Onlooker

You may have noticed things are looking a little different around here!

After years as ODN (On Demand News), we have evolved into Onlooker.

From Prime Minister’s Questions and Downing Street drama to elections, scandals and party infighting, we’ll be bringing you the UK political stories our audience cares about most.

Clear reporting. Sharp explainers. Fast updates from Westminster and beyond.

1 week ago | [YT] | 13

Onlooker

Andy Burnham has now been CONFIRMED as Labour’s candidate for the upcoming Makerfield by-election, setting up what is looking to be one of the biggest political battles of the year.

As Starmer called it - "A battle between Labour and Reform."

In a statement posted on X, the Greater Manchester Mayor said:

“Many people here feel Westminster isn’t working for them and they are right. I am standing to change that and get the voice of these communities heard loud and clear.”

The by-election was triggered after Labour MP Josh Simons stepped aside to allow Burnham a route back to Westminster. He is widely rumoured upon winning the seat to launch a leadership contest against Starmer.

The race is officially on in Makerfield....

1 week ago | [YT] | 19

Onlooker

It has emerged Nigel Farage purchased a £1.4 million property shortly after receiving a secret £5 million gift from a crypto billionaire.

The Reform UK leader insists the money was for “personal security”, claiming he is “the most physically attacked politician in modern Britain”.
But critics are now asking questions.

If the money was really for security, why was a luxury property purchase happening around the same time? Do you think Farage’s explanation adds up? And could this affect how his supporters see him?

Watch our full breakdown here 👉 https://youtu.be/V3u2UAAMvO0

1 week ago | [YT] | 65

Onlooker

Wes Streeting has resigned as Health Secretary in a blistering letter to Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of an expected Labour leadership challenge.

In the letter, Streeting says he has “lost confidence” in Starmer’s leadership and warns Labour is facing a crisis of direction after devastating election results.

“It is now clear that you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election.”

"There is no doubt that the unpopularity of this Government was a major and common factor in our defeats across England, Scotland and Wales..."

"There are many reasons we could point to: from individual mistakes on policy like the decision to cut the winter fuel allowance to the ‘island of strangers’ speech, all of which have left the country not knowing who we are or what we really stand for."

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1 week ago | [YT] | 61

Onlooker

BREAKING: US President Donald Trump has announced a ten-day ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump confirmed it will begin today at 5pm EST (10pm BST).

The President also confirmed he has spoken with Lebanon's President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Hezbollah, the Iran-backed militant group in Lebanon, with which Israel has been exchanging fire, was noticeably not mentioned.

In a follow-up post, Trump said he will invite Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House for talks.

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1 month ago | [YT] | 90

Onlooker

Donald Trump has deleted an AI-generated image depicting himself as Jesus Christ after facing sharp backlash from critics and some of his own supporters.

The image showed him in white robes with glowing hands, appearing to heal someone. It quickly sparked wide outrage, with some calling it disrespectful and blasphemous. Trump has since claimed that the image depicts him as a doctor “making people better.”

Vice President JD Vance, who is Catholic, has defended Trump, telling Fox News the post was “a joke” and that Trump took it down because people “weren’t understanding his humour.” He also pushed back at the Vatican, saying it’s sometimes better for the Church to “stick to matters of morality” rather than politics.

The controversy comes as Trump is in a growing public clash with Pope Leo XIV. The Pope has spoken out against the war in Iran, while Trump recently attacked him in a lengthy social media post as too liberal and “weak on crime,” adding another layer to the backlash around the image.

AI image credit: @realDonaldTrump/TruthSocial

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1 month ago | [YT] | 132

Onlooker

As tensions rise between Iran, the US and Israel, and the UK edges closer to another potential conflict, a familiar question is back, is Britain heading down the same path as the Iraq War?

In our latest video, we unpack the parallels between Keir Starmer and Tony Blair, more than 20 years after the invasion of Iraq, from the UK’s relationship with Washington to growing unease in Parliament and across the public.

Watch it at the link below today at 2pm (GMT) and let us know what you think in the comments!

https://youtu.be/asg4jveIWPE?si=1Z_n_...

2 months ago (edited) | [YT] | 66

Onlooker

We’re streaming Prime Minister’s Questions LIVE from 12pm 👉 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mErIC...

Sir Keir Starmer is set to face MPs during a high-pressure session of PMQs.

The weekly Commons clash comes as the first batch of files relating to Lord Peter Mandelson are due to be released, raising fresh political questions in Westminster.

2 months ago | [YT] | 45

Onlooker

Former Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has called the current university tuition fee system a “mess”.

The coalition government led by David Cameron and Clegg raised tuition fees in England to a maximum of £9,000 a year from 2012 - a move that sparked nationwide protests.

Clegg faced fierce backlash and later apologised for breaking an election pledge to oppose tuition fee rises.

Now, he says changes including repeated freezes to the graduate repayment threshold, have made the system “deeply unfair”.

Much of the pressure now centres on Plan 2 student loans, taken out by university students between 2012 and 2023, which have faced criticism over high interest rates.

The repayment threshold will remain frozen at £29,385 between 2027 and 2030, meaning more graduates could start repaying sooner once they enter work.

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2 months ago | [YT] | 18

Onlooker

We’re live with Prime Minister’s Questions from 12pm.

Join the stream here 👉 youtube.com/live/jUOCHc2bJFw?si=yKkex4fTKVQIiSUP

2 months ago | [YT] | 26