May elections live: millions cast their votes across England, Scotland and Wales

• At the 2026 SCO Summit, member states issued the Bishkek Declaration, which explicitly rejects unilateral sanctions and the application of "double standards" regarding global terrorism. • The declaration supports a negotiated two-state solution for the Israel-Palestine conflict, though it contains less detailed language on Gaza's humanitarian crisis and ceasefires compared to the 2025 Tianjin declaration.

• On September 2, Democrats accused a politically appointed panel of delaying decisions regarding the security detail for the Golan Heights. • In separate developments, the US president declined to provide a timeline for the end of the current war and expressed understanding toward unarmed Iranian protesters.

• Recent attacks across Ukraine, specifically targeting Kyiv and Odesa, have resulted in significant civilian casualties and extensive damage to infrastructure. • Humanitarian Coordinator Matthias Schmale highlighted a concerning pattern of strikes on energy grids, railway systems, warehouses, and shopping malls.

• Recent Ipsos research indicates that a significant majority of Italians, approximately 79%, oppose the conflict involving Iran. • The data reveals a strong preference among the Italian public to avoid direct involvement in Middle East tensions to prevent further escalation.

Swap rates rise to three-year high as increase in oil prices leads to fears of higher inflationBusiness live – latest updatesHomeowners in the UK are braced for a jump in mortgage rates, driven by higher inflation and interest rate increase expectations amid turmoil in the global bond markets.UK swap rates, which lenders use to price mortgages, have risen to a three-year high, as this week’s global bond market sell-off ripples through the economy. Continue reading...

Green party leader announces run in Holborn and St Pancras constituency in north London following the resignation of former PMZack Polanski has confirmed that he wants to be the Green party’s candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection in an interview with the Camden New Journal – the local paper where Keir Starmer also announced he was standing down as the constituency’s MP.He said:I have lived and worked in this community over many years, I know it well and I love itIt represents so many of the things that make London so special. I am so excited by the prospect of representing this place in parliament.It’s a clear fight between Labour and the Green party. We know that people are struggling – that the things we used to afford are increasingly out of reach – and this is a chance to send a very clear message that we won’t sit by as we get poorer and extreme wealth is concentrated at the very top.What voters in Holborn and St Pancras will get with me as their MP is someone totally dedicated to standing up for them. Put simply I will use my place in parliament to force the current Labour government into making life more affordable for the people who live here. Continue reading...

Green leader will stand for election in Holborn and St Pancras in byelection triggered by former PM’s resignationUK politics live – latest updatesThe ⁠leader of the Green ⁠party has said he will ⁠​stand in a byelection in the central London ⁠seat vacated Keir Starmer, ‌a local newspaper has reported.Zack Polanski told the ‌Camden New Journal on Thursday he would ​be the Green candidate for Holborn and ⁠St Pancras, a seat ​Starmer ​held comfortably ​in ‌2024 though ​with a ​much-reduced vote share. Continue reading...

Gretsch Synchromatic 160 acoustic guitar expected to sell for as much as £120,000, as star lot in auction of items owned by late personal assistant Siobhan BaileyOne of the most iconic items in George Michael’s career, the acoustic guitar he energetically strummed in the video for 1987’s Faith, is going up for auction.The guitar, a Gretsch Synchromatic 160 with a sunburst finish to the body, has an estimated sale price of £60,000-£120,000. It comes with a case featuring the words Rockabilly Rebel pasted on it – a reference to the twangy, 1950s-referencing sound of Faith, which topped the US charts for four weeks and became a foundation stone of Michael’s post-Wham! solo career. Continue reading...

Misfits Together, by Bastille’s Dan Smith and To Kill a King’s Ralph Pelleymounter, is set amid the 1950s’ ‘red scare’It was lampooned as the union of the “hourglass” and the “egghead” – the marriage, in the summer of 1956, between Hollywood superstar Marilyn Monroe and Pulitzer-winning playwright Arthur Miller. Now, a new stage musical is to give a nuanced and intimate portrait of that famous relationship, treat each as trailblazers in their own way and reveal parallels between the volatile state of the US during the 50s “red scare” and now.The production, which opens next autumn at Leicester’s Curve, is called Misfits Together, a reference to the film Miller wrote for Monroe that was released shortly after their divorce in 1961. It is a foray into musical theatre by two indie musicians, Dan Smith of the band Bastille and Ralph Pelleymounter from To Kill a King, who have recorded the score as a studio album. The first track, Oh America, is out on Thursday. Continue reading...

Brother of the former premier says he lied to developer Jean Nassif about doing political work for him and rejects accusation he is fabricating evidenceFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastCharles Perrottet has repeatedly denied taking payments from the property developer Jean Nassif to achieve political outcomes for him, telling a corruption inquiry he cannot explain a message sent after a Nassif development was refused, which said: “Charles fucked this whole thing.”Charles, the brother of former New South Wales premier Dominic Perrottet, has previously told the Independent Commission Against Corruption he would lie to Nassif about doing political work for him. On Thursday, he said he may also have regularly lied to close friend Christian Ellis, who is named in Icac’s allegations. He rejected the accusation he was fabricating evidence to Icac. Continue reading...

Case is latest in string of post-Brexit deportations from country, which has been criticised for high refusal rate for British people to remainThe wife of a British man detained by police in Stockholm on Tuesday ahead of a threatened deportation has pleaded with Andy Burnham to get involved in the Brexit catastrophe unfolding for many British citizens in Sweden.Charles, who does not want to be fully identified, and his Swedish wife, Lily, were summoned to the police station at 10am on Tuesday, where he was told he would be held at a detention centre and deported within the next two weeks. Continue reading...

Angus Taylor and Matt Canavan claim drastic cut to price of cigarettes and moves to legalise vapes will combat illicit tobacco tradeLeading public health experts, the Australian Medical Association and Labor have rejected Angus Taylor’s plan to cut tobacco excise by 80%, labelling the move to curb soaring illegal cigarette sales as a backward step on tobacco control.Taylor and Nationals leader Matt Canavan on Thursday announced plans for an 80% cut to excise, as well as moves to legalise and regulate vapes and nicotine pouches. The announcement comes weeks after One Nation leader Pauline Hanson proposed a 75% cut. Continue reading...