Chinese car venture, in Hungary, under scrutiny over allegations of potential breaches of labour laws. BYD says it complies fully with eU law and requires contractors to do so too. Case will be watched in Spain where plans also exist to hire in Chinese workers. www.theguardian.com/global-devel...

“Take a beat” Labour MPs urged to consider consequences of choices by Stephen Kinnock @bbcnewsnight.bsky.social “Step change” with EU is coming in June. Not sure what that means given the limits of current reset talks

Final Hackney count Was a Labour stronghold since 1964 (bar an 8 y gap) Labour had 43 of 57 seats before election. The 57-seat council is now - 42 Green - 9 Labour - 6 Conservative (in Stamford Hill/Springfield area) www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2026/05/08/l...

Greens have just taken control of Hackney council from labour which has been in control for all but eight years since 1964…. Not 1984

Latest tally Hackney Greens 25 Tory 5 Labour 6 Labour had 43. Total seats in council 57. 29 needed for control

Labour just won one more seat in Hackney / Hoxton west. Other two seats went to greens Control of council = 29 So far: Greens: 23 Tories: 5 Labour 3

Labour drought over in Hackney - they have just won two out of the three seats in Homerton ward in Hackney

Three more seats for Greens in Hackney Central ward- Cazenove ward

Ecstatic Greens win control of first ever council - Waltham Forest in London. walthamforestecho.co.uk/2026/05/08/e...

Greens have also taken mayoral seat in Lewisham

Huge cheer for 20 year old Dylan Law from Homerton, just elected Green Party councillor in Hackney . He is also the deputy mayor nominee putting youth at the centre of council leadership

Green candidate elected as Lewisham mayor, second in capital

Council have tweeted out 45% turnout, which seems more realistic! xcancel.com/hackneycounc...

Not surprising but still interesting, Reform polling very badly in Hackney, a Labour stronghold

Electoral officer now checking turnout percentage for Brownswood…

Green wave in Hackney - three more seats for Greens in Hackney Central ward . So far Greens have 11 seats, nine gained from Labour. No seats yet for Labour: total Green gain so far three

Whoops as Electoral officer in Hackney declares two more seats for the Greens and a 78% turnout for Brownswood ward

Tears of joy as Green Party candidate Rachel Nkiessu-Guifo declared victory for Dalston ward in Hackney. Final count not expected until 6pm. 17 wards to go, Tories looking good in north of constituency and hoping for six or seven seats.

Two more seats for Green Party in Hackney - both in Shacklewell ward. They now have one more than they had before election. Six in total of 57 so far.

Green Party get first four seats in Hackney council - two in de Beauvoir and two in Dalston unseating three Labour councillors

Zoe Garbett, the new mayor of Hackney with 20 year old Dylan Law from Homerton whom she hopes to make her deputy.

Greens have taken Hackney mayoral seat

Looking like a green mayor in Hackney

Hackney about to declare - Labour looking glum

Here at the count centre in Hackney. Expected to call the mayoral result in next half hour. Result looks close judging by ballot piles for greens v labour

But is this not what you get when the Home Office effectively outsources immigration control to airlines. As multiple lawyers have told me these issues would be solved on British soil by border officials as there is no law barring British citizens from entering their own country.

The issue here is: A Labour govt has ignored pleas of British citizens, new borns to dying elderly, who did not know border rules it introduced in Feb without a proper campaign at airports, or airline booking sites. People have missed funerals; visits to dying www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

The issue here is this: A Labour government, has shown little compassion for British citizens, new borns to dying elderly, who did not know about an extra lawyer of border control it introduced without a proper campaign at airports, on airline booking sites. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

British Austrian 11 month old baby refused board on Ryanair flight home to UK due to Labour's new British dual national border rules. Guardian has had hundreds of such cases. The3million Q why all kids of EU citizens protected by withdrawal agreement not covered. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Talks between MEPs and member states over EU's tariff deal with Donald Trump begin at 7pm tonight, overshadowed by Trump's threat of extra tariffs on EU cars. Full details in post - which is directly linked here www.theguardian.com/business/liv...

Trump reneges on part of EU deal Eu offers cool diplomatic response but warns it reserve options to protect Eu business www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026...

"dramatic consequences" in Africa if Iran war fertiliser prices lead to global food action, warns boss of world's largest fertilser boss, sounding alarm before "it is too late". He was in London to draw leaders attention to threat www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Excellent point

Yes, really www.irishtimes.com/world/europe...

TotalEnergies net profit up 51% in first quarter of year, partly fuelled by Iran war oil crisis, prompting French leaders to say it shd redistribute some of its war gains. www.lefigaro.fr/conjoncture/... www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

EU to subsidise up to 70% of extra fuel and fertiliser costs caused by US and Israel war on Iran. Small biz can claim up to €50,000 between now and end of year under light touch rules with up to 70% costs available through other routes, EU has announced. www.theguardian.com/world/2026/a...

Weyand to be replaced by Ditte Juul Jørgensen

Big news in Brussels land. Sabine Weyand, chief of EU trade, best known in UK for Brexit, is moving from post after 32 year stint in department. Forbidable operator, fluent in several languages, and master of detail and strategy. But not a fan of US trade deal. www.euractiv.com/news/weyand-...

Morgan McSweeney: I don't regard Mandelson as a hero. I thought his skills as EU commissioner would help us get the trade deal that the country needed because we were very very exposed after Brexit

He's back. RTE Washington correspondent, Sean Whelan returns to old stomping ground in London, RTE has just announced. Welcome back Sean!

HMRC child benefit fiasco to be investigated by PAC as well as NAO www.theguardian.com/politics/liv...

HMRC's botched crackdown on alleged child benefit fraudsters to be investigated by the Public Accounts Committee, following a separate inquiry by NAO . Anyone who has evidence of what occured shd write to PAC by 3 July. committees.parliament.uk/work/9766/hm...

The video of the incident truthsocial.com/@realDonaldT...

British in Europe also told MEPs they are now working as unpaid volunteers - they have been one of the most important voices representing Brits in the EU on Brexit and yet they cannot get funding from British govt. They are invited to all relevant Commission meetings, doing prep etc. For free. Why?

Fiona Godfrey at British in Europe: "Sweden is a country where we are running into a complete block in the courts. The Swedish immigration tribunals, the Swedish courts simply do not want to look at these issues, and they certainly will not refer to the EU." Email (in bio) if u know anyone impacted

Concerns raised at the European Parliament over EU citizens rights in the UK and British citizens rights in the EU. Sweden mentioned as one of the worst offenders. If anyone has any cases from Sweden please email [email protected] www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Another figure starts to talk about Labour switching to harder rejoin the EU policy. Britain should start talking about rejoining the EU, according to a former senior civil servant who ran the Brexit department. www.theguardian.com/politics/202...

Maros Sefcovic on two/three day trip to Washington. Met Howard Lutnick last night and will meet Grierson and Bessent Friday. On agenda - desire to stick with current tariff deal; threat of backdoor tariffs through section 301 and continuing 232 steel derivative tariffs (reformed but not gone)

Trump’s ‘one-man WhatsApp group’ diplomacy derailing Iran peace talks This appeared in the Guardian yesterday but the headline in Irish Times compelling enuf for 2nd look 😉 www.irishtimes.com/world/2026/0...