The Labour Party leadership drama will ramp up next week after Andy Burnham secured a return to Westminster with a comfortable victory in the Makerfield by-election. Burnham’s fellow challenger Wes Streeting has suggested a leadership contest could be triggered after the weekend if Starmer fails to set out a timetable for his departure, but Starmer is, for now, standing firm and vowing to fight on. If that holds through the weekend, we could see more Cabinet resignations in the coming days, particularly from allies of Burnham, with Energy Secretary Ed Miliband and Culture Secretary Lisa Nandy being closely watched.
A close eye is also being kept on international developments after US-Iran talks in Switzerland were postponed; the two sides could still meet in Burgenstock this weekend or next week. The US is also expected to host a new round of talks between Israel and Lebanon, where fighting continues despite Donald Trump’s insistence that the Iran peace agreement included a ‘complete ceasefire on all fronts’.
The Met Office has issued an amber extreme heat warning for parts of southern and eastern England and south Wales on Monday and Tuesday.
Plus, England’s second World Cup match is set to take place on Tuesday against Ghana, followed by its final group stage match on Saturday against Panama.
Leading the week
Monday (June 22): Andy Burnham, Lara Bird and Douglas Lumsden expected to be sworn in as MPs following by-election victories; Prince William hosts business forum at London Climate Action Week; Two-day amber extreme heat warning in place as temperatures expected to hit 34°C.
World Cup: Argentina v Austria; France v Iraq; Norway v Senegal; Jordan v Algeria
Tuesday (June 23): 10th anniversary of the Brexit referendum; England face Ghana in their second World Cup group stage fixture; Dan Jarvis speaks at RUSI Land Warfare conference; Former SNP chief executive Peter Murrell sentenced on embezzlement charges.
World Cup: Portugal v Uzbekistan; Panama v Croatia; Colombia v DR Congo
Wednesday (June 24): Keir Starmer at PMQs following Makerfield by-election result; Nottingham NHS maternity review published; Scotland play Brazil at the World Cup.
World Cup: Switzerland v Canada; Bosnia and Herzegovina v Qatar; Morocco v Haiti; Czechia v Mexico; South Africa v South Korea
Thursday (June 25): Senior minister addresses British Chambers of Commerce conference; Chancellor’s summer VAT reduction scheme begins; Poland hosts Ukraine Recovery Conference.
World Cup: Curaçao v Côte d’Ivoire; Ecuador v Germany; Japan v Sweden; Tunisia v Netherlands; Turkey v USA; Paraguay v Australia
Friday (June 26): BMA ballot of resident doctors over pay offer closes; Egypt face Iran in World Cup Pride match in Seattle; Wimbledon draw.
World Cup: Norway v France; Senegal v Iraq; Uruguay v Spain; Cabo Verde v Saudi Arabia; New Zealand v Belgium
Saturday (June 27): England play final World Cup group stage match against Panama; King Charles and Queen Camilla attend official opening of the new Scottish Parliament session.
World Cup: Croatia v Ghana; Colombia v Portugal; DR Congo v Uzbekistan; Algeria v Austria; Jordan v Argentina
Sunday (June 28): World Cup round of 32 begins; F1: Austrian Grand Prix.
Also look out for…
June 22
Michel Barnier discusses EU-UK relations at Chatham House
Trial begins for two charged over TfL cyber attack
Pope Leo visits World Food Programme headquarters
40 years ago: Maradona ‘Hand of God’ goal
June 23
High Court hears Tate brothers’ challenge to DPP anonymity decision
Angela Rayner speaks at Social Mobility Symposium
Meta, TikTok, Google and Snapchat CEOs invited to appear before US Senate committee
OBR Welfare Trends report
June 24
Friedrich Merz hosts E5 leaders, including Keir Starmer, for talks on Ukraine ahead of next month’s NATO Summit
Committee on Climate Change (CCC) progress report 2026
Richard Knighton speaks at RUSI Land Warfare conference
Donald Trump opens Freedom 250 celebrations and meets Mark Rutte in DC
June 25
Verdict in French climate case against TotalEnergies
Mark Rutte delivers speech at the Atlantic Council
England v New Zealand final test
Frida Kahlo exhibition opens at the Tate Modern
June 26
Sentencing for man guilty of attack on Manchester airport police
Former US National Security Advisor John Bolton expected to plead guilty to charge of mishandling classified information
Supergirl film released
June 27
Budapest Pride
Armed Forces Day
June 28
Paris Diamond League
Bill Maher receives Mark Twain Prize for American Humour
Key statistics, reports and results
June 22
China loan prime rate announcement
June 23
UK flash PMI
HMRC tax gap estimates
Household benefit cap statistics
National Gas winter review
Quarterly Scottish crime figures
Amazon Prime Day
Argentina Q1 GDP
Results from: FedEx
June 24
Ofsted inspection stats
Nvidia ASM
US Federal Reserve stress test results
Results from: Berkeley Group, Micron
June 25
Quarterly court statistics
NHS workforce stats
Crime in Northern Ireland (2025/26)
SMMT car production figures
Results from: H&M
June 28
Bank for International Settlements annual report
The news diary is provided in association with Foresight News.
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