The Fourcast

Keir Starmer is on his way out and Andy Burnham looks set to become Britain's next Prime Minister. After years as Mayor of Greater Manchester, Burnham appears to have cleared the field, with Labour MPs rallying behind him and potential rivals standing aside. But what happens next?
Can Burnham turn his popularity into a successful premiership? Does he have a plan for Britain's sluggish economy, rising welfare costs and growing defence commitments? What exactly is "Manchesterism", and can it work across the whole country?
To discuss all of this and more, Krishnan Guru-Murthy is in Westminster, speaking to Channel 4 News Political Editor Gary Gibbon about Burnham's path to Number 10, the likely shape of his government, the future of Labour, and what Nigel Farage and Reform UK make of the challenge ahead. He's joined by Labour peer Ayesha Hazarika, the i Paper's Kitty Donaldson, and Ipsos UK Chief Executive Kelly Beaver to assess what a Burnham premiership could mean for British politics.

Andy Burnham has won a thumping victory in Makerfield, proving he can, in certain circumstances, beat Nigel Farage’s Reform UK - but what about beating his own party leader Sir Keir Starmer? 
The prime minister says he will stand and fight any leadership challenge. So, where does it leave the country? Will Starmer be forced to stand down, despite his defiant tone now? And what will happen if there is a leadership election?  
On this episode of The Fourcast Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Keir Starmer’s biographer Tom Baldwin, Labour MP and Wes Streeting ally Rosie Wrighting, Labour MP and Andy Burnham supporter Dr SImon Opher and More In Common executive director Luke Tryl.

A $300bn plan to rebuild Iran. A ceasefire in the Middle East. And a new test for Donald Trump. But can this peace plan really work, and who is paying for it?
In this episode of The Fourcast: Indicators, Matt Frei and Mark Urban examine the signals analysts are watching most closely after the Iran war - from the future of Iran’s economy and nuclear programme, to whether Israel will accept a new regional reality.
They’re joined by Channel 4 News Economics Editor Helia Ebrahimi to ask: who pays for Iran’s reconstruction? Can sanctions be lifted? What happens to the Gulf states? And does this mark a new balance of power in the Middle East?

A ceasefire has been announced between the US and Iran - but is this the end of the conflict, or just a pause before the next confrontation?
After days of missile strikes, threats and escalation, Donald Trump has celebrated the opening of the Strait of Hormuz and declared a diplomatic success. Iran says it has forced the US and Israel to accept defeat. Both sides claim victory - but who really got what they wanted?
On this episode of The Fourcast, we examine what the ceasefire means for Iran’s nuclear programme, Israel’s security calculations, and the wider balance of power in the Middle East.
Krishnan Guru-Murthy is joined by Ali Ansari, director of the Institute for Iranian Studies at the University of St Andrews, former Israeli ambassador to Germany Jeremy Issacharoff, and Channel 4 News International Editor Lindsey Hilsum.

The World Cup has kicked off, with three red cards and a win for co-hosts Mexico while the USA face Paraguay later, but President Donald Trump is set not to attend America’s opening game. 
Before a ball was even kicked, this tournament wasn’t short of controversies, from strict border controls and eye-watering ticket prices to the prospect of two countries who are at war with each other playing a game of football. 
So, has the beautiful game’s biggest tournament become impossible to separate from global politics? Is this simply the reality of staging a World Cup across borders in an increasingly divided world - or are the doubters right that this World Cup could be spoiled by the drama off the pitch?
On this episode of The Fourcast, Krishnan Guru-Murthy was joined by our sports reporter Jordan Jarrett-Bryan, superfan Billy The Bee who is in Mexico right now and will head to America to follow England’s games and journalist Marcela Mora y Araujo.