Police probe claims Labour bribed voters with food to support by-election candidate Labour battling to hold Gorton and Denton against fierce challenge from the Greens and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK The Independent UK · Feb 17
Reform accused of ‘pitching for votes of misogynists and homophobes’ with plans to scrap Equality Act Charities have warned that scrapping the Equality Act would be a ‘significant step backwards’ for discrimination protections in Britain The Independent UK · Feb 17
Nigel Farage assumes Anne Robinson role in political remake of The Weakest Link Reform UK leader snaps at reporters as he tries to maintain control over announcement of shadow cabinet The Guardian - UK · Feb 17
What do we know about Reform UK’s frontbench team of four? Here are the briefs – and some of the views – of Robert Jenrick, Suella Braverman, Richard Tice and Zia Yusuf The Guardian - UK · Feb 17
Farage says Reform UK is no longer a ‘one-man band’ – so who is in his new top team? The Independent takes a look at the politicians who have been handed the top roles The Independent UK · Feb 17
Nigel Farage unveils Reform UK frontbench team and warns over dissent Leader says move should end claims of one-man band and shows party is ‘creating a machine for government’ The Guardian - UK · Feb 17
London local elections leave Labour 'nowhere to hide' with Greens on march in the capital, new analysis But the city is such a Labour stronghold that it may cling onto many wards, says Professor Sir John Curtice Evening Standard · Feb 17
How long has Reform enjoyed a lead in opinion polls? Reform has averaged a nine to 10-point lead in the polls since autumn 2025. The Independent UK · Feb 17
Nigel Farage unveils 'shadow cabinet' with two Tory defectors on Reform UK's frontbench The Reform leader proposed a ‘new super economics and business department’ modelled ‘on what the Germans did after World War Two’ Evening Standard · Feb 17
Starmer hits out at Reform over past vaccine claims as measles cases surge Labour prime minister criticises Nigel Farage’s party after a controversial doctor was allowed to spread false claims that Covid vaccines are linked to the cancers affecting the royal family at Reform conference The Independent UK · Feb 17
Farage promotes Jenrick and Braverman as he unveils new Reform front bench Richard Tice, the deputy leader, was named as the spokesman for business, trade and energy. Evening Standard · Feb 17
What’s the state of this Starmer-led nation? Speak to angry voters in Gorton and Denton and it all becomes clear I had so many conversations with people fed up with all the chaos, deceit and U-turns. Politics must respond to this disenchantment, says Guardian columnist Owen Jones The Guardian - UK · Feb 17
Tories could be hit harder by local election U-turn than Labour, top pollster says John Curtice says the Conservative Party is facing challenges in large county councils now being forced to organise May elections The Independent UK · Feb 17
Minister defends Reed amid calls for him to resign over local elections U-turn Stephen Kinnock said Steve Reed was doing ‘an excellent job’ amid widespread criticism after the move to abandon plans to delay 30 ballots. Evening Standard · Feb 17
The Guardian - UK · Feb 17 UK politics: Farage insults female reporter as Braverman says Reform UK wants to scrap Equality Act – as it happened Party leader tells FT journalist she should ‘write some silly story’ after press conference revealing roles for his top team
The Guardian - UK · Feb 17 Farage expected to name Jenrick as potential future chancellor Former Tory minister one of a raft of likely appointments to counter accusations Reform is a ‘one-man band’
The Guardian - UK · Feb 17 Trump has pulled the US out of the World Health Organization – here’s why that’s sheer hypocrisy There’s a lesson here for the UK and the anti-WHO Nigel Farage – Trump attacks it in public, but in private he knows he still needs it, says Devi Sridhar, chair of global public health at the University of Edinburgh
The Guardian - UK · Feb 17 Labour take note: the politics of home cannot be ceded to the nativist right Reform’s version of patriotism is opportunistic and bogus, but it is swaying voters. Labour must look to its roots to find a reply, says Guardian associate editor Julian Coman
Evening Standard · Feb 17 Councils ‘race against time’ to organise elections in time for May after U-turn Months of planning had been lost, according to the deputy chief of a professional body for election administrators.
The Independent UK · Feb 16 Robert Jenrick to be unveiled as Reform UK’s Treasury spokesman, reports say Robert Jenrick will be unveiled as Reform’s chancellor-in-waiting alongside several other new appointments on Tuesday
Evening Standard · Feb 16 East London borough will get 'independence' vote on leaving capital under Reform UK, Nigel Farage rally told Romford MP Andrew Rosindell told the Reform UK event that Havering residents would get a choice to remain Londoners or rejoin Essex
The Guardian - UK · Feb 16 Why Starmer’s latest U-turn over local elections could be a gift for Reform Ditching plans to delay votes in 30 English councils gives Nigel Farage chance to capitalise on Labour unpopularity
The Guardian - UK · Feb 16 Starmer abandons plans to delay local elections in England in latest U-turn PM under fire from his own MPs and opposition leaders after ditching plan to postpone elections for 30 councils
The Independent UK · Feb 16 Council elections to go ahead in May after legal challenge to Government The Government said providing certainty to councils about their local elections ‘is now the most crucial thing’.
Evening Standard · Feb 16 Council elections to go ahead in May after Reform UK challenge to Government The Government said providing certainty to councils about their local elections ‘is now the most crucial thing’.