As it happened: UK borrowing costs rattled by Burnham’s Parliament bid May 15, 2026 Welcome back to the City PM liveblog. Andy Burnham has made his move – and it has left markets on edge. On Thursday evening, after markets had closed, a Labour MP sensationally announced their intention to stand aside to allow Burnham to make his way back into Parliament. And this morning it’s left gilt yields [...]
As it happened: Markets on high alert as Streeting calls on Starmer to resign May 14, 2026 Welcome back to the City PM liveblog. The past few days of political drama have to come to a head today and UK assets are bracing for a showdown. All eyes were on the bond market after Wes Streeting resigned as health secretary and called for a leadership contest. Gilt yields see-sawed yesterday as Sir [...]
Andy Burnham confirms Westminster run as Wes Streeting resigns from government May 14, 2026 Andy Burnham has declared his intention to stand in a by-election after a sitting Labour MP quit to make way for him. The current Mayor of Manchester will seek permission from Labour’s ruling body to stand in the Makerfield constituency after Josh Simons announced he would vacate the seat. In a statement, Burnham said: “Millions [...]
Reeves sends Labour MPs warning over bond market wrath May 14, 2026 Chancellor Rachel Reeves has sent anxious Labour backbenchers a stark warning on the wrath of bond markets in a bold intervention. After walking into Downing Street on Thursday morning, the Chancellor told the BBC that leadership battles risked “plunging the country into chaos”. She demanded that backbenchers maintained support for the Prime Minister as she [...]
The King’s Speech was overshadowed by the Westminster clown show May 14, 2026 Put the current political chaos from your mind for a moment and imagine that Keir Starmer wasn’t under threat. Imagine a version of the Prime Minister – still unpopular and still struggling to engineer economic growth – but at least with the full backing of his cabinet and MPs. Under such circumstances, yesterday’s King’s Speech [...]
Starmer to face challenge from Streeting May 13, 2026 Sir Keir Starmer is set to face an imminent leadership challenge from health secretary Wes Streeting, according to reports, as Labour’s infighting explodes into open war. The Prime Minister attempted to use the King’s Speech – setting out his legislative agenda for the year ahead – to regain the initiative, promising “radical change.” But minutes [...]
Pension fund snaps up cut-price government bonds amid Starmer sell-off May 13, 2026 One of the UK’s largest pension funds has jumped on the turmoil that speculation over Keir Starmer’s future has unleashed on the gilt market, scooping up government bonds at multi-decade low valuations. Standard Life has added to its holding of UK government debt, City PM understands, seizing on a sharp dip in the of the [...]
Life after Starmer: What could a new Labour prime minister mean for your money? May 12, 2026 It could soon be time to face the music for Keir Starmer after dozens of MPs called for the Prime Minister to throw in the towel, which could unleash months of speculation and uncertainty. Leading frontrunners for the top job include the Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, former deputy PM Angela Rayner and health secretary Wes [...]
Cabinet ministers urge Starmer to set path for succession May 11, 2026 Keir Starmer’s Downing Street operation was plunged into a full-blown crisis on Monday, after three cabinet ministers urged him to set a timeline for his resignation despite the robust defence of his premiership he launched in a make-or-break stump speech earlier in the day. Speculation over the future of his government reached fever pitch into [...]
NHS gives Palantir wider access to patient data amid growing backlash May 11, 2026 NHS England has expanded access to sensitive patient data for external contractors working on its controversial Palantir-backed data. The move has sparked concerns over privacy for such sensitive data, and the growing influence of American Big Techs inside the UK’s health service. According to the Financial Times, internal briefing documents show NHS officials approved new [...]