Catherine West told Metro what Starmer needs to say in his make-or-break speech (Picture: PA)
A Labour MP who has vowed to topple Keir Starmer has said what the Prime Minister needs to do to make her change her mind.
Catherine West sparked chaos in the Labour Party by saying she will launch a leadership bid if a Cabinet member does not put themselves forward.
The backbencher will listen to Starmer’s make-or-break speech on Monday before sending an email to all her fellow MPs asking for their support.
She told Metro what she needs to hear in his address to stop her pulling the trigger – and revealed that no Cabinet contenders have messaged her in support of her intervention.
Advertisement
Catherine West shocked Westminster by declaring her intention to unseat Starmer if no Cabinet tried to (Picture: Jeff Overs/BBC/PA Wire)
The Prime Minister is facing mutiny in the wake of disastrous local election results, which saw the party ousted from power in Wales and lose more than 1,400 council seats in England.
Want to understand politics better?
Metro’s senior politics reporter Craig Munro breaks down political chaos into easy to follow insight, in Metro‘s politics newsletter Alright, Gov? Sent every Wednesday. Sign up here.
Although a wave of MPs called for Starmer to resign, no senior Labour figures have said they will challenge him.
Advertisement
So West – who once backed Jeremy Corbyn for leader – announced yesterday she would put her name forward if no one in the Cabinet makes a move over the weekend.
The Hornsey and Friern Barnet MP said: ‘We are heading towards electoral disaster in two years time.
‘We have to turn the Labour Party into a fighting machine for the next general election, so we can get a second term.
‘We need a better communicator. I would have expected the Cabinet to have met over the weekend to ask the Prime Minister to step aside.’
Advertisement
Education Secretary Bridget Philipson called West’s plan ‘completely wrong’ this morning, but the veteran MP is undeterred.
The only thing left in her way is Sir Keir’s do-or-die speech on Monday, setting out how he will reset his premiership.
West said: ‘Once he has spoken, I will decide whether he is convincing or whether we need to move to put out the timetable to elect a new leader.’
The local election results brought devasting results for Starmer’s Labour (Picture: Ian Forsyth/Getty Images)
Asked what the prime minister has to do to win her over, the left-wing MP responded: ‘I want to see Keir Starmer fighting. He is not fighting. He has got to fight for working people.’
What would show that he’s fighting? ‘His demeanor,’ she said.
Advertisement
‘He’s got to wake up every morning thinking, “Why am I awake? I’m awake to make this country fairer and to help working people in their daily lives.”‘
The north London MP also suggested Starmer pledge to expand his top team to include areas of the country where they are losing voters.
West explained: ‘We have Members of Parliament in seaside towns, in the cities, in Scotland and Wales, and yet there’s no attempt to use them to get the message out.’
The backbencher insisted she would ‘rather not’ put herself forward and hopes that the media frenzy around her bid will encourage the Cabinet to act first.
Advertisement
However, West revealed that no Cabinet politician had been in touch to say they supported her plan.
Starmer gave a job to former PM Gordon Brown to try to reassure nervous MPs (Picture: Simon Dawson / No 10 Downing Street)
The only Minister she has even spoken to since her announcement has been the Chief Whip Jonathan Reynolds, who she encouraged to stand.
‘I did suggest to him he might be good. He’s done a lot of good things on bringing steel back into public ownership. He’s from a working family background in the northeast.’
Despite silence from the Cabinet, West said a lot of backbenchers had texted her to say ‘Well done’.
She added: ‘That’s not the same as saying that they want to see me as the Prime Minister. What they are saying is we need change.’
Advertisement
What is Catherine West’s vision for the country?
By threatening to put her name forward to topple Keir Starmer, West is prepared to take on the top job herself, although she says that is not what she wants.
Asked what her vision for the country would be if she entered Number 10, she said: ‘I want to put working people first. That’s what the Labour Party is for, to ensure that we look after working people, that we think about them every day we wake up.
‘That we try our hardest to make sure every child has the best education in life, that the National Health Service is there for everybody from cradle to grave.
‘That we begin to tackle the mental health crisis with young people so they can once again begin to work and enjoy contributing to society.
Advertisement
‘I want to see obviously our economy be steady and stable despite what’s happening abroad.’
West refused to disclose if she would back out if other contenders eventually came forward. ‘It is far too early to say,’ West insisted.
Advertisement
The parliamentarian also won’t say if she backs any of the leading contenders to replace the PM – thought to be Wes Streeting, Angela Rayner and Andy Burnham. Instead, called on female MPs to have a go.
She said: ‘Everybody has an idea of their perfect candidate. There is no perfect candidate. I have said to all the women in the party, “Stand up,” because I think that could be the sort of thing that we need.
Catherine West urged Bridget Philipson, who is supporting the PM, to stand (Picture: Jeff Overs/BBC/PA Wire)
Keir Starmer vowed to stay on in Number 10 for another eight years in an interview with The Observer over the weekend, saying he would fight any leadership challenges.
He told the paper his government was a ’10-year project of renewal’ and has pledged to set out ‘with clarity’ his values and convictions during his speech on Monday.
He added: ‘I’m not going to walk away from the job I was elected to do in July 2024,” he said. “I’m not going to plunge the country into chaos.’
Advertisement
West accepted that any leadership contest to find a new Labour leader would bring ‘an element of uncertainty’ but said that was ‘worth it’ to find a more suitable Prime Minister.
Starmer also used his interview to address to rise of Reform and the Greens, who stole voters from Labour at the ballot box on Thursday.
He said: ‘I have a strong belief that there aren’t many people who actually want Zack Polanski or Nigel Farage as prime minister.
‘I think that the mainstream majority actually want to know that we, the government, have progressive answers to the challenges that they face on a daily basis, and we need to spell out in terms and with conviction that we do have those progressive answers.’
Advertisement
West’s challenge to Starmer has also been criticised by other Labour MPs.
Richard Burgon, also a former ally of Jeremy Corbyn, said there ‘a real danger that, whatever her good intentions, her move will be exploited by people on the right of the party who want a coronation and not a proper democratic contest in the party.;
Katie-Lou Berry was last seen in Southport on Friday, May 7, at around 6.10pm near the Botanic Gardens.
The 15-year-old is believed to have links to the Farnworth area of Bolton, and police are appealing for sightings or information.
A spokesperson for Greater Manchester Police said: “If you see Katie-Lou please call 999 immediately so we can make sure she is safe.
Advertisement
“Katie-Lou is white, 5ft 6in tall, has very long brown hair and is of slim build.
“She has a nose piercing and speaks with a Bolton accent.
“When last seen, she was wearing a pink vest top, black leggings, black fur jacket, and white Nike Air Max trainers.
“Katie-Lou often visits Southport, Bootle, Liverpool and the Farnworth area of Bolton.”
Advertisement
Officers say anyone who sees Katie-Lou should dial 999 right away.
Sightings can also be reported online through the Merseyside Police contact form at https://orlo.uk/W2Jf6 or by calling the Merseyside Police Contact Centre on 101.
NEW YORK (AP) — Back-to-back court rulings on abortion pill access are thrusting a contentious political issue back into the spotlight ahead of this year’s midterm elections that will determine control of Congress for the second half of President Donald Trump’s term.
Friday’s ruling from a federal appeals court restricted mail access to mifepristone prescriptions, one of the most common abortion methods around the country, in the biggest shift to federal abortion policy since the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision allowing states to enforce abortion bans.
The Supreme Court then temporarily restored broad access to the drug on Monday while it further considers the case, setting the stage for a potential decision that could have wide-ranging consequences for patients and providers.
It’s too early to say whether the latest rulings will affect the outcome of races this year, when issues around affordability are expected to take top billing for voters. But advocates on both sides of the issue are hoping it will sway voters their way.
Advertisement
Some abortion rights groups already are strategizing ways to reach voters they think may be more motivated to turn out for Democrats because of the possibility of further restrictions. Meanwhile, abortion opponents who say the GOP-led federal government hasn’t done enough to ban the pills are warning their typically loyal Republican voters could sit out future elections, with a leading anti-abortion advocate calling it “a five-alarm crisis” for the GOP.
Democrats say the abortion issue presents an opportunity
After the overturning of Roe v. Wade in 2022, several states voted to enshrine abortion rights into their own constitutions, driving historic turnout that sometimes contributed to Democratic wins elsewhere on the ballot.
But Democratic pollster Celinda Lake believes the issue had lost some of its potency among voters, not because Democrats don’t care, but because they have a sense that the “damage has been done.”
Though Friday’s ruling has been temporarily halted, it reminded voters that their access to abortion medication through telehealth isn’t guaranteed, even in states where abortion rights are, Lake said. That created a tremendous but “horrific” opportunity to tell voters what could be at stake in this year’s midterms, she said.
Advertisement
Mini Timmaraju, president and CEO of the abortion rights group Reproductive Freedom for All, said outreach to voters about the volatility of abortion access will be part of her group’s strategy in the midterms. That includes contacting voters who supported Trump but also abortion rights in their state elections in 2024.
“The only way for us to really stop this back and forth is to have abortion access be legal in all 50 states,” she said. “The only way we do that is through federal legislation, which makes the midterm elections even more urgent.”
Republicans face fracturing over abortion politics
The Republican coalition, meanwhile, is contending with an increasingly agitated right flank of abortion opponents who expected Trump to fulfill his promise to be the “most pro-life president in history” but say they haven’t seen it yet.
Most urgently at issue is a Food and Drug Administration safety review of mifepristone that anti-abortion groups hope will result in further restrictions, including blocking its prescribing via telehealth platforms. Anti-abortion groups have urged FDA commissioner Dr. Marty Makary to complete the review sooner, while the administration says it “is taking care to do this study properly and in the right way.”
Advertisement
On Monday, the anti-abortion group SBA Pro-Life America further ratcheted up its messaging, calling for Makary’s firing over the issue.
“This is a five-alarm crisis for the pro-life movement and for the GOP,” the group’s president Marjorie Dannenfelser said in a statement. “The GOP cannot win without its base and simply will not get the enthusiasm that drives turnout without leadership from the top.”
Trump, whose first-term nominations set the stage for the Supreme Court that voted to overturn Roe, has taken some steps that abortion opponents have cheered, including an effort to withhold funds from Planned Parenthood and launching investigations into states that require state-regulated health insurance plans to cover abortion.
But he has also often sought to steer clear of the abortion issue, saying he thinks it should be left to the states. The president publicly supported abortion rights until he entered politics in 2015, and his wife, Melania Trump, announced her broad support for abortion rights in 2024.
Advertisement
Abortion opponents say they have no plans to let Trump avoid the issue for the remainder of his term. Marc Wheat, general counsel at former Vice President Mike Pence’s political advocacy group Advancing American Freedom, said his group will increase pressure on the administration. That will include urging the FDA to speedily release documents about mifepristone that it owes the group through a lawsuit.
“President Trump thinks that pro-life is a loser,” Wheat said. “He might see that the pro-lifers may not turn out in the numbers that he needs.”
Americans largely oppose a nationwide ban on mifepristone
Even as Trump and the Republican-led Congress face mounting pressure from the right to restrict access to medication abortion, Republicans around the country are far from united in taking that position.
About two-thirds of Americans opposed nationwide bans on mifepristone, according to a KFF poll conducted late last year. Most Democrats and independents objected to such bans, while Republicans were more split.
Advertisement
Americans’ overall opinions on abortion remain complex, with about two-thirds of U.S. adults saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases, according to AP-NORC polling. Relatively few think abortion should be illegal in all cases.
At least one abortion opponent, Americans United for Life CEO John Mize, said he is focused on incremental victories over the sweeping changes that some of his allies are calling for. While he wishes the FDA would move faster on its safety review, he recognizes that not all Americans are in the same place that he is.
“I think there is advancement being made in a positive direction,” he said. “While it might not meet the pace that many in the pro-life movement want to see, I think it meets the acceptable place of where we’re at culturally.”
___
Advertisement
Associated Press writer Linley Sanders in Washington contributed to this report.
Kerry will be vying for their sixth consectutive Munster title this afternoon as Cork reach their first Munster final since 2021.
The Rebels will be looking to continue building momentum following their promotion earlier in the year. Despite the Kingdoms reign over Munster, Cork won’t be going down without a fight and will be wanting a win ahead of their Round One game against rivals Meath, who they lost out to in the Divsion 2 final.
Todays match marks the 73rd time the counties have met in a provincial final and the two teams will be battling for the Corn Pháidí Uí Shé. Kerry’s Jack O’Connor has made a slew of changes ahead of todays game due to injury concerns.
Advertisement
The Rebels have struggled against the Kingdom in recent decades, losing 12 of the last 14 Championship meetings between the sides.
If Cork defeat the Kingdom, it will be their first championship win in Fitzgerald Stadium in 31 years and will bring home the Munster Title for the first time in 14 years.
With a headline round one fixture against last years finalists Donegal, The Kingdom will be looking for a promising start to their All Ireland campaign, aiming for back to back wins.
Experts have said they believe the UK could ‘be worst hit’ by a jet fuel shortage
Jet2 has revealed that holidaymakers are dramatically changing the way they book their getaways amidst fears of serious jet fuel supply problems this year linked to the Middle East crisis.
Advertisement
With tensions rising in the region, experts suggest that the UK could face the worst of a potential jet fuel shortage that threatens to disrupt holiday flights significantly.
Goldman Sachs has issued a warning that the UK is the country “most exposed” to jet fuel shortfalls triggered by the Iran conflict, raising fears of further flight cancellations and ruined summer holidays.
Analysts from one of the world’s largest investment banks have highlighted that the UK depends heavily on imports passing through the now-blocked Strait of Hormuz, with stocks at “critically low levels” and inadequate refining capabilities.
Advertisement
Meanwhile, personal finance expert Martin Lewis has offered his perspective on the situation – highlighting that travellers who book their flights and hotels separately may not be entitled to compensation should flights be cancelled.
Jet2 has found that package holidays have emerged as the go-to choice for travellers, with 51% now opting for this method of booking – marking a 5% rise since February, reports the Liverpool Echo.
During the same timeframe, those preferring to book through separate providers has fallen by six percentage points to 20%, while ‘accommodation only’ bookings have plummeted to just 2%.
The airline’s findings show that the primary appeals of package holidays have remained remarkably consistent, with value (36%) and convenience (36%) leading the way.
Advertisement
However, the appeal of ‘enhanced security with a single provider, ATOL/ABTA protection’ has climbed by four percentage points since February to reach 26%, according to the survey.
This protection ensures holidaymakers are safeguarded against any alterations to their plans, including possible refunds should trips be cancelled, while guaranteeing breaks meet the highest standards for customer service, booking amendments, and health and safety.
Jet2 has pledged not to impose surcharges on any confirmed flights or holidays to cover rising costs, such as aviation fuel, providing travellers with peace of mind that the price they lock in is the final amount they’ll pay.
Steve Heapy, CEO of Jet2, said: “Consumers want assurance during times of uncertainty and package holidays provide that assurance. On top of all the protection that our package holidays guarantee, Jet2 is well known as being a consumer champion that goes above and beyond to look after customers.
Advertisement
“Ahead of a busy summer season, this means new and existing customers know that their well-deserved holidays are in the very best hands with us, and we are very excited about welcoming everyone onboard and taking them on their breaks.”
As millions of Jet2 passengers gear up for a busy summer period, the airline has confirmed it intends to run its scheduled flights as planned.
Martin Lewis has issued an important warning for anyone who’s already booked their summer getaway. The personal finance guru has cautioned those who’ve paid for trips with leading holiday firms and carriers including TUI, Jet2, Ryanair, Wizz, easyJet and British Airways.
On his Money Show Live on ITV, the financial expert addressed a question from an audience member who enquired: ‘If my flight’s cancelled due to no jet fuel will you definitely receive all your money back even for your hotel booking as well.’
Advertisement
Mr Lewis clarified that travellers would forfeit their hotel booking expenses if they’d arranged accommodation separately from flights booked with carriers such as Jet2, TUI, Wizz, Ryanair or easyJet – as they wouldn’t be covered under consumer protection rules.
He explained: “No. And I think this is what people need to be very aware of. If you booked a package holiday where you booked everything in one, then under the package holiday regulations and rules and protections generally if your flight went you would get everything back.”
He continued: “And so actually at the moment package holidays give you a certain level of extra security that you wouldn’t get if you did a DIY booking where you bought your hotel and flight separately.” His reasoning, he clarified, is that the hotel booking remains valid: “Because the point is if you lose your flight and you’ve DIY booked, there’s nothing wrong with your hotel.
“The issue is you can’t get there. Your hotel is still there. It’s not faulty. It’s not cancelling. So, you don’t have those consumer rights.” When the accommodation hasn’t done anything wrong, holidaymakers might look at how they’ve made their booking – but that avenue offers no remedy either.
Advertisement
He added: “So, you would then say, ‘What about using a credit card or debit card protection?’ It won’t work because there’s nothing faulty. And that’s just giving you the same replica rights that you would have with the retailer.”
In separate developments, holiday firm TUI has issued a direct message to customers with bookings in May. TUI Managing Director Neil Swanson took to Facebook to assure travellers that May half-term flights will go ahead as planned: “We know you may be feeling a little uneasy after recent headlines, and we want to reassure anyone travelling over May half term that they can look forward to their holiday with confidence with TUI. We have good visibility on fuel supplies and are operating our holiday programme as planned, with no flights being cancelled due to fuel shortages.
“Our careful planning across fuel, flying and hotel capacity means we’re able to continue offering great value and stable prices – with no fuel surcharges added by TUI. The price you see is the price you pay, and all TUI package holidays are ABTA and ATOL protected, giving peace of mind from booking right through to returning home.”
“This behaviour is completely reckless and were are determined to stop it.”
13:37, 10 May 2026Updated 13:37, 10 May 2026
A driver has been arrested after a cross-border pursuit which began in the Republic of Ireland and ended in Co Armagh.
In the early hours of Sunday morning, May 10, the PSNI were contacted by Gardai about a vehicle which falled to stop for them and made off towards the A1. The driver travelled through Newry and onto the Armagh Road.
Officers from the PSNI’s E Section from Newry and Armagh co-ordinated a “tactical response” and “worked in tandem” to bring the vehicle to a halt.
The vehicle was signalled to stop by officers from Armagh but failed to do so, resulting in a pursuit. Officers then deployed a stinger, deflating the vehicle’s tyres and bringing it to a stop.
In a statement on social media, the PSNI said the driver was arrested “on suspicion of a number of motoring offences including driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs.”
A PSNI spokesperson added: “Some people think they are above the law. This behaviour is completely reckless and were are determined to stop it.
Advertisement
“We will work together with our colleagues in An Garda Siochana, and neighbouring districts, using all our available resources to achieve this.”
Chelsea must add some wise old heads to the squad this summer, says Joe Cole (Picture: Getty)
Joe Cole has implored Chelsea to add greater experience to their squad in the summer, putting forward John Stones, Jordan Henderson and Robert Lewandowski as names who could come in and help develop younger members of the group.
Chelsea appear destined to miss out on Champions League qualification this season after a drastic decline in results under Liam Rosenior, which ultimately cost the manager his job, with the club now languishing down in ninth place in the Premier League table.
Though the Blues had looked to have been on the right tracks having won the Europa Conference League and the Club World Cup last summer, it appears a major rebuild is needed if the west London giants are to return to their former glory.
But with Calum McFarlane overseeing first-team duties on an interim basis following Rosenior’s dismissal, the search for a full-time manager is perhaps paramount on Chelsea’s list of priorities with two league matches remaining of the campaign.
While victory in this year’s FA Cup final would provide some respite for the fanbase at the end of what has been a gruelling season, Cole believes it could be some time before the club are truly in a ‘healthy position’ again.
According to Cole, an audacious bid to bring back former manager Jose Mourinho would be the best possible move for Chelsea to get supporters back on side.
McFarlane is leading Chelsea on an interim basis following Rosenior’s sacking (Picture: Getty)
Chelsea should consider bringing back Mourinho, according to Cole (Picture: Getty)
‘The best move the club could make now, a realistic move as well, is to go to Jose Mourinho,’ the former Chelsea and England winger told The Sun.
‘Say that this is what we can do, and just let the man take charge of the club. Just say, “Rebuild my club for me, we’re going to step back, you get us back on track.”
Advertisement
‘Give him a long contract, and tell the players and the fans just to take the transition.
‘Tell the fans, “We’ve given you what you want. Jose is in charge of bringing the players in. Jose is in charge of everything.”
Advertisement
‘So, the fans know where they stand, and the players know where they stand as a group. And then leave it.
‘It’s going to take a few years. But I’m pretty sure, in three years, Chelsea will be in a healthier position than they are now.
‘Everyone’s thinking he’s finished, but there’s a reason Real Madrid are looking at him.’
Advertisement
Stones is available on a free transfer this summer (Picture: Getty)
England defender Stones announced last month that this season would be his last with Manchester City, with the 31-year-old – a six-time Premier League winner at the Etihad – available on a free transfer.
Out-of-contract Barcelona striker Lewandowksi will be available as a free agent when the summer transfer window opens for business – and Cole feels both players would be perfect for a dressing room crying old for wise old heads.
‘Chelsea’s mandate was trying to buy the best players in the world, because we were trying to win every competition we could. And so, you knew where you were shopping. I don’t even know where Chelsea is shopping now, that’s the truth,’ he added.
‘Garnacho, for example, is clearly a talented footballer who needs to be in an environment where he’s not the main man, and he’s able to develop.
Lewandowski is out of contract at Barcelona at the end of the season (Picture: Getty)
‘The thing is, it doesn’t work, then his confidence dips, and there’s no structure around him to help him, and he needs to help himself as well. So, what happens is these great young players are not in the right environment.
‘It’s like buying all the most talented scientists in the world and then putting them in a prep school without really good teachers. They’re not going to get better.
Advertisement
‘I think of experienced players who can come into the squad and help out immediately. So you’re looking at who’s available, I’m thinking players like John Stones. Lewandowski, he’s coming to the end of his contract, we need a centre forward.
‘He probably fancies the Premier League and living in London, give him a year-long contract to come and play 35 games for us and help out Liam Delap and help out Joao Pedro. They need those types of players.’
Henderson ‘sets the tone’ for younger players, says Cole (Picture: Getty)
On other potential transfer targets for Chelsea in the summer, Cole went on: ‘Jordan Henderson, I said Jordan Henderson last season and people laughed.
‘Look at what Brentford Football Club have done, and nobody’s going, “Hold on a minute.”
‘I know he’s not been blowing the doors off on Match of the Day. But he sets the tone, and he’s helped players around him, all the untangible things you can’t see.
Advertisement
‘We spent all this money on young players, but they have no one around them.’
The Blues held Liverpool to a draw at Anfield on Saturday (Picture: Getty)
Chelsea brought their dismal losing streak to a halt earlier this weekend as Enzo Fernandez cancelled out Ryan Gravenberch’s stunning opener in a 1-1 draw with Liverpool at Anfield.
The club remain ninth in the table, though, nine points adrift of fifth-placed Aston Villa ahead of their last remaining games of the top-flight campaign against Tottenham and Sunderland.
‘It’s a good point, a good performance in a game that could have gone either way,’ interim boss McFarlane said after the final whistle on Merseyside.
‘It was disappointing to concede so early, and it’s something we’ll have a look at.
Advertisement
‘But I was pleased with the response. I thought the reaction was brilliant and I knew it was something we could do.
‘I thought we played some really nice stuff, we finished the half really well. As a whole the effort, commitment, work rate and desire was good.
‘Last Monday [home defeat to Nottingham Forest] was disappointing. We reviewed it and spoke about the reaction we wanted. I felt we got that and it’s something we can build on.’
Here is what happened in every Cambridgeshire district in this year’s elections
The 2026 local elections saw a loss of leadership for a party in one part of Cambridgeshire, as well as a continued stronghold for another party. Residents turned out across Cambridgeshire on Thursday (May 7) to cast their votes in this year’s local elections.
Advertisement
Elections this year took place for Cambridge City Council, South Cambridgeshire District Council, Huntingdonshire District Council and Peterborough City Council. They didn’t take place in Fenland or East Cambridgeshire.
Here are the full results of the local elections in each Cambridgeshire district:
Cambridge City Council
The Labour party lost its majority of seats after 12-years in control. While it remained the largest party after winning 17 seats, the party lost six seats.
Leader of the council Cameron Holloway lost out on his seat to Green member Kathryn Fisher. The Green party made a triumphant win by gaining 12 seats, compared to its previous six seats.
Advertisement
The Liberal Democrats were the third biggest party by winning 11 seats, followed by one Conservative win and one win for the Your Party.
South Cambridgeshire District Council
The Liberal Democrats retained control of South Cambridgeshire District Council. Described as a “stonking” win by Liberal Democrat MP Pippa Heylings, the party won 43 out of 45 seats.
As a result of the Lib Dems triumphant win, the Conservatives lost out on some of its previously elected seats, leaving the party with just two seats in this year’s election.
This was a seven-seat loss for the Conservatives. The Independents also lost its one seat in the council.
Advertisement
Huntingdonshire District Council
While there was no party that gained an overall control in Huntingdonshire, the Liberal Democrats were also triumphant here. The Lib Dems won 20 seats, compared to its previous hold of 16 seats.
The Conservatives came out as the second largest party with 15 seats, however the party lost out on three seats in this year’s elections. Reform gained the biggest win in Huntingdonshire, as it was elected to 10 seats, compared to zero before.
The Independents won four seats, but lost out on nine seats compared to previously, followed by the Greens retaining its two seats. Labour only won one seat, losing two from the previous election.
Peterborough District Council
There was also no overall win for a party in Peterborough. However, the Independents came out the best by winning 17 seats.
However, this resulted in a loss of five seats. The second largest party was the Conservatives who won 13 seats, gaining three more seats in this year’s elections.
Labour were the third largest party with a win of 11 seats, but it resulted in a loss of three seats. The Liberal Democrats won eight seats, followed by the Green party with a win of six seats, gaining one more seat from the previous election.
The Reform party won five seats, increasing its seats by four compared to the previous election.
The homes will be built in a ‘limited growth village’
Plans to build nearly 20 new homes have been approved, despite concerns over potential “ traffic chaos”. In July 2023, Postland Developments proposed to build 18 new homes along Coates Road in Coates.
Advertisement
The homes proposed included a mix of two, three and four-bedded homes of different storey sizes, as well as three six-bedded homes. Two self-build plots also form part of the plans, as well as new access points and a new pedestrian footpath.
The applicant proposed the homes in Coates as the village is described as a “limited growth village” in the Fenland Local Plan. The applicant also said it would “extend the built-up part of the village”.
Fenland District Council has approved the plans, despite objections from some residents and Natural England. Some residents raised concerns about the impact on traffic.
A resident in Coates Road said the development could lead to “traffic chaos” during peak times. They added: “Speeding motorists currently have no deterrent through the villages – ensure safe road crossing areas and footpaths [are] in place.”
Advertisement
Another resident in Coates Road said the road was already “extremely busy” with traffic. They added: “It takes a long while to exit from our property, which is directly opposite this proposed development.” The highways department of Cambridgeshire County Council found the development to be acceptable.
Natural England objected as it raised concerns that there was “insufficient information to determine the impact on protected sites”. However, planning officers said regard had been to the “extant permission on site that could be built out without the submission of further information in this regard”, therefore officers found it to be acceptable.
Section 106 financial contributions were requested from the applicant due to the “demonstrated lack of viability”, meaning the proposed development is not financially or economically feasible to deliver.
However, in their reasoning for approving the plans, the planning officer’s report said: “It is considered that the proposal provides sufficient contributions to mitigate against its impacts on healthcare, education and affordable housing, in exceeding the position applied by the LPA to applications submitted prior to November 2024 in requesting a contribution of £2,000 per plot.”
Advertisement
The applicant now must begin to construct the development within three years of the plans being approved.
For Rangers, the title is almost out of reach. Only a staggering run of results would see them leapfrog both Celtic and Hearts, but today’s visitors will no doubt be keen to detail their rivals’ own title ambitions. Follow the game LIVE below with our dedicated match blog, featuring expert insight and analysis.
You must be logged in to post a comment Login