Overview

• Reform UK has emerged as a significant political force in the UK, winning the Runcorn and Helsby by-election by six votes and securing 677 council seats in local elections, challenging both Labour and the Conservatives.
• Labour faces internal strife over its controversial winter fuel payment cuts, which have been blamed for significant voter backlash and poor election results, including the loss of a historically safe seat to Reform UK.
• In Australia, the Liberal Party is narrowing its leadership race to Sussan Ley and Angus Taylor, as debates over nuclear power policy expose ideological rifts within the party.
• The Australian Greens suffered a near-wipeout in the lower house, including the loss of leader Adam Bandt's Melbourne seat after 15 years, but retain a critical balance-of-power role in the Senate.
• Former UK Chancellor Jeremy Hunt has warned that the rise of Reform UK could signal the breakdown of the traditional two-party political system, reflecting broader voter dissatisfaction with mainstream parties.