battle Godzilla, and a creature with 20 arms has been discovered near the Antarctic – all this and more in our latest peculiar science newsletter.
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Brusca was ordered to seek revenge and, in 1992, he placed half a tonne of explosives under a motorway near Palermo, targeting Falcone as his car drove past.
The judge died alongside his wife and three bodyguards, and Brusca was forced to go on the run immediately.
The later capture of Santino revealed Brusca – dubbed ‘The Pig’ – as the ringleader, sealing Giuseppe’s terrible fate.
In 1996 – 779 days following his kidnapping – Brusca gave the command to kill Giuseppe with five callous words: “Get rid of the puppy”.
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The boy was so frail from his ordeal that he offered no resistance as he was throttled to death.
His remains were subsequently dissolved in acid to guarantee they would never be found – a technique called ‘lupara bianca’. Shockingly, Brusca showed no regret, later boasting in his autobiography about his ever more appalling crimes.
“I’ve dissolved bodies in acid; I’ve roasted corpses on big grills; I’ve buried the remains after digging graves with an earthmover,” he wrote.
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“Some pentiti [former Mafiosi] say today they feel disgust for what they did. I can speak for myself: I’ve never been upset by these things.”
Brusca was later captured and jailed for 25 years after confessing his role in more than 100 killings.
His eventual freedom in 2021, then aged 64, triggered outrage throughout Italy that such a lethal murderer was now at liberty to roam the streets.
Tina Montinaro, whose bodyguard husband was murdered alongside Falcone, told the Repubblica at the time: “The state is against us – after 29 years we still don’t know the truth about the massacre and Giovanni Brusca, the man who destroyed my family, is free.”
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Three years earlier in 2018, Giuseppe’s family received over €2.2m (£1.9m) as compensation for his murder. On the 25th anniversary of his son’s abduction, Santino stated in an interview: “I think about it every day.
“How can there be people so evil to treat a child this way? When people get involved in stuff like this, it’s most likely they are never coming back.”
Captain Cody has the perfect conditions to bounce back to form and add to his triumph in the Scottish Grand National last April.
Willie Mullins’ stable in Co Carlow is the dominant force of National Hunt racing – a sovereignty that now extends to the world’s most famous steeplechase, once the very emblem of the lottery where even the small-stakes player could hit the jackpot.
Mullins has now won the National three times but, tellingly, that tally includes the last two runnings, with I Am Maximus and Nick Rockett.
The latter’s late withdrawal leaves the 69-year-old trainer with eight of the 34 runners, and drying weather on Merseyside has enhanced the chances of the eight-year-old Captain Cody.
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It’s hard to see the son of 2010 St Leger hero Arctic Cosmos coming home in front if he repeats the form of four underwhelming runs this season.
But the key to Captain Cody’s chance today is Aintree’s drying terrain.
It’s a year minus a day since my selection enjoyed the biggest victory of his career so far on Scotland’s west coast.
There are ‘Nationals’ run everywhere in Britain and Ireland nowadays – Midlands (Uttoxeter), London (Sandown), Somerset (Wincanton), Berkshire (Ascot), Sussex (Plumpton), Borders (Kelso), Leinster (Naas) and Kerry (Listowel), to name but a few.
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But there are four Nationals that really count – the English which, being the first, doesn’t need a geographical qualification, the Scottish, Irish and Welsh.
Of the 23 runners who lined up at Ayr last year, 10 turned for home with any chance of success, with Captain Cody moving with menace on the outside.
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His jumps at the final two fences weren’t pristine, but the casual ease with which the bay gelding lengthened to overhaul Klarc Kent – Harry Cobden had merely to shake the reins – and score by a length had to be seen to be believed. The handicap system rewards excellence with extra lead in the saddle, and Captain Cody is 12lb higher in the ratings today.
But his rise in the weights is well earned, and an eight-year-old jumper should be at the peak of his powers.
The Scottish National’s distance is three miles, seven furlongs and 176 yards, and Captain Cody will have no problem galloping for an additional two furlongs and 118 yards.
He has his own way of getting from one side of a fence to the other, but the National obstacles, with plastic cores replacing the timber of yore, are more tolerant of such eccentricity these days.
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Jockey Johnny Burke, whose best National placing from six attempts was a fifth aboard Goonyella in 2016, gets the leg-up today and the British-based Irishman represents a safe pair of hands.
Of Captain Cody’s 33 rivals, Mullins’ I Am Maximus, first in 2024 and second last year, Grangeclare West, third 12 months ago, and talented outsider Champ Kiely are all dangers, while Gorgeous Tom, whose trainer Henry de Bromhead won the race with the Rachael Blackmore-ridden Minella Times in 2021, is also in the mix.
But it’s the improving novice Oscars Brother, bidding to give his owner JP McManus a record fourth National triumph, who is feared most of all.
The eight-year-old, one of just two horses trained in Co Tipperary by 29-year-old Connor King, looked an embryonic stayer when fourth at the Cheltenham Festival and has more to offer.
It would be doing Bath a massive disservice to suggest they were all route one as they demonstrated with their third try which was strike play perfection. The scrum was solid and Redpath felt Russell, who faked pumped once to draw a gap to send Henry Arundell scurrying under the posts.
Then right on half-time came a try that both coaches identified as a key momentum shift as shortly after Smith missed a penalty to touch, replacement Francois van Wyk was driven over. Russell missed leaving the game tantalising poised at 35-26 to the visitors. After the madness of the first half, Smith took the first conservative decision of the game, by kicking a penalty in front of the posts. However, Saints were reduced to 14 men when JJ van der Mescht was sin-binned following repeated offences in the 22. Bath kicked to the corner and piled what seemed like half of Somerset into the maul with replacement Kepu Tuipulotu grounding the ball. Russell’s conversion made it a five-point game.
Another Smith penalty gave Saints a modicum of breathing space but that was wiped out by Russell’s penalty before a grandstand finish featuring Pollock, inevitably, and Hill’s try which will be celebrated long into the night.
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Match details
Scoring sequence 0-5, Pollock try; 0-7 Smith con; 0-12, Dingwall try; 0-14, Smith con; 5-14, Dunn try; 7-14, Russell con; 7-19, Lockett try; 7-21, Smith con; 7-26, Kemeny try; 7-28, Smith con; 12-28, Russell try; 14-28, Russell con; 14-33, Sleightholme try; 14-35, Smith con; 19-35, Arundell try; 21-35, Russell con; 26-35, Van Wyk try; 26-38, Smith con; 31-38, Tuipulotu try; 33-38, Russell con; 33-41, Smith pen; 36-41 Russell pen; 41-41, Hill try; 43-41, Russell con.
Bath T De Glanville (S Carreras, 52); H Arundell, O Lawrence, C Redpath, W Muir; F Russell, B Spencer (B van der Linde, 74); B Obano (F van Wyk, 29), T Dunn, (K Tuipulotu, 52), V Sela (T Du Toit, 47), Q Roux (T Hill, 47), C Ewels, G Pepper, S Underhill (A Barbeary, 32), M Reid (R Molony, 66).
Northampton Saints G Furbank; T Freeman, R Hutchinson (T Litchfield, 74), F Dingwall, O Sleightholme (G Hendy, 66); F Smith, A McParland (A Mitchell, 59); D Fischetti (E Iyogun, 47), C Langdon (C Wright, 17), C Kundiona (E Millar-Mills, 47), T Lockett (Van der Mescht, 68), JJ van der Mescht (E Prowse, 67), J Kemeny, T Pearson (C Chick, 27), H Pollock.
“Whilst our team put their training into practice, we will be opening our doors for a first look of our pizzeria and to support our friends at Harrogate Homeless Project – HHP
“Book your table now and you will get one free sharing garlic bread pizza per booking. A minimum of two pizzas + two drinks must be purchased to qualify.
“All proceeds from the evening, including money raised in our raffle, will be donated to Harrogate Homeless Project.”
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Earlier, as part of the opening, Rudy’s Pizza announced a giveaway of 3,000 pizzas for those who sent their contact details in advance.
The Manchester-based company gave a similar promotion when Rudy’s Pizza opened in York’s High Ousegate in 2024.
Since then, the York outside has won widespread acclaim, receiving 4.5 stars out of five on Google based on 434 Google Reviews.
Tripadvisor awards 4.6 stars out of five, based on 198 reviews, ranking it 85th out of 728 York restaurants.
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Rudy’s opened its first site in Manchester in 2015 and now operates 36 locations across the UK.
Follow Rudy’s on Instagram for the latest updates – @wearerudyspizza and head to www.rudyspizza.co.uk/location/harrogate for more information and bookings.
Emergency services were deployed to the scene of the crash off the GM-2 road in San Sebastian de La Gomera, on the island of La Gomera, on the east coast on Friday, the 112 Canarias official account posted on X.
Photographs shared by the Canary Islands Government on social media appear to show the bus had come off the road at a hairpin bend, coming to rest in a ravine.
Rescuers work at the scene of a bus crash near in San Sebastian de La Gomera, in Spain’s Canary Islands, Friday, April 10, 2026. (Europa Press Canarias/Europa Press via AP) (Image: AP)
Several ambulances, including an air ambulance, attended to the British tourists and driver.
Two seriously injured people are currently being transferred to hospitals in Tenerife by helicopter.
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One will be taken to University Hospital of Nuestra Senora de Candelaria while another will go to the University Hospital of Canarias.
NEW YORK (AP) — After chants of “run again!” filled the room, former Vice President Kamala Harris told African American activists on Friday that she’s actively considering another presidential bid.
“I might. I am thinking about it,” Harris told Rev. Al Sharpton after he asked directly whether she was going to run for president in 2028.
Harris’ comments came during the National Action Network’s annual convention, where more than a half-dozen potential candidates appeared this week , hoping to make inroads among Black voters — who comprise one of Democrats’ most powerful blocs.
The Democrats’ next presidential primary season won’t begin in earnest until after November’s midterm elections, but this week’s conference showcased a collection of Democrats already jockeying for position in what promises to be a crowded competition.
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For now, at least, there is no clear early favorite. But there did appear to be a favorite at Sharpton’s conference.
Harris, the nation’s first Black female vice president and the Democrats’ presidential nominee in 2024, earned the only standing ovation and the largest crowd of any other 2028 prospect this week.
Sharpton noted that Harris earned more votes in her losing 2024 campaign than even former Democratic Presidents Barack Obama and Bill Clinton.
“Whatever she decides to do, she made a point in history,” Sharpton said.
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Harris has raised the possibility of another presidential bid before in the 15 months since she left office. She also recently launched a political action committee and began to travel across the United States to support Democrats, especially across the South.
Still, some in the party have shifted their focus to a new generation of Democratic leaders given Harris’ struggle in the last presidential contest.
The convention lineup this week featured Pennsylvania Gov. Josh Shapiro, former Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg, Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore, Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear, Rep. Ro Khanna of California, and Arizona Sens. Mark Kelly and Ruben Gallego.
Buttigieg, speaking shortly after Harris left the stage, received soft applause from a room that was about half-empty. Some cheered when he mentioned supporting federal workers and minority businesses, but many attendees had streamed out of the packed auditorium after Harris’ speech in an effort to grab a selfie with the former vice president.
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Buttigieg, like many other 2028 prospects this week, laughed off a question about whether he would seek the presidency again.
Harris was more explicit.
Three times she repeated, “I’m thinking about it,” when Sharpton asked her about a 2028 White House run.
“I served for four years being a heartbeat away from the presidency of the United States. I spent countless hours in my West Wing office footsteps away from the Oval Office. I spent countless hours in the Oval Office and the situation room. I know what the job is, and I know what it requires,” Harris said.
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She continued: “I am thinking about it in the context of who and where and how can the best job be done for the American people. That’s how I’m thinking about it. I’ll keep you posted.”
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