UK News
May elections live: millions cast their votes across England, Scotland and Wales | May 2026 elections
Key events
Rhun ap Iorwerth urges people to vote Plaid Cymru for ‘new leadership’ in Wales with ‘compassion and credibility’
And here is the eve-of-poll statement that Rhun ap Iorwerth, the Plaid Cymru leader, issued yesterday.
Service is a value which has always sustained Wales. It’s a value instilled in me from a young age by my parents, both teachers. It’s a value I’ve sought to pass on to my children – the gift of giving back to the people and places who gave us so much.
Tomorrow is a chance for the people of Wales to choose who serves our nation for the next four years. It’s Plaid Cymru’s deep sense of service to Wales – focusing just on our needs and our future – that first drew me to politics.
We’re a party with no master in Westminster, no instructions to follow or interference – we take our cue from the people of Wales. And as your first minister, service is a value that would guide me every day.
Plaid Cymru offers new leadership defined not by scripts signed-off by others, but by loyalty to the people and communities who have shaped me. New leadership which places compassion and credibility at its heart, and which replaces the old way of doing things with new humility and real ambition for Wales.
So tomorrow, Wales can seize that chance, we can vote for a party ready and willing to serve you, the people of Wales, and for a first minister who will always put national interest before self-interest. Vote for Plaid Cymru.
John Swinney urges Scots to vote SNP for ‘better future’, to keep Farage out and for ‘fresh start with independence’
Here is the message to Scots from John Swinney, the first minister and SNP leader.
Today is Scotland’s opportunity to choose a better future by voting SNP for real action on the cost of living, to lock Nigel Farage out of power, and to secure a fresh start with independence.
I urge people in every part of Scotland to unite behind the SNP to make it happen.
The SNP is the only party that has set out a positive vision for Scotland’s future – and we are the only party with a serious plan to support people with the cost of living.
We have set out our plans to bring down food costs, give families more support with the cost of childcare, lower the cost of your daily commute and provide more support for first time buyers.
The SNP wants to lower your bills – but all the other parties want to do is stop us.
They have no plan of their own and nothing to offer. They want you to vote for an opposition to stop things happening. I am asking people to vote for an SNP Government to get things done.
By casting both votes for the SNP, Scotland can elect a strong majority SNP government that will always stand up for Scotland, prioritise the cost of living, and deliver that fresh start of independence that Scotland needs.
That opportunity of a better future is now within touching distance. Let’s make it happen today by voting SNP.
Polanski urges people to vote Green ‘to make life affordable for everyone’
This is from Zack Polanski, the Green party leader.
Davey urges people to vote Lib Dem to protect country from Reform UK and ‘Farage’s Trump-style politics’
Here is the message to voters from Ed Davey, the Lib Dem leader.
The polls are open, and the choice is clear. We have less than 24 hours to stop Reform and defend the country we love from Nigel Farage’s Trump-style politics.
We’ve now seen what Reform looks like in power – banning journalists, scrapping renewables, closing care homes and raising council tax despite their promises. Our communities can’t afford that chaos.
Across the country, from Hampshire to Hull, the battle is now between the Liberal Democrats and Reform. We are the ones taking the fight to them and standing up for decency, tolerance, and the rule of law.
Liberal Democrats don’t do division, we do the hard work that actually gets things done. Whether it’s fixing the church roof, ending the GP surgery crisis, or finally cleaning up the sewage in our rivers, a vote for the Liberal Democrats is a vote for a local champion who works hard for their community. Don’t wake up tomorrow to a result you’ll regret.
Keir Starmer and his wife Victoria voted early today. Here they are arriving at a polling station in Westminster.
For years Westminster was a Conservative-run council, but it went Labour in 2022. This year, it’s a Tory target.
This is what Dave Hill and Lewis Baston say about Westminster in their excellent and exceptionally thorough London Decides guide to the elections in the capital.
In June 2025, a member of its crew leaped aboard the rival craft Reform: she has since been anointed her new party’s candidate for Mayor of London in far-off 2028. Another followed in November. There have been two other by-elections, one of them producing a Tory hold, the other a Labour hold. The net outcome is that Labour currently has 28 seats, the Tories 24 and Reform two. Several Westminster wards turn on tight margins and with Reform and the Greens trying to get in on the two-party act, every vote is going to count.
Badenoch urges people to vote Tory for ‘better services and lower taxes’, not ‘chaos’ under Labour and Reform UK
Here is the election message from Kemi Badenoch, the leader of the Conservative party.
Today, as they head to polling stations, millions of people across the country face a stark choice: between electing a Conservative council that delivers better services and lower taxes, and the chaos that Labour, Reform and the rest have to offer.
Under my leadership the Conservative party has changed. We know where we went wrong and we’re fixing it.
The next Conservative government will deliver cheaper energy bills, take back our streets with 10,000 more police officers, cut business rates for the high street, end the war on motorists, and abolish stamp duty on the family home.
We are the only party with the plan, the team and the backbone to deliver a stronger economy and stronger country.
These elections are on a knife edge. Every vote counts and yours could make the difference.
Vote Conservative today and back us to get Britain working again.
UPDATE: The reference to “chaos” is a bit reminiscent of this famous tweet from David Cameron during the 2015 general election campaign. After Britain voted for Brexit just over a year later, this became seen as one of the worst Twitter prophecies of all time.
Farage urges people to vote for Reform UK to get rid of ‘gutless’ Starmer
Here is Nigel Farage’s overnight eve-of-poll statement. The Reform UK leader said:
The Tories tried to remove the gutless Keir Starmer and failed.
The only way to finally remove the most unpopular and unpatriotic prime minister in our lifetime is to back Reform.
Together, we can continue the journey of getting our great country back on track.
Reform made history and won the local elections last year. If you really want change, go out and vote for it again today.
Starmer says Farage and Polanski not fit to lead in era of ‘global instability’ as voting starts in England, Scotland and Wales
Good morning. Voting has started in what looks set to be a seismic set of elections. In England people will be electing around 5,000 councillors, and six mayors; in Scotland, they are choosing 129 MSPs to serve in a new parliament; and in Wales they are selecting 96 members of the Senedd (MSs), under a new electoral system which also means the Senedd is getting much bigger. In the past, there were just 60 MSs.
Some English councils will count overnight, but most of them will start counting tomorrow morning, which is also when counting in Scotland and Wales begins.
Here is a Guardian guide to what’s at stake.
Here is an article by our data team explaining why the polling suggests the results will be particularly difficult for Labour.
And here is Patrick Greenfield’s First Edition briefing on five trends to look out for.
As the day goes on, I will post more on why the results we get tomorrow have the potential to upend British politics.
There probably won’t be much hard news today. But you never know, and there will be space for dogs at polling stations.
For the record, here is the statement that Keir Starmer released about the elections overnight.
Today when you put your vote in the ballot box you face a clear choice. Progress and a better future for the community you call home, with a Labour council working with a Labour government. Versus the anger and division offered up by Reform or empty promises from the Greens.
In tough times, you need politicians who will always stand up for you and your family. Time and again Nigel Farage and Zack Polanski have shown they are not fit to meet this moment of great global instability. Today I pledge firmly to you: whatever the pressure, Labour will always back you and your family and we will never waver from doing what is in Britain’s national interest.
Back action to ease the cost of living. Back our NHS. Back a better future for your local community.
Today, choose unity over division. Vote Labour.
I will post statements from the other main party leaders shortly.
If you want to contact me, please post a message below the line when comments are open (between 10am and 3pm), or message me on social media. I can’t read all the messages BTL, but if you put “Andrew” in a message aimed at me, I am more likely to see it because I search for posts containing that word.
If you want to flag something up urgently, it is best to use social media. You can reach me on Bluesky at @andrewsparrowgdn.bsky.social. The Guardian has given up posting from its official accounts on X, but individual Guardian journalists are there, I still have my account, and if you message me there at @AndrewSparrow, I will see it and respond if necessary.
I find it very helpful when readers point out mistakes, even minor typos. No error is too small to correct. And I find your questions very interesting too. I can’t promise to reply to them all, but I will try to reply to as many as I can, either BTL or sometimes in the blog.
A topless man can be seen driving erratically in Edinburgh before abandoning his car and attacking a black man and a delivery rider.
Source link
UK News
Essex v Notts, Sussex v Hampshire, Stokes out of Durham game: county cricket day three – live | Cricket
Key events
” We were outplayed”
Poor Lancashire coach Steven Croft, after Lancs were beaten in three days again: “I thought we were outplayed, we under-performed with the bat and ball. Very disappointing. Yes we’ve got some young lads in the side but more of our team needs to be putting their hands up.
“Yes we got put in on a pitch that was helpful for the bowlers but I still thought we could have managed a lot better and also got closer to them skill wise which is tough to say. We were down on our batting and bowling skills, it was tricky at times but we need to find a way to work it out and get better.
“We’re under-performing for the group of players we’ve got. We’ve got injuries but I think we are still sending sides out that we expect to do a lot better than they are.”
On Joe Moores’ maiden fifty:“It’s great to see him go out there and get some runs and I thought he’s kept really well. He’s had a tough job to stand up to the stumps and it’s great to see him have a performance like today.”
Glenn Chapple is doing laps of The Riverside, strawberry blond hair now silver-grey. There’s a nice scattering of people sitting in front of the pavilion in the shade. Matt Parkinson wheels through over number three, Miller and McSweeney gently rebuilding.
I’ve learnt today that Durham are returning to Darlington this year to play in the one-day cup against Essex on August 9.
100 for Rory Burns!
Much more like it. A first century of the season for Burns in a better effort by Surrey this time around. Surrey 215 for four, trail Glamorgan by just 38. Pope, at the other end, 39 not out.
Gus (Augustus Horatio) Miller, 11 not out here in CLS, is (thank you Andrew Radd for this information) the second Augustus to play for Northampton after Richard Augustus Agincourt Beresford who played for Northants 1887-1892. His niece Elisabeth, a neighbour of John Arlott on Alderney, wrote The Wombles.
Post lunch wickets in the north east! Two in an over from Matthew Potts A tea-tray juggling catch by McKinney off Potts gets rid of Calvin Harison, after Vasconcelos drove loosely, furious with himself, and snaffled at second slip. Northants 17-2.
Lunchtime scores
Chelmsford: Essex 184 and 81-5 v Nottinghamshire 457
Sophia Garden: Glamorgan 358 v Surrey 105 and 177-4
Grace Road: Leicestershire 453 v Yorkshire 185 and 121-6
Taunton: Somerset 208 and 104-4 v Warwickshire 330
Hove: Sussex 159 and 64-1 v Hampshire 191 and 220
DIVISION TWO
Chesterfield: Derbyshire 364 and 25-1 BEAT Lancashire 161 and 226 by nine wickets
Chester-le-Street: Durham 405 v Northants 450 and 10-0
Canterbury: Kent 416 v Middlesex 443
New Road: Worcestershire 290-6 v Gloucestershire 289
Derbyshire need 24 to beat Lancs!
And lost Harry Came third ball but are now half way there.
hello Mike Daniels!
“This has been, so far, almost the perfect game for Leicestershire and, as seems likely, it turns out to be their first win, then they’ll have thoroughly deserved it
“They’ve batted and bowled well and shown they have what it takes to win in Div1. They’ll have to back it up with more when the CC resumes but kudos to them for bouncing back from a poor display last week.”
Bravo indeed. Yorkshire lunch six down, still 147 behind. Hill and Bess the men in.
I should have said happy Father’s day to you all – hope the dads out there are celebrating in an enjoyable way. If you’re in the north east, I heartily recommend an afternoon at The Riverside, though unfortunately you won’t be able to see Ben Stokes. Still feels a bit weird that the ECB pulled him out. If he’d played the whole match he’d only have played four days to the five four and a bit of the England players.
No hundred for the other Ollie Robinson after all, caught at deep square, a wicket for Guthrie. Durham get their fourth batting point before being all out for 405, just 45 behind Northants. And here comes Gus Miller, the injury replacement for Luke Procter, and Ricardo Vasconcelos for a ten minute pre-lunch bat.
And Essex are in real trouble now with Dean Elgar and his limpet like qualities gone, lbw Stone for 42. Essex 65-4, trail Notts by 208. Nick Friend of The Cricketer was at Chelmsford for the first two days and tells me that Essex prepared a pitch for Harmer, only for Patterson-White to rip through them on day one. Harmer finished with a five-fer too – his first in 36 games(three years) for Essex.
Great little knock this by Ollie Robinson, now 66. His last 100 was against Notts last May. Durham 383-9.
“Hi Tanya.” Hello Tim Maitland!
”Does English cricket truly understand the storm that’s about to hit them?
”I only ask, because the teenaged Vaibhav Sooryavanshi just hit 94 off 29 balls for India A in the ongoing ODI against Sri Lanka A.
”That’s a strike rate of 324. Three runs a ball. Ten fours and 8 sixes.
”We can only hope that the weather in July provides hooping, green seamers that are utterly alien to him. Anything else and whatever mess the current set-up is in come the end of the New Zealand series is going to look like the calm before the storm by the time the T20 and ODI series is over.
”He’s going to make Harry Brook look pedestrian.
”None of this should come as new news. He just won five of the 2026 IPL’s individual awards (MVP, Orange Cap for Most Runs, Emerging Player, Most Sixes and Batting Strike Rate) aged 15. But as the ECB seems determined to give the impression that they couldn’t run a bath at the moment, you have to hope they’ve started pre-emptive crisis meetings across every department, starting with the Sports Psychologists to prepare for the battered psyches of the bowlers.”
Interesting that Colin Ackermann won’t be able to bowl for Durham because he’s not a like for like replacement.
Sussex need 253 to win
Hampshire hitched their way to the highest score of the match thanks to the lower order – 22o . Three wickets each for Unadkat, Carson and Price. Kyle Abbot 23 not out. Now what are Sussex made of?
Two more early wickets, Yorkshire, fallible Yorkshire, losing Sam Whiteman inside edging to a flying Ben Cox, Yorks 57-3 ; and Charlie Bennett wafting to point, a second wicket for O’Neill, Essex 39-3.
Start of play scores
Chelmsford: Essex 184 and 13-2 v Nottinghamshire 457
Sophia Garden: Glamorgan 358 v Surrey 105 and 82-2
Grace Road: Leicestershire 453 v Yorkshire 185 and 32-2
Taunton: Somerset 208 and 23-1 v Warwickshire 330
Hove: Sussex 159 v Hampshire 191 and 206-9
DIVISION TWO
Chesterfield: Derbyshire 364 v Lancashire 161 and 140-6
Chester-le-Street: Durham 302-7 v Northants 450
Canterbury: Kent 416 v Middlesex 319-6
New Road: Worcestershire210-5 v Gloucestershire 289
Delayed arrival at CLS, via a cheese scone, to see Ben Raine reverse-scoop the ball into his stumps. Durham 332-8 with the new ball imminent. Stokes is still at Chester le Street and warmed up with the team this morning.
Morning everyone and a happy summer solstice to you all. Breaking news at The Oval and here at CLS that Stokes and Atkinson and have been withdrawn from duty and will presumably be meeting up with England after the denouement to the second Test at The Oval. But away from that, there are eight games of cricket to win. Play starts at 11am, do join us.
Stokes withdrawn from Durham game ‘at request of ECB’
Tanya will be with you shortly, but some breaking news to bring you early on: Ben Stokes will not play any further part in Durham’s match against Northamptonshire, having been “withdrawn at the request of the ECB”.
“Ben Stokes has been withdrawn from the remainder of Durham’s County Championship match against Northamptonshire at the request of the ECB,” a statement said. “Colin Ackermann will replace Stokes in the Durham 11.”
The BBC are also reporting that Gus Atkinson has been stood down from Surrey’s match at Glamorgan – all of which points to a likely return for both players to the England fold for the third Test against New Zealand.
Police say 28 people remain in hospital after two trains collided on Friday.
Source link
-
Oxford News4 weeks agoOxfordshire families invited to free day of fun in Bicester
-
Business & Technology4 weeks agoNew ‘high-quality’ mushroom business launched in Oxford
-
Crime & Safety3 weeks agoPhotos as 1979 Pontiac Firebird ‘bursts in flames’ at Tesco
-
Student Life3 weeks agoTransgender rights protest in central Oxford following updated EHRC guidance
-
Business & Technology4 weeks agoNHS IT outages disrupt 274,620 patient interactions
-
Business & Technology3 weeks agoFlex Health Hub officially opens at Milton Park Oxfordshire
-
Business & Technology3 weeks agoOxford firm wins major backing for fin-based tidal power
-
UK News4 weeks agoUS strikes Iran missile sites and mine laying vessels as Trump’s promised peace deal remains elusive | US-Israel war on Iran