Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics. 

More details of Chancellor Rachel Reeves' spending squeeze next week are trickling out - including a U-turn on the winter fuel allowance which we now know is happening in the spending review.

The political implications of the U-turn, rather than the broader spending review itself, threatens to dominate the political narrative for the next week and more. How much pressure will that pile on Sir Keir Starmer and his chancellor?

Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics. 

The UK steel industry – which was on the verge of collapse just weeks ago – will no longer face the heaviest of Donald Trump's tariffs, the US announced overnight. 

We're the only country spared the doubling of tariffs on steel imports to the US to 50% – ours instead capped at 25%.

This sounds great – until you remember last month's UK-US agreement – when the PM negotiated President Trump’s 25% tariff down to zero – a deal that is yet to come into force.

What's happened? And how big a win is this for Sir Keir Starmer and for Labour in any case? Is this ensuring the revival of British steel, or merely another stay of execution?

Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics.

Exclusive polling is announced by Sam and Anne, as they reveal cabinet popularity rating according to the public.

Also, why is the Home Office is today releasing a weather report for weather that's already been and gone? They say warm weather impacts the number of small boat crossings.

Is this the Labour government laying the turf, readying the British public for a balmy summer, and with that, days of record Channel crossings?

Sky News' Sam Coates and Politico's Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics. 
  
This time last year, Labour and the Conservatives were in the throes of an era-defining election campaign that would end in Sir Keir Starmer winning an extraordinarily large majority.
 
The Reform Party was little more than a buzzing bee amid the backdrop of the UK political landscape. Spin forward 12 months, and how much things have changed. 

June 2025 marks the start of a crucial month for Sir Keir’s Labour Party, with decisions due across a number of departments that will shape the course of this political era. 

In the coming weeks, we'll see a security strategy, a 10-year NHS strategy, an industrial strategy, and much more – all tied to next week's spending review. 

Today, it's the turn of military spending, as Defence Secretary John Healey reveals his 'first of a kind' Strategic Defence Review. 

But does it live up to the billing? 

Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics.  
 
As Sir Keir Starmer waves goodbye to the Chagos Islands and his planned cuts to the winter fuel allowance, Sam and Anne assess what it all means.  
 
How much “backseat driving” on the winter fuel U-turn has come from former chancellor Gordon Brown? And what’s the best way to implement a volte face? 
 
And what do the Gauke reforms, set to be accepted by Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood, mean for our stretched prison and probation services?

Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics.  
 
Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves will have their strategy tested today as Deputy PM Angela Rayner sets out her plan for higher taxes, and questions are raised about their approach to Reform. Is becoming Reform-lite the way to go?  
 
And, as the Prime Minister joins global efforts to put pressure on Israel over Gaza, could more sanctions be next?  

Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics.  

It'll be a day when the PM goes again at selling the merits of his EU deal. One former cabinet minister tells the podcast it's all 'concrete and waffle'. 

Welfare is on the agenda today too - with a DWP committee session on child welfare. 

And, did someone mention Nick Clegg? The former Deputy PM has used the c-word about the Lib Dems. Sam and Anne discuss coalition after another favorable poll for them - but it's a poll which really isn't good news for the Tories

Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics.  
 
It's EU summit day – so what will Keir Starmer agree?  It’s been described as an historic summit and will be a reset of relations since Brexit. It’s expected that the EU and the UK will sign a security and defense partnership.  But so far nothing is set in stone. 
 
Plus, how sincere are Vladamir Putin's interest in a ceasefire?  

Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McElvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics.  
 
Today, Sir Keir Starmer heads to Albania to announce a crackdown on migrant smuggling gangs in the Balkans whilst internal political unrest continues to brew at home. 
 
Sam and Anne discuss the growing tension inside both the Labour and Conservative parties, and Sam reveals how the first cracks between the chancellor and the PM have started to form. What does this mean for an increasingly under pressure Starmer? 
 
Plus: Tory uncertainty deepens, leaving MPs wondering where Kemi Badenoch leadership is taking them.

Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Anne McEvoy serve up their essential guide to the day in British politics.  
 
It might be PMQs and there might be a big announcement about moving civil servants out of London but this episode also looks at the day in the backrooms of Westminster. 
 
There’s more to nail down ahead of Monday’s EU summit – the announcement of a state visit for the Macrons might be a clue on where talks on things like fisheries are at. So what else is going on to prepare for next week? 
 
Plus, what’s in this morning’s story about NHS reform?