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It was two medals and a political career farewell for Keir Starmer as he said goodbye to Downing Street this week, but not before accepting outgoing honours from Ukraine and France.
After securing the backing of 379 MPs, former Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham is officially leader of the Labour Party. Leaving his T-shirt at the door, the incoming PM’s official parliamentary portrait was unveiled ahead of his accession to No10 on Monday.
As we await Burnham’s Cabinet picks, there’s still time to build your own Fantasy Cabinet. Posh Spice - or Jude Bellingham - for Culture, Media and Sport anyone?
Social media for me, but not for thee, as new voluntary rules for digital platforms are set to apply to 16-and-17-year-olds.
And sadly, the vibes and pubs across England have flatlined after the Three Lions lost to Argentina in the World Cup semi-finals on Thursday.
Read on for your Weekend Wire.
So Long, Farewell…
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…Auf Wiedersehen, Goodbye. No, this hasn’t become a Sound of Music newsletter. The UK said adieu to Keir Starmer as his time as Prime Minister ends this week, with a final round of international visits for the foreign policy-focused leader who was dubbed - somewhat unfairly - ‘Never Here Keir’.
Starmer’s departure makes way for Andy Burnham, who as of yesterday, officially became the Labour Party’s new leader, and is set to take the Westminster helm come Monday. Larry the Cat’s litter tray awaits…
In what might be viewed as a coping mechanism, Starmer kept busy this week. Most notably, he embarked on one last visit to Ukraine, in a final show of personal solidarity and to announce new funding worth £255m, including 16 new advanced aircraft, for Ukraine’s fight against Russia. As a symbol of gratitude and appreciation for his ongoing support, Starmer was awarded the Ukrainian Order of Freedom.
It came after France bestowed Starmer with their own top honour: the Legion d’honneur, for his leadership on Ukraine. This makes Starmer the first serving UK prime minister to receive that distinction.
Back in Westminster, Sir Keir appointed 26 new peers to be given seats in the House of Lords including, drumroll please… London Mayor Sir Sadiq Khan.
Starmer closed out his final PMQs this week with an “I love you” to his wife and children who tearfully watched from the balcony. As he left the Commons chamber, he was given a standing ovation by his own MPs, as well as many on the opposition benches. Starmer will remain an MP but has said this will be “the end of my political journey” as he plans to focus on spending more time with his family.
Who’s Who?
Burnham’s confirmation as party leader may have been far from a nail-biter. However, the rumour mill is working over time as he prepares to appoint his Cabinet next week. Between Mansion House speeches and rumoured elevator tears, those hoping to stay, or not, in Cabinet were out and about all week.
While no official announcements have been made, the media were busy with headlines suggesting different names quite literally every hour - with Shabana Mahmood widely expected to become his Chancellor
Weekend Wire readers will know there’s no need to wait for Monday. You can build your own Fantasy Cabinet with our tool, right here!
Burnham’s summer diary is expected to be filled as he embarks on a “listening tour of the UK” during August. He plans to visit areas where Labour have lost support, particularly areas hit by controversial government policies. The tour will aim to reset Labour’s relationship with some of the UK’s most sceptical voters after disastrous results at the local elections and two years of floundering in the polls. It will also keep him away from Westminster and MPs until September when the Commons returns from its six-week recess.
In his speech after being confirmed Labour leader, Burnham pledged to give people “hope back” and “build a new politics” after years of the UK turning its back on working class communities. To the delighted ears of the room, he also promised to take the party in a “distinctively Labour” direction.
‘Forthright and fearless’
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Tributes were paid to Ann Widdecombe this week, following the news late last Friday afternoon, that the former Tory minister turned Reform UK spokeswoman had been murdered at her home in Devon, shocking Westminster and the country at large.
Widdecombe, known for her sharp wit, combative style, and fondness for showbiz, had been one of the most recognisable faces of British politics - past or present. Her death raises fears regarding the safety of political figures in British life; it is the third killing of a politician in ten years, following the tragic losses of Labour MP Jo Cox and Conservative MP Sir David Amess.
Home secretary Shabana Mahmood was among those who spoke about Widdecombe’s life, describing her as “one of those rare politicians who was bigger than politics”, who “took her opportunities”, was a “champion of her constituents” and “took politics out of these ancient walls [when she] became a bone fide TV star”.
The authoritarian playbook: No longer just an American story
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Trumpism, populism, media capture, disinformation and democratic decay are shaping politics on both sides of the Atlantic. So what does the fight back look like?
For one night only, Byline Times, The Lincoln Project and Quiet Riot come together live at Leicester Square Theatre for a rare transatlantic roundtable with Rick Wilson, Maya May, Naomi Smith, Alex Andreou, Peter Jukes and Hardeep Matharu.
Join Best for Britain’s CEO Naomi Smith on Thursday 30 July, 7pm at Leicester Square Theatre.
Working 9 to 5
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In the latest report from the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), the state pension age may rise to 68, a whopping seven years earlier than expected. Originally planned for 2044, the OBR has stated the Treasury will be looking to implement the change in 2037.
This would mean that around 5m people who are currently aged between 49 and 55 would have to work for an extra year before being eligible for their state pension.
It comes as Burnham is urged to ditch the pension triple-lock in a bid to balance the UK’s public finances, by the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Their analysis argues it “puts upward pressure on public expenditure and adds significant fiscal risks by exposing public finances to supply shocks”. One to watch?
Less money, less problems
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To save British and European businesses nearly £800m, the UK Trade and Business Commission (UKTBC) has recommended the UK and the EU seek a mutual exemption from each other’s carbon taxes between formally signing the UK-EU Emission Trading Systems (ETS) and the agreement coming into force.
Commenting on the recommendation, Ayesha Chaudhry, Senior Policy and External Affairs Officer at Best for Britain, said:
“A mutual exemption is a good start to shield UK businesses who already face far too many barriers being outside of the single market, while negotiations progress on an overall UK-EU energy agreement.”
Stop, drop, scroll
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Earlier this week, the government announced plans to bring in a default overnight social media curfew and restrict access to addictive features for 16-and-17-year-olds. The initiative is part of Labour’s push to protect kids from the dangers of the internet, and is in addition to the ban on social media use for under-16s in the UK that was unveiled last month and will take effect in the spring.
More than 40 countries around the world, including Canada, France and Greece, have brought in similar bans or are considering one after growing concerns from experts over children’s mental health and safety online.
However… teens will be able to switch the restrictions off themselves. Let’s see how this plays out.
Parenting and policymaking
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Elsewhere on Substack this week, we published two very different but important pieces. Julia Meadon, our Director of Digital, shared the infuriating realities of the hidden costs of childcare, and explored the choices - or lack of them - faced by many women, and parents, about their return to the workforce.
“I’m not going back to work.” In the past year, while on maternity leave, I’ve heard this - whispered, awkwardly, in sticky soft plays, over spilled coffee - from three friends. Ambitious, capable women leaving before being pushed, flexible working requests denied; childcare places impossible to find; hundreds of pounds wasted on non-refundable nursery registration fees.”
Burnham has been lauded for his wittier and warmer style in comparison to Starmer - but the tough realities of policy detail and political battles remain. James Coldwell, External Affairs Manager, set out the case for the new PM to use evidence-led policy to provide substance to Labour’s newfound optimism heading into the next session of Parliament.
“Even if it makes political sense to demonstrate an attitudinal shift from Starmer’s more austere approach, Burnham can only grapple with Britain’s biggest challenges by embracing sober analysis and evidence-led policy making.”
Not Coming Home
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Well, it was fun while it lasted. After a promising start to the tournament, with the Three Lions defeating Mexico at the Azteca Stadium, defying Norway in Miami, and brushing off Croatia and Panama along the way, the majesty of Lionel Messi proved a bridge too far for Thomas Tuchel’s England squad.
Following a hopeful first hour of play, the last thirty minutes demonstrated dangers of timidity, with England sitting back and inviting waves of Argentine pressure. When the dam burst in the 85th minute, England were quick to concede another goal in additional time, making their defeat the latest instalment in 60 years of heartbreak for the England men’s team. Come on, the Lionesses!
Controversy sparked after the game when some of the Argentine players were spotted celebrating with a banner reading ‘Las Malvinas son Argentinas’ - or ’the Falklands are Argentine’. It seems likely Argentina will face FIFA disciplinary action over the banner, which breaks rules on the politicisation of football. In response, Starmer hit back defiantly, noting: “The World Cup might not be ours, but the Falkland Islands definitely are.”
A FIFA spokesperson said their independent disciplinary committee is investigating before deciding on potential “further steps”.
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The UK-EU Gibraltar deal came into effect on Wednesday, marking a landmark moment in negotiations. Gibraltar voted overwhelmingly in favour of remaining in the EU, with 96% of votes cast on the Rock for Remain.
The deal sees Gibraltar establish a customs union with the EU and remain connected to the Schengen Area. Aligning with the EU customs union eliminates all customs duties on goods passing between Gibraltar and Spain.
Reacting to the news, Best for Britain’s Director of Policy and Research Tom Brufatto said:
“With a new UK Prime Minister set to take office in the coming days, it’s a pertinent reminder of the crucial importance of our European friends and partners, and the need to ensure UK-EU relations are top of Andy Burnham’s in-tray.”
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Last week, Sir Adrian Hill from the University of Oxford won the European Inventor of the Year award. Adrian and his team developed the R21/Matrix-M malaria vaccine, which achieved around 75–80% protection in clinical trials, more effective than any other current vaccine against the disease. The jab costs around $4 per dose (less than half the price of other vaccines) and stays stable for up to two years under standard refrigeration, making vaccination programmes viable in remote regions.
Speaking to the BBC about his hopes some two years ago, Sir Adrian said:
“I think during this decade, we can knock half a million deaths a year right down to maybe 200,000 if things go well and then, ultimately, probably next decade will be a really serious attempt at eliminating and eradicating malaria.”
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A very embarrassing showing for the artist formerly known as PM - Liz Truss.
Come Monday, Britain will have a new Prime Minister and an accompanying cabinet to lead us through the rest of summer - and onwards.
June inflation rates are also set to be released alongside the latest quarterly trade stats.
See you next week!
Eliza Snider and Joshua Edwicker
Senior Press Officer and Senior Content Officer
Best for Britain
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