5 important things happening in the UK today (2 June 2026)
Here are five important things happening in the UK on Tuesday (2 June 2026):
Mandelson messages reveal criticism of No 10
Long-awaited documents published by the government have revealed messages between Lord Mandelson and ministers strongly criticising the prime minister, No 10 and Labour MPs. The 1,500 pages cover, external communications about the appointment of Lord Mandelson as the UK’s ambassador to the US – a role he was later sacked from due to his links to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. In one message, Lord Mandelson described No 10 as “beleaguered and bereft” and in need of a “complete revamp”. [BBC]
Voters want Reeves gone if Starmer leaves
Rachel Reeves should be replaced as Chancellor if Prime Minister Keir Starmer is ousted in a Labour leadership contest, the majority of voters believe. Reeves’ team had told newspapers that she should stay on in order to maintain some stability if Starmer were defeated by Wes Streeting, Andy Burnham or another Labour leader contender in a likely contest this year. But City AM/Freshwater Strategy polling has shown that most voters believe Reeves should be moved on if Starmer left Downing Street. [CityAM]
Sadiq Khan vows to overrule residents’ group’s objections to Soho bars and restaurants
Sadiq Khan, the London mayor, has suggested he will overrule a residents’ society that has vowed to challenge all new applications for pubs and restaurants in Soho. The Guardian revealed last week that the Soho Society, a residents’ group established in 1972 aimed at “preserving the character of Soho”, voted for a new licensing mandate, meaning it will challenge all new applications for bars and restaurants in the area, including renewals of existing licences. [The Guardian]
AI giant Anthropic to list
AI giant Anthropic has said it plans to become a public company in the US. The company behind the popular chatbot Claude said on Monday it had filed confidential paperwork with the US Securities and Exchange Commission in order to make an initial public offering (IPO) this year. Once public, people will be able to buy and trade shares in the firm on the stock market, though the company said the price and number of shares to be offered “have not yet been set”. [CNN]
Financial news
Brent crude futures fell below $95 per barrel on Tuesday, paring gains from the previous session as ongoing peace talks between the US and Iran showed little progress, keeping markets cautious about supply disruptions. On Tuesday, Oil was trading higher at $91.16. The pound is trading at $1.35, €1.16, and ¥9.11.
