James Heale

‘He’s either the Messiah – or the Antichrist’: on the campaign trail with Nigel Farage

1 August 2026 9:00 am

‘We love you, Nigel!’ In Clacton-on-Sea, there is little sign that the Reform leader’s star has waned. Campaigning with Farage…

How Reform and the Tories plan to fight Andy Burnham

25 July 2026 9:00 am

Kemi Badenoch was in an upbeat mood when she addressed her troops last week. ‘This time last year,’ she said…

Grant Shapps misses out on Tory selection 

23 July 2026 6:05 am

The Tories are stepping up their seat selections, amid increased speculation that a new Prime Minister will mean an early…

Is Andy Burnham really committed to devolving power?

23 July 2026 3:44 am

Andy Burnham’s third day in office tells us much about the man. This morning he unveiled his latest proposal to…

Jordan Bardella to headline Reform conference

22 July 2026 1:52 am

Nigel Farage has always been keen to emphasise his status as a global figure. Whether it is his friendships with…

John Healey is a clever choice for Chancellor

21 July 2026 5:02 am

One of the key traits of a successful politician is the capacity to surprise. Andy Burnham has proved he has…

Burnham is trying to do a Brown

19 July 2026 5:37 pm

Tomorrow, Andy Burnham will become Britain’s 59th Prime Minister. The team around him has been strikingly circumspect when it comes…

Neil O’Brien: ‘This is a radically different party’

18 July 2026 11:03 pm

No one quite yet knows what Andy Burnham will be like as Prime Minister. But a preview of the coming…

The coming battle between ‘Mr Brexit’ and the ‘King of the North’

18 July 2026 3:45 am

It was Napoleon who said that ‘To understand the man you have to know what was happening in the world…

Lib Dems plot their own think tank

17 July 2026 8:48 pm

For almost a century, first the Liberals and now the Liberal Democrats have had to consign themselves to being the…

Lineker’s Burnham chat told us nothing

16 July 2026 5:31 am

On the terrace of parliament, only two stories dominate this evening. The first is the end of Keir Starmer, who…

farage

Inside Reform’s fightback

15 July 2026 7:23 pm

It has been a difficult time for Reform. A kind of malaise has hung about the party since the local…

Counter terrorism police investigate Widdecombe murder

13 July 2026 11:58 pm

The investigation into Ann Widdecombe’s death continues to astound. Counter terrorism police have now taken the lead on the probe…

Labour politicians make the pilgrimage to St Andy

11 July 2026 9:00 am

Warm wine, small talk and curling canapés have long defined the Westminster summer scene. But regime change has added a…

Farage resigns to fight Clacton by-election

8 July 2026 1:09 am

Nigel Farage has announced he is resigning from the House of Commons to fight a by-election in Clacton. In a…

Burnham’s LBC interview told us nothing new

3 July 2026 6:36 am

With less than three weeks to go until he enters No. 10, Andy Burnham has adopted a ‘Ming vase’ approach…

Burnham’s chancellor could decide his fate

2 July 2026 2:09 am

War! What is it good for? A ding-dong political row. The Defence Investment Plan (DIP) continues to dominate Westminster, following its…

Badenoch attacks Starmer over defence at PMQs

1 July 2026 11:59 pm

At today’s Prime Ministers’ Questions there was only one subject anyone was discussing. The Defence Investment Plan is supposed to…

Does anyone want what Burnham is promising?

29 June 2026 11:06 pm

This morning Andy Burnham has set out his devolution agenda for government. At the People’s History Museum in Manchester, the…

Burnham wins Makerfield by a landslide

19 June 2026 3:14 pm

In the end, it was not even close. Andy Burnham has won the Makerfield by-election by a landslide, putting him…

Starmer loses another defence minister

12 June 2026 7:31 am

To lose one defence minister might be regarded as misfortune; to lose two looks like carelessness. Al Carns has followed…

How Reform is preparing for a snap election

12 June 2026 1:41 am

As the Labour government continues to tear itself apart, Thursday 18 June has assumed a much greater significance than any…

Inside the new Conservative Headquarters

11 June 2026 8:01 pm

The great and the good of the Conservative party turned out last night to mark the opening of the new…

James Murray is facing his first big test

28 May 2026 3:37 am

James Murray, who replaced Wes Streeting as health secretary 13 days ago, is facing a fresh round of strikes by…

Farage’s plan to win over the left

16 May 2026 9:00 am

The loudest man in politics knows when to keep his silence. Nigel Farage held his tongue on Monday as Keir…