Reform Gains

Members of minority communities in Birmingham and elsewhere fear results could lead to rise in hostile rhetoricConceding defeat at the election count at Birmingham’s Utilita Arena on Friday, the outgoing Labour leader of the city council, John Cotton, made a plea. “What I would encourage the next administration in this city to do, whatever form that administration takes, is that it ensures it champions the diversity of this city,” he said.Labour’s 14-year rule of the local authority had come to a crashing end, with Reform emerging as the largest party with 22 councillors so far, followed by the Greens on 19, albeit both parties a long way off the 51 needed for a majority. Continue reading...

Party has success in Labour and Tory heartland areas but one pollster says results suggest Reform may have peakedNigel Farage hailed sweeping election wins for Reform UK as a “historic shift in British politics” on a day when the populist party made gains at the expense of Labour and the Conservatives.Reform made advances in heartland areas of both parties, clocking up substantial early results in the English local elections by taking control of Essex county council, Havering, its first London local authority, and Sunderland city council. Continue reading...

It has been a crushing set of local and devolved elections for Labour, with Reform UK making huge gains across the country and the Greens winning in London. Keir Starmer is under pressure to announce a timeline for his departure – yet he insists he will not walk away Continue reading...

Reform runaway winners in north-east, likely pushing Labour into opposition in Hartlepool, with other losses for Starmer in Chorley, Wigan, Redditch and TamworthElection 2026 live: latest news updatesFull results from England, Scotland and WalesThe scale of the electoral challenge facing Labour was laid bare overnight as the party haemorrhaged councillors at the local elections and Reform made significant gains.Keir Starmer’s party went into Thursday’s local elections expected to lose up to 1,850 councillors, with senior figures describing the contest as “tough”. Continue reading...

Treasurer Jim Chalmers had indicated ‘transitional’ proposed changes as Labor attempts to repair a ‘structurally flawed’ budgetFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastOnly applying changes to the CGT discount and negative gearing rules to new investments would “severely delay” desperately needed reforms required to repair a “structurally flawed” budget and boost the economy, Deloitte says.The consulting firm estimated that a policy which cut the 50% capital gains tax discount to 33% and abolished negative gearing would only generate $500m over the first four years of operation if existing investments were not included – an approach known as “grandfathering”. Continue reading...

Report reveals the Howard-era settings are helping fuel intergenerational inequality in Australia’s housing marketFollow our Australia news live blog for latest updatesGet our breaking news email, free app or daily news podcastLabor has given one of its strongest signals yet the capital gains tax discount will be reworked in the May budget, with a parliamentary inquiry finding the Howard-era settings are helping fuel intergenerational inequality in Australia’s housing market.A Greens-led parliamentary inquiry said the 50% discount “skewed the ownership of housing away from owner-occupiers and towards investors”. Continue reading...