Rachel Reeves
British politician and current Chancellor of the Exchequer (born 1979)
- Jul 6
MPs accuse UK government of mis-selling student loans and urge reversal of repayment threshold freeze
A cross-party committee of MPs has accused the government of mis-selling student loans by comparing repayments to phone contracts, and called for an immediate reversal of the three-year freeze on the earnings threshold at which graduates start repaying.
- Jul 2
Andy Burnham poised to enter No 10 as 322 Labour MPs anoint him next leader in uncontested race
With all rivals mathematically blocked, the former Manchester mayor will be formally elected next Friday and must flesh out an agenda allies say remains obscure just 10 days before he walks through the Downing Street door.
- Jun 30
UK to boost defence spending by £15bn with a major push into drones and a hybrid navy
Outgoing Prime Minister Keir Starmer has announced a £300 billion defence investment plan for the next four years, with over £5 billion earmarked for drones and autonomous systems as the country adapts to lessons from Ukraine and the Middle East.
- Jun 25
Starmer quits, Burnham set to lead: UK political upheaval and defence spending boost
Keir Starmer's resignation on Monday triggered a rapid Labour succession, with Andy Burnham all but certain to become the UK's seventh prime minister in a decade, while a defence spending plan and a new media green paper added to the political frenzy.
- Jun 24
Andy Burnham wins Makerfield by-election, triggering Starmer resignation and Labour leadership race
Andy Burnham's return to Parliament after winning the Makerfield by-election has triggered Keir Starmer's resignation and opened a Labour leadership race, with Burnham the clear frontrunner.
- Jun 23
Burnham’s path to No 10 opens as Labour figures push for a contested race rather than a coronation
Andy Burnham remains the overwhelming favourite to succeed Keir Starmer after Wes Streeting dropped out and endorsed him, but a faction inside Labour is pressing other candidates to stand in order to avoid an uncontested handover.
- Jun 18
Makerfield by-election: Burnham vies for seat that could end Starmer's premiership
Voters in Makerfield, a former coal-mining constituency near Manchester, are casting ballots in a by-election that could install Andy Burnham as a Labour MP and set the stage for a challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
- Jun 12
UK economy contracts 0.1% in April as Iran war energy shock hits growth
The UK economy contracted 0.1% in April after a 0.3% expansion in March, as rising energy prices from the Iran war and Strait of Hormuz closure squeezed household finances and services output.
- Jun 4
Burnham confirms he would join Labour leadership race as Makerfield by-election looms
Andy Burnham declared on BBC Question Time that he would seek to join a Labour leadership contest if he wins the Makerfield by-election on June 18, challenging Keir Starmer for the top job.
- May 27
UK energy price cap to jump 13% in July as Middle East conflict drives wholesale gas costs higher
British households will see their energy bills rise by an average of £221 a year from July after regulator Ofgem lifted the price cap by 13%, citing soaring wholesale gas prices driven by the conflict in the Middle East.
