Overview

• Labour passed emergency legislation to nationalise British Steel, citing the need to save jobs and maintain operations at the Scunthorpe plant.
• Nigel Farage and Reform UK have blamed high energy costs tied to net zero policies for the steel crisis, a claim Labour’s Ed Miliband has denounced as false and politically motivated.
• A More in Common mega-poll shows Reform UK leading with a projected 180 seats in a hypothetical election, ahead of Labour and the Conservatives tied at 165 seats each.
• Reform UK has selected Sarah Pochin as its candidate for the Runcorn and Helsby by-election, framing her as part of a rebranding effort to professionalize the party.
• The May 1 local elections will serve as a critical test of Reform UK’s momentum, with the party aiming to convert national polling success into electoral gains.