Writing in the Sunday Telegraph and the Mail on Sunday, Nigel Farage claimed postal voting has turned the UK’s elections into a “laughing stock”, adding that allowing non-British citizens to vote is “absurd”.

Currently, anyone eligible to vote in UK elections can choose to do so by post but under Reform UK’s plans this would be limited to the elderly, disabled, serving armed forces personnel and those working overseas during an election.

Under the proposals, Commonwealth citizens, who can currently vote in all types of UK elections if they qualify as a resident, would lose their right to go to the polls.

A spokesperson for Reform UK confirmed the changes would not affect Irish citizens, who also have the right to vote in parliamentary elections.

The policy was born out of Mr Farage’s belief that allowing Commonwealth citizens to vote “undermines national sovereignty” and leads to elections being fought over international rather than domestic issues, Reform UK said.

In 2012, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) estimated there were around 1.2 million Commonwealth nationals living in the UK.

Mr Farage said: “For too long, postal voting has allowed our elections to be turned into a laughing stock, riddled with fraud, intimidation and outright cheating. It’s been allowed to go on for years and has poisoned trust in our democracy.

“Meanwhile, allowing non-Brits – people with zero connection to this country – to vote on our future is absurd. It is right that only British citizens should be able to vote in British parliamentary elections.

“That’s why a Reform government will immediately ban wholesale postal voting and ensure only British citizens can vote in elections in order to bring back trust to British democracy.”

The announcement comes after Reform UK asked the police to investigate allegations of election fraud in the Gorton and Denton by-election this week.

The winner of the election was Bolton-born Green Party candidate Hannah Spencer, 34, who managed to overturn a significant labour majority to become the new MP for Gorton and Denton.

Green Party’s Hannah Spencer celebrates winning the Gorton and Denton by-election at Manchester Central. The by-election was triggered by the resignation of former MP Andrew Gwynne who cited health reasons for his decision. Picture date: Friday (Image: Peter Byrne)

Election observer group Democracy Volunteers warned it had witnessed “concerningly high levels” of “family voting” – an illegal practice where two voters use one polling booth and potentially direct each other on voting.

Mr Farage promised to take “action” after the next general election if nothing is done about the allegations, adding: “If this is what was happening at polling stations, just imagine the potential for coercion with postal votes.”

Tory party chairman Kevin Hollinrake said allegations of “family voting” taking place in the Gorton and Denton by-election are “deeply concerning” but branded Reform UK’s plans a “headline-grabbing” exercise.

He said: “Rushing to impose sweeping bans on postal voting is a kneejerk reaction that risks disenfranchising pensioners, disabled people and overseas British citizens who rely on postal ballots to have their say.

“We must safeguard our elections with proportionate, evidence-based reforms, not headline-grabbing measures that could lock law-abiding voters out of our democratic process.”

The Reform UK leader has frequently complained about postal voting when his parties have lost by-elections.

When his former party, Ukip, lost the Oldham West and Royton by-election in 2015, Mr Farage alleged postal votes had been abused, saying the result raised questions about the conduct of elections in constituencies with large ethnic minority communities.

When his Brexit Party lost the Peterborough by-election in 2019, Farage again criticised the postal vote system.

The Brexit Party candidate challenged the result in court but later withdrew the challenge and was ordered to pay the winning Labour candidate’s legal costs.

The latest Electoral Commission data, from 2024, shows no evidence of large-scale election fraud in the UK, with 94% of allegations resolved locally with “words of advice”, or resulting in the police taking no further action.

Reform UK MP Richard Tice questioned the validity of postal ballots when his party’s candidate lost the Rochdale by-election in 2024, stressing the result should act as a “serious wake-up call” to the electorate and those in power.

In none of those cases was postal voting fraud ever proved and none resulted in any convictions.

A major pub chain in the UK is closing all of its bars today

A major UK pub chain with locations throughout the country is shutting its doors today as it works to complete the sale of the business. BrewDog, the Scottish craft beer brand and pub operator, has approximately 60 sites scattered across the UK.

Nevertheless, all will stay closed today (Monday, March 2), as the firm has consistently failed to turn a profit in recent years. BrewDog is holding a company-wide call today, it has informed employees, to enable them to hear directly from senior management.

The pub chain was placed on the market last month. A fortnight ago, bosses confirmed that consultants AlixPartners had been appointed to help attempt to rescue the business.

This follows BrewDog shutting down several of its bars in the UK, including sites such as Camden in London, Brighton, Aberdeen and Leeds. The brand was established in 2007 by friends James Watt and Martin Dickie and expanded remarkably over the past two decades, but encountered financial difficulties in more recent years. Currently, BrewDog has 59 operational sites listed on its website, reports the Express.

Chief executive James Taylor told staff in an internal email: “We appreciate this is an unsettling time for everyone, and we want to ensure that all colleagues have the opportunity to hear directly from us about what happens next. We will therefore be holding a series of company-wide All Hands calls tomorrow (Monday) for all employees across the whole business. These will be scheduled tomorrow.

“To enable everyone to attend, and to comply with licensing issues arising from an anticipated change of ownership, we have taken the decision that none of our bars will open tomorrow (Monday). All sites will remain closed for the day. We have also cancelled food and beer deliveries, as well as customer bookings, for that day.”

The BrewDog pubs that are closed today are:

• Aberdeen Castlegate
• Aberdeen Kennels
• Aberdeen Union Square
• Basingstoke
• Belfast Grand Central
• Bath
• Birmingham
• Bournemouth
• Bristol Baldwin Street
• Bristol Harbourside
• Cambridge
• Camden Road Arms
• Canary Wharf, London
• Cardiff
• Carlisle
• Chancery Lane, London
• Cheltenham
• Clerkenwell
• Doghouse Edinburgh Bar
• Doghouse Edinburgh Hotel
• Doghouse Manchester Bar
• Doghopuse Manchester Hotel
• Dogtap Ellon
• Duke of Hammersmith, London
• Ealing
• Edinburgh Airport
• Edinburgh Cowgate
• Edinburgh Lothian Road
• Edinburgh Waverley
• Exeter
• Gatwick Airport
• Glasgow Kelvingrove
• Glasgow Merchant City
• Hull
• Inverurie
• Liverpool
• Manchester Outpost
• Manchester Peter Street
• Milton Keynes
• Newcastle
• Norwich
• Nottingham
• Paddington, London
• Perth
• Plymouth
• Reading
• Seething Lane Tap, London
• Seven Dials, London
• Soho, London
• Southampton
• St Andrew’s
• Stirling
• Tower Bridge Arms, London
• Tower Hill Outpost, London
• Upminster
• Wandsworth
• Waterloo
• Waterloo – Grind Coffee
• Waterloo Arms

Last October, BrewDog posted a £37m loss. It has around 1,400 employees in the UK. It also expanded internationally, opening venues in the Republic of Ireland, the US and Australia.

Australian Grand Prix organisers say they are “really confident” the travel chaos caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East will not impact the opening race of the Formula 1 season this weekend.

Close to 1,000 members of staff have been forced to rearrange flights, with an estimated 500 of them reportedly set to be flown from Europe on charter planes.

It comes after the US and Israel launched an attack against Iran on Saturday, sparking retaliatory strikes across the region.

F1 also said it was “closely monitoring” the situation, with upcoming races in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia scheduled in April.

Australian Formula 1 chief Travis Auld said on Monday that “everyone will be here ready for the race” as Melbourne prepares to host the 2026 curtain-raiser.

Many drivers and other key personnel based in Europe have had travel plans affected by the major disruption to global air transport, with key routes through Qatar and the United Arab Emirates impacted.

“The last 48 hours have required some reshuffling of flights,” Auld said.

“That is largely Formula 1’s responsibility. They take charge of the teams, drivers and all the personnel that are required here to make this event happen. There’s quite a number of them.

“My understanding is that’s all now been locked in, everyone will be here ready for the race and fans won’t notice any difference.”

All crew members are believed to have survived

‘Several’ US warplanes have crashed in Kuwait as strikes on Iran continue, the Kuwaiti Ministry of Defence has said.

Theu are said to have crashed in the country on Monday morning with all air crews surviving, the ministry added. The cause of the crashes are not known at this stage.

A statement shared by the official Kuwait Army account on X, said: “The official spokesperson for the Ministry of Defense announced that several US warplanes crashed this morning, confirming that all crew members survived.

“He explained that the relevant authorities immediately initiated search and rescue operations, evacuating the crews and transporting them to the hospital for medical evaluation and treatment.

“He noted that their condition is stable. The spokesperson added that direct coordination is underway with friendly US forces regarding the circumstances of the incident, and joint technical procedures are being implemented.

“He affirmed that the relevant authorities are continuing their investigations to determine the cause of the crash, urging the public to obtain information from official sources.”

Social media footage was shared earlier this morning of what is believed to be an F-15 fighter falling from the sky in Kuwait.

It comes after US and Israel hit targets across Iran on Sunday as part of an intensifying military campaign which followed the killing of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

Israel also launched strikes on Lebanon’s capital Beirut on Monday after missiles were fired by militant group Hezbollah.

The dispute is believed to stem from the appointment of council clerk

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A council meeting descended into chaos resulting in five councillors resigning one after the other. The five councillors had previously voiced concerns regarding governance at Caldicot Town Council and declared in a statement that they “do not believe sufficient progress has been achieved” in tackling the issues they had raised.

A statement released by the council said it “does not recognise the suggestion that there are ongoing governance failings” and that it operates in accordance with its rules, statutory legislation, national regulations and its code of conduct.

Four of the five had walked out of a council meeting in October, expressing frustration that bodies responsible for upholding standards on local volunteer councils — which are permitted to employ their own staff — indicated they either wouldn’t, or couldn’t, pursue their complaints.

The dispute is believed to stem from the appointment of council clerk Mark Tredwin in September 2024, initially on a probationary basis, before being confirmed in a permanent role in 2025.

Complaints had been lodged against the clerk, who is understood to have the backing of a majority of councillors. The council has a full membership of 16, though it now faces six vacancies following the resignations and the recent death of a fellow councillor.

Amongst the concerns highlighted was a claim that a member of staff had been prevented from returning to their duties following sick leave, alongside internal personnel issues and tensions between the clerk and dissatisfied councillors.

The situation has now intensified following the departures of councillors Jill Bond and Rachel Grumach, who represent the West End ward, Tony Easson representing the Dewstow ward, and Castle Ward councillors Robert Wilsher and John Woodfield.

Three of the five were originally elected as Labour councillors, although Tony Easson, who also serves as a Monmouthshire County Councillor, was latterly listed as independent after his suspension from the Labour Party, whilst Rachel Grumach and John Woodfield stood as independents.

In a joint statement, the five said: “The decision reflects shared and long-standing concerns about governance, organisational effectiveness, and the overall working environment within the council, impacting delivery to the Caldicot community.”

They said that over the previous 15 months they had attempted to tackle the matters through “proper channels” within the council and external bodies including the Welsh Local Government Association, Audit Wales, Public Services Ombudsman for Wales, the Information Commissioner’s Office, One Voice Wales – the umbrella organisation for town and community councils – and Monmouthshire County Council’s monitoring officers, as well as local Members of Parliament and Members of the Senedd.

“While these engagements were undertaken in good faith and in the interests of securing improvement, the councillors do not believe that sufficient progress has been achieved to address the underlying issues,” the statement issued by the five said.

Caldicot Town Council’s statement said resignations are “always a matter of regret” and thanked the five for the service but said there would be no detrimental impact on how the council functions.

It said: “Like many councils, Caldicot has experienced periods involving employment matters which have placed pressure on administrative capacity.

“Members have consistently been advised that the greatest risk to the council’s effectiveness arises not from governance structures themselves, but from divisions within the membership and any failure to adhere collectively to agreed governance procedures, standing orders and the code of conduct.

“The council remains committed to transparent decision-making and to serving the residents of Caldicot. Work continues to ensure stability, continuity and effective service delivery.”

This man was awarded an MBE in 1995 for his charity work

Within communities, there are always a few people who stand out as local legends. One considered a local legend in Cambridge’s past is former road sweeper Snowy Farr.

Snowy was known in the city for his eccentrics and antics. Many locals will remember him for his famous outfit – a bright red tunic, black boots and shiny medals.

Born Walter Farr, he was also known for his bright white hair, which he sported since childhood and therefore gave him his Snowy nickname. He was mainly based in Petty Cury or Cambridge’s market square.

He would mostly be seen with a cat sitting on top of his hat and a mouse in his mouth. At other times, mice would also be running across his hat, as well as pigeons balanced on the end of his umbrella.

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Other animals that joined Snowy for his antics included dogs, guinea pigs and chickens. Although these seem like odd antics, Snowy had good intentions in mind.

He would perform for crowds with the aim to raise money for charity. Over time, he raised nearly £70,000 for charities supporting blind and partially-sighted people.

In 1995, he was recognised for this charity work as he was awarded an MBE. Sadly, Snowy died aged 88 in 2007.

He was found at his home in Oakington. Snowy’s popularity was proved at his funeral, as around 100 mourners attended the service at St Andrew’s Church in Oakington.

Snowy was familiar to the church as he used to tend to the ground as he said “God had told him to do so”. At his funeral, Reverend James Alexander said: “We all have our memories of Snowy, with his long white beard, performing animals and cart, in the middle of Cambridge.

“It was an amazing sight, and crowds of people used to gather to watch him. He was awfully clever with animals, and when people asked me how he did it, the answer was he simply spent all day, every day with them.”

In 2012, a sculpture was installed outside the Guildhall in Cambridge to commemorate Snowy. It was designed by artist Gary Webb and features a cat-topped hat with mice running around the brim.

The village is only five miles from Cambridge

A village that is perfect for commuting gives people a hint of the city life, while enjoying a countryside life. Cambridge is often considered to be a sought-after location for high paid jobs.

However, living in the city comes at a high price. So, for those who want to live close to work without spending all their money on rent, they’ll need a place that is a good commuting destination. A village perfect for this is Comberton, only five miles from Cambridge, with around 2,400 residents.

The village’s name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon period, meaning Cumbra’s Farm. Comberton is mentioned in the Domesday Book. Parts of St Mary’s Church in the village are over 800 years old, and some houses date back to the 14th century. The village streets are filled with big homes and tall trees.

There is much on offer in the village for people, including shops, schools and a friendly community pub. The village pub is The Three Horseshoes, a family-friendly pub that brings a great atmosphere to locals. Staff are said to be welcoming and it offers a wide range of drinks and snacks.

The village schools also cater up to 16 years old, as there is a primary school and village college. For any sporty people, they can also take advantage of the CB3 Health and Fitness facility.

With so much on the doorstep, Comberton has plenty to offer, in a quieter and more rural setting.

Around 24 million people claiming DWP benefits will receive their payments as normal in March 2026, with no bank holidays affecting the schedule

Benefit payments will arrive as scheduled in March for millions of recipients, as no bank holidays are planned during the month. Should your payment date fall on a weekend or bank holiday, you’ll typically receive the money on the preceding working day.

Those receiving Universal Credit, State Pension, Child Benefit, Disability Living Allowance, Personal Independence Payment (PIP), and other benefits should anticipate funds arriving in their accounts on the usual date. Should any problems arise with your payment, get in touch with the relevant office managing your benefit.

Currently, approximately 24 million people across the nation are claiming some form of Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) administered benefits, including State Pension recipients, accounting for roughly one in three individuals. Analysis by Policy in Practice reveals that £24bn in benefits remains unclaimed annually.

Should you believe you’re eligible for benefit payments, you’ll need to provide bank, building society or credit union account information when applying. Alternative payment methods are only available if you encounter difficulties opening or managing an account.

The basic State Pension is paid directly into bank accounts. Payment typically occurs every four weeks, with the precise day determined by the final two digits of your national insurance (NI) number, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Much like other benefits, payment dates are expected to remain consistent throughout March. Significant changes are set to affect household bills come April.

Energy regulator Ofgem has confirmed that the energy price cap will fall by 7% in April. This reduction will apply to all households, including those on fixed tariffs, and requires no claim or application. The exact savings for each household will vary depending on individual circumstances and energy usage, but average savings from this cut are expected to be approximately £150.

From April, both the new and old State Pension will rise in accordance with the triple lock. The DWP states this will benefit millions of pensioners with above-inflation payments.

Nevertheless, it will bring state pension payments within touching distance of the personal allowance threshold. After the increase, the full new state pension will amount to roughly £12,547.60 per year, whilst the frozen personal allowance remains at £12,570.

The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed that Universal Credit claimants will see their payments rise this year. Benefits linked to inflation are set to increase by 3.8% from April, whilst others will receive a 2.3% uplift.

The RAF base Akrotiri in Cyprus has been hit by a one-way attack drone, amid a fresh conflict in the Middle East that started on Saturday.

Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper told Sky News’ Mornings With Ridge and Frost the strike hit the airport’s runway and said “all of the precautionary measures are being taken around the base”.

There were no casualties in the incident at the base near Limassol, Cyprus.

However, in response to the attack, the base is moving families and temporarily relocating non-essential staff.

The Ministry of Defence (MoD) described it as a “precautionary measure”.

The families are being relocated to alternative accommodation on the island.

Iran latest: Israel says it is striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon

An MoD spokesperson said: “The safety of our personnel and their families is our absolute priority.

“Our base and personnel continue to operate as normal protecting the safety of Britain and our interests.”

The UK government has not yet confirmed where the drone originated from.

It was the first attack on the RAF facility since a rocket attack by Libyan militants in 1986.

An MoD spokesperson said earlier: “Our armed forces are responding to a suspected drone strike at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus at midnight local time.”

Later on Monday, Cyprus’s President Nikos Christodoulides said authorities there are on full alert after the drone strike.

But he reiterated the territory “⁠does not participate ⁠in any way and does ‌not intend to be part of any ‌military operation”.

The armed forces had been moving extra resources, including counter-drone systems, F-35 jets and radar systems to its bases in Cyprus.

The MoD said the additional capabilities were purely for defensive measures: mainly detecting and defeating airborne threats.

Sky News understands the drone involved in the incident at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus was small.

Read more:
Trump has tipped Middle East into war that could last weeks
UK plans evacuation for tens of thousands from Middle East

The suspected strike came hours after Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the UK had allowed the US to strike Iranian missile sites from select British bases.

Sky News understand these to be RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire and Diego Garcia in the disputed Chagos Islands.

Responding to the announcement, the Liberal Democrats warned of a “slippery slope” that risked the US “[dragging] Britain into another prolonged war in the Middle East”.

A ‌Cyprus government spokesperson said: “Information received through ‌various channels indicates that it involved an unmanned drone, which caused limited ⁠damage”.

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UK expats caught in Middle East conflict

Hostilities in the Middle East are entering their third day, with the US and Israel continuing to strike Iran following the death of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

More than 200,000 British nationals, including military personnel, are thought to be at risk in the Gulf as the Tehran regime launches further missiles at its neighbours.