I went to Lutterworth today and was taken by these four white horses on a grassed bank at the bottom of the town's main street, which climbs the hill from a bridge over the River Sence. As the plaque says, they are the work of the artist and sculptor Graeme Mitcheson, who was inspired by Lutterworth's role as a staging post for the coaching trade in the 18th century. The town council had the horses installed to mark the diamond jubilee of Elizabeth II.
Welcome to my summary of the latest national voting intention polls for the next general election, along with the latest MRP projections and party leadership ratings. If you'd like to find out more about how polls work, how reliable they are and how to make sense of them, check out my book, Polling UnPacked: the History, Uses and Abuses of Political Opinion Polls, or sign up for my weekly email, The Week in Polls: General election voting intention polls PollsterConLabLDGrnRefLab leadFieldwork Find Out Now 19% (nc) 23% (+1) 11% (+1) 14% (nc) 23% (-1) 0% (vs Ref) 29/7 GB BMG ...
Five principal authority elections took place across England and Wales on Thursday 30th July. The Liberal Democrats were defending one seat in Hampshire, while Plaid Cymru were defending one seat in North Wales. Localist group Residents for Uttlesford (R4U) and Independents were defending one seat each in Essex and Lincolnshire, respectively. Four results have been declared so far, with the final result being counted today. Eastleigh BC, Hedge End South In Hampshire, the Liberal Democrats were seeking to defend Hedge End South on Eastleigh Borough Council. Eastleigh has been under solid Liberal Democrat control for decades, with our party holding ...
Two flags have been banned by Reform from the flagpoles of Gateshead Civic Centre. Firstly, they put an end to the display of the Pride flag. Now, they have banned the Ukrainian flag, a decision that was confirmed at the last full council meeting in July. A Lib Dem motion calling for the flag to be flown was kicked out by the ranks of largely silent Reform Councillors (other than the deputy
Benjamin Goodair says Andy Burnham is right to want for‑profit firms out of social care: "The majority of social care in England is run for-profit. The consequences of this go far beyond unfair profiteering. It actually worsens many of the core problems with England's social care systems - making it less available, of worse quality and widening inequalities." Children from poorer families do worse at school. Nadia Siddiqui explains why and what can be done to narrow the gap in attainment. Steff Aquarone makes the case for a minister for coastal communities: "Too many coastal towns face lower than average ...
DBS checks (Disclosure and Barring Service) are not to be required of Gateshead Councillors in Gateshead. That was the decision of Gateshead Council a couple of weeks ago. DBS is a system to check whether someone has a criminal record so it can be decided whether a person is appropriate for appointment to a particular job or role. Earlier in July, Labour put forward a motion calling for DBS
I think we can agree that public confidence in our political system is at an all-time low. It comes to a pretty pass when Count Binface is considered to be a best alternative to a national party leader in a by-election, or that the party of government feels the need, mid parliament, to regularly change its leader (and our PM) supposedly for the benefit of all. This sorry state of affairs has been growing, across the spectrum, for a long time of course as the desire of politicians to win replaced a desire to serve. Essentially its roots emanate from ...
What is immigration? Immigration into the UK falls broadly into three categories; legal (authorised), humanitarian and illegal (irregular). Legal immigration is supported by many well-known routes such as work, student and family visas, business investment schemes and special temporary schemes such as the Ukraine scheme. Humanitarian immigration follows a long history of welcoming people fleeing persecution and conflict, into this country. Proud to help those who need it find sanctuary here while also honouring obligations under international law. Support for humanitarian immigration aligns closely with our own LibDem beliefs in compassion, internationalism and the rule of law. We also believe ...
The much-vaunted "Manchesterism" of our new Prime Minister is starting to take its national shape, with his early policy pledges and the appointment of his Cabinet. It's a relentless focus on the cost of living – cuts to VAT on energy bills and a £2 cap on bus fares – paired with a jaunty wardrobe and a flair for social media. Burnham wants the public to see him as somehow more 'real' and more 'in touch' than his aloof predecessor. But Burnham's diagnosis of the ills of the nation – and the action needed to address them – amounts to ...
Fri 31st
09:42
From Britain's Mandate to Gaza's Board of Peace: when others decide Palestine's future, Palestinians...
The failure of the Gaza peace process reflects a recurring problem in the international approach to Palestine: powerful actors repeatedly claim the authority to shape Palestinians' future, make sweeping yet undeliverable promises... and when those promises fail to materialise, Palestinians face the consequences. In January, President Trump's son-in law Jared Kushner unveiled an ambitious plan for a "New Gaza" filled with gleaming high-rise towers, a revitalised coastline and tourist-packed beaches. Six months later, no meaningful reconstruction has taken place, and hundreds of thousands of Palestinians continue to live in cramped, unsanitary tents that have become breeding grounds for disease and ...
With this final postcard from Trescothick Bay, our latest week with Lord Bonkers' Diary draws to a close. What did become of Freddie and Fiona? What should the Liberal Democrats' new strategy be? Who will win the 2.30 at Wincanton? The answers to these questions will no doubt be revealed when next we visit Bonkers Hall. Sunday My long career in public life has convinced me of an important truth: a man who will cheat at golf will cheat at anything. It was therefore no surprise to me when President Trump - can that really be his name? - pressured ...
Five principal authority council by-elections this week plus the one for the Mayor of Greater Manchester. Let's start with a Lib Dem defence in a ward that's located in just the sort of Parliamentary seat the party needs to win in order to prosper at the next general election: Hedge End South (Eastleigh) Council By-Election Result: [IMG: 🔶] LDM: 46.1% (+2.7) [IMG: 🌳] CON: 25.0% (+4.1) [IMG: ➡] RFM: 18.8% (-8.2) [IMG: 🌍] GRN: 8.4% (-0.3) [IMG: 🌹] LAB: 1.7% (New)Liberal Democrat HOLD.Changes w/ 2026. — Election Maps UK (@electionmaps.uk) 2026-07-30T23:17:25.164Z The Lib Dem here was Gillian Wroe – thank ...
BBC Sport wins our Headline of the Day Award. Personally, I've not heard many complaints about foxes being overproud. They more often involve dustbins.
It would be fair to say that even my best friends wouldn't describe me as a policy wonk. Yes, I've been known to come up with a compromise or two at ALDE Party events where policy making can resemble speed dating for ideas, but actual serious policy making is not an area of the Party's activities that has been graced by this liberal bureaucrat. That is, until now. A few weeks ago, having read a piece in Liberal Democrat Voice seeking applicants for places on a new Rural Communities policy working group, it dawned on me that someone from the ...
The Independent reports on Andy Burnham's challenge to the other political parties to help him fix social care, a plea that the Liberal Democrats have been making for some considerable time. The new Labour prime minister held a summit in Downing Street on Wednesday with Tory leader Kemi Badenoch and Lib Dem leader Ed Davey to begin the process of thrashing out a way to deliver social care before it collapses the NHS. As John Crace writes in the Guardian, this issue is personal for Burnham, as it is for Davey and for a lot of us too. Crace says ...