August 2026
In the last month Andy Burnham has done his best to establish himself as a man of the people in the big city (where he has spent very little time) but were a 40 something days in and our Prime Minister he has become just as memorable as…what was his name again?
August 2nd
Rupert Lowe extends an olive Brach to Nigel farage and Reform in a 12 minute video posted to social media. In the following days the two leaders will attack one another, leading to the suggestion the `olive branch` was a publicity stunt from Rupert Lowe.
August 3rd
Reform launches `Operation Fortress`. This is their policy plan to tackle the small boat crisis and would require military involvement.
Parliamentary standards watchdog confirms they are investigating Richard Tice for failing to declare an interest relating to a trip to Israel
August 4th
Labour`s early release scheme receives immense backlash, particularly from the police.
On social media the Labour party announce a new cost of living scheme to support 16-18 year olds by introducing half price rail fare from September. In a statement posted on social media the party said “you people should not be priced out of education, employment or training”
The Conservative part attack Labour and their failure to act on the prison shortages in time. hey say their plan is to “Build more prison spaces. Rent prison spaces abroad. Remove foreign criminals”.
Kemi Badenoch also joined Surrey police on a drugs raid to see the work the police do first hand. From this she reiterated the party`s commitment to employ 10,000 new police officers
August 6th
The government announces the opening of 159 new mental health support centres with the aim of easing the burden on the NHS.
Locally, in Harrogate the Coppice Valley by-election was won by the Liberal Democrats. Voter turnout was 30.7%. The Lib Dems won 61.2% of the vote with Reform their closest competition, but still way off with 15.6% of the vote. The remaining votes were scattered between Conservative, Labour and Green. It marks another success for the Liberal Democrats in the North as the newest councillor will join the party alongside Harrogate MP Tom Gordon.
August 7th
Kemi Badenoch writes a letter to the constituents of Clacton ahead of the upcoming by-election, telling them they “deserve better than being used to prove another mans point”
August 10th
Labour continue through summer with their cost of living initiatives. They announced their aim to “end rip off discounts and subscription traps”
August 11th
Labour plans to crack down on “dodgy” vape and betting shops that have, in recent years, taken over the high street.
August 13th
The Clacton-on-sea by election took place today with the two main candidates being…Nigel Farage and Count Binface.
Chancellor John Healey on social media; “We now need to double down and drive growth into every postcode”
August 14th
Nigel Farage wins the Clacton by election. Swiftly the Parliamentary watchdog reopens their investigation into the £5 million donation from Christopher Harbourn which threatens to topple the MP and indeed the rest of the Reform party.
August 18th
Harrogate MP Tom Gordon`s campaign to remove the time restrictions on disability bus passes has been taken on by Andy Burnham who praised the Lib Dem MP. “Disabled people will now have unlimited free bus travel all day, every day”
August 19th-August 20th
Government unveils initiative to ensure no one is sleeping on the street by Christmas. “Labour will offer every rough sleeper a way off the streets by Christmas”
Conservative shadow secretary of state for energy Claire Coutinho launched her energy analysis. In this she will look at the cost of net zero energy compared to reliable energy sources. She vowed to put cheap energy first calling it the “holy grail”.
August 23rd
Reform pledges to prioritise British born workers for council housing.
August 24th
Ukraine celebrates 35 years of independence. Andy Burnhams labour government stand in solidarity with Ukraine: “ The UK is behind you today and for as long as it takes”
August 25th
Labour (who would shun the comparison) channel their inner Thatcher and vow to back the “biggest council housebuilding programme in decades” (Margaret Thatcher`s government supported the building of more council houses than Tony Blair`s New Labour.
August 26th
Andy Burnham serenades a group of soldiers in Kyiv. The less said about that the better.
August 28th
Conservative shadow education Secretary Lara Trott appears in a social media video where she slams the labour government. She details their failure to get 6,500 more teachers into schools when in reality close to 2000 have left the profession. This can be traced to decisions taken by the government which have see private schools close down due to affordability which in turn has led to growing classroom sizes in state schools placing further pressure on the teachers in those state schools.
August 31st
Kemi Badenoch began her shadow cabinet reshuffle. The most striking change being her replacing shadow chancellor Melt Stride with Andrew Griffith.
