An open parliamentary seat in Dublin Central should be Sinn Féin’s for the taking. But the capital’s most famous mobster is on the ticket, too — and could determine the winner in Ireland’s complex voting system. May 20 5 mins read Source link
The US ally has seen support plummet in recent years amid widespread anger over its genocidal war on Gaza. Published On 21 May 202621 May 2026 A new poll from The New York Times/Siena has found that nearly three-quarters of voters aligned with the Democratic Party oppose US military aid to Israel, up from 45 percent three years ago, as support for Israel continues to drop among US voters. The poll released on Wednesday also found that nearly half of Democratic voters said that their party was too supportive of Israel, while 95 percent opposed the US-Israel war on Iran. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list The survey is the latest to underscore a shifting political landscape on Israel-Palestine in the United States, driven by anger over Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza and aggressive military campaigns across the Middle East. While Israel has long been able to rely on the US for strong military, economic, and diplomatic support, Israel has seen its popularity plummet across numerous segments of US society, especially among Democrats …
Zack Polanski, Keir Starmer and Nigel Farage Labour lost almost four times as many voters to the Green Party than to Reform UK during the local elections, according to a respected pollster. Voters brutally punished Keir Starmer’s party when voting for more than 5,000 council seats in England on May 7. Reform picked up more than 1,450 council seats in the major elections, particularly in former Labour strongholds. Starmer’s party lost more than 1,460 seats across the country, a catastrophic defeat which triggered calls for the prime minister to step down so Labour can fight Reform under a new leader. However, YouGov has found 22% of Labour’s 2024 voters switched to the Green Party in the local elections. In comparison only 6% of 2024 Labour voters supported Reform UK. Overall, 46% of that voting cohort were loyal to the party, compared to 55% of the 2024 Tory voters who continued backing the Conservatives. Four in 10 Labour and Lib Dem voters also said wanting to stop another party from winning was one of the top …
The UK made an historic decision in 2016 to leave the European Union, but the debate about Brexit has not ended. Some people never accepted the decision at the time. However, some senior politicians are now talking openly about rejoining the EU. Former health secretary Wes Streeting, who hopes to become Labour leader, says the UK should eventually rejoin. Andy Burnham, another possible candidate for No 10, previously said he hoped the UK would rejoin one day, but more recently said that is not a priority for now. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer wants closer links with the EU as part of a “reset”. He has said he does not want to rejoin the EU. However, recently, he has declined to rule out changing this policy after a future general election. Earlier this week, Mr Burnham warned against getting stuck in a “permanent rut” of Brexit arguments. The Greater Manchester Mayor, who hopes to return to Westminster in the Makerfield by-election, said Brexit had been “damaging” but “the last thing we should do right now …
The conservatives aren’t happy either This is a bitterly disappointing result for Moreno. While the PP confirmed its overall dominance in Andalusia, winning in all eight provinces, the loss of five seats and its parliamentary majority by a narrow margin is a blow. “It’s an overwhelming victory, but it’s not enough,” said José Manuel Trujillo, a political scientist at Seville’s Pablo de Olavide University. Trujillo largely attributed the loss of seats to voters to the PP’s left and right, who had not turned out four years ago, but did so this time. The Andalusian president has become the most prominent moderate voice in the PP, marking out a centrist path away from the theatrics of Madrid. Going into this election, Moreno’s vía andaluza (“Andalusian way”) was being touted as a possible strategy for PP national leader Alberto Núñez Feijóo to replicate, who has struggled to find a clear position on the political spectrum. But, with Moreno falling short, attention will shift to the approach of the conservatives’ other high-profile regional baron, Isabel Díaz Ayuso, the hard-line president …
US President Donald Trump’s effort to unseat Republican Congressman Thomas Massie has transformed Kentucky’s 4th District primary into one of the most closely watched and expensive races of the United States’ midterm election season. Massie, a conservative known for repeatedly breaking with his own party, provoked Trump’s anger after opposing US strikes on Iran and backing efforts to release files linked to convicted US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Now, the seven-term congressman is facing a heavily funded challenge from Ed Gallrein, a former Navy SEAL endorsed by the president. Recommended Stories list of 1 itemend of list With more than $20m spent on the race ahead of Tuesday’s vote, the Kentucky primary is shaping up as a major test of Trump’s grip over the Republican Party, and whether Republican voters will side with the president or a legislator who has built his reputation on defying party leadership. Kentucky is also holding primaries for the open US Senate seat being vacated by longtime Republican Senator Mitch McConnell, who has served seven terms. On the Republican side, …
If Andy Burnham steps down as Mayor of Greater Manchester, do you think Gary Neville should replace him? Labour insiders have reportedly discussed the former footballer entering politics. Mr Burnham has confirmed he intends to stand for Labour in the upcoming Makerfield by-election in a bid to return to Parliament. This comes amid Labour infighting, with pressure on Sir Keir Starmer to step back as Prime Minister and start a leadership battle. The former Manchester United captain has been raised as a potential candidate for the city’s mayoralty. Neville has become an outspoken political commentator, joining the Labour Party in 2022 as he criticised the Tory government and called out inequality. So what do you think? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comments section. Can’t see the poll below? Click here The Salford-born pundit has been involved with a number of regeneration projects in Greater Manchester, including Hotel Football and the St Michael’s development. Labour sources have said that, while no formal approach to Neville has been made, his celebrity profile …
Nigel Farage has reignited a fierce political row after vowing to ban foreign flags from flying above public buildings if Reform UK takes power. Now Express.co.uk readers are now being asked whether councils and other public bodies should only be allowed to fly British flags — or whether foreign flags should remain as symbols of solidarity and international support. The debate intensified after Reform councillors in Essex removed the Ukrainian flag from County Council headquarters, prompting criticism from James Cleverly. The former Home Secretary wrote on X: “One of the first decisions made by Essex Reform was to remove the Ukrainian flag from County Council HQ. Let that sink in.” Should foreign flags be banned from flying over public buildings? Vote in our poll and join the debate in the comments. Mr Farage hit back by declaring: “Under Reform there will be no foreign flags flown above our public buildings.” Reform has already introduced flag restrictions in councils it controls, limiting displays to the Union Jack, the St George’s Cross and county flags. Party chairman …
“There remains growing concern about a potential gap between public statements and deliverable policy, particularly in relation to claims that developments might be ‘stopped,’ ‘delayed,’ or ‘quashed,’” campaigners told Tice in the letter. Reform constituencies are a key battleground for large-scale solar development. Jenrick is the MP for Newark, where two massive solar farms — One Earth and Great North Road — are proposed. Both await a decision from Energy Secretary Ed Miliband. For now, the party is “using every lever available” to block developments, including legal challenges, Tice said. This includes Reform-run local authorities Lincolnshire County Council and North Kesteven District Council, which have committed up to £500,000 in public funds to finance a potential judicial review against another development, Springwell Solar Farm. That project was approved by Miliband in April. Tice argued there are “excellent grounds” for a challenge, but the numbers are not on the party’s side. There have been 230 appeals against solar schemes by English councils since 2011, according to data provided by lobby group Solar Energy UK. Most — 125 — found in favor of developers. And since 2024, out of 27 challenges, all but …
While 31 percent thought Starmer and his team had changed the country in the right way, “but not enough,” more than half — 56 percent — said Labour has either not changed anything since winning power in 2024 or changed the country for the worse. And a similar proportion — 53 percent — said Labour has no realistic chance of being re-elected whenever the next election comes. For Nigel Farage’s nationalist Reform UK party, by contrast, the verdict is dramatically more positive. Not only is Farage distinctly more popular than Starmer, his party is seen as more likely to succeed at handling key challenges facing Britain — and 65 percent of the public believe Reform now has “a real chance” of winning power. The results suggest Farage’s Reform UK has broken through to become a far more credible political movement in the eyes of the public than it was shortly before the 2024 election. “The Labour Party ran on a promise of ‘change’ but very few people now feel they have delivered,” said Seb Wride, head of polling …
