Recent articles
July 16, 2026
Liz Truss wheels out a series of C-list ghouls for drab London CPAC event | John Crace
Former 49-day PM helms a Conservative Political Action Conference that’s a far cry from the glitzy US versionLiz Truss has given us all so much in recent years. A mini-budget. A laugh a minute 49 d...
www.theguardian.com
July 15, 2026
At his final PMQs, Starmer soaked up the love from all sides – and even some tenderness from Kemi
It wasn’t his performances on Wednesday lunchtimes that did for the ultimate mid-table PM – it was all the other stuffWho would have thought it? Most of us would have put money on Kemi Badenoch fai...
www.theguardian.com
July 14, 2026
Kemi Badenoch zeros in on Tory MPs who believe in climate crisis – and those who don’t
Despite the party polling at 19%, Conservative leader only wants ideologically sound on board – or rather, those who think the same as herYou have to hand it to Kemi Badenoch. She doesn’t take any ...
www.theguardian.com
July 13, 2026
Tice finally gauges the mood on the death of Ann Widdecombe | John Crace
After a wild attack on the media, Reform’s deputy leader joins other MPs in the Commons offering tributes rather than speculationThis is the third murder of either a sitting or former MP that I’ve ...
www.theguardian.com
July 9, 2026
What a week for Daddy Nige and his dysfunctional Reform family
From Posh George Cottrell to Honest Bob Jenrick and disciple-in-chief Dicky Tice, Farage really does know how to pick ’emWe need to talk about Nigel. Again. Not so much about the £5m gift from a Th...
www.theguardian.com
July 8, 2026
Bin tactics. At times like these, only a Zia perma-rage defence of Nige will do | John Crace
Reform keeps Tice on the bench, sending in attack specialist Yusuf in effort to take back control as byelection stunt unravelsYou can often tell when Reform is running scared and losing control of ...
www.theguardian.com
July 7, 2026
Nige throws the world’s biggest temper tantrum before grand byelection reveal
The Reform leader was determined to fight for the right to receive gifts from Thai crypto billionaires and convicted fraudstersIt’s the heavyweight contest of the year. The Establishment v the Esta...
www.theguardian.com
July 6, 2026
Angela Rayner goes full beige in her push for an Andy Burnham promotion
Angie did her best to not say anything controversial in a presenting gig on LBC. Let’s hope it was a one-offIt’s been quiet. Too quiet. There was a time, not so long ago, when Angela Rayner was bei...
www.theguardian.com
July 5, 2026
It must be bad for Nige and his finances if it’s Honest Bob Jenrick to the rescue | John Crace
‘Nothing to see here,’ says the man who once overruled council planners in favour of Richard ‘Dirty’ DesmondHow unlucky can one man get? You have to feel for Nigel Farage. Why does it keep happenin...
www.theguardian.com
July 2, 2026
Keir Starmer’s on the pitch, he thinks it’s all over … Well, it will be soon | John Crace
Just before being kicked out of No 10, the PM is dreaming of lifting the World Cup for a nation – and political immortalityThe dream lives on. With 15 minutes left against the Democratic Republic o...
www.theguardian.com
July 1, 2026
Starmer gives Burnham a £4.7bn hole in defence spending as a goodwill token | John Crace
The PM bats away criticism from Kemi Badenoch over military funding but leaves behind a headache for his likely successorThe search for the perfect present to welcome Andy Burnham to No 10 has been...
www.theguardian.com
June 30, 2026
Starmer and Reeves launch delayed defence plan with a sense of resigned relief
New defence secretary goes along with £1.5bn addition to spending plan that led to his predecessor’s resignation and Starmer’s in turnStarmer warns Burnham not to borrow to fund defence as he revea...
www.theguardian.com
June 29, 2026
At the People’s History Museum, Burnham gives Labour hope they might just have a future | John Crace
The home crowd swooned to Andy’s mood music, even if some of it could have been a Keir cover versionUK politics live – latest updatesThere’s no pleasing some people. For most of last week, all the ...
www.theguardian.com
June 26, 2026
Digested week: Another PM bites the dust and it’s surprisingly moving | John Crace
Plus, World Cup fever, EU referendum 10th anniversary, feeling the heat in Westminster and cancerHard to believe, but in my 12 and a half years as the Guardian’s political sketch writer, I am about...
www.theguardian.com
June 25, 2026
Andy Thingy with the eyelashes who was once ‘mayor of a town’ hits Westminster | John Crace
Trump gets to grips with ‘extremely liberal’ new kid who’s already roasting Kemi Badenoch on XUK politics live – latest updatesYou know you’ve arrived as the prime minister-in-waiting when even Don...
www.theguardian.com
June 25, 2026
Britain’s six prime ministers since 2016 – ranked!
From Cameron’s Brexit exit to Starmer’s Burnham bow-out, half a dozen PMs have gone. So who’s the best of the bunch?The UK has had six prime ministers in the last 10 years – with a seventh likely t...
www.theguardian.com
June 24, 2026
Graceless Kemi concedes not a croak of kindness for newly liberated Keir | John Crace
It is customary to say something complimentary about a departing PM but the Tory leader couldn’t meet the momentYou learn a lot about a person at a time like this. Not so much about the prime minis...
www.theguardian.com
June 23, 2026
Farage breaks cover at last but finds the £5m question hasn’t gone away | John Crace
A testy Reform UK leader tried to bat off questions about why a gigantic gift to him had anything to do with the publicHappy days. Ten glorious years. Maybe it was the chance to bask in the unmitig...
www.theguardian.com
June 22, 2026
Starmer’s turn at the Podium of Doom sees him depart with good(ish) grace
The PM is another butterfly broken on the wheel of the public gaze, not quite ready to accept his own limitationsUK politics live – latest updatesThey think it’s all over. It is now… It was all don...
www.theguardian.com
June 21, 2026
The business secretary knows about jobs, and seems pretty sure Keir is out of one
Doing the rounds of the Sunday studios, Peter Kyle sounded like someone who knew it would all be over come MondayUK politics – live updatesNot another one. Brenda from Bristol must be doing her nut...
www.theguardian.com
June 19, 2026
Burnham the mystic with a mission is all smiles after Makerfield coronation | John Crace
There would be no more sadness. No more despair. A change was a-coming – and he would work tirelessly to make it happenIn the end, it wasn’t even close, Andy Burnham taking well over 50% of the vot...
www.theguardian.com
June 18, 2026
Truss the saviour exposes ‘Labour’s secret plan’ | John Crace
Totally lacking in self-awareness, ex-PM also appears to be ignorant of something everyone else has known for agesUK politics live – latest updatesIt’s one of the great philosophical questions of o...
www.theguardian.com
June 17, 2026
Starmer’s denial will not save his Labour leadership but he’ll go down fighting
Keir Starmer is a decent man but that is not enough for a party that wants a good communicator. Step forward Andy …On days like these you can’t help feeling you’re living in a parallel universe. Ei...
www.theguardian.com
June 16, 2026
Starmer carries on regardless as G7 leaders ponder question of leaving gift | John Crace
‘I am going to fight on,’ said the PM. Perhaps his delusion was more deep-rooted than the others had fearedShortly before he arrived in Évian at the beginning of the week, Emmanuel Macron set up a ...
www.theguardian.com
June 15, 2026
Reform UK’s Honest Bob makes a stand for the little people like him | John Crace
It fell to Robert Jenrick to announce his party’s plans to lift white British people from the bottom of the pileNow is not a good time to be a white Brit born in this country. Nigel Farage is clear...
www.theguardian.com
June 12, 2026
Digested week: Starmer is trying to carve out his legacy – but it’s not his to write | John Crace
Plus, Brexit at 10, dinner as protest, 100 best novels and not watching the World Cup (yet)We’re approaching the 10-year anniversary of the Brexit referendum. Documentaries are being aired and news...
www.theguardian.com
June 11, 2026
Polite but deadly: John Healey skewers Keir Starmer as he heads for the door | John Crace
The defence secretary’s departure was the wrong resignation at the worst possible time for the prime ministerUK politics live – latest updatesDuring Wednesday’s prime minister’s questions, the defe...
www.theguardian.com
June 10, 2026
Needy Nige becomes publicity averse to give Reform conference Tice’s kiss of death
Reform leader’s unwillingness to answer questions on £5m ‘donation’ leaves Dicky to serve up not-so-special guestsIt’s been 50 days since the last Reform press conference. In Nigel Farage time, th...
www.theguardian.com
June 9, 2026
Search black boys, protect white folk: Kemi vies to out-right the far right | John Crace
When politicians talk ‘common sense’ it’s time to worry; when the Tory leader does, it’s time to be doubly vigilantYou know how it is. You’re a middle class, straight white man in his 60s in A&...
www.theguardian.com
June 8, 2026
Cautious Keir seeks to cement his legacy as he plods towards the exit | John Crace
PM is seeking a few quick wins to guarantee he is remembered for at least a short while after he resignsWhatever you do, don’t mention the L-word. The official line from Downing Street is that Keir...
www.theguardian.com