Markus Andrews

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailTory MPs have been warned that they did not get an electoral dubbing because they “were not right wing or extreme enough” as a battle over the party’s future begins.The defeat of former Tory Mayor Andy Street in the West Midlands late on Saturday night has reopened questions over whether the party “is conservative enough” or should change leader from Rishi Sunak.But Boris Johnson’s former director of communications Guto Harri joined Mr Street in warning against a “drift to the right.”Rishi Sunak’s leadership is under fire More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster email Millions of voters in England cast ballots Thursday in an array of local elections, the last big test before a looming U.K. general election that all indicators suggest will see the Labour Party return to power after 14 years in the wilderness.Prime Minister Rishi Sunak was barely able to point to any big success for his Conservative Party, confirming that the electoral coalition that gave the party a big win in the 2019 general election has frayed, if not completely dissolved, in the wake of a series of political dramas and the cost of living crisis.For Labour leader Keir Starmer, the results provided confirmation of what opinion polls have shown for two years — that Labour has recovered from its 2019 low and is on course to win the election comfortably.Here are five things we learned: WILL SUNAK FACE A REBELLION? It’s possible.Though the Conservatives lost around half the 1,000 council seats they held, and suffered a huge defeat in the special parliamentary election in Blackpool South, a coastal resort town in the northwest of England, it looks as though Sunak will not face a revolt just yet from anxious lawmakers in his party. That’s largely because the Conservative candidate in the mayoral contest in Tees Valley in the northeast of England hung on when the result was announced on Friday, albeit with a much depressed vote. That helped soothe some concerns despite losses elsewhere. However, the defeat of the Conservative incumbent in the West Midlands on Saturday could prompt another bout of jitters among lawmakers increasingly concerned about their ability to hold onto their seats in a general election.Overall, the results show that Sunak hasn’t improved the Conservatives’ overall position following the damage caused by the actions of his predecessors, Boris Johnson, who was effectively ousted, and then replaced by Liz Truss. WHEN WILL THE GENERAL ELECTION BE? Probably in the fall.In the U.K., the date of the general election rests in the hands of the prime minister. It has to take place by January, and Sunak has repeatedly said that his “working assumption” was that it would take place in the second half of 2024. Though that theoretically could take place as soon as July, most Conservative lawmakers have indicated that the best time would be in the fall, when recent tax cuts may register with voters, inflation has fallen further, and interest rates may have been cut — helping to fuel an economic feelgood factor. Waiting till the fall may also give the government a chance to cut taxes again in another budget. Conservatives will also be hoping that the controversial plan to send some asylum-seekers to Rwanda will have got off the ground and that there is evidence that it is acting as a deterrent for those seeking to make the dangerous crossing in small boats across the English Channel from France to England. IS LABOUR HEADED FOR POWER? It looks like it.In historical terms, Labour has a mountain to climb, if it’s going to form the next government. Its performance at the last general election in 2019 was its worst since 1935. Starmer has tried to bring the party back to the center of U.K. politics after the leadership of veteran left-winger Jeremy Corbyn. Starmer’s approach has clearly worked if Thursday’s results are anything to go by. Labour won control of councils in England that the party hasn’t held for decades, and was successful on a massive swing away from the Conservatives in Blackpool South, which if repeated at the general election would lead to a big majority. Labour won in areas that voted for Britain’s departure from the European Union in 2016 and where it was crushed by Brexit-backer Johnson, such as Hartlepool in the northeast of England, and Thurrock in southeast England. It also seized control of Rushmoor, a leafy and military-heavy council in the south of England where it had never won, showing that it has a broad base of support.It’s fair to say that enthusiasm levels are far lower than those that heralded the arrival of Labour’s Tony Blair before the 1997 general election. That may be partly because of the more challenging economic backdrop, but Starmer, formerly a human rights lawyer, lacks the razzmatazz of his predecessor. WILL IT BE A LANDSLIDE? It’ll be tough.One of the contributing factors to Blair’s landslide victory in 1997 came from so-called tactical voting, whereby some voters put aside their political preference and vote for whoever has the best chance of defeating the party they oppose the most. In 1997, that was the Conservatives. Tactical voting has reemerged and was evident somewhat in Thursday’s elections where Conservative candidates lost out to other parties, not just Labour, but also to the centrist Liberal Democrats and also to the Green Party. The Conservatives may also be outflanked from the right, with Reform U.K. poised to stand candidates across Britain. In Thursday’s elections, it was a minimal presence but where the party did stand, it clearly took votes away from Conservative candidates. That was notable in Blackpool South, where the Reform candidate was just shy of usurping the Conservatives into second. Should Reform, which claims to be tougher on issues such as immigration and on Brexit, do as well in a general election, then it could lead to other parties, notably Labour, defeating Conservatives. DOES LABOUR HAVE A GAZA PROBLEM? It certainly looks like it. In some areas with large Muslim populations, such as Blackburn and Oldham in northwest England, Labour candidates appear to have suffered as a result of the leadership’s strongly pro-Israel stance over the conflict in Gaza. Though Labour’s vote share was clearly impacted, but the effect on its performance in a general election remains unclear, as those seats with a big Muslim population generally have big Labour majorities. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailOne of the youngest councillors elected in the UK has won her seat just a week before she’s due to take her A-level exams.Daisy Blakemore-Creedon, 18, was elected to Peterborough City Council after beating the sitting Tory councillor Andy Coles in the Fletton & Woodston ward.The Labour candidate said she was “overwhelmed” by the local support when she gained 940 votes to beat her opponent by 282 ballots.Just one day after her victory, she told The Independent that she had thrown herself into her new role and had already begun to carry out her new duties – despite having to sit exams next week.“I wasn’t expecting to win as it was quite a short campaign so I was feeling very overwhelmed when it happened,” she said.“My priorities as a councillor are supporting the community – especially those who are the most disadvantaged.”Her political journey began when she was just ten-years-old when she would attend protests with family and went on to join the Labour party in 2020 aged just 14 More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailAndy Burnham has vowed to “make big things happen” after he won a third successive term as the mayor of Greater Manchester with more votes than all his opponents combined.The Labour candidate won by a landslide with 63.4 per cent of the vote – miles ahead of runner-up Conservative candidate Laura Evans with 10.39 per cent.Reform gained 7.46 per cent of the vote, ahead of the Greens with 6.92 per cent and Lib Dems with 4.25 per cent.“I’m overwhelmed and humbled that so many people have again given me their support,” he said upon his victory.“I’m always conscious that people who perhaps will usually vote for other parties at a general election have lent me their support.”Andy Burnham has been re-elected as Greater Manchester mayor (Peter Byrne/PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailTory mayor Andy Street has been defeated in the crucial battle for the West Midlands in a result that has left Rishi Sunak’s premiership hanging by a thread.The shock defeat follows a difficult campaign for the Tories amid narrowing polls and party turmoil with increasing questions over the prime minister’s leadership and Labour left to boast that the victory in the West Midlands will herald a “wipeout” of Tory MPs in the general election.Mr Street was defeated by a margin of just 1,508 votes to Labour’s Richard Parker – 225,590 to 224,082 – but his defeat by less than 2,000 votes has had repercussions for his party across the country.A Tory MP messaged The Independent with one word: “Catastrophe!”A Labour source admitted that their own early predictions that Mr Street had just held on to the key region had proven to be wrong. The source said: “Even if we ran them very close it’s an almost certain wipeout for the Tories at the general election.”The Tory West Midland’s mayor has been defeated More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSadiq Khan has been re-elected for a historic third term as the Mayor of London. Mr Khan secured his third term in office with just over 1,088,000 votes, a majority of some 275,000 over Conservative rival Susan Hall, who secured just under 813,000 votes. This means that the Labour politician received 43.8 per cent of the voter share to Ms Hall’s 32.7 per cent. Labour Leader Sir Keir Starmer had signalled he was confident of Mr Khan’s victory before declarations commenced, as he counted mayoral victories for his party in Liverpool, South Yorkshire, West Yorkshire, and in Greater Manchester where Andy Burnham returned to power.Murmurs on Friday evening suggested the result may be closer than initially thought, as Mr Khan’s majority was expected to be hit by dissatisfaction with the Ulez low-pollution scheme and the Labour party’s stance on Gaza.Yet Mr Khan has achieved a higher majority than in 2021, equating to a 3.2 per cent swing from Conservative to Labour.The Tory candidate’s campaign had also been mired by controversy amid allegations of islamophobia.Shadow health secretary Wes Streeting provoked ire when he said that a win for Ms Hall and the Conservatives is “a win for racists, white supremacists and Islamophobes the world over.”The result follows a difficult campaign for both Labour and the Conservatives More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailLabour’s Sadiq Khan has been re-elected for a historic third term as Mayor of London. The result follows what has been a long and fractious campaign filled with blunders and accusations of islamophobia and racism.Labour’s Sadiq Khan secured just over 1,088,000 (43.8%) votes to be re-elected London Mayor, a majority of some 275,000 over Conservative rival Susan Hall, who secured just under 813,000 (32.7%) votes.Here are the results for each constituency in full:Merton and Wandsworth Femy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 2,018 votes Count Binface – 1,889 votesRob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 13,153 votes Natalie Campbell – 3,439 votesHoward Cox, Reform UK – 4,495 votesAmy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 2,192 votesZoe Garbett, The Green Party – 9,646 votes Tarun Ghulati – 1,030 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 50,976 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 84,725 votes Andreas Michli – 1,359 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 376 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 961 votesWINNER: Sadiq Khan, Labour PartyGreenwich And LewishamFemy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 1,915 votes Count Binface – 1,706 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 7,713 votes Natalie Campbell – 3,502 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 5,716 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 2,813 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 11,209 votes Tarun Ghulati – 1,033 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 36,822 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 83,792 votes Andreas Michli – 1,610 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 507 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 2,092 votesWINNER: Sadiq Khan, Labour PartyNorth East (Hackney, Islington, Waltham Forest)Femy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 2,134 votes Count Binface – 1,929 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 7,399 votes Natalie Campbell – 3,804 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 4,485 votesAmy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 2,423 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 17,907 votes Tarun Ghulati – 922 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 34,099 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 127,455 votes Andreas Michli – 2,087 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 955 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 1,095 votes WINNER: Sadiq Khan, Labour PartySouth West (Hounslow, Kingston Upon Thames, Richmond Upon Thames)Femy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 2,640 votes Count Binface – 2,304 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 25,579 votes Natalie Campbell – 3,202 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 6,634 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 2,771 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 10,132 votes Tarun Ghulati – 2,436 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 68,856 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 77,011 votes Andreas Michli – 1,669 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 528 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 1,600 votes WINNER: Sadiq Khan, Labour PartyWest Central (Hammersmith and Fulham, Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster)Femy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 1,386 votes Count Binface – 1,260 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 7,663 votes Natalie Campbell – 2,552 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 3,478 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 1,442 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 5,984 votes Tarun Ghulati – 1,100 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 43,405 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 54,481 votes Andreas Michli – 901 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 350 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 964 votesWINNER: Sadiq Khan, Labour PartyEnfield and Haringey Femy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 2,082 votes Count Binface – 1,471 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 7,947 votes Natalie Campbell – 3,056 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 4,969 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 2,495 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 11,799 votes Tarun Ghulati – 1,032 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 41,389 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 82,725 votes Andreas Michli – 3,963 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 579 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 1,019 votes WINNER: Sadiq Khan, Labour PartyBexley and Bromley Femy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 1,899 votes Count Binface – 1,827 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 10,111 votes Natalie Campbell – 2,727 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 9,243 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 3,710 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 8,600 votes Tarun Ghulati – 1,194 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 111,216 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 48,952 votes Andreas Michli – 1,513 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 342 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 2,174 votes WINNER: Susan Hall, Conservative PartyBrent and HarrowFemy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 2,158 votes Count Binface – 1,265 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 7,184 votes Natalie Campbell – 4,512 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 3,636 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 1,702 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 6,984 votes Tarun Ghulati – 2,933 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 66,151 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 58,743 votes Andreas Michli – 1,349 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 486 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 982 votes WINNER: Susan Hall, Conservative PartyEaling and Hillingdon Femy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 2,809 votes Count Binface – 1,997 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 10,124 votes Natalie Campbell – 3,587 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 6,983 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 2,643 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 10,508 votes Tarun Ghulati – 2,659 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 75,396 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 73,257 votes Andreas Michli – 1,919 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 542 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 1,761 votes WINNER: Susan Hall, Conservative PartyCity and East (Barking and Dagenham, City of London, Newham, Tower Hamlets)Femy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 2,671 votes Count Binface – 1,918 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 7,551 votes Natalie Campbell – 4,149 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 6,898 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 2,686 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 13,256 votes Tarun Ghulati – 2,692 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 38,626 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 108,977 votes Andreas Michli – 2,473 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 924 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 2,019 votes WINNER: Sadiq Khan, Labour PartyBarnet and CamdenFemy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 1,833 votes Count Binface – 1,701 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 8,480 votes Natalie Campbell – 2,810 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 4,266 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 1,987 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 9,044 votes Tarun Ghulati – 1,251 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 57,465 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 70,984 votes Andreas Michli – 1,669 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 479 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 1,086 votes WINNER: Sadiq Khan, Labour PartyCroydon and SuttonFemy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 2,074 votes Count Binface – 1,689 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 14,400 votes Natalie Campbell – 3,695 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 6,518 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 3,166 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 9,740 votes Tarun Ghulati – 1,774 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 78,790 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 59,482 votes Andreas Michli – 2,081 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 414 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 1,700 votes WINNER: Susan Hall, Conservative Party Havering and RedbridgeFemy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 1,986 votes Count Binface – 1,466 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 6,417 votes Natalie Campbell – 2,775 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 7,554 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 2,252 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 7,859 votes Tarun Ghulati – 3,692 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 82,859 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 50,780 votes Andreas Michli – 2,000 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 592 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 2,023 votes Winner: Susan Hall, Conservative Party Lambeth and SouthwarkFemy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 1,675 votes Count Binface – 1,838 votes Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 11,463 votes Natalie Campbell – 4,005 votes Howard Cox, Reform UK – 3,990 votes Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 2,167 votes Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 12,446 votes Tarun Ghulati – 954 votes Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 26,347 votes Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 106,861 votes Andreas Michli – 1,528 votes Brian Rose, London Real Party – 427 votes Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 1,043 votesWINNER: Sadiq Khan, Labour PartyFemy Amin, Animal Welfare Party – People, Animals, Environment – 29,280 (1.18%)Count Binface – 24,260 (0.98%)Rob Blackie, Liberal Democrat – 145,184 (5.84%)Natalie Campbell – 47,815 (1.92%)Howard Cox, Reform UK – 78,865 votes (3.17%)Amy Gallagher, Social Democratic Party – 34,449 (1.39%)Zoe Garbett, The Green Party – 145,114 (5.84%)Tarun Ghulati – 24,702 (0.99%)Susan Hall, Conservative Party – 812,397 votes (32.7%) Sadiq Khan, Labour Party – 1,088,225 (43.8%)Andreas Michli – 26,121 (1.05%)Brian Rose, London Real Party – 7,501 (0.3%)Nick Scanlon, Britain First – 20,519 (0.83%) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailHolocaust Education Trust chief executive Karen Pollock has unleashed a furious attack on the way some pro-Palestinian protesters are comparing the Nazis to modern-day Israel.Ahead of commemorations of the horrific crimes by the Nazis which saw the mass murder of 6 million Jews, Ms Pollock has warned that modern-day protests on a range of issues including Gaza “trivialising” the Nazi crimes 80 years ago.“The Nazis, their leaders and their symbols have become almost synonymous for ultimate evil,” she wrote in an article for the Jewish News. “Online, we see this result in the phenomenon of Godwin’s law: the idea that the longer an online discussion continues, the more likely it is that someone stresses their point by using a comparison to the Nazis. However, what may have begun as an online phenomenon has now truly cemented itself into the real world.“Whether individuals donning a yellow star to protest pandemic restrictions or environmental groups using Holocaust-related language to warn against inaction on climate change – it seems that the only way you can make your point heard is by trivialising the murder of the 6 million. It is hurtful, it is wrong, and it is an insult to victims and to the survivors who see the Holocaust being deliberately used and misused.”Students waving the Palestinian flag take part in a demonstration in support of Palestinian people at University College London More