UK

The new British prime minister is a far better communicator than Keir Starmer. But we have little idea of his thinking about the world beyond Britain, says Ros Taylor. For the moment, Andy Burnham’s priorities lie at home.

It has forced Keir Starmer to resign. Now the Labour Party is pinning all its hopes on Andy Burnham, a charismatic mayor from Manchester, writes Ros Taylor. It knows the alternative is a far right government. 

Hydrogen was the future once. But while the UK was quick off the mark in investigating the potential of H2 for heating homes, much of the original plans have been abandoned in favour of solar, wind and electrification, writes Ros Taylor.

Keir Starmer has survived the local elections, but commands little authority in his party or the country, writes Ros Taylor. Paralysed by the fear of a far-right government, his party has been too afraid to replace him.

Trump has turned against the UK and Keir Starmer is looking to Europe for allies. Brexit has flatlined the economy, the White House has shown its contempt, and British public opinion has quietly shifted. For the first time in years, a UK government is making a serious case for rapprochement on trade, defence, and beyond. But after years of hostility, the EU is sceptical about Britain's overtures. Is this a genuine turning point, or the same old cherry-picking?

Westminster woke up to what the BBC called a "seismic event." In the Gorton and Denton by-election, Green candidate Hannah Spencer didn't just edge ahead. She won decisively with over 40% of the vote, reshaping assumptions about the limits of Green politics in the UK. It marked the first ever Westminster by-election victory for the Greens, adding to their seats from the 2024 general election and bringing their total to five MPs. In a fragmented political landscape where Labour and Reform were expected to dominate the contest, voters chose a different path. What does this victory tell us about shifting political coalitions? Is this a protest vote or something more durable? And can the Greens translate a by-election breakthrough into sustained national momentum? Roderick Kefferpütz asked Natalie Bennett, Green Party peer in the House of Lords, and former leader of the Green Party of England and Wales (2012-2016), for her take.

The turmoil in British politics offers an unprecedented opportunity to the Green party, writes Ros Taylor – though with just four MPs and a culture of local activism rather than big-picture policy thinking, it has a lot of work to do.

A deeply unpopular government agonises over whether to break its own rules or keep cutting budgets, writes Ros Taylor.

Populist and far-right parties across Europe share many of the same traits, says Ros Taylor. But Reform has not yet embraced the pro-natalist agenda of a lot of its counterparts.

Most Britons have no intention of installing a heat pump. Given the cost of electricity in the UK, that’s not unreasonable. Ros Taylor looks at why it is so hard to tempt them away from gas boilers.

After years of setbacks, the UK is finally pushing ahead with two carbon capture and storage projects. While there is scepticism about the technology, says Ros Taylor, its supporters argue the cost is justified if the UK means to reach net zero.

In 2025 the last hereditary peers will leave the House of Lords. That will not be enough to satisfy its critics, writes Ros Taylor, who believe Britain’s second chamber is overstuffed with idle peers and too many cronies who were not appointed on merit.

Tough decisions lie ahead for the UK government as it tries to decarbonise electricity generation by 2030. Several key decisions have been made but much remains unknown, particularly on reform of the electricity market and the detail of collaboration with the EU. Ros Taylor reports.

When three girls were killed in Southport, the reactionary digital right proved adept at exploiting the horror. The rioters are quickly being punished, writes Ros Taylor, but the new government needs to recognise the ease with which lies spread in the new digital ecosystem and be frank and transparent about its own approach to immigration.

Keir Starmer was determined to make Labour electable again. By the time Rishi Sunak called the general election, he was able to tell voters: ‘I've changed the Labour Party. If you put your trust in me by voting Labour, I will change the country.’ Ros Taylor looks at the UK’s new prime minister.

Labour is still allergic to the E-word, says Ros Taylor. But the party’s manifesto offers hints of what a far closer relationship with the EU might look like.

Scotland has been a pioneer in renewables, says Kirsten Jenkins. But the easy wins are over and the task of decarbonising Scotland’s economy is becoming steadily more difficult, as the row over net zero targets showed. Nonetheless, the potential to build on its record is clear and the obstacles are not insurmountable.

No one knows whether Labour will repeal some of the draconian anti-protest laws passed in recent years in the UK, writes David Mead. But it is unlikely to be a priority for a party worried about alienating the press and with a failing welfare state to fix.