Sultana’s alliance with Corbyn shows Starmer there is life in the Labour left yet
A year ago, many around Keir Starmer believed the Labour left had been sealed in a tomb.The suspension of Jeremy Corbyn, the disciplinary action against Labour MPs including Zarah Sultana and the push to the political centre were supposed to fracture the party’s leftwing.But this week’s drama, which included the prime minister narrowly avoiding defeat on the welfare bill after 49 Labour MPs rebelled, the chancellor’s tears during prime minister’s questions and Sultana announcing she was quitting the party to join Corbyn’s Independent Alliance, has shown that the forces are very much alive.It has also shown that the votes for a populist challenge remain there for the taking, if anyone can get organised enough to harness them.In the months after Starmer’s landslide win, figures excluded from Labour’s selection processes have been regrouping in the spaces he does not occupy: outside Westminster.
Some clustered around figures such as Jamie Driscoll, the former North of Tyne mayor who was blocked from standing for Labour and subsequently quit, while others built networks in Tower Hamlets and Liverpool,The alliance taking shape involves more than isolated groupings,It includes at least 200 councillors who have quit Labour, campaigns such as We Deserve Better, movements such as the Collective, and independent candidates along with their campaigners who share a belief that Labour has left too many voters behind,Until recently, some on the left assumed it would take years to build anything resembling a credible electoral alternative,Organisers believe there will soon be “hundreds of people across the country” involved, and some expect unions to quietly lend support.
Before the 2024 election, some on the broader left watched Labour with a mix of frustration and resignation,“Across the wider left there’s energy and activity,” one figure said at the time,“The Labour left is in a defensive crouch,There can be purpose in strategic retreat,But if the defensive crouch is stopping you from doing anything great, what is the point?”The timing of this week’s developments was telling.
It was a reminder that Labour’s internal unity was fragile on the very issues – poverty, inequality, the welfare state – this emerging leftwing soon-to-be party is staking its claim on.Polling conducted by More in Common shows a leftwing bloc focused on Gaza, poverty and the cost of living could attract about 10% of Labour’s 2019 supporters in urban seats.Publicly, Labour figures have been dismissive of the threat.Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, made clear the party is not concerned about the polling, saying Labour remains focused on delivering its agenda.However, figures outside the broader left have warned about the risks.
Alastair Campbell, the former Downing Street director of communications under Tony Blair, said he would not “underestimate” how much the government’s handling of the situation in Gaza has led people to question “what is Labour about?”Sultana has a strong online following that extends beyond traditional Labour members.While her critics see her as symbolic of factional tensions, and others in the alliance may see her as “ambitious”, a label often used to consciously or otherwise diminish younger women in these political spaces, her supporters argue that concern on issues such as Gaza and deepening inequality is shared across a far wider electorate, and that she is uniquely well-placed to tap into that mood.Some inside the alliance believe the UK left’s struggles are far from unique.It had been pointed out that even in Europe’s most promising recent example – the French alliance of greens, socialists and communists – success relied on an uneasy coalition that still only polled about 24% in the last election.In Germany, it has been argued that attempts to hold broad left groupings together have often collapsed under the weight of internal divisions.
Corbyn’s approach to building a new vehicle has always centred on alliances rather than top-down command,He has consistently emphasised the need for different groups to coalesce – local independents, grassroots campaigns, former Labour organisers – into a joint project,As he put it on ITV’s Peston show, his instinct is to give space to a collective process rather than impose a fixed structure,The result could be a movement with momentum, but tensions remain about how to translate political demand into an organised, cohesive force,Others involved say the fallout from Sultana’s announcement is not as suboptimal as it looks.
The sudden burst of attention in their view could force the undecided to give the project the push it has lacked,
Buy now, pay later loans will now affect US credit scores – what does that mean for consumers?
A new change to buy now, pay later loans means borrowers’ credit scores may see a change, which has worried some users of the loans.“I have a feeling that I’m just not going to have as much access to spending power and zero or really low APR rates,” said Nicole Nitta, a 31-year-old Las Vegas resident, who uses BNPL and shared that she already does not have great credit.Fico, the credit scoring company used by most US lenders, announced on 23 June that they would include BNPL loans, which play “an increasingly important role in consumers’ financial lives”, to help lenders more “accurately evaluate credit readiness”.For users of companies like Affirm, Afterpay and Klarna, the new calculation could benefit them because it allows them to build their credit – if, of course, they pay back the loans on time, experts say.Nitta first used BNPL for essentials in 2021, like non-perishable food items
How has Ryanair changed its cabin baggage rule – and will other airlines do it too?
For all but the most seasoned travellers the metal bag sizers used by budget airlines have become an instrument of fear because of the heavy financial penalty incurred if hand baggage is too big to fit.But as the summer holiday season gets under way there is some good news for those who struggle to travel light: Ryanair has announced it is increasing the size of the small “personal” bag you can take in the cabin for free by 20%.Yes. But it comes as airlines fall into line behind a new EU guaranteed bag size of 40cm by 30cm by 15cm. The current dimensions of the Ryanair free carry-on limit are 40cm by 25cm by 20cm – below the EU rule
Elon Musk’s proposed new political party could focus on a few pivotal congressional seats
The new US political party that Elon Musk has boasted about possibly bankrolling could initially focus on a handful of attainable House and Senate seats while striving to be the decisive vote on major issues amid the thin margins in Congress.Tesla and SpaceX’s multibillionaire CEO mused about that approach on Friday in a post on X, the social media platform which he owns, as he continued feuding with Donald Trump over the spending bill that the president has signed into law.“One way to execute on this would be to laser-focus on just 2 or 3 Senate seats and 8 to 10 House districts,” wrote Musk, who is the world’s richest person and oversaw brutal cuts to the federal government after Trump’s second presidency began in January. “Given the razor-thin legislative margins, that would be enough to serve as the deciding vote on contentious laws, ensuring they serve the true will of the people.”Musk did not specify any seats which he may be eyeing
Minister demands overhaul of UK’s leading AI institute
The technology secretary has demanded an overhaul of the UK’s leading artificial intelligence institute in a wide-ranging letter that calls for a switch in focus to defence and national security, as well as leadership changes.Peter Kyle said it was clear further action was needed to ensure the government-backed Alan Turing Institute met its full potential.In a letter to ATI’s chair, seen by the Guardian, Kyle said the institute should be changed to prioritise defence, national security and “sovereign capabilities” – a reference to nation states being able to control their own AI technology.The call for new priorities implies a downgrading of ATI’s focus on health and the environment, which are two of three core subjects for the institute, alongside defence and security, under its “Turing 2.0” strategy
Wimbledon 2025: Djokovic races to victory; Sinner and Swiatek sail through – as it happened
Some sizzling matches to look forward to tomorrow. Britain’s Sonny Kartal looks to keep her dream run going against Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova, No 1 seed Aryna Sabalenka faces Elise Mertens, defending champion Carlos Alcaraz plays Andrey Rublev, Cameron Norrie – the other Brit still standing in the singles – takes on Nicolas Jarry. And more!Will I win the Stating the Obvious Award for pointing out that Djokovic was not moving like a 38-year-old out on Centre Court? He produced a dazzling display, returning as only he can and producing some exhibition tennis at times. De Minaur is next – a tricky last-16 draw, but plenty of people will be eyeing a potential Djokovic v Jannik Sinner semi-final.Big-serving Ben Shelton is into the fourth round! He needed 70 seconds to wrap up that second-round curiosity yesterday and, while today clearly took a good while longer, he was still pretty dominant
Shubman Gill displays old-fashioned technique to break England’s resolve | Andy Bull
The sound of Shubman Gill’s bat could stop traffic. The man’s forward defence lands with the crack of John Bonham’s drum. It is a shot no one really notices in the moment but demands everyone’s attention as soon as it’s over because of the way noise resounds around the ground in the split second afterwards, like a teacher smacking his hand down on a table to get the pupils to shut up.It is the very model of the shot. His bat comes down like Gandalf’s staff
Iga Swiatek glides past Collins to become live Wimbeldon contender
Crawley, Duckett and Root fall cheaply after India set England colossal 608
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Tour de France 2025: Philipsen wins stage one and takes yellow on chaotic day – as it happened
Tour de France 2025: Philipsen wins chaotic first stage as Evenepoel and Roglic suffer
Jannik Sinner barely breaks sweat to cruise through Martínez mismatch