Critics decry ‘Air Miles Andy’ after plane that took off from Stansted diverted to collect prime minister and wife A government-chartered plane taking Andy Burnham to a Commonwealth summit in the Caribbean made a stop-off in Manchester to collect him, Downing Street has said. The decision, which will have been more financially and environmentally costly than if the prime minister had travelled to London, leaves him open to accusations of hypocrisy after Labour repeatedly criticised Rishi Sunak for his use of private planes and helicopters for domestic travel when he was the prime minister. Continue reading...
No 10 defends flight to Caribbean going via Manchester to pick up Burnham

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Home secretary Shabana Mahmood to set out changes to settlement rules – UK politics live
Mahmood will announce her final decision to changes to immigration rules rules Downing Street has declined to say how much it cost for the plane carrying Andy Burnham and UK delegates to a Commonwealth leaders’ summit to stop in Manchester to pick him up (see 10.28am ), the Press Association reports. At the morning lobby briefing, asked if this was an appropriate use of public money, the PM’s spokesperson said: The prime minister’s travel arrangements are made on the basis of security, operational requirements, and value for money for the taxpayer. The prime minister’s travel arrangements reflect where he was carrying out official government business at the end of last week. Continue reading...

Labour to end cooperation with Greens in 11 councils over ‘Zionism is racism’ policy
Deals with six Green council groups that have condemned the motion are to remain in place, says Labour UK politics live – latest updates Labour is to stop cooperating with the Green party in 11 councils across England following an ultimatum for Greens in local government to disown a new policy stating that “Zionism is racism”. A statement from Labour said coalitions or other deals with Greens would stop in all local authorities where they had refused to condemn the policy motion passed at their party conference last month, which also called for a single Palestinian state in place of Israel. Continue reading...

Why is Labour risking a row over migration? – podcast
As home secretary Shabana Mahmood announces her controversial migration plans, Pippa Crerar and Kiran Stacey discuss the political context that has led to this announcement and why the timing for Andy Burnham – who is out of the country – is very convenient for him You can read Pippa’s story about reparations for the transatlantic slave trade here Send your questions for Pippa and Kiran to politicsweeklyuk@theguardian.com You can watch Politics Weekly on our YouTube channel here Continue reading...

Nigel Farage’s regular column for the Telegraph to end
Some sources suggest owners have terminated contract but others close to Farage say Reform leader has resigned Nigel Farage will no longer write a regular column for the Telegraph, becoming the latest prominent rightwing figure to leave the title’s roster under its new ownership. The Reform UK leader wrote for the broadsheet as recently as last week, condemning the first budget of Andy Burnham’s premiership and pledging to “scrap benefits for foreigners, abolish net zero targets” and “slash foreign aid”. Continue reading...

Labour ends power-sharing with Greens in 11 councils over Zionism row
Labour's ruling National Executive Committee sets out where it is cutting ties with the Greens.

Chris Mason: Home secretary to face scrutiny over changes to rules for legal migrants
At the heart of the debate around legal migration are contested notions of fairness, our political editor writes.