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.

  • How farmers could fix Wales’ polluted rivers and save money

    A new study has found that farmers in Pembrokeshire could help clean up the heavily polluted Eastern and Western Cleddau rivers while also cutting their costs, by better managing the phosphorus in fertiliser and animal feed. The rivers, which are protected special areas of conservation, have been rated Wales’ poorest performing waterways, with excess nutrients…

  • Trump-backed Andy Biggs to face Katie Hobbs in Arizona governor race

    Arizona’s 2026 governor’s race is now formally set, with Democratic incumbent Katie Hobbs and Republican Andy Biggs confirmed as their parties’ nominees following the state’s primary election. Hobbs advanced unopposed as she seeks a second term, while Biggs secured the Republican nomination with the backing of Donald Trump, setting up a closely contested general election…

  • The Morning Poll: Will Burnham’s VAT cut on electricity bills make a big difference to you?

    Andy Burnham used his first full day as Prime Minister to announce a cut to VAT on electricity bills, a move being tested by the Daily Mail’s Morning Poll asking readers whether it will make a noticeable difference to their household finances. The measure marks an early cost-of-living intervention from the new premier, signalling how…

  • House narrowly backs allowing troops, Pentagon workers to carry personal guns on military bases

    The US House of Representatives voted 215-214 to approve a measure that would make approval the default outcome when qualified service members and Pentagon civilian employees ask commanders for permission to carry personal firearms on military bases. The provision, part of the annual National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), reflects a push by gun-rights supporters to…

  • Trump-backed sheriff at center of swinger and nude sexting scandal wins Arizona primary

    Mark Lamb, a sheriff endorsed by Donald Trump, has won a primary election in Arizona despite being embroiled in a controversy involving allegations of swinging and nude sexting. The result suggests that the scandal did little to dent his support among Republican primary voters, underscoring the continued strength of a Trump endorsement in shaping local…

  • Election denier claims Arizona GOP secretary of state nomination

    Arizona state representative and attorney Alexander Kolodin won the Republican nomination for Arizona secretary of state, defeating former state GOP chair Gina Swoboda. He will face Democratic incumbent Adrian Fontes in November for the post responsible for overseeing elections in a politically competitive state, making the contest significant ahead of the 2028 presidential election. Kolodin…

  • Ex-NFL star backed by Trump wins battleground state primary: ‘True America First Conservative’

    Jay Feely, a former NFL placekicker, has won the Republican primary in Arizona’s 1st Congressional District after securing the endorsement of President Donald Trump. The result adds to a string of primary victories for Trump-backed candidates in the 2026 cycle and hands Republicans a nominee in what is expected to be a competitive open-seat contest…

  • Ex-sheriff backed by Trump storms to victory in race to replace longtime GOP firebrand

    Mark Lamb, a former Arizona sheriff endorsed by President Donald Trump, has won the Republican primary to succeed outgoing Rep. Andy Biggs in Arizona’s fifth congressional district. The result cements Trump’s continued influence over GOP primary contests and sets Lamb up as the clear favourite to win the seat outright in November’s midterm election. Lamb…

  • Trump-endorsed Andy Biggs claims Arizona Republican governor primary

    Republican Representative Andy Biggs won Arizona’s GOP gubernatorial primary with Donald Trump’s backing, extending the president’s unbroken run of successful endorsements throughout the 2026 primary season. The result reinforces Trump’s continued grip on the Republican Party, with commentators on the network describing the GOP as having effectively become the “MAGA party” under his influence. The…

  • Stanton fends off progressive House challenger in Arizona Democratic primary

    The article page itself blocked automatic access (it returns an “access denied/JavaScript disabled” placeholder rather than the actual story), and I don’t have permission to run a web search to find the content elsewhere. I can’t produce a reliable, accurate summary without the real article text — fabricating details would risk getting facts wrong. Could…