Starmer resigns, and the UK prepares to turn left
After less than two years in office, Prime Minister Keir Starmer announced on Monday morning that he would resign as Labour Party leader. “I have spoken to His Majesty the King this morning to inform him of my decision,” said a tearful Starmer outside Downing Street, who will exit office by September. The center-left leader’s position had been rapidly deteriorating ever since his party won a huge parliamentary majority in 2024: Economic stagnation, communication issues, and a scandal relating to Peter Mandelson tanked the PM’s approval ratings. The straw that broke the camel’s back came last week, when Labour rival Andy Burnham won a special election in Makerfield.
Burnham announced on Monday that he will run to replace Starmer. He is a popular figure among Labour members, and his path to victory looks clear: former Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who was set to run for leadership too, backed Burnham earlier today. Should he become PM, the former Manchester mayor could shift the government left, with proposals for a land value tax, nationalizing public goods like water, and more social housing.
Far-right candidate set to win Colombia’s presidential election
Abelardo de la Espriella, a far-right candidate and lawyer, appears headed for a narrow victory over leftist Senator Iván Cepeda in Colombia’s presidential race. With 99% of the vote counted, de la Espriella’s impending win marks a dramatic return to conservative rule after four years under Gustavo Petro, Colombia’s first left-wing president. The result also represents the latest right-wing victory in Latin America, following wins in Honduras and Chile, and a similar outcome looming in Peru. De la Espriella also joins a list of conservative leaders backed by US President Donald Trump, advocating for hardline approaches to security and rising crime, social conservatism, and the promise of shrinking the size of government.
Iran latest: US lifts sanctions
The US on Monday temporarily lifted oil sanctions against Iran and said Tehran had agreed to allow the return of international nuclear inspectors. That last detail was not immediately confirmed by the IAEA, which runs inspections, or Iran itself, which said ending the Israel-Hezbollah war was more important than the nuclear file. On that score, a fragile ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed militant group made it into a second day. US Vice President JD Vance, who led talks with Iran over the weekend, hailed a “great foundation” for a broader peace deal, but the fate of Iran’s nuclear program, the conditions for unfreezing sanctioned Iranian funds, and the fate of the Israel-Hezbollah conflict are all key issues that have yet to be addressed. Meanwhile, hundreds of ships are still waiting outside the Strait of Hormuz to see if the waterway really is, as Vance said, “open.”
