Britain’s political landscape was thrown into fresh uncertainty this weekend as divisions within the ruling Labour Party deepened following heavy electoral losses in Scotland, Wales and local council contests across England.

The setbacks have triggered an open struggle over the future leadership of the party and the direction of Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s government, with senior Labour figures now positioning themselves ahead of a possible leadership contest.

Former health secretary Wes Streeting has stepped down from his role and is reportedly preparing to challenge Starmer’s leadership, according to Labour sources. Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham is also expected to enter the race if he secures a return to Parliament through an upcoming by-election in a traditionally pro-Brexit constituency.

Brexit, nearly a decade after Britain voted to leave the European Union, has unexpectedly returned to the centre of national political debate.

Streeting described Brexit on Saturday as a “catastrophic mistake” that had made Britain “less wealthy, less powerful and less in control.” He called for a closer partnership with the European Union and said Britain’s long-term future could eventually lie inside the bloc once again.

Burnham struck a more cautious tone, saying there was a “case” for rejoining the EU in the future, though he stressed he would not campaign on the issue during the by-election amid growing support for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK party in northern England.

The remarks mark a significant shift within Labour, which under Starmer has carefully avoided reopening the Brexit debate in an effort to retain voters in former industrial regions that backed leaving the EU.

Political analysts say the renewed discussion over Europe may appeal to Labour members and pro-EU voters who have increasingly drifted toward the Green Party, even as it risks alienating parts of the party’s traditional working-class base.

The growing divisions come at a tense political moment across Britain. Large demonstrations in London over the weekend highlighted the country’s deepening polarization, with anti-racism and pro-Palestinian protesters gathering alongside supporters of far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

Meanwhile, uncertainty in London is also raising concerns in Brussels ahead of a planned UK-EU summit expected to focus on improving trade ties and resetting relations strained by Brexit.

European officials had hoped the meeting would produce progress on agricultural exports and wider economic cooperation, but Labour’s internal turmoil has cast doubt over the government’s ability to negotiate major agreements.

Elsewhere in Europe, Spain’s conservative Popular Party lost its majority in regional elections in Andalucía and may now require support from the far-right Vox party to govern. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialists also suffered significant losses in a vote viewed as an important test ahead of next year’s national elections.

The developments across Britain and Europe come as governments continue facing mounting political fragmentation, economic uncertainty and growing pressure from both nationalist and populist movements.

Google has introduced a new search feature allowing users to prioritise their preferred news publishers in search results, giving readers more control over how they consume current affairs and breaking news online.

The update enables users to select a preferred media outlet so that its articles and headlines appear more prominently when searching for trending topics. The change applies to news-related searches covering global events, politics, business, sports and entertainment.

The feature is designed to personalise the search experience while still displaying reporting from multiple media organisations. Users searching for topics such as international conflicts, economic developments or major sporting events will now be able to choose which publisher they want highlighted first in results.

Among the publishers promoting the feature is Euronews, which said users can now set the outlet as their preferred news source through their Google account settings.

The process requires users to sign into their Google account, search for their chosen publisher and enable the preference setting. Once selected, the chosen outlet’s reporting will receive greater visibility in relevant searches. Users can also modify or remove the preference at any time.

The update marks one of the first major personalisation tools introduced specifically for Google News-related search queries. While search results have long been influenced by algorithms, user activity and relevance rankings, the latest addition gives individuals direct input into which publishers they see first.

Google has not indicated whether the feature will affect advertising or recommendation systems tied to its broader news ecosystem. The company also said other news organisations would continue to appear in results alongside preferred sources.

The move comes as technology companies face growing scrutiny over how news is distributed online and how algorithms shape access to information. Media groups across Europe and elsewhere have increasingly sought closer partnerships with digital platforms as competition for online audiences intensifies.

The feature may also help publishers strengthen direct engagement with readers at a time when search traffic remains a major source of online readership. News organisations have faced mounting pressure from changing consumer habits, social media competition and the rapid rise of artificial intelligence tools affecting online publishing and discovery.

Google’s latest update is expected to roll out globally through user account settings and search preferences over the coming weeks.