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Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor
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Kate Devlin, Whitehall Editor
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Whisper it, but is Andy Burnham becoming what Napoleon would have termed a ‘lucky general’?
With just over a week to go before he is expected to suceed Keir Starmer, today’s IMF report shows some good news at last for the UK economy.
Inflation is set to ease more quickly than expected, as the global economic shock from the conflict in the Middle East turns out, so far anyway, to be “better than feared”.
The economy is also set to grow by 1% in 2026, up from the 0.2 percentage points the IMF forecast in April.
At the same time, Reform UK leader Nigel Farage faces a summer of “arguing with a bin” after everyone announced they would boycott his Clacton by-election except Count Binface.
Some might say that all the incoming prime minister needs now is an England victory in the World Cup.
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Europe: The Way Back | Wednesday
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Join our political experts as they explore how Britain can rebuild its future in Europe. Sign up now
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Political editor David Maddox says Nigel Farage has failed to learn lessons from history – and it could result in career-ending embarrassment for the Reform UK leader
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Farage's 'quit-and-reapply' stunt was intended to prove himself as the anti-establishment underdog, but all he’s really done is highlight the holes in his own illusion, say ex-Whitehall insiders Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson.
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Further thoughts on Nigel Farage
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John Rentoul, Chief Political Commentator
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John Rentoul, Chief Political Commentator
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In our editorial yesterday, The Independent said that Nigel Farage's "stunt" in forcing a by-election in his Clacton constituency was a desperate attempt to distract from legitimate questions about his finances.
I think it is true that soft Reform voters might be put off by the vast sums of money involved, and Farage's attempted secrecy about them.
But I also think the by-election will work well for Farage in reinforcing his core vote. Reform's opponents are gleeful that the main parties will not stand, making the election look "fake" as Kemi Badenoch called it.
Even so, enthusiastic Reform supporters will say with some justification that their opponents are refusing to stand because they know they would be beaten.
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For the best insider stories and behind-the-scenes gossip from Westminster, sign up for my weekly Commons Confidential newsletter, available exclusively to Independent Premium subscribers.
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‘The welfare state needs tough love’: Readers clash over cuts
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Writing for The Independent, James Kirkup argued that Andy Burnham, if he becomes prime minister, will have to find a way to cut spending on welfare and pensions without doing lasting political or economic damage.
Here’s what you had to say:
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Our main problem is that we have a significant number of people who, for whatever spurious reason, have chosen a life of avoiding work, and this is now their preferred lifestyle.
I have to wonder, as a former business owner, who would hire someone like this who has no self-motivation or ambition? Ironically, legal immigrants are at the opposite end of the enthusiasm spectrum.
Frankie
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Lose the triple lock on pensions? That would be a good way for Labour to lose the next election. UK state pensions are already lower than pensions elsewhere, and a single person living on it can be said to be living in poverty. Pensioners make up a substantial proportion of the UK electorate and won’t easily forgive such a crime. If pensions can’t be increased, then something must be done to reduce pensioners’ living costs. There are options there.
JohnChapman
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What else you need to know
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The real reason Nigel Farage fired himself |
Farage confirmed he will resign as MP for Clacton, forcing a by-election - in which he intends to stand again. The manoeuvre all but guarantees him another summer of headlines, airtime and attention, cutting neatly across Andy Burnham’s attempt to seize the political agenda.
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The real reason Nigel Farage fired himself |
Farage confirmed he will resign as MP for Clacton, forcing a by-election - in which he intends to stand again. The manoeuvre all but guarantees him another summer of headlines, airtime and attention, cutting neatly across Andy Burnham’s attempt to seize the political agenda.
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Latest news headlines from Bulletin: |
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