Guardian UK Politics
‘Financial pandemic’: £1 in every £11 spent on UK public contractors goes to private equity
Almost £24.4 billion in UK government contractor spending flowed to private equity-controlled firms in the year to April 2025, equivalent to roughly 9% of total contract expenditure. The scale of private equity's footprint spans critical public services including healthcare, transport, and waste management. Critics warn the trend prioritises financial returns over service quality, with particular concern mounting around vulnerable sectors such as children's care homes.
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Greens examining how party decides policy as membership triples under Zack Polanski
The Green Party is reviewing its internal decision-making processes after membership tripled following Zack Polanski's rise to the leadership. Current rules allow policy to be set exclusively by members who attend annual conferences in person, raising fears that organised fringe factions hold disproportionate influence over party direction. Leadership figures are now exploring structural reforms to ensure the expanded membership has a more representative voice.
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Reform UK makes dramatic first impression in Senedd opposition role
Reform UK's entry into the Senedd as official opposition has been anything but quiet, marked by emotional outbursts, walkouts, and at least one vote cast against their own party's position. The party secured second place in May's historic Welsh elections, in which Plaid Cymru ended a century of Labour dominance. The early turbulence raises real questions about Reform's capacity to function as a disciplined parliamentary force when it matters most.
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Lucy Powell appears to endorse Ed Miliband as Andy Burnham’s chancellor
Labour's deputy leader Lucy Powell has publicly backed Ed Miliband as a potential chancellor under an Andy Burnham premiership, lending significant weight to speculation about the future shape of a Labour government. Powell, who served as Miliband's chief of staff, called him "good" for the Treasury role while simultaneously dismissing cabinet reshuffling talk as "unedifying." The semi-endorsement from such a senior figure is unlikely to quiet the speculation she claims to find distasteful.
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‘British food will disappear’: trade deal after Brexit is hitting UK farmers hard
British farmers are facing a financial crisis as post-Brexit trade deals flood the market with cheaper imported food, slashing livestock prices by as much as 20% while input costs continue to soar. The squeeze is pushing domestic producers toward collapse, raising serious questions about the long-term viability of homegrown food supply. Industry voices warn that British food risks becoming a luxury product, available only to those who can afford to pay a premium for it.
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