Westminster loves nothing more than a bit of groupthink.

A settled view on a particular issue can quickly become established fact in SW1, even if there is plenty of evidence that it may be wrong.

The most recent example is the growing belief that two-party politics will return in time for the next general election.

This is not an outlandish idea, given the most recent trend in the opinion polls.

It is undeniable that Labour has enjoyed a Burnham bounce since the former mayor of Greater Manchester replaced Keir Starmer as party leader and prime minister.

A crossover point was reached earlier this week when, for the first time in 18 months, Labour overtook Reform UK in the poll of polls.

This has coincided with a steady decline in support for Reform amid the ongoing controversies over the financial arrangements of both Nigel Farage and his party.

At the same time, Kemi Badenoch’s Tories have been enjoying a modest uptick in support, while the Green Party have also gone into reverse following a series of mis-steps by their leader, Zack Polanski.

A YouGov poll seemed to confirm this trend on Thursday when it revealed that Reform and the Greens have fallen to their lowest favourability ratings to date.

Some political commentators have therefore concluded that the next election will once again be a straight fight between Labour and the Conservatives.

However, leading pollsters have told HuffPost UK that it is far too early to assume that British politics will simply return to the way it has always been for most of the last century.

Indeed, Chris Hopkins, political research director at Savanta, said a return to two-party politics “feels like something of an impossibility”.

He said: “In almost all opinion polls conducted since Andy Burnham became Labour leader, five parties have achieved 10% or higher.

“The top two – more often than not, Labour and Reform UK – tend to combine for around 50% of the overall vote share.

“This is a far cry from recent general elections, especially 2017 where the Conservative and Labour combined for a whopping 82% of the overall vote.

“Of course, if British politics has taught us anything over the last few years, it’s that the fortunes of political parties can change very quickly, so you can never rule a return to two-party politics out.

“For now, only the Greens feel at risk of losing ground, probably to a rejuvenated Labour Party, but Reform UK don’t feel like they’re going anywhere while Nigel Farage is at the helm.”

With Farage certain to return as MP for Clacton next Thursday with a thumping majority – albeit having only defeated Count Binface and a variety of other minor political figures – the chances of him shuffling off the political stage appears remote.

Indeed, the signs are there that the Reform leader is preparing to come out fighting in an attempt to wrest back the political momentum from Burnham.

Keiran Pedley of Ipsos UK said “we should be careful not to overstate the return of two party politics”.

“Reform are still ahead of the Conservatives for now,” he pointed out. “The Greens and Lib Dems have a significant presence in some parts of the country and nationalist parties are in power Scotland and Wales.

“It may well come to pass that the next election ends up as a mainly Labour vs Conservative affair, but we should caution against jumping to that conclusion too soon.

“To announce the return of two party politics having declared it dead a few months prior feels somewhat premature.”

The Tories’ mini-renaissance under Badenoch, who has won praise for her performance as leader in recent months, threatened to come off the rails this week, however.

Her decision to stand by a former neo-Nazi chosen to stand as a Conservative council candidate in Somerset sparked a furious backlash and baffled many senior Tories.

Joshua Bonehill-Paine eventually stood down, but was appointed an adviser on anti-radicalisation by Badenoch, a decision which led to fresh outrage.

This was followed by the announcement that the party would evict 230,000 non-EU foreign nationals from social housing, and ban newcomers from gaining such tenancies.

Coming on the back of Badenoch’s decision to remove the party whip from Gavin Barwell and block the likes of Grant Shapps from standing as candidates, it seems clear that she wants to take votes from Reform.

Moderate Tories believe she is making a huge mistake.

One senior figure told HuffPost UK: “Her strategy appears to be to hope that Reform implodes/Farage walks away and then pick up the pieces.

“The reality is that there’s a solid populist vote of 20% that will be very hard for the Tories to reach and the cost of doing so would be to alienate the majority of the electorate. With Labour moving leftwards on the economy, a big opportunity is being lost.”

Cameron Garrett, deputy director of research at the More in Common think-tank, said: “Our politics is increasingly volatile, and it’s too soon to be heralding a return to the two-party system.

“Kemi Badenoch’s personal approval rating has risen dramatically in recent months, but it has yet to lift her party’s fortunes. And while Burnham has seen a bounce, it’s too early to tell whether it will last.

“Voters will need to see real, tangible change before they’re willing to return to the political mainstream for good.”

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According to research conducted by Dr John Gottman and Dr Julie Schwartz Gottman of the Gottman Institute, there are four “horsemen of divorce”: criticism, contempt, defensiveness, and stonewalling.

And Susie Masterson, a BACP-registered therapist, told HuffPost UK that warning signs of divorce aren’t usually as simple as issues like financial problems or different life goals.

“I have seen couples overcome lots of challenging situations including: infidelity, unemployment, family estrangement and critical illness,” she said.

Here, she shared what she thinks can make the difference between couples who may be likelier to stay together and those that might split.

“Compatibility is not just about liking the same things or shared values; it’s about how we respond to challenges,” Masterson said.

She stated that couples often come to therapy during transitions like moving in together, changing jobs, having kids, or battling illness.

“Our responses to these transitions often highlight differences which might otherwise not have been apparent,” the therapist added.

For instance, many couples have financial disparities that might not be visible until e.g. someone loses their job.

But “Whilst many couples file for divorce citing financial challenges, it’s usually not that simple. When I speak to couples, it’s the differences between the response to these challenges that cause the relationship to break down.

“Successful relationships are predicated on a balance between power, respect and connection,” she explained.

“To be in a relationship with someone requires investment. We need to meet each other wherever we are. We all change. Just not at the same time or at the same pace. Tolerance is key to being able to manage this.

“In my experience, relationships break down when one or both parties are not willing/able to do this. This is often due to competing needs in a situation, where it becomes difficult for any concessions or compromises to be made.”

That’s not to say that tolerance and compatibility should be forced in a situation that isn’t serving you.

Masterson pointed out that all relationships go through cycles of rupture and repair. And “Sometimes, when we have been together for a long time, the accumulated impact of this can wear us down”.

It’s also possible that past hurts have gotten swept under the rug, in which case, learning how to heal from them should take priority. “Even if it doesn’t keep us together, it is a brilliant skill to learn as [we need] to be able to model this for our kids. It will also help us in future relationships.”

Ultimately, she ended, “It’s equally important to recognise that not all relationships can go the distance. Before making the decision to separate, it can be really helpful to fast forward to a preferred future and ask questions like: what will be different, how will it feel, who will be in my life, where will I be, what will I be doing?

“Then pause and reflect why any of these preferred outcomes are not possible within the relationship. When you have this clarity, it can help with self-trust and empowerment to commit to a certain course of action.”

I have a confession: I’m really lazy about cooking. It’s gotten to the point that pretty much all I eat is the same meals on rotation (a crazy medley of beans, corn, and avocado; or cold noodle soup, if you must know). And both of them come together in less than 20 minutes.

The thing is, if I wasn’t lactose intolerant, pescatarian, and extremely fussy, I would eat ready meals probably every night. But thanks to being raised in an ingredient household, my conscience simply can’t convince myself to do it.

But recently, desperate to find another way of eating, I started shopping around.

I was near giving up hope when I found Grubby. I can’t stop raving about its meal kits, and while they come in handy when I want to learn a new recipe or think I’ll have the time (and energy) to actually get my hands dirty, it’s its healthy ready meals I’ve actually fallen in love with.

These freezer-ready boxes come packed with wholefoods, protein, and fibre, and can be popped in the microwave so they’re ready in under 10 minutes.

But even though they’re microwaveable, they’re as good as a home-cooked meal. Seriously – some of the recipes include Spicy Szechuan Noodles, Sticky Teriyaki Udon Noodles, Creamy Nduja Rigatoni, and Peri Peri Tempeh Bowl.

And yes, as you might have guessed, they’re all completely plant-based, so you’ll know for certain that you’re eating plenty of fibre and ticking off your five a day.

Don’t worry, though, they taste just as good as a meatier or fishy option – in fact, my meat-loving girlfriend said she’d buy them for herself.

Depending on how often you feel weak at the knees at the idea of cooking a meal, you can opt to have the boxes delivered fortnightly or weekly, or simply do a one-off order.

I’ve been keeping my freezer stocked ever since I first tried them, because they’re such a convenient meal to fall back on – especially when the idea of turning a hot stove on is the last thing I want to do (or I come back steaming from a ‘picnic’ that involved two picky bits each).

It’s not just the meals that taste good, though, Grubby also does good for mankind and the planet.

For every meal you buy, it donates one to children in need. And it uses completely carbon neutral delivery, plus recyclable and compostable packaging.

Trust me, if you’re as lazy as I am you’ll want to get these in next time you have a busy week.

You might already know that strength training is one of the best activities we can engage in as we age, while aerobic training like jogging, walking, and swimming is also linked to better heart health in our later years.

In fact, it seems the best longevity results come from a combination of exercise types.

Still, when it comes to healthy ageing, the University of Strathclyde has called a type of movement called balance training “neglected”. It can reduce the risk of falls and related fractures, which are most common among those over 65; inconveniently, though, our balance “can deteriorate” over time.

Steven Powell, director of training and education at Power Plate, said: “A lot of people assume [balance loss] is simply what getting older feels like, but that’s not necessarily true.

“In many cases it’s a sign that the systems responsible for keeping you upright, your muscles, joints and nervous system, aren’t being challenged often enough.”

Here, we asked Powell and Iain Murray, managing director at Power Plate, how to tell if your “balance age” is higher than it should be.

Murray told us that you might not notice a sudden decrease in balance – but that doesn’t necessarily mean your “balance age” hasn’t risen.

“Instead of asking whether your balance is getting worse, ask yourself whether you’ve… started editing your life around your body. Have you stopped booking active holidays?” he asked.

“Do you let someone else lift the heavy suitcase? Are you turning down long walks because you’ll ‘pay for it tomorrow’? Those are often much more meaningful signs that your balance age and movement quality aren’t where they could be.”

For his part, Powell told us, “Your balance age isn’t something you can measure with a single number, but it is something you can spot through how your body behaves. One of the biggest signs is that you’ve started thinking about movements that used to happen automatically.

“Maybe you hesitate before stepping off a kerb, instinctively reach for a handrail, or feel less stable getting dressed while standing on one leg. Those are all clues that your body’s ability to react quickly and efficiently may not be where it once was.”

We’ve written before at HuffPost UK about how the amount of time you can stand on one leg for could say a lot about your biological age.

Murray said, “The ability to move confidently underpins almost everything we enjoy, from travelling and socialising to playing with grandchildren or simply feeling independent.

“When that confidence starts to fade, people often accept it as an inevitable part of ageing, when in reality it’s usually a signal that they’ve stopped investing in one of the most important aspects of their long-term health” – balance.

And Powell added that as we age, “we lose lower body power, the ability to generate force quickly, faster than we lose muscle mass, and that can have a bigger impact on how confident and stable we feel in everyday life.”

If you think your balance age might be too high, Murray and Powell say there’s some good news: it’s not set in stone.

Powell told us, “The body is remarkably adaptable when you give it the right stimulus. Exercises that build lower body strength and power, improve mobility, and challenge your stability all encourage your brain and muscles to communicate more efficiently”.

Some experts think that squats provide a great full-body workout to help slow the signs of ageing, though other exercises that can help include:

• Calf raises,
• Knee raises,
• Standing with your eyes closed,
• Tai chi,
• Yoga,
• Walking backwards or sideways,
• Using a wobble board,
• Dancing,
• Single-leg training,
• Standing from a seated position.

The NHS recommends trying stabilising movements like these at least twice a week.

Powell ended, “You don’t need to train like an athlete. A few minutes of purposeful movement, done consistently, can make a real difference to how confidently you move through everyday life.

“The earlier you start paying attention to your balance, the easier it is to stay ahead of the decline rather than trying to reverse it later.”

Grammy-winning music producer William Orbit has died at the age of 69.

On Friday afternoon, a statement was posted on his verified social media pages, which read: “It is with profound sadness that the family and friends of William Orbit announce that William passed away at home on 23 July 2026.

“We are deeply saddened by his passing. He will be greatly missed by us and by so many whose lives he touched through his music, friendship and kindness. We kindly ask that the privacy of William’s family and close friends is respected during this difficult time.”

No cause of death has been provided.

The British musician – whose legal name was William Wainwright – became an established figure on the electronic music scene in the late 1980s and 90s.

His mainstream breakthrough came when he and Madonna collaborated on her Ray Of Light album, still considered a highlight of her discography almost 30 years on from its original reason.

William co-produced some of Madonna’s biggest hits of the 90s and 2000s, including the UK number ones Frozen and American Pie, as well as Ray Of Light, Nothing Really Matters, Drowned World/Substitute For Love, The Power Of Good-Bye and Beautiful Stranger.

He won three Grammys for his collaborations with the Queen of Pop, in addition to an Album Of The Year nomination for Ray Of Light, and reunited with her in the 2010s on her album MDNA.

Following the success of the Ray Of Light album, he also produced hit singles for All Saints (Pure Shores and Black Coffee), Pink (Feel Good Time) and Blur (Coffee & TV), in addition to collaborations with Robbie Williams and Britney Spears.

In his lifetime, he also helmed 12 of his own solo studio albums, with his 1999 effort Pieces In The Modern Style peaking at number two in the UK.