Politics - Thursday, June 18, 2026

Result expected around 3am as Labour’s Greater Manchester mayor hopes a win over Reform UK will help force the prime minister to step aside Polls close in Makerfield byelection as Andy Burnham eyes No 10 Burnham brings in top economists before possible leadership run David Blunkett , the former Labour cabinet minister, has suggested that Keir Starmer should stand down after the Makerfield byelection. In an interview on the BBC’s Newsnight, Blunkett suggested that Starmer standing aside would be the best option for the party regardless of whether Andy Burnham wins tonight or loses. Continue reading...

The Obama Presidential Center's opening ceremony was mocked online after it began with a left-wing land acknowledgment ritual on Chicago's South Side.

Former Rep. Elaine Luria was ambushed on video over her net worth allegedly growing over 2,000% during her four years serving in the U.S. Congress.

While the Iranians suffered substantial losses in the war, they emerged from a confrontation with the world’s most powerful military having proved they can use economic chaos as a weapon.

Labour’s Greater Manchester mayor predicted to beat Reform but Keir Starmer is unlikely to easily step aside Makerfield byelection – latest updates Polls have closed in Makerfield, Aberdeen South, and Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, with the result in the north-west of England constituency byelection poised to decide the future of UK politics. The population of Makerfield , a constituency sitting just outside Wigan, has found itself at the centre of the British political world in recent weeks after Andy Burnham quit as mayor of Greater Manchester to contest the seat that he hoped would lead him not only to Westminster, but to the front door of 10 Downing Street. Continue reading...

Democrats including Biden, Harris, Pelosi and Gavin Newsom accepted millions from employees at firms the Pentagon designated as Chinese military firms.

A new poll finds voters now view Big Tech as a greater threat than Big Government, a 28-point reversal since 2019, as AI integrates into daily life.

Labour mayor giving advisory roles to ex-Bank of England economist and others seen as attempt to reassure markets Makerfield byelection – latest updates Three economic heavyweights have been brought in to advise Andy Burnham as he attempts to reassure the markets before his possible return to parliament on Friday and challenge to Keir Starmer . Burnham is understood to be getting advice from Andy Haldane, a former Bank of England chief economist, as well as Richard Hughes, a former chair of the Office for Budget Responsibility and Jim O’Neill, a crossbench peer and former Treasury minister who worked on George Osborne’s “Northern Powerhouse”. Continue reading...

Americans split on Iran policy as 39% favor a negotiated settlement and 36% back regime change, according to the Reagan Institute Summer Survey.

US defence secretary addresses allies in latest attempt to get Europe to raise military budgets Pete Hegseth has announced a review of the US military presence across Europe, in a combative address to Nato allies where he threatened to cut force numbers in countries spending the least on defence. The US defence secretary, speaking at a meeting of Nato defence ministers in Brussels, accused some countries of “free riding” and others of being shameful for not allowing their airbases to be used by US jets bombing Iran in the spring. Continue reading...