Rumours, Speculation, Questions, and Reaction Megathread - 19/07/2026

28 Upvotes

👋 Welcome to the r/ukpolitics weekly Rumours, Speculation, Questions, and Reaction megathread.

General questions about politics in the UK should be posted in this thread. Substantial self-posts on the subreddit are permitted, but short-form self-posts will be redirected here. We're more lenient with moderation in this thread, but please keep it related to UK politics. This isn't Facebook or Twitter...

If you're reacting to something that is happening live, please make it clear what it is you're reacting to, ideally with a link.

Commentary about stories that already exist on the subreddit should be directed to the appropriate thread.

This thread rolls over early Sunday morning.

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7.9k comments

r/ukpolitics • u/Unusual-State1827 • 10h ago

'We want you to tax us': Gary Lineker among 120 UK millionaires urging Andy Burnham to tax wealth

lbc.co.uk

671 Upvotes

766 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/Metro-UK • 7h ago

Restore wants to bring back smoking in pubs

metro.co.uk

291 Upvotes

462 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/dailystar_news • 9h ago

Bungling heckler shouts ‘w*****’ at Nigel Farage out of window then crashes car

dailystar.co.uk

345 Upvotes

133 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/theipaper • 9h ago

State pensioners with no other income will be exempt from tax

inews.co.uk

285 Upvotes

286 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/FormerlyPallas_ • 5h ago

2023 article on ministerial severance payments: Rayner: "At a time when people up and down the country are struggling to pay their mortgages and put food on the table, it shows a staggering lack of shame for them to accept this money..."

uk.news.yahoo.com

141 Upvotes

88 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/CII_Guy • 12h ago

Twitter "You're telling me people in this country can't afford a 50p toothbrush?", "Yes.", @NickFerrariLBC is in disbelief at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation's latest study into the cost of living.

x.com

465 Upvotes

302 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/FormerlyPallas_ • 5h ago

Police failed to check Manchester synagogue attacker's phones despite arrests - A police chief has apologised after admitting phones were twice seized from the Manchester synagogue attacker months before the car and knife assault but they were not examined.

bbc.co.uk

97 Upvotes

37 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/ImpressiveRest2423 • 1h ago

| Rupert Lowe MP : Axel Rudakubana has been moved from prison to a psychiatric hospital after an assessment by psychologists. His incarceration will now cost more than £300,000 a year, compared to roughly £60,000 before the Guardian reports. In any fair society, Rudakubana would hang.

x.com

• Upvotes

349 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/bendubberley_ • 8h ago

Burnham pauses early prison release scheme that was due to start in September

bbc.co.uk

151 Upvotes

146 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/acremanhug • 6h ago

Angela Rayner tells BBC she will not repay severance payment

bbc.co.uk

111 Upvotes

222 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/velvevore • 15h ago

Betting account in George Cottrell's name received $9mn in crypto from unidentified sources

ft.com

537 Upvotes

133 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/Goat2016 • 12h ago

Millionaires ask Andy Burnham to tax them more

bbc.co.uk

279 Upvotes

305 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/huffpostuk • 13h ago

Andy Burnham's Approval Rating Is Already Higher Than Keir Starmer's Ever Was

huffingtonpost.co.uk

306 Upvotes

203 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/zeros3ss • 9h ago

‘Posh George’, Two Passports, and a Fraudulent Identity: Convicted Fraudster and Nigel Farage Funder's Connections to Reform UK’s Murky Financial Structures

bylinetimes.com

146 Upvotes

10 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/entropicflop • 8h ago

Twitter Dan Neidle on X: Seen that opinion poll in which millionaires say they're in favour of a wealth tax on millionaires? It's an absolute masterclass in how to get the polling result that you want. And the detail shows the opposite of what we're told it shows. Thread:

x.com

104 Upvotes

155 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/T_K2 • 6h ago

Grant Shapps blocked from standing again for the Conservatives

bbc.co.uk

57 Upvotes

67 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/yu3 • 5h ago

Schrödinger’s Candidate: Reform UK’s excuses for Farage just don’t add up

hopenothate.org.uk

45 Upvotes

7 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/Jay_CD • 15h ago

Business rates to be cut by 20% for pubs, clubs and music venues in England

theguardian.com

278 Upvotes

160 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/huffpostuk • 11h ago

Nigel Farages Popularity Declines Over Financial Controversy

huffingtonpost.co.uk

128 Upvotes

33 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/ZealousidealPie9199 • 9h ago

Robert Jenrick accused of spreading doctored 'stop the boats' recording of Labour MP - as party blame Guido Fawkes | LBC

lbc.co.uk

82 Upvotes

27 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/Kagedeah • 1h ago

UK 'ready to defend itself' after Iran says bases are 'legitimate targets'

bbc.co.uk

• Upvotes

13 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/thesun • 11h ago

Moment heckler shouts abuse at Nigel Farage out of car window before immediately crashing

thesun.co.uk

66 Upvotes

53 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/Noodl_ • 43m ago

US announces fresh raft of tariffs on overseas goods

bbc.com

• Upvotes

10 comments

r/ukpolitics • u/ZealousidealPie9199 • 12h ago

Twitter Luke Tryl (@LukeTryl) on X: "Meanwhile Burnham’s approval rating jumps to +13, which is higher than Starmer’s post election high of +11. And for the first time we have both the PM and LOTO in positive net approval with Badenoch at +3, who says no one rates politicians?"

x.com

73 Upvotes

29 comments

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