Party Watch

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."

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 […]

A data graphic showing the leasehold reform crisis. Left panel displays Labour's 2024 manifesto promise to cap ground rents at £250 and affect 4 million leaseholders. Right panel shows Treasury blocking the reforms to protect £7 billion in annual pension fund returns. Central quote: 'Week after week sees new leasehold horror stories emerge' — Matthew Pennycook, May 2026.

Housing, Labour, Westminster

The Hidden Truth Behind the Leasehold Crisis: What You Need To Know

admin / 29/05/2026

8 months after being elected on a promise to end the feudal leasehold system, the Labour government is quietly delaying reforms and weakening commitments. The Treasury has intervened to protect pension fund returns. Meanwhile, 4 million leaseholders wait for liberation that may never come.

Five abstract political figures standing in a row, each coloured in their party's colours: red for Labour, purple for the Greens, green for Reform UK, amber for the Liberal Democrats, and blue for the Conservatives, against a dark background

Parliaments, Party Watch, Policy Breakdown

7 May 2026 and the New Political Britain

admin / 29/04/2026

A five-party Britain heads to the polls. The two parties that governed us for a century are fighting for survival.