Keir Starmer delivered his resignation speech outside No 10 with little notice, lasting barely five minutes. He showed no bitterness, unlike predecessors, and said he left the country in a better place, though he acknowledged he hadn't changed it enough. From now on, any failures by Andy Burnham's government will be blamed on Starmer, while successes will be credited to Burnham.
England's World Cup heartbreak
England's World Cup hopes ended in the semi-final against Argentina, leading to a third-place playoff against France, which England lost 6-4 in an entertaining match. The defeat extended the wait for a major trophy to 64 years. Despite taking the lead, England failed to maintain their attacking play, and the team's defensive approach proved costly.
Reform's troubles
Reform UK, once leading in polls, now finds itself neck and neck with Labour. Nigel Farage faces scrutiny over his finances, including a £5m gift from Thai crypto billionaire Christopher Harborne. Farage has avoided press conferences and media questions, posting videos from random fields. Donations from convicted fraudster George Cottrell and his mother have also raised questions. The party appears to be a one-man band, with Dicky Tice described as a halfwit, Robert Jenrick a liability, and Zia Yusuf disliked even by Reform associations.
Personal setbacks
A planned trip to Minneapolis was cancelled after the author's wife broke her shoulder. They also missed out on rehoming a cockapoo named Tinka, whose owner died. The search for a dog continues.
Josh Kerr's world record
Josh Kerr broke the world record for the mile at the London Stadium, beating Hicham El Guerrouj's 1999 record by nearly half a second. He dedicated his season to this race, called Project 222. Despite coverage, Kerr has not received lasting public recognition in the UK, unlike Steve Ovett and Sebastian Coe in the past. The US media, including the Wall Street Journal and New York Times, have given him more attention. The Commonwealth Games, starting today, have low ticket sales and no terrestrial TV broadcast.
