Andy Burnham: ‘Nigel Farage could become PM – this is how Labour can stop him’

Published

2 months ago

June 5, 2025

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Nigel Farage could be the next prime minister – but Labour could beat him by connecting with voters more, Greater Manchester’s Labour mayor has told Sky News.

Andy Burnham, talking to Beth Rigby on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast, said the Reform UK leader winning the next election “is in the realms of possibility”.

“But we’ve got to make sure that it doesn’t become a reality,” he said.

“I don’t ever demonstrate complacency as a politician, I will always say it like it is.

“He’s connected with people, maybe not everybody, but he’s connected.”

Asked if he thinks Labour are not connecting with voters at the moment, he said he does not think his party is speaking enough about “working class ambition”.

Mr Burnham said there are “hundreds of thousands” of people in Greater Manchester who are being “held back by their housing situation”.

He said previous generations would have had council housing to “propel them to do amazing things” and if the government can follow up with its promise to build 1.5 million homes “they will really connect with people”.

The mayor said his party has not “spoken properly for quite some time now” to young people and their parents who want alternatives to the university route.

He said Labour has only seemed to care “in some people’s minds” about the university route, which “leaves a disconnect”.

To really come up strong against Mr Farage, Mr Burnham said Labour have “got to really speak to that working class ambition”.

He added: “I think Starmer has got to respond to the changing world that we’re in.”

Politics

US crypto legislation drives $4B surge in stablecoin supply

Published

4 hours ago

July 24, 2025

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US crypto legislation drives B surge in stablecoin supply

Regulatory clarity is opening the door for banks, asset managers, and crypto firms to roll out new stablecoin products.

Politics

ETH core developer testifies in Roman Storm defense as gov’t rests case

Published

8 hours ago

July 24, 2025

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ETH core developer testifies in Roman Storm defense as gov’t rests case

After about two weeks of hearing from US government witnesses, Roman Storm’s legal team called Preston Van Loon to the stand to kick off its defense case.

Politics

France to become first G7 nation to recognise Palestine as a state

Published

8 hours ago

July 24, 2025

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France to become first G7 nation to recognise Palestine as a state

Emmanuel Macron has said France will recognise Palestine as a state later this year.

The French president announced the major change of policy in a letter to the president of the Palestinian Authority, Mahmoud Abbas, which Mr Macron also published online on Thursday evening.

The French leader said he will make the formal announcement at the UN General Assembly, being held in September.

France will become the first G7 member to recognise a Palestinian state.

In his post explaining the decision, Mr Macron called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, the release of the hostages and for much more humanitarian aid to reach those in the territory.

But Israel’s defence minister has called the French decision “a disgrace and a surrender to terrorism”.

The move heaps pressure on France’s allies such as the UK, and Sir Keir Starmer insisted tonight that he is “clear that statehood is the inalienable right of the Palestinian people”.

But the prime minister has resisted calls from within his own party to recognise Palestine immediately, as he views this as part of the peace process in Gaza.

Currently, half of the G20 recognise Palestine as a state, while nations including the UK, US, Germany and others do not.

But pressure has been growing on Sir Keir to change course, with senior Labour figures including the Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan publicly calling for a change in government policy.

Starmer: ‘We are witnessing a humanitarian catastrophe’

Just hours before Mr Macron’s announcement, Sir Keir said he would be holding an “emergency call” with the leaders of France and Germany over what he termed the “humanitarian catastrophe” happening in Gaza.

In some of the firmest language from the government yet, Sir Keir said that “the suffering and starvation unfolding in Gaza is unspeakable and indefensible”.

He went on to say that it has been “grave for some time”, but that it has now “reached new depths and continues to worsen”.

Sir Keir said: “I will hold an emergency call with E3 partners tomorrow, where we will discuss what we can do urgently to stop the killing and get people the food they desperately need while pulling together all the steps necessary to build a lasting peace.”

The PM added that “we all agree” on the need for Israel to “change course and allow aid that is desperately needed to enter Gaza without delay”.

He wrote: “It is hard to see a hopeful future in such dark times. But I must reiterate my call for all sides to engage in good faith, and at pace, to bring about an immediate ceasefire and for Hamas to unconditionally release all hostages.”

Across the globe, more than 140 countries recognise Palestine as a state.

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