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what five politics experts are looking out for

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what five politics experts are looking out for

On May 7 2026, voters in England, Scotland and Wales will head to the polls. Parliamentary elections are taking place in the devolved Welsh Senedd Cymru and Scottish Parliament, and local elections for over 4,850 councillor roles could have huge implications for local governments throughout England. With all to play for, we asked five experts to tell us what they will be keeping their eye on.

Can Reform compete across the UK?

Jonathan Tonge, Professor of Politics, University of Liverpool

The 2026 elections will reveal whether Reform UK will peak as an English nationalist party, or if they can compete as a genuine nationwide force. Last year’s local elections confirmed that Reform can seriously harm the Conservatives. This year, contests are across councils held mainly by Labour, making the English elections about Reform’s threat to Keir Starmer’s party.

Nigel Farage’s party, which currently has eight MPs, has led opinion polls in England since May 2025, when it won the highest vote in English local elections. Reform took control of ten councils (from a starting point of zero), and gained nearly 700 new councillors. Of these, eight were county council gains from the Conservatives, with another taken from a Liberal Democrat-led coalition. The tenth gain was from Labour in the only metropolitan borough contested, Doncaster.

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Reform’s likely gains in English councils aren’t guaranteed elsewhere in the UK however. The party’s polling in Scotland is around ten percentage points behind what it is in England. It may be that Reform is battling Labour for second place, while the Scottish National Party (SNP) continues to dominate.

Reform’s polling in Wales is higher (in the mid-to-high-20% range) but again, the real battle is with Labour for runner-up, as Plaid Cymru seems set to top the poll.

Elections in the Scottish Parliament, Senedd Cymru, and local councils across England will drastically reshape the UK’s political landscape this May.
Wangkun Jia/shutterstock, trabantos/shutterstock, Juan Garcia Hinojosa/Shutterstock



À lire aussi :
Why did the polls get the Caerphilly byelection wrong? They ignored the fact Reform is an English nationalist party


Local results could force tricky coalitions

Alex Nurse, Reader in Urban Planning, University of Liverpool

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Local elections are often concerned with local issues – think potholes and bin collections. Councils are also obliged by law to spend a lot of their time and budget on initiatives like adult social care, but these issues are often lost in the broad brush strokes of election campaigns.

It will be interesting to see how the ascendant Greens and Reform present their vision for local government, and what compromises they make to win over local voters. In the recent Gorton and Denton byelection, Green candidate Hannah Spencer made scarce mention of the environment and instead focused heavily on the cost of living and the broader social contract. Similarly, Reform’s promise to mimic the US Department of Government Efficiency (Doge) following the 2025 elections came up short after its newly elected councillors found local authorities already cut to the bone from years of austerity.

I’ll also be watching to see how the fragmented opinion polls translate into council seats. While we might be expecting a wipeout for Labour and the Conservatives, it remains to be seen how many councils the other parties will win wholesale, and where there will be situations of no overall control, requiring tricky coalition building. This might involve attempts to form a coalition of like-minded councillors, as seen in Bristol. However, the reality is often that parties attempt to go it alone, by entering minority government and living vote by vote, as seen in places like Sheffield or Wirral.




À lire aussi :
How ordinary neighbourhoods became battlegrounds in the politics of ‘broken Britain’

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Challenges to inclusive Scottish identity

Murray Leith, Professor of Political Science and Director of the Centre for Migration, Diaspora, Citizenship and Identity, University of the West of Scotland

The SNP has long predicated its sense of national identity on a civic and inclusive
Scottishness. Its message throughout the past 19 years has been that anyone who believes in Scotland can be Scottish. While other parliamentary parties have challenged and attacked myriad SNP platforms and policies in the last two decades, none disagree with this political elite consensus.

However, this agreement has not been as duly accepted by people in Scotland who
are less accepting of incomers and migrants (from the rest of the UK and beyond) claiming Scottish identity. Scotland has shifted from an emigrant nation to an immigrant nation in recent years. Without immigration, Scotland’s population would have shrunk. While migration policy remains reserved to Westminster, it looms large in the minds of voters – so much so, that the SNP has made devolving immigration power to Scotland one of its 14 key manifesto pledges.

Reform UK is openly challenging this inclusive and welcoming political consensus. In his first speech, Malcolm Offord, Reform’s Scottish leader spoke of strangers and uncontrolled immigration destabilising communities. Given recent polling and the possibility that Reform may be the official opposition in the next Scottish parliament, the SNP may soon be facing an opposition that proposes a less inclusive vision of Scottishness.

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Malcolm Offord and Nigel Farage pose for photo op
Reform UK’s Malcolm Offord has campaigned on prioritising Scottish people over ‘strangers’.
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A potentially huge turnover on councils

Hannah Bunting, Senior Lecturer in Quantitative British Politics and Co-director of The Elections Centre, University of Exeter

In the English local elections, I’m keeping an eye out for how many incumbents lose their seats. We know that voters are disillusioned with the two main parties and looking for alternatives. Last year in the 2025 locals, and in many council byelections since, less than 40% of Labour and Conservative incumbents were re-elected. According to our data at The Elections Centre, this figure hasn’t dropped below 70% since 1973.

There are also many more vacancies this year compared to 2025, with Labour defending half of the nearly 5,000 up for grabs, and the Conservatives defending another quarter of them. If this rate of losses continues, we are going to see thousands of new councillors elected, with huge implications for local governments.

Two Labour strongholds, Sunderland and Barnsley, are currently polling in favour of Reform, as is Walsall, which has been held by the Conservatives since 2004. The Greens are making headway in the inner boroughs of London, and councils with “no overall control” may be more common than ever in the capital after these contests. Labour has the furthest to fall, and all eyes will be on how many gains Reform and the Greens make, alongside how many areas turn to the Liberal Democrats as an alternative.




À lire aussi :
What the Caerphilly byelection could reveal about Reform, Labour and Wales’ political future

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A proportional system in the Senedd

Anwen Elias, Reader in Politics, Aberystwyth University

Changes to the way Welsh voters elect the Senedd – a proportional system where one vote is cast for a political party’s list of candidates across 16 new constituencies – will require parties to campaign very differently compared to previous elections. The extent to which they can adapt will affect how they perform.

Under the previous electoral system, most Senedd members (40 out of 60) were elected under first-past-the-post, with the rest elected through proportional regional lists. There was an incentive to focus attention and resources on key seats where a political party had the best chances of winning. Under the new system parties will need to gain support from across Wales if they want to ensure a strong presence in the Senedd.

This requires a different kind of campaign strategy and organisation, which is likely to be especially challenging for parties with fewer resources. Within constituencies – some of which are huge – political parties will have to mobilise activists in areas where historically they might not have had a much presence or electoral support. Parties with the available resources for a coordinated national campaign and a strong media, and social media, presence will have a clear advantage under this new system.

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Chelsea: Enzo Fernandez sorry for Madrid comments but will miss Man City, says Liam Rosenior

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Enzo Fernandez running while playing for Chelsea at Everton

Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez will remain unavailable for the upcoming home match against Manchester City despite apologising for recent comments about Madrid, head coach Liam Rosenior says.

Fernandez was handed a two-match internal ban by the club last week after he gave an interview during the international break in which he expressed his admiration for the city of Madrid.

The Argentine has repeatedly been linked with a move to La Liga club Real Madrid.

His agent, Javier Pastore, said this week that “we cleared the air” with Chelsea after Fernandez missed last Saturday’s 7-0 FA Cup victory against Port Vale, and had hoped that the ban would be reduced to one match.

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However, Rosenior says Fernandez will miss Sunday’s Premier League fixture against Manchester City as Chelsea have decided to stick to their original punishment, despite the Argentine apologising for his comments.

“I had three or four [conversations] with Enzo,” said Rosenior.

“He’s apologised to me, he’s apologised to the club, and we’ll deal with that after a massive game on Sunday.

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Tottenham: Roberto de Zerbi says he is ‘not better’ than Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor

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Had coach Roberto De Zerbi looks on before Marseille's Champions League match against Club Brugge

Tottenham manager Roberto de Zerbi says he is “not better” than predecessors Thomas Frank or Igor Tudor as he prepares to take charge of his first game at the Premier League strugglers.

Sunderland will be Spurs’ first opponents under the Italian, who was appointed on 31 March with the club one point outside the relegation zone with seven games remaining.

De Zerbi is Tottenham‘s third manager of the season after Frank and Tudor – the latter only lasting 44 days and seven matches in the role.

“I am proud and happy to be here and I have to say thank you to Vinai [Venkatesham] and Johan [Lange] because they showed me a big, big confidence,” said De Zerbi on Friday.

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“I’m sure about the level of the players because I was very, very close to bringing many of these players to my former teams in the past.

“I think I am not better than Frank or Tudor because I consider them very good coaches.

“I try to bring my style, my character, my personality and my strengths to achieve our target, which is the most important part now.”

Tottenham have not won a domestic league game in 2026 and only two since 26 October 2025.

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They were also knocked out of the Champions League in the last 16 by Atletico Madrid 7-5 on aggregate.

Since 1950, Spurs have only spent one season outside the top flight, which was back in 1977-78.

“For me, it was a big opportunity because Tottenham are a very important club in the Premier League and the Premier League is the best league in the world,” said De Zerbi, who previously managed Brighton between 2022 and 2024.

“I love the qualities of the players and the crucial part that there was 12 days before the first game and for me it was important to have more than one week. I thought it would be important to understand the problems.

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“The message for my staff and players is that we have to deserve the support because the fans are suffering like us. But for the fans, there is just one club. The players can change but for the fans, their club is unique.

“We have to make them happy with the right spirit and the right behaviour on the pitch. Then it’s easier to make points.”

Tottenham travel to the Stadium of Light to face 11th-placed Sunderland on Sunday (14:00 BST kick-off).

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Vehicle driven through hedge in bid to escape attempted theft of ATM

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Cambridgeshire Live

Police remain at the scene

A car was driven through a hedge at a supermarket as suspects attempted to escape from police following an attempted ATM theft. Police were called at 1.11am this morning (April 10) following reports of an attempted theft of an ATM machine at Morrisons at Parsons Green in St Ives.

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A group of men in a dark SUV were involved in the incident but fled in the car empty handed. The vehicle was driven through a hedge, which caused damage to the car and left behind some debris.

Officers arrived at the scene seven minutes later and searched the area but could not locate the car or people involved. Officers remain at the scene.

An investigation into the attempted theft has been launched. Anyone with information such as CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage of the incident should report it to the police.

A spokesperson for Cambridgeshire Police said: “We were called at 1.11am today to reports of an attempted theft of an ATM machine at Morrisons in Parsons Green, St Ives.

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“A group of men in a dark SUV were involved in the attempted theft but fled in the vehicle empty handed. The vehicle was driven through a hedge during the escape, causing damage to the car and leaving debris behind.

“Officers arrived at the scene less than seven minutes later, and a search of the area was carried out to no avail.

“Police remain at the scene and an investigation has been launched. Anyone with any information including any CCTV, doorbell or dashcam footage, is urged to submit this online quoting incident 29 of 10 April. Call 101 if you do not have internet access.”

To get more news and top stories delivered directly to your phone, join our new WhatsApp community. Click this link to receive your daily dose of CambridgeshireLive content.

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Gaza ceasefire deal marks 6 months amid Iran war tensions

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Gaza ceasefire deal marks 6 months amid Iran war tensions

DEIR AL-BALAH, Gaza Strip (AP) — Friday marks six months since Gaza’s ceasefire deal took effect, a milestone largely lost in the confusion over the new and even more fragile ceasefire in the Iran war.

The ravaged Palestinian territory of 2 million people has seen the most intense fighting stop between Israeli forces and Hamas-led militants. But most of the ceasefire work remains to be done, from disarming Hamas and ending its two-decade rule to deploying an international stabilization force and beginning vast reconstruction. Gaza residents are in limbo, with limited aid entering through a single, Israeli-controlled border post.

Such challenges could represent what’s to come in the latest war, as U.S. President Donald Trump’s approach to peacemaking appears to be stopping bombardment and leaving the bigger picture for others to work out.

Whether Trump can force through that kind of deal on Iran, with more actors in play and global markets quivering at every statement, is yet to be seen.

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The Board of Peace goes quiet

Focusing on a deal’s details is crucial. Already the Iran war’s two-week ceasefire has created deadly confusion over Lebanon as Israel insists the deal doesn’t apply there and continues to attack the Iranian-backed Hezbollah, while Iran insists it does and threatens to upend the agreement. Israel made a surprise announcement Thursday authorizing direct negotiations with Lebanon, despite the lack of diplomatic ties.

Not long ago, the U.S.-created and Trump-led Board of Peace kicked off with $7 billion in pledges and sweeping intentions of resolving not only Gaza but other conflicts that emerge around the world.

Nine days after the board’s initial meeting, the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran.

The Board of Peace has not met again, and it’s still waiting for Hamas to respond to its proposal on disarming, a major concession and perhaps the hardest step. Hamas’ charter calls for destroying Israel.

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A U.S. official said Hamas has not been given a definite deadline to respond to the proposal but added that “patience is not unlimited.” The official was not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

The lack of a deadline can weaken pressure to act. Meanwhile, diplomacy is busy putting out different flames.

Board of Peace director Nickolay Mladenov told the U.N. Security Council last month that the world should not lose sight of Gaza as a new war flared. The choice in Gaza is between “a renewed war, or a new beginning; the status quo, or a better future,” he added. “There is no third option.”

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‘It’s as if there’s no ceasefire at all’

Palestinians might suggest a third option: neglect.

Six months into the Gaza ceasefire that took effect on Oct. 10, little beyond the largely silenced explosions has changed.

Vast tent camps house most of the territory’s population. Other residents shelter in damaged apartment buildings. Health workers and other humanitarian workers say there has been little progress in the expected surge of medical supplies and other aid.

The U.S. 20-point ceasefire plan for Gaza is largely failing on the humanitarian front, five international aid groups said in a scorecard released Thursday. They said conditions have deteriorated further in Gaza since the Iran war began.

“During the first two weeks of March 2026, trucks entering Gaza declined by 80%, and the price of basic goods increased dramatically,” they said. Medical evacuations have stalled.

Palestinians expressed fading hopes for any immediate improvement in their lives.

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“There is pollution and disease. It’s as if there’s no ceasefire at all,” said Maysa Abu Jedian, a displaced woman from Beit Lahiya.

“The war is still ongoing and life is still terrible as it is,” said Eyad Abu Dagga, also sheltering in a camp in Khan Younis.

Tents rippled in the breeze, and children played on the sand against a backdrop of shattered buildings.

While the heaviest fighting has subsided, Israeli forces have carried out airstrikes and fired on Palestinians near military-held zones. Militants have carried out shooting attacks on troops, and Israel has said its strikes are in response to that and other ceasefire violations.

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As of Thursday, Israeli attacks have killed 738 people in the six months since the ceasefire, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry. The ministry, part of the Hamas-led government, maintains detailed casualty records that are seen as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. It does not give a breakdown of civilians and militants.

Funerals for two cousins were held Friday in Gaza City, a day after they were killed. “We were standing idly, drinking coffee, next to each other. We suddenly saw a (projectile) hitting the men,” said Anwar Saleh, an eyewitness. Israel’s military said it had struck a “terrorist” in northern Gaza.

Overall, the health ministry says 72,317 Palestinians had been killed since the war in Gaza began with the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas-led attack on Israel.

‘Sustained diplomatic pressure at the highest levels’

Unwavering focus on Gaza, once at the heart of a passionate international outcry, has been lost with the rise of a new regional war. That, too, has decreased pressure for progress on the ceasefire.

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The humanitarian groups’ scorecard notes that any forward movement on aid issues in the Palestinian territory has “generally required sustained diplomatic pressure at the highest levels, particularly from the United States. That pressure, however, has not been applied consistently or at the scale needed to secure full implementation.”

The Trump administration is not the only player to be distracted. The entire Middle East, including key Gaza mediators Egypt and Qatar, now focuses on Iran and that war’s effects on their economies.

With the added uncertainty over Israel’s renewed war with Hezbollah in Lebanon, there could be even less interest from countries to contribute troops to a Gaza stabilization force. One of the few confirmed troop contributors, Indonesia, already has seen three of its peacekeepers in southern Lebanon killed in recent days.

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Anna reported from Lowville, New York. Associated Press writers Matthew Lee in Washington and Edith M. Lederer at the United Nations contributed.

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Find more of AP’s coverage at https://apnews.com/hub/israel-hamas-war

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Coronation Street, Doctor Who and Casualty star dies

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Coronation Street, Doctor Who and Casualty star dies

Pleasence appeared in four episodes of Coronation Street, where she played the character Monica Sutton, a small recurring role in early 1968.

In a statement shared on social media, her agency said: “We are very sad to announce the passing of our dear client, Angela Pleasance.

“During her career which spanned more than six decades, Angela appeared in more than sixty different screen roles.

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“Some of her most memorable roles were in films including From Beyond the Grave and A Christmas Carol.

“In 1968, the actress joined Coronation Street in a guest role as a character named Monica Sutton.

“She then went on to work extensively in TV and appeared in shows such as Doctor Who, Happy Valley, Casualty and Whitechapel, in which she had a regular role for a series, The Bill.

“Angela also had a minor role in the 2002 Hollywood movie Gangs of New York.”

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Her agency added: “While never defined by any one genre, her contribution to the British industry remains a distinctive and much-admired part of her legacy.

“Our thoughts are with her family at this very sad time.”

Coronation Street star Craig Charles on why he left the ITV soap

Craig Charles played taxi driver Lloyd Mullaney on Coronation Street from 2005 to 2015.

His character, which was popular with viewers, was notably involved in the show’s dramatic 50th-anniversary tram crash storyline, which was broadcast live.

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It was in May 2015 that Craig announced he would be leaving Coronation Street for Red Dwarf, BBC Radio 2 and BBC Radio 6 Music.

Craig said: “The death of my brother, and my unexpected departure as a result, did change my life.

“It made me re-evaluate things and made me ask: ‘If that had happened to me, would I be happy with what I had achieved?’

“I came up with the answer and it was ‘no’.”

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Army out on streets and national holiday: How Pakistan is gearing up to host US-Iran peace talks

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Army out on streets and national holiday: How Pakistan is gearing up to host US-Iran peace talks

Islamabad entered a state of lockdown on Friday as Pakistan’s capital prepared to host high-stakes negotiations to end the US-Israeli war on Iran.

Army and paramilitary personnel guarded the roads around Serena Hotel, the venue of the talks, as police beefed up security across the city. On Wednesday, the luxury hotel’s management had asked its guests to check out by 5pm as the government had requisitioned the property for an “important event from this evening until Sunday”.

Pakistan’s political and military leaders achieved a major diplomatic breakthrough by mediating a ceasefire between the US and Iran early on Wednesday. The ceasefire was declared less than two hours before the deadline on US president Donald Trump’s threat to obliterate a “whole civilisation” if Iran did not open the Strait of Hormuz, a critical maritime route that usually carries a fifth of the global supply of oil and gas.

Although the truce was immediately threatened by Israel’s deadly strikes on Lebanon which killed hundreds of people, it paved the way for American and Iranian diplomats to gather in Pakistan and negotiate an end to nearly six weeks of intense fighting.

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Pakistani soldiers arrive for deployment at the Red Zone in Islamabad
Pakistani soldiers arrive for deployment at the Red Zone in Islamabad (AFP via Getty)

The diplomats will be under great pressure to pull off what some analysts are describing as “mission impossible” – a deal that brings peace to the Middle East and stabilises a world economy battered by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

In preparation for the meeting, the government declared public holidays on Thursday and Friday while police imposed strict traffic restrictions in Islamabad.

“The Red Zone and surrounding areas are closed to all types of traffic except official vehicles. Citizens are requested to avoid unnecessary travel,” the city police said in an advisory.

The Red Zone is a city landmark housing key government offices and foreign missions.

An army truck drives past Serena Hotel in Islamabad
An army truck drives past Serena Hotel in Islamabad (AFP via Getty)

The heightened security measures are informed by the threat of terrorism, which remains real and present. There was a suicide bombing in Islamabad as recently as February and it was one of the triggers for the Pakistani airstrikes that fuelled weeks of fighting with neighbouring Afghanistan.

Islamabad accuses the neighbouring country of sheltering Islamist and ethnic insurgents responsible for carrying out terror attacks on its soil. Kabul denies the allegations.

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“Given those risks, the lack of preparation time and the high-profile nature of these talks, this is a very challenging visit from a security perspective and speaks to the importance this administration places ⁠on the negotiations,” Elizabeth Threlkeld, director of the South Asia Program at the Stimson Center, said.

A view of the Red Zone in Islamabad
A view of the Red Zone in Islamabad (AFP via Getty)

The US is expected to send a delegation headed by vice president JD Vance to conduct the talks in Islamabad, while Iran is set to be represented by foreign minister Abbas Araghchi and parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf.

Gulf nations such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, both of which are parties to the conflict, may also send delegations to Islamabad and hold talks on the sidelines.

A Pakistani army helicopter flies over Islamabad ahead of the talks between the US and Iran
A Pakistani army helicopter flies over Islamabad ahead of the talks between the US and Iran (AFP via Getty)

Pakistani interior minister Mohsin Naqvi assured US chargé d’affaires Natalie Baker of elaborate arrangements for the visiting diplomats.

The newspaper Dawn reported that a 30-member US team was already in Islamabad to assess the security preparations.

Security analyst Zahid Hussain said the challenge for Pakistan was not just protecting the venue but to prevent diplomacy from being overtaken by forces outside the room.

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Aside from this, analysts say, there isn’t much Pakistan can do. “What it lacks is meaningful leverage to compel ​concessions if the US and Iran are not willing to come to terms,” Ms Threlkeld said.

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Inflation could jump by the most in nearly 4 years in the wake of the Iran war

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Inflation could jump by the most in nearly 4 years in the wake of the Iran war

WASHINGTON (AP) — The largest monthly jump in gas prices in six decades caused a sharp spike in inflation in March, creating major challenges for the inflation-fighters at the Federal Reserve and heightening the political challenges of rising costs for the White House.

Consumer prices rose 3.3% in March from a year earlier, the Labor Department said Friday, up sharply from just 2.4% in February and the biggest yearly increase since May 2024. On a monthly basis, prices rose 0.9% in March from February, the largest such increase in nearly four years.

It’s the first read on inflation to capture the effects of the Iran war.

Excluding the volatile food and energy categories, core prices rose 2.6% in March from a year earlier, up from 2.5% in February. But last month core prices rose a modest 0.2%, suggesting that rising gas prices haven’t yet spread to many other categories.

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The gas price shock stemming from the Iran war has shifted inflation’s trajectory, from a slow, gradual decline to a sharp increase further away from the Fed’s 2% target. As a result, the central bank will almost certainly postpone any cut in interest rates for months and many Fed officials have said a rate hike may be needed if inflation doesn’t cool. Gas prices are also a highly visible cost that has outsize impacts on consumer confidence and political sentiment.

Higher gas prices sap consumers’ ability to spend on other goods and services and as a result could also slow economic growth. At least in the short run, many Americans can only make limited changes to their daily driving habits, which are largely determined by where they live, shop, and work. As a result, most people will pay higher prices for gas, and potentially cut back elsewhere.

Gas prices averaged $4.15 a gallon nationwide Friday, up from $2.98 on the day before the war began, according to motor club AAA.

The big question for consumers and the economy is whether the surge in oil and gas prices will create a sustained, broader inflation shock, similar to what occurred in the aftermath of the pandemic in 2021-2022. Inflation reached a peak of 9.1% in June 2022, as COVID-19 snarled supply chains and several rounds of stimulus checks pushed up consumer demand. Prices soared for groceries, furniture, restaurant meals and many other goods and services.

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This time, economists say the job market and consumer spending are weaker, and there are no large government stimulus checks being issued to spur demand. The unemployment rate is low, at 4.3%, but companies aren’t scrambling to hire the way they were when the economy emerged from the pandemic, which led many firms to offer sharp pay increases to attract and keep workers.

Rapid pay increases and solid income growth helped consumers weather the higher prices that resulted from the pandemic’s supply chain disruptions, and fueled spikes in demand that led many companies to raise prices further.

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“That’s where this really differs, is that we aren’t seeing anywhere near the strength of demand,” Alan Detmeister, an economist at UBS, said. In 2021 and 2022, income growth “was increasing really strongly. We aren’t seeing that now,” he added.

Detmeister thinks the better comparison will likely be to 1990-91, when higher oil and gas prices stemming from Iraq’s invasion of Kuwait contributed to a recession, but didn’t lead to a jump in inflation, in part because of weaker consumer spending.

The gas price spike’s impact on inflation is, in some ways, similar to President Donald Trump’s tariffs, in that their effect will depend largely on the size and duration of the increase.

For now, economists expect that in March and April the impact will largely be confined to energy-intensive industries, such as airlines, package delivery services and public transportation. Overall, the U.S. economy is much less dependent on oil and gas than it was in previous decades.

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Still, the large jump in inflation — which is almost certain to continue for several months — has already shifted the debate at the Federal Reserve, which began the year expecting to cut its key interest rate at least a couple of times. But a growing number of Fed officials are now willing to consider hiking rates instead if core inflation doesn’t cool noticeably.

Most officials are almost certain to support keeping the Fed’s key interest rate unchanged in the coming months, at about 3.6%, as they evaluate how the economy evolves. Investors now don’t expect the Fed to cut rates until late 2027.

Higher gas prices are tricky for the Fed because they can also slow growth by weighing on consumer spending, potentially causing layoffs. The Fed would typically cut its rate to encourage more spending if unemployment rises, while it raises rates to combat inflation.

More expensive oil and gas will also likely lift grocery prices, creating more pain for consumers who have already absorbed a roughly 25% jump in food costs since the pandemic. Nearly all groceries are shipped by diesel-fueled trucks, and diesel fuel prices have risen even more than those for regular gas. Still, analysts don’t expect food prices to accelerate for another month or two.

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UK may not be able to deal with Russian ‘threat’ to Scotland, Swinney says

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UK may not be able to deal with Russian ‘threat’ to Scotland, Swinney says

He added: “I’ve benefited from individual, national security briefings, which I’m grateful for, but I think we need to have more partnership, more dialogue, more engagement, because, as we saw with the Bella 1 tanker, it didn’t take long for something that happened on the high seas to come right into the Moray Firth and be an issue that we had to wrestle with.”

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Former Coronation Street and Casualty star Angela Pleasence dies aged 84

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Manchester Evening News

The actress starred in the ITV soap alongside Philip Lowrie and Martin Shaw

Former Coronation Street and Casualty star Angela Pleasence has died, aged 84.

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Angela appeared in Coronation Street in early 1968 as Monica Sutton. Although her role as Monica was a guest appearance across four episodes, viewers will recall her days in the long-running soap. Born in South Yorkshire, she was the daughter of acting legend Donald and his wife, Miriam Raymond.

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The Sheffield actress sadly died aged 84-years-old. In a statement shared on social media, her agency said: “We are very sad to announce the passing of our dear client, Angela Pleasance. We were honoured to represent Angela, who built a career of quiet distinction spanning more than five decades.

“After training at RADA, she made her stage debut in 1964 as ‘Titania’ in a production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre.

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“She went on to perform at the National Theatre and in the West End in productions including Ghetto, The Hothouse, and The Cherry Orchard.

“Angela also became closely associated with classic British horror, delivering memorable performances in films such as From Beyond the Grave, The Godsend, and Martin Scorsese’s Gangs of New York. In these roles, she brought remarkable depth and unease to complex, often enigmatic characters.”

It concluded: “While never defined by any one genre, her contribution to the British industry remains a distinctive and much-admired part of her legacy. Our thoughts are with her family at this very sad time.”

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Outside of the Weatherfield cobbles, the actress was known for her role as Catherine Howard in the 1970 BBC television series The Six Wives of Henry VIII, she also appeared in The Possessed, A Legacy, Murder at the Wedding, The Walls of Jericho, The Barchester Chronicles, Mansfield Park, Casualty, The Bill, Whitechapel and Happy Valley.

Angela also starred as Queen Elizabeth I in the 2007 Doctor Who episode “The Shakespeare Code”, and Winnie in the BBC drama Happy Valley.

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Teen girl caught on camera playing with her dogs after killing her mum

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Carly Madison Gregg, 15, was convicted of killing her mum and attacking her stepfather in a chilling assault captured on surveillance video in Mississippi

An “evil” 15-year-old girl murdered her mother before playing with her dogs beside the corpse – and then attempted to kill her stepfather.

Carly Madison Gregg’s heinous acts were captured in harrowing CCTV footage from her family home.

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During five days of shocking evidence, jurors witnessed Gregg hiding a weapon behind her back while pacing through her Mississippi home, reports ABC news.

The crack of gunfire echoed through the recording. Prosecutors stated she shot her mother, Ashley Smylie, in the face on March 19, 2024. Smylie was a 40-year-old secondary school maths teacher.

Prosecutors claimed her appalling attack began after a mate informed Gregg’s mum about the teenager’s cannabis consumption. Gregg’s legal team maintained she was experiencing a mental health breakdown, reports the Mirror US.

Following the shooting of her mum, Gregg is captured returning to the kitchen as though nothing had happened. Gregg is then filmed messaging on her mobile and frolicking with her pet dogs.

When her stepfather, Heath Smylie, returned home Gregg launched her attack on him as well – firing a bullet in his direction.

He succeeded in wresting the firearm from his stepdaughter and placed a frantic emergency call. “She killed her mom,” he can be heard telling operators.

His heartbreaking 999 call was also broadcast to jurors. Heath Smylie testified that the “gun went off in my face before the door was open.”

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The 15-year-old wept in court on hearing her sentence.

She was condemned to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. “Carly Gregg is evil and that’s not easy to say, but the truth of the matter is that sometimes evil comes in young packages,” said Rankin County District Attorney Bubba Bramlett.

“She doesn’t know what was going on at that time. We’re asking you to find her not guilty by reason of insanity,” Gregg’s defence solicitor Kevin Camp implored the jury before their verdict.

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“I put three in my mom and I got three – I got three more waiting for my stepdad,” state prosecutor Kathryn Newman reenacted. “You think that sound like an insane person? No.”

After just two hours of deliberations, the jury found Gregg guilty on all counts. The defence announced their intention to appeal.

In September, Gregg’s lawyer James Murphy, who spoke to the Clarion Ledger about “mistakes” which resulted in an “unjust outcome” in Gregg’s “unfair” murder trial, lodged an appeal.

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Gregg’s legal team argued the case went to trial on an “exceptionally compressed schedule and under a series of statutory and constitutional errors that tainted both sentencing and the overall fairness of the proceedings.

“Carly was indicted barely two months after the incident and brought to trial within six months-effectively a ‘rocket docket,’” the brief stated.

“In a case of this magnitude requiring collection and review of extensive medical and mental-health records, multiple evaluations, substantial family/background history, and a disputed motive-such acceleration is extraordinary in Mississippi criminal practice.”

Gregg’s legal team has petitioned for oral arguments before the state’s supreme court, hoping to overturn her conviction and sentences or return the matter to the lower court for fresh proceedings and sentencing.

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