Politics At Sam and Anne's

Will the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan be the Prime Minister’s final and most contentious act?
Months of delays, a multi-billion-pound funding gap and the resignation of his Defence Secretary has Keir Starmer done enough to satisfy his military chiefs?
Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy unpack the political and strategic stakes and assess how NATO allies, not least Donald Trump, will make of the plans.
Elsewhere, with the PM’s departure from No10 on the horizon, is Labour already seeing a polling bounce?
And, after more than two years of disruption has Health Secretary – James Murray – finally succeeded where others have failed by bringing the resident doctors strike to an end?

Barring any last-minute surprises, Andy Burnham will become Prime Minister three weeks today.
But what is his 10-year mission for the country and how will he achieve it?
In his first major speech in Manchester, Burnham will set out his plans for the economy, welfare and devolution with a pledge to deliver “good growth in every postcode.”
Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy examine whether his promise of the biggest transfer of power out of Whitehall in modern times amounts to a genuine political reset.
Back in London, the battle for future cabinet jobs is already underway and Anne reveals why one senior role could have David Miliband’s name on it.
Plus, with Keir Starmer’s authority in office draining can he get the long-awaited Defence Investment Plan through without any hiccups from his military chiefs?

It could have been a messy transition, but the ease with which Andy Burnham has returned to Westminster appears to be the product of many months of careful planning.
Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy delve into the details of how Burnham’s expected coronation has been managed – and why Louise Haigh has emerged as a key architect behind the scenes.
Meanwhile, as Donald Trump breaks his silence on Keir Starmer’s likely replacement, his verdict is rather blunt.
The duo dissect the U.S. President’s first public comments on Burnham, who he labelled as ‘extremely liberal’. What does this mean for the relationship between Washington and London?
Plus: Rachel Reeves falls in behind Burnham — but can she, and will she, survive as chancellor?

Andy Burnham appears to have taken another major step towards power, bringing in a big name from the Blair era – James Purnell – as his chief of staff.
What does it say about the Burnham operation and the government he is trying to build?
Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy unpack a decades-long relationship, and discuss why it’s being welcomed by Labour MPs, business and the city.
Plus, as Starmer ally Darren Jones rules himself out of a leadership challenge, is the path now clear for a Burnham coronation?
And Anne has been speaking to Reform UK’s Robert Jenrick. How do they deal with a new Labour leader, and do they have a clear narrative on migration?

In less than a month, Britain is set to get its seventh Prime Minister in under a decade.
And barring a political earthquake, it's all but certain to be Andy Burnham.
But several questions remain about what the King of the North really stands for – he now has just over three weeks to turn by-election victory into a policy platform to govern the country.
Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy look at the fading prospect of challengers and likely coronation. Can he really steady the ship ten years on from the Brexit referendum?
Also, with the battle for No11 well underway, the duo also look at the economic agenda and what characters could form a Burnham government as the party begins to shape ideas for the next phase.