Andy Burnham is rethinking plans to appoint Ed Miliband as his chancellor, according to his supporters.
The Energy Secretary was being lined up to take over from Rachel Reeves if Burnham succeeds in his bid to become prime minister, but several sources told The i Paper that the new Makerfield MP may have cooled on the idea.
While Miliband is a favourite among the Labour Party membership – frequently topping polls of the most popular Cabinet minister – he is less popular with the public.
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Caption: Social media deppression. Sad gen z girl using phone, lying on sofa scrolling on social media, Internet addiction, wasting time. Millennial generation people and gadget use
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news
Why Gen Z think ringing the doorbell is too awkward
A third of Generation Z won’t ring the doorbell or even knock on the door when arriving at someone’s house, according to a new survey.
The poll of 2,000 adults by Uswitch found 33 per cent of Britons aged 18 to 29 opted to announce their arrival by phone call or text. Almost a quarter of millennials said they did the same.
What’s the big deal?
The main motivation to avoid interacting with a door knocker or bell is awkwardness. Nearly 40 per cent of Gen Z respondents said that sending a message felt less intrusive. Meanwhile, nearly 20 per cent said ringing the bell seemed too formal.
Almost a quarter believed their host was more likely to notice a phone notification than to hear the door.
LIFESTYLE
4 min read
How homeowners are adapting
Homeowners appear to be adapting to the shift away from the classic doorbell ring, with visits mostly now co-ordinated by phone. Nearly a quarter of Britons said they would react negatively if somebody rang the bell without texting first.
Some 12 per cent said a sudden ring would catch them off guard, 7 per cent would feel anxious or stressed and 5 per cent would be annoyed.
LIFESTYLE
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OPINION
3 min read
How our phones have changed our lives
We spent years making doorbells smarter…only to stop pressing them altogether. For younger people especially, ringing the doorbell has gone from the default to an unusual choice. It’s a sign of how central our phones have become.
Simrat Sharma, a technology expert at Uswitch
Smart doorbells are now a popular way of keeping properties safe
(AP Photo/Jessica Hill, File)
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – FEBRUARY 05: Sam Little attends Agatha Christie’s “Witness For The Prosecution” at London County Hall on February 5, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Grant Buchanan/Dave Benett/Getty Images)
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news
How Traitors star was scammed out of £40k life savings
A Traitors star has spoken out about losing £40,000 to phishing scam after cyber crooks pretended to be representatives from his bank.
Sam Little, 35, has described how the “gut-wrenching” incident took place – and has warned others about falling into the same trap.
What happened?
He told the BBC of how he received a series of text messages from what he believed was a trusted bank, saying there had been multiple attempts to log into his account.
The messages advised him to ring them. While on the call, he logged into an online cryptocurrency platform where he had stored £40,000 worth of life savings.
Bitcoin’s price dip has affected the rest of the cryptocurrency market (Photo: Getty)
Big Read
9 min read
‘Everything had gone’
Before I knew it, the phone went dead and everything had gone.
Little said there was nothing about the call that was suspicious. He told the BBC: “They didn’t ask me for any passwords, they didn’t ask me for any verification codes.
“They were somehow able to hack into the web page I would normally interact with. Before I knew it, the phone went dead and everything had gone.”
(Photo: PA).
‘Your world’s collapsing’
The former Traitors contestant said it didn’t take long to realise what had happened. “It feels like your world’s just collapsing,” he said. “You work solidly for years to build this up, and it’s just gone.”
Offenders are collaborating and co-ordinating their activities on the dark web, the NCA has warned (Photo: Kacper Pempel/Reuters)
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Scams are becoming more common – and more sophisticated – in the AI era. Cybercrime and fraud cases increased by 31 per cent between 2024 and 2025, affecting 4.6 million people each year, according to the Office for National Statistics.
No funds recovered
Since the scam, which happened in January, Little has not been able to recover any of the lost funds.
He said he has reported the scam to Report Fraud, run by City of London Police. However, he said there has so far not been an investigation.
A Report Fraud spokesperson said they are carrying out a “manual review” of Little’s report, and that “crypto wallets are a complex area of policing and will take time to resolve”.
MONEY
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news
Chaka Khan announces first album in more than seven years
Caption: LEWES, ENGLAND – JULY 04: Chaka Khan headlines the main stage at the Love Supreme Jazz Festival at Glynde Place on July 4, 2015 in Lewes, England. (Photo by Tabatha Fireman/Redferns via Getty Images)
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Chaka Khan has announced that she is releasing a new album – her first in seven years – in collaboration with Snoop Dog and Sia.
The 11-time Grammy Award winner will release her 14th studio album, Chakzilla, on 18 September. It follows her last record, Hello Happiness, that was released in 2019.
‘Soundtrack of the summer’
One of the anticipated singles from the album, Boogie’s In My Soul, features Snoop Dogg and was co-written by Sia.
Representatives for Khan, 73, told PA that the tracks “captures the freedom and infectious energy at the heart and soul of summer vibes” and “is sure to be the soundtrack to the summer”.
Caption: ATLANTA, GEORGIA – SEPTEMBER 20: Singer Stephanie Mills performs onstage during The Queens! 4 Legends. 1 Stage. tour at State Farm Arena on September 20, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Paras Griffin/Getty Images)
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Caption: Snoop Dogg at the “Gladiator II” Los Angeles premiere held at the TCL Chinese Theatre on November 18, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Gilbert Flores/Variety via Getty Images)
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Snoop said of the song: “There’s nothing you can do to ever erase this. It’s in your system, now let it get into your soul.”
What to expect from the album
I’ve lived a lot of life since my last record, and I wanted these songs to celebrate that.
The singer said the upcoming album is “about joy” and “loving yourself”. She added: “I’ve lived a lot of life since my last record, and I wanted these songs to celebrate that.”
Caption: LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA – JUNE 12: Chaka Khan attends The Connie Orlando Foundation presents Black Women in Music at Audrey Irmas Pavilion on June 12, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Robin L Marshall/Getty Images for The Connie Orlando Foundation)
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Full track listing
The announcement follows the release of the album’s title track, Chakzilla, which has already surpassed one million views on YouTube.
Here is the album’s full track listing, and collaborators:
Chakzilla
Boogie’s In My Soul
Curious Subject
I Know You Can
Always Love The Challenge
Heart Of Gold
Now And Forever
Dreamy Stuff
Cool U Down (featuring Sia)
Bring The Party (featuring Lenny Kravitz)
Caption: U.S. President Donald Trump gestures as he leaves the stage after a media conference at the end of the G7 summit in Evian-les-Bains, France, Wednesday, June 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Vadim Ghirda)
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NEWS
Iran-US peace talks cancelled
Peace talks between the US and Iran in Switzerland that were due to take place today have been called off. The cancellation came as Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah traded their most violent strikes since the ceasefire was established.
The negotiations were set to begin just two days after the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that opened a 60-day window to secure an agreement over Iran’s nuclear programme, while getting oil traffic moving through the Strait of Hormuz.
Fresh wave of attacks
The fresh wave of attacks on late Thursday saw Hezbollah target Israeli forces near the city of Nabatieh, south Lebanon, with several salvoes of rocket fire late on Thursday.
Israel retaliated with airstrikes on the city and surrounding towns, leaving at least 16 dead and 33 wounded, according to Lebanon’s ministry of health.
Caption: NABATIEH, LEBANON – JUNE 2: Smoke rises after an Israeli airstrike on June 2, 2026 in Nabatieh, Lebanon. Israeli forces have struck targets in Nabatieh, a major city beyond the Litani River, which is recognized as the northern boundary of a buffer zone that’s been in place since the 2006 ceasefire between Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah group. In recent days Israel has issued evacuation orders for residents across much of southern Lebanon, as it says it’s expanding ground operations to strengthen its military position against Hezbollah, in a move that marks a significant escalation in the conflict. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been under international pressure, including from U.S. President Donald Trump, to engage in a new ceasefire agreement with Hezbollah. (Photo by Adri Salido/Getty Images)
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Analysis
5 min read
White House response
The logistics of these negotiations have never been simple or predictable. As of now the vice-president is not departing tonight.
The White House said the US looked forward to “beginning technical talks as soon as possible”.
Caption: Vice President JD Vance speaks to the press before boarding Air Force Two, Friday, April 10, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews, Md., for expected departure to Pakistan, for talks on Iran. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin, pool)
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The cancellation came so abruptly that JD Vance’s staff had gathered in anticipation of the trip.
Iran reservations
Iran’s supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Thursday that he had approved the MOU despite reservations.
Prior to the cancellation, Iran’s semi-official Tasnim news agency said negotiators needed to see signs of the US acting on its interim agreement before the next round of peace talks could begin.
The cancellation came after reports Tehran was delaying sending its delegation to Geneva, due to Israel’s ongoing military campaign in Lebanon.
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Israel’s stance
Netanyahu speaks during a press conference in Jerusalem (Photo: Ronen Zvulun/Pool/Reuters)
Israel was not included in the peace talks and has distanced itself from the US-Iran agreement.
The MOU calls for the “permanent termination” of the war in Lebanon and for the country’s “territorial integrity and sovereignty” to be ensured.
Caption: (FILES) A fireball and smoke erupt from a building following an Israeli strike in Tyre, southern Lebanon, on May 28, 2026. The world has settled in a high level of violence with, in 2025, the largest number of state conflicts since the end of World War II and an explosion of attacks directly targeting civilians, according to the annual PRIO Global Conflict Trends report on the trend of conflicts in the world published on June 9, 2026. (Photo by KAWANT HAJU / AFP via Getty Images)
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The Israeli military said on March 16 that it had begun what it described as “limited ground operations” against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon (Photo: Odd ANDERSEN / AFP via Getty Images)
The Knesset has so far insisted it will not pull out its troops from south Lebanon.
People shield from the sun under an umbrella, on the Millennium Bridge in London. Temperatures could reach 32C in parts of central and southern England on Friday and are expected to remain high into the weekend, with a yellow heat health alert in place for all regions in England until July 15. Picture date: Friday July 11, 2025. PA Photo. Photo credit should read: Yui Mok/PA Wire
NEWS
Amber heat health alerts in place – here’s where
With a heatwave set to develop in the coming days, amber heat health alerts have been placed across southern and eastern England.
Temperatures are set to climb above 30°C on Friday, possibly up to 32°C in south-east England. By Tuesday, it could creep up to 34°C – or higher.
Amber heat health alerts
An amber heat health alert is issued when high temperatures are likely to have a significant impact on health services.
It suggests there is likely to be an increase in deaths, especially among those aged over 65 or with long-term health conditions.
The upcoming El Niño is expected to bring a warmer and drier summer (Photo: John Keeble/Getty)
Caption: LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM AUGUST 12: A woman uses a portable fan to cool down in London as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) issues an amber extreme heat health alert for East Midlands, West Midlands, East of England, London and South East on August 12, 2025. The rest of the country remains under a yellow heat warning, with temperatures expected to exceed 35??C in some areas. (Photo by Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu via Getty Images)
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A closer look at the forecast
The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) has placed the east, south-east and south-west of England under an amber alert until 8pm on Tuesday.
Amber alerts, where impacts are likely to be felt across the whole health service, are valid across the Midlands during the same period.
Across East Anglia and south-east England on Friday, temperatures are expected to rise to the mid to high-twenties.
Around Greater London, it could be as hot as 32°C on Friday afternoon.
Computer weather models suggest the heat is likely to continue through next week, especially in the south.
There is a small possibility we’ll get close to the UK’s highest June temperature of 35.6°C, set in 1976.
MONEY
The 10 best and worst cities for house price growth
Caption: BRISTOL, UNITED KINGDOM – MARCH 15: Sunlight illuminate houses in terraced streets, on March 15, 2026 in Bristol, England. According to a report from the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) soaring interest rates and falling prices have marked the end of the UK???s 13-year housing market boom and have lead to falling house prices and fears of a further house price stagnation. (Photo by Anna Barclay/Getty Images)
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The 10 best and worst cities for house price growth have been revealed – and there is a stark divide between the North and South of England, new data suggests.
Colleen Babcock, a property expert at Rightmove, said: “Areas with lower starting price points have had more room for growth, which has contributed to a widening North-South divide.”
Stand-out figures
Manchester came out on top, with the average asking price for a home rising by around £100,000 (or 63.3 per cent) to £261,891 over the past decade.
Asking prices in the Manchester areas of Levenshulme, Atherton, Droylsden and Failsworth grew by roughly 80 per cent on average.
London, where the average asking price stands at £687,080, climbed by just 7 per cent.
Oxford and Brighton grew by 13 per cent to £554,387 and £416,440.
PROPERTY AND MORTGAGES
3 min read
The fastest growth
Experts believe changes in work patterns have fuelled the shift.
Here are the average house prices in the cities with the fastest growth:
Manchester, £261,891
Wolverhampton, £229,094
Newport, £235,275
Nottingham, £210,238
Wakefield, £231,581
Salford, £226,559
Bradford, £171,282
Stoke-on-Trent, £174,850
Doncaster, £186,378
Swansea, £215,866
The slowest growth
No locations in the South of England made a list of the top 10 cities with the fastest rates of growth. Instead, many southern cities remain on the list with the slowest growth.
Here are the average house prices for locations in the slow lane:
London, £687,080
Oxford, £554,387
Brighton, £416,440
Winchester, £543,972
Cambridge, £512,872
St Albans, £657,627
Canterbury, £367,271
Chelmsford, £402,308
Colchester, £300,714
Dundee, £170,171
uk news
Why London Marathon will be expanded to two-day event
Caption: This is a stock image of the London marathon. Here are the skincare essentials you need for running. See PA Feature BEAUTY Runner. WARNING: This picture must only be used to accompany PA Feature BEAUTY Runner. PA Photo. Picture credit should read: Alamy/PA.
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For the first time ever, the London Marathon will expand into a two-day event with men’s, women’s and elite events spread across the weekend.
A record 1.33 million people have already applied for the 2027 edition, following more than £90m raised for charity by participants in 2026.
What you need to know
Elite women, elite female para-athletes, championship and ‘good for age’ women will compete on one day, and their male equivalents on the other. The exact details for the one-off event are yet to be confirmed.
But those whose ballots are successfully drawn in July will be able to participate in person on 24 and 25 April, 2027.
Runners taking part in the London Marathon last month. Online fundraising sites are often used by participants who running for charity (Photo: Yui Mok/PA Wire)
Interview
5 min read
After a milestone 2026 event
Event organisers have earmarked two guaranteed entries for every school in the capital for teachers or staff. While extra guaranteed entries have also been allocated to every London borough along the route.
Caption: Athletics – London Marathon – London, Britain – April 26, 2026 Kenya’s Sabastian Sawe crosses the finish line to win the men’s elite race REUTERS/Matthew Childs
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Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 26: Sabastian Sawe of Team Kenya celebrates crossing the line and winning with a new World Record time during the Men???s 2026 TCS London Marathon on April 26, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)
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The 2026 event attracted a record 59,830 finishers, and was the site Sabastian Sawe’s world record one hour, 59 minutes and 30 seconds.
What Khan has said
This unique, one-off double will allow a record 100,000 participants to take part across the two days – creating the largest fundraising moment in UK sporting history and supporting the work of so many incredible charities.
London mayor Sadiq Khan
Mayor of London Sir Sadiq Khan (Photo: James Manning/PA Wire)
How much will be raised?
London Marathon Double is our most ambitious evolution to date.
London Marathon CEO Hugh Brasher has estimated that the expanded event could raise over £150m for charities, and £400m for the wider UK economy.
He said: “The 2027 TCS London Marathon Double is our most ambitious evolution to date.”
After the race energy levels will be low (Photo:Justin Tallis/AFP/Getty Images)
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A senior party source said: “He [Burnham] knows it would be problematic.”
Another supportive MP claimed he would not give Miliband that role and has not offered it to him.
Burnham’s key concern, allies insist, is Miliband’s continued support for Labour’s manifesto commitment to no new oil and gas licences in the North Sea.
“People are watching their bills go up and cannot understand why we are not using the resources we already have in the North Sea. People are really angry about it – especially in places like the Makerfield constituency,” a senior Labour source said.
Burnham has previously left the door open to new North Sea drilling, telling the BBC in an interview last month: “I am not saying that I have completely made a view, actually, on the North Sea issue. I am listening to what people are saying about that.”
While more drilling would be unlikely to significantly reduce UK energy prices as this is largely influenced by global markets, supporters say it would boost British jobs and tax revenue while providing enough energy to heat more than a million homes and a more secure energy stream than imported liquefied natural gas.
Burnham’s allies suggest Miliband would have to be willing to approve the Jackdaw and Rosebank fields – Shell’s gas field off Aberdeen and the vast Equinor oil field off Shetland – to put himself back in the running for chancellor.
Other candidates in the fray
Other names in the frame for the role have included Reeves, who would likely have been Burnham’s shadow chancellor had he won the Labour leadership contest in 2015, Shabana Mahmood, the Home Secretary, and Wes Streeting, the former health secretary and leadership hopeful.
However, the dark horse in the race is thought to be John Healey, the former defence secretary, who is both ambitious and well liked within the party. But Healey is also someone who could potentially enter a leadership race.
The other job in any future Burnham cabinet likely to be hotly contested is the role of deputy prime minister. According to multiple Labour sources, both Angela Rayner, who has previously held the job, and Lucy Powell, the party’s deputy leader, are keen on the position.
Labour MPs Anneliese Midgley and Louise Haigh, who helped lead the Makerfield by-election campaign, are both tipped for prominent roles if Burnham gets into No 10. Haigh has been linked to the job of chief secretary to the Prime Minister – the role currently held by Darren Jones – while Midgley is understood to be in the running for Burnham’s chief whip.
Meanwhile, Lisa Nandy – another member of what Burnham affectionately called the “Northern women powerhouse” – is believed to want to stay in her current position as Culture Secretary.
Burnham’s first official appointment was Grace Pritchard – Miliband’s former special adviser who was on loan to him during the campaign – as his head of communications.
Despite claims he has already offered jobs to “huge numbers of people” in return for their support, his allies insist this is not the case.
However, with Burnham expected to be sworn in as the new Labour MP for Makerfield on Monday, swiftly followed by a tilt at No 10, it may not be long before he starts having to make decisions about the people he wants to appoint to his top team.