News: Politics & Current Affairs

Bookmakers have priced the UK to hit 40C before 1 July at 6/4 and the all-time July record at 2/1 as a Met Office red extreme heat warning takes effect.

Dorking has been compiled as the 4/6 early frontrunner for UK Town of Culture 2028, with Bishop Auckland and Oakham next in a contest open to 20-plus towns.

The 2026 Hugo Award Best Novel market is wide open at the top, with Antonia Hodgson and Robert Jackson Bennett sharing favouritism at 2/1. We break down the full odds.

Andy Burnham is 1/25 to be the next permanent Labour leader following his emphatic Makerfield by-election win. Keir Starmer is 1/20 to be replaced in 2026 and 1/16 not to lead Labour into the next election.

Bookmakers have priced the next Doomsday Clock announcement at 1/3 to move closer to midnight in 2027, with "No" at 6/4. The Bulletin has trended forward in recent years.

AI is the 3/1 favourite to be Oxford Dictionary's Word of the Year 2026, with "vibe" and "lowkenuinely" 4/1 second. Looksmaxxing, aura-farming, matcha and deepfake all also in contention.

Sheffield is the 4/6 favourite to be named UK City of Culture 2029, with Wrexham 5/4 and Portsmouth 6/4 leading a competitive nine-strong field that also includes Blackpool, Inverness-Highland and more.

Keir Starmer is 1/14 not to lead Labour into the next general election. 2026 is 1/6 favourite year for his replacement, with the July–September window 2/5 favourite for the leadership change.

Andy Burnham is 1/4 favourite to win Thursday's Makerfield by-election as a right-wing vote split between Reform UK and Restore Britain hands Labour the inside track. Vote share market also live.

General Election specials are heating up ahead of Thursday's Makerfield by-election. Reform lead the Most Seats market at 13/8 with Ladbrokes, while 2029 or later is evens to be next election year.