Turnout inequality in UK elections close to tipping point, report warns

UK elections are “close to a tipping point” where they lose legitimacy because of plummeting voter turnout among renters and non-graduates, an influential thinktank has said.Analysis by the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) found that the gap in turnout between those with and without university degrees grew to 11 percentage points in the 2024 general election – double that of 2019.The turnout gap between homeowners and renters grew by nearly a quarter between the 2017 and 2024 elections, to 19 percentage points.The findings suggest a growing disillusionment with politics among certain social groups, which is leading to increasingly unequal elections.Parth Patel, an associate director of democracy and politics at IPPR, said: “We are close to the tipping point at which elections begin to lose legitimacy because the majority do not take part

Here’s how we could reform the Lords for the 21st century | Letters

I’m sure that your editorial (25 December) is right that one of the reasons reforming the House of Lords is taking so long under this government is that there is no clear path ahead, after abolition of the hereditary peers. A fundamental principle is to retain the revising role of the upper chamber. To that end, it needs great expertise. It should, of course, be largely elected, but that would not necessarily ensure that expertise. It should also not be too large and should have continuity

‘You’ve got nothing to lose’: Labour’s ‘bonus MPs’ aim to make their mark after surprise wins

Neil Duncan-Jordan’s new parliamentary office is at the top of a steep staircase in a maze of corridors just behind the speaker’s house, with a sweeping view of the Thames. The space is decorated with mod posters and jazz vinyls; he has Miles Davis playing on the record player.“I want it to be me,” he said, gesturing around the room. “Because this place isn’t me, is it? Working-class people didn’t come here very often in the past. Now there’s many more of us and we bring our traditions

Keir Starmer joins family on first overseas holiday since becoming PM

Keir Starmer has finally been able to take an overseas holiday and is understood to be in Madeira with his family over the new year.While he has the use of Chequers, his official country retreat, the prime minister was unable to go on a planned summer break in August after rioting broke out in a series of towns and cities.His wife and children left the UK last week for a post-Christmas break but Starmer initially did not join them, after the death of his younger brother, Nick, on Boxing Day.Starmer is understood to have left the UK on Saturday to join his family and will be away for a few days. He has no public events scheduled until next week

Badenoch allies dismiss ‘nonsense’ claims she asked GB News to cut Farage’s airtime

Allies of Kemi Badenoch have dismissed as “nonsense” claims that she asked GB News to cut airtime for Nigel Farage.It follows a row in which the Tory leader accused Reform of faking its membership numbers. Farage said Reform surpassed the Tories in membership on Boxing Day and has called on Badenoch to apologise for her accusations that the figures are manipulated.In a fresh twist, Badenoch was reported by the Mail on Sunday to have raised Farage’s prominence on GB News, where he is a presenter, in a meeting with the channel’s chief executive. She is reported to have warned against the broadcaster becoming a haven for her critics

Reform woos voters before potential byelection test in Labour stronghold

Nigel Farage’s Reform UK is planning to use a potential byelection to test its strength in Labour strongholds as it seeks to deploy its growing membership in local elections.The party has been attempting to keep up its momentum after securing five MPs and more than 4m votes at the general election. Farage provoked a row with the Tory leader Kemi Badenoch last week by claiming Reform now has more members than the Conservatives. He has also been trying to persuade Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, to make a massive donation to his party.However, insiders are now examining the political opportunity that could arise in the Cheshire seat of Runcorn and Helsby, where MP Mike Amesbury was charged with assault last month after an incident following a night out