Political anniversaries are liked more by the media than leaders or governments but Labour marked its first year in power with a brutal reckoning as it was forced to water down its benefit reform bill to a shadow of what its election manifesto had promised. As political editor Pippa Crerar writes for this week’s cover story, many inside the party are unhappy with how the first 12 months have gone. When voters gave Labour an overwhelming mandate to govern last July, one obvious selling point was Keir Starmer’s air of calm competence – a sharp contrast to the previous tumultuous Conservative governments. But with many MPs elected on wafer-thin majorities, they are becoming uneasy with Starmer’s lack of charisma or ability to conjure a strong narrative for his vision of the UK under Labour. The prime minister’s show-not-tell style has an obvious parallel with Joe Biden. As Jonathan Freedland notes, we know how that played out in the US. Watch this space as we report on Starmer’s second year at No 10.
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Five essential reads in this week’s edition
Spotlight | Tehran’s spies forced out into the open
Julian Borger reports on how Iran’s attempts to recruit a network of informers inside Israel have been revealed through court indictments
Environment | ‘We want to be left alone’
The Mashco Piro live in isolation in the border lands between Peru and Brazil but, report John Reid and Daniel Biasetto, logging, drug trafficking and the climate crisis are forcing them into contact with outsiders
Features | Why do Tesla’s cars keep crashing?
A series of shocking incidents – from drivers trapped in burning vehicles to dramatic stops on the highway – have led to questions about the safety of the brand, discover Sönke Iwersen and Michael Verfürden
Opinion | Who will save the United Nations?
If the US cuts off the cash it will have world-changing effects, but it’s not the only country falling short in its obligations, says Simon Tisdall
Culture | In brotherhood and strife
With Oasis back in UK stadiums, Britan’s poet laureate and fan Simon Armitage explores how the band’s creativity was forged by the rivalry between Noel and Liam Gallagher
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What else we’ve been reading
As usual, David Squires casts a brilliantly focused eye on the week in football, with an amusing celebration of the Women’s Euros in Switzerland that somehow works in references to Clarkson’s Farm and Luton Town’s “PVC conservatories”. His cartoons are full of details that demand a couple of readings, and are always perfectly pitched, especially this week, as he includes a single-frame tribute to Portugal forward Diogo Jota. Anthony Naughton, assistant editor
Squid Game season three – Netflix’s most-watched TV debut ever – underscores the unstoppable rise of Korean storytelling globally. Like Parasite, it explores deep themes such as class struggle and hierarchy, resonating worldwide and boosting the Korean wave. These works show how storytelling – rooted in local realities – can raise global awareness of social issues from diverse perspectives. What comes next for non-English language films and TV?Hyunmu Lee, CRM Engagement & Retention
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Other highlights from the Guardian website
• Audio | Mushroom trial: Erin Patterson found guilty – Full Story podcast
• Video | Timelapse footage shows how quickly Texas flood waters rose over causeway
• Gallery | A ‘floating university’ and a pink mosque: Dhaka builds for a wetter future
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