“The prime minister cannot survive this amount of chaos,” said Manchester Labour MP Graham Stringer on Monday, as the party teetered. By nightfall, Sir Keir Starmer was still in No 10 - battered but propped up by a rush of public backing from his cabinet and a firm refusal to step aside. (theguardian.com)

For Greater Manchester, the first verdict lands in 16 days. The Gorton and Denton by‑election is set for Thursday 26 February, and what was a safe Labour redoubt now looks like a three‑way fight that will set the tone for spring. (manchester.gov.uk)

In Scotland, Anas Sarwar broke ranks, arguing the country cannot be dragged into Westminster’s mess any longer: “the distraction needs to end... and the leadership in Downing Street has to change.” Holyrood votes on Thursday 7 May. (theguardian.com)

Wales goes to the polls the same day under a larger, reformed Senedd, while councils across England hold local elections on 7 May - a date now circled in every party HQ from Salford to Swansea. (en.wikipedia.org)

The spark for this week’s convulsions remains Peter Mandelson’s downfall. MPs have ordered the release of files on his Washington appointment, with anything deemed sensitive sent to parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee. Police have warned some releases could prejudice their investigation, and seasoned diplomats caution the trawl could strain ties if private exchanges surface. (itv.com)

Whitehall is braced for fallout. Sir Chris Wormald - cabinet secretary and head of the civil service since December 2024 - is understood to be negotiating his departure, following the rapid exits of Morgan McSweeney and Tim Allan. (gov.uk)

Health Secretary Wes Streeting moved quickly to publish his private exchanges with Mandelson, insisting: “I’ve got nothing to hide.” The messages, shared with Sky News, show him fretting about his own re‑election and criticising No 10’s lack of a growth strategy - a sign he knows how harsh the coming tests might be. (news.sky.com)

Starmer, for his part, told MPs he would not walk away and received a choreographed show of loyalty from ministers - enough to head off a same‑day coup, but not enough to erase the damage. (theguardian.com)

In Gorton and Denton, Labour’s Angeliki Stogia faces the Greens’ Hannah Spencer and Reform UK’s broadcaster‑candidate Matt Goodwin, who pitches the vote as a “referendum on Keir Starmer”. On the ground, the race is being cast as Labour v Reform v Greens - and few are calling it. (theguardian.com)

A result here will echo across east Manchester and over the Pennines. The constituency’s make‑up - from Levenshulme’s renters to Gorton’s long‑settled families and a large British Muslim community - mirrors seats Labour must hold in May. (en.wikipedia.org)

For the North, the question is brutally practical: can a government consumed by survival get traction on buses, backlogs and business rates before 7 May? The answer starts on 26 February in Gorton and Denton.