Latest news with #Bool
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Tory MP admits 'difficult time' after Reform gains
A Conservative MP said it was a "difficult time" for the party after it lost control of two councils to Reform UK in the local elections. North Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire councils - both unitary local authorities - have shifted in power as Nigel Farage's party made an electoral breakthrough nationally, gaining 677 seats. West Northants was one of the last counts of the day to be declared in the country, and was attended by South Northamptonshire MP Sarah Bool. "It is hard, but I am confident that we can rebuild," she said. "People wanted to have a change, so they voted Labour [in the general election] and now they're getting buyer's remorse on that," she added. "They don't quite know that they can reward us yet." Bool said she was disappointed by the county's results in the local elections and believed people had felt "a bit lost" about how to vote. In North Northamptonshire, Reform UK now has 39 councillors, with the Tories having lost 37 seats to be left with 13. The Greens increased their presence by five seats to a total of eight, while Labour now has four councillors. While in West Northamptonshire, Reform UK were voted into 42 seats as the number of Tory councillors fell by 35 to 17. Labour saw its number of seats cut in half, to be left with nine, and the Lib Dems now have six councillors after picking up two more seats. The Conservatives had been in control of Northamptonshire's local authorities for 20 years. The Tories had headed the former county council since 2005 and led both unitaries since their formation in 2021. "I'm very disappointed because we've lost some fantastic candidates who had worked so hard over the last four years," said Bool. "I had a lot of hopes of where they wanted to take the council. "Northamptonshire has had its financial difficulties in past councils and they have been working really hard to turn that trend. "But now, I just want to make sure that the people of Northamptonshire are looked after and there will be a lot of holding Reform to account." The Conservative Party across the country is in shock this weekend, but particularly in Northamptonshire. The party, which has dominated the politics of this county for decades, had to face the humiliation of losing most of its parliamentary seats in last year's general election. Now it has spectacularly lost control of its local government base to a party that is just a few years old and has never seriously contested local elections before. Reform UK is taking votes from every party but particularly the Conservatives. There has been a lively argument within the party for the last year or so about how to take on Reform - now that argument will intensify. Some want to form an alliance with Nigel Farage, something he (and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch) have repeatedly ruled out. Some say the Conservatives will need to come up with bolder policies, while others believe that, given time, the party will fall out with each other and implode. But the worry for the Tories is that the public is turning to Reform not so much because of its policies, but because it is not a mainstream party. How on Earth do they combat that? Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X. Reform UK take control of two Northants councils Live Northamptonshire local elections page Reform UK makes big gains in English local elections Labour scoops up target seats in Northamptonshire
BBC News
03-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Northants Tory MP admits 'difficult time' after Reform gains
A Conservative MP said it was a "difficult time" for the party after it lost control of two councils to Reform UK in the local Northamptonshire and West Northamptonshire councils - both unitary local authorities - have shifted in power as Nigel Farage's party made an electoral breakthrough nationally, gaining 677 Northants was one of the last counts of the day to be declared in the country, and was attended by South Northamptonshire MP Sarah Bool."It is hard, but I am confident that we can rebuild," she said. "People wanted to have a change, so they voted Labour [in the general election] and now they're getting buyer's remorse on that," she added."They don't quite know that they can reward us yet."Bool said she was disappointed by the county's results in the local elections and believed people had felt "a bit lost" about how to vote. In North Northamptonshire, Reform UK now has 39 councillors, with the Tories having lost 37 seats to be left with 13. The Greens increased their presence by five seats to a total of eight, while Labour now has four councillors. While in West Northamptonshire, Reform UK were voted into 42 seats as the number of Tory councillors fell by 35 to saw its number of seats cut in half, to be left with nine, and the Lib Dems now have six councillors after picking up two more Conservatives had been in control of Northamptonshire's local authorities for 20 Tories had headed the former county council since 2005 and led both unitaries since their formation in 2021."I'm very disappointed because we've lost some fantastic candidates who had worked so hard over the last four years," said Bool. "I had a lot of hopes of where they wanted to take the council. "Northamptonshire has had its financial difficulties in past councils and they have been working really hard to turn that trend. "But now, I just want to make sure that the people of Northamptonshire are looked after and there will be a lot of holding Reform to account." Analysis by Andrew Sinclair, BBC East political editor The Conservative Party across the country is in shock this weekend, but particularly in party, which has dominated the politics of this county for decades, had to face the humiliation of losing most of its parliamentary seats in last year's general election. Now it has spectacularly lost control of its local government base to a party that is just a few years old and has never seriously contested local elections UK is taking votes from every party but particularly the Conservatives. There has been a lively argument within the party for the last year or so about how to take on Reform - now that argument will want to form an alliance with Nigel Farage, something he (and Tory leader Kemi Badenoch) have repeatedly ruled out. Some say the Conservatives will need to come up with bolder policies, while others believe that, given time, the party will fall out with each other and the worry for the Tories is that the public is turning to Reform not so much because of its policies, but because it is not a mainstream party. How on Earth do they combat that? Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
BBC News
02-04-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
Northamptonshire MPs visit Falklands to understand UK military
Two MPs have visited the Falkland Islands as part of a programme to help politicians understand the UK's military Labour MP for Northampton South, Mike Reader, and Sarah Bool, the Conservative MP for South Northamptonshire, made the five-day trip as part of the Armed Forces Parliamentary UK and Argentina went to war over the British overseas territory in Bool said: "It was very moving. We went to Goose Green... that was the most profound moment for me [because] you just think about what the [soldiers] did. You have a lot of respect for our military." The 10-week Falklands War, which claimed 1,000 lives including 255 British personnel, began when Argentina's military dictator, Leopoldo Galtieri, ordered an invasion of the islands. Britain, under Margaret Thatcher's government, sent a naval task force to reclaim them. Although Argentina surrendered, it still asserts sovereignty over the Falklands, located 300 miles off its coast. 'Such an honour to go' The MPs were part of a group of 12 politicians selected to go to the by British Forces South Atlantic Islands, they took part in rifle and pistol training with The Royal Gurkha Rifles, toured HMS Forth, and visited Bristow to learn about operations in the Reader said: "It was such an honour to go. Within the first day we had a lot of briefings about the significance of why we were there. But it is quite a remote place. It took us 18 hours to get there."It's such a privilege. There's no better way to understand our military."Ms Bool added: "We were offered the opportunity to go out to the Falklands so that we could understand our defence capabilities out there. "You get to talk to the troops and so you get a very different view of it." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
The Independent
27-01-2025
- Health
- The Independent
Diabetic MP's bid to ensure her condition is not included as cause for assisted death
An MP who developed type 1 diabetes has spoken of her fears that the proposed assisted dying legislation is so vague her condition could be included as a valid reason to end someone's life. Sarah Bool, the new Tory MP for South Northamptonshire, laid an amendment to Kim Leadbeater 's controversial bill last week to highlight the issue, and is calling for a list of conditions that should or should not included. Currently, there are no specific illnesses which are listed in the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill. However, the draft legislation only specifies that someone should be diagnosed as having six months or less to live. The bill committee is due to debate the amendments on 4 February. Ms Bool told The Independent: 'I had a type 1 diabetes diagnosis three years ago, but the way the bill is drafted as it stands, I am caught potentially, because type 1 diabetes is a progressive illness that is not reversible by treatment. It's something that I can only manage. 'If I stop taking treatment, and there's no obligation for me to take it under this bill either, then I could reasonably die within six months, and actually die much quicker. 'I think one of the amendments that we've tried to put forward as well is potentially having the idea that actually there should be a list of conditions that that should or shouldn't be included, but this is one of my concerns.' The Tory MP first got the symptoms of diabetes in May 2021 and noticed she was eating a lot but losing weight. Type 1 diabetes is the most serious form and is incurable requiring daily medication. It was a condition former prime minister Theresa May also lives with. Ms Bool said: 'I've had a lot to come to terms with and I think that's possibly why I feel even stronger now about some of these issues because I looked and I was like, 'well, hold on a minute. I should never come within the remit of this bill'. 'I just know how vulnerable other people who have disabilities are, that there is that sort of expectation and that sort of pressure.' Critics of the bill, which passed its second reading in the Commons before Christmas, have previously raised concerns that the public perception it only applies to serious diseases like cancer rather than just manageable health conditions is wrong. Former multi gold medal winning paralympic athlete turned disability campaigner Baroness Tanni Grey-Thompson argued that the bill could apply to her if she had a sore that failed to heal properly. Added to that section 15 of Bill would allow for someone else other than the patient to sign the relevant document as a proxy requesting termination of their life, which critics believe potentially opens it up to abuse from bad families and doctors. The draft bill does say that mental illness should not be included but even with this clause, Ms Bool, a trained lawyer, has warned that the language does not properly protect people with mental health problems. Ms Bool pointed out that the mental health caveat used the language ' for the avoidance of doubt, a person is not to be considered if they have one or both of a mental disorder or a disability.' However, she noted: 'That wording 'for the avoidance of doubt' is just legalese. It's not binding. There was no weight behind it.' Ms Leadbeater, the MP behind the historic bill, has previously said she is 'very open' to hearing how safeguards can be strengthened. She said some 40 people have been invited to give evidence to the committee when it meets next month.
