Has Andy Burnham gone too far on Israel?

Foreign affairs took centre stage in British politics this week, with Andy Burnham finally showing where he stands. Ed Balls and George Osborne examine the shake-up in rhetoric to Israel/Gaza, but suggest the policy was already planned by the Starmer government. George wonders whether Ed Miliband’s tone was too populist, and whether this was all a play for uniting the left vote. Elsewhere, they examine rising tensions over the Falklands, and just how Burnham will navigate delicate relations with both Donald Trump and the EU.

The best laid economic plans can be thwarted by global events, and the pair warn that John Healey’s forthcoming coming - being billed early as a ‘boring’ budget - will be a hostage to fortune. George also questions Healey’s safe approach economically to Burnham's emphasis on a radical break, and how the two can co-exist long-term. 

Finally, the rise of the far-right AfD in Germany has seen a big advancement. The party came out on top in the Saxony-Anhalt state election at the weekend, and has put Chancellor Friedrich Merz under increased pressure. Will he be the German Keir Starmer? If so, what can Britain learn from this, as parties like Reform and Restore attempt to succeed with their own populist agenda.  

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