News | The Observer

Local elections fallout

Stuck in a bind

Although Catherine West has withdrawn her leadership challenge, the prime minister’s days are clearly numbered. Keir Starmer has a seismic mission to convince his party and the public that he is still the right person for the job

By Xavier Greenwood

National

Local elections

Patrick Kidd

Watching the teal wall being built in Newcastle-under-Lyme

Urban decline, disgruntled voters and zero optimism: why the West Midlands market town has decided to give Reform a shot

Politics

Catherine Neilan

Farage could face byelection over crypto king’s £5m donation

The Reform leader faces two possible investigations over the undeclared gift from Christopher Harborne. A lengthy Commons suspension could lead to a recall petition – and end up costing him his Clacton seat

Law and order

Jon Ungoed-Thomas

‘Salmon cartel’ case could land lawyers a fortune in costs

A tribunal has provisionally ruled that the excessive fees for lawyers and little redress for shoppers is not in the public interest

Politics

Nigel Farage facing threat of double investigation into billionaire backer’s £5m gift

It’s over for Keir Starmer – how has it come to this?

The devolution revolution needs to be more than just a catchy slogan in order to unlock growth

Starmer's make-or-break speech triggers wave of MPs calling for him to go

International

Hugh Tomlinson

Maga finds a new hero as Republicans lose faith in Trump

James Fishback, a 31-year-old nationalist, is winning support from those angry with the US president over the Iran war

Italy

Evan Moffitt

Russian attendance splits art world at Venice Biennale

The storm that accompanied the show’s VIP preview only added to the unrest and rows that peppered Italy’s prestigious event

Iran

Ruth Michaelson

Iran’s banks defy Trump financial sanctions to keep business as usual for regime

The US president’s hopes of bringing the Iranian economy to its knees are being thwarted on multiple fronts

Hungary

Lili Rutai

The absolute beginners of Péter Magyar’s new government

When Peter Magyar is sworn in as prime minister on Saturday, he will lead a party with 141 MPs, none of whom has previously served in parliament

The Sensemaker

The Venice Biennale shows it is impossible to keep politics out of art

Art

Lily Isaacs

The Venice Biennale shows it is impossible to keep politics out of art

Iran

Ruth Michaelson

Iran reviews US-based framework for ending the war

Labour’s attempts to tackle antisemitism risk missing the point

Prejudice

Xavier Greenwood

Labour’s attempts to tackle antisemitism risk missing the point

The UK’s largest claim for environmental pollution puts chicken producers in the spotlight

Fowl play

Jeevan Vasagar

The UK’s largest claim for environmental pollution puts chicken producers in the spotlight

Business

Battle over Intertek risks another FTSE 100 company drifting overseas

As chair Andrew Martin prepares to step down, he’s simultaneously dealing with a take-private bid that could mean the company exits the FTSE 100

Brexit has been a disaster – but there is a path to a new deal with Europe

As voters accept the folly of leaving the EU, Britain must move beyond binary thinking to construct a new settlement that delivers growth and security

Britain’s regulatory rulebook is in need of a rewire

We need a fundamental rewriting of the regulatory rule book, to drive investment while keeping people and the environment safe

Building a consensus around rejoining the EU is the government’s first task

Keir Starmer needs no longer tiptoe around pro-Brexit voters. Growth depends on making a positive case for a return to Europe

Podcast series

The Walkers: The real Salt Path

The Salt Path seemed like a simple tale of a couple embarking on a long trek in the face of adversity. Then Chloe Hadjimatheou received a tip-off that all was not as it seemed. A new podcast series publishes fresh revelations from The Observer's investigation

Listen