{"id":1942800,"date":"2026-05-18T06:30:33","date_gmt":"2026-05-18T03:30:33","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1942800"},"modified":"2026-05-18T06:30:33","modified_gmt":"2026-05-18T03:30:33","slug":"newsletter-brexit-thrust-to-centre-of-uks-labour-leadership-showdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1942800","title":{"rendered":"Newsletter: Brexit thrust to centre of UK&#8217;s Labour leadership showdown"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/19\/10\/1200x675_cmsv2_e5c37b62-c7ca-537c-998f-48316d4609d7-9761910.jpg&#8221;]<\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2894796-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894796\" data-cid=\"9763719\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894796-label-pos1-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/36\/88\/189x106_cmsv2_89828968-863b-54ca-9cff-f0629c042d63-9763688.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Isak Andic, owner of Mango.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Money, love and murder: the Mango founder case that shocked Spain\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894788-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894788\" data-cid=\"9763628\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894788-label-pos2-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/36\/28\/189x106_cmsv2_d0d21422-4975-5d60-a086-859aa20163eb-9763628.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Customers queue to buy the new Royal Pop watch by Swatch and Audemars Piguet, in Geneva,\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Swatch fans left frustrated as stores stay closed amid watch frenzy\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894784-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1\" data-nid=\"2894784\" data-cid=\"9763590\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894784-label-pos3-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/35\/90\/189x106_cmsv2_c09b49ea-24a7-59b9-8aa0-82f7215aa4b8-9763590.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Plovdiv is one of the potential Eurovision 2027 host cities\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Destinations<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    A travel guide to all the potential Eurovision 2027 host cities\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894773-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-1 m-modeDesktop-1 m-modeXL-1 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894773\" data-cid=\"9763530\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894773-label-pos4-c-latest-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/35\/30\/189x106_cmsv2_7339d887-b9d3-594a-9186-39f8b124f93f-9763530.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A man holds a Venezuela flag during a protest in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, May 18, 2026, calling for justice after Carmen Navas\u2019 death.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Protest erupts at Venezuela\u2019s Central University after prisoner deaths\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894796-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894796\" data-cid=\"9763719\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894796-label-pos1-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/36\/88\/189x106_cmsv2_89828968-863b-54ca-9cff-f0629c042d63-9763688.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Isak Andic, owner of Mango.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Europe News<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Money, love and murder: the Mango founder case that shocked Spain\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894788-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894788\" data-cid=\"9763628\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894788-label-pos2-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/36\/28\/189x106_cmsv2_d0d21422-4975-5d60-a086-859aa20163eb-9763628.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Customers queue to buy the new Royal Pop watch by Swatch and Audemars Piguet, in Geneva,\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Swatch fans left frustrated as stores stay closed amid watch frenzy\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894784-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2\" data-nid=\"2894784\" data-cid=\"9763590\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894784-label-pos3-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/35\/90\/189x106_cmsv2_c09b49ea-24a7-59b9-8aa0-82f7215aa4b8-9763590.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"Plovdiv is one of the potential Eurovision 2027 host cities\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    Destinations<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    A travel guide to all the potential Eurovision 2027 host cities\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894773-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video\" data-nid=\"2894773\" data-cid=\"9763530\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894773-label-pos4-c-latest-stories-sidebar\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/35\/30\/189x106_cmsv2_7339d887-b9d3-594a-9186-39f8b124f93f-9763530.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"A man holds a Venezuela flag during a protest in Caracas, Venezuela, Monday, May 18, 2026, calling for justice after Carmen Navas\u2019 death.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n                    No Comment<\/p>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Protest erupts at Venezuela\u2019s Central University after prisoner deaths\n  <\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article class=\"helper-site-row o-article-newsy\">\n<div class=\"helper-site-container o-article-newsy__container\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__main\">\n<header class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__header\">\n<nav aria-label=\"Breadcrumbs\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs\">\n<div id=\"adb-article-breadcrumb\" class=\"c-article-breadcrumbs__list\">\n<p>                          Europe<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe News<\/p>\n<p>                          Europe Today<\/p><\/div>\n<\/nav>\n<h1 class=\"c-article-redesign-title\">\n                            Newsletter: Brexit thrust to centre of UK&#8217;s Labour leadership showdown<\/h1>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-video u-position-relative \">\n<div class=\"js-superdiv u-aspect-ratio-16x9 u-position-relative \" data-sponsored=\"Partner content\"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"js-poster-img c-article-media__img\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/19\/10\/1536x864_cmsv2_e5c37b62-c7ca-537c-998f-48316d4609d7-9761910.jpg\" width=\"1536\" height=\"864\" loading=\"eager\" alt=\"Protestors are reflected in a large puddle as they wave European flags to demonstrate against Brexit in front of the Parliament in London, Dec. 3, 2018\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-caption u-position-absolute\"><i id=\"article-caption-content\" class=\"c-article-caption__content\"><span class=\"c-article-caption__text\"><br \/>\n              Protestors are reflected in a large puddle as they wave European flags to demonstrate against Brexit in front of the Parliament in London, Dec. 3, 2018<br \/>\n                    <span class=\"u-color-white\">&#8211;\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__copyright\">Copyright\u00a0<\/span><span class=\"c-article-caption__credit\">Frank Augstein\/Copyright 2019 The AP. All rights reserved.<\/span><\/span><\/i><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-image-copyright c-article-image-copyright--novideo\">\n      Copyright\u00a0Frank Augstein\/Copyright 2019 The AP. All rights reserved.\n  <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/header>\n<div class=\"h-grid o-article-newsy__main__body u-article-content\">\n<div class=\"o-article-newsy__contributors-publication-date\">\n<div class=\"c-article-contributors\">\n  By&amp;nbspMared Gwyn Jones\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-publication-date\" data-timestamp=\"1779085833\">\n         Published on<br \/>\n            <time datetime=\"2026-05-18 08:30:33 +02:00\">18\/05\/2026 &#8211; 8:30 GMT+2<\/time><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup-overlay u-display-none\">\n<div id=\"js-c-article-partage-commentaire-popup\" class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire-popup 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loading=\"lazy\"><span>Threads<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-threads.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"threads\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><span class=\"u-display-flex u-gap-1 u-show-for-mobile-only\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"24\" height=\"24\" alt=\"whatsapp\" loading=\"lazy\"><span>Whatsapp<\/span><\/span><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/vector\/social-icons\/article-redesign-whatsapp.svg\" width=\"48\" height=\"48\" alt=\"whatsapp\" class=\"u-show-for-desktop\" loading=\"lazy\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<h2 class=\"c-article-summary\">\n        Also in this newsletter: Spanish conservatives win Andalusia regional elections but will likely rely on far-right to govern, in a vote seen as litmus test of Spain&#8217;s wider politics.<br \/>\n    <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-content js-article-content\">\n<p>Good morning. It\u2019s <strong>Mared Gwyn<\/strong>, back penning this newsletter after a week in my native Wales during what was a pivotal week for UK politics.<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-mobile-only\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-ad u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div class=\"c-ad__placeholder\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt loading=\"lazy\"><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The governing Labour party has been plunged into crisis after bruising defeats in the recent Scottish, Welsh and local elections, and a tussle for the party\u2019s leadership \u2013 and the helm of the UK government \u2013 is now well and truly underway.<\/p>\n<p>The former health secretary Wes Streeting, whom I understand from Labour sources has been plotting to challenge Starmer\u2019s premiership since last year, has stepped down and is biding his time before formally triggering a leadership contest. The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, is expected to join the race if he successfully regains his seat in the House of Commons when he fights a by-election in a Brexit-voting constituency in the coming weeks.<\/p>\n<p>And this weekend, <strong>Brexit was thrust to the very centre of the contest<\/strong>, re-emerging to shape the political debate ten years after the UK voted to leave the European Union.<\/p>\n<p>Streeting on Saturday described Brexit as a \u201ccatastrophic mistake\u201d that had left the UK \u201cless wealthy, less powerful and less in control\u201d, calling for a \u201cnew special relationship with the EU\u201d and \u2013 crucially \u2013 stating that Britain\u2019s future lies \u201cone day back in the European Union.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>This, after serving a Starmer-led government that has gone to great pains to seek a renewed relationship with the EU without rowing back on Brexit in any way, in a bid to keep legacy Labour voters enticed by Nigel Farage\u2019s Reform UK on side.<\/p>\n<p>Burnham said on Sunday there is a \u201ccase\u201d for re-joining the European Union \u201cin the long-term\u201d, but said he would not be advocating for it when he campaigns in the up-coming by-election in a constituency where Reform UK swept the board in the recent local elections.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s a bold move from both challengers \u2013 one that\u2019s already been slammed by opposition parties and questioned by Starmer loyalists. But it could rally the Labour membership (who will decide on the next leader), and also entice pro-EU, left-wing voters that have been leaving Labour en masse for the Greens. Polling data suggests they are more likely to return to Labour under a new leader than voters who have defected to Reform UK.<\/p>\n<p>What was clear to me as I journeyed by train through England\u2019s north-west on Saturday morning is that this is a country where the political fault lines that were laid bare by Brexit continue to run deep. The train, which was travelling to London, carried protesters attending both a pro-Palestinian march in the capital, and the Unite the Kingdom rally organised by far-right, anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson.<\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s difficult to remember a moment when political polarisation was so visible and palpable in daily life.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile here in Brussels, officials had been hopeful that an UK-EU summit slated for the coming weeks could yield a major breakthrough in the \u201creset\u201d in the relationship, including a deal on agrifood exports. <\/p>\n<p>While Starmer\u2019s supporters insist it\u2019s business as usual, the political chaos is casting major doubt over the government\u2019s ability to deliver on the long-awaited trading reset.<\/p>\n<p><strong>In other news this morning:<\/strong> Spain\u2019s conservative popular party (PP) has lost its majority after regional elections in the largest region of Andaluc\u00eda on Sunday, and will likely rely on the support of the far-right Vox party to govern.<\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile the socialists of Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez suffered a bruising defeat, in what was the last major vote before next year\u2019s general election, and therefore considered a litmus test for Spain\u2019s shifting political landscape.<\/p>\n<p>It also comes amid growing controversy over allegations that Madrid misused European funds to cover national pension expenses. The government categorically denies the claims and points to an accounting technicality, with one Spanish official categorically telling our Europe Editor <strong>Maria Tadeo<\/strong> that \u201cnot a single euro\u201d of European money was ever used to pay for national pensions. The EU executive in Brussels has also backed Spain amid the row.<\/p>\n<p>But the allegations have already riled some frugal nations already sceptical of joint European debt, and the dispute could hamper calls led by the French and Spanish leaders to roll over Covid-era joint debt as the bloc aims to re-assert itself in a competitive global landscape. Catch more analysis on <strong>today\u2019s episode<\/strong> of <strong>Europe Today<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Mass Ukrainian drone strikes kill at least four people in Russia<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>A massive Ukrainian drone attack on the weekend killed at least four people in Russia, including three in the Moscow area, in what was one of the largest and most widespread Ukrainian drone attacks since the start of Russia\u2019s invasion.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;Our responses to Russia\u2019s prolongation of the war and its attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified,&#8221; Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, adding that his country was learning to \u201covercome\u201d Russia\u2019s air defences, even where it is deeply concentrated, such as in the capital of Moscow.<\/p>\n<p>The Russian Ministry of Defence said local air defences intercepted 556 Ukrainian drones across the country from Saturday night into early Sunday morning, with a further 30 shot down later on Sunday. Nathan Rennolds <strong>has more<\/strong><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2><strong>Von der Leyen lauds &#8216;dynamic new era&#8217; in EU-India relations as Modi visits Sweden<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has vowed to deliver an investment agreement with India to complement the EU-India trade deal inked back in January, after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Stockholm.<\/p>\n<p>&#8220;This is the missing piece of the puzzle in our reinforced economic cooperation,&#8221; von der Leyen said, describing trade as \u201conly half of the equation\u201d.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAll in all, this dynamic new era in EU-India relations opens historic opportunities, and we are determined to seize them,&#8221; Von der Leyen added.<\/p>\n<p>During the second leg of Modi&#8217;s European tour, he visited Sweden&#8217;s Gothenburg to meet von der Leyen, his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson, as well as European and Indian business leaders.<\/p>\n<p>Emma De Ruiter<strong>has more<\/strong><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>More from our newsrooms<\/h2>\n<p><strong>Drone strike sparks fire near UAE nuclear plant amid Iran ceasefire tension.<\/strong> The strike on the perimeter of the UAE\u2019s Barakah nuclear power plant on Sunday piles further strain on an already fragile ceasefire linked to the Iran conflict. Aadel Haleem<strong>has more<\/strong><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong>Terrorism scenario excluded by investigators following car attack in Italy&#8217;s Modena.<\/strong> Italy&#8217;s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the 31-year-old man who drove into a crowd in Modena on Saturday was not suspected of a terrorist act and was dealing with mental issues. Fortunato Pinto has <strong>the details<\/strong><strong>.<\/strong><\/p>\n<h2>We&#8217;re also keeping an eye on<\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li>EU foreign ministers gather in Brussels to talk development.<\/li>\n<li>European Commissioners for Migration, Magnus Brunner, and for the Mediterranean, Dubravka \u0160uica, join a meeting of the ministers of the interior of the MED 9 countries in Rovinj, Croatia.<\/li>\n<li>European Parliament plenary kicks off in Strasbourg later this afternoon.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><em>That&#8217;s it for today. Maria Tadeo and Vincenzo Genovese contributed to this newsletter.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p>                                  Go to accessibility shortcuts<\/p>\n<div class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire u-align-items-center u-display-flex\"><span class=\"c-article-partage-commentaire__links u-align-items-center u-display-flex u-justify-content-center js-c-article-partage-commentaire-share\"><span>Share<\/span><\/span><span>Comments<\/span><\/div>\n<div id=\"adb-article-you-might-also-like\" class=\"perf-cv-auto c-article-you-might-also-like\">\n<h2 class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__title\">\n        Read more<br \/>\n      <\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Europe Today: S\u00e1nchez dealt blow in Andalusia elections \u2014 what now for Spain and Brussels?<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Ukraine is our &#8216;number one priority&#8217; &#8211; top EU military chief tells Euronews <\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-article-you-might-also-like__item\">\n<h3>\n<p>                  Watch: Brussels vs Washington\u2014inside the high-stakes battle over the EU-US trade deal<\/p>\n<\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto\">\n<ul id=\"adb-article-tags\" class=\"c-tags-list\">\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  European Parliament<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  Brexit<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<li class=\"c-tags-list__item\">\n<section class=\"tc-cta\" data-twig-component=\"Cta-default\">\n  European Union<br \/>\n<\/section>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<aside class=\"o-article-newsy__aside\">\n<div class=\"c-ad-wrapper o-article-newsy__aside__content-1\" data-ad-name=\"adzone-halfpage\">\n<div class=\"c-ad c-ad-halfpage u-show-for-desktop\">\n<div 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data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894703-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/31\/65\/320x180_cmsv2_d39c210f-e127-5ba9-a044-7061203679e0-9763165.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping during a walk at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing, China, Sept. 2, 2025.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Washington or Moscow: China\u2019s Xi Jinping hosts Putin after Trump visit<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2894713-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894713\" data-cid=\"9763272\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894713-label-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/32\/72\/320x180_cmsv2_992c58f8-92bd-591e-93c5-c360e4e9d963-9763272.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"General Se\u00e1n Clancy, Chairman of the European Union Military Committee\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Ukraine is our &#8216;number one priority&#8217; &#8211; top EU military chief<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-top-stories__item\">\n<article id=\"abe-2894651-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894651\" data-cid=\"9762977\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894651-label-pos4-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img 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decoding=\"async\" class=\"c-ad__placeholder__logo\" src=\"https:\/\/static.euronews.com\/website\/images\/logos\/logo-euronews-stacked-outlined-72x72-grey-9.svg\" width=\"72\" height=\"72\" alt><span>ADVERTISEMENT<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"perf-cv-auto c-most-viewed\">\n<h2 class=\"c-most-viewed__title qa-section-title\">Most read<\/h2>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__list\">\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span class=\"c-most-viewed__item__number\">1<\/span><\/p>\n<article id=\"abe-2894418-pos1-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--has-video the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894418\" data-cid=\"9761750\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Iran has responded to latest US peace proposal, Tehran official says<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"c-most-viewed__item\"><span 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id=\"abe-2894703-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894703\" data-cid=\"9763165\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<figure id=\"abe-2894703-label-pos2-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object__figure\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"the-media-object__image\" src=\"https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/31\/65\/320x180_cmsv2_d39c210f-e127-5ba9-a044-7061203679e0-9763165.jpg\" loading=\"lazy\" alt=\"FILE: Vladimir Putin and Xi Jinping during a walk at the Zhongnanhai leadership compound in Beijing, China, Sept. 2, 2025.\" height=\"9\" width=\"16\"><\/figure>\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Washington or Moscow: China\u2019s Xi Jinping hosts Putin after Trump visit<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894713-pos3-top-stories\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-2 m-modeDesktop-2 m-modeXL-2 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data-cid=\"9762020\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Japan arrests Americans over stunt at baby monkey Punch&#8217;s zoo<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894416-pos3-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894416\" data-cid=\"9761748\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Europe\u2019s poverty divide: Which cities and regions are most at risk?<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2893969-pos4-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2893969\" data-cid=\"9759994\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Poland\u2019s hydrogen buses confront high fuel costs, new report claims<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<article id=\"abe-2894536-pos5-mostViewed\" class=\"the-media-object m-modeMobile-3 m-modeDesktop-3 m-modeXL-3 the-media-object--no-label\" data-nid=\"2894536\" data-cid=\"9762275\" data-part-label=\"Partner content\">\n<div class=\"the-media-object__content\">\n<h3 class=\"the-media-object__title  \">\n<p>    Magyar signals openness to Ukraine accession talks after Orb\u00e1n exit<br \/>\n  <\/h3>\n<\/div>\n<\/article>\n<div class=\"articleBody\" data-key=\"articleBody\">Good morning. It\u2019s Mared Gwyn, back penning this newsletter after a week in my native Wales during what was a pivotal week for UK politics.The governing Labour party has been plunged into crisis after bruising defeats in the recent Scottish, Welsh and local elections, and a tussle for the party\u2019s leadership \u2013 and the helm of the UK government \u2013 is now well and truly underway.The former health secretary Wes Streeting, whom I understand from Labour sources has been plotting to challenge Starmer\u2019s premiership since last year, has stepped down and is biding his time before formally triggering a leadership contest. The mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, is expected to join the race if he successfully regains his seat in the House of Commons when he fights a by-election in a Brexit-voting constituency in the coming weeks.And this weekend, Brexit was thrust to the very centre of the contest, re-emerging to shape the political debate ten years after the UK voted to leave the European Union.Streeting on Saturday described Brexit as a \u201ccatastrophic mistake\u201d that had left the UK \u201cless wealthy, less powerful and less in control\u201d, calling for a \u201cnew special relationship with the EU\u201d and \u2013 crucially \u2013 stating that Britain\u2019s future lies \u201cone day back in the European Union.\u201dThis, after serving a Starmer-led government that has gone to great pains to seek a renewed relationship with the EU without rowing back on Brexit in any way, in a bid to keep legacy Labour voters enticed by Nigel Farage\u2019s Reform UK on side.Burnham said on Sunday there is a \u201ccase\u201d for re-joining the European Union \u201cin the long-term\u201d, but said he would not be advocating for it when he campaigns in the up-coming by-election in a constituency where Reform UK swept the board in the recent local elections.It\u2019s a bold move from both challengers \u2013 one that\u2019s already been slammed by opposition parties and questioned by Starmer loyalists. But it could rally the Labour membership (who will decide on the next leader), and also entice pro-EU, left-wing voters that have been leaving Labour en masse for the Greens. Polling data suggests they are more likely to return to Labour under a new leader than voters who have defected to Reform UK.What was clear to me as I journeyed by train through England\u2019s north-west on Saturday morning is that this is a country where the political fault lines that were laid bare by Brexit continue to run deep. The train, which was travelling to London, carried protesters attending both a pro-Palestinian march in the capital, and the Unite the Kingdom rally organised by far-right, anti-Islam activist Tommy Robinson.It\u2019s difficult to remember a moment when political polarisation was so visible and palpable in daily life.Meanwhile here in Brussels, officials had been hopeful that an UK-EU summit slated for the coming weeks could yield a major breakthrough in the \u201creset\u201d in the relationship, including a deal on agrifood exports.\u00a0While Starmer\u2019s supporters insist it\u2019s business as usual, the political chaos is casting major doubt over the government\u2019s ability to deliver on the long-awaited trading reset.In other news this morning: Spain\u2019s conservative popular party (PP) has lost its majority after regional elections in the largest region of Andaluc\u00eda on Sunday, and will likely rely on the support of the far-right Vox party to govern.Meanwhile the socialists of Prime Minister Pedro S\u00e1nchez suffered a bruising defeat, in what was the last major vote before next year\u2019s general election, and therefore considered a litmus test for Spain\u2019s shifting political landscape.It also comes amid growing controversy over allegations that Madrid misused European funds to cover national pension expenses. The government categorically denies the claims and points to an accounting technicality, with one\u00a0 Spanish official categorically telling our Europe Editor Maria Tadeo that \u201cnot a single euro\u201d of European money was ever used to pay for national pensions. The EU executive in Brussels has also backed Spain amid the row.But the allegations have already riled some frugal nations already sceptical of joint European debt, and the dispute could hamper calls led by the French and Spanish leaders to roll over Covid-era joint debt as the bloc aims to re-assert itself in a competitive global landscape. Catch more analysis on today\u2019s episode of Europe Today.Mass Ukrainian drone strikes kill at least four people in RussiaA massive Ukrainian drone attack on the weekend killed at least four people in Russia, including three in the Moscow area, in what was one of the largest and most widespread Ukrainian drone attacks since the start of Russia\u2019s invasion.&#8221;Our responses to Russia\u2019s prolongation of the war and its attacks on our cities and communities are entirely justified,&#8221; Ukraine\u2019s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sunday, adding that his country was learning to \u201covercome\u201d Russia\u2019s air defences, even where it is deeply concentrated, such as in the capital of Moscow.The Russian Ministry of Defence said local air defences intercepted 556 Ukrainian drones across the country from Saturday night into early Sunday morning, with a further 30 shot down later on Sunday. Nathan Rennolds has more.Von der Leyen lauds &#8216;dynamic new era&#8217; in EU-India relations as Modi visits SwedenEuropean Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has vowed to deliver an investment agreement with India to complement the EU-India trade deal inked back in January, after a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Stockholm.&#8221;This is the missing piece of the puzzle in our reinforced economic cooperation,&#8221; von der Leyen said, describing trade as \u201conly half of the equation\u201d.\u201cAll in all, this dynamic new era in EU-India relations opens historic opportunities, and we are determined to seize them,&#8221; Von der Leyen added.During the second leg of Modi&#8217;s European tour, he visited Sweden&#8217;s Gothenburg to meet von der Leyen, his Swedish counterpart Ulf Kristersson, as well as European and Indian business leaders.Emma De Ruiter has more.More from our newsroomsDrone strike sparks fire near UAE nuclear plant amid Iran ceasefire tension. The strike on the perimeter of the UAE\u2019s Barakah nuclear power plant on Sunday piles further strain on an already fragile ceasefire linked to the Iran conflict. Aadel Haleem has more.Terrorism scenario excluded by investigators following car attack in Italy&#8217;s Modena. Italy&#8217;s Interior Minister Matteo Piantedosi said the 31-year-old man who drove into a crowd in Modena on Saturday was not suspected of a terrorist act and was dealing with mental issues. Fortunato Pinto has the details.We&#8217;re also keeping an eye onEU foreign ministers gather in Brussels to talk development.European Commissioners for Migration, Magnus Brunner, and for the Mediterranean, Dubravka \u0160uica, join a meeting of the ministers of the interior of the MED 9 countries in Rovinj, Croatia.European Parliament plenary kicks off in Strasbourg later this afternoon.That&#8217;s it for today. Maria Tadeo and Vincenzo Genovese contributed to this newsletter.<\/div>\n<p>[analyse_source url=&#8221;https:\/\/www.euronews.com\/my-europe\/2026\/05\/18\/newsletter-brexit-thrust-to-centre-of-uks-labour-leadership-showdown&#8221;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>[analyse_image type=&#8221;featured&#8221; src=&#8221;https:\/\/images.euronews.com\/articles\/stories\/09\/76\/19\/10\/1200x675_cmsv2_e5c37b62-c7ca-537c-998f-48316d4609d7-9761910.jpg&#8221;] Europe News Money, love and murder: the Mango founder case that shocked Spain No Comment Swatch fans left frustrated as stores stay closed amid watch frenzy Destinations A travel guide to all the potential Eurovision 2027 host cities No Comment Protest erupts at Venezuela\u2019s Central University after prisoner deaths Europe News Money, [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[90],"tags":[226,36],"class_list":["post-1942800","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-international","tag-crawlmanager","tag-euronews-com"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1942800","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1942800"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1942800\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1942800"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1942800"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1942800"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}