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Cost of living tops voters' concerns as Burnham plans UK tour

Cost of living tops voters' concerns as Burnham plans UK tour
  • An Ipsos poll published at the end of July found 30% of people listed the economy as a leading concern and 22% listed inflation or prices specifically.
  • Prime Minister Andy Burnham plans to begin a multi-stop visit across the UK this week to restore the government's connection with the British public.
  • A spokesperson said Burnham will start rolling out pro-consumer cost of living measures to give people "some room to breathe."
  • Shadow chancellor Mel Stride accused the prime minister of "breathtaking hypocrisy" and dismissed the planned announcements as "tinkering."
  • Port Talbot in south Wales, home to the UK's largest steelworks, is a likely tour stop after its final blast furnace closed in 2024.
 2026-08-09 · 4 MIN READ

Canadians staying behind to fight wildfires push for local response

Illustration accompanying article: Canadians staying behind to fight wildfires push for local response
  • Hubert Wigwas, a councillor from Gull Bay First Nation in northern Ontario, stayed behind to protect his home from an approaching wildfire and faces a fine of around C$800 for defying evacuation orders.
  • More than 750 wildfires are actively burning across Canada this August, after the country experienced its most destructive fire season on record in 2023.
  • Wildfire researcher Sonja Leverkus said she has helped train more than 400 people through a self-organized firefighting group near Fort Nelson, British Columbia, to respond before provincial crews arrive.
  • A University of Western Ontario researcher said Canada's academic community "aggressively opposed" a "stay and defend" mindset, prioritizing evacuation even as rural residents argue local crews could help.
 2026-08-09 · 3 MIN READ
Illustration accompanying article: Troy Jackson pitched as Platner replacement in Guardian op-ed