Reform UK on program for clear victories in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull/East Yorkshire mayoral competitions, survey recommends
There are 6 mayoral political elections following week. Two of them are for single-authority mayors (Doncaster and North Tyneside), nonetheless the others are for combined-authority mayors (or native mayors– like metropolis mayors, nonetheless not merely overlaying metropolis areas). Today You Gov has really launched polling overlaying all 4 of those competitions and it recommends Reform UK will get on program to win 2 of them conveniently. And the Green celebration is instantly upfront in a third, the survey recommends.
Here are the poll numbers.
Greater Lincolnshire– Reform UK upfront by 15 components

Andrea Jenkyns, the earlier Tory MP, is the Reform UK prospect proper right here, and that is the place Nigel Farage’s celebration was believed to have its best risk of a mayoral win. Sam Freedman has a superb recap of the competitors in his very helpful regional political elections sneak peek on his Substack blog.
In idea the Tories have to be profitable in Lincolnshire as they maintain numerous the legislative seats within the location and have really managed regional nationwide politics completely. But it’s moreover one of the crucial Reform- nice element of the nation. It consists of Richard Tice’s constituency and numerous seats by which they got here 2nd. Plus their prospect is a earlier Tory MP– Andrea Jenkyns, common for her Boris Johnson fascination and making a middle finger movement at a bunch exteriorDowning Street She is, by all accounts, many sandwiches besides a barbecue nonetheless, nonetheless, is stable most well-liked to win. Large parts of regional Conservative occasions, consisting of quite a few councillors, have really at the moment deserted.
Hull and East Yorkshire– Reform UK upfront by 14 components

Like Greater Lincolnshire, it is a brand-new blended authority, implying there have really not been political elections for this mayoral message prior to now. Again it was considered as a Reform UK goal, nonetheless the poll recommends Luke Campbell, a earlier Olympic fighter, will get on program to win conveniently.
West of England– Green celebration upfront by 4 components

It appears as if the West of England mayor must supervise of 1 / 4 of the nation, nonetheless as a matter of truth this mayoralty merely covers authorities in Bristol, South Gloucestershire andNorth East Somerset Labour received it final time, nonetheless the outbound mayor has really been jailed over rape and teen misuse accusations. The Greens are stable in Bristol, the place Carla Denyer, the co-leader, is an MP, and a hit within the mayoral competitors would definitely be a signficant innovation for the celebration.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough– Conservatives upfront by 12 components

When this message was final objected to, the Conservative prospect was upfront after the very first tally nonetheless the Labour prospect was chosen for the reason that numerous different residents had been rearranged and the Lib Dem ballots introduced him over the road within the 2nd spherical. The Conservatives after that junked this poll system (the auxiliary poll) for mayoral political elections and adjusted it with first-past-the-post. There are some Labour MPs that would definitely would such because the federal authorities to return to the auxiliary poll. But, if these You Gov numbers are proper, additionally the auxiliary poll would definitely not all the time safeguard Labour triumph proper right here, for the reason that included Tory/Reform UK poll is greater than the included Labour/Lib Dem/Green poll.
Key events
No 10 states ‘all choices stay on table’ amidst information PM assist off methods to ship out troopers to Ukraine as element of tranquility provide
Keir Starmer is most definitely to abandon methods to ship out British troopers to Ukaine as element of a “coalition of the willing” stress to defend the nation in case of doable tranquility provide, the Times states at the moment. In her story, Larissa Brown states:
Britain is most definitely to abandon methods to ship out numerous troopers to defend Ukraine for the reason that risks are thought-about “too high”, it may be disclosed.
In an evident conditioning of methods, Britain and Europe would definitely no extra have a floor stress securing important cities, ports and nuclear reactor to safeguard the tranquility …
A useful resource related to conversations regarding a “coalition of the willing” claimed of put together for a stress of 10s of numerous floor troopers: “The risks are too high and the forces inadequate for such a task. This was always the UK’s thought. It was France who wanted a more muscular approach.”
At the Downing Street entrance corridor rundown, requested if the PM was rowing again on his promise to put British troopers on the bottom within the Ukraine, a No 10 consultant claimed he didn’t “recognise” the Times file. “All options remain on the table,” he claimed.
Asked whether or not troopers being launched would definitely hinge on the United States offering a “backstop” to a tranquility provide, the consultant he claimed he would definitely not present a operating discourse on talks. He included:
As the pinnacle of state has really claimed in present days, we’re functioning very intently with the United States. We’re all targeting ending the bloodshed and safeguarding a long-term tranquility for Ukraine.
Former tv exec David Kogan validated as chair of Independent Football Regulator
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport has at the moment confirmed that the tv exec David Kogan is its really useful prospect to be chair of the brand-newIndependent Football Regulator As Jacob Steinberg information, Kogan, that has had a set of aged messages within the media and sporting actions, has really moreover contributed to Labour prospects, and was chair of the Labour Listing web site.
The Conservative celebration has really rejected him as aLabour “crony” Louie French, the darkness sporting actions preacher, claimed:
This deeply political go to brings into query the regulatory authority’s capability to run with the impartiality followers ought to have. It’s but another occasion of a Labour federal authorities further enthusiastic about compensating its contributors than providing most people ardour.
Labour Listing is looking for a replacement.
Reform UK on program for clear victories in Greater Lincolnshire and Hull/East Yorkshire mayoral competitions, survey recommends
There are 6 mayoral political elections following week. Two of them are for single-authority mayors (Doncaster and North Tyneside), nonetheless the others are for combined-authority mayors (or native mayors– like metropolis mayors, nonetheless not merely overlaying metropolis areas). Today You Gov has really launched polling overlaying all 4 of those competitions and it recommends Reform UK will get on program to win 2 of them conveniently. And the Green celebration is instantly upfront in a third, the survey recommends.
Here are the poll numbers.
Greater Lincolnshire– Reform UK upfront by 15 components
Andrea Jenkyns, the earlier Tory MP, is the Reform UK prospect proper right here, and that is the place Nigel Farage’s celebration was believed to have its best risk of a mayoral win. Sam Freedman has a superb recap of the competitors in his very helpful regional political elections sneak peek on his Substack blog.
In idea the Tories have to be profitable in Lincolnshire as they maintain numerous the legislative seats within the location and have really managed regional nationwide politics completely. But it’s moreover one of the crucial Reform- nice element of the nation. It consists of Richard Tice’s constituency and numerous seats by which they got here 2nd. Plus their prospect is a earlier Tory MP– Andrea Jenkyns, common for her Boris Johnson fascination and making a middle finger movement at a bunch exteriorDowning Street She is, by all accounts, many sandwiches besides a barbecue nonetheless, nonetheless, is stable most well-liked to win. Large parts of regional Conservative occasions, consisting of quite a few councillors, have really at the moment deserted.
Hull and East Yorkshire– Reform UK upfront by 14 components
Like Greater Lincolnshire, it is a brand-new blended authority, implying there have really not been political elections for this mayoral message prior to now. Again it was considered as a Reform UK goal, nonetheless the poll recommends Luke Campbell, a earlier Olympic fighter, will get on program to win conveniently.
West of England– Green celebration upfront by 4 components
It appears as if the West of England mayor must supervise of 1 / 4 of the nation, nonetheless as a matter of truth this mayoralty merely covers authorities in Bristol, South Gloucestershire andNorth East Somerset Labour received it final time, nonetheless the outbound mayor has really been jailed over rape and teen misuse accusations. The Greens are stable in Bristol, the place Carla Denyer, the co-leader, is an MP, and a hit within the mayoral competitors would definitely be a signficant innovation for the celebration.
Cambridgeshire and Peterborough– Conservatives upfront by 12 components
When this message was final objected to, the Conservative prospect was upfront after the very first tally nonetheless the Labour prospect was chosen for the reason that numerous different residents had been rearranged and the Lib Dem ballots introduced him over the road within the 2nd spherical. The Conservatives after that junked this poll system (the auxiliary poll) for mayoral political elections and adjusted it with first-past-the-post. There are some Labour MPs that would definitely would such because the federal authorities to return to the auxiliary poll. But, if these You Gov numbers are proper, additionally the auxiliary poll would definitely not all the time safeguard Labour triumph proper right here, for the reason that included Tory/Reform UK poll is greater than the included Labour/Lib Dem/Green poll.
Home Office introduces technique to spice up penalties for expertise managers that fall brief to remove blade felony exercise net content material
Tech corporations and particular execs cope with being collectively fined roughly ₤ 70,000 every time an article connecting to blade felony exercise is just not gotten rid of for his or her web sites, Media information. states:
The federal authorities has really elevated a previously revealed technique to nice particular expertise managers ₤ 10,000 when their system stops working to remove materials linked to blade felony exercise, and will definitely at the moment launch added penalties of roughly ₤ 60,000 to a enterprise itself every time it stops working to remove particular messages.
The Home Office claimed the permissions belong to methods to battle net content material that promotes illegal blades and numerous different offending instruments to youths, along with proclaiming or prompting bodily violence.
The legislations will definitely moreover make a greater sequence of methods accountable, consisting of on-line search engine, social networks methods and on-line industries, with the aim of recording all on-line firms which might presently be stopping working to remove net content material.
They will definitely be offered in a modification to the felony exercise and policing expense.
The Home Office has extra info of the information in its news release
Council intercourse house most definitely to worsen if Reform UK succeed, specialists state, since higher than 75% of their prospects male
An efficient final result for Reform UK in following week’s regional political elections will definitely decrease the share of females in metropolis authorities, a scholastic analysis research recommends.
Researchers on the University of Essex states that Reform has really been even worse than any one of many numerous different major occasions at selecting females to be council prospects which this would possibly trigger metropolis authorities coming to be further male than it at the moment is.
Hannah Bunting, that runs the the school’s political elections centre, claimed:
Reform have decreased levels of girls prospects (a lot lower than 1 / 4) than the Conservatives (not relatively 30%). The Greens and Labour go to over 40% common and LibDem s, Others/Indys and regional occasions hanging the 30-33% mark.
The intro of prevalent Reform prospects, and particularly in the event that they win, has really expanded the intercourse house.
This differs by regional authority, nonetheless Reform have a lot lower than a fifth (20%) of females which means them in 9 councils. In Doncaster that is 15% and in Leicester 11%. Labour are virtually 50/50 in Cornwall and Doncaster, the Greens hanging that in Doncaster and actually enclose Nottinghamshire.
But Bunting claimed, on the bonus aspect for intercourse equal rights, there goes to the very least one feminine standing in each mayoral competitors following week.
According to the Local Government Information Unit, 59% of councillors in England are men.
There had been council byelections the opposite day. Andrew Teale composed a detailed guide to all 4 competitions on his distinctive Substack weblog web site. And Britain Elects has really uploaded the outcomes on its Bluesky feed
Here are the numbers, as reported by Britain Elects.
Lib Dem maintain in West Berkshire
Liberal Democrat HOLD
Thatcham North East (West Berkshire) council by-election final result:
LDEM: 41.1% (-14.8 )
DISADVANTAGE: 25.5% (+0.1 )
REF: 21.9% (+21.9 )
GRN: 7.6% (-11.0 )
LABORATORY: 3.9% (+3.9 )
+/- 2023
Estimated turnover: ~ 29% (-6 )
SNP maintain in Fife
SNP HOLD Glenrothes Central and Thornton (Fife) council by-election final result:
SNP: 47.6% (-1.1 )
LABORATORY: 21.5% (-6.4 )
REF: 17.9% (+17.9 )
LDEM: 6.9% (+2.9 )
DISADVANTAGE: 6.1% (-5.9 )
No Grn (-3.7) as prev.
+/- 2022
Labour maintain in Suffolk
Labour HOLD St John’s (Suffolk) council by-election final result:
LABORATORY: 28.0% (-19.7 )
GRN: 21.4% (+13.6 )
REF: 20.6% (+20.6 )
LDEM: 15.1% (+9.8 )
DISADVANTAGE: 14.9% (-24.4 )
+/- 2021
Reform UK achieve from impartial in Arun in West Sussex
Reform GAIN from Independent Marine (Arun) council by-election final result:
REF: 26.0% (+26.0 )
LDEM: 25.2% (-1.0 )
LABORATORY: 20.1% (+0.2 )
DISADVANTAGE: 16.3% (-0.2 )
GRN: 9.8% (+9.8 )
IND: 2.6% (-34.8 )
+/- 2023
Estimated turnover: ~ 25% (-13 )
Keir Starmer spoke with Narendra Modi, the Indian head of state, to share his acknowledgements regarding the terrorist strike in Kashmir on Tuesday, Downing Street claimed. A No 10 consultant claimed:
The head of state began by claiming he was alarmed by the damaging terrorist strike in Jammu and Kashmir on Tuesday, which noticed the unlucky lack of 26 harmless lives.
He shared his deep acknowledgements in behalf of the British people to all these influenced, their preferred ones and people of India.
Water agency managers take the prospect of jail in the event that they conceal illegal sewer splashes underneath regulation at the moment efficient, Defra states
Water agency managers confront 2 years behind bars in the event that they conceal illegal sewer splashes underneath brand-new legislations getting into stress, Media information. states:
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) claimed no jail sentences have really been handed to public utility execs contemplating that privatisation no matter prevalent illegal sewer discharges, and the more durable fines had been important since some firms have really blocked examinations.
Environment assistant Steve Reed claimed: “Bosses must face consequences if they commit crimes. There must be accountability. From today, there will be no more hiding places.”
The motion, element of the Water (Special Measures) Act 2025, is accessible within the face of prevalent public fierceness over the abject state of the nation’s rivers, lakes and seaside waters and at an absence of monetary funding in water framework, rising bills, excessive returns and monetary obligation and exec pay and advantages.
Defra means that the brand-new legislations generated to ship to jail public utility execs will definitely work as an efficient deterrent.
Until at the moment, regulatory authorities have really encountered blockage from corporations of their initiatives to gather proof for prosecutions on illegal sewer spills.
Despite blockage being a felony offense, simply 3 public utility authorities have really been prosecuted by the Environment Agency with out attraction, and the optimum penalty was a penalty– though no penalties had been supplied.
Defra has full info of simply how the regulation has really been tightened up in its news release.
German ambassador to UK states he’s optimistic regarding leads of younger individuals flexibility deal with EU
Miguel Berger, the German ambassador to the UK, was requested on the Today program at the moment if he believed the EU would definitely consent to a younger individuals flexibility plan with the UK with numbers topped. According to a Times file, this seems to be the place the preparations are heading. (See 9.20 am.) Berger claimed that this was a problem for the preparations, nonetheless he included:
I’m at the moment relatively optimistic that we’re relocating a superb directions.
And he claimed that the opposite day’s convention in between Keir Starmer and Ursula von der Leyen revealed that “very serious” major job was in progress upfront of following month’s UK-EU high.
For Germany, a vital drawback was acquiring security and safety and safety association in between the UK and the EU, Berger claimed. He claimed there had really been a change in assuming contemplating that the Russian intrusion of Ukraine.
In completion, I consider everybody comprehends that this has to do with our security and safety inEurope It requires teamwork in between freedoms, buddies, allies, nations with the exact same worths.
The geopolitical conditions have really altered in a way that there’s nothing else various than a detailed teamwork.
Ukraine obtains completely nothing in Trump’s propositions for tranquility, states Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson has really supplied strict objection of Donald Trump’s Ukraine tranquility propositions in amongst his very first noticeable admonishments of the United States head of state, claiming underneath his phrases the Ukrainians would definitely “get nothing”, Jessica Elgot information.
UK and EU want message-Brexit reset provide to be ‘as enthusiastic as feasible’, No 10 states
Good early morning. Keir Starmer repetitively states it’s unneeded, and incorrect, for Britain to choose in between nearer relate to the United States or withEurope It is an disagreeable setting for plenty of left wing that assume {that a} choice in between a nation underneath unreasonable, tyrannical administration, and a partnership of liberal freedoms, have to be a chunk of cake. The Conservatives want the UK to choose the United States.
But there are indicators that, behind Starmer’s boilerplate unsupported claims, his administration is selecting. Here are 3 over night time growths aiming as a result of directions.
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Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, has claimed the UK’s buying and selling reference to the EU is “arguably even more important” than its reference to the United States. She made this comment in a BBC interview from Washington, the place at the moment she is satisfying her United States equal,Scott Bessant Reeves knowledgeable Faisal Islam:
I acknowledge why there’s quite a bit think about our buying and selling reference to the United States nonetheless the truth is our buying and selling reference to Europe is probably way more essential, since they’re our close by neighbors and buying and selling companions.
Obviously I’ve really been satisfying Scott Bessent at the moment while I stay in Washington, nonetheless I’ve really moreover at the moment fulfilled the French, the German, the Spanish, the Polish, the Swedish, the Finnish financing clergymen – since it’s so essential that we restore these buying and selling partnerships with our close by neighbors in Europe, and we’re mosting doubtless to try this in a way that advantages British duties and British clients.
In one regard, it is a flawlessly peculiar level to state. The simply debatable characteristic of it have to be Reeves’s use phrases “arguably”, since claiming that career with the EU is extra essential than career with the United States is just a declaration of actuality. (They should not additionally shut; on all steps, the EU trade is much larger) But it’s nonetheless unusual to take heed to a Labour preacher discuss much like this thought-about that the federal authorities is usually actually apprehensive regarding showing remainy, and the declaration relatively weakens Starmer’s ‘false choice’ debate.
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The UK and the EU seem progressively close to concurring some sort of younger individuals flexibility plan. Ministers don’t resembling making use of the time period since they fret Brexiters will definitely hyperlink it with cost-free exercise. “A youth mobility scheme is not part of our plans,” Nick Thomas-Symonds, the Cabinet Office preacher accountable of message-Brexit connections with the EU, knowledgeable MPs the opposite day. But a file in the Times today states“there is growing support among government ministers for a youth mobility scheme” Yvette Cooper, that as dwelling assistant is targeting reducing net motion, had really been considered as a blocker. But the Times states she is at the moment speak in confidence to a decreased younger individuals flexibility plan, resembling a “one in one out” variation. It states:
Government assets firmly insisted that Cooper was at the moment encouraging in idea of the technique so long as it was “capped” to make sure that there could be no return to pre-Brexit liberty of exercise.
One various would definitely be to limit numbers to make sure that the whole number of younger Europeans regarding stay and function within the UK didn’t transcend the number of British people mosting prone toEurope Another alternative would definitely be to ascertain a proportional cap with a specified restriction yearly.
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Downing Street has really claimed that Starmer and Ursula von der Leyen want the UK-EU message-Brexit reset, which ends from be concurred at a high following month, to be“as ambitious as possible” Starmer and von der Leyen fulfilled in No 10 the opposite day, and final night a No 10 consultant supplied this readout.
[Starmer and von der Leyen] had a prolonged and efficient dialog targeting a wide range of issues consisting of Ukraine, energy security and safety, the worldwide financial state of affairs, and safety …
Discussing the recurring preparations to reinforce the UK-EU collaboration, they each concurred that wonderful growth had really been made. They requested their teams to proceed their essential function within the coming weeks, with the aim of supplying as enthusiastic a bundle as possible on the very first UK-EU high following month.
The head of state was clear that he will definitely confiscate any sort of risk to reinforce the lives of functioning people within the United Kingdom, drive growth and preserve people safe– and he thinks a strengthened collaboration in between the UK and the EU will definitely accomplish this.
Downing Street readouts are sometimes plain to the issue of meaninglessness due to this fact for No 10 to state that the dialogue was “long and productive” just about suggests ‘get a room’ levels of cordiality. And the road regarding the provide being “as ambitious as possible” is tantalising in its results.
Here is the schedule for the day.
Morning: Nigel Farage, the Reform UK chief, will definitely be campaigning with Luke Campbell, his celebration’s prospect for mayor of Hull and East Yorkshire, inHull Later they’ll definitely stay in Beverley.
9.30 am: MPs dialogue private individuals’ bills, starting with Stephen Gethins’ devolution (migration) (Scotland) expense.
Morning: Kemi Badenoch is advertising and marketing in Warwickshire and Gloucestershire.
11.30 am: Downing Street holds an entrance corridor rundown.
Morning: Carla Denyer, the Green celebration’s co-leader, is advertising and marketing in Dartford in Kent.
Afternoon: North Kesteven space council is anticipated to rule on a claim that Reform UK’s Andrea Jenkyns can’t be a prospect for Greater Lincolnshire mayor for the reason that tackle the place she is signed as much as enact the constituency is just not her major dwelling.
4pm (UK time): Rachel Reeves, the chancellor, is satisfying the United States treasury assistant Scott Bessent in Washington.
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