The last time Andy Burnham gave a statement to MPs after a recess, it went on for more than three hours.
asserted
it → give → hours
This prompted Kemi Badenoch to make a lewd joke later about the PM’s stamina (which she repeated at a party conference reception with an additional line about how she just had to “sit back and lie there”.)
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she → prompt → line
Today we are getting another post-recess, potentially wide-ranging statement from the PM, but the mood might not be so cordial.
uncertain
mood → get → PM
Quite a lot has happened since MPs were last in the chamber almost a month ago, and they will want to ask the PM about issues like the cost of living, North Sea oil and gas, the Iran war and Ukraine.
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they → happen → living
We have not been told yet exactly what Burnham’s statement will cover.
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statement → tell → what
But, as Aletha Adu reports, Burnham will talk about Brexit, restating what he told Labour’s conference about how he thinks it has done more harm than good and making the case for trying to find a better, closer relationship with the EU.
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it → report → EU
The statement will come after 3.30pm
Burnham has also given an interview to the Rest is Politics podcast and in it he confirmed that Russia interfered in the Brexit referendum.
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Russia → come → referendum
Unremarkable – because it has been obvious to anyone reading the news for the past decade that the Russians were trying to help the leave campaign.
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Russians → read → campaign
And newsworthy – because it is not something that any previous PM has been keen to say.
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PM → say → that
For some years ministers have been using the line – set out in 2020 in the government’s response to the intelligence and security committee’s report on the threat posed by Russia – that “we have seen no evidence of successful interference in the EU referendum”.
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we → use → referendum
That implies there is evidence of unsuccessful interference.
asserted
That → imply → interference
But in the past prime ministers have not said that explicity.
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ministers → say → explicity
Post-2016 Tory PMs, whether they voted leave or remain, did not want to cast doubt on the legitimacy of the leave vote, and Keir Starmer was also reluctant to poke his stick into that particular hornets’ nest.
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Starmer → vote → nest
Burnham is taking a different approach.
asserted
Burnham → take → approach
In his interview, Burnham was not asked, and did not say, if he thought that Russian interference had an impact on the result.
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interference → ask → result
Stephen Doughty, a Foreign Office minister, has been giving interview this morning and he told Times Radio:
The result is the result, and I think the prime minister has been very clear that he’s talking about attempts to interfere.
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he → give → attempts
The security minister has spoken about this before.
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minister → speak → this
I’m confident that both the British people and the British state are able to respond to and defend against these types of threats, but we need to be very honest that those threats exist.
asserted
threats → ’m → threats
(“I think the PM has been very clear” is the sort of thing a minister says when what they mean is “Of course, the PM wasn’t clear at all, but I’m happy to give you the line now.”
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I → think → line
Doughty later told LBC the Russians “haven’t succeeded in their many, many attempts to undermine our [democratic] processes”.
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Russians → tell → processes
The Conservatives have criticised Burnham for even raising the topic.
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Conservatives → criticise → topic
Andrew Bowie, the shadow energy secretary, told Times Radio this morning:
That Brexit referendum was a legitimate vote.
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referendum → tell → Radio
People voted in this country in record numbers to leave the European Union.
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People → vote → Union
And I actually think it’s very dangerous and divisive of the prime minister to reopen this debate in such an explosive fashion.
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it → think → fashion
Kanishka Narayan, the AI minister, gives a speech.
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Narayan → give → speech
Nigel Farage, the Reform UK leader, and Zia Yusuf, its home affairs spokesperson, hold a press conference.
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Farage → hold → conference
Downing Street holds a lobby briefing.
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Street → hold → briefing
Pat McFadden, the work and pensions secretary, takes questions in the Commons.
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McFadden → take → Commons
MLAs (members of the legislative assembly) will vote on a no confidence motion in Michelle O’Neill, the Sinn Féin first minister, over her support for a protest against the proposed Orange Order march down the Garvachy Road.
asserted
MLAs → vote → Road
After 3.30pm: Andy Burnham makes a statement to MP.
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Burnham → make → MP
Shabana Mahmood, the home secretary, makes a statement to the Commons on the safety of MPs.
asserted
Mahmood → make → MPs
I’m afraid we are no longer able to have comments open below the line every day on this blog.
asserted
comments → ’m → blog
If you want to contact me, please email politics.live@theguardian.com.
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you → want → politics.live@theguardian.com
You can use this email to flag up corrections, comments for publication, questions or complaints.
asserted
You → use → questions
The Aporia
