Andy Burnham has said he is “concerned” about plans to switch off Freeview in favour of online TV in 2034 and suggested he could slow down the plans.
The Prime Minister promised to “have a proper look” at the proposals to scrap terrestrial television in favour of internet-based services, saying some of his Makerfield constituents “rely on Freeview”.
The BBC and other UK broadcasters are backing the end of terrestrial TV as access to internet-based services soars and providers pivot toward online delivery and apps like BBC iPlayer and Freely.
Far-right AfD party set to win German state election
An election in eastern Germany on Sunday could produce the country’s first far-right state governor since WW2.
The Alternative for Germany (AfD) party’s candidate, Ulrich Siegmund, has been branded “the most dangerous man in Germany” by newspaper .
What you need to know
- The AfD is on course for a resounding victory in Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday.
- If it wins a majority in the regional parliament, it will be in charge of the police, schools, the asylum system, civic funding and the state’s public broadcaster.
- Siegmund, 35, proclaims he wants a return to politics “from the people, for the people”.
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What are its policies?
The AfD’s manifesto includes radical policies such as segregating disabled pupils into separate schools. Students will also be taught “patriotism and national pride”.
It has also called for a “remigration offensive” to send migrants back to their home countries – including refugees from Ukraine.
The manifesto also includes ending the right to asylum.
What happens if the AfD wins?
The party’s likely win in Saxony-Anhalt is seen as a blueprint for an ambitious programme to sweep elections in other federal states, according to a leaked internal memo.
Critics have warned it could be the beginning of a wider political movement in Germany.
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Summer 2026 confirmed as UK’s hottest ever
The Met Office has provisionally announced this summer was the UK’s warmest on record.
It follows months of recurring heatwaves and endless weeks without a drop of rain for some of the worst-hit areas.
The facts and figures
The mean temperatures spiked to 16.5°C, beating last year’s record-breaking average.
The highest temperature recorded this summer was 38.1°C at Kew Gardens in London on 13 August.
This means the UK’s five hottest summers on record are: 2026, 2025, 2018, 2006 and 2003.
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Effects of climate change
The Met Office analysis found the scorching summer of 2026 is now 130 times more likely because of climate change.
Head of Climate Attribution at the weather agency, Dr Mark McCarthy, said “because of the effect of burning of fossil fuels, we should now expect this to be roughly a one in nine year event”.
In a natural climate, a summer like this would occur roughly once in every 1,000 years.
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The heatwave in pictures
us politics
US army secretary Driscoll quits amid Hegseth tension
US army secretary Dan Driscoll has resigned after a year and a half in the top job.
He joins a growing list of high-ranking officials who have departed under the watch of Secretary of War Pete Hegseth.
What you need to know
- The Army Secretary is reportedly resigning due to behind-the-scenes tension with Hegseth.
- He had overseen the US operation in Venezuela, the ongoing war with Iran and talks between Russia and Ukraine.
- In a statement to CBS News, a White House spokesperson said Driscoll “has been highly effective in advancing President [Donald] Trump’s agenda to Make America Strong Again”.
Who is Dan Driscoll?
The Iraq War veteran, 41, is a friend of US Vice President JD Vance. The pair met at Yale Law School and Driscoll was formerly one of Vance’s advisors.
He was dubbed Trump’s “drone guy”, focusing on rolling out more unmanned systems and improve US war readiness.
General Randy George, ousted by Hegseth in April, is reportedly a close friend too.
Ongoing friction with Hegseth
Driscoll is one of many senior figures who have now left the armed forces, with many having been fired by Hegseth.
According to CBS, one source said Driscoll had brought concerns to the Trump administration around Hegseth pushing out some army generals from the department.
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Children among 20 missing after Cyprus ferry sinking
A specialist team equipped to search deep waters was due to arrive from Turkey on Tuesday as emergency crews pressed on with efforts to find 20 people missing after a ferry capsized off northern Cyprus.
What happened?
- A ferry carrying 267 people capsized and sank off the coast of northern Cyprus on Sunday.
- The Filo Jet left the town of Kyrenia and soon started to take on water.
- Survivors reported the ferry moving erratically, with its last hard impact with the water’s surface breaking the bow of the vessel.
Everything we know so far
There are still 20 people unaccounted for, including an unknown number of children.
Passengers interviewed in local media claim they begged the captain to turn around, then were left scrambling for life jackets.
Captain Mustafa Oz, 66, and seven crew members have been arrested over the incident.
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Search efforts continue
Visiting Kyrenia on Monday, Tufan Erhürman, president of the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus, which is not recognised by the UK, said the search would “continue with the same intensity, with no interruption, through the day and night”.
A mother, Ayten Bicer, felt her 12-year-old daughter slip from her hands and disappear as the ferry capsized. Her daughter and son, six, are among the missing.
Badenoch’s Tory reshuffle – what you need to know
After she took over as leader of the Tory Party almost two years ago, Kemi Badenoch pledged not to hold a reshuffle before the next general election.
What are the big changes?
- Badenoch has ruthlessly dispatched Stride as shadow chancellor.
- Patel has also been replaced as shadow foreign secretary.
- MPs Andrew Griffith and Tom Tugendhat will replace them.
- Damien Hinds has been selected as the new shadow Health Secretary, while Katie Lam comes in on housing.
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Tories stuck in the polls
One reason for the shakeup is the Conservatives’ position treading water in the shallow end of the polls.
“It’s partly because the Tories are stuck in the polls and can’t budge forward, so they hope a refreshed team will do it. Only time will tell,” one Tory source said.
The latest BMG poll for The i Paper, published this weekend, puts Labour on 27 per cent, Reform on 23 per cent and the Tories on just 18 per cent.
The contradiction for Badenoch is that her personal ratings are improving.
Stride biggest casualty of reshuffle
Stride was one of the biggest names relegated to the backbenches. One insider revealed: “Mel isn’t well liked across the party and hasn’t really waded in on big things.”
They added, though, that he had been held back by a lack of staff – which will need to be remedied if Griffith is to perform better.
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Everything else to know
- Chris Philp survived the cull to remain as shadow Home Secretary. One insider said he “works hard” and had begun to get some traction on illegal immigration.
- Lam has become the new shadow Secretary for Housing. She replaces James Cleverly, who announced on Saturday that he was quitting to run in the next London Mayor election.
- The appointment of Griffith as shadow Chancellor shows Badenoch plans to prioritise the economy in her next election pitch.
Trump may review US stance on Falkland Islands
Donald Trump has indicated he is reviewing the US stance on Britain’s sovereignty over the Falkland Islands.
The US has typically remained neutral on the Falkland Islands, while recognising British administration of them.
What did Trump say?
I always review every position. That’s just one of many.
Trump said the US stance on the status of the Falklands is “one of many” positions he is considering.
In April, a Pentagon memo was leaked suggesting the US could recognise Argentina’s claim to the islands to punish Britain for not joining the war on Iran.
US officials also reportedly considered including the option as a way to pressure the UK to hit its Nato spending targets.
The British response
Chancellor John Healey told he was not aware of a suggestion that the US position could change.
“The Falkland Islands will remain British as long as the Falkland Islands want that to happen,” he added.
But last week, a US official told that Washington may change its position over the islands if the UK doesn’t meet its defence spending commitments.
Trump wades into Falkands dispute
It’s the first time Trump has commented on the islands’ sovereignty.
The UK would struggle to defend the Falklands if Trump followed through on threats to withdraw US support for British sovereignty, analysts have warned.
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Uk politics
Former prime minister Sir Keir Starmer is to quit Parliament, saying he felt it was the “right time” to step down as an MP just weeks after leaving Downing Street.
His resignation will trigger a by-election in his Holborn and St Pancras constituency, where Starmer’s majority was cut by 17 per cent in the 2024 election amid anger over Gaza.
What we know so far
- Starmer told the he had spent the summer reflecting and decided it was the “right time” to go.
- He said he intends to focus on international affairs – including defence, security, trade and technology.
- Green Party leader Zack Polanski could use the by-election to make a run for Parliament.
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What has Starmer said?
It has been a huge honour and privilege to represent the best constituency in the country and to have taken over from Frank Dobson, who was such a great constituency MP and a member of the last Labour government.
keir starmer in the camden new journal
What next for the former PM?
Starmer said he intends to pursue a career working on international affairs and continue his long-running campaign against violence against women and girls.
He has already been linked with the post of NATO secretary-general when Mark Rutte’s term ends in 2028, although there is no suggestion that he has formally put himself forward for the position.
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They argue that maintaining both terrestrial and online systems is increasingly costly and inefficient as audiences naturally move to internet streaming.
A Government green paper last month outlined plans to move to online-only TV as soon as 2034.
But critics of the policy argue that Freeview is important for the elderly, disabled people and those on low incomes.
Others warn that online-only TV could leave Britain more vulnerable to cyber attacks from countries like Russia.
Burnham said the issue could be looked at as part of the BBC Charter renewal process ahead of the current charter’s expiration on December 31 2027.
Asked by Conservative former Cabinet minister David Mundell about the proposal to switch off Freeview, Burnham said: “I’ll give him an honest answer: I am concerned about those plans, too.
“I know some of my constituents in Makerfield rely on Freeview.
“There is perhaps an opportunity to look at this as part of the BBC Charter renewal process.
“I can’t give him a final answer today, but I recognise it’s a genuine issue that he’s raised. I know it will be of concern to his constituents, and let me have a proper look at it.”
His comments came after Mundell said: “One measure which would not cost him anything, which would be popular in the north and across the whole of the UK, is if he ruled out what appeared in the previous prime minister’s green paper on the future of television, and that is that terrestrial free-to-view television could be switched off in 2034, meaning that everyone would have to pay to watch television.
“And that particularly affects the elderly, vulnerable, and those who live in rural areas.”
The Government under Burnham’s predecessor, Sir Keir Starmer, said there was a “strong case” for transitioning to streaming TV but stressed that “no decisions have been made”.