The past seven days have not been great for the prime minister nor the leader of the opposition. Rishi Sunak followed up his ill advised bet with Piers Morgan with a truly cringeworthy performance at PMQs. Meanwhile Keir Starmer finally ditched Labours £28bn green pledge – and was inevitably met with a chorus of criticism with accusations of traitor and flip flopper in equal measure. To add to his woes, disturbing words in respect of Israel and the Gaza conflict from Labours Rochdale by election candidate came to light, reminding voters of the party’s challenge with antisemitism. But, if you think it’s been a bad week for messrs Sunak & Starmer, then spare a thought for US president Joe Biden. His senility is becoming a real barrier to his re-election and a boost to his Republican opponent Donald Trump. Is it too late for the Democrats to select an alternative candidate before the November presidential poll? Welcome to the Downtown Den Politics podcast.

Downtown in Business

HM3 Legal Expands North West Footprint with Strategic Altrincham Launch and Key Team Hire
Fast-growing, award winning mid-tier commercial law firm HM3 Legal, already well established in Chester and celebrating its 10th anniversary in Liverpool this month, has today announced the opening of a new office in Altrincham, South Manchester – further strengthening its presence across the North West.

Let Lancashire Build – Or Miss an Opportunity Others Will Take
Business leaders warn that failure to meet housing targets could jeopardise £5 billion cyber investment.

University of Central Lancashire climbs 14 places in student positivity survey
The 2025 National Student Survey ranks the University of Central Lancashire 35th for average positivity out of 122 institutions