Elections

Reform UK has received the largest political donation in British history, MPs have voted down assisted dying legislation, and the ground is shifting ahead of both a Westminster by-election and the American midterms. This hub follows the mechanics and drama of electoral politics on both sides of the Atlantic: who funds campaigns, who gets selected to fight for a vacant seat, and how governments quietly time contentious decisions to avoid handing opponents ammunition before voters go to the polls.

Elections shape who holds power and how that power is exercised, which is why the manoeuvring around them, donor influence, candidate selection rows, delayed rulings, party infighting, often reveals as much as the vote itself. In Britain, attention is turning to a closely watched contest for a former Labour leader's seat, with rival parties jostling for position and local issues such as North Sea drilling becoming entangled in the timing of national announcements. In the United States, both major parties are already framing the narrative around the midterms, trading accusations of foul play and reading the runes for who stands to lose ground.

Expect ongoing coverage of campaign finance, candidate controversies, parliamentary votes with electoral consequences, and the wider jostling between parties as they position themselves for the next test at the ballot box.

  • Attempted murder probe in Doncaster, PA helicopter crash kills pilot, Bumble scraps women-first rule

    South Yorkshire Police said Jacqueline Massie, 53, was charged with attempted murder after an 81-year-old man was found seriously injured at a property on St John’s Road in Edlington, Doncaster, on 18 August. She was also charged with theft in a dwelling and possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, and was remanded in…

  • Progressive wins special election to fill Swalwell’s California House seat 

    Progressive state Sen. Aisha Wahab (D) is projected to defeat Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) Board President Melissa Hernandez in the special election to fill the remainder of former Rep. Eric Swalwell’s (D-Calif.) term in the House, according to Decision Desk HQ. Swalwell, once seen as the frontrunner in the California governor’s race, dropped out…

  • Rogers courts Democrats in Michigan Senate race

    Michigan Republican Senate candidate Mike Rogers officially launched the “Democrats for Mike Rogers” coalition on Thursday, two months out from the general election. Rogers made the announcement of the coalition at an event that featured a handful of Democrats including Michigan state Rep. Karen Whitsett (D). “Michiganders are tired of anger and division, and I…

  • Americans’ drinking remains at record low: Poll

    Americans’ drinking remains at historically low levels with a survey released Thursday reporting the lowest levels of alcohol consumption among Americans in its history, dating back to 1939. A new Gallup survey found the share of Americans who consume alcohol held at 54 percent for the second consecutive year. Self-reported drinking has been falling in…

  • My family have fished this river for 300 years – now pollution has killed all the fish

    Coracle fishermen on the River Tywi in Carmarthenshire say pollution has decimated fish stocks, threatening the future of a fishing tradition dating back 300 years. Testing by the campaign group Save the River Tywi found evidence of industrial, agricultural and human waste pollution in the water, with fishermen reporting they now regularly find dead fish…

  • Sanders endorses Nixon in Florida Senate race

    Progressive Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) is backing state Rep. Angie Nixon, who notched an upset victory in Florida’s Democratic primary this week, in her campaign for Senate. “Angie Nixon is proof that organized people can take on organized money — and win. Outspent more than 16 to 1, she won in a landslide. Working people…

  • ACM Honors 2026 red carpet: Vote on your favorite country star looks

    Country music’s biggest names gathered in Nashville for the 19th ACM Honors, held on Wednesday night at The Pinnacle, celebrating artists, songwriters and industry figures for their contributions to the genre. The event forms part of the Academy of Country Music’s broader awards calendar, giving fans and readers the chance to weigh in on the…

  • Malcolm Offord: I was diagnosed with cancer on the day of election

    Malcolm Offord, the Conservative peer and former Scotland Office minister, has revealed that he was diagnosed with cancer on the same day as an election, disclosing the news publicly for the first time. The revelation offers a personal insight into the pressures he faced while balancing a serious health scare with the demands of political…

  • Democrats who ‘never voted Republican’ back Rogers over El-Sayed in razor-close race

    Republican Senate nominee Mike Rogers has launched a “Democrats for Mike Rogers” coalition in Michigan, unveiling support from Democratic voters who say they are disillusioned with the party’s nominee, Abdul El-Sayed. The move comes as the Michigan Senate race is described as razor-close, with Rogers seeking to peel off crossover support in a battleground state…

  • Trump administration announces new sanctions on Cuba, escalating economic pressure

    Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Thursday announced new sanctions against Cuban individuals and entities, part of the Trump administration’s escalating pressure campaign against the communist regime in Havana. The latest sanctions target leaders of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), which Rubio said exploits educational exchange with the goal of “identifying,…