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Tuesday, September 30, 2025

Category: UK

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May 2, 2025
News
UK

Nigel Farage Hails Reform’s Triumph as ‘Apocalypse’ for Two-Party System.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has achieved a significant breakthrough in England, winning local and mayoral elections and securing a parliamentary seat in a by-election (special election).

👥 Who’s Involved: Nigel Farage, voters in England, the Labour and Conservative parties.

📍 Where & When: Various locations across England, including Durham, Northumberland, and Essex, during the 2025 local elections.

💬 Key Quote: Nigel Farage stated, “People vote for us because they want change. They’re sick of the two-party system.”

⚠️ Impact: The election results signify a shift in the political landscape, with challenges for established parties like the governing Labour Party and the formerly governing  Conservatives (Tories).

IN FULL:

Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has made massive inroads in England‘s local elections, taking a pivotal step beyond their previous political influence. The 2025 elections resulted in Reform securing vital positions, including a new parliamentary seat, and control of numerous municipal governments, suggesting a growing disenchantment with the establishment Labour and Conservative parties.

At the heart of this shift was the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, where Reform claimed victory. The leftist Labour Party previously regarded it as a stronghold, with a majority of nearly 14,700 votes from the general election held just last year.

In Durham County Council, Reform captured 17 seats formerly held by both Labour and the Conservatives. Nigel Farage told the media, “Two-party politics just died in front of our eyes. What happened here in County Durham, in Lancashire, and in Runcorn and Helsby, it’s pretty cataclysmic for the Labour Party.”

He emphasized that Reform aims to scrutinize government spending, reduce unnecessary expenditures, and prioritize core services over climate change initiatives. “We need to shrink the size of local government, reduce excessive spending, and get back to delivering the core services that county councils are supposed to provide,” Farage said.

Farage dismissed notions of an immediate bid for the prime ministership, emphasizing focus on forthcoming elections in Scotland and Wales as necessary steps before contemplating higher ambitions.

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May 2, 2025
Jack Montgomery
News
UK

Farage’s Reform Party Surges in English Elections as Labour Stumbles and Conservatives Crash.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: The Reform Party, led by Nigel Farage, is making significant inroads in England’s local elections, while the governing Labour Party faces setbacks and the formerly governing Conservative Party suffers major losses.

👥 Who’s Involved: Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, English voters, and Britain’s establishment Labour and Conservative parties.

📍 Where & When: England, local elections results announced on Friday.

💬 Key Quote: Results show Reform’s shift from a single-issue party is achieving success.

⚠️ Impact: Reform has taken a parliamentary seat from Labour in a by-election (special election) and gained many seats and mayoralties in local governments across England, challenging the major political parties.

IN FULL:

As votes continue to be tallied from England’s local elections, early results show Nigel Farage’s Reform Party emerging as the most successful amidst significant losses for the establishment political parties. The elections, involving approximately 1,600 municipal seats across 23 areas and six regional mayor positions, mark the first major voting event since the Labour Party took government from the Conservatives (Tories) last summer.

Reform, formerly the Brexit Party, has also won a parliamentary by-election (special election) for the Runcorn and Helsby constituency (electoral district) in northwestern England, ousting Labour by a narrow margin of just six votes in what was formerly a “safe” seat for the leftist party. Additionally, Farage’s populists secured the newly established mayoralty in Greater Lincolnshire and increased their number of council seats nationwide, with further gains expected as results continue to be announced.

Although Farage’s initial focus was Britain’s withdrawal from the European Union (EU), its rebranding as Reform has seen it take up other issues, such as cutting immigration, deporting illegal aliens, and ending economically damaging net-zero climate policies.

The results indicate that Reform’s strategy to evolve beyond a single-issue platform is yielding dividends. While the votes are still being counted, the initial outcomes suggest that the traditional dominance of the two major political parties has been effectively undermined.

Previously, the Conservatives have often managed to pressure right-leaning voters disappointed by their embrace of climate ideology, broken promises on immigration, and failure to adequately challenge woke ideology through simplistic “Vote Farage, Get Labour” messaging. Today’s results strongly suggest that this messaging has finally failed, and that it will be Farage who can argue that a vote for the Conservatives is liable to empower Labour going into the next general election.

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May 2, 2025
Jack Montgomery
News
UK

Reform Party, Led by Trump Ally Farage, Beats Governing Labour Party in Special Election.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Sarah Pochin, representing Nigel Farage’s Reform Party, has won a by-election (special election) in the Runcorn and Helsby constituency (electoral district), ousting the governing Labour Party by six votes.

👥 Who’s Involved: Sarah Pochin of Reform UK, Karen Shore of Labour, Nigel Farage.

📍 Where & When: Runcorn and Helsby, northwest England; results overnight on May 2, 2025.

💬 Key Quote: Nigel Farage described the victory as a “huge night for Reform.”

⚠️ Impact: The victory highlights Reform’s growing influence in British politics, despite Labour’s substantial parliamentary majority.

IN FULL:

The Reform Party’s Sarah Pochin clinched victory in the Runcorn and Helsby by-election (special election) in England by a margin of just six votes, unseating the governing Labour Party in what was previously a “safe” seat. The election, which took place in northwest England, saw Pochin defeat Labour candidate Karen Shore after a recount. The win marks a significant gain for Nigel Farage’s party and signals a shift in the political landscape.

The by-election was initiated after the previous Labour Member of Parliament (MP) resigned following a criminal conviction. “Victory in Runcorn & Helsby proves we are now the opposition party to this Labour government,” said Reform leader Nigel Farage. “With this and other results tonight, it’s clear that if you vote Conservative you will get Labour. But if you vote Reform, you get Reform.”

The Brexit champion was referring to the broader municipal and mayoral elections across England taking place at the same time as the Runcorn by-election. Results are still coming in, but those declared so far indicate massive gains by Reform, huge losses for the Conservative Party, which governed from 2010 to mid-2024, and comparatively small but still significant losses for Labour.

In the House of Commons, Labour retains a substantial majority, holding 403 MPs compared to Reform’s five, while the Conservatives are the primary opposition, with 121 seats. However, the parties’ relative popularity is not as far apart as this would indicate, and national polls now regularly show Reform equalling and in many cases leading the two establishment parties.

In the Runcorn contest, the Conservative candidate managed only a little over seven percent of the vote, while Reform secured 38.72 percent against Labour’s 38.70 percent. The electoral system in the United Kingdom, which follows a first-past-the-post model, tends to favor larger parties. The Conservatives, in particular, have often pressured right-leaning voters dissatisfied with their left-leaning governance into backing them instead of Farage-led parties to keep Labour out.

The Runcorn results suggest this line of argument is no longer effective, with voters ready to vote for Reform in large numbers regardless of the scare tactics employed by the establishment parties.

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May 1, 2025
Sports
UK

Transgenders Banned from Women’s Soccer.

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❓What Happened: The Football Association (FA) in England has issued a decision to prohibit transgenders from participating in women’s soccer teams.

👥 Who’s Involved: The Football Association, the governing body of soccer in England, and male players who claim to be women.

📍 Where & When: England; effective from June 1.

💬 Key Quote: “Transgender women will no longer be able to play in women’s football in England.” — Football Association.

⚠️ Impact: The ruling affects participation in both grassroots and professional women’s soccer, requiring adaptation to a recent Supreme Court ruling that women should be defined in terms of their biology for legal purposes.

IN FULL:

The English Football Association (FA) has announced that transgenders will be barred from competing on women’s soccer teams. This decision, effective from June, follows a recent ruling by the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom. The ruling clarified that Britain’s equality laws are founded on “biological sex,” and that female-identifying males do not meet the legal definition of women.

The FA’s policy shift is part of a broader movement among various organizations to comply with the Supreme Court’s judgment, directing all public and private bodies in Britain to comply regarding the access they provide to single-sex services and spaces.

This new ban affects grassroots soccer, regional leagues governed by the FA, and professional-level competition. The ruling has also prompted changes in other sports organizations. The Scottish Football Association (SFA) has announced that competitive girls’ and women’s football will be restricted to biological females beginning in the 2025-26 season.

The move comes after the London Marathon refused to ban biological men from competing as women in its mass participation category. Transgender athletes were prohibited from elite-level competition, but still able to record their race times as women in the mass participation race.

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May 1, 2025
UK

England Elects in Local Ballots That Could Make or Break Farage’s Path to 10 Downing Street.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK and key figure in the Brexit initiative, blames the Conservative Party for not executing Brexit effectively, as Reform UK aims to convert its polling popularity into actual council seats in today’s elections.

👥 Who’s Involved: Nigel Farage, Reform UK; the Conservative Party, led by Kemi Badenoch; Labour Party, led by Sir Keir Starmer.

📍 Where & When: United Kingdom, with local elections scheduled for May 1.

⚠️ Impact: The Reform UK party aims to replace the Conservatives as the primary opposition to Labour, influencing local governance. A significant loss could bring about leadership challenges within the Conservative Party and the political landscape across England.

IN FULL:

England goes to the polls today, May 1, with Nigel Farage’s Reform UK positioned ahead, potentially positioning itself to secure seats in various councils.

There are 1,641 council seats across 23 local authorities, including 14 county councils, eight unitary authorities, and one metropolitan borough (Doncaster) in play, as well as six mayoral elections, featuring contests in Greater Lincolnshire, Hull and East Yorkshire, Cambridgeshire & Peterborough, the West of England, Doncaster, and North Tyneside.

Notably, ‘Bad Boy of Brexit’ and long-time Farage ally Arron Banks is up for election as Mayor in the West of England Combined Authority (WECA). Early indications showed Banks as an outsider candidate, though more recently, he has been polling in a position to emerge stunningly victorious, perhaps even to his chagrin.

Voters in the parliamentary constituency of Runcorn & Helsby will also go to the polls today, following a special election triggered by the resignation of Labour Member of Parliament Mike Amesbury, who was convicted earlier this year after assaulting a constituent.

Reform UK seeks to expand its appeal to traditional Labour supporters by advocating for policies such as the renationalization of industries perceived to be failing, including Thames Water. The strategic goal is to erode Labour support while positioning the Reform UK party as a replacement to the Conservatives under Kemi Badenoch’s leadership, without forming a center-right coalition.

The Conservative Party is now under existential pressure. It faces competition from Reform UK in the North and Midlands and the Liberal Democrats in the Southern regions. Kemi Badenoch’s leadership may face challenges should the party see substantial losses in the council seats it currently defends.

The introduction of five-party dynamics, with the rise of the Greens, could result in closely contested council seats, prompting significant implications for future elections. Reform UK’s performance in the upcoming elections will not only signal shifts in political power but also test whether Farage’s party can deliver on its promises or merely expand on electoral rhetoric.

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April 30, 2025
UK

On The Eve of Major UK Elections, ‘None of the Above’ Polls In First Place.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: A poll indicated that “none of the above” is the most popular leader choice among voters, highlighting voter disillusionment before local elections.

👥 Who’s Involved: Reform UK, led by Nigel Farage; Labour and Conservative parties; More In Common; Fire Brigades Union.

📍 Where & When: England, ahead of local elections on May 1.

⚠️ Impact: Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is expected to gain significant traction, possibly securing a parliamentary by-election (special election) win and mayoral positions, challenging the legacy political parties.

IN FULL:

According to a recent poll, voter sentiment ahead of local elections in England showcases significant disillusionment with major political parties. The survey revealed that 41 percent of respondents chose “none of the above” when asked who would be most effective at governing, dwarfing named candidates. Reform UK, spearheaded by Nigel Farage, appears poised for a breakthrough, potentially challenging both the governing Labour Party and the recently ousted Conservatives by capturing key seats across England, including a crucial by-election (special election).

Reform UK’s anticipated gains are stirring concern among some left-wing groups. The Fire Brigades Union (FBU) has initiated a campaign in traditionally Labour-voting areas like Runcorn and Helsby, attempting to curb a potential surge by Farage’s party.

Farage emerged as the second choice in polling figures with 23 percent, following the “none of the above” category. Labour’s Keir Starmer received 19 percent, trailed by Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch with a paltry eight percent. Overall polling in election hotspots placed Labour behind with 18 percent, as Reform UK led with 26 percent, while the Conservatives held 25 percent.

With over 1,600 council seats and pivotal mayoral races at stake, the local elections may act as a litmus test for national sentiments. The National Pulse will cover the results as they emerge.

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Editor’s Notes

Behind-the-scenes political intrigue exclusively for Pulse+ subscribers.

RAHEEM J. KASSAM Editor-in-Chief
It is worth remembering that Britain uses voter ID now, which hurts the Labour Party
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It is worth remembering that Britain uses voter ID now, which hurts the Labour Party show more
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April 25, 2025
Crime
UK

Knife Crime and Personal Theft Surging.

PULSE POINTS:

❓What Happened: Recorded knife crime offences in England and Wales are now on the rise following a decrease during the COVID-19 pandemic.

👥 Who’s Involved: Police forces across England and Wales, with London’s Metropolitan Police recording the highest number of cases.

📍 Where & When: The data pertains to England and Wales in the year 2024, annual figures released by the government’s Office for National Statistics (ONS).

💬 Key Quote:  Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson claims the leftist Labour government “will not tolerate the criminality blighting our communities.”

⚠️ Impact: The crime rise may impact the fortunes of Labour and the formerly governing Conservatives in May’s local elections, with Nigel Farage’s Reform Party already outpolling them regularly.

IN FULL:

Knife crime is rising in England and Wales. In 2024, an estimated 54,587 knife crime incidents were reported, an increase of two percent from the previous year’s 53,413 cases. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) released the new stats this week.

Robberies with knives or sharp objects rose by five percent, reaching 23,305 cases, an increase from 2023’s number of 22,189. Threats to kill using knives saw a modest increase, rising three percent from 5,797 in 2023 to 5,979 in 2024. The offences categorized as “possession of an article with a blade or point” have also shown a rise, with 28,150 reported in 2024 compared to the previous year’s 27,892, significantly higher than the pre-pandemic count of 23,264 in 2019/20.

A regional breakdown of the data shows London‘s Metropolitan Police accounted for 31 percent of the total offenses, with a rate of 188 per 100,000 individuals. West Midlands Police followed with a nine percent share, Greater Manchester Police at six percent, and West Yorkshire Police at four percent.

Personal thefts also substantially increased in England and Wales in 2024, up 22 percent compared to 2023. The survey highlighted a 50 percent rise in theft from the person, including mobile phone thefts, and a 19 percent rise in theft from outside residences.

Policing minister Dame Diana Johnson has reacted to the increases in crime, claiming the leftist Labour government “will not tolerate the criminality blighting our communities.”

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April 25, 2025
Sports
UK

London Marathon Says Biological Men Can Still Compete as Women.

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❓What Happened: London Marathon organisers will permit biologically male transgenders to compete in the mass participation female category despite a recent Supreme Court ruling.

👥 Who’s Involved: Hugh Brasher, race director for the London Marathon; World Athletics; Glenique Frank; Mara Yamauchi.

📍 Where & When: Announcement made in London, England, on April 23.

💬 Key Quote: Race director Hugh Brasher stated participants can compete in certain categories based on the gender they identify with.

⚠️ Impact: Transgender athletes can partake in certain races, though this decision is not yet aligned with recent legal clarifications by the British Supreme Court.

IN FULL:

The organisers of the London Marathon have confirmed that biologically male transgender athletes will still be able to compete in the women’s category of the main mass participation event, despite the recent legal ruling in the United Kingdom that gender corresponds to biological sex.

Hugh Brasher, the race director, stated on Wednesday that runners could compete in line with the gender they identify with for the mass participation segment of the race. However, the eligibility for female races in elite, championship, and “good for age” categories will remain restricted as per World Athletics’ guidelines from 2023.

“We are clear about what we have done and we are really clear about the competition element—anywhere where there is competition, and that includes good for age, has to be your biological birth sex,” Brasher said. However, while elite-level athletes will be unaffected, biological males competing as women will have their times erroneously logged among women in the mass participation race.

This decision comes in the wake of a Supreme Court ruling that defined sex based on biological criteria under the Equality Act. This judgment might impact the future inclusion of transgender individuals in single-sex spaces, including sports, possibly restricting their ability to file discrimination claims if excluded.

The London Marathon’s organisers have opted to maintain the current policy while awaiting advice from the Equality and Human Rights Commission and Sport England regarding the Supreme Court decision.

Other sports governing bodies like British Cycling, British Rowing, the Rugby Football Union, and UK Athletics have already implemented restrictions for transgender athletes in their events.

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April 22, 2025
Jack Montgomery
UK

Chef Marco Pierre White Praises ‘Really Impressive’ Farage, Endorses Reform’s Arron Banks.

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❓What Happened: Celebrity chef Marco Pierre White praised Nigel Farage and endorsed the Reform Party’s candidate for West of England Mayor, Arron Banks, ahead of May’s municipal elections.

👥 Who’s Involved: Marco Pierre White, celebrity chef; Nigel Farage, Reform Party leader; Sir Keir Starmer, British Prime Minister; Arron Banks, Reform’s West of England mayoral candidate.

📍 Where & When: White spoke to ITV West Country at Old Down Manor near Bristol, England, owned by Arron Banks.

💬 Key Quote: “I thought [Farage] was a very impressive individual, really impressive.” — Marco Pierre White.

⚠️ Impact: White’s high-profile endorsement could boost Reform’s momentum as polls show growing support, while his criticism of Labour’s ethics and policies may further erode public trust in Starmer’s government.

IN FULL:

Celebrity chef and restaurateur Marco Pierre White has thrown his weight behind Nigel Farage and his Reform Party, delivering a blistering critique of Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and the Labour Party. Speaking at Old Down Manor near Bristol—owned by Reform’s West of England mayoral candidate Arron Banks, a businessman and the driving force behind the Leave.EU campaign during the Brexit referendum—White praised Farage as a “really impressive, clever, [and] thoughtful.”

White, who met Farage recently, said he thought the Brexiteer “was a very impressive individual, really impressive.”

“He has done his apprenticeship, hasn’t he? He has served his time in the field,” he remarked, referring to Farage’s decades of campaigning in the European Parliament, media, and now the House of Commons since 1999. “I can see why the polls are showing what they’re showing,” he added, referring to surveys showing Reform tying and often beating Labour and the formerly governing Conservatives by increasingly convincing margins.

Describing himself as a “true socialist” but disillusioned with establishment parties, White had sharp words for Starmer, caught in a “freebie” scandal shortly after he gained the British premiership. “As Prime Minister of the UK, the last thing you should be doing is accepting freebies, or any of your party,” White said.

The chef was referring a scandal involving Lord Alli, a Labour donor elevated to the House of Lords under former Prime Minister Tony Blair, gifting £20,000 in work clothes and over £2,000 in eyeglasses to Starmer, with thousands more being lavished on clothes for Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner and the Labour leader’s wife, Victoria.

White also sounded the alarm on Labour’s economic policies. “My world is the restaurant world, the hotel world, hospitality,” he said. “It’s tough. Restaurants are going bust every week; hotels are struggling. If you look at the pubs, they’re closing down.”

White blamed rising costs—minimum wage increases, higher National Insurance, utilities, and food prices—for “crippling” the sector.

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immigration
April 18, 2025
UK

Anti-Open Borders Philosopher Denied Entry to UK Sparks Fresh Free Speech Debate.

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❓What Happened: French philosopher Renaud Camus was denied entry into the UK to speak about immigration, as his presence was deemed against the “public good” by the Home Office.

👥 Who’s Involved: Renaud Camus, the UK Home Office, and Vauban Books, the publisher of Camus’ work in English.

📍 Where & When: The ban was reported by the Telegraph, with Camus planning to speak in the UK later in the month.

💬 Key Quote: Camus stated that “of all the European governments guilty” of allowing unchecked migration, “the British government is one of the guiltiest.”

⚠️ Impact: The decision raises debates over free speech in the UK, especially on immigration issues; the Government emphasizes tackling harmful beliefs.

IN FULL:

French philosopher Renaud Camus has been prohibited from entering the United Kingdom, the nation’s Home Office confirmed. The 78-year-old was scheduled to deliver a speech on immigration, but his electronic travel authorisation (ETA) application was denied. According to an email obtained by the Telegraph, the Home Office stated that Camus’ entry was “not considered to be conducive to the public good.”

Camus, known for his stance against mass immigration and its potential impact on European demography, maintains that unchecked immigration could result in the demographic “replacement” of Europe’s indigenous populations. Upon learning about the travel restriction, Camus described the UK government as “one of the guiltiest” in Europe for its open borders, mass migration policies.

Vauban Books, the English publisher of Camus’s work, criticized the decision, suggesting it signifies a departure from the core values of liberal democracy and free speech. They emphasized the importance of Camus’s voice, juxtaposing it against what they describe as the current UK Government’s “serial betrayals.”

Camus was expected to speak at an event organized by the small and fringe Homeland Party, known for its nationalist stances and its links to Neo-Nazis.

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