How English are you really?
I've struggled to ascertain from afar the true nature of Germany's Alternative für Deutschland. Progressive media love to quote its supporters' politically off-key comments, but no party can answer for a membership's every daft remark; even the odd dodgy politician comes with the territory.
Yet the country's two mainstream but increasingly unpopular parties – a disenchantment Brits will recognise – portray the AfD as chocka with swastika-waving Nazis building scale models of Treblinka in their basements.
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The National
an hour ago
- The National
The 5 big issues dominating the Hamilton by-election
It is being seen as a crucial test of the public's mood less than one year out from the wider Holyrood election next May. The SNP have held the seat since it was created in 2011, but they now face a new adversary in Reform UK, and this vote is set to show us whether the rise of Nigel Farage's party seen south of the Border is indeed something to be concerned about in Scotland. But what are the leading issues dominating discussions on the doorsteps? Winter Fuel Payment cut It was the first move Labour made when they came into Government, but it has been an albatross around their neck ever since. The decision to make the Winter Fuel Payment means-tested, taking it from all but the poorest pensioners, has left a bad taste in the mouths of many who put their faith in Keir Starmer's party last June. Voters have already made sure Labour know just how hacked off they are, with the party suffering badly in the English local elections and losing the Runcorn and Helsby by-election last month. Funnily enough, there are now signs senior Government figures are discussing whether to reverse the decision, given its disastrous impact on the party's popularity. READ MORE: Scottish MPs panned over up to £3500-a-month taxpayer-funded homes The policy was widely seen as illogical. It was set to save the Government around £1.4 billion but a group of experts from the Social Security Advisory Committee warned in October: 'It is not clear how the tension between the two goals of fiscal savings and increased take-up of pension credit is resolved within the plans'. More than 10 million pensioners lost out on payments worth up to £300 last year and the fact it was the first move Labour made has severely dented the trust people have in them going forward. Frustration over Labour But it is not just the Winter Fuel Payment cut that has got people up in arms about Labour's performance in Government. The Government's decision to keep the two-child cap – a Tory policy – in place has infuriated many given several charities say it is the single biggest driver of child poverty in the UK. Elsewhere, the Labour Government refused to give compensation to 1950s-born women affected by changes to the state pension age despite being recommended to do so by the parliamentary ombudsman. (Image: Andy Buchanan/PA Wire) Labour's more recent decision to make major cuts to disability benefits has sent their popularity ratings spiralling downwards. UK voters now have the most unfavourable view of Labour ever recorded, according to YouGov. Just 26% of Brits have a favourable view of Starmer's party, while 65% think the opposite, according to a recent poll. Starmer's rating now stands at -46, which is his lowest-ever level. They don't appear to have given themselves a leg-up in his by-election either, with candidate Davy Russell refusing to appear at any debates or hustings. Cost of living The SNP's candidate Katy Loudon told STV the cost of living was the biggest issue in people's minds. Labour came into government amid a cost of living crisis largely driven by Liz Truss's disastrous mini-budget which sent interest rates through the roof. READ MORE: Nigel Farage falsely claims Scottish media 'tried to provoke violence' But not much has changed under Labour. At the end of March, a YouGov poll said 81% of people felt the Government is badly handling the cost of living, with four in 10 saying they had had to make cuts to their usual spending and expect to have to do again in the future. Labour promised to bring down energy bills by £300 but this has still not materialised. The party has also ruled out any more cost of living payments in 2025. When people feel they can't afford to live their lives or even survive, the party in Government will always suffer badly. Local issues – Buses and town centre funding While you may not have heard too much about them, there are a few local matters that have popped up in debates which may be on voters' minds in this by-election. South Lanarkshire Council is working on a 15-year plan to demolish two-thirds of the existing shops in Hamilton, including both shopping centres, and build 450 new homes as well as a new urban park space. Hamilton town centre (Image: NQ) SNP candidate Katy Loudon – who is a councillor in the area – has been asked about why she voted against this £8 million plan, with Labour framing it as a sign she isn't standing up for Hamilton. Loudon said in response to not backing the plan: 'What we're talking about here is one line in a Labour amendment at South Lanarkshire's budget. I'm very proud, not only of the record of our SNP group at South Lanarkshire Council, but what we have chosen to back.' Elsewhere in the constituency, many people are concerned about cuts to school buses. From August, the Labour-run council is set to only provide free transport to students who live more than three miles from their catchment secondary school, rather than the current two-mile limit. The SNP say this amounts to cutting bus services for as many as 8246 school children. Disillusionment Finally, people being disillusioned with politicians and politics is a huge matter in this by-election, and a major reason why Reform – who are constantly talking about the failures of the political establishment – are seeing a surge in the polls. When The National did vox pops with people in Hamilton, many of them said they did not know who to vote for because no one spoke for them or were voting for Reform because they were hacked off at everyone else. This feeling could hugely impact turnout with people feeling unmotivated to vote and it is likely to lead to a party winning the seat despite not actually having that much support.
Daily Record
3 hours ago
- Daily Record
New list of Covid symptoms for NB.1.8.1 strain as it spreads in UK
The World Health Organization has designated the NB.1.8.1 strain of Covid a "variant under monitoring" due to its rapid rise Epidemiologists are on high alert after a new Covid strain has emerged in the UK, with "multiple mutations" and new symptoms that Brits should be aware of. The NB. 1.8.1 variant of Covid, now under World Health Organisation's (WHO) surveillance as a "variant under monitoring", is causing alarm due to its rapid spread and fears that it could evade immunity from previous infections or vaccination. Seven cases of the variant have been confirmed in Northern Ireland, while globally the new strain has become four times more prevalent among sequenced Covid infections. While some symptoms mirror those of earlier strains, health professionals have identified novel indicators such as heartburn. They've also noted gastrointestinal issues like abdominal pain and bloating. NB. 1.8.1 has become the predominant strain in regions like Hong Kong and China and has cropped up in Australia, the US, and holiday hotspots including Egypt, Thailand, and the Maldives, reports the Mirror. A full list of symptoms: a high temperature or shivering (chills) – a high temperature means you feel hot to touch on your chest or back (you do not need to measure your temperature) a new, continuous cough – this means coughing a lot for more than an hour, or 3 or more coughing episodes in 24 hours a loss or change to your sense of smell or taste shortness of breath feeling tired or exhausted an aching body a headache a sore throat a blocked or runny nose loss of appetite diarrhoea feeling sick or being sick WHO data reveals a concerning leap in the strain's prevalence, from 2.5 per cent to 10.7 per cent of global sequences within a month, sparking heightened global vigilance. A WHO representative said: "SARS-CoV-2 continues to evolve, and between January and May 2025, there were shifts in global SARS-CoV-2 variant dynamics. At the beginning of the year, the most prevalent variant tracked by WHO at the global level was XEC, followed by KP.3.1.1." From February onwards, the circulation of XEC started to drop, while LP. 8.1 saw an increase and became the most detected variant by mid-March. However, since mid-April, LP. 8.1 has seen a slight decline as NB.1.8.1 is being detected more often. Experts say that NB.1.8.1 contains multiple mutations that "may infect cells more efficiently than earlier strains." But importantly, the WHO has not yet observed any evidence it causes more severe disease compared to other variants. Reports suggest symptoms of NB.1.8.1 should align closely with other Omicron subvariants.
Daily Mirror
4 hours ago
- Daily Mirror
Martin Lewis' Council Tax warning for anyone who has moved house this year
Money-saving guru Martin Lewis has urged all Brits who have moved house in the last six months to check their Council Tax band - as hundred of thousands of households are thought to be overpaying Martin Lewis has urged Brits who have recently moved to make one Council Tax check that could be worth £1,000s. Earlier this year, more than 150 top-tier local authorities in England increased their Council Tax, with six areas given permission from the government to exceed the 4.99 per cent spike without triggering a local vote or referendum. The news came alongside multiple bill hikes - including soaring energy costs, higher road taxes, and even a more expensive TV Licence - in what was nationally dubbed as ' Awful April '. Used to fund services such as rubbish collection, roads, and street lighting - Council Tax is controversially based on the price your property would have sold for on the open market on April 1, 1991, in England, or 2003 in Wales. This means many Brits living in new build homes pay are on a higher tax band than those in million-pound houses that were built way before 1991. However, it is thought that hundreds of thousands of homes across England and Scotland are thought to be in the wrong Council Tax band altogether. "Moving or just moved house?" Martin Lewis wrote on X (formerly Twitter). "One of the most important things you should do is check whether you're in the right council tax band. You only have six months to make a formal challenge, after that it's much trickier." As Martin explains on his MSE website, the valuation of Council Tax bands was a rushed job - and in an attempt to band every house in time for the 1991 ruling, desperate officials asked estate agents to help. "They didn't have time to get the detailed information together, so [estate agents] set about doing it quickly by pairing up and driving down countless streets, allocating each property a band with just a glance," the money-saving expert wrote. "They became known as 'second-gear valuations' as they mostly never even stopped their cars, never mind got out of them." Get the best deals and tips from Mirror Money WHATSAPP GROUP: Get money news and top deals straight to your phone by joining our Money WhatsApp group here. We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don't like our community, you can check out any time you like. If you're curious, you can read our Privacy Notice. If you've just moved house - it's worth checking to see whether you're in the right band. You can start off by finding out if you're in a band higher than your neighbours, or similar properties in your area using the Government's website. This is a good indicator as to whether you're being overcharged. But, it's important to understand that you can only ask to have your band revalued - and not just request if it can be lowered. This means you risk having your band (or your neighbour's band) increased - which has happened in the past. If you're still certain you're in a higher band than you should be, you can calculate how much your house was worth in 1991 (if it's old enough) for free on housing websites such as Zoopla and Rightmove. This mainly applies to those living in England as Wales revalued its properties much more recently. "In general you must've lived in the property for six months or less (it doesn't matter whether you own or rent, though if renting you should notify the landlord as a courtesy)," Martin added. "If you're able to challenge formally (also known as a 'proposal'), the Valuation Office Agency (VOA) must review your band. Although you don't have to officially provide evidence about nearby properties, we'd strongly suggest you don't skip that part.
