NEW: Downing Street confirms that Keir Starmer will *not* stand down as an MP after leaving No 10, and will serve out the remainder of his term in the Commons.

NEW: I'm told Andy Burnham has now held talks with Keir Starmer for first time since before Makerfield by-election. No 10 sources confirms PM & likely successor had hour-long "off site" meeting earlier. Burnham can now start receiving civil service briefings asap to help with transition.

🚨 Our latest podcast: Keir Starmer resigns: what now? @kiranstacey.bsky.social & I discuss: - How Starmer reached his decision to stand down - Why a coronation is more likely rather than contest - What Andy Burnham will do first And loads more... www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

⏰On timing of handover of power: - Labour opens nominations on July 19, allowing process (including in-person PLP hustings) to complete by July 16 - if a contest then new leader will be in place by Sept 1 - if no contest - and Burnham is unchallenged - he'd take over on July 17/18

BREAKING: Keir Starmer announces he will stand down as PM after days of intense pressure from Labour MPs, kicking off process of UK installing 7th leader in decade.

The lectern has now been brought outside No 10 for Keir Starmer to make his announcement

What we know this morning 👇 Cabinet ministers expect Keir Starmer expected to announce timetable for his departure today, clearing way for Andy Burnham to become PM w/o contest.

EXCL: Nigel Farage has been trying to block Bank of England cryptocurrency plan that could be costly for billionaire bankrolling his party. Cracking tale from @tomburgis.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

From me last night on Andy Burnham campaign 👇 ** They've has been forced to talk ministers out of resigning as early as this weekend to avoid Keir Starmer’s government descending into chaos. “If they’re trying to force Keir’s hand with a kamikaze approach it will ultimately be counterproductive”.

🚨 How will the under-16s social media ban work? And how will @kiranstacey.bsky.social & I tell our kids 😱 For all the latest on this - plus how Team Starmer is preparing for a potential Andy Burnham win in Makerfield, have a listen to our latest #PoliticsWeekly www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

🚨Is Keir Starmer in his ‘legacy’ era? In latest #PoliticsWeekly podcast @kiranstacey.bsky.social & I discuss PM’s plans for 📱social media ban for under 16s 💷billions extra for defence spending 🇪🇺 next EU reset summit And ask is this a reset - or end of an era? www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

EXCL: Huge tranche of Mandelson files being published on Monday shows no record of national security mitigations before he started in Washington. Security officials were sufficiently concerned they recommended he was denied clearance - but sources say Mandelson was *not* asked to take mitigations.

Britain risks financial hit worth £125bn a year from worsening crisis in youth worklessness after rise in number of young people not in employment or education to more than one million. Full story 👇 www.theguardian.com/business/202...

We're 🅻🅸🆅🅴 at 9:15PM on YouTube👇 Tonight Robert Peston and Pippa Crerar will be joined by: 🔵Jacob Rees-Mogg 🌹@miattafahnbulleh.bsky.social 💼Justin King 📚@Rachel_deSouza #Peston www.youtube.com/live/PyZ5wGQ...

EXCL: Peter Mandelson’s associations with senior figures in China, Russia and Israel were among concerns raised by the UK’s vetting agency when it concluded he should be denied clearance, sources tell Paul Lewis, me & @direthoughts.com www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

We are 🅻🅸🆅🅴 on YouTube at 9PM👇 youtube.com/live/mC-iACm... Joining @peston.bsky.social and @pippacrerar.bsky.social tonight: 💼 Pat McFadden MP 🌹 @jessphillipsmp.bsky.social ➡️ Richard Tice MP 🗣️ Lee Cain #Peston

EXCL: Andy Burnham is backing Shabana Mahmood’s controversial changes to immigration system, allies have said, in blow to those in Labour who would soften them. GM mayor is understood to be keen to reframe changes - but is supportive of home sec’s attempts to limit legal & illegal migration.

BREAKING: Andy Burnham now has a route back to parliament after Josh Simons, MP for Makerfield announced he would stand down, triggering a byelection, and putting the Greater Manchester mayor in contention to become the next Labour leader.

BREAKING: Wes Streeting quits as health secretary

BREAKING: Reform UK leader Nigel Farage bought £1.4m house in cash shortly after receiving £5m personal gift from crypto-billionaire Christopher Harborne. Reform says the "offer and process" of buying the property commenced before gift. Intriguing story by @alifortescuenews.bsky.social

Thursday’s @theguardian.com front page: Streeting on manoeuvres ready to launch leadership challenge today www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

NEW: A second investigation into Nigel Farage could be on the cards - I'm told the Electoral Commission has told the Tories they are still looking at their complaint and will come back by the end of this week.

BREAKING: Nigel Farage is facing a formal investigation by the parliamentary standards watchdog over a £5m gift from the crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne, which he did not declare.

💥 We're also hearing that Wes Streeting is preparing to quit as health secretary and could mount formal challenge for leadership as early as tomorrow - as per @breeallegretti.bsky.social & @patrickmaguire.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Wednesday’s @theguardian.com front page: Starmer sees off threat for now as Streeting challenge fails to emerge www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

One v under-discussed area in all leadership speculation is *policy* - what Keir Starmer's should be, and what his potential successors might do. So it's interesting that Labour groups linked to Wes Streeting and Andy Burnham are proposing big changes 👇 www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Zack Polanski has admitted he may have failed to pay correct council tax while living on London houseboat. Green leader faced mounting questions over whether it was primary residence. Spox described it as “unintentional mistake” - and Polanski had “immediately taken steps” to pay any tax owed.

NEW: Keir Starmer tells cabinet he’s staying put. “I take responsibility for these election results and I take responsibility for delivering the change we promised. “The past 48 hours have been destabilising for government and that has a real economic cost for our country and for families”.

First ministerial resignation - though perhaps not the most surprising one. Pressure on Starmer continues this morning 👇

It’s notable that yesterday majority of cabinet ministers *did not* offer statements of support for PM (apart from those on media round). Their actions this morning could determine whether Starmer survives. Among other factors, they will be considering:

NEW: Darren Jones, sent out to bat for No 10 on media this morning, is asked if Keir Starmer is considering setting out a timetable to stand down. "He's listening to colleagues and he's talking to colleagues. I can't get ahead of any decision he might take,” he tells @TimesRadio

Tuesday’s @theguardian.com front page: Starmer hanging by a thread as cabinet big guns urge him to quit www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

🚨Our latest podcast: How a dramatic day unfolded for Keir Starmer's leadership @kiranstacey & I on: PM's big speech - fighting for his political survival - & how it went down with Labour MPs How Starmer was determined to fight on - but some Labour figures predict he *won't* run in l'ship contest

NEW: Labour MP Catherine West tells @BethRigby she'll write to colleagues to gauge support for a leadership contest but will not stand as a candidate. "It's asking for support for the timetable - not for me as a candidate - which tests the temperature in Parliament among Labour MPs".

Keir Starmer has said he'll prove doubters wrong as he warns Labour is facing “very dangerous opponents” in make-or-break speech, with leadership rivals on brink of challenge. PM said he'd fight any leadership challenge and not walk away from his responsibilities www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Monday’s @theguardian.com front page: Labour leadership rivals circle as Starmer tries to cling to power theguardian.com/politics/2026/…

ANALYSIS: The Tories are still on life support – so why is Kemi Badenoch in celebratory mood? Amid all the Labour leadership frenzy, if you’re wondering what’s going on with the Tories - read this great piece by @lexytopping.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Apps, activists and an ‘air war’: Essex campaign is test of Reform UK’s professionalisation - @benquinn75.bsky.social writes www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

NEW: Cabinet ministers have told mutinous Labour MPs any attempt to oust Keir Starmer after elections would unleash chaos for party not easily overcome. But several said that even with PM’s determination to stay in No 10, backbench mood was febrile and events could yet spiral out of control.

NEW: Labour MPs are calling for end to “endless drama” of leadership speculation, with some warning that repeated briefings about toppling Keir Starmer are putting off voters, @peterwalker99.bsky.social reports.

Lucy Powell warns there's “no magic bullet” to solve Labour’s problems as MPs grapple with how to navigate election fallout. She declines to say if Keir Starmer is right person to lead party. “I’m not going to get into that." By @jessicaelgot.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Tension and dissent: inside the Green party’s antisemitism struggle - thoughtful read by @benquinn75.bsky.social & @peterwalker99.bsky.social www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

EXCL: Reform UK’s leading figures have repeatedly promoted new pothole-fixing machine by construction company JCB, while party received £200,000 from British digger maker @rowenamason.bsky.social reveals www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

🚨 What will next week’s local and devolved elections bring? For our latest #PoliticsWeekly podcast I speak to elections expert @robfordmancs.bsky.social about what it all means 👇 www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

EXCL: Andy Burnham has credible plan to return to Westminster “within weeks” with mayor expected to use byelection fight to set out new agenda for govt, allies say. Burnham, blocked by NEC from running in Gorton & Denton, has identified seats where MPs are prepared to step aside.

🚨 What will next week’s local and devolved elections bring? For our latest #PoliticsWeekly podcast I speak to elections expert @robfordmancs.bsky.social about what it all means 👇 www.theguardian.com/politics/aud...

BREAKING: UK increases threat level from substantial to severe following Golders Green terror attack, meaning an attack is highly likely in next six months.

Important from Met Police commissioner Mark Rowley 👇

EXCL: Nigel Farage was given an undisclosed £5m by crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne shortly before announcing he would stand in general election @annaisaac.bsky.social reveals www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Wednesday’s @theguardian.com front page: Charles hails alliance of US and Britain in age of division www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2026...