Labour MPs say ‘endless drama’ of leadership speculation must stop
Labour MPs are calling for a close to the “endless drama” of leadership speculation, as Downing Street begins a fightback against predictions of an imminent challenge to Keir Starmer.Some backbenchers warned that repeated briefings about how and when the prime minister could be toppled were putting off voters, who similarly had disliked the Conservatives’ repeated shuffling of leaders when in power.“All people want is a government which works, and not the endless drama,” one MP said.“We are in a very tricky global situation, and to have this never-ending conversation about who might have a certain number of supporters feels extremely self-indulgent.”Such worries are shared even among some Labour MPs who strongly believe that Starmer should be replaced.
“You can both think the PM isn’t the right man to lead us into the next election and that now isn’t the right time to replace him,” one said,Labour is expected to fare very badly in Thursday’s elections to the Scottish and Welsh parliaments and councils across England, with losses well above 1,000 council seats seen as potentially triggering a challenge,Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor, has been widely linked with a planned return to Westminster, but faces a series of logistical hurdles, while the other two obvious candidates, Angela Rayner and Wes Streeting, are seen as not yet about to act,Within the vacuum of what one MP called “a Mexican standoff”, allies of various camps have been briefing journalists, something which MPs not involved in the plotting say has become an intense annoyance,“Most sensible MPs are out on the doorsteps, and aren’t worrying about all this,” another backbencher said.
“It’s all focused on personalities and not policy.We’re getting a lot of the ‘who’, but none of the ‘what, why and how’, which is what matters.The same thing with slightly better comms is not going to cut it.”Some allies of Starmer worry the open plotting could make the results even worse, pointing out that in the run-up to the local elections, the group that represents Labour councillors told ministers that they needed unity to prosper.“It’s less than a week from the elections, and we have briefings every day from some would-be candidate or another,” one said.
“Nothing makes a party look more out of touch than this level of self-indulgence when people are really worried about the cost of living.”There is, nonetheless, a definite sense among many MPs that Thursday’s elections could become a trigger, with one saying the expected losses would take things into “uncharted waters”.“People have agreed it’s not working right now, but there isn’t an agreement on what is needed to make it work,” another MP said.“Those that believe this is just midterm pains have factored in us losing 1,000 councillors.If we lose more, they may start thinking this isn’t normal – and I dare say they are right.
”Others, however, believe that, given the huge economic uncertainty of the Iran war, nothing should happen for at least several months.Some MPs have started to push for assurances that Rachel Reeves will be kept as chancellor whatever happens, to avoid spooking the financial markets.Writing in the Observer, Starmer hinted at such worries, saying that during an earlier global crisis, with Covid, the then-Conservative government “descended into political infighting”.Anna Turley, the Labour chair, was more explicit, telling the Sunday Mirror that Labour MPs should “be resilient” and stick with Starmer, adding: “Let’s not get distracted.Let’s not keep looking at ourselves.
”Speaking to the BBC on Sunday, Heidi Alexander, the transport secretary, echoed this argument.“Asking the prime minister to somehow reapply for his job when all of that is going on and he is entirely focused on the concerns of the British people would be the wrong thing to do,” she said.“Those people who think that we should have a leadership election now and repeat the mistakes that the Conservative government made in churning through prime ministers probably do need to give their head a gentle wobble.”
Thousands of Just Eat couriers launch legal action to improve workers’ rights
More than 7,000 Just Eat couriers are taking legal action against the food delivery company in an attempt to gain better employment rights including the minimum wage and holiday pay.The employment tribunal, which begins on Tuesday and is set to run until 2 June, will determine if the couriers are classed as workers, a status that comes with improved rights, or self-employed independent contractors.Judgment is expected later in 2026.Just Eat dismissed about 1,700 couriers in the UK in 2023 when it returned to a gig economy model and scrapped an experiment that offered guaranteed minimum pay, sick pay and holiday pay in six cities in the UK and Europe.Under its “Scoober” experiment, couriers who Just Eat said handled less than 5% of UK orders at the time and also worked set shifts, were provided with e-bikes or e-mopeds and had the option to operate from a central hub, where they could pick up equipment and take breaks
UK food prices on track to rise by 50% since start of cost of living crisis
Food prices are on track to be 50% higher in November than at the start of the cost of living crisis in 2021, research suggests.Climate and energy shocks have driven an almost quadrupling of the pace of food price growth, according to research from the thinktank Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU), with costs rising in five years at about the same rate as they had over the previous two decades.Anna Taylor, the executive director of the Food Foundation charity, said: “Food prices rising this high and this fast leaves families on the lowest incomes with nowhere left to cut except the food on their plate. When that happens, people skip meals, children go hungry, and diet-related illness rises – taking parents out of work and piling pressure on an NHS that can least afford it.”The research suggests that the cost of living crisis, which many voters blame on political elites and big business, is likely to continue to be an important political issue during 2026
Vine video-sharing app is back – and battling AI slop
As a pioneer of the short-form video format, Vine has been credited as one of the most influential – if short-lived – social media platforms.The app, which allowed users to record a looping six seconds of video, boomed in popularity after its launch in 2013, spawning a plethora of viral comedy sketches and internet memes. It hit 100 million monthly active users at its peak and helped launch the careers of influencers such as Logan Paul.It was snapped up by Twitter – now X – soon after its creation, but closed in 2017 after the platform failed to make the sums add up.Jack Dorsey, Twitter’s co-founder, is now backing an attempt to bring back a revamped version of the much-loved platform with a new philosophy: to be the short-form video app offering “freedom from AI slop”
GameStop makes $55.5bn takeover offer for eBay
US video games retailer GameStop has offered to buy eBay for $55.5bn (£41bn) in an unsolicited bid that its boss warned could turn hostile if the proposal is rebuffed by eBay’s board.GameStop, which has quietly accumulated a 5% stake in eBay, said it was willing to pay $125 a share, split 50-50 between cash and stock.It is an ambitious move by the games company, which catapulted to fame during the meme-stock craze of 2021 but is worth far less than its takeover target. GameStop had a market valuation of roughly $12bn on Friday before its bid, while eBay – originally launched as a side hobby by its founder Pierre Omidyar in 1995 – is worth about $46bn
Root’s golden arm leads Yorkshire past Somerset, Kent thrash Derbyshire: county cricket, day four
Joe Root has often won games for Yorkshire with the bat, not so often with his golden arm. But it was spin twins Root (four for 49) and Dom Bess (four for 60) who did for Somerset, chasing 260 in front of a good bank holiday Monday crowd. George Hill, charging in with zip, bowled Archie Vaughan and Tom Lammonby cheaply, then Bess removed danger men James Rew, who had a rare bad match, and his great friend Tom Abell.Root impishly polished off most of the tail. Thomas Rew got off the mark, and a pair, with a sweet cover driver for four and played nicely for his 30 before being removed caught Bairstow, bowled Root – surely a badge of honour in his first Championship game
Champions Cup final will have independent TV director in charge
An independent broadcast director is set to be in position for this month’s Champions Cup final in Bilbao after disquiet about the lack of crucial replays available to match officials during Bath’s 38-26 semi-final defeat against Bordeaux-Bègles on Sunday.Johann van Graan, Bath’s head of rugby, suggested three high tackles on his No 8, Alfie Barbeary, were missed because the referee and television match official (TMO) had not been supplied with all the requisite angles by the French host broadcaster. Members of the commentary team on Premier Sports also highlighted the absence of replay footage.Different protocols are in place in the Champions Cup compared with the United Rugby Championship and the Six Nations, when an independent operator sits with the TMO to ensure the best pictures are readily available. On Sunday, under EPCR regulations relating to host country arrangements, a French director was in place
Shipping firms question safety in strait of Hormuz despite Trump plan
Nigerian refinery accused of sacking union members is key to UK plan to tackle jet fuel shortage
GameStop shares fall 10% after CEO skirts questions over eBay acquisition details
AI platforms reference Nigel Farage more than other leaders when prompted on UK politics, study shows
Shaun Murphy v Wu Yize: World Snooker Championship final day two – as it happened
Wu Yize beats Shaun Murphy in thrilling final frame to win World Snooker Championship