Polling is underway across the United Kingdom in a crucial round of local, mayoral and parliamentary elections on Thursday (May 07), marking the biggest electoral challenge for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour government since the 2024 general election.Millions of voters across England, Scotland and Wales are casting their ballots on Thursday in contests that could reshape the political landscape across Britain. The results are expected to provide an early indication of public sentiment towards Labour’s national government and the growing strength of smaller political parties.&nbsp;The elections are being closely watched as Britain moves further towards a multi-party political system. Both Labour and the Conservatives have struggled in opinion polls in recent months, while parties such as Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens have expanded their support base.<h2>England elections see fierce battle for council control</h2>In England, voters are electing 5,066 councillors across 136 local authorities, including all 32 London boroughs. Six mayoral contests are also taking place in Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Watford.&nbsp;Labour enters the elections as the dominant force in local government and is defending control in 66 councils. The Conservatives are defending nearly 1,200 seats but remain under pressure after heavy setbacks in previous local polls. The Liberal Democrats and Green Party are aiming to strengthen their influence in several councils, while Reform UK has fielded candidates across most seats in an attempt to challenge Britain’s traditional two-party structure.&nbsp;Also Read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israeli-military-confirms-killing-hezbollah-commander-in-beirut-in-first-attack-since-ceasefire-1778152121007">‘In the heart of Beirut’: Netanyahu confirms killing Hezbollah commander in Israeli strikes</a><h2>Scotland and Wales contests carry high political stakes</h2>In Scotland, all 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament are being contested. The ruling Scottish National Party is attempting to retain its position as the largest party under First Minister John Swinney.&nbsp;The SNP is defending 64 seats following a turbulent period marked by leadership changes after the resignations of Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf. Scottish Labour is seeking to build on the momentum gained during the 2024 Westminster election and challenge SNP dominance at Holyrood.&nbsp;Meanwhile, Wales is witnessing a historic election as the Senedd expands from 60 to 96 seats under a new proportional representation system. Welsh Labour, led by First Minister Eluned Morgan, is defending its long-standing hold over Welsh politics.&nbsp;However, the new electoral structure is expected to intensify competition, with Plaid Cymru and Reform UK posing strong challenges to Labour’s dominance in Cardiff Bay.

The elections are being closely watched as Britain moves towards a more competitive multi-party political system, with Labour and the Conservatives struggling in recent opinion polls while Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens continue to expand their support base.

Polling is underway across the United Kingdom in a crucial round of local, mayoral and parliamentary elections on Thursday (May 07), marking the biggest electoral challenge for Prime Minister Keir Starmer and the Labour government since the 2024 general election. Millions of voters across England, Scotland and Wales are casting their ballots on Thursday in contests that could reshape the political landscape across Britain. The results are expected to provide an early indication of public sentiment towards Labour’s national government and the growing strength of smaller political parties. The elections are being closely watched as Britain moves further towards a multi-party political system. Both Labour and the Conservatives have struggled in opinion polls in recent months, while parties such as Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens have expanded their support base. England elections see fierce battle for council control In England, voters are electing 5,066 councillors across 136 local authorities, including all 32 London boroughs. Six mayoral contests are also taking place in Croydon, Hackney, Lewisham, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Watford. Labour enters the elections as the dominant force in local government and is defending control in 66 councils. The Conservatives are defending nearly 1,200 seats but remain under pressure after heavy setbacks in previous local polls. The Liberal Democrats and Green Party are aiming to strengthen their influence in several councils, while Reform UK has fielded candidates across most seats in an attempt to challenge Britain’s traditional two-party structure. Also Read: ‘In the heart of Beirut’: Netanyahu confirms killing Hezbollah commander in Israeli strikes Scotland and Wales contests carry high political stakes In Scotland, all 129 seats in the Scottish Parliament are being contested. The ruling Scottish National Party is attempting to retain its position as the largest party under First Minister John Swinney. The SNP is defending 64 seats following a turbulent period marked by leadership changes after the resignations of Nicola Sturgeon and Humza Yousaf. Scottish Labour is seeking to build on the momentum gained during the 2024 Westminster election and challenge SNP dominance at Holyrood. Meanwhile, Wales is witnessing a historic election as the Senedd expands from 60 to 96 seats under a new proportional representation system. Welsh Labour, led by First Minister Eluned Morgan, is defending its long-standing hold over Welsh politics. However, the new electoral structure is expected to intensify competition, with Plaid Cymru and Reform UK posing strong challenges to Labour’s dominance in Cardiff Bay.

The elections are being closely watched as Britain moves towards a more competitive multi-party political system, with Labour and the Conservatives struggling in recent opinion polls while Reform UK, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens continue to expand their support base.

UK elections 2026: Polling underway across England, Scotland and Wales in major political test for Starmer govt

New Delhi: With focus on firming up closer ties in trade, technology, and education, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be visiting India next week. He will travel to India’s financial capital Mumbai, between October 8th and 10th, and will be holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the visit, both leaders will attend the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2025, as UK and India build on the Technology Security Initiative (TSI), launched in 2024. As part of the broader India-UK 2030 Roadmap, TSI focuses on securing critical technologies, innovation, and addressing global challenges like cybersecurity and AI governance.&nbsp;The visit of UK PM Starmer comes just months after PM Modi had visited the UK, a visit that saw the signing of the Free Trade Agreement, that aims to deepen economic ties between two of the largest economies on the planet. The agreement eliminates or reduces tariffs on over 90% of traded goods and gives enhanced market access for Indian IT, healthcare, and professional services in the UK, and financial and legal services in India for UK. Concluded after over three years of negotiations (14 rounds, starting January 2022), the deal builds on the India-UK 2030 Roadmap and seeks to double bilateral trade to approximately $120 billion by 2030.&nbsp;On the education front, both countries have annual India UK education dialogue and UK universities are setting up campuses in India. In July, the University of Southampton opened its campus in India. University of Birmingham and University of Aberdeen also plan to open campus by next year. Indian students remain the UK’s second-largest international cohort (after China), contributing over £5 billion annually to the UK economy through tuition fee and living costs.&nbsp;The visit, naturally will focus on both sides discussing counter terror cooperation. India suffered the Pahalgam terror attack by Pakistan trained terrorists while UK’s Manchester saw a terror attack at a synagogue on Thursday, October 2. The visit will see the two leaders discussing the two ongoing conflicts, the war in Ukraine and the Gaza situation and also UK’s Indo Pacific tilt.&nbsp;While the relationship, which has the substantial Indian diaspora in the UK as the living bridge, has been growing, Delhi hopes that irritants such as space for Khalistani elements, and financial fugitives are resolved by London. Earlier this week, Khalistani elements vandalised the Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in London. The British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron was quick to express her “disappointment” at the incident, recalling his “teachings of tolerance, peace, and non-violence” which she said are “timeless and will always bring people together.”

The visit of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer comes just months after PM Narendra Modi had visited the UK, a visit that saw the signing of the Free Trade Agreement, that aims to deepen economic ties between two of the largest economies on the planet.

New Delhi: With focus on firming up closer ties in trade, technology, and education, UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer will be visiting India next week. He will travel to India’s financial capital Mumbai, between October 8th and 10th, and will be holding talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. During the visit, both leaders will attend the Global Fintech Fest (GFF) 2025, as UK and India build on the Technology Security Initiative (TSI), launched in 2024. As part of the broader India-UK 2030 Roadmap, TSI focuses on securing critical technologies, innovation, and addressing global challenges like cybersecurity and AI governance. The visit of UK PM Starmer comes just months after PM Modi had visited the UK, a visit that saw the signing of the Free Trade Agreement, that aims to deepen economic ties between two of the largest economies on the planet. The agreement eliminates or reduces tariffs on over 90% of traded goods and gives enhanced market access for Indian IT, healthcare, and professional services in the UK, and financial and legal services in India for UK. Concluded after over three years of negotiations (14 rounds, starting January 2022), the deal builds on the India-UK 2030 Roadmap and seeks to double bilateral trade to approximately $120 billion by 2030. On the education front, both countries have annual India UK education dialogue and UK universities are setting up campuses in India. In July, the University of Southampton opened its campus in India. University of Birmingham and University of Aberdeen also plan to open campus by next year. Indian students remain the UK’s second-largest international cohort (after China), contributing over £5 billion annually to the UK economy through tuition fee and living costs. The visit, naturally will focus on both sides discussing counter terror cooperation. India suffered the Pahalgam terror attack by Pakistan trained terrorists while UK’s Manchester saw a terror attack at a synagogue on Thursday, October 2. The visit will see the two leaders discussing the two ongoing conflicts, the war in Ukraine and the Gaza situation and also UK’s Indo Pacific tilt. While the relationship, which has the substantial Indian diaspora in the UK as the living bridge, has been growing, Delhi hopes that irritants such as space for Khalistani elements, and financial fugitives are resolved by London. Earlier this week, Khalistani elements vandalised the Mahatma Gandhi’s statue in London. The British High Commissioner to India, Lindy Cameron was quick to express her “disappointment” at the incident, recalling his “teachings of tolerance, peace, and non-violence” which she said are “timeless and will always bring people together.”

The visit of UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer comes just months after PM Narendra Modi had visited the UK, a visit that saw the signing of the Free Trade Agreement, that aims to deepen economic ties between two of the largest economies on the planet.

With focus on trade, tech, and education, UK PM Starmer to visit India next week

British Prime Minister Kier Starmer is reportedly exploring proposals to abolish some visa fees for attracting top global talent. This comes after the US President Donald Trump’s administration has taken a tougher stance on its immigration policies, imposing a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas from Sunday (Sep 22). The move has sparked fear and tensions among visa holders and tech companies, a sector which is dominated by this visa.Financial Times reported that Starmer’s “global talent task force” is working on ideas to attract the world’s best scientists, academics, and digital experts to the country to boost economic growth. One option involves cutting visa charges to zero for people who have attended the top five universities in the world or have received prestigious prizes, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the discussions inside the prime minister’s office and the Treasury.Officials told FT that while reforms were being discussed before the Trump administration announcement on H-1B visas, the US decision has put “wind in the sails” for those wanting reform in Britain’s high-end visa system. The discussions come amid the Starmer administration’s goal to boost growth ahead of the November 26 Budget.Reportedly, the discussions are being led by the global talent task force that is chaired by Varun Chandra, Starmer’s business adviser and Lord Patrick Vallance, science minister.Another British official called the country’s current global talent visa system a “bureaucratic nightmare”, adding, “We are also looking at how we can help people navigate the visa process.”“This isn’t about diluting our determination to bring down net migration but it’s about getting the brightest and best into Britain. There is unity across government on this,” the official told FT.Britain’s current global talent visa, which was introduced in 2020, costs £766 ($1,030) to apply for, with partners and children paying the same fee. Additionally, an annual health surcharge fee of £1,035 ($1,398) is also applied to each person applying.“Our global talent routes attract and retain high-skilled talent, particularly in science, research and technology, to maintain the UK’s status as a leading international hub for emerging talent and innovation,” a Home Office spokesperson said, according to the report.<h2>Trump admin’s US visa decision sparks fears</h2>This marks a significant development amid the Trump administration’s decision on the US visa hike that has rattled the US tech industry and workers. About 85,000 individuals are awarded H-1B visas every year based on a lottery system, with Indians accounting for about three-quarters of the recipients.The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that the full implications of the US decision were being studied, warning of humanitarian consequences. “This measure is likely to have humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused to families. Government hopes that these disruptions can be addressed suitably by the US authorities,” the MEA said in a statement.

Britain’s current global talent visa, which was introduced in 2020, costs £766 ($1,030) to apply for, with partners and children paying the same fee.

British Prime Minister Kier Starmer is reportedly exploring proposals to abolish some visa fees for attracting top global talent. This comes after the US President Donald Trump’s administration has taken a tougher stance on its immigration policies, imposing a $100,000 fee for new H-1B visas from Sunday (Sep 22). The move has sparked fear and tensions among visa holders and tech companies, a sector which is dominated by this visa. Financial Times reported that Starmer’s “global talent task force” is working on ideas to attract the world’s best scientists, academics, and digital experts to the country to boost economic growth. One option involves cutting visa charges to zero for people who have attended the top five universities in the world or have received prestigious prizes, the newspaper reported, citing people familiar with the discussions inside the prime minister’s office and the Treasury. Officials told FT that while reforms were being discussed before the Trump administration announcement on H-1B visas, the US decision has put “wind in the sails” for those wanting reform in Britain’s high-end visa system. The discussions come amid the Starmer administration’s goal to boost growth ahead of the November 26 Budget. Reportedly, the discussions are being led by the global talent task force that is chaired by Varun Chandra, Starmer’s business adviser and Lord Patrick Vallance, science minister. Another British official called the country’s current global talent visa system a “bureaucratic nightmare”, adding, “We are also looking at how we can help people navigate the visa process.” “This isn’t about diluting our determination to bring down net migration but it’s about getting the brightest and best into Britain. There is unity across government on this,” the official told FT. Britain’s current global talent visa, which was introduced in 2020, costs £766 ($1,030) to apply for, with partners and children paying the same fee. Additionally, an annual health surcharge fee of £1,035 ($1,398) is also applied to each person applying. “Our global talent routes attract and retain high-skilled talent, particularly in science, research and technology, to maintain the UK’s status as a leading international hub for emerging talent and innovation,” a Home Office spokesperson said, according to the report. Trump admin’s US visa decision sparks fears This marks a significant development amid the Trump administration’s decision on the US visa hike that has rattled the US tech industry and workers. About 85,000 individuals are awarded H-1B visas every year based on a lottery system, with Indians accounting for about three-quarters of the recipients. The Indian Ministry of External Affairs said that the full implications of the US decision were being studied, warning of humanitarian consequences. “This measure is likely to have humanitarian consequences by way of the disruption caused to families. Government hopes that these disruptions can be addressed suitably by the US authorities,” the MEA said in a statement.

Britain’s current global talent visa, which was introduced in 2020, costs £766 ($1,030) to apply for, with partners and children paying the same fee.

UK to scrap visa fee after Trump’s $100,000 hike for H-1B? Report claims Starmer considering reform

british-prime-minister-kier-starmer

British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, News on British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, stories on British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, articles on British Prime Minister Kier Starmer, British Prime Minister Kier Starmer stories at Wion, British Prime Minister Kier Starmer news, British Prime Minister Kier Starmer latest news

british prime-minister-kier-starmer

UK elections 2026: Polling underway across England, Scotland and Wales in major political test for Starmer govt

With focus on trade, tech, and education, UK PM Starmer to visit India next week

UK to scrap visa fee after Trump’s $100,000 hike for H-1B?