The political week starts with the shockwaves from the murder of Reform politician – Ann Widdecombe – which has put MPs security firmly back in the spotlight.

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy have the latest on the police investigation, Nigel Farage’s response and the wider political fallout. It comes as the row over political party donations intensifies, with Reform arguing that the current safeguards aren’t strong enough.

Meanwhile, Keir Starmer enters his final week as Prime Minister, while his successor Andy Burnham faces another major test in front of the Parliamentary Labour Party.

Plus, will the Home Secretary be forced to soften her immigration reforms as she attempts to change the law to deport a recently released ringleader of a Rochdale grooming gang.

The Andy Burnham era of politics is fast approaching – and the prime minister-in-waiting has finally set out some of his priorities for government.

As Labour leadership nominations open – with his last active challenger Al Carns officially stepping aside – Burnham’s path to power is now all but certain.

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy dissect his blueprint for Number 10, with a specific look at:

• A foreign policy vision built around plans to “reindustrialise through defence”
• A rumoured UK tour of “overlooked communities”
• A promise to be more accessible and transform his relationship with Labour MPs

Plus, as preparations for the Clacton by-election ramp up, Sam considers how Nigel Farage’s gamble could backfire and asks whether coverage restrictions will cause headaches for broadcasters.

Nigel Farage has triggered a political earthquake by quitting as an MP – but is he trying to get ahead of an inevitable scandal?

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy unpack why Farage has called a by-election in Clacton and why none of the major parties are standing against him – with some describing it as a “gimmick.”

The duo also examine whether his plans will have any material impact on the Parliamentary Standards investigation into his links with Christopher Harbone and George Cottrell.

And could this extraordinary political gamble end with a stranger twist of a second by-election just weeks later?

Plus, what impact will Rupert Lowe’s Restore Party have on potential Reform supporters.

After new claims about Nigel Farage’s funding arrangements, Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy discuss the bits of the new allegations which are worrying Reform.

Plus, what will an Andy Burnham government actually be like?

On the Treasury, the reports that he might try to split it in two seem have gone quiet but there seems to be an appetite to go early for this autumn’s budget.

Anne has also been speaking to Burnham advisor, Jim O’Neill, about what the Burnham foreign policy vision might be.

Could Nigel Farage’s alleged financial relationship with a convicted fraudster come back to haunt him?

The Reform leader is already under scrutiny over his £5 million gift from crypto billionaire Christopher Harbone and these fresh allegations about his association with George Cottrell will intensify the pressure.

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy unpack the political, legal and ethical questions at the heart of the claims and examine whether the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards could widen his investigation.

Nigel Farage insists he "has done no wrongdoing, followed the rules" and says he is considering legal action.

Elsewhere, with a fortnight until Andy Burnham enters No10, cabinet colleagues are continuing to jostle for their positions to keep their jobs.

Plus, Sam has a potential conspiracy theory on who could end up as Andy Burnham’s chancellor.

Andy Burnham could be just days away from entering Downing Street – but who are the winners and losers from the arrival of a new Prime Minister?

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy examine how Britain’s political landscape could be reshaped and what it means for the main opposition parties:

• Can Kemi Badenoch turn Labour’s transition into a Tory revival?
• Will Reform recover following a turbulent few weeks?
• What are the chances of the Liberal Democrats’ quiet planning making a difference at the next general election?
• Could a left-leaning PM squeeze the Greens’ vote?

The duo break down the biggest opportunities, the major threats, and the new political battlegrounds as British politics enters a new era.

The full list of candidates standing for the Manchester Mayoralty can be found here.

Team Burnham have been properly triggered over the Defence Investment Plan now they’ve found out £4.7bn of it is still to be funded.

For the first time in the transition, they’re feeling furious.

Sam Coates and Anne McElvoy have news that the scale of the blackhole is even bigger than that.

Also - is a former Conservative mayor in the running to chair Great British Railways?

And can you have more Milibands than women in the great offices of state?

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?