Politics
Mike Salem: Parliament passes complex new laws – leaving councils with the burden of implementing them locally
Mike Salem is a UK Country Associate for the Consumer Choice Center (CCC), focusing on economy, technology, and lifestyle.
Running up to the local elections, many candidates will promise to tackle local issues, while incumbents highlight their ability to maintain services despite rising demand and shrinking budgets. But an often overlooked problem lies deeper: the fundamental disconnect between local and national governments.
When Westminster legislates, it considers political priorities, manifesto pledges, and often Whitehall-centric perspectives. Take the Tobacco and Vapes Bill, currently in its Report Stage in the Lords. The Bill aims to ban cigarette (as well as a nicotine alternative, heated tobacco) sales to anyone born from 2009 and place heavy restrictions on vaping and other nicotine alternatives, such as flavours of vapes and nicotine pouches. While the intention may be public health, the real-world consequences on local authorities are significant.
Existing UK tobacco policy already makes smoking extremely expensive. A legal pack of cigarettes costs on average £16.60, compared with around £6.60 in much of Europe, a £10 difference. This is largely due to the UK’s tobacco duty “escalator,” which rises each year by inflation (RPI) plus an extra percentage point. Tobacco duty accounts for roughly 80 per cent of a pack’s retail price.
Bans like the 10-pack restriction under the European Tobacco Product Directive in 2016 pushed consumers to buy 20-packs instead. The unintended consequence? Illegal cigarette sales skyrocketed. Enforcement bodies and trading standards report that most UK residents live within minutes of illicit tobacco sources. Between 2021 and 2024, legal cigarette sales fell by 45.5 per cent, increasing pressure on locally funded Trading Standards services.
The proposed generational ban will only add to this burden, extending enforcement responsibilities to adults who previously could purchase legally.
The disposable vape ban, which came into effect on June 1st last year, provides a similar example. Many retailers continued selling existing stock at discounted rates rather than discarding it. Some were unaware of the ban entirely. The definition of “reusable” vapes was circumvented, allowing stronger battery devices to be sold at disposable prices, ironically creating more environmental harm than before.
Trading Standards officers have had to navigate this complex new regime, spending valuable time training staff and interpreting the legislation. Further restrictions on vape flavours, display, packaging, promotion, and other nicotine products such as heated tobacco and nicotine pouches will add more enforcement responsibilities, all without corresponding increases in local resources.
These examples illustrate how central government legislation puts immense pressure on local authorities. High streets are dying because legal options become expensive, illegal markets flourish, and small businesses struggle to survive. When illegal markets thrive, it also leads to increased criminal activities, with more dangerous streets which will now require more policy, and the cycle of financial doom multiplies. Business rates, set by central government, have been rising, yet councils only retain 50 per cent of the revenue in England, despite being its collectors. Local councils end up enforcing policies and collecting taxes while bearing the operational costs.
As you consider your vote in the forthcoming local elections, think about which councillors will stand up for your community and advocate for local authority interests in the face of overwhelming central legislation. Central government may legislate extensively, but it is local councils that bear the consequences. Ensuring they are equipped and supported is essential for healthy high streets, functional enforcement services, and practical local governance.
A prospective councillor who might promise you more from Westminster will end up hurting your pockets.
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It’ll ensure movement is as simple as possible, too; it offers three ergonomic carrying positions, with adjusting sliders for the perfect mixture of flexibility and support.
Aside from being supremely comfortable and easy to use, the Easy Vol. 2 is also great-looking (who said you need to sacrifice style at the altar of practicality?).
In yet another Labour scandal, MP Tulip Siddiq is facing an Interpol red notice request from Bangladesh. A court has ordered authorities to seek her arrest on corruption charges related to a real estate project.
This follows three previous convictions in absentia sentencing her to six years in prison for separate corruption cases involving her aunt, former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The Guardian reported that:
Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission has alleged Siddiq used her relationship with her aunt, the former prime minister Sheikh Hasina, to influence the allocation of a plot of state-owned land in Dhaka’s Gulshan district to a private company. Siddiq has rejected the claim as baseless and politically motivated.
Tulip Siddiq: web of deceit
Of course, Tulip Siddiq is another one of the many considered to be in Peter Mandelson’s circle. Siddiq received a donation of £35,835 from Global Counsel in November 2023.
Mandelson co-owned Global Counsel, a lobbying company that helped corporations “see opportunities in politics, regulation and public policy.” It built “a lucrative business from his political contacts built up while a minister under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.”
Global Counsel went into administration following the latest Epstein revelations as host of household names — including Tesco, Bank of America, and Barclays fled the “Britain’s most influential public affairs agencies.”
Sharmen Rahman, Green Party spokesperson for Equalities & Diversity, shared the news quipping “Mandelson approved Quality candidates update.”
Mandelson approved Quality candidates update: https://t.co/INBYXjh3My
— Sharmen Rahman (@sharmen_r) February 26, 2026
Seems like Mandelson’s clique can’t catch a break.
Greens have previously also questioned how much Starmer has known about the crimes of colleagues associated with Mandelson:
Questions about Mandelson, his heinous crimes and how much Starmer knew.
Dan Norris, elected as Lab MP, arrested – 2 counts of rape.
Tulip Siddiq sentenced to 4 years.
I wonder why Labour have made 3 attack videos about me in the last 24 hours?
They’re done. Finished. Toast. pic.twitter.com/ZolFdugJyX
— Zack Polanski (@ZackPolanski) February 2, 2026
Bubbling scandal
Siddiq resigned as Treasury minister in January 2025 after Bangladesh’s anti-corruption commission filed a case against her and her family, investigating corruption and embezzlement under her aunt Sheikh Hasina’s ousted regime.
She also referred herself to the independent adviser on ministerial standards, Laurie Magnus, who found she had not breached the ministerial code. As it happens, Magnus is also the man Keir Starmer is calling on to “fast-track” an investigation into Josh Simons, who accidentally leaked to a WhatsApp group that he’s already been told he’s in the clear. Whoops.
So yes, Laurie Magnus will likely be back once again to ahem clear another Labour figure of wrongdoing.
The Met Police has just announced a 38-year-old man has been arrested on suspicion of racially aggravated criminal damage after graffiti was sprayed on the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square.
Reform UK’s chairman, David Bull, stated on Newsnight last night, 26 February, that Labour would have won the Gorton and Denton by-election, if only they fielded Andy Burnham in the first place.
Now, that looks a little odd, doesn’t it? The second-place party is giving tips to the third-place party on how to beat them. The Canary has written a great deal about Labour being Reform-lite, but surely giving each other a leg-up is a bit much?
Only, if you were to consider it from Reform’s perspective, it makes complete sense. See, in order for the left vote to split, Labour would actually have to field someone, you know… on the left (yeah yeah, disclaimers to come).
Reform knows that; Reform needs that. It can’t survive the immigrant-bashing right vote being shared between itself, Labour, the Conservatives, and whatever the fuck Rupert Lowe is doing at the time. Or, to put it another way:
Starmer can’t even gift a seat to the far-right on a silver platter without fucking it up.
‘You would have won’
After a by-election that even frothing lefty indie outlets thought was going to be a close-run thing, the Greens ended up taking it by a wide margin.
On Newsnight the night of the by-election, Reform UK’s David Bull said:
Having spoken to lots of Labour voters, if you had fielded Andy Burnham, you would have won. Full stop. But Kier Starmer didn’t want him on the pitch. This is all about the preservation of Kier Starmer. It was a very bad mistake by the Labour Party.
Burnham, the popular Labour mayor of Greater Manchester, announced his intention to run in Gorton and Denton back in January. However, he was swiftly blocked by his party’s ruling body.
Burnham is frequently perceived as a viable left-wing alternative to Starmer for the head of the Labour Party. However, his road to the top would be much easier with a seat in the Commons, rather than the mayorship.
As such, Starmer couldn’t allow him the opportunity of a win. Even, that is, if it meant potentially handing the seat to Reform. Better the far-right than the near-left, ay?
Caveat time
I promised you caveats, and there are of course caveats. Burnham’s credentials as ‘actually left wing’ are severely questionable. Your Party’s Zarah Sultana recently pointed out that:
Andy Burnham played a key role in privatising our NHS while serving as Health Secretary.
Andy Burnham voted for the 2003 Iraq War — an illegal invasion that led to the deaths of over a million Iraqis.
Andy Burnham was a member of Labour Friends of Israel, an apartheid state that has committed genocide against the Palestinian people.
Gorton and Denton deserves a genuinely socialist MP — one who doesn’t vote for illegal wars, stands in solidarity with Palestine and is proudly anti-Zionist.
It’s a mark of how far Labour has fallen that Burnham now represents the leftward section of the increasingly right-wing party. But hey ho.
By contrast, Starmer’s Gorton and Denton pick was councillor Angeliki Stogia. Stogia supports NHS privatisation through ‘Private Finance Initiatives’, and has acted as a corporate lobbyist. Plus, she had Starmer’s backing — basically the right-of-center’s kiss of death.
Stogia won just 25.4% of the vote, in what was once a Labour safe-seat.
‘People are sick of them’
When Newsnight’s presenter Paddy O’Connell asked Zack Polanski if he agreed with Bull’s assessment, the Green leader replied:
No I don’t agree, actually. I think Andy Burnham is still a Labour Party politician, and I think people are sick of them.
Some polling has indeed suggested that Burnham would have won the seat, if he was permitted to run. We can never know precisely how that would have shaken out in real life, because Starmer would clearly rather cut off his own nose than allow the Labour right to lose its stranglehold on the party.
I wrote this piece somewhat tongue-in-cheek, talking about Starmer trying to gift the seat to Reform.
However, on a more serious note, the Green’s Hannah Spencer ran a fantastic campaign, taking an incredible 40.7% of the vote. She deserved the win on her own merit, Burnham or no Burnham. And now, Gorton and Denton has the left-wing MP it deserves.
Meanwhile, as their chairman demonstrated, Reform has been left rattled by Labour’s competition on the right. Personally speaking, they can fucking eat each other as far as I care.
Featured image via the Canary
Yerin Ha has explained why one of fans’ most-anticipated scenes in Bridgerton’s fourth season wasn’t nearly as sexy to film as it was to watch.
The moment in question sees Yerin’s character, Sophie, enjoying a steamy encounter with Benedict, played by Luke Thompson, in a bathtub.
However when it came to filming this sequence, it turns out that languishing in warm water for hours on end to achieve the perfect sex scene comes with occupational hazards.
“Basically I put baby powder all on me because I was told it would help dry my skin to put the intimacy wear on with the tape,” Yerin recently told Capital Breakfast.
“And then basically the next day after the bathtub, I got hives all over my body, and I got folliculitis, so I needed steroid cream.”
She joked: “But I blame myself, because I think it was a combination of baby powder and the bath water. So it’s me, I’m a sensitive gal!”
Benedict chipped in to reveal that the scene took seven whole hours to film. Let it never be said that actors don’t suffer for their art…
The bathtub scene in question was included in the second batch of episodes for Bridgerton season four, which arrived on Netflix earlier this week to mixed reviews from the critics.
Part two follows the developing romance between second eldest Bridgerton son Benedict and maid Sophie, after a complicated road including a masquerade ball, a wicked stepmother, and an absolute misfire when Benedict asked Sophie to be his mistress during a pivotal cliffhanger.
While that’s it for season four, there are at least a couple more series of Bridgerton in the pipeline, as we wait to see which of the remaining siblings’ love story is next.
Showrunner Jess Brownell previously teased who will step up to the plate in seasons five and six of the Netflix Regency drama, leaving fans to guess between Eloise and Francesca, played by Claudia Jessie and Hannah Dodd, respectively.
Bridgerton season four is streaming on Netflix now.
On the morning of 27 February, the statue of Winston Churchill at Parliament Square, London, was smeared with red paint:
Churchill statue painted red by Dutch activist group in solidarity with Palestine Action
The statue is a so-called listed sculpture and is part of a group of statues of politicians (some of the other ones were NOT complicit in genocide) (we think)https://t.co/1kP05fpwj1
— Canary (@TheCanaryUK) February 27, 2026
Dutch group Free the Filton 24 NL claimed the action. It’s one of many international groups standing in solidarity with Palestine Action, especially with the 33 political prisoners. This is the first action this group has claimed on UK soil.
Hiding from accountability
In a public statement, Dutch activist Olax Outis, spoke on behalf of the group. He openly expressed his opinion of the British and Dutch governments, calling them:
a bunch of cowards hiding from accountability.
The antisemite Winston Churchill, responsible for implementing the Balfour Declaration that handed Palestine over to the Israeli occupier, gets his fair share of insults as well. Although Outis noted that if it existed, he would rather demolish a statue of current Prime Minister Keir Starmer.
This is Free the Filton 24 NL’s first action outside its own borders. But the group has stood in solidarity with the British resistance to genocide since its founding. The Dutch activists have joined the British people in their recent series of celebrations, but remind the still oppressed UK citizens:
We aren’t done yet. This isn’t over.
Like thousands of activists in dozens of countries across the world, Free the Filton 24 NL targeted the British Embassy in its country. It used daily noise protests, vandalism, blockades, and an envelope containing baby poo delivered to the mailbox. Largely ignored, which seems to be a very good representation by the embassy, the group demands the UK government to “Clean up your shit!”
Another target is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, because the human rights violations in the UK also affect the human rights of Dutch citizens. Fifteen Dutch citizens have been arrested a total of 40 times on suspicion of terrorism. Thirty-nine of these allegedly terrorist acts involved silently holding a sign that read:
I oppose genocide – I support Palestine Action
Churchill statue a listed sculpture
Outis is currently under arrest, and the Metropolitan police are investigating. Whether the statue of Winston Churchill can be restored is currently unclear. The statue is a so-called listed sculpture and is part of a group of statues of politicians, some of them not complicit in genocide.
Churchill is now considered by many Britons to be the most popular politician ever. But after world war two, the British people voted the wartime prime minister out of office as quickly as possible, making way for a progressive counter-narrative.
Free the Filton 24 NL calls him out for Zionist war crimes. And compares him to current war criminal Keir Starmer and human rights violator Yvette Cooper.
‘Actievoeren werkt!’ – ‘Action works!’
British activist groups and their international comrades have recently achieved several major victories. The ban on Palestine Action has been declared unlawful, the Filton 24 have all been acquited of aggravated burglary, and most of them have been released on bail.
The nearly 3,000 people arrested on terrorism charges since July have so overwhelmed the system that police seem to have given up the investigation entirely. Charges are met with mockery, suspects wear the terrorist label as a badge of honour.
The hunger strikes have been paused and the strikers appear to be largely recovering. All over the world, people are cheering for the victory of the British people over their deceitful rulers.
But in occupied Palestine, dozens of people are still being slaughtered by the Zionist occupier every day. Drones are still being manufactured in the UK, advertised at Dutch arms fairs as ‘field tested [on Palestinians]’.
The Netherlands and the UK are still investing tens of billions of euros and pounds in Israel. Outis stated:
We’re still dealing with two governments that have made it clear they would rather let their own citizens die than stop genocide. That is why we must continue to take action. We are not done yet.
Featured image via the Canary
Labour had a clear message in the Gorton & Denton by-election, and that message was ‘only we can beat Reform‘. The problem, of course, is that they didn’t beat Reform.
Despite this, they’re still suggesting only they can can do what they just publicly did not:
Despite all the evidence Labour are going to cling to the strategy that ‘only Labour can beat Reform’ because its all they have. pic.twitter.com/bE5f4PD2XG
— Saul Staniforth (@SaulStaniforth) February 27, 2026
Is it too much to ask that they offer voters something besides nonsensical slogans?
Just nationalise utilities and tax the rich, for god’s sake; it’s not rocket science!
The Failure Party
In case you missed the results, here they are – a staggering defeat for Labour:
‼️ BREAKING: Greens WIN Gorton and Denton by-election in a landslide victory
🟢 Grn: 41% (+27)
➡️ Ref: 29% (+15)
🔴 Lab: 25% (-25)
🔵 Con: 2% (-6)
🟠 Lib: 2% (-2)Green GAIN from Labour (+/- vs GE2024)
‼️First-ever Green win in an MP by-election pic.twitter.com/4dizRt7dOR
— Stats for Lefties 🍉🏳️⚧️ (@LeftieStats) February 27, 2026
As you can see, Labour didn’t even beat Reform to second place.
As Stats for Lefties added:
The Labour vote was literally cut in half
— Stats for Lefties 🍉🏳️⚧️ (@LeftieStats) February 27, 2026
In the video at the top, Labour deputy leader Lucy Powell said:
I think what is really clear is that there is a big majority in this constituency that hasn’t voted for Reform, and on the day the Greens have managed to win that argument that they were best placed to do that.
But I’m not sure whether that would totally translate in a general election.
So Labour are transitioning from ‘only we can win in Gorton & Denton‘ to ‘only we can win in the general election‘. The more elections they lose, however, the harder it is to sell that message.
“only Labour can beat Reform” was a terrible slogan to push so aggressively in this election
Labour could have made a much more positive case for their candidate (who always had a decent chance of winning!) but instead chose to just… lie to people
Voters saw right through it
— Josh Housden (@JoshHousden) February 27, 2026
Oh, and it doesn’t help that Labour used so many dirty tricks in this by-election (including faking a tactical voting campaign):
Beyond losing the seat, Labour have managed to destroy any trust they might have enjoyed with tactical voters at the next election thanks to their endless lying about being “the only party that can beat Reform” pic.twitter.com/c8WLUFGFpL
— Nicholas Guyatt (@NicholasGuyatt) February 27, 2026
Novara’s Aaron Bastani, meanwhile, suggested the following:
Labour knew they were lying when they said only they could beat Reform. Their own data would have indicated it after a certain point.
Which means only one thing: the objective was to deprive the Greens of votes so Reform COULD WIN. A Green win was the bigger worry.
— Aaron Bastani (@AaronBastani) February 27, 2026
Historic loss
The Gorton and Denton constituency has only existed since 2024, but the areas covered by it have voted Labour for decades. In other words, Keir Starmer ended a streak which lasted for around half a century.
And it didn’t have to happen.
As we reported, Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham wanted to run, and he’s incredibly popular. Starmer and his cronies blocked him, and now Labour have suffered a loss so great there will surely be a leadership challenge.
People pointed out that Starmer made a public show of banishing Labour progressives who wanted things like nationalisation and peace. Starmer referred to these people as “fleas”. Now, the fleas have come back to bite him in the Gorton & Dentons:
“If you don’t like that, if you don’t like the changes that we’ve made, I say the door is open, and you can leave”. – Keir Starmer, February 15 2023 pic.twitter.com/YDZvNiSPZm
— Luke Savage (@LukewSavage) February 27, 2026
Despite his record-breaking unpopularity, Starmer actually travelled to Gorton & Denton to support his candidate. Describing this as a “kiss of death”, we wrote:
If it was a “smart move”, it will be Starmer’s first since he took office.
If it was a bad move, it will be far from his worst move over the past week.
As it turned out, it was a bad move.
Jokes
At this point, the idea that ‘only Labour can win‘ has literally become a joke:
Remember, only Labour can beat reform.
— Kieran💚 (@KieranGreen2003) February 27, 2026
The question is this: will Labour get some new material, or will they repeat the line until it’s not even funny anymore?
Featured image via Stats for Lefties
This article contains major spoilers for the Bridgerton season four finale.
After debuting four brand new episodes of Bridgerton earlier this week, Netflix had a surprise in store for fans with an unexpected post-credits sequence.
Those patient viewers who watched the latest season finale all the way to the end were treated to one last scene depicting the wedding between Luke Thompson and Yerin Ha’s characters, Benedict and Sophie, after their love story dominated the period drama’s latest run.
In the sequence, Benedict and Sophie’s low-key wedding day saw them surrounded by their families, both biological and chosen.
“To watch the classes comingle like that, it felt so representative of the journey that these two have been on, and it really felt like the perfect mingling of fantasy and reality,” showrunner Jess Brownell told Tudum.
But eagle-eyed viewers may also have spotted a subtle detail in Benedict’s wedding outfit that nodded to his love story.
“I wear a little pin in my necktie, and it has a tiny kite painted on it,” Luke explained, referring to a scene earlier in the season that saw his and Yerin’s characters bonding.
He enthused: “It’s an amazing costume design, in terms of their story, because it feels like it really sums them up in a way.”
While Bridgerton is now over for another year, fans can at least breathe a sigh of relief that the show has been commissioned for at least two more seasons, with Jess previously claiming she wanted to adapt all eight instalments in Julia Quinn’s Bridgerton book series.
There’s still no confirmation over which Bridgerton sibling will be the focus of season five – expected to premiere in 2028 – but signs in the finale point to either Claudia Jessie’s Eloise or Hannah Dodd’s Francesca.
All four seasons of Bridgerton are now streaming on Netflix.
It’s no secret that we here at the Canary believed the Green Party could win in Gorton & Denton:
Labour are upset because the Greens are addressing issues actual issues that matter to voters in Gorton & Denton
Via @willem_moore_uk https://t.co/z36llAujh1
— Canary (@TheCanaryUK) February 25, 2026
While we thought they’d do well, however, we didn’t anticipate quite how well:
🚨 BREAKING: The Green Party has won the Gorton and Denton by-election from Labour
🟢 GRN: 14,980 (+10,170)
➡️ REF: 10,578 (+5,436)
🔴 LAB: 9,364 (-9,191)
🔵 CON: 706 (-2,182)
🔶 LD: 653 (-746)Changes w/ 2024
— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) February 27, 2026
It’s like Labour and Reform weren’t even trying.
Victorious
The above results show the number of voters in comparison to the 2024 general; the following shows the percentile change. As you can see, this is an absolutely disastrous result for Labour in what should be a stronghold:
🚨 IN FULL: The results of the Gorton and Denton by-election
🟢 Green: 14,980 (+10,170 / +211.4%)
➡️ Reform UK: 10,578 (+5,436 / +105.7%)
🔴 Labour: 9,364 (-9,191 / -49.5%)
🔵 Conservatives: 706 (-2,182 / -75.6%)
🔶 Liberal Democrats: 653 (-746 / -53.3%)
🐷 Monster Raving Loony…— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) February 27, 2026
40%! It wasn’t even close, completely out performed the polls. This is despite the vile smear campaigns from Reform and Labour. https://t.co/K0t8sF2FDS
— Curtis Daly (@CurtisDaly_) February 27, 2026
While ‘Gorton and Denton’ has only existed since 2024, it’s comprised of parts of constituencies which have voted Labour for decades, including Manchester Gorton, Manchester Withington, and Denton and Reddish.
Keir Starmer has ended a streak which lasted for around half a century.
Labour kept saying they were the only party which could beat Reform, but they didn’t even beat them to second place.
Labour spent the election claiming the Greens weren’t in the race.
They claimed it was Labour versus Reform.
They said that’s what their data said.
They lied. They lied through their teeth.
Never, ever, ever, ever trust what Labour say again. https://t.co/LyvkV5XWcb
— Owen Jones (@owenjonesjourno) February 27, 2026
Labour have a new problem now too.
The seal has popped.
They can cry ‘only we can win‘ as much as they like, but people know that isn’t true now, and for many that was the last reason they had to vote Labour.
Excuses
The establishment said the Green Party couldn’t win, and look what happened.
We told you what’s possible, meanwhile, and we’ll continue to do so.
Congratulations to Hannah Spencer MP and to all those who believed that something better can come.
Oh, and be ready to hold your nerve moving forwards:
Expect the press attacks on the Greens to increase by 1,000%.
— Canary (@TheCanaryUK) February 27, 2026
Featured image via Barold
Starmer on the brink as hard-Left Greens smash Labour in by-election – with Reform pushing them into third, sparking panic among MPs
“Keir Starmer was plunged deeper into crisis today after a disastrous by-election saw Labour routed by the Greens in one of its safest seats – and pushed into third place behind Reform. No10 is facing a fresh onslaught from the PM’s critics and massive pressure to lurch further Left following the worst possible result in Gorton & Denton. The Greens had never won a Parliamentary by-election – or a seat in the North – but Hannah Spencer romped home with a 4,400 majority. Jubilant leader Zack Polanski said it showed his party is on track to get 100 MPs at the general election. Despite flooding the area with ministers and 1,000 activists, Labour did not even have the consolation of second place with its candidate trailing in behind Reform’s Matt Goodwin. Nigel Farage complained of ‘cheating’ and Muslim ‘sectarianism’ after reports of so-called ‘family voting’ from independent observers – an illegal practice where people are escorted to polling booths. Downing Street is hoping Sir Keir can front up the catastrophic outcome by appearing in front of cameras later. Allies insisted he will survive at least until local elections in May, because rebels ‘don’t have anyone’ in a position to challenge. But there are already furious recriminations going on, after the premier blocked popular Manchester mayor Andy Burnham from being the candidate amid fears he would be a leadership rival in the Commons. Backbencher Karl Turner said it was the ‘worst result we could have expected’, insisting Mr Burnham would have won and calling for a more ‘socialist’ Labour. Brian Leishman said Sir Keir should ‘do the right thing… and go’.” – Daily Mail
- Farage: By-election was ‘a victory for sectarian voting and cheating’ – Daily Telegraph
- Pressure mounts on desperate Keir as Greens win by-election in ‘worst result ever’ with Labour slumping to third – The Sun
- Greens Sweep To Historic Victory In Gorton And Denton By-Election – PoliticsHome
- Labour calls on officials to examine ‘very concerning’ reports of illegal voting in crucial Gorton and Denton by-election – The Independent
- Sir John Curtice says Tories have hit a new low with ‘worst ever’ result – GBNews
Comment:
- This Green win should strike fear into the heart of the Right – Annabel Denham, Daily Telegraph
- Gorton & Denton shows there’s no safe seats left for Keir Starmer – Patrick Maguire, The Times
- Green leader’s communism-on-ketamine policies would destroy UK – but here’s why I’m glad they won Gorton by-election – Julia Hartley-Brewer, The Sun
- Electoral fraud may have won the Greens a by-election, and it’s just the start – Paul Goodman, Daily Telegraph
> Today:
Mystery as Mandelson messages go missing
“The lobbying company founded by Lord Mandelson discovered during an internal investigation that a “significant” tranche of his business emails was missing. Global Counsel conducted an internal audit of Mandelson’s company emails after the government agreed this month to release tens of thousands of messages relating to his time as the British ambassador to the US. The company was concerned about what would be published about its own business interests under the mass disclosure, and conducted the audit as part of a due diligence process. The investigation was still going on when the company went into administration last week but an initial report said that significant numbers of emails were missing from Mandelson’s account. The company does not know how the emails came to be missing. The emails that have been kept include a series of exchanges with senior officials and ministers in government, relating directly to Mandelson’s appointment as ambassador. They are said to include messages to David Lammy, then the foreign secretary, and Morgan McSweeney, then Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff. The overall cache of emails, which dates back nearly a decade, includes 1.4 million messages. Mandelson did not respond to requests for comment but it is known that he stopped being able to access his Global Counsel email address in February 2025, when he formally took up his role as ambassador.” – The Times
- No 10 cannot block release of Mandelson documents, officials say – ITV News
- ‘No veto’ for Starmer over release of Mandelson files in Epstein scandal, says intelligence watchdog – The Standard
- Mandelson faces EU inquiry into Brussels trade role over Epstein links – The Guardian
- Mandelson could lose EU pension in Epstein investigation – Daily Telegraph
- How Lindsay Hoyle’s lavish trip to the Caribbean led to Lord Mandelson ‘flight risk’ arrest – The Standard
Comment:
Assisted dying bill on brink of collapse after Lords ‘sabotage’
“The assisted dying bill is on the verge of collapse, forcing campaigners to hatch a plot to revive it. The Terminally Ill Adults Bill is stalled in the House of Lords and widely expected not to become law. Dame Esther Rantzen, a high-profile supporter of the plan, accused the Lords on Thursday of “blatant sabotage” to try to collapse the bill. Now The Telegraph can reveal that, if the law collapses before the summer, around 50 pro-assisted-dying MPs will attempt to force it into law by all putting their names forward for private member’s bills… Putting forward dozens of private member’s bills on the same topic will increase the chances that one on assisted dying will be chosen in the ballot and MPs will be forced to debate it again. If they succeed and a bill on assisted dying is passed identical to the one that went through the Commons last year, MPs will be able to use the Parliament Act to circumvent the House of Lords and ensure it becomes law. In a historic vote last year, MPs voted to allow terminally ill adults with less than six months to live to seek medical assistance to end their lives. Legalising assisted dying in England and Wales has been one of the most controversial issues of this Parliament, with emotive debates from MPs on both sides in the House of Commons. The legislation has since become stuck in the House of Lords, after peers tabled more than a thousand amendments to the bill. There are just six weeks left to pass the legislation and mounting anger among MPs who voted to legalise assisted dying.” – Daily Telegraph
- Controversial assisted dying legislation set to fail as peers accused of delaying tactics – The Sun
- Esther Rantzen blames ‘religious lobbyists’ as assisted dying bill falters – The Times
- Assisted Dying bill almost certain to fail due to lack of debate time – LBC News
- Why have efforts to bring in assisted dying law been thwarted? – The Guardian
Comment:
- The assisted suicide bill was doomed by its supporters’ arrogance – Toby Young, Daily Telegraph
- The defective assisted dying bill deserved to be put out of its misery – The Times View
News in brief:
- Is the Tory Boy dying out? – Becky Paton, The Critic
- Met’s Lindsay Hoyle blunder makes it unfit to investigate Mandelson – Dominic Adler, UnHerd
- Andy Burnham could have won Gorton and Denton – Neal Lawson, The New Statesman
- When did Ofcom become the world’s morality police? – Andrew Tettenborn, CapX
- Green by-election triumph is a sign of things to come – James Heale, The Spectator
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