Why It All Went Wrong For Starmer – And What's To Come With Burnham @siennarodgers.bsky.social reports https://www.politicshome.com/news/article/went-wrong-starmer-come-burnham

This, by @siennarodgers.bsky.social, is characteristically excellent. A highly recommended read.

Team Burnham is increasingly confident that the Manchester mayor will win in Makerfield — then what? @siennarodgers.bsky.social goes inside the final week of campaigning, and explores what comes next: When Burnham pulls the trigger on replacing Starmer, and the figures who could serve in his No 10

"I’ve got no time for conversations about rejoining the EU, and I don’t think my constituents do either" DCMS minister Steph Peacock talks to The House mag's @siennarodgers.bsky.social about tourist tax controversy, tackling short-term holiday lets, and revisiting Brexit

Andy Burnham has told The House mag he's "not going to hold back" on "early change" to the Lords Speaking to @siennarodgers.bsky.social in Makerfield, the Labour candidate – who wants to replace Starmer in No 10 – said Upper Chamber reform was the "first place to look" to "cut the cost of politics"

The Greens are diverting campaign resources to outer London in the latest sign of their growing optimism ahead of the May elections Despite it not being seen as natural territory for the Greens, Zack Polanski's party is confident that it can make gains in Bromley, @siennarodgers.bsky.social reports

"I’m my own person... I’ve made it my job to try and build a new relationship” Ex-submarine commander turned independent chief inspector of borders and immigration John Tuckett tells @siennarodgers.bsky.social he is resetting the watchdog’s relationship with the Home Office after years of tension

“I did argue I was simply putting forward what we’d done in opposition. I was told, ‘But it’s all different. We’re in government now’” Lord Dubs talks to @siennarodgers.bsky.social about Labour’s saddening immigration policy, rejoining the EU, and why Starmer must step out of his advisers’ shadow

NEW: Alf Dubs, Kindertransport refugee & Labour peer, says he — had more success on immigration policy under Tories than he does now — hasn’t met w Mahmood whereas Tory home secs used to invite him to meet — agrees w Rayner: immigration changes are “unBritish” www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Labour MP Sonia Kumar tells The House magazine's @siennarodgers.bsky.social about travelling to Ukraine with a team of British clinicians to train local therapists, helping injured soldiers recover faster "The hospitality of Ukrainians was second to none"

Colleague @siennarodgers.bsky.social reprises her role as Labour-faction-chronicler-in-chief to look at how the party’s future could be determined by an arm wrestle between two organisers called Luke Akehurst (Labour First, right of party) vs Hurst (Mainstream, soft left)

Two internal players called Luke are battling to claim Labour’s mainstream. The outcome of their rivalry will shape the future of the party – and possibly the country, reports @siennarodgers.bsky.social

Vital interview from my colleague @siennarodgers.bsky.social, an an absolute must read www.politicshome.com/news/article...

NEW: My interview with Green leader Zack Polanski • He's been speaking to a “handful” of Labour MPs about defecting to the Greens • Explains why he criticised Corbyn for Labour antisemitism but doesn't now • His plans to run for Parliament & lots more 👇 www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Here’s our latest cover interivew: Zack Polanski talks to @siennarodgers.bsky.social about the byelection success, Zionism and Labour defections www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Trump is no ally and there can be no special relationship, Zack Polanski has said Speaking to @siennarodgers.bsky.social in the wake of US & Israeli attacks on Iran, Polanski said Russia was “looking to advance its imperialism”, before adding: “I believe the same behaviour is coming from the US"

Great piece by @siennarodgers.bsky.social and @zoecrowther.bsky.social on how Wes Streeting runs his department One Streeting ally: “We do need politicians to be good at politics. If a perm sec were good at politics, that would be a problem – but for a secretary of state, that’s a good thing!”

Fascinating interview by @siennamarla with Reform UK's Danny Kruger - who (among other things) tells her political parties have a "limited but important" role in undoing the sexual revolution and UK is suffering from a "totally unregulated sexual economy". www.politicshome.com/news/article...

As first reported by top colleague @siennarodgers.bsky.social for PolHome way back in September last year!

This week's episode of The Rundown is such a great conversation about the student loan debate ft @theifs.bsky.social's Kate Ogden, the @smfthinktank.bsky.social's Dani Payne, Labour MP @chriscurtis94.bsky.social and colleague @siennarodgers.bsky.social Hosted by @alaintolhurst.bsky.social

Throwback to my exclusive from back in September – Labour peer Lord Glasman issued a warning to No 10 about Lord Mandelson's "unwise" appointment: www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Steve Wright, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union, has declared that Starmer’s government “needs to start delivering for working people” He told @siennarodgers.bsky.social that the PM was on his "last chance" and that all 11 affiliated unions could call on him to go after the May elections

“I also think it’s very dangerous to underestimate Keir Starmer... “I think this guy deserves a bit more admiration and respect than perhaps he’s been given by some quarters" Justice minister Jake Richards talks to The House Magazine's @siennarodgers.bsky.social

It’s the problem that Westminster dares not talk about. But is SW1 finally waking up to the birth rate crisis? As Zack Polanski wonders who will wipe our bums, I reveal that Reform UK is putting this issue at the centre of its policymaking www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Full interview with Andrea Egan, the Unison gen sec challenger who’s confident of winning — Rayner, Burnham, Streeting + disaffiliation — Children’s homes + grooming gangs — She would not be comfortable with the union representing a member like Sandie Peggie www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Full interview with Christina McAnea, the Unison gen sec fighting for a second term — Frustrations with Labour govt — Rows with Streeting — Call for new legislation on trans rights — Govt will remove turnout threshold for industrial action ballots www.politicshome.com/news/article...

NEW: My report on the Unison general secretary race that could see the PM lose a major ally Both sides fancy their chances of winning This time, the insurgents have a key advantage: unity 👇 www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Rachel Reeves's "headroom" is based on: -£16bn in 'efficiency savings' -£6bn in savings in order to fund taking SEND off local government backs -tax rises that largely come in at the end of the forecast -immigration being at c340k net in 2029!

Chaos has engulfed the first 24 hours of the inaugural 'Your Party' conference in Liverpool, with Zarah Sultana boycotting the first day of the event, Jeremy Corbyn facing "witch-hunt" allegations, and an entryism row @siennarodgers.bsky.social & @tomscotson.bsky.social report from Merseyside

No 'Your Party' MP will be allowed to be its leader under rules voted for by members at its Liverpool conference on Sunday The party membership has approved 'collective leadership', which rules out both Jeremy Corbyn and Zarah Sultana leading it, reports @siennarodgers.bsky.social

‘Your Party’ Could Be Led By Ordinary Members With MPs Barred From Running www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Labour moving rightwards on immigration is a “huge mistake”, Unison boss Christina McAnea tells @siennarodgers.bsky.social "They'll just annoy and put off loads of voters. I don't know what they think they're offering by doing this," said McAnea, who is campaigning to be re-elected as gen sec

Andrea Egan, the Unison general secretary candidate who is hoping to oust incumbent Christina McAnea, has described Rachel Reeves’ performance in No 11 so far as “appalling” "It's clear they're not connected to working people," she told @siennarodgers.bsky.social

NEW: Inside the Corbyn-Sultana power struggle — upcoming Corbyn v Sultana leadership race (+ ‘plague on all your houses’ candidate?) — Jamie Driscoll + Adnan Hussain bow out — ambition for conference reduced — plan for the party’s name & more 👇 www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Labour MPs say Wes Streeting's stock has risen within the party after extraordinary No 10 briefings against him on Tuesday night "They've managed to create a situation where Wes is the victim/the adult in the room" report @siennarodgers.bsky.social and @adampayne26.bsky.social

🤯🤯 The definitive Your Party weekend read from @siennarodgers.bsky.social www.politicshome.com/news/article...

EXCL: £800k raised in Your Party launch has not yet been transferred to YP Zarah Sultana is being accused by YP sources of delaying the transfer for political advantage Sources close to her deny this & say her request for access to documents is reasonable 👇 www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Zarah Sultana is being accused of failing to transfer money to Your Party as agreed with Jeremy Corbyn and the other directors Sources close to Sultana denied that she is delaying the transfer for any politically motivated reasons, reports @siennarodgers.bsky.social

“The Prime Minister needs to lead that national conversation” Defence Committee chair @tandhesi.bsky.social tells @siennarodgers.bsky.social that the UK is ‘not in a state of readiness’ for war – and the government should've listened on a new homeland security minister

EXCL: Interview with Lord Glasman, who says • AI = job losses but that’s good • Zelensky’s Ukraine is corrupt • Muslims should protect Jews outside synagogues • Farage ‘not our enemy’ & is holding back racists to his right + defends talks w Peter Thiel www.politicshome.com/news/article...

My interview with rising star Katie Lam “If you take something like asylum, the whole concept of asylum – it’s a 20th-and-before-century idea for a 21st-century world,” she says + her upbringing, ambitions & struggle to hand back the mic 👇 www.politicshome.com/news/article...

My interview with Tory whip Rebecca Paul “The NHS saved my life, without a doubt. If they hadn’t discovered it at the point they had, I doubt I would have made it to 20” The health struggles she's never talked about publicly before & lots more 👇 www.politicshome.com/news/article...

NEW: My interview with Nick Timothy “The way our time in government ended, and in particular the way the promise of controlled and vastly reduced immigration was broken… was absolutely disgusting” + No 10 years, culture wars, free speech, burqa ban 👇 www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Can Keir Starmer and Morgan McSweeney survive much longer? Increasingly, Labour insiders from across the party think not, reports @siennarodgers.bsky.social, as Labour conference gets underway in Liverpool “I don’t see much difference between the end of Morgan and the end of the administration"

“If it was Wes, would it be more of the same?” Mick Whelan, outgoing general secretary of Aslef and chair of Labour Unions, talks to @siennarodgers.bsky.social about the state of the Labour Party, its future leadership and being ‘terrified’ of retirement

Fun interview with Mick Whelan by @siennarodgers.bsky.social www.politicshome.com/news/article...

EXCL: “I’m not somebody who peaks on day one” As Tory conference prepares to get underway, Tory leader Kemi Badenoch talks to @siennarodgers.bsky.social about being "proved right" on culture wars, hits back at briefings against her, and reveals the limits she has put on her screentime

👯 Liberal Democrat MP @paulkohlersw19.bsky.social meets @sophiealichurch.bsky.social and @siennarodgers.bsky.social in his Covent Garden cabaret bar 👇 They talk about running a business, meeting Nigel Farage and the violent attack he endured

EXCL: Kemi Badenoch tells me: • Reform let Starmer off the hook by announcing defector amid Mandelson scandal • Farage defence of Mandelson's Epstein links was “wrong” • More defections? “I will not even allow myself to start worrying about that” www.politicshome.com/news/article...

Labour left candidate for the deputy leadership, Bell Ribeiro-Addy, tells @siennarodgers.bsky.social she is “not confident at all” about being able to reach the required number of MP nominations to proceed in the contest www.politicshome.com/news/article...