Tuesday briefing: Why Labour banned Burnham – and what the ‘King of the North’ might do next

The Guardian - World NewsEN 2 min read 100% complete by Aamna MohdinJanuary 27, 2026 at 07:30 AM

AI Summary

short article 2 min

Andy Burnham was barred from standing as a Labour MP in the upcoming Gorton and Denton byelection after a vote by Labour's ruling body. This decision has reportedly caused turmoil within the party. In the US, Donald Trump's immigration policies are facing opposition and legal challenges following a fatal shooting. In UK news, former Home Secretary Suella Braverman has joined the Reform UK party, the third Conservative MP to do so recently. Maltese authorities confirmed a shipwreck in the Mediterranean, estimating that up to 380 people may have drowned during Cyclone Harry. Finally, Saudi Arabia has been ordered to pay damages to a London-based dissident targeted with Pegasus spyware, and a US security agreement for Ukraine is reportedly ready for signing.

Key Entities & Roles

Key Player Opposition Context

Alex Pretti 50% Gorton 60% Denton 60% Volodymyr Zelenskyy 60% Reform UK 60% Nigel Farage 60% Ukraine ×360% Suella Braverman 70% Donald Trump 70% United States ×370% Labour Party ×280% Andy Burnham 90%

Keywords

labour party 90% andy burnham 80% byelection 70% political ban 60% reform uk 50% immigration 50% ukraine 40% security agreement 40% suella braverman 40%