London local elections 2026: Who will win in Brent? May 6, 2026 From conflict overseas to transport on the home front, several issues will test Labour’s hold on Brent in the upcoming local elections. Brent will be a place where Labour will be fighting several opponents. The home of Wembley Stadium, Brent is an apt council to showcase whether Labour suffers a heavy defeat or enjoys triumphant [...]
London local elections 2026: Who will win in Bexley? May 6, 2026 What has traditionally been a back and forth between Conservatives and Labour, for the forthcoming local elections Bexley is being viewed as Reform’s top shot at cracking London. In 2022, Bexley had a 5.2 per cent swing from Conservative to Labour but the Tories still managed to hold onto 33 seats, while Labour gained just [...]
London local elections 2026: Who will win in Barking and Dagenham? May 6, 2026 Labour will take the fight to Reform in its defence of Barking and Dagenham as it looks to continue its long-running hold on the borough. In 2022 Barking and Dagenham was painted a unanimous red. All 51 seats in the 232,747 strong borough went to Labour in a clean sweep, though turnout was 24.5 per [...]
‘Politically toxic’ holiday tax could turn voters against Labour, hospitality leaders warn May 4, 2026 The “politically toxic” holiday tax could turn hordes of voters against Labour if it is pushed through, hospitality leaders have warned the government. The proposed tax could threaten the fragile majorities of a host of Labour big beasts including health secretary Wes Streeting and foreign secretary Yvette Cooper, trade body UK Hospitality (UKH) has claimed. [...]
UK to join EU Ukraine loan talks in defence push May 3, 2026 The UK is set to begin negotiations to join the European Union’s €90bn (£78bn) loan scheme for Ukraine, as Keir Starmer steps up efforts to deepen defence cooperation with European allies. Speaking ahead of a summit of the European Political Community (EPC) in Yerevan, Armenia, the prime minister is expected to signal Britain’s intention to [...]
Tories pledge to scrap mandatory time off for union reps April 27, 2026 The Conservative Party has pledged to scrap the legal requirement for employers to offer paid time off for union representatives. Tory shadow business secretary Andrew Griffith will announce the policy on Monday, which he says will free up taxpayer cash to be spent on cutting NHS waiting lists and filling potholes. Union reps are currently [...]
Government to step up support for businesses affected by Iran war April 26, 2026 The government is ramping up efforts to offset the impact of the Iran war on UK businesses as concerns over energy prices continue to grow. In its latest attempt to ease the damage caused by the Middle East conflict, the government has opted to work directly with businesses, with the prime minister preparing to chair [...]
Starmer to face vote over Peter Mandelson sleaze inquiry April 25, 2026 Keir Starmer will face a vote on whether he should be referred to a parliamentary sleaze inquiry over claims that he misled the House of Commons about the appointment of Mandelson as ambassador to the US. The prime minister said earlier this week that Downing Street had put no pressure “whatsoever” on the Foreign Office, [...]
Palantir boss rebuts Polanski’s wild NHS claims April 23, 2026 A senior Palantir Technologies executive has issued a scathing point-by-point rebuttal after a viral video by Green Party leader Zack Polanski criticised the firm’s role in the NHS and wider public sector. Louis Mosley, who leads Palantir in the UK and Europe, responded directly on X, challenging a series of claims made in the clip. [...]
Pension ping pong: Now government backtracks on mandation powers April 22, 2026 The government has been forced to water down controversial mandation powers in the Pension Schemes Bill after prolonged uproar from the pensions industry and opposition MPs and peers. Pensions minister Torsten Bell has tried to push through the bill with a clause that gives ministers the power to force funds to invest in UK infrastructure [...]