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A new poll has put Reform UK in pole position in the upcoming Runcorn and Helsby by-election.
Lord Ashcroft Polls puts Nigel Farage’s party ahead of Labour by 40 per cent to 35 per cent when respondents are weighted on their likelihood to vote, with the Tories third on 10 per cent.
However, when the polls include only those who say they are certain to vote, the Reform lead rises to nine points in a 22 per cent swing since July.
It comes after former Labour MP Mike Amesbury announced earlier this week that he would quit the Commons after punching a constituent. The 55-year-old was given a 10-week prison term, which was reduced to a suspended sentence after an appeal.
At last year’s General Election, Amesbury was elected with an increased majority of 14,696 on a 59.7 per cent turnout.
Meanwhile, Labour has confirmed that teacher and Cheshire West & Chester councillor Karen Shore would be their candidate.
The councillor for the Central and Grange ward is the first confirmed candidate to be standing in the by-election.
Prime Minister and Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said: “I look forward to her working hard with ministers if she is elected to deliver the local change that the area and our country deserve.”
Donald Trump’s tariff plans ‘not to blame’ for poor economy, says No10
Starmer and Trump meet in the White House
Getty
Donald Trump’s tariffs are not responsible for the UK economy’s weak performance, Downing Street has indicated.
Asked if the US president’s trade policy was to blame for a contraction in the economy, a No 10 spokesman said: “No.”
He added: “We know the cost-of-living crisis is not over, and this Government is determined to make people better off, and that’s why economic growth is the Prime Minister’s number one priority.
“Growth is what funds our public services, it is what enables investments in our hospitals and schools and, of course most importantly, raises living standards for everyone, everywhere.”
The spokesman reiterated that the Government continue to engage with the US administration on tariffs, and insisted they were global and not targeted at the UK.
Downing Street slams Russia’s ‘nebulous responses’ to ceasefire plans
Downing Street has criticised Russia’s “nebulous responses” to proposals for a possible ceasefire in Ukraine.
A Number 10 spokesman was asked about the Prime Minister’s plans to hold a call with European and Commonwealth nations to consider options for a potential “coalition of the willing” to help Kyiv in the event of a ceasefire.
Asked when there would be more clarity about what the plans might involve, he said: “The Prime Minister’s intent is crystal clear. I think the nebulous responses are coming from Russia, the ball is in their court.
“There is a proposal there and in the mean time we are concentrating with our international partners on the best way to drive progress to secure that just and lasting peace.”
Phillipson gives ‘full backing’ to classroom smartphone ban
Education Secretary and Women and Equalities Minister Bridget Phillipson
PA
Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson has said that smartphones have “no place in our schools” as she confirmed the government was “fully backing” a national classroom ban.
Speaking at the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) annual conference in Liverpool, she said: “You know that so much of the damage caused by smartphones and social media takes place outside the school gates.
“But you know, we all know, that phones are distracting, disruptive and bad for behaviour.
“They have no place in our schools, and the government’s position is clear – you have our full backing in ridding our classrooms of the disruption of phones.
“And I know that will be the case in the majority of your classrooms, but I expect it to be true in all classrooms.”
Scottish Greens slam John Swinney’s decision to meet with Eric Trump
The co-leader of the Scottish Greens has called First Minister John Swinney’s decision to meet with Donald Trump’s son a “very bad call.”
Swinney and Eric Trump met in Edinburgh to discuss the Trump family’s business in Scotland, which includes a golf course at Turnberry in South Ayrshire and another one in Aberdeenshire.
Now, Lorna Slater has warned the SNP leader not to trust the Trump family, telling the BBC it was a: “really bad call and a bad message to send that he [Swinney] wants to be friends with Donald Trump and his businesses.”
She added: “This isn’t going to protect Scottish businesses. He is trying to show that he wants to be friends with Donald Trump. I don’t agree with that. Donald Trump isn’t welcome here, and his politics are not welcome here.”
Trump said he did not discuss politics with Swinney, who has called for his father’s state visit to the UK to be cancelled due to his treatment of Ukraine.
Kemi Badenoch warns Nigel Farage not to assume Reform will beat the Tories: ‘It’s just not serious’
Politics LIVE: ‘They’re counting their chickens!’ Kemi Badenoch warns Nigel Farage not to assume Reform will beat the Tories
Kemi Badenoch has issued a warning to Reform UK, suggesting Nigel Farage’s party of “counting their chickens” ahead of next year’s Holyrood elections.
Speaking on her first visit to Scotland since becoming Conservative leader, she said she had to “start rebuilding trust” with voters by setting out a new direction while “acknowledging mistakes that we made.”
Badenoch also issued a warning to Unionist voters that backing Reform UK would only help the SNP cling onto power.
It comes after Reform deputy chair Richard Tice told The Telegraph last week that it was a “given” and “done” that they would beat the Tories at the Scottish elections next year.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
Lammy says it would be ‘wrong’ for Putin to put conditions on Ukraine ceasefire
David Lammy has said it would be “wrong” for Vladimir Putin to place conditions on a ceasefire between Russia and Ukraine.
The Foreign Secretary said a pause in fighting would be a “first step” towards allowing talks to start on “a full settlement” to end the war, as US President Donald Trump warned it would be “very disappointing” for Moscow to reject the proposal.
Talks between the US and Ukraine produced the idea of a 30-day truce, with the US president sending envoy Steve Witkoff to Moscow to discuss the plans with the Kremlin.
Lammy told The Mirror: “It would be wrong for Putin to lay conditions. Our support for Ukraine, and that of other partners, remains ironclad.”
Robert Jenrick takes swipe at Reform UK as Rupert Lowe row sweeps party: ‘Not treated well’
Robert Jenrick has taken a swipe at Reform UK after it ousted Rupert Lowe MP over bullying allegations.
Speaking on GB News, the Tory shadow minister said it looks as though the Great Yarmouth MP “hasn’t been treated well” by the populist party’s top brass.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE.
Lib Dems say Labour has left the economy ‘on life support’
Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper
PA
The Liberal Democrats have expressed outrage after it was announced the GDP had shrunk by 0.1 per cent in January.
The party’s treasury spokeswoman Daisy Cooper MP said: “The Chancellor’s wretched Budget has left our economy on life support so the Spring Statement must deliver a much needed shot in the arm.
“Just as the Chancellor’s jobs tax is set to hammer small businesses and plunge high streets into despair, the Government’s refusal to negotiate a bespoke UK-EU Customs Union to unleash economic growth is baffling.
“At the Statement, the Chancellor must admit that her Budget has failed to reverse the years of Conservative economic vandalism and put forward a new plan that unleashes the growth potential of small businesses up and down the land.”
Reeves doubles down on welfare reforms despite outrage – ‘We do need to get a grip’
Rachel Reeves has doubled down on the need to reform the welfare system, insisting the Government needs to “get a grip” on it amid concerns from Labour and Green MPs about the impact of expected cuts to the budget.
Asked about the reforms during a visit to Scotland, the Chancellor told reporters: “We will set out our plans for welfare reform, but it is absolutely clear that the current system is not working for anyone.
“It is not working for people who need support, it’s not working to get people into work so that more people can fulfil their potential, and it’s not working for the taxpayer when the bill for welfare is going up by billions of pounds in the next few years.
“So, we do need to get a grip. We need to spend more on national defence, but we need to reform our public services, and we need to reform our broken welfare system.”
Labour candidate for Runcorn and Helsby by-election confirmed
Karen Shore will be Labour’s candidate for the by-election
Labour Party
Labour has confirmed that teacher and councillor Karen Shore will be their candidate to stand in the upcoming Runcorn and Helsby by-election.
It comes after Mike Amesbury announced he would stand down at the earliest opportunity following his conviction for assault.
Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer said: “Karen Shore will be a champion for the people of Runcorn and Helsby.
“She’s local and her experience as a teacher and serving the community as a councillor will give people a strong voice in the House of Commons. That’s what people in Runcorn and Helsby deserve in their Member of Parliament.”
“I look forward to her working hard with ministers if she is elected to deliver the local change that the area and our country deserve.”
Ed Balls comes out against cuts to disability benefits – ‘It’s not a Labour thing to do’
Former shadow chancellor Ed Balls has slammed plans for cuts to disability benefits, saying that it was “not going to work.”
Balls told his Political Currency podcast that reforms would be hard for the party to stomach in the context of other cuts.
He said: “It’s one thing to say the economy is not doing well and we’ve got a fiscal challenge, but the context we’re now in is that we are having to increase defence spending and, two weeks ago, it was announced we’re going to cut international aid.”
“But cutting the benefits of the most vulnerable in our society who can’t work, to pay for that, is not going to work. And it’s not a Labour thing to do … It’s not what they’re for.”
Labour branded as ‘growth killer’ by Mel Stride
Shadow Chancellor Mel StridePA
The Tories branded Labour a “growth killer” after latest figures showed the economy had contracted by 0.1 per cent in January.
Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said: “It is no surprise that growth is down again, following near no growth in the last three months of 2024. After consistently talking Britain down, raising taxes to record highs and crushing business with their extreme employment legislation, this Government is a growth killer.
“Labour inherited the fastest growing economy in the G7 but since they arrived business confidence has collapsed and jobs are being lost.
“The Chancellor has 12 days until her emergency budget – she must think again or hard-working people will continue to pay the price of a Labour Government without any business experience.”
Rupert Lowe is ‘too right wing’ to join Tories says ex-Brexit chief Sir David Davis
Former Reform UK MP Rupert Lowe is too right wing to join the Conservative party, ex-Cabinet minister Sir David Davis has said, who said the rise of Reform UK was a symptom of his party’s failure over the past years.
Party grandee Davis told GB News that Reform had grown in popularity because “we were not proper Tories for too long”, and added that new Labour MPs were telling him they feared only being in office for a single Parliamentary term.
READ THE FULL STORY HERE