Morning briefing Friday 15th May

0:00This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwCWC. Staying competitive means getting ahead, not just keeping up. So how do business leaders cut through the noise and focus on what really matters? PwC takes you further with tech, from optimising the systems that put your data to work, to scaling AI from proof of concept to competitive edge. PwC helps you meet tomorrow's tech demands so you can compete at a speed that rewrites the rules. Discover more at pwc.co.uk. This is Times Radio's morning briefing on Friday the 15th of May. Andy Burnham is attempting a return to Westminster after confirming he'll seek selection for Labour in the expected by-election in Makerfield.

0:48The Greater Manchester Mayor can only stand for the Labour leadership if he returns to Parliament. But yesterday, Makerfield MP Josh Simon stepped down to make way for him. Labour MP Graham Stringer says Mr Burnham is taking a dangerous political gamble. The deal that Josh and Andy have cooked up between themselves looks like and is taking the electorate for granted. Individually they're entitled to take what risks they like but with Andy he risks leaving the morality of Greater Manchester open to reform or another party. He risks losing the seat in Wigan. It follows the resignation of Health Secretary Wes Streeting, who says he's lost confidence in Sakhir Starmer's leadership, although he's stopped short of launching his own leadership bid.

1:37Speculation over Sakhir's future has intensified since Labour's heavy local election losses last week, although no formal leadership challenge has yet been triggered. An investigation revealed Green Party leader Zak Polanski did not vote in last week's local elections, despite previously claiming he had cast a postal vote in Hackney. After inquiries by The Times, the party confirmed he had not registered to vote, with a spokesman suggesting concerns about his safety were a factor. Nigel Farage has defended accepting a£5 million gift from billionaire donor Christopher Harbourn, describing it as a reward for his years campaigning for Brexit.

2:17The Reform UK leader is facing a parliamentary standards investigation after failing to declare the donation when he entered Parliament. He insists the money was a personal gift to fund his security. Donald Trump says Chinese President Xi Jinping has agreed not to supply military equipment to Iran following high-level talks in Beijing. The US president also claims China wants the Strait of Hormuz reopened and has agreed to buy more American oil. Trump described discussions was he as extremely positive, while the Chinese leader called relations between the two countries the world's most important.

2:54President Trump's been speaking at a state banquet in Beijing. The relationship between the American and Chinese people goes all the way back to America's founding. The first American consul to China, Samuel Shaw, arrived on the first American trading ship to reached these shores in 1784. Two and a half centuries later, that first connection has grown into one of the most consequential relationships in world history. A college student has died and two other people are being treated following cases of meningitis linked to Reading and the surrounding area. There's more on these stories throughout the day on Times Radio.

3:40This episode of the Times Radio News Briefing is sponsored by PwC. AI is everywhere. In the news, in our hands, but return on investment, not so much. So how do you get beyond the hype and deliver AI that powers reinvention and growth across your business? Strong foundations unlock AI's potential. That's why PwC takes you further with tech, strengthening the data quality, processes and workflows that shape how well AI performs. PwC turns innovation into implementation so you can accelerate from experiment to scale. Discover more at pwc.co.uk.

4:22Hey, Pablo Torre here. As a sports journalist, I've covered global sports for many years now. And there is one thing that I can promise you. nothing compares to the World Cup. And this time, it is even better thanks to McDonald's. You have the chance to take home one of nine legendary cups when you order the FIFA World Cup meal. The cups feature some of the biggest legends in football, like David Beckham, Terry Henry, and Ronaldinho, Christian Pulisic, Lamin Yamal, and Alfonso Davies. Right now, get one of nine legendary cups when you order the FIFA World Cup meal only at McDonald's. At participating McDonald's, only for a limited time, while supplies last, all rights reserved, Copyright 2026.

5:01McDonald's at the FIFA World Cup 2026.