'Let's see what he can do': will Burnham bring Barnsley voters back to Labour?
#BarnsleyPolitics #LabourParty #PoliticalShift #SouthYorkshire #LocalElections
theguardian.com/politics/2026/…
With questions over Farage’s finances and a new face in No 10, could Barnsley council be a bellwether for changing Labour fortunes?Hannah Al-Othman (the Guardian)
A look at the nearly 3,000 endorsements issued in Aug. 4 elections and how they affected those primaries
#VoterInformation #VotingBehavior #ElectoralResearch #ElectionData #LocalElections
Exclusive: 25 years after race riots in north of England, Arooj Shah says extremist groups and lies about grooming scandal are poisoning OldhamChris Osuh (the Guardian)
Former junior minister Catherine West says that unless a cabinet minister comes forward to challenge the PM by Monday, she willAndrew Sparrow (the Guardian)
Several frontbenchers told the Guardian they agreed the prime minister’s time in office should not go beyond the end of the yearTaz Ali (the Guardian)
Senior Labour MPs urge prime minister to step down within year as party suffers loss of hundreds of English council seats and humbling in WalesPippa Crerar (the Guardian)
Party makes gains in Labour and Tory heartland areas but one pollster says results suggest Reform may have peakedBen Quinn (the Guardian)
First time Welsh nationalist party has enough support to run Wales, while also blocking momentum of Reform UKBethan McKernan (the Guardian)
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has made substantial gains in local elections while Labour suffered heavy losses. Is the era of two-party politics over? And can the prime minister fight on? Lucy Hough speaks to political correspondent Alexandra ToppingLucy Hough (the Guardian)
Party makes gains in Portsmouth and Richmond upon Thames in local elections but loses a Scottish strongholdBen Quinn (the Guardian)
Reform leader irritated when asked about money from Christopher Harborne on day of party’s election gainsBen Quinn (the Guardian)
Leadership in peril as party loses seats in heartlands and control of councils in Hartlepool, Tameside, Redditch and TamworthKiran Stacey (the Guardian)
We'll find out the full scope of Labour's losses later today but early signs are that things will be every bit as bad for Labour (and good for the 'insurgents') as many predicted.
Here is the picture just after 6.00 this morning as reported by the FT
However, these results are currently skewed by the English councils early to report & may not indicate the overall pattern of gains & losses... more results later.
Reform runaway winners in north-east, likely pushing Labour into opposition in Hartlepool, with other losses for Starmer in Chorley, Wigan, Redditch and TamworthJamie Grierson (the Guardian)
From devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales to councils and mayoralties in England, find out what happened in your areaSeán Clarke (the Guardian)
European observers have seen incidents of confusion over ID requirements but problem is not regarded as widespreadBen Quinn (the Guardian)
About 120 journalists and broadcast staff expected to protest about pay freeze as STV invests in new radio stationSeverin Carrell (the Guardian)
As Labour faces record-breaking losses in Thursday’s local elections, prime minister says rivals are unfit to leadJessica Elgot (the Guardian)
As Reform vows to block solar and windfarms, energy leaders say renewables offer most secure future, insulating UK from hostile forcesFiona Harvey (the Guardian)
In inner London boroughs such as Camden, home to PM’s constituency, Greens have capitalised on collapse of Labour supportBen Quinn (the Guardian)
Green leader said he hosted fundraisers for the Red Cross but accepts he should not have described himself as a spokesperson for itAndrew Sparrow (the Guardian)
Nigel Farage’s pary sees this week’s local elections as showcase for new, sleeker approach borrowing from an unlikely sourceBen Quinn (the Guardian)
Pledge ahead of local elections dismissed as ‘not a serious policy’ and ‘profoundly un-British’Ben Quinn (the Guardian)
Communities secretary Steve Reed urges MPs not to move against Keir Starmer and says most people are ‘sick and tired of all this psychodrama’Jessica Elgot (the Guardian)
With voter loyalty a distant memory, the Lib Dems’ cost of living policies and criticism of Trump could gain them groundPeter Walker (the Guardian)
Message on private Facebook group for staff said: ‘I dumped them all in a bin. They can sack me!’Nadeem Badshah (the Guardian)
Prime minister has shed trusted staffers but can still turn to many genuine friends in and out of governmentPeter Walker (the Guardian)
Exclusive: Investigation into campaigning materials for local polls in May challenges tactical voting claimsAlexandra Topping (the Guardian)
Hope Not Hate campaign identifies election hopefuls calling for a ‘white Britain’ and complaining of ‘kowtowing to the black community’Ben Quinn (the Guardian)
Savitha Prakash, a first-generation immigrant running in local elections in Harrow, says Reform UK aims to ‘put Britain first’Neha Gohil (the Guardian)
All signs point to a record low performance for Labour in May in what will be a moment of high jeopardy for Keir StarmerAlex Clark (the Guardian)
Housing secretary also targets Reform as May elections loom, saying Farage more interested in Trump than own constituencyPeter Walker (the Guardian)
Some fear a fragmented field of hopefuls from Labour, the Conservatives, Greens, Reform and Independents could leave city ungovernableNeha Gohil (the Guardian)
Poll projects major political earthquake across Britain with Labour losing Wales and England’s Red WallAndrew Sparrow (the Guardian)
Refugee Council criticises Labour’s decision, saying military sites are unsuitable and ‘more expensive than hotels’Rajeev Syal (the Guardian)
Adam Mitula is acting as election agent for Reform candidates in three wards in Tameside area ahead of 7 May pollsBen Quinn (the Guardian)
Exclusive: Health secretary warns of dangers of protest vote as he pitches NHS as key battleground in May electionsAlexandra Topping (the Guardian)
Tories disowned Derek Bullock in 2023 after he allegedly used a racial slur to called for people of Pakistani heritage to be shotPeter Walker (the Guardian)
Campaigning in Newcastle before next month’s local elections shows the rise of the far right, the climate and cost of living are concerning voters as much as the Middle EastAamna Mohdin (the Guardian)
Exclusive: Capital’s mayor warns people not to use next month’s elections as a referendum on Labour’s progressPeter Walker (the Guardian)
