A Rejoin EU Pledge Wins Burnham the Next Election

Sep 26, 2026 | 628 of Britain's 632 constituencies now pick rejoining the European Union as their top choice. The only exceptions are Clacton, Boston and Skegness, Ashfield and Great Yarmouth: the seats of Farage, Tice, Anderson and Lowe, where the top answer was "don't know".

As Andy Burnham heads to Liverpool for his first Labour conference as Prime Minister, he's refusing to rule out a pledge to rejoin the EU, but he's still hiding behind Starmer's red lines.

In this video I make the case that a bold, honest stance on Europe could be exactly what wins Labour the next general election. I also look at why George Osborne thinks there's a "conspiracy of silence", and why Canada is getting closer to Europe than we are.


I agree. However, I think that the LibDems missed a golden opportunity by not offering a definite return to full membership when they had the chance to do so. That could have worked wonders for them. But Ed Davey was too timid to commit to such a strategy. Anyway, return to the fold we must, whoever is willing to take the necessary steps and whoever has the courage to grasp the nettle. — © Mark Alexander

Michael Lambert: “I Am Certain We Will Return to the EU and This Is Why”

Sep 25, 2026 | Brexit was the stupidest thing we have ever done as a nation, and it has cost us dearly. Official figures show we have lost between 4 and 8% of GDP - at least £100 billion a year in exports to the EU, leaving the Exchequer £40 billion a year worse off. Over six years, that is £240 billion lost.

In this video I explain why small and medium-sized businesses can no longer sell to the EU, why ministers are now beginning to blame Brexit for our economic difficulties, and why I believe the next general election manifesto will contain a route back to the EU.

I also address the argument that the EU wouldn't have us back, look at what European leaders have actually said about the door being open, why a significant majority now think Brexit was a mistake, and why Reform can be countered by linking them directly to the consequences of Brexit.

Macron Heir Invites Britain to Join ‘United States of Europe’

THE TELEGRAPH Centrist candidate for the French presidency suggests UK should be part of a unified tax area

Screenshot taken from this Telegraph article. | Gabriel Attal believes the EU’s 27-country model has ‘reached its limits’ Credit: AFP via Getty Images/Sameer Al-Doumy
Emmanuel Macron’s protégé has invited Britain to join a “United States of Europe” in a de facto reversal of Brexit.

Gabriel Attal, a contender to succeed Mr Macron in 2027, wants a group of perhaps eight or 10 countries to bind themselves together with common debt, common taxes and labour rules and, in effect, a single economy.

The bloc would operate under a directly elected president and be protected by France’s nuclear deterrent.

Mr Attal, who has previously argued that Britain should rejoin the EU, is now offering a route back into something considerably more integrated than the bloc it left.

“I hope that one day the United Kingdom will find its place again in this adventure, if it freely chooses to join it,” he said. » | Henry Samuel Paris Correspondent. James Crisp Europe Edito | Friday, September 18, 2026

This is music to my ears, of course. I never expected such encouraging news so late on a Friday night! God bless M. Attal! Vive la France ! Vive le Royaume-Uni ! Vive l'Union européenne ! — © Mark Alexander

Why the United Kingdom Is Facing New Calls for Independence | DW News

Sep 14, 2026 | Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland are challenging London's authority, saying its days of control running out. We explore what is at stake for the UK's various nations – and how serious the challenge to the union really is.

The UK Is a Voluntary Union, So There Must Be a Mechanism to Leave | Stephen Gethins

Sep 14, 2026 | “Let’s figure out what the mechanism [to leave the UK] is so we can get on with the debate about the substance.”

The last Scottish independence vote was “a long time ago” and the current union doesn’t properly serve the people of Scotland, says minister for Europe, external affairs and energy for the SNP Stephen Gethins.

MPs Reject Assisted Dying Bill

THE TELEGRAPH: Legislation defeated by majority of 16 after support drained away since last year’s Commons vote

Assisted dying will not become legal in England and Wales after MPs voted to reject the legislation.

The House of Commons voted down the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill by a majority of 16 when it returned to Parliament on Friday.

The Private Member’s Bill, tabled by Lauren Edwards, a Labour backbencher, would have allowed adults with less than six months to live to seek medical assistance to end their lives. » | Genevieve Holl-Allen Political Correspondent. Dominic Penna Senior Political Correspondent | Friday, September 11, 2026

UK Bans Trade with West Bank Settlements as Israel Hits Back

Sep 8, 2026 | The UK has announced measures targeting trade with illegal Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank, in a major shift in foreign policy.

Andy Burnham has issued a joint statement with French President Emmanuel Macron and Canada’s Mark Carney, stressing an “unwavering commitment to Israel’s security” alongside a “safe and secure” Palestine.

But the Chief Rabbi has called it a “dark day for Britain’s Jews”, warning that the measures could embolden those who use hatred as a weapon against the Jewish community.

Rob Groves: What Trump's "America First" Really Costs Britain

Sep 5, 2026 | For eighty years British foreign policy has rested on one assumption: that America is a reliable ally. This week Canada walked out of trade talks, Israel rejected Trump's own peace plan, and Trump responded by renaming a lake with a felt tip.

So what is "America First" actually costing Britain? A look at Carney's stand, Trump's map-scrawling, the hollowed-out US military, and whether Andy Burnham has the nerve to follow Canada, Italy, and Spain instead of trying to maintain a relationship that ended years ago.

Dr Gavin Ashenden: Will Charles 3rd Be the Last English King?

Sep 1, 2026 | Professor Charles Betz is warning of the encroaching Civil War and distinguishing three groups, each of which functions as a controlling category for King Charles's allegiance. The difficulty is that they are mutually antagonistic. In such circumstances, how can the monarchy survive?

The posting of this video should not in any way be construed as a total endorsement of Dr Ashenden’s ideas. I do agree with much of what he says, but not with all. I post this excellent video to give you all food for thought.

I was heartened that Dr Ashenden agrees with want I have stated on this website so many times that there is no such thing as “Islamism”. The whole concept is a nonsense. There is Islam. That is all. What misled Westerners think of when they refer to “Islamists” is devout, fundamentalist Muslims who wish to live in full accordance with the tenets of their faith. It should always be remembered that Islam recognizes no separation of mosque and state, no separation of the spiritual from the temporal. Islam is ONE organic whole. — © Mark Alexander

How The Welfare State and the NHS Has Changed Since 1945 | Andrew Seaton

Aug 28, 2026 | "To begin with, everything was free, including prescriptions, dentistry services and so on. But in 1949, they brought this act in that would allow them to put a shilling charge on prescriptions."

As the expensive welfare state holds court in parliament proceedings on most days, historian Andrew Seaton takes us back to the advent of the universal welfare state between 1945 and 1948.

Is the UK Prepared for a National Emergency? Crisis Expert Says "The Threats Have Got Far Worse"

Aug 28, 2026 | Is the UK ready for a national emergency? Lord Harris, Chair of the National Preparedness Commission, is interviewed by Paddy O'Connell for Newsnight on the threats posed by Russia, Vladimir Putin, the war in Ukraine, drone technology and climate change.

The Real Reason I Walked Away from My Faith

Aug 19, 2026 | Faith was the foundation of my life for as long as I can remember. It was how I was raised, how I saw the world, and where I found my comfort. But over time, cracks began to appear questions I couldn’t ignore, feelings I couldn’t explain, and a growing sense that something wasn’t right.

This video isn’t meant to offend, judge, or argue. It’s simply my personal story the moments, the thoughts, and the feelings that led me to walk away from my religion. It was painful, confusing, and incredibly hard but it was also the only way I could be true to myself.

Thank you for listening to my truth. 💛

Week Ahead 17/08/2026 – A Very Different Week Ahead – Met Office Weather Forecast UK

Aug 17, 2026 | This is the Met Office UK Weather forecast for the week ahead 17/08/2026. The weather turns wet across many parts of the UK with low pressure influencing conditions. Bands of rain then showers with thunder and hail will sink south. Turning fresher from the north with a northerly wind. Bringing you this week’s weather forecast is Clare Nasir

Wildfires Break Out across UK amid Record High Temperature

Aug 13, 2026 | Thursday’s amber extreme heat warning from the Met Office covered a huge area of central England, stretching from London to Sheffield.

The temperature at Kew reached 38.1 degrees Celsius, making it the hottest day of the year so far.

Across the country, the tinder dry conditions have seen fire crews having to deal with numerous wildfire outbreaks.

The Royal College of Nursing has warned that hospitals and care homes are getting so hot, they aren't just causing difficulties for patients; even some of the nursing staff are passing out while on shift.

And this latest heatwave, made more extreme by fossil fuel pollution, is not just causing problems for humans; zoos are also having to adapt to care for their animals.

Europe Swelters in Fifth Heatwave of the Year | BBC News

August 13, 2026 | A high of more than 36C (96F) has been recorded near Gatwick Airport, with temperatures expected to rise further.

The Met Office said parts of England could record 38C and 35C in Wales on Thursday. The last time temperatures rose above 36C in August was 2020.

This latest spell of extreme heat comes after the Met Office warned this summer is on course to be the UK's hottest since records began.

Drought Set to Be Declared across Most of England

Screenshot taken from this Telegraph article. | Wimbleball Reservoir in Exmoor, Somerset, is currently at 50 per cent capacity | Credit: Paul Silvers
THE TELEGRAPH: Britain braces for fifth heatwave as unprecedented period of dry and hot weather continues

Drought is set to be extended across England as the country braces for its fifth heatwave of the year.

Half of England and the whole of Wales are already in drought after the driest July since rainfall records began in 1836, 190 years ago. The National Drought Group, made up of regulators, government officials, water companies and agricultural bodies, will meet on Monday to decide if drought should be declared in more regions.

Two weeks ago, the Environment Agency (EA) listed Hertfordshire, the whole of London, East Anglia, Thames Valley, Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, Devon and Cornwall, the West Midlands and Wessex, which covers Dorset, Somerset, Wiltshire and South Gloucestershire, as being in drought. » | Tom McArdle | Monday, August 10, 2026

Wildfire in Suffolk, UK, Not Yet Under Control, Fire Service Says | BBC News

July 30, 2026 | A UK wildfire the equivalent size of 140 football pitches is not yet under control, the fire service has said.

The blaze broke out on Dunwich Heath in Suffolk on Wednesday, with a major incident declared "due to the size and complexity" of the blaze.

Meanwhile, Greece is also among many European countries facing devastating fires and drought.

Several fires have continued to burn in Spain and Portugal, although Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez declared an end to the national emergency for wildfires in the Ávila and Madrid regions.

In south-west France some residents have been able to return to their homes after a major wildfire in the Gironde region.

Why European Wildfires Are Spreading Faster Than Ever

July 28, 2026 | In France and Spain wildfires have been ripping through communities, forcing 325,000 to flee. And it’s not just mainland Europe feeling the heat. In Britain, wildfires have broken out across the country. So what does the future hold?

Iran Threatens to Attack UK Bases Used by US Forces - Risking Wider War | BBC News

July 23, 2026 | Iran has threatened to attack British bases being used by the US to launch operations against Iran. It accused the UK of being an "accomplice" of the US military and said that UK bases used by US forces were “legitimate targets”.

The UK has allowed the US to launch "defensive" operations from British bases hosting American personnel and aircraft, while refusing to cooperate in offensive operations against Iran. In response to Iran’s comments, the UK government said it "stands ready 24/7 to defend itself". It followed a 12th consecutive night of US strikes against targets in Iran, with the ceasefire that had been agreed between the two countries apparently abandoned.

In March 2026, shortly after the start of the US-Israel led war against Iran, the UK gave the US permission to use British bases, including RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, to target Iranian military infrastructure used to attack Gulf countries and vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.

The escalating war, and continuing block on commercial shipping through the strait of Hormuz, has led to a new surge in global oil prices, which have again reached more than $100 per barrel.

Clive Myrie presents BBC News at Ten reporting by Jeremy Bowen and Faisal Islam.

Burnham Becomes U.K. Prime Minister and Pledges to End Homelessness

THE NEW YORK TIMES: In his first address, Andy Burnham acknowledged that he is Britain’s seventh leader in a decade and vowed to usher in a “circuit breaker moment” to change the direction of government.

Andy Burnham became the leader of Britain on Monday, capping an extraordinary demonstration of political power in which he easily won a seat in Parliament and swiftly engineered the resignation of the sitting prime minister.

In his first remarks at Downing Street, Mr. Burnham pledged to “put the care of people at the heart of everything I do” and said his move into Britain’s top job will be a “circuit breaker moment” to change the direction that government has taken over the last four decades.

“I know people at home are fed up with politics,” he told supporters. “I hear you, and I want to be honest with you. We have not been good enough, and we need to be better. We will be.”

Mr. Burnham is Britain’s seventh prime minister in a decade, reflecting a period of turmoil that began with the Brexit vote in 2016, when voters severed ties to Europe. Earlier on Monday, Mr. Burnham traveled to Buckingham Palace, where King Charles III formally asked him to form a government.

There were early signs on Monday that Mr. Burnham had begun forming his new cabinet. David Lammy, who was deputy prime minister under Mr. Burnham’s predecessor, Keir Starmer, announced he was leaving government. Rachel Reeves also confirmed that she was out as chancellor of the Exchequer, overseeing the nation’s finances.

In his speech, Mr. Burnham announced one new policy, saying he would end “rough sleeping,” a British term for homelessness. But there have been signals recently that he will shift some aspects of Mr. Starmer’s agenda. Live Updates » | Michael D. Shear | Reporting from London | Monday, July 20, 2026