That is the title of a new piece of research out from academic Chris Butler and myself, looking at how people can donate directly to election candidates and so avoid much of the scrutiny that should ...

The previous four elections to the three member Carshalton South and Clockhouse ward all saw the ward split two Conservative councillors and one Lib Dem. Which makes Lisa Webster’s victory but such a ...

Here’s the tally of seats changing hands in principal authority council by-elections held between the May 2025 and the May 2026 local elections: Each row shows the net gains or losses for that party, ...

Welcome to the second of what may turn out to be, in decreasing order of likelihood, an occasional set of blog posts, the start of a regular series of blog posts, the birth of a new email list or the ...

Cllr Tina Bhartwas, previously deputy leader of the Labour group on Hertfordshire County Council, has joined the Liberal Democrats. The Bishop’s Stortford Independent reports: Cllr Bhartwas blamed a ...

Four principal authority council by-elections this week. They featured three Liberal Democrat candidates, which is two up on the last time these wards were up – a welcome continuation of the ...