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The Guardian Politics8 May 2026

Future of UK lies in the EU after Brexit ‘failure’, say European Greens

Exclusive: Co-chair Vula Tsetsi says it is time to trigger debate, as statement is agreed at annual leadership meeting in Brussels The European Green party has urged the UK to consider rejoining the EU and draw a line under the “political and economic failure” of Brexit. A text declaring that “the United Kingdom’s future lies in the European Union” was adopted by a large majority of European green parties at the movement’s annual leadership meeting on Friday, the day before Europe Day. Continue

PoliticsEconomyEnvironment
The Guardian Politics8 May 2026

Potholes – that’s what voters care about. But you wouldn’t know it from the local elections coverage | Simon Jenkins

As I bounced dangerously around a Sussex road, I was reminded of the parlous state of our highways – and the serious neglect of local issues It’s the potholes, stupid. Despite the attempts of national politicians to pretend otherwise, the local elections should have been about potholes. Believe it or not, the state of our roads beat the cost of living, the NHS and immigration as the top election issue in the final YouGov poll. They ranked highest in the Local Government Association’s list of lo

PoliticsEconomyImmigrationHealthcare
The Guardian Politics7 May 2026

If Labour now decides the PM is no longer up to the job, there’s just one problem: neither is anyone else | Gaby Hinsliff

Whoever leads Britain through the next three years may have to navigate a recession, even a war. The way we choose that person needs an urgent overhaul This is going to be an ugly weekend for British politics. How ugly we won’t quite know until Saturday night, when enough votes will have been counted to judge whether Keir Starmer’s government has suffered merely a midterm kicking or a full-blown collapse, and what dark forces may have been unleashed in the process. For you needn’t be a Labour vo

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics7 May 2026

May elections live: millions cast their votes across England, Scotland and Wales

About 5,000 councillors and six mayors up for election in England, while Scotland chooses 129 MSPs, and Wales selects 96 members of the Senedd Here is the election message from Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party. Today, as they head to polling stations, millions of people across the country face a stark choice: between electing a Conservative council that delivers better services and lower taxes, and the chaos and that Labour, Reform and the rest have to offer. Under my leadersh

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics6 May 2026

UK voters need to hear battle over bills and climate crisis are linked, green experts say

As Reform vows to block solar and windfarms, energy leaders say renewables offer most secure future, insulating UK from hostile forces UK politics live – latest updates • May elections: What’s at stake across England, Wales and Scotland? The defining issue of Thursday’s local elections, feedback from doorsteps suggests, will be the UK’s soaring cost of living. But voters should be told about the links between inflation and the affects of fossil fuels and the climate crisis – or the remedies th

PoliticsEconomyEnvironment
The Guardian Politics6 May 2026

Airlines and companies using fuel surcharges to cover surge in costs, UK survey shows

Firms raising prices at fastest rate in three years, driven by soaring energy and wage bills but also extra cost of metals and plastics Business live – latest updates Oil prices fall as Trump hails ‘progress’ on Iran deal Airlines and other companies are increasingly using fuel surcharges to cover soaring costs, a survey has found, in a further sign of Iran war-linked inflation hitting the economy. A poll of companies in the services sector, which includes airlines, found rising fuel prices h

EconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics6 May 2026

Zack Polanski says he was wrong to call himself a Red Cross spokesperson

Green party leader also accuses rightwing media of politically motivated attacks as popularity grows UK politics live – latest updates Zack Polanski has said he was wrong to describe himself as a British Red Cross spokesperson, and that intensified media scrutiny of the Green party reflected fears of its rising popularity and support for wealth taxes. Polanski described himself as a British Red Cross spokesperson while campaigning for the party leadership, the Times revealed. The claim was als

PoliticsEconomyEnvironment
The Guardian Politics5 May 2026

Reinstate windfall tax on banks after surge in profits, TUC urges

Unions group wants rate returned from 3% to 8% after big four UK lenders reveal £14bn total profit in first quarter An increased windfall tax should be imposed on the UK’s largest banks according to trade union leaders, after the big four lenders reported almost £14bn in first-quarter profits, partly fuelled by market turbulence caused by the Iran war. The Trades Union Congress (TUC) renewed its call for an increase in the current bank surcharge, which was reduced from 8% to 3% of profits above

EconomyDefenceHousing
The Guardian Politics5 May 2026

Rachel Reeves and Scott Bessent argued in person about Iran war, sources say

UK chancellor said to have told US treasury secretary she did not like his tone during meeting in Washington in April UK politics live – latest updates Middle East crisis – live updates Rachel Reeves had an angry exchange with her US counterpart, Scott Bessent, in Washington last month over the war in Iran, sources have said, in the latest sign of the deepening tensions between the two countries. The chancellor and the US treasury secretary argued in person during the spring meetings of the I

PoliticsEconomyDefence
The Guardian Politics5 May 2026

UK’s long-term borrowing costs hit highest level since 1998

Rise in bond yields due to fuel prices and political stability concerns will eat away at Rachel Reeves’s fiscal headroom Business live – latest updates The UK government’s long-term borrowing costs have hit their highest level since 1998, amid rising fuel prices and concerns about political stability. The yield – effectively the interest rate – on 30-year UK government bonds (gilts) hit 5.76% at lunchtime on Tuesday, up 0.11 percentage points – exceeding the 27-year high reached last autumn.

PoliticsEconomy
The Guardian Politics5 May 2026

Reform UK’s immigration policies are a significant risk to the UK economy | Sushil Wadhwani

An exodus of workers will be damaging – and electoral change might help Britain escape instability and low growth While all eyes are on the Middle East and the risk of a global recession, a possible scenario with significant downside risk for the UK economy after the next general election is building: the impact of anti-immigration policies. We do not know enough about the actual policy changes a Reform UK-led government would impose, but if we get forced repatriation (including of some who were

PoliticsEconomyImmigrationReformRemigration
The Guardian Politics5 May 2026

‘There is a good deal of fear’: what would a Labour leadership challenge mean for bond markets?

Rayner and Burnham are trying to gain markets’ confidence amid concerns they could loosen fiscal rules if they replace Starmer Who calls the shots on the bin collections in Sunderland, potholes in Hackney, or schools in Cardiff is not normally of interest to City traders in the multitrillion-pound sovereign bond market. But for those dealing in UK government debt, Thursday’s local and devolved government elections are significantly more important than usual, amid speculation that a dire showing

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