UK Labour

The UK government is to open new refugee resettlement routes for Afghan women and girls and for Palestinians, an announcement linked to Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood and made around the Labour Party conference in 2026. The move signals a shift in UK asylum policy toward targeted humanitarian schemes for groups facing acute risk.

Thousands of demonstrators gathered outside the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool, demanding an end to British support for Israel and full sanctions over the war in Gaza. Protesters called on the UK government to stop arms sales and take a harder line as the conference drew party members and media to the city.

Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said the debate over whether Britain should return to the EU is creating uncertainty for companies. Politico Europe reported his remarks, which come amid ongoing discussion within Labour and across UK politics about the country's future relationship with Brussels. Businesses, Reynolds argued, need clarity and stability rather than a reopening of the Brexit question.

Andy Burnham, the Greater Manchester mayor widely seen as a potential future Labour leader, has promised to make social care reform the central issue of his next election campaign. He is pressing for a long-term funding settlement for adult social care, an issue that has repeatedly been postponed by successive UK governments despite rising demand and pressure on councils.

Anti-genocide protesters marched on the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, calling for an end to UK arms sales to Israel and the imposition of sanctions. Demonstrators argued that Labour's recent measures against illegal Israeli settlements do not go far enough, putting pressure on party leadership over its Israel policy at its annual gathering.

Thousands of pro-Palestine demonstrators marched through Liverpool, converging on the Labour Party conference to pressure the UK government. Protesters demanded full sanctions on Israel, an end to British arms sales, and action over what they described as genocide and apartheid in Gaza. The march came as party members and activists gathered for the conference, making Palestine a visible issue for Labour leadership.

Palestine solidarity demonstrators rallied in Liverpool on Saturday, calling on the Labour government to go further in sanctioning Israel over its conduct in Gaza and the wider occupation of Palestinian territories. The protest, reported by the Morning Star, reflects growing pressure on Labour from within its own base, with activists arguing that UK policy has not gone far enough in response to the conflict.

Labour enters its 2026 party conference with momentum, as new polling shows the party four points ahead of Reform UK. Commentators are calling the surge the 'Burnham bounce', linking it to Andy Burnham's growing profile within the party. The jump gives Keir Starmer a more positive backdrop heading into the conference season in Liverpool.

Massive Attack musician Rob Del Naja was arrested under the UK Terrorism Act outside the Labour Party conference venue, on the eve of the event. Campaign group Defend Our Juries said he was detained after holding a paper sign reading "I oppose genocide - I support Palestine Action". The arrest has drawn attention to police action against supporters of the proscribed group.