Noah Keate
@noahkeate
Writer. Journalist. Sunday Crunch Author for @politico.eu. Loves cats, Edinburgh, 'The Archers', trains and Earl Grey Tea. Email: nkeate@politico.co.uk
EXC: Angela Rayner’s memoir won’t be published this year. Three months after quitting government, a book about her life was announced for a 2026 release. As Rayner’s housing secretary again, that’s on hold — with no decision made over returning the £61,500 advance. My analysis below 👇
Labour MP Chris Curtis is considering standing for Housing, Communities & Local Government Committee Chair after incumbent Florence Eshalomi joined that department as a minister. MPs select (!) her replacement after recess. My reporting in @politico.eu's London Playbook PM below 👇
Andy Burnham overwhelmingly won over Labour MPs. Now the prime minister wants to convince Reform UK voters his party deserves to remain in office. To achieve this, he’s made comments that sound similar to some of Nigel Farage’s rhetoric. My analysis (+ piece) below.
Andy Burnham’s pledge to end rough sleeping is bold — but can he achieve it? While funding has already been allocated, he made the same promise as Greater Manchester mayor — and the figures show a mixed record. We now await his Cabinet picks … my analysis (+ live blog) below 👇
Brief half hour where the UK has no prime minister ... more on that, and the day's events so far, in our @politico.eu live blog. 👇
Andy Burnham isn’t prime minister just yet — but his voice is getting heard loud and clear. The Labour leader will scrap Keir Starmer’s digital ID plans to prioritise local investment instead of centralised Whitehall schemes. My thoughts (+ Sunday Crunch writeup) below👇
Kemi Badenoch adopted a conciliatory tone towards Keir Starmer at his last #PMQs, praising the outgoing leader for supporting Ukraine and valuing his family. It was a far cry from the usual combative back and forth between the staunch political rivals. My analysis is below 👇
Keir Starmer faces his final PMQs as prime minister this lunchtime. Nominally, he’s still in charge — but his political authority has gone. How do you answer questions as the ultimate lame duck? The denouements of his predecessors offer some inspiration. My piece below. 👇
Police don’t believe Reform UK spokesperson Ann Widdecombe’s killing was politically motivated after arresting a 28-year-old man Saturday. The former Tory minister’s death has sparked questions about security threats facing politicians. My analysis (+ Sunday Crunch) below 👇
Rachel Reeves let Nigel Farage resign despite Ed Davey wanting the Clacton by-election delayed. But two Lib Dem MPs tell me concerns were raised at a parliamentary party meeting that blocking a contest would set a worrying precedent which made it harder to back a future contest.
The Sunday Times investigation into financial support Nigel Farage received from friend — and criminal — George Cottrell has raised many questions for the Reform UK leader. Reform UK say the personal donations don’t need to be declared. My analysis (+ Sunday Crunch) below 👇
Peerless London Playbook PM from the mighty @ecasalicchio.bsky.social full of fascinating fly on the wall colour on how we got here. Tonight's newsletter also includes a rather long timeline by yours truly documenting the outgoing Labour leader's busy premiership ... sneak preview here.
John Healey & Al Carns left the Ministry of Defence on Thursday, but the aftershocks of their resignations are rippling through SW1. Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy insisted negotiations on how extra defence spending is funded are ongoing. My analysis (+ Sunday Crunch) below 👇
Keir Starmer is not leaving Downing Street without a fight. The prime minister wants to convince Labour MPs to stick with him — and not leap into the great unknown of a leadership contest. That strategy has no guarantee of success. My video analysis (and piece!) below 👇
Keir Starmer enjoys being a statesman on the world stage. This afternoon, he’ll host France, Germany and Ukraine in Downing Street for talks about supporting Kyiv. But the PM faces plenty of domestic challenges — including on defence spending. More in Sunday Crunch below!
The Mandelson Files are out - and they’re explosive. The volume of private internal correspondence now under scrutiny is vast. Peter Mandelson didn’t hold back on offering opinions about Keir Starmer - and some Cabinet ministers were happy to join in. My video analysis below.
Thrilled to helm Sunday Crunch from next month after a stellar run by @masonboyowen.bsky.social. Sunday has set the following week’s political weather for decades. Having first watched the weekend shows as a politics-obsessed teenager, I can’t wait to analyse who is shaping the SW1 agenda.
One of the many highlights of returning to Warwick and Leamington after nearly four years (!) was picking up a copy of ‘The Boar.’ Brilliant to see the paper in such fine shape … many fond memories of scribing musings in years gone by.
15 Labour MPs (plus suspended MPs Diane Abbott and Karl Turner) backed referring Starmer to the Committee of Privileges. 53 Labour MPs abstained, which, admittedly, covers a number of reasons.
Stage set for another Reform press conference - this time about the party’s pledge to cut energy bills and, er, launch a competition where the winner (and their entire street) will have their energy costs funded by the party for an entire year. Expect many questions about that …
It may be fleeting, but the sight of a clear, bright blue sky gleaming over Londontown never fails to bring delight. The manageable temperatures (i.e. not sweltering) and lighter evenings are incredibly nourishing and further spotlight the architectural beauty steeped in history.
Standing room only for Kemi Badenoch’s talk where she’ll claim the Tories aren’t part of the Westminster psychodrama - interesting to see how well that message lands given the recent defections.
Helping out with morning Playbook having just about recovered from Friday’s #TheTraitors finale. Weather currently leaves a lot to be desired so snaps below from a Fulham walk last weekend where I made a new friend. What will there be to write about?
At Ed Davey’s speech highlighting the crisis inside A&E departments across the country - including the huge waits patients experience. Health is a core policy area for the Lib Dems, so they’ll be hoping raising awareness attracts support on both the left and right.
Given most of my landscape shots consist of grey skies, rather pleased with these snaps of the last day and sunset of the year. May 2026 involve plenty more aesthetically pleasing photos, bright & crisp weather and, possibly, a return to some culinary escapades.
Marking Betwixmas in a peaceful, cloudy Cambridge with, of course, some charity shop book purchases.
Cambridge is always enchanting and majestic, but especially so at Christmas.
This afternoon, I interviewed Gurpreet Singh Johal, the brother of Jagtar Singh Johal, who’s been imprisoned in India since 2017. He told me his meeting with Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper today was a “backwards step” that felt like talking to a brick wall.