Burnham ally to unveil ambitious plan to reverse decades of privatisation
Posted on Sunday June 21, 2026

Exclusive: Productive State policy paper envisages state regaining control of basics to make life affordable, in fleshing out of Manchesterism

Andy Burnham’s government should reverse 40 years of privatisation with a long-term plan to take over failing utilities in administration, issuing “bonds for shares” and setting up state competitors, according to a new blueprint for “Manchesterism”.

The policy paper – The Productive State – is released on Monday as Burnham arrives in Westminster to be sworn in as the MP for Makerfield. He widely expected to seek to enter No 10 to replace Keir Starmer in a matter of weeks.

Read more...

Revealed: Brexit voting areas have seen faster growth in foreign workers since EU referendum
Posted on Saturday June 20, 2026

Guardian investigation also finds same areas experienced relative decline over same period

Leave-voting areas have seen faster relative growth in foreign workers since the Brexit referendum, a Guardian investigation has found.

Data analysis suggests that the decade since the Brexit vote may not have matched the expectations of many Leave supporters, showing their local areas have also become relatively more deprived over the same period.

Read more...

Trump hails Iran deal but conflict continues to cast long shadow over global economy
Posted on Sunday June 21, 2026

As the price of crude oil falls governments are counting the costs of the war in the Middle East

Hailing his Iran deal this week amid the excess of Versailles, Donald Trump urged sceptics to take Wall Street’s word for its success. “There is nothing as smart as the market – and the market loves it,” he said, claiming credit for ending the economic chaos that had kicked off when he started bombing Iran in late February. Without the agreement, he said, “the alternative would be a worldwide depression”.

By the weekend, the outlook was less optimistic after planned US-Iran peace talks in Switzerland were abruptly called off, then reinstated, and Iran said Israeli bombing in Jordan meant it was justified in closing the strait of Hormuz again. Still, hopes persist that the sea passage carrying about 20% of the world’s oil supplies will reopen fully in the coming days and weeks.

Read more...

How Europe’s EV makers shrank their product to challenge the bloated SUVs
Posted on Sunday June 21, 2026

Smaller, cheaper cars built for narrow city streets are becoming more stylish – but require careful design decisions

The winding backstreets of London, Paris and Rome are a large part of their charm. But they are also a problem for electric carmakers. For a long time, squeezing big batteries into smaller, cheaper cars to fit European streets was too much of a problem, so manufacturers focused on bloated SUVs instead.

But that is finally changing. Battery technology has improved and Europe’s carmakers havecut manufacturing costs enough that they can now sell cars that might have a chance of fitting down a medieval lane or two.

Read more...

A viral doomsday scenario aims to shake Europe out of its AI complacency
Posted on Saturday June 20, 2026

Does a thought-experiment about US ascendancy in the technology say as much about AI jitters as it does about the reality?

It’s 2031 and the US and China are about to tear Europe into pieces.

The US ploughed vast sums into datacentres and the EU did not. China built robots and Europe did not. American companies “restructured” their workflows around AI and fired people, while EU workers went on long lunch breaks and handed over administrative tasks to the AI model Claude.

Read more...

Key Trump allies and Musk on leaked list for secretive Peter Thiel retreat
Posted on Saturday June 20, 2026

Figures including Jared Kushner and Scott Bessent named in directory of Dialog participants that was exposed online

A website leak has exposed participants in the secretive, Peter Thiel-founded Dialog retreats which includes top politicians from across the American divide, officials from foreign countries, other titans of the tech industry world and prominent media figures.

The annual Dialog retreats, which have been compared to other quasi-secret elite conferences like the Bilderberg Group and Bohemian Grove since they began in 2006, have had some participants revealed in previous media reports. Fairly little is known about the invitation-only event, which is usually held at luxury establishments around the world and features organized discussions on global affairs.

Read more...

Belgium v Iran: World Cup 2026 – live
Posted on Sunday June 21, 2026

⚽️ Kick-off: 12pm local time/8pm BST/5am (Mon) AEST
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Email Daniel

Hayes is working tonight and so is Roy Keane – a happy chance, given the Father’s Day card my buddy Tinny received this morning.

In the UK, the undoubted star has been the wonderful Emma Hayes. I remember the first time I heard her co-commentate, many years ago now on BBC radio. Her ability to identify what sets the pattern of a match, simplifying complex tactical plans without being patronising, but making clear she’s the expert and compelling us to listen, is unique.

Read more...

Uruguay v Cape Verde: World Cup 2026 – live
Posted on Sunday June 21, 2026

⚽️ Kick-off: 6pm local time/11pm BST/8am (Mon) AEST
⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology | Golden Boot | Email Beau

Beau will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s what to know about Uruguay and Cape Verde before they meet in a few hours in Miami.

Uruguay

Read more...