Keir Starmer knows his premiership is in danger.

Pollsters have been charting his decline in popularity over the last 22 months, with divisive policies – such as scrapping the winter fuel payments – and a mounting pile of U-turns, setting voters against Labour.

And that’s before the scandal surrounding Starmer’s decision to make Peter Mandelson – friend of the convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein – the UK’s ambassador to the US dominated the national conversation.

Thursday marks the first major test of public opinion towards the government since its landslide victory in July 2024.

It’s also the biggest threat Starmer’s faced since winning the Labour leadership in 2020.

With almost 5,000 councils in England up for re-election, along with the devolved parliaments in Scotland and Wales, the political scene in the UK could be turned upside-down over just a few days.

The results are expected to be brutal for Labour.

The party is on course to lose control of the Senedd altogether after more than a century of dominance in Wales.

Some forecasts suggest Labour could lose 1,860 councillors in England too, while also failing to make any breakthrough in Scotland against the SNP.

All eyes are on Labour MPs to see if they will choose to oust the prime minister in response to the anticipated upheaval.

The party’s rules state any challenger within the Commons needs the support of 20% (81) of all Labour MPs to successfully topple the leader.

This would trigger a leadership contest and Starmer’s name would automatically on the ballot paper.

The party has struggled to unite over regicide in the past, and failed to oust Jeremy Corbyn, Gordon Brown and Tony Blair.

Some MPs fear chopping and changing No.10′s occupant would not help improve the party’s popularity, especially when most of the public want assistance with the cost of living, not another leadership race.

However, allies of Starmer’s rivals have been briefing journalists for weeks about their plans.

Friends of health secretary Wes Streeting claim he has the support of enough MPs to pose a clear challenge to Starmer – despite speculation about how popular he really is within the party.

Former deputy prime minister Angela Rayner also appears to be on manoeuvres, and allegedly has the backing of various trade unions – though she is still haunted by the tax affair which saw her quit government last year.

Andy Burnham, currently the Greater Manchester mayor, is not an MP and so would need to be elected into parliament before he could pose a serious leadership challenge.

But reports suggest he has a plan up his sleeve to be parachuted into a safe seat, with some Labour MPs supposedly willing to step aside for him.

The prime minister is not willing to go quietly, though.

Senior government figures have told HuffPost UK that Downing Street is assembling a top team to save Starmer’s job in anticipation of a challenge in the days after the May elections.

Could the summer end up being a bloody Labour civil war?

Listen to this week’s Commons People as we unpick the trouble ahead for Starmer – and what party insiders are really thinking about Labour’s future.

Subscribe to Commons People, the podcast that makes politics easy. Every week, Kevin Schofield and Kate Nicholson unpack the week’s biggest stories to keep you informed. Join us for straightforward analysis of what’s going on at Westminster.

Amidst what can sometimes feel like a barrage of exercise advice, the NHS says that the benefits of a simple walk often go “overlooked”.

The movement, after all, is linked to better heart, brain, and mental health.

And, some posit, “Nordic walking” may be even better for you than the “regular” kind.

It’s been associated with higher calorie expenditure and less joint pain than going for a normal stroll, while some research suggests it may even ease chronic fatigue.

Here, we spoke to Dr Giuseppe Aragona, GP and medical adviser for Prescription Doctor, about why “Nordic walking” seems to be so good for us – and how it stacks up against the oft-repeated 10,000 steps rule.

Nordic walking involves using two poles to propel yourself as you walk. It was first popularised in the ’90s by skiers, hoping to build their strength off-season.

Because it involves the use of your torso and arms, it engages more of your muscles (up to 90% vs regular walking’s 50-ish %, Harvard Health said).

“In many ways,” Dr Aragona told HuffPost UK, “it offers advantages over simply aiming for 10,000 steps a day”, provided you move enough to meet fitness recommendations.

After all, she explained, the figure “was never based on robust medical evidence; rather, it emerged as a marketing concept in the 1960s.

“What we now know is that meaningful health benefits can be achieved with far fewer steps, and that the quality and intensity of movement matter just as much as the number of steps taken.”

Nordic walking may be a more vigorous activity, the GP continued, because it gets more of your body moving.

“Studies suggest it can increase energy expenditure by around 20% compared with ordinary walking at the same speed, so people often achieve a moderate-intensity workout more quickly,” she stated.

“For most adults, around 150 minutes of moderate-intensity activity per week is the recommended target, and Nordic walking is an excellent way to meet that… Nordic walking can make each step ‘count’ a little more towards cardiovascular fitness.”

Dr Aragona explained that the technique is an excellent choice for those suffering from joint pain, “including those with mild-to-moderate osteoarthritis”.

That’s because “The poles act almost like a support system, distributing some of the body weight through the arms and reducing the load going through the hips, knees, and ankles. This can make walking more comfortable and allow people to walk further or more confidently than they might otherwise manage.”

Additionally, Nordic walking encourages better posture and a longer stride – both of which the GP says can reduce stiffness.

And the added stability and balance the poles offer “can reduce the fear of falling and allow [people] to remain active, important for joint health in the long run”.

The sport, which is often associated with older people, can “be an excellent full-body workout for any age group,” as “It strengthens the core, improves coordination, and provides a cardiovascular boost without the higher impact of running,” Dr Aragona shared.

“Younger adults who find walking ‘too easy’ often enjoy the increased challenge and pace they can achieve with poles,” she ended.

“It can also be ideal for people recovering from injury, those who want a low-impact form of cross-training, or anyone looking for an outdoor activity that improves fitness and strength simultaneously.”

Watering should be so simple; pour water on thirsty plants, which gratefully sup up exactly what they need to flourish.

Unfortunately, Mother Nature is a bit more complicated than that.

There are wrong and right times to water your plants. You can over-water and under-water them. And plants lose some water through transpiration that can be hard to measure.

So, we thought we’d collect the best watering tips we’ve seen so far.

Dehydrated potted plants will feel lighter than usual as the moisture content has left the dirt. If it’s less heavy than it should be, water it.

Not only does this help to stop slugs from eating your leaves, but it is also when plants are most able to absorb water. It comes just before their most active and water-heavy part of the day, too.

It might seem like your flourishing flowers prove they’re getting enough H2O. But actually, you can’t tell if the soil beneath is properly hydrated without touching it.

Place your fingers into the soil until at least knuckle depth to see if it’s truly wet enough.

Plants in containers tend to need more water than those in the ground, because their soil isn’t as deep. When watering them, try adding 10% of the container’s volume (so 1L for a 10L pot), the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS) said.

Rainwater has a pH and mineral content that plants really, really love. Try to use a water butt throughout the year, keep the rainwater in your plants by mulching them, and/or place saucers under your containers.

When watering garden plants, place the nozzle of a watering can right at their base, below the foliage, so that the roots have a chance to access it.

Some potted plants, meanwhile, will benefit from having their entire base submerged in water from time to time instead of the odd sprinkling.

Plants all need a different watering schedule. But most of them share similar signs of dehydration, including dull leaves, decreased flower and fruit production, downward-facing or curling leaves, and lighter potted plant weight.

Wilting, which can also be a sign of underwatering, happens when you’ve overwatered them too; lift the plant up to see if water’s gathered at its base to see what you’re dealing with.

Other signs include yellowing leaves, mouldy patches, stem rot, and dark roots.

This can cause disease and even scald the leaves, especially “hairy” ones, in heatwaves.

I can’t remember the last summer we didn’t have a hosepipe ban (and it turns out hoses aren’t usually the most efficient watering method anyway). Embrace “grey water” from your bath, sink, and shower; soil is usually more than capable of filtering out detergents.

Having a rain butt, keeping grass clippings on your lawn after mowing, and mulching with everything from stones to coffee grounds can help too.

Presenter and journalist Anna Whitehouse has opened up about a little-known phenomenon that helped offer some comfort after experiencing multiple miscarriages.

During an appearance on the CBeebies Parenting Helpline podcast, Anna (known as Mother Pukka on social media) said she was “woefully” unprepared for losing a baby, as it’s not something touched upon in school or spoken about in society.

Sadly, she ended up experiencing five miscarriages. In the UK, when a person has three or more miscarriages, it’s known as “recurrent miscarriage”, which affects around one in every 100 couples trying for a baby.

Candidly sharing her experience, Anna described how learning about microchimerism “changed everything” for her after experiencing such devastating loss.

When a baby is in the womb, cells travel into the parent’s body through the placenta, according to Vox. While lots of cells get targeted and destroyed by the parent’s immune system, others will travel around the body – making a beeline for various organs: the heart, lungs, brain.

There, they’ll enmesh themselves in the tissue and become one with the body. This exchange is known as microchimerism.

Some studies have found these cells have been present years after conception – in 1996, a geneticist discovered male foetal cells in a mother’s blood 27 years after giving birth, according to Scientific American. In some cases, the cells can even pass on and live within future siblings.

The exchange of cells can start as early as the first few weeks of pregnancy, according to biotechnology company Ariel Precision Medicine – and it’s been shown to happen in other mammals too.

It’s not entirely clear what these cells are doing in the body, however some studies suggest they could have healing properties – the cells have even been found in healed C-section scars.

Some studies suggest the presence of such cells could explain why women who’ve been pregnant have a lowered breast cancer risk. Others, however, note the cells could play a role in autoimmune diseases – however the jury’s out for now.

Anna, who has three daughters, acknowledged that those “little lives that have been lost” are “not away, abandoned; they’re there, they’re a part of you”.

She added that “knowing that my babies are a part of me on a cellular level” has “healed something in me”.

She’s not alone in finding comfort in this knowledge. In 2023, former Hear’Say singer Myleene Klass – who has previously spoken about experiencing four miscarriages – shared a video explaining the process of microchimerism and why it’s so important for mothers who’ve lost babies.

“Whilst there’s no little one to physically hold, knowing they’re quite literally in your heart and mind changes everything,” she wrote in a touching Instagram post.

“It’s hard sometimes, believing your body let them down, but there’s comfort in knowing it’s your body where they now reside.”

CBeebies Parenting Helpline is available on BBC Sounds and all other platforms.

• Sands works to support anyone affected by the death of a baby.
• Tommy’s fund research into miscarriage, stillbirth and premature birth, and provide pregnancy health information to parents.
• Saying Goodbye offers support for anyone who has suffered the loss of a baby during pregnancy, at birth or in infancy.

Today, Thursday 07 May 2026, will see voters across the country flock to the ballot box.

In England, voters will have their say in close to 5,000 seats across 136 councils.

Parliamentary elections are also taking place in Scotland and Wales, though there will be no elections in Northern Ireland until May 2027.

Here’s some crucial facts you need to know about the polls today – including some dos and don’ts.

The polls have been open since 7am and will close at 10pm tonight, Thursday 7 May.

You will be able to cast your vote after 10pm if you were in the queue to vote before that point.

You can get an emergency proxy vote if you are unable to make it to the polls today due to urgent circumstances you couldn’t have foreseen by the regular proxy vote deadline (usually six days before the polls open).

Emergency proxy applications close at 5pm on 7 May.

That means you can get another person you trust to vote for you in person.

Some reasons to get an emergency proxy vote include:

• A medical emergency,
• Being away for work,
• Lost, stolen, or damaged ID that became missing or got damaged after the deadline to get a Voter Authority Certificate passed. This applies to polls that require ID,
• Acting as a medical companion to someone receiving medical care (Scottish Parliament elections only),
• Needing to change your existing proxy (Scottish Parliament and council elections only),
• Being detained in a mental health institution in relation to criminal proceedings (Scottish Parliament and local council elections only).

If you think you may qualify for an emergency proxy vote, the Electoral Commission said you should contact your local electoral registration office in Scotland or the electoral services team at your local council in England or Wales.

They offer PDFs for various circumstances on their site.

Firstly, you do have to be registered to vote. The deadline to sign up for these elections has passed, but if you’re not sure whether you can vote or not, you can check here.

If you are registered to vote, you should have been sent a polling card. You don’t have to bring this with you, though the BBC said this can speed things up.

You can only vote in your local polling station, which you can find here. However, voters in four parts of England – Cambridge, North Hertfordshire, Milton Keynes, and Tunbridge Wells – will be able to vote in other places as part of a pilot which hopes to make voting easier.

You don’t have to use a photo ID when voting in person for the Scottish Parliament or Senedd, but you do when voting in person in the English local elections.

Acceptable forms of photo ID include:

• A passport,
• A driver’s licence,
• A Blue Badge,
• An identity card bearing the Proof of Age Standards Scheme hologram,
• Older or Disabled Person’s bus passes,
• A 60+ Oyster card,
• Armed Forces Veteran Cards.

“You only need to show one form of photo ID. It needs to be the original version, not a photocopy,” The Electoral Commission said. They added that you can still use your photo ID if it’s out of date, so long as it looks like you. The address on your ID does not have to match your current address.

You’re encouraged not to take a picture inside the polling station. This could risk the secrecy of your vote and that of other people.

In fact, if you reveal how someone else voted, even by accident, you risk a £5,000 fine and up to six months in jail.

You can usually take a picture outside the polling station, though.

You also cannot discuss politics inside a voting station.

Do you feel secure about your pension?

A 2025 survey by the Financial Conduct Authority found that a third of people have less than £10,000 saved in their plans, which has been described as “worrying”.

And in a recent pension special of the Martin Lewis Money Show, the expert said he has a “rule of thumb” that “scares the pants off everybody.”

A viewer asked, “Whilst I want to put more into my pension, I don’t want it to affect my quality of life in the here and now. Is doing 15% contributions as someone in [their] mid-30s enough?”

Lewis replied that the viewer was doing “really well” with that percentage.

Then, he added, “Let me give you the rule of thumb that scares the pants off everybody.

“Take the age when you start putting into your pension, so in your case, we’ll say 30.

“Halve it, that’s 15 [percent contribution]. That’s how much of your income you want going in for the rest of your life for a decent retirement. Very few people ever get there.”

The “real reason” for the advice, he continued, is to illustrate that “the earlier you start, the better… retirement… you’re going to have”.

Of course, he explained, this is in tandem with your State Pension.

The Government has a State Pension Forecast, which will tell you how much you may be entitled to from the government when you reach retirement age.

You can also check what your private pension may be worth when you retire.

These combined figures should tell you roughly what you can expect to bring in a year once you get your pension.

Legal & General said, “The happiest retirees have an average total monthly income of £1,700”.

Following the huge success of its inaugural run, Saturday Night Live UK is getting a second season.

With two weeks still to go on the first outing of SNL UK, Sky announced on Thursday morning that the sketch comedy series will be returning to our screens later this year.

Season two will run from September 2026 until early 2027, for an extended run of 12 episodes, compared to the current iteration’s eight.

Lorne Michaels – the creator of SNL, who is also an executive producer of its UK run – enthused: “I’m incredibly proud of our team and the show. It keeps getting better every week.

“I’m grateful to [Sky CEO] Dana Strong and Sky for believing in and supporting SNL UK. I’m excited for the season ahead.”

SNL UK premiered in March, having had its planned length boosted from six to eight episodes before the first instalment aired.

Despite some initial scepticism in the British media when the project was first announced, SNL UK was met with glowing reviews and promising viewing figures upon its debut.

Ratings have dipped somewhat over the course of SNL UK’s run so far, although its original sketches have continued to perform well on social media, with two of last week’s offerings already among the show’s most-viewed on YouTube.

This coming weekend, Hannah Waddingham is set to serve as SNL UK’s guest presenter for the penultimate instalment of season one.

A week later, Doctor Who’s Ncuti Gatwa will take on hosting duties at the finale, with Myles Smith and Holly Humberstone as their respective musical guests.

SNL favourite Tina Fey fronted the launch episode of the UK edition, and in the weeks since, it’s been presented by Jamie Dornan, Riz Ahmed, Jack Whitehall, Nicola Coughlan and Aimee Lou Wood.

SNL UK continues on Saturday night at 10pm on Sky and Now

Sleep is surprisingly consequential for your heart health. One study found that 11 minutes more sleep each night is linked to a lower risk of heart attack, while other research suggested that a 10-11pm bedtime is linked to a lower risk of heart issues.

And now a new paper has said that how you sleep in your 40s may be especially important, too.

The researchers noticed “an association between the variability in bedtime and sleep midpoint and cardiovascular risk”, meaning that a person’s sleeping pattern might influence their heart health.

The study looked at 3,231 individuals born in Northern Finland in 1966. A week of their sleep was recorded when they were aged 46 using activity monitors.

Then, their healthcare outcomes were followed for over a decade.

Researchers found that inconsistent bedtimes and a greater variability in sleep timing were linked to a higher risk of heart health events like a heart attack, especially among people who got less than eight hours of sleep.

In fact, among those who both didn’t get eight hours’ sleep and had chaotic sleeping patterns, heart attack risk almost doubled.

But there was one caveat: irregular wake-up times weren’t linked to a greater risk of major cardiovascular events, like heart attacks, myocardial infarction or cerebral infarction.

Study author Laura Nauha said: “Previous research has linked irregular sleep patterns to heart health risks, but this is the first time we’ve looked separately at variability in bedtime, wake-up time and the midpoint of the sleep period – and their independent associations with major cardiac events.

“Our findings suggest that the regularity of bedtime, in particular, may be important for heart health. It reflects the rhythms of everyday life.”

Thankfully, maintaining a regular sleep schedule “is one factor that most of us can influence,” said Nauha.

Though this study only showed a link and not a cause, there are some simple ways to help improve your sleep-wake schedule.

Falling asleep at the same time every night helps, as does getting some morning sunlight.

Avoiding caffeine after 2pm, sticking to a consistent wind-down routine, and exercising in the day can help too.

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If you’re anything like us, you’re completely obsessed with sleep RN. And we don’t blame you – life is busy, our brains are constantly wired, and all we want is a good night’s sleep to get us through the week.

When we heard that Simba – the company renowned for its unbeaten mattresses, pillows, and duvets – had launched a fresh bedding collection, we were the first to jump into bed.

Our audience editor, Hannah Ballantyne, got her hands on some hybrid pillows and cool linen bedding bundle, calling it a total ‘game-changer’ for her sleeping.

“Simba’s hybrid pillows and cool linen bedding are an absolute game-changer for the sleeping. It’s completely changed the way I sleep,” Hannah says.

“I’ll be the first to admit, my sleeping has consistently been all over the place for years. I’ve tried a lot to try and make it better but these products have changed everything for me.

“I’m actually sleeping through the night, in comfort. I also run very warm and the pillows and bedding have kept me cool all night long, which I was quite shocked about, I thought I would still wake up roasting regardless.

“I couldn’t believe the products actually did this. It feels like I’ve found the answer to how to have a great night’s sleep. I would recommend these sheets and pillows highly to anyone. Run, don’t walk.”

Intended to ‘redefine the sleep environment’ the launch is made up of six temperature-regulating fabrics, including Tencel, linen, muslin, and cotton (percale, waffle, and Egyptian, don’t you know!).

No matter what kind of texture you’re into, there’s something for everyone – you could even mix and match!

While it might be on the pricier side, each fabric is intended to adapt to different temperatures so you don’t have to keep switching up your bedding with each season (so really you’re saving money).

You can also choose from seven new colours – our faves are the dusty rose and oat cappuccino – to layer for the ultimate cosy cocoon.

Whether you’re looking for fresh pillowcases, sheets, or a new set entirely, this is our pick of Simba’s latest release.