Party Watch

Infographic showing the Makerfield by-election result on 19 June 2026: Andy Burnham (Labour) wins with 54.8% of the vote, ahead of Reform UK's Robert Kenyon on 34.5%. Includes a timeline of events leading to the result and polling showing Burnham preferred as PM over Keir Starmer.

Labour, Local Government, Party Watch

Andy Burnham Wins Makerfield: Starmer Now Faces the Leadership Challenge He Tried to Block

admin / 20/06/2026

Andy Burnham is back in the House of Commons after eight years away, and the road to Downing Street he […]

Poll graphic showing Makerfield by-election voting intention: Burnham (Labour) 45%, Kenyon (Reform UK) 40%, with Reform UK up 8.2 points since the 2024 general election. Source: More in Common / UCL Policy Lab, June 2026.

Labour, Local Government

Makerfield 2026: The Most Important Vote Since the General Election

admin / 14/06/2026

Οn Thursday 18 June 2026, voters in Makerfield will cast ballots in what appears to be a routine by-election in

Data visualization of Plaid Cymru's 2026 Welsh Senedd election results showing 43 seats won (largest party for first time) but isolated government, breakdown of all parties (Plaid 43, Reform 34, Labour 9 collapsed, Conservative 7), and analysis showing Plaid won via protest voting against Labour but cannot form coalitions.

Plaid Cymru, Senedd, The Long View

Plaid Cymru’s Pyrrhic Victory: What Plaid’s win means for Wales

admin / 06/06/2026

On 7 May, Welsh voters delivered a stunning upset. Plaid Cymru, Wales’s pro-independence party, won 43 seats in the 60-seat

Data visualization of SNP's 2026 Scottish election results showing 58 seats won (down from 72), chart of all parties (SNP 58, Labour 17, Greens 15, Reform 17, Conservatives 7), and key issues including governing with Scottish Greens coalition and stalled Scottish independence support at 45%.

Holyrood, SNP, The Long View

Why the SNP Won Big in Scotland — But Faces Its Biggest Challenge Yet

admin / 06/06/2026

On 7 May, Scottish voters delivered a paradoxical verdict on the Scottish National Party. After eighteen years in government, after

Data visualization of May 7 2026 UK election results showing Labour lost 1,496 councillors, Reform UK gained 1,453, Green Party gained 411 and won 5 councils, and Conservatives lost 563. Three columns show losses on left, breakthroughs center, and implications right.

Local Government, Parliaments, Party Watch, Westminster

May 7 2026 Elections: Reform UK’s 1,453-Councillor Breakthrough Explained

admin / 31/05/2026

On 7 May 2026, Britain’s political map was redrawn. Labour lost 1,496 councillors. Reform UK gained 1,453. The Greens broke through with historic results. This is the full story of what happened, why it happened, and what it means for the next general election.

A timeline graphic of the Kirklees Council chaos. Left panel shows May 7 election results: Reform UK 29 seats (needing 35 for majority). Middle panel shows May 20 meeting chaos with direct quotes from confused Reform councillors: "I do not understand the constitution" — Sarah Wood, and "We don't understand what an amendment is" — unnamed Reform councillors. Right panel shows outcome: no leader elected, meeting adjourned, chief executive acting as leader, May 29 deadline approaching. Bottom quote: "They won the election. They couldn't govern the council."

Local Government, Reform UK

Why Reform UK’s Kirklees Council victory exposed its fatal flaw

admin / 30/05/2026

Reform won 29 seats but couldn’t elect a leader. Newly-elected councillors admitted they didn’t understand standing orders, amendments, or the