After a tricky 2025, Prime Minister Keir Starmer hoped this year would see the revival of his popularity. This however, is looking increasingly unlikely, especially considering his perceived blocking of Andy Burnham’s return to Parliament, over the weekend. Triggered by the stepping down of Labour MP Andrew Gwynne, who announced his resignation last week citing health issues, the resulting by-election in Gorton and Denton immediately sparked speculation the seat may be Burnham’s route back into Westminster.
This was short-lived as Labour’s National Executive Committee (NEC) immediately blocked the move, arguing the party can’t afford the by-election for Greater Manchester’s mayoral seat if Burnham re-joined Parliament. This move by the NEC, widely seen to be led by Starmer allies and enabled by the fear of a potential leadership challenge by Burnham, will not help the Prime Minister’s popularity over the weeks to come with MPs already disillusioned by his leadership and saying it’s a demonstration of “cowardice”.
Away from domestic affairs, this week Starmer is on a visit to China – the first by a British premier since 2018. The visit is another notable demonstration of the Prime Minister’s attempt to reset Britain’s relationship with Beijing, alongside last week’s approval of the mega Chinese embassy in London. Chancellor Rachel Reeves and Business Secretary Peter Kyle are also on the trip, further underscoring the UK’s efforts to strengthen ties with the world’s second-largest economy and supporting the Prime Minister’s ambition to take a “more sophisticated” approach to its relationship with China.
Also on the world stage are the events unfolding in Minneapolis, after another protestor was killed by federal immigration officers. There are now calls for an investigation from all sides of the political divide after video footage shows officers acting in a potentially unlawful way. Former President Barack Obama echoed these calls saying the incident is a demonstration of the nation’s core values being “under assault” and that federal law enforcement and agents are not acting in an accountable way. With President Trump refusing to condemn the incident, it is expected he will continue to face scrutiny for his comments and wider delivery of immigration policy in the weeks to come.
Headlines
- Labour Party tensions mount as Andy Burnham is blocked from standing as an MP – The Financial Times
- Police told to reach all serious incident 999 calls in 20 minutes – The Times
- AI is hitting UK harder than other big economies, study finds – The Guardian
What’s on in Parliament
Monday 26th January
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Work and Pensions
- Legislation: Second Reading of the Armed Forces Bill
- Adjournment: NHS urgent care in Staffordshire
- Westminster Hall Debate: e-petition 729440 relating to play in the key stage 1 curriculum
- Westminster Hall Debate: e-petition 718660 relating to the licensing and regulation of animal rescue centres
House of Lords
- Introductions: Baroness Paul of Shepherd’s Bush; Lord Barber of Chittlehampton
- Oral questions: The impact of the 2025 Budget on grassroots music venues
- Oral questions: Plans to regulate the development of superintelligent AI
- Debate: Holocaust Memorial Day
Tuesday 27th January
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Treasury
- Westminster Hall Debate: UK bus manufacturing
- Westminster Hall Debate: Impact of the time taken to install gigabit capable broadband in rural communities
- Westminster Hall Debate: Women’s safety while walking, wheeling, cycling and running
- Westminster Hall Debate: Government support for consumer energy bills
- Westminster Hall Debate: Tackling digital exploitation of women and girls
House of Lords
- Introductions: Baroness Martin of Brockley; Baroness Nargund
- Legislation: Crime and Policing Bill – Committee (day 13) part one and part two
- Oral questions: The expected impact of the Best Start Family Hubs in England
- Oral questions: Supporting hospitality businesses
- Oral questions: Implications of the litigation brought by bereaved British parents against TikTok, following the deaths of their children
Wednesday 28th January
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Women and Equalities
- Prime Minister’s Question Time
- Ten Minute Rule Motion: Flooding
- Adjournment: Distribution of education funding
- Westminster Hall Debate: Children’s services in local authorities
- Westminster Hall Debate: Non-compliance animal testing incidents in laboratories
- Westminster Hall Debate: Impact of environmental, social and governance requirements on the defence industry
House of Lords
- Oral questions: Recent performance of startup companies in the UK
- Legislation: Children’s Wellbeing and Schools Bill - report stage (day 4)
Thursday 29th January
House of Commons
- Oral questions: Business and Trade
- Business Statement: Business Questions to the Leader of the House
- Backbench Business: General Debate on Holocaust Memorial Day
- Adjournment: Government support for non-league football
- Westminster Hall Debate: Non-recognition of Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine
House of Lords
- Introductions: Peter Babudu; Simon Heffer
- Oral questions: Extending the scope of eligibility for the Erasmus+ scheme, including to asylum seekers
- Debate: Impact of a new EU-UK customs union and connections with the EU single market on the UK economy
- Debate: Role of UK development partnership assistance in diplomacy, conflict resolution and the exercise of soft power
Friday 30th January
House of Commons
- Not sitting
House of Lords
- Legislation: Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill – committee stage (day 8)
Consultations
- Exploring the role of alternative clean heating solutions – closes 10th February
- Visitor levy in England – closes 18th February
- Equality Scheme for Department for Culture, Media and Sport – closes 20th February
Statistics
- Labour market in the regions of the UK: January 2026 – published 20th January
- Consumer price inflation, UK: December 2025 – published 21st January
- UK trade, quarterly goods and services: July to September 2025 – published 23rdJanuary