“A Desperate Move?” Ben Habib on Farage’s Future. Plus: The Burnham Era Begins

Politics Uncensored

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Thursday, 23 July 2026 - 49 minutes

The Week Unwrapped:Andy Burnham is the UK’s latest Prime MinisterWe start with the biggest political story of the week. On Monday, Andy Burnham officially became the UK’s fifth Prime Minister in four years. This comes just over a month after he was elected as MP for Makerfield. Zoë and Ali unpack what they made of his first speech outside Downing Street. Mamdani says he lacks legal power to arrest NetanyahuFrom a former mayor to a current one. Since campaigning for New York City mayor, Zohran Mamdani has promised to honour an International Criminal Court arrest warrant for Israel's Benjamin Netanyahu, if he were to ever show up in the city. However, in a video posted on social media on Tuesday, Mamdani conceded that he won’t be able to do so without federal government help. Zoë and Ali discuss Mamdani’s popularity, why he didn’t have this particular legal power and the effectiveness of using your words in politics.Trump backs Gianni Infantino to be next UN bossAlthough the World Cup is over, Trump’s friendship with the head of FIFA, Gianni Infantino seems to be going strong. Earlier this week, the US President said that Infantino would be his pick to be the next head of the United Nations. He told the New York Post that the football administrator was “respected by everyone around the world", and "recognises he has a special ability to bring people together”.Ben Habib on Nigel Farage and the upcoming Clacton by-electionNigel Farage will face a record 33 opponents in the contest he triggered after resigning his seat, citing parliamentary and media scrutiny of his financial affairs. The number of candidates is thought to be the largest in a modern UK by-election, featuring 20 independents and a number of joke contenders. However, with the main Westminster parties not fielding candidates, and questions being asked about the level of support in the constituency, what could this all mean for Nigel Farage and Reform UK? Ben Habib, former MEP, Brexiteer and current Chairman of the Great British Political Action Committee joins us to share his thoughts. He tells us why he thinks the move from Farage was “desperate” and discusses the Reform UK leader’s need for media attention. Habib also speaks about his own affiliation with Restore Britain and where he’s drawing the line. What will Andy Burnham’s Britain look Like?We continue with our top story. Andy Burnham has officially become the UK's fifth Prime Minister in four years. Since taking office on Monday, Burnham has announced his first Cabinet appointments and outlined his initial policy priorities, including a pledge to end rough sleeping, cut VAT on energy bills and pause the early prisoner release scheme. It's been a busy first few days in office, but what do these early decisions tell us about the direction of his government? Zoë and Ali discuss his first policy moves and what they make of his communication style. Guest: Ben Habib, Former MEP, Brexiteer and current chairman of the Great British Political Action Committee. You can find him on ‘X’ here. Producer: Monica Lillis

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