The press release issued by Buckingham Palace on 20 July 2026.
His Majesty received in audience the Rt Hon Andrew Burnham MP and requested him to form a new Administration. The Rt Hon Andrew Burnham MP accepted The King’s offer and kissed hands upon his appointment as Prime Minister and First Lord of the Treasury.
Ms Marie-France van Heel was also received by His Majesty.
The speech made by Keir Starmer at 10 Downing Street on 20 July 2026.
Today I am here to offer my resignation and close the book on my time as Prime Minister. My work is done.
In six and a half years, I took our party from a historic defeat in 2019, changed it so it was fit to face the country and won a landslide general election victory in 2024.
Since then, it has been the privilege of my life to serve you and this great country as Prime Minister. I am confident that Britain is now stronger and fairer than it was two years ago.
Our economy is stronger. Our public services are on the up, with the biggest fall in waiting times for 17 years. Children are being lifted out of poverty every single day. Immigration is down significantly. Our defence and security are on a far stronger footing. And our international reputation is greatly enhanced.
Yet the thing I will always take away with me, the most humbling aspect of this job, is the front row seat you get to witness the greatest things of this country in action. To see, every day, immeasurable acts of resolve, grit, decency and compassion. From people who serve our country, whether that’s in their regimental colours, NHS scrubs, or simply the millions of people in their communities who volunteer their time and their effort to the ground beneath their feet.
We face a world now where our enemies will stop at nothing to divide us because of our values, our freedom, our decency, and frankly, because of our unflinching resolve towards the brave people of Ukraine. And so under this attack, it is vital that we remember the greatness of the Britain all around us. That while we debate how to fix our problems, there is something we inherit from our country and our character that can give us confidence that we can change our country for the better; that we can create a Britain where every child can go as far as their talent will take them. And we can unite different people under our common flag if we don’t succumb to that division.
So, as I now pass the baton to Andy Burnham, I wish him every success. He has my full support.
And finally, I want to thank once again my family, Vic and our children, my team, all the staff here and across the Labour Party, everyone at Number 10 and across the civil service, and everyone who has supported our efforts along the way.
For all the focus on individuals, politics will always be a team sport. And the changes we’ve delivered for our country and our party belong to everyone who has fought for them. I thank them again today.
And I thank the British people for the opportunity to serve. I go with good grace, I go with a smile, and I go proud of everything that we have achieved. Thank you very much.
The letter sent by Kemi Badenoch, the Leader of the Opposition, to Andy Burnham, the incoming Prime Minister, on 20 July 2026.
Dear Andy,
Congratulations on your appointment as Leader of the Labour Party. Later today you will take over as our Prime Minister. In the interest of our country, I wish you every success.
As you know, however, it is my job as Leader of the Opposition to hold you to account, and I will never shirk from doing so. You will enter office without having set out a clear plan on any of the issues facing our country. You have refused calls to come to Parliament for questions from MPs, and you have not submitted yourself to serious media scrutiny. This is not a promising start.
Economically you will have a challenging inheritance from your predecessor. Borrowing, inflation and unemployment have all risen since the 2024 election. Britain faces an unsustainably high tax burden which is hurting families and businesses. The benefits bill is on course to hit £110 billion a year by 2030, the Jobs Tax has created a youth unemployment crisis, and we are borrowing so much that the debt interest alone is more than we spend on defence. The Defence Investment Plan is inadequate to meet the challenges we face and unfunded to the tune of £6 billion.
I know you have instructed officials to develop a ‘July package’ of announcements. But it’s crucial that you set out how you will pay for each announcement at the same time. Given taxes are already too high, and we are already borrowing far too much, you must commit to making spending cuts and to addressing our debt burden.
You must not repeat the mistakes of Keir Starmer’s premiership which failed because he refused to stand up to his left-wing Labour backbenchers and their endless demands for tax rises to pay for more welfare. As the Welfare Secretary himself said: every meeting he had with Labour MPs was about who they could tax more to pay for more benefits. Britain cannot go on like this without becoming a welfare state with a country attached.
I made multiple offers to work together with Keir Starmer in the national interest to bring down the benefits bill. Sadly, he refused these every time. We both know that Labour backbenchers will not vote to cut benefits, so I make the same offer to you. Meet with me, and if we reach agreement on a plan to bring down the benefits bill, 118 Conservative MPs will vote for it on a three-line whip.
Turning to taxes, I was disappointed by your recent comments that there was room for movement on tax and that you might ask people ‘for a little more’ in tax. I urge you to rule out any new tax rises now, otherwise we will face a damaging summer of speculation, affecting business investment, home owners and family finances.
Another area where you can make an immediate difference is energy. Ed Miliband has been a disaster for Britain: a one man deindustrialisation machine, destroying thousands of jobs which rely on the North Sea. I welcome the media reports that you intend to grant licences for the Rosebank and Jackdaw fields. As I heard in Aberdeen on Thursday, just two pieces of paper stand in the way of Jackdaw and Rosebank which alone could secure £4 billion of tax revenues by 2034. But you must not stop there. You should overturn the destructive ban on new oil and gas licences which amounts to unilateral energy disarmament. Getting Britain drilling will be good for our energy security, good for our national security and good for our financial security.
We need common sense policies to get Britain working again. That means cheaper energy, lower taxes, cutting welfare, and stronger borders. Where we support your agenda, I will say so. But I will always stand against the instincts of Labour MPs for higher taxes and more spending.
The comments made by John Redwood on 20 July 2026.
Mr Burnham today should set out which companies he will nationalise. Will he make taxpayers pay compensation to owners or will he confiscate the assets? Does he realise people’s savings and pension funds are at risk if he steals them and foreign investors could stop investing?
![PRESS RELEASE : Southern Water fined £7.1 million for sewage pollution [July 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/environmentagency.png)
The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 17 July 2026.
Beaches forced to close, local trade hit, equipment failure and lack of oversight by company.
Southern Water has been fined £7.1m after repeated illegal sewage pollution incidents forced the closure of beaches, harmed coastal communities. Serious failures were exposed in the company’s management of wastewater.
Sentencing Southern Water at Canterbury crown court today, Mr Justice Johnson KC heard how preventable equipment failures and poor operational oversight led to repeated discharges of untreated sewage between 2019 and 2021, some at the height of summer.
The prosecution comes almost exactly five years after Southern Water received a record £90 million fine for nearly 7,000 illegal sewage discharges.
Across five major pollution incidents, Southern Water repeatedly failed to maintain critical pumping equipment, delayed reporting pollution to regulators and allowed untreated sewage to enter coastal waters.
In July 2019, an Environment Agency investigation found that around 10m litres of sewage was discharged for almost 24 hours. It could have been prevented but staff showed a lack of system knowledge.
Southern Water is legally obliged to report pollution to the Environment Agency as soon as possible, but they failed to do so until the next day. It meant Thanet District Council couldn’t warn people against getting into the water.
Little over a year later, around the August bank holiday in 2020, in the middle of the pandemic, another illegal discharge.
A failed pump at Margate pumping station was out of order for weeks, leading to the release of sewage into the sea. A second pump then failed. At least 16m litres of sewage were released into the sea across two days. Like earlier, the Environment Agency was only told by Southern Water about the pollution a day later.
On that same August day six years ago, untreated wastewater and human waste was also discharged into seawater from a pumping station at Broadstairs, in the region of 1.6m to 3.2m litres, for more than two hours.
Southern Water only told the Environment Agency weeks later. Their failure to report it sooner meant Thanet District Council was again unable to warn the public.
Lindsay Faulkner, environment manager for the Environment Agency in Kent, said:
Southern Water allowed this repeated pollution to happen. Stronger oversight by the company is needed, and plain to see from their track record. These preventable incidents harmed the environment and local communities, but like so much pollution caused by water companies, they were avoidable and should never have happened.
The Environment Agency demands much more from Southern Water. Our inspections of sewage treatment sites, including pumping stations at fault in this case, will continue. We are holding them to account.
Skip to February 2021, another pumping station fault, more pollution. Now a computer broke down at Broadstairs, as did a back-up. This time, the Environment Agency was told about sewage and debris off the coast, and both they and the council gave advice to swimmers to stay away from a 5km-stretch of Kent coastline for 24 hours.
The Environment Agency told the court Southern Water should have picked up the fault earlier, a fairly basic diagnosis.
Possibly the most damaging of the five main incidents leading the Environment Agency’s case, as far as the impact on beaches and bathing waters, came in June the following summer. Again, simultaneous failures at Margate and Broadstairs pumping stations, when after lockdown, everyone was desperate to get outdoors.
As the sun rose, Thanet District Council closed 11 of them. Advice to keep out of the sea for a week at the height of summer was also posted on Swimfo, the Environment Agency’s online guide to bathing water quality.
Equipment breakdown sent more sewage and debris into the sea for hours. A poorly-maintained circuit board caused the power supply to stop, causing a domino effect for the rest of the plant.
October 2021, and more badly-managed equipment caused a power shutdown at the Broadstairs plant, with more untreated sewage and sanitary towels pumped into the sea. In all, 10 beaches were closed by the council.
Southern Water also admitted to another 35 illegal discharges also between 2019 and 2021, and that a pump used to move sewage around its network was out of action for more than a year. They were fined £7,127,083, with costs to the Environment Agency of £149,000, and a victim surcharge of £181.
![PRESS RELEASE : First groups designated as threat to national security [July 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/homeoffice-150x150.webp)
The press release issued by the Home Office on 17 July 2026.
Today (17 July), the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), the Islamic Movement of Companions of the Right (IMCR), and Russia’s GRU Volunteer Corps have formally been designated under the National Security (State Threats) Act 2026 after Parliament approved an order laid by the Home Secretary on Monday (13 July), in order to protect the safety of the UK.
It is now a criminal offence to express support for these bodies – meaning anyone who glorifies or encourages their activity which threatens the safety of the UK can be prosecuted. It is also now a criminal offence to assist or to accept or obtain a material benefit, such as payment, from any of these bodies. Anyone found guilty of these offences could face up to 14 years imprisonment.
Anyone committing other acts, such as sabotage, on behalf of these groups could be prosecuted for other offences under the National Security Act 2023, in which they could face life imprisonment.
All 3 groups are the first to be designated under these landmark new powers, and they have now been added to the list of designated bodies in the UK.
![PRESS RELEASE : Historic UK-India Free Trade Agreement is now in effect [July 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/newfco-150x150.png)
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 17 July 2026.
UK and India total trade, worth £48 billion in 2025, is set for an immediate boost with consumers now enjoying cheaper, quicker, and easier access to the best of British and Indian products and services across both countries.
To celebrate this historic occasion, a special package of select British goods arrived at the British Deputy High Commission in Mumbai on the morning of 15 July aboard a British Airways flight. This package was unveiled by Harjinder Kang, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia, and David Wright, British Airways’ General Manager in India to signal the arrival of new opportunities unlocked under the agreement for both countries.
The package contained goods from the UK benefitting from reduced tariffs, including cosmetics, food products, and alcoholic beverages.
Harjinder Kang, His Majesty’s Trade Commissioner for South Asia and British Deputy High Commissioner for Western India, said:
This is a watershed moment for the UK-India partnership. As the landmark trade deal comes into force, what better than having select British products arriving in one of the very first UK flights into India this morning – with thanks to support from British Airways. Our landmark trade deal is designed to benefit businesses and consumers from day one with cheaper, quicker and easier trade. We are all excited to take full advantage of it.
David Wright, British Airways’ General Manager in India, said:
India is one of British Airways’ most important markets and we have a long history of connecting people, businesses, and cultures across the UK and India. With 63 flights each week going up to 70 by the end of summer, we play an important role in strengthening economic and cultural ties between our two countries.
The UK-India Free Trade Agreement marks a significant milestone in the relationship between the UK and India and reinforces the long-term potential of one of the world’s most dynamic international corridors. We are proud to support this landmark agreement and the opportunities it will create for trade, investment and tourism.
As the UK’s flag carrier, we look forward to deepening our links with India and connecting customers and communities across our global network for years to come.
Starting 15 July, 99% of Indian goods entering the UK and 90% of UK goods entering India will either be duty free or reduced in tariffs. It will benefit a wide range of sectors on both sides including automotive, manufacturing, consumer goods, creative industries, and medical technology as it marks the biggest milestone in the bilateral economic partnership.
To mark this major milestone, a number of celebratory events and activations will be hosted by the UK Government across India and the UK including business receptions in New Delhi, Mumbai, Bengaluru, and at Lancaster House in London.
In the long run, the deal is expected to boost bilateral trade by £25.5 billion, Indian GDP by £5.1billion, and UK GDP by £4.8billion every year.
The comments made by Gordon Brown, the former Prime Minister, on 17 July 2026.
Congratulations to my friend Andy Burnham on becoming leader of the Labour Party with a clear mission to transform Britain for the better.
Today, we also thank Keir Starmer for bringing Labour back into government and guiding Britain through difficult times at home and abroad.
The comments made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine, on 16 July 2026.
Today, we express our special gratitude to Keir Starmer, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, with whom we’ve done a lot of serious work during the full-scale war. The United Kingdom has always stood with Ukraine and continues to do so. And we value that immensely. Thank you, Keir Starmer.
Thank you to your team and to all the people of the United Kingdom. I awarded Keir the Order of Freedom in recognition of his personal leadership and support for our people. Prime Minister Starmer and I have had dozens of meetings, conversations, and decisions together. Today marks Keir’s fourth visit to Ukraine as Prime Minister. Altogether, we’ve had 46 official meetings and calls alone – at least two every month. I am grateful for all the support provided to Ukraine during this time. Today, Keir and I discussed the key issues regarding the front line, our long-range operations, and our mid-range strikes. Ukraine has achieved significant success in these areas, and we will continue applying every form of such pressure on Russia to bring this war to an end and achieve a dignified peace. We will, of course, continue coordinating closely with our British friends.
The comments made by Volodymyr Zelenskyy on 17 July 2026.
Twelve years ago, Russia shot down Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, killing 298 innocent people.
Today, we remember every victim and stand with their families, and all the nations that lost their loved ones on that tragic day. The downing of MH17 was nothing but a terrorist act. Russia has made such terror against civilians a defining feature of its policy – toward its neighbors, the world more broadly, and even its own people.
It is important to ensure that the world doesn’t turn a blind eye and that for every Russian crime – both against Ukrainians and against other people – there is justice and accountability.