At last, an economic policy we can all get behind – doubling the royal family’s funding | Marina Hyde<p>But with rumours about a certain workshy Windsor circulating this week, are we actually encouraging joblessness with an overly generous safety net?</p><p>Finally, some part of our struggling state is getting a massive budget increase – and it’s not even the welfare bill, like normal. Or maybe it is? The monarchy’s c1 sources · Read ↗
Burnham has brought hope back to Labour – but he must understand how quickly it can be punctured | Andy Beckett<p>The Makerfield MP’s surge towards No 10 is a seductive ad for the power of positive politics. How long that proves effective depends on his next moves</p><p>The creation of hope is a vital but risky part of democratic politics. Leaders or would-be leaders who arouse hope attract supporters, motivate activists, achie1 sources · Read ↗
Wanted: a new PM, a new James Bond, a new Doctor – and a UK that can agree on its leading characters | Nadia Khomami<p>Britain has found itself looking for all three protagonists at once. Who gets to stand at the centre of the national story?</p><p>It’s been the refrain of the week. Why can’t the country hold on to a prime minister – and how can it be that Larry, the Downing Street cat, has managed to outlast six of them? Have we beGuardian Opinion · Read ↗