2024 General Election

What we know so far about Labour’s plan for Great British Energy

— Labour’s energy plan includes Great British Energy, aiming to reduce bills, boost energy security, and create jobs. Focused on renewables and energy efficiency, it avoids nationalisation, stressing investment in local and future energy sources.

2024 General Election

Election 2024: Rishi Sunak has already lost control of the narrative

— Rishi Sunak struggles to control the narrative against Labour’s Keir Starmer. Criticised for lacking an engaging personal story, Sunak’s failure to seize narrative control risks undermining his leadership.

COMMENT

Sunak wants six. Starmer two. But do live TV debates even matter any more?

— Rishi Sunak’s call for six weekly debates with Keir Starmer, dismissed by the leader of the Labour Party, highlights the diminished value of televised political debates in an era of social media and scripted interactions.

2024 General Election

Election 2024: Scotland headed for huge change with SNP set to lose dozens of seats to Labour

— After taking the vast majority of seats in the last two elections, the SNP looks set for major losses at the next general election.

2024 General Election

What the economic data told Rishi Sunak about the best date for a general election

— Rishi Sunak’s decision to call a general election for July 4 surprised many. Citing economic stability, lower inflation, and GDP growth, it aims to benefit Conservatives against Labour’s call for change. Voters seek evidence-based policies for economic growth and security.

2024 General Election

Rishi Sunak fires election starting gun with a damp whimper – but Labour will want to play down talk of a landslide

— Rishi Sunak’s election prospects look grim after a poorly executed speech in the rain outside Downing Street. Labour leads in polls, but internal issues and voter apathy threaten their potential victory.

2024 General Election

UK election called for 4 July – what happens next?

— Rishi Sunak has announced a general election for 4 July, surprising many, including his own MPs. He argues only the Conservatives can lead through current challenges, despite criticism over their role in creating them. Polls suggest a Labour lead, potentially ending the Conservatives’ long tenure.

UK Politics

Natalie Elphicke defection: Keir Starmer risks feeding the perception that politics is ‘all just a bit of a game’

— Natalie Elphicke, a pro-Brexit Tory right-winger, defected to Labour, sparking controversy and highlighting Labour’s shift under Keir Starmer. The move targeted disaffected Tory voters but drew criticism from the left, questioning Labour’s principles.

UK Politics

The size of the swing to Labour in the Blackpool South by-election made this such an unpleasant night for Rishi Sunak

— Debates ponder if the upcoming general election will mirror the close 1992 or landslide 1997 outcomes. Amid significant shifts, including in Blackpool South, Labour sees unprecedented by-election success, while the Conservatives face potential annihilation, struggling even against the Reform party.

OPINION

How right-wing do you need to be not to be welcome in the Labour Party?

— Marking a continuation of notable Tory defections to Labour, Natalie Elphicke, a staunch right-wing Conservative MP, has defected to Labour this week, highlighting shifts in party ideologies and stirring questions about Labour’s embrace of centre-right values under Keir Starmer’s leadership.

UK Politics

Rishi Sunak claims the UK is heading for a hung parliament — let’s check his maths

— In recent local elections, the Conservative Party lost 478 councillors, suggesting a hung parliament may loom, despite Labour’s strong performance and a 10% swing in their favour.

UK Politics

Labour plans to nationalise rail network within five years

— Labour’s plan to nationalise UK rail services within five years promises to revolutionise railways with affordable fares and improved passenger benefits. By cutting inefficiencies and shareholder dividends, Labour aims to save £2.2 billion annually.

UK Politics

Angela Rayner’s housing scandal: Storm in a teacup or nightmare scenario for Keir Starmer?

— Should Angela Rayner have to stand down over a housing scandal, the Labour Party would have to run a distracting internal election.

UK Politics

Angela Rayner: Which election law has she been accused of breaking, and is her promise to resign a mistake?

— Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner faces a police probe over potential electoral law breaches linked to her address from a decade ago. The issue also underscores Labour’s ethical scrutiny amid political risks highlighted by Keir Starmer’s governance strategy.

Long-Read

Britain’s Brexit drift

— The UK government’s new ‘common user charge’ on EU imports adds significant costs, affecting particularly small firms and highlighting the ongoing economic and political instability post-Brexit, with broader impacts on sectors like agriculture and financial services.

UK Politics

Labour’s leadership crisis: Angela Rayner’s tax probe casts shadow on Labour’s security agenda

— Labour’s Deputy Leader Angela Rayner is under scrutiny as a police probe into her tax affairs overshadows Keir Starmer’s defence rhetoric.