UK PM Starmer expected to resign; Burnham eyed as successor

Speculation is mounting that UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will announce his resignation today, succumbing to intense pressure from Labour MPs to step aside for Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham. Burnham's recent decisive victory in the Makerfield byelection, where he outperformed expectations and consolidated his standing against the hard right, has bolstered his claim to lead the party into the next general election.

Senior political correspondent Peter Walker's reporting, based on numerous weekend conversations and an interview with Business Secretary Peter Kyle, suggested Starmer would outline his departure timeline. The lack of any official rebuttal from Downing Street, typically swift to challenge inaccuracies, has fueled these expectations. Even former President Donald Trump weighed in, posting that Starmer "will resign," a remark likely to cause significant embarrassment for the government.

Meanwhile, international developments continue to unfold. High-stakes talks between the US and Iran are set to resume in Switzerland after a tense start. In Edinburgh, police have charged a man following a series of attacks treated as potential anti-Muslim hate crimes, with counter-terrorism officers investigating. The UK faces a forecast of extremely high temperatures from Monday to Thursday, raising health concerns, particularly for the elderly and vulnerable. In other UK news, the driver killed in Friday's Bedford train crash has been named, with his family expressing devastation. Separately, concerns have been raised about child and animal welfare at the UK's largest children's prison, where pet ferrets are reportedly being used to kill rats.