Andy Burnham is back at Westminster: what this says about Britain’s changing political system

By Andrew Stevens, Visiting Fellow, Centre for Urban and Regional Development Studies (CURDS), Newcastle University

Andy Burnham’s victory in the Makerfield byelection doesn’t simply mark the return of one of Labour’s most recognisable figures to parliament. With his clear ambitions to lead his party – and the country – it may also represent a landmark moment in English devolution. His thumping win – taking 55% of the votes and more than Restore UK and Reform Britain combined – means the political significance of metro mayors has never been higher.

For much of the post-war era, ambitious British politicians followed a familiar path. Success meant climbing the Westminster…

Read complete article

~	What can be done to stop conflict-related sexual violence?

~	How do US “third country removals” work and are they legal?

~	DRC: Amnesty International launches “6 million Voices for Justice for Congo” campaign, in renewed push for accountability for crimes under international law.

~	The case of Shakira Galíndez highlights a growing crisis for trans Venezuelan asylum seekers in the U.S.

~	World Cup: what’s just the right height for a soccer player?

~	The operational and humanitarian consequences of disregard for the rules of war are both devastating and accelerating

~	Bunk’Art: Dealing with the legacy of Albania’s communist regime

~	Thousands of stateless people live in limbo due to gaps in Australia’s system: report

~	Jeremy Clarkson has aggressive prostate cancer. But what makes some cancers more aggressive than others?

~	Vodafone has suffered another major outage. A telco expert explains what went wrong