Welcome to the UK politics live blog, tracking the day's developments across Westminster and beyond.
Conservative leader claims Labour is readying for spring 2027 election
Tory leader Kemi Badenoch has suggested that Labour is preparing for a general election as early as May 2027, contradicting the prime minister's recent assurances that no early contest will be called. Just last week, Andy Burnham stated he would not hold a national vote before 2029, despite mounting speculation that Labour's improved polling position could encourage an earlier campaign.
Badenoch pointed to the timing of Burnham's policy announcements as evidence of his true intentions. Speaking ahead of the Conservative party conference next week, she argued that the prime minister's reluctance to discuss immediate implementation suggests a different electoral timeline.
All the policies he announced are for after an election. So if he's not calling an election, why is he talking about things happening in 2030?
She continued:
This is an era of political volatility and multi-party politics. When an election is called and I do think Andy Burnham is going to call an election sooner than he is saying.
Recent polling has intensified speculation about an early dissolution. Labour has pulled into the lead with support in the low 20s, while the Conservatives and Reform UK remain neck-and-neck a few points behind. Westminster sources indicated that Downing Street advisers and MPs have been discussing the potential benefits of an early poll, though they cautioned that even with the right-wing vote split, Labour would face the risk of losing its parliamentary majority and potentially needing to form a coalition government.
Palantir lobbyist played key role in Burnham's path to Number 10
A recent lobbyist for the controversial $450bn US technology company Palantir held a senior position in helping Andy Burnham become prime minister, according to newly emerged information. Martha Dalton, whose firm Lodestone represented Palantir during 2024 and 2025, campaigned actively for Burnham in the election that returned him to parliament. She worked closely with his team on strategic communications and rebuttal efforts, and was among supporters who greeted him as he entered Downing Street in July.
Lodestone, which Dalton co-founded, undertook work for Palantir that included promoting its software at parliamentary events where company engineers demonstrated AI-powered systems designed for use across British public services to MPs. Dalton later worked on the autumn 2025 deputy leadership campaign for current education secretary Lucy Powell, several months after Lodestone ended its engagement with Palantir.
The disclosure comes as Palantir seeks to maintain its £330m contract with NHS England to operate the federated data platform, a centralised medical data system serving the health service. Burnham's government is currently reviewing the arrangement. Opposition to the contract has grown among campaigners who object to Palantir's work supporting the Israeli military in Gaza and its involvement with Donald Trump's ICE immigration enforcement operations. Additional concerns have been raised, including those voiced by NHS England chief executive Jim Mackey, that the claimed public health benefits may be overstated.
Green Party leader to propose rent rise emergency brake
Zack Polanski is set to use his keynote address at the Green Party's annual conference in Brighton on Friday afternoon to announce a major housing policy aimed at easing the rental burden on young adults. The party leader will call for a
three-year emergency brake on private rents – no rent rises above CPI, wage growth or 2% – whichever is lower. No sudden hikes, no evictions under the guise of rent rises, no more fear and uncertainty.
The proposal would establish what Polanski describes as a temporary measure to give renters
vital breathing space. Let wages begin to catch up with the rents that have outstripped them for too long.The mechanism would cap annual rent increases at the lowest of three measures: Consumer Prices Index inflation, wage growth, or a flat 2% ceiling.
Polanski plans to highlight the housing crisis facing younger generations in his remarks. He will describe
25-year-olds who can't find a job, no matter how many tens or hundreds of applications they put in, who can't imagine ever being able to afford to rent even a room of their own, never mind being able to put down roots in their own home, as well as
30, 35-year-olds moving back to their parents' place with their partners in tow, sometimes their kids too, warning that for many of them difficult circumstances have persisted for years.
Beyond the emergency brake, Polanski intends to outline plans for a longer-term
national fair rents guarantee – to keep rents fair and affordable for everyone, forever.The Green Party leader is also standing as a candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras by-election.
Government reassures on diesel supply amid international pressure
The government has moved to calm public concerns about potential diesel shortages following pressure from the United States for European countries to draw down their fuel reserves. Transport minister Keir Mather stated that Britain's diesel supply remains
robustand
resilient, with the country drawing from a diverse range of sources.
The UK imports nearly 55% of the diesel it consumes, according to energy sector analysis. Britain joined crisis talks with the European Commission, Germany, France, Italy and Ireland on Thursday to discuss whether to release emergency fuel stocks as prices reached record levels. According to reports of the international discussions, the coordinated response reflects growing concern about supply disruption.
Mather told broadcasters on Friday:
I want to reassure people this morning that the United Kingdom has got a diverse range of supply when it comes to diesel. We have resilience built into our system for that reason. We are working very closely with our US counterparts to stress the importance of that relationship, and the importance of sustaining flows of diesel around the world, but also working through international fora in the International Energy Agency and partners in Europe from whom we get a proportion of our diesel imports as well.
The minister acknowledged that pump prices have risen but emphasised that the government's freeze on fuel duty remains in place.
People shouldn't be concerned about shortages because of the inherent resilience that is built into that system.
The diesel supply concerns follow disruption linked to the US-Israeli war against Iran and the continuing Russia-Ukraine conflict. As a member of the International Energy Agency, the UK is required to maintain oil stocks equivalent to at least 90 days of net imports, a threshold the government says it continues to meet.
What happens next
EU member states are scheduled to meet the European Commission on Friday to discuss a coordinated response to diesel prices and supply concerns. European officials are considering emergency measures to address the situation. Polanski's Green Party conference keynote speech is due to take place Friday afternoon in Brighton at 1.30pm, where he will formally unveil the rent control proposal. Downing Street has also clarified that Burnham is not taking sides with Manchester City in its ongoing financial dispute with the Premier League, following comments the prime minister made in a recent interview that were interpreted as supportive of the club's position.
