All posts tagged: conservative party

Tories win seat from Reform in council by-election in boost for Kemi Badenoch | Politics | News

Tories win seat from Reform in council by-election in boost for Kemi Badenoch | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

The Conservatives have gained a seat from Reform UK in a council by-election in the latest sign of a bounce for Kemi Badenoch’s party. The Tories took the Cramlington South West ward on Northumberland County Council with 34.2% of the vote, up nine points. Reform was down 13 points to second place with 26.1% of the vote share. The Liberal Democrats came third with 23%, while the Greens were fourth on 14.3%. It comes as the Tory fightback is underway following their 2024 general election defeat. The research found that 22% of voters backed the Conservatives, up 3% from the previous poll. Meanwhile, Reform’s lead had narrowed with Nigel Farage’s party on 25%, down 5% from the week before. Labour was third on 21%, while Zack Polanski’s Greens were fourth on 13% and the Lib Dems were on 12%. It comes ahead of next month’s local elections where Reform is expected to make major gains, while Labour is facing a drubbing. Source link

Bombshell poll predicts staggering wins for Nigel Farage – and mammoth losses for Labour | Politics | News

Bombshell poll predicts staggering wins for Nigel Farage – and mammoth losses for Labour | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

Nigel Farage is on course for huge wins (Image: Getty) Nigel Farage’s Reform UK could win a staggering 2,260 seats at next month’s local elections in England. Polling experts are predicting the biggest victory in decades. And they have warned that Labour could lose almost 2,000 councillors as the nation turns on Sir Keir Starmer. The Tories are also expected to suffer a brutal night on May 7, which could see them losing more than 1,000 seats. Zack Polanski’s Green Party is likely to be the biggest beneficiary, boosting its numbers on councils across the country by around 450. Read more: One huge mistake by Rachel Reeves made the UK economy weaker before Iran war According to leading psephologist Steve Fisher, Reform UK’s expected victories will dwarf those of Labour under new leader Tony Blair in 1995. During that year’s local elections, Labour won 1,661 seats, helping to pave the way for their landslide General Election victory two years later. But Labour could lose 1,900 seats this time around in what would be their worst …

Kemi Badenoch’s Best Bits Video Has Embarrassing Glitch

Kemi Badenoch’s Best Bits Video Has Embarrassing Glitch

Published by Sam Flores

The Tories were left looking rather embarrassed today after a “best bits” compilation video of Kemi Badenoch played nothing at all. Shadow local government secretary James Cleverly tried to launch the Conservatives’ local elections campaign by lauding the party leader’s “vim and vigour” – but a technical glitch turned it into a moment they’d rather forget. Shortly before introducing Badenoch on stage, Cleverly told the waiting audience: “Just in case anyone has forgotten just how good she is, let’s remind ourselves with a quick look at her best bits.” A few people in the audience excitedly declared that this clip was obviously “going to be long” as the screen briefly flashed up with the Conservatives’ slogans. But it quickly went black. It then showed the Tory pledge to implement a “stronger economy and a stronger country” once more – before Cleverly started to give up. “I’m going to give it… one more second…for the video,” he said, then adding: “Do you know what ladies and gentlemen? Forget the video.” He then welcomed Badenoch onto the …

Starmer accused of U-turning on family voting crackdown to win Muslim votes | UK | News

Starmer accused of U-turning on family voting crackdown to win Muslim votes | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of abandoning plans to crack down on family voting to win over Muslim voters. The Conservatives previously worked to ensure tackling family voting, a term used to describe the issue of multiple people entering a polling booth, was a priority for the Electoral Commission. However, Labour has taken a softer stance on the plans to change voter fraud guidance with the Prime Minister accused of trying to appease the Left and win over Muslim voters. It comes after voters were accused of breaching electoral law during the Green Party victory in the recent Gorton and Denton by-election. Reform UK leader Nigel Farage reported family voting at the election to Greater Manchester Police and the Electoral Commission. As reported by The Telegraph, family voting is illegal. It is an attempt to influence someone’s vote in the polling booth and has become a particular concern in parts of the country with high Muslim populations where husbands culturally take a lead over their wives. During the recent Gorton and Denton by-election, which …

Labour blasted as ‘simpler’ train tickets push fares up | Politics | News

Labour blasted as ‘simpler’ train tickets push fares up | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

Train passengers are being landed with higher fares despite Labour pledges to keep travel costs down. Sir Keir Starmer’s Government is under fire for so-called ticket “simplification” pushing up prices. Government-owned operator LNER admits people will “sometimes” pay more under its “simpler fares” structure when “customer driven demand pushes prices”. The Conservatives said the prospect of higher prices at times when more people want to travel has “blown apart” promises to make train travel cheaper. They claim “some passengers are now paying more than 40% more for comparable journeys than they did just 18 months ago”. The Tories accuse ministers of failing to “assess whether stripping away cheaper fare options could make fare evasion worse”. Last month the Government admitted the “Rail Delivery Group (RDG) has estimated annual revenue lost to fraud and ticketless travel is at least £350-£400million.” The Conservatives warn Labour is “redesigning the fare system blind, without testing whether squeezing out cheaper tickets risks pushing more passengers towards non-payment”. Shadow Transport Secretary Richard Holden said: “Labour promised to freeze rail fares, yet …

Jenrick Slammed By Ex-Tory Colleague For Reform Defection

Jenrick Slammed By Ex-Tory Colleague For Reform Defection

Published by Sam Flores

Richard Holden accused ex-Conservative Robert Jenrick of “jumping into bed with the first people who would have him” in a scathing BBC Question Time takedown. Jenrick was kicked out of the Conservative shadow cabinet in January after leader Kemi Badenoch unearthed his plans to defect. Hours later, Reform leader Nigel Farage announced that his party had acquired yet another ex-Conservative. Jenrick was announced as Reform’s “shadow chancellor” – or Treasury spokesperson – this week. On BBC Question Time, the Newark MP tried to justify his decision by slating the Conservatives. Despite serving as the cabinet-attending immigration minister under Rishi Sunak, health minister under Liz Truss and housing secretary under Boris Johnson, Jenrick said: “I want to have a good government running this country for once, which we haven’t had for along time.” “Obviously, that is a government you were a part of,” host Fiona Bruce pointed out. “Yeah and I resigned from that government,” he insisted. “In the last parliament, I was the only person to resign on a matter of principle.” Jenrick resigned from …

Fury as UK taxpayers pay another £80m a year over migrants | UK | News

Fury as UK taxpayers pay another £80m a year over migrants | UK | News

Published by Sam Flores

Protesters march from Crowborough Training Camp, (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images) British taxpayers are forking out £80m every year for failed asylum seekers to appeal against their rejected claims, shock new data reveals. Each case is costing an average of £4,000 meaning a total of £79.5 million was spent on the administrative costs of hearing asylum appeals in the 2024-25 financial year, according to official figures released in response to a Freedom of Information (FoI) request. The cost has increased by more than a quarter compared with the previous year due to the number of asylum seekers appealing against rejected claims soaring. The number of rejected people waiting to appeal against the decision almost doubled from 34,234 in 2024 to 69,670 last year. However, only a fraction of these case were heard at an immigration tribunal. In the 2024-25 financial year just 20,126 asylum appeals were heard and decided by immigration and asylum tribunals at a cost of £3,786 each. Almost half (46%) proved successful. The costs related to the internal administrative bill of hearing …

Zia Yusuf reveals Nigel Farage is making key decision ‘now’ | Politics | News

Zia Yusuf reveals Nigel Farage is making key decision ‘now’ | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

Robert Jenrick was sacked earlier this week over his plot to defect to Reform (Image: Getty) Robert Jenrick joining Reform “makes it more likely” Nigel Farage will win the next election, his former rival said. Zia Yusuf, who repeatedly criticised the former immigration minister’s record in Government, said Mr Jenrick is “clear eyed about all of the different ways the Tories betrayed this country”. And Mr Yusuf revealed Reform UK leader Mr Farage is deciding on what role Mr Jenrick will play “now”. The policy chief also declared “there isn’t space for two centre right parties in this country”, as the fight to secure the keys to Downing Street intensifies. Asked if he was involved in the negotiations, Mr Yusuf told Sky News’ Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips: “Well, look, the most important thing about Robert’s arrival at Reform is that I had dinner with him on Thursday night, obviously the day he defected, my assessment is that this is a man who is thoughtful, who is clear eyed about all of the different ways …

Huge boost for Badenoch as voters deliver verdict on Jenrick | Politics | News

Huge boost for Badenoch as voters deliver verdict on Jenrick | Politics | News

Published by Sam Flores

Kemi Badenoch’s decisive sacking of Robert Jenrick has received resounding support from Daily Express readers. We asked you if you thought the Conservative Party leader made the right decision and our poll results show the vast majority back her move. In total, 2,496 readers responded to the poll published soon after Mrs Badenoch kicked Mr Jenrick off the Tory frontbench and suspended his party membership on Thursday (January 15). An impressive 1,635 of those who delivered their verdict said the Tory leader was right. This was more than double the number of readers who said Mrs Badenoch was wrong. This group totalled 760 while 101 readers said they were not sure, according to the Express poll. The sacking and subsequent defection to Reform UK by Mr Jenrick prompted mixed opinions among readers who added their views to the poll. A reader commenting under the name “SetonDuring” said: “Mrs Badenoch should be thanked for this tough and right expulsion.” Fellow reader, “Corona”, disagreed, commenting: “Bad move by Badenoch, but I can understand why she did it. …

Jenrick Branded Shameless Chancer For Defecting To Reform

Jenrick Branded Shameless Chancer For Defecting To Reform

Published by Sam Flores

Robert Jenrick has been branded “a shameless chancer” after defecting from the Tories to Reform UK. The former Tory leadership contender jumped ship just hours after Kemi Badenoch sacked him from her frontbench after seeing “clear, irrefutable evidence” of his betrayal. That turned out to be a copy of the speech he planned to make announcing his defection, which was leaked to the Conservative leader by someone in Jenrick’s office. In it, he said: “The Tories and Labour have forfeited the right to govern the United Kingdom. And the mantle now passes to Reform.” It also emerged that Jenrick first held talks with Reform leader Nigel Farage last September, and since then has repeatedly denied he had any plans to defect to the right-wing party. Labour chair Anna Turley said: “Robert Jenrick says the Tories broke Britain. Now he wants to do the same again with Farage’s Reform. “He’s a shameless chancer who, like the other failed Tories who have scuttled off to Reform, are more interested in their careers than the country. “With Jenrick …