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Daily Mail
3 days ago
- Politics
- Daily Mail
LORD ASHCROFT: 'We can sniff Starmer's fear of Farage' say voters as they back winter fuel U-turn and insist two-child benefit cap must stay
Mrs Merton, the comic interviewer created by the late Caroline Aherne, famously asked Debbie McGee what first attracted her to the millionaire Paul Daniels. In the same satirical spirit, voters have been wondering what it was about the Reform party's surge in the local elections that prompted Keir Starmer to tighten his immigration policy and row back on cuts to the winter fuel allowance. Some welcome the winter fuel reversal and even give Labour some credit for listening and learning. More sceptical voters, of whom there are plenty, see a weak Government that can't make a decision and stick to it. Some wonder which taxes will rise to pay for the U-turn. On all sides, the link between Labour's plummeting popularity and the winter fuel climbdown is obvious (in my research, Starmer's explanation that his newfound largesse was the result of an improving economy just made people laugh). 'You've kind of gotta sniff a bit of desperation,' one 2024 Labour voter told us. The same is true of Starmer's recent conversion to tighter immigration controls, with promises of stricter education and language requirements and a longer wait for settled status. On this issue, voters are, if anything, even more doubtful – for at least three reasons. First, they don't think he means it: the human rights lawyer and free-movement advocate has not suddenly seen the merits of firm border control ('If that was what you truly believe, it should have been on the table months ago,' a Reform supporter said). Second, they don't think it will happen: my poll found only just over a quarter of all voters think Labour would succeed in cutting immigration numbers, even if it wanted to – which most think it doesn't. Third, they think he's aiming at the wrong target. As my poll also showed, people care much more about illegal migration, and the vast hotel costs that follow, than about those coming here legitimately to work. Some worry that Starmer's new rules will make it harder to recruit, especially in crucial areas such as the care sector, even as migrants arrive on our beaches in record-breaking numbers. In a double blow for Starmer, the people who take his new immigration rhetoric most seriously are the ones who like it least, often inside his own party. Most of them don't think he means it either, but some longstanding Labour voters find it profoundly depressing that the Prime Minister seems willing, as they see it, to pander to the Right. Many found his warning that Britain risked becoming an 'island of strangers' particularly worrying. 'When you're quoting Enoch Powell, I draw a line at that,' one told us last week. Evidently aware of these tensions, Labour figures are dangling the prospect of an end to the rule under which families can only claim child-related benefits for up to two children. This would please the Left and many party activists, but infuriate rather more than that. In my poll, most Labour voters backed the two-child benefit limit, while Conservatives and Reform voters did so overwhelmingly. They see it as an issue of fairness: 'I've got six children and I agree with the cap, because all the extra children I had, I've paid for,' one participant put it. These debates underline the dilemmas facing Chancellor Rachel Reeves as she prepares to unveil her spending review on Wednesday. With the economy struggling to grow under the weight of her extra taxes and regulations, she faces difficult choices over how to maintain public services – and the Government's new commitments on defence – while sticking to her fiscal rules. I found voters tend to want her to balance the books by controlling spending rather than raising taxes, but think she will do the opposite. Starmer has tried to divert attention from Labour's troubles by highlighting the contradictions in his opponents' plans. It is certainly true that Nigel Farage is offering simultaneously to slash taxes and boost spending – not least by scrapping the two-child benefit cap. But these attacks on Reform slightly miss the point. Those drawn to the party know its policies are a work in progress; it is the change of direction they want to see. They want a government that takes them seriously and puts Britain first. They won't be fact-checked into submission. More interesting is Starmer's acknowledgment that Reform is now Labour's chief opponent – a view shared by voters of all parties. Strikingly, my poll found Farage is considered the most likely of the current leaders to be PM after the next election. This is not good news for Kemi Badenoch. Most in my poll expected her to be swapped out before the election. This is not because it would be a good thing or would help the Tories' chances, but because that's what they believe the party does. No Tory leader has served a full term since David Cameron. The leadership circus has long been part of the Conservatives' problem. Another round would signal to many potential supporters that the party is not serious. And with Labour in trouble and Reform promising whatever it pleases, seriousness is above all what the Tories need to prove.
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Reform UK councils in ‘shambles' as newly elected councillors fail to show up
Reform UK gained control of nine councils and minority control in three more in May's local elections, but opposition councillors claim the party's organisation and productivity have been a "shambles" since. Across the 12 Reform -controlled councils, 33 meetings have been cancelled or postponed in the first nine weeks since the election, and at least 21 Reform councillors have missed their first meetings. In Kent, nine out of 22 scheduled meetings have been cancelled since the election, including legally required meetings like the governance and audit committee. An opposition councillor in Kent, Rich Lehmann, said the cancellations were "shocking" and questioned Reform 's ability to lead the council, while Sam Smith, leader of the Conservatives in Nottinghamshire, called the start "shambolic." Reform UK councillors have reportedly cancelled meetings to reschedule them when more prepared, while Nottinghamshire Council's new Reform leader Mick Barton dismissed the criticisms as "political rhetoric from the opposition."
The Independent
4 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Reform-led councils in ‘shambles' since local elections, opponents claim
Reform UK gained control of nine councils and minority control in three more in May's local elections, but opposition councillors claim the party's organisation and productivity have been a "shambles" since. Across the 12 Reform-controlled councils, 33 meetings have been cancelled or postponed in the first nine weeks since the election, and at least 21 Reform councillors have missed their first meetings. In Kent, nine out of 22 scheduled meetings have been cancelled since the election, including legally required meetings like the governance and audit committee. Kent County Council said some meetings, such as planning committees, were scheduled on an 'if required' basis, and were cancelled because there were no applications requiring an immediate decision. Nottinghamshire Council's new Reform leader Mick Barton dismissed the criticisms as "political rhetoric from the opposition."
Yahoo
25-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Voters, demand answers to critical questions from Tri-Cities candidates
2025 is a local election year. Dozens of races will appear on the Aug. 5 primary and the Nov. 4 general election ballots. The results will shape the future of the Tri-Cities for years to come. As candidates campaign in the months ahead, voters should demand answers to critical questions. Local races for city councils, county commissions, school boards and other governing bodies differ from big state and federal races. These are nonpartisan races, and the candidates are neighbors who want to serve their community. At a minimum, they deserve thanks for stepping up to do a job that can deliver more heartburn than peaceful nights. Things can get bad. Local officials increasingly receive threats and harassment, leading to burnout, resignations and retirements. Voters therefore should look for candidates who possess the emotional and mental fortitude, not to mention the personal support network, to excel under such challenging circumstances. The unfortunate reality is that the general distaste for politics that pervades American culture dissuades people from running. Too many races — dozens of them — are uncontested. No candidate — incumbent or otherwise — deserves a free pass. Benton and Franklin Counties are among the fastest growing in the state, and could have 400,000 residents by 2040. Voters must ask candidates how they balance the need for growth and economic development with paying for services. Should projects in Richland's Targeted Urban Area or at the Port of Kennewick receive millions in tax breaks now that will reduce future tax revenue? Likewise, how will elected leaders ensure that growth enhances livability for all and that the Tri-Cities are prepared to house and employ those future residents? Growth affects more than just city and county governments. School districts must adapt to changing demographics and funding – more or fewer students; more from low-income families or who speak English as a second language. How will elected school board members ensure that all students receive the quality education they deserve while school finances are in flux? State funding is unpredictable lately, and federal support that increased during the pandemic has returned to normal. Some school districts overextended spending on recurring costs with those one-time dollars and now face deficits that taxpayers are reluctant to cover. Debates over curriculum, religion and culture war issues have flared up locally. Voters should consider which candidates will seek to inject more controversy and more politics into schools and which will tamp down those flames. Remember, most local offices are nonpartisan. Voters should ask candidates if they will act like it. Deciding whether to fill a pothole should not rely on being a Democrat or Republican. Every local governing body relies on support from Olympia, whether it be financial or policy. How will candidates work with state lawmakers to advance the needs of the Tri-Cities? Can conservative local candidates temper their politics enough to find compromise with Democrats who control the state capital? Internecine battles within Franklin County government illustrate how badly things can go when voters prioritize partisan agendas over temperament. County commissioners, the sheriff and the auditor have let governance devolve into grudge matches, turf wars and legal investigations. Paying for lawyers and jail takeovers is a poor way to manage the public's tax dollars. Unlike statewide and federal elections, in a local election, voters have opportunities to engage directly with candidates. The people who run for school board, city council, county commission or any other local office are neighbors. Voters can run into them at the grocery store, a local meeting, a candidate forum or just walking the dog. Candidates might go door-to-door and be ready to chat for a few minutes. Take advantage of those encounters. There are a host of local issues that need strong leadership from residents who want to do right by their community and put in the necessary work. If the Tri-Cities want better governance, the people must demand it, not just passively accept it or, worse, be apathetic when they don't get it.
BBC News
23-05-2025
- Politics
- BBC News
North Northamptonshire Council's first meeting since Reform UK win
Newly elected members at a Reform UK-led council have come together for the first time at the authority's annual Northamptonshire Council's chamber in Corby saw 65 of its 66 elected councillors attend and formally approve the new leader of the unitary local authority, as well as appoint other positions and make committee Conservatives lost control of the council as Reform UK won 39 seats in the local elections earlier this Griffiths said it was a "privilege to be chosen as leader of the council". The new political make-up of the 68-seat council is:39 Reform UK councillors13 Conservative8 Green4 Labour1 Liberal Democrat1 IndependentThere are currently two vacancies in the Higham Ferrers ward, where the election was postponed due to death of a Liberal Democrat election for those seats will take place 12 Tories had been in control of the council since the first elections for the authority in 2021, but lost 37 is now the largest opposition group and its deputy group leader David Howes said: "Hopefully we will all work together as much as we can."The Greens gained five councillors after the 1 May poll and group leader Emily Fedorowycz said: "We will not support leadership or action that is dictated by Westminster."We don't want national figureheads or parties running this council. We want it to be run by local people and represented by us in this room." Labour lost eight seats in the elections and group leader Mark Pengelly told the meeting: "We will work with everybody on the council, but we will be holding you to account where we have to, and hopefully we can see four years of improvements for all of North Northamptonshire."A new group has been formed made up of the Independent and Liberal Democrat councillors called the Communities Alliance and it is led by long-serving independent councillor Jim Hakewill, who also stood for Parliament in Kettering in last year's general election, when Labour's Rosie Wrighting won the told the meeting: "The first residents survey for the council will take place in the first few months and we will also consult on our priorities we propose in our new corporate plan." Follow Northamptonshire news on BBC Sounds, Facebook, Instagram and X.
