UK grapples with leadership vacuum in politics and cricket

Britain’s new Labour prime minister has described the country as “broken” and called for a new devolution agenda, yet critics say the plan overlooks England. Rival Labour leader Andy Burnham argues that creating an English parliament – sometimes dubbed “Manchesterism” – could rebalance power that has become overly centralised in Westminster.

At the same time, England’s cricket team is confronting its own leadership shake‑up after Test captain Ben Stokes stepped down. Vice‑captain Harry Brook, 27, has been identified as a possible successor, highlighting the broader concerns about succession planning within British institutions.