Polling from More in Common shows that Greens and Reform win a higher share of voters who struggle to make ends meet, while Labour and the Conservatives win those who are most financially comfortable
Reform UK and the Greens are hoovering up financially insecure voters. My piece this week looks at the return of Britain's class politics (with a twist) www.economist.com/britain/2026...
here it is: the Ministerial Salaries (Amendment) Bill
bills.parliament.uk/bills/4090
The ministerial payroll will be increased under reforms being unveiled on Thursday, reports PolHome Editor @adampayne26.bsky.social
The Labour government will argue it's not right that some ministerial positions continue to favour those who have the financial means to afford to do them unpaid
A Whitehall scoop:
A bill is coming to increase the number of paid ministers
11 new salaries will be created to bring the payroll in line w/ the average size of a modern government
"The PM believes that ministerial office should not be reserved for those wealthy enough to fund it for themselves"
...The Labour chair also said there are questions for the party's doorstep operation after Gorton and Denton
"Our promise rate was holding up, and it felt that way on the doors," she said
"Were people being too polite to us? Were we reaching everyone in a household we wanted to reach?"
... Anna Turley, Labour MP for Redcar, also suggested that the government has a small business problem, telling the meeting on Wednesday night:
"Minimum wage rises are important, but I now have hairdressers and other small businesses saying to me: you've helped the pubs, what about us?”...
PolHome's Tom Scotson reveals what Labour's chair told a private meeting of campaigners last night:
- The party must tackle immigration - but "in a way that stays true to our values"
- It must "find the right language" to combat the Greens - suggesting it hasn't yet found the right balance...
Radical parties of the right and left in top two slots. Legacy parties getting only a third of the vote between them.
A whole new world.
There's fury among parliamentary staff after being given a smaller pay rise than MPs
IPSA said the move reflects growing demands on MPs, like "higher levels of complex casework, and abuse & intimidation"
However, staff say it's "mind-blowingly tone deaf" and fails to appreciate pressures they face
Read in full Starmer's letter to Labour MPs after their bruising by-election defeat
Obtained by PolHome, it says Polanski's party embraced the "sectarian" politics of George Galloway to win
It also sought to assure Labour MPs that the Greens won't be able to replicate their success at the next GE
Labour MP tells me: “Even with the world’s best campaign you can’t win without having/delivering progressive policies. This is a result of the strategy Downing St has set”
Senior Labour MP adds: “Labour needs to be offering hope to progressive voters. Just an anti-Reform [strategy] isn’t enough”
Starmer’s letter to Labour MPs following Gorton and Denton:
Like in Caerphilly last year, G&D shows ‘stop Reform’ is a real motivator. The Green & Labour combined vote shade was more than double Reform’s. Goodwin’s candidacy likely fuelled it. Obv at a GE there’ll be many seats where it doesn’t apply. But in terms of a Reform majority, it’s a real hurdle.
...taking another step back: the top two parties in G&D included neither Labour nor the Conservatives, and got nearly 70% between them. Granted, the Tories were already a bit of a non-entity in this part of the world. But if it wasn't already clear, the old two-party system is collapsing
…For the Greens, it's dreamland. Their best by-election showing by a country mile. 4x better than their next best in Somerton & Frome 3 years ago (h/t Peter Kellner). Like Plaid in Caerphilly last yr, they've turned the 'stop Reform' / tactical voting narrative on its head - and in a Labour seat!…
That's an astonishing result, bloody hell. Appallingly bad for Labour, which is being devoured from both left and right, the "electoral valley of death" - @robfordmancs.bsky.social. It could be a dire sign of what's to come in May, and raises fresh, huge Qs for party strategy and leadership…
Government is preparing to launch its digital communications overhaul
The work, months in the making, is expected to see the New Media Unit given expanded capacity to boost the Labour administration's digital reach, PolHome understands
@zoecrowther.bsky.social & @adampayne26.bsky.social report
It comes amid a belief that current Whitehall comms is slow and outdated
A government source tells PolHome: “Government needs to keep up with the times and reach people where they are — especially when the likes of Tommy Robinson are dominating so much space online"
Story w/ @zoecrowther.bsky.social:
The government's digital comms overhaul is to be launched imminently
Months in the works, it's expected to redeploy Whitehall staff and resources to an expanded New Media Unit…
Pleased to be invited to speak on BBC news yesterday about the government‘s SEND reforms and how they’re landing with MPs
Coverage from the day linked below www.politicshome.com/news/article...
Fascinating interview by @siennamarla with Reform UK's Danny Kruger - who (among other things) tells her political parties have a "limited but important" role in undoing the sexual revolution and UK is suffering from a "totally unregulated sexual economy".
www.politicshome.com/news/article...
The effect that the Uxbridge result, which hinged essentially on a few streets, had on both Tory and Labour green / road policy was absolutely mad
@philipjcowley.bsky.social finding the head of the nail
“He's political up to his eyeballs"
Is Wes Streeting a details man? What do his days look like? Who does he delegate to?
@siennarodgers.bsky.social & @zoecrowther.bsky.social explore how the Health Secretary runs his department
In comparison to those considering Reform, Green considerers are more numerous, but less convinced.
Zach is a ‘breath of fresh air’, and offers the focus on social justice many 2034 Labour voters are looking for. But few believe the Greens can win, and many are worried they’re too idealistic.
When a squeeze / tactical voting Q was put to them, Green considerers leaned towards Labour in order to stop Reform
This suggests Polanski has work to do to turn current popularity / momentum - which is significant - into solid, sticky support at the next GE
me for @politicshome.bsky.social
However...
That 48% is relatively shallow, with 31% being 'soft' considerers, and most people considering the Greens are considering three or more parties in total
Nearly 3/4s of people strongly considering the Greens said they would vote for the party best-placed to stop Reform UK locally
"It’s clear that the Green Party are picking up momentum, and our findings show they should be taken seriously. Almost half of UK adults are considering voting for them, including two-thirds of those who voted Labour at the last election," @thinksinsight.bsky.social's Allie Jennings told PolHome
Our poll found 48% of people are considering voting Green at the next general election
Putting ordinary people over billionaires is a big perceived attraction
In focus groups in Sheffield and East London, Green considers described Polanski as charismatic, refreshing and straight-talking
How strong is Green support?
Ahead of Gorton & Denton, PolHome teamed up with @thinksinsight.bsky.social to have a close look at people considering voting for the party at the next general election
The findings suggest Polanski has some work to do to turn mid-term popularity into hard votes...
