Electoral reform working group set for appointment, says Minister
Government says absentee voting, campaign finance rules and polling station consistency will be among key issues reviewed ahead of proposed September legislation
Absentee voting, campaign finance transparency, and polling station consistency…
Those are among the issues a soon-to-be appointed Electoral Reform Working Group will review as Government pushes ahead with plans to modernise the electoral system.
Minister for the Cabinet Office and Digital Innovation, Diallo Rabain, says the working group is now ready to be formed, with legislation still expected to go before the House of Assembly in September.
More in the above report.
UK shares slide as Burnham leadership threat and oil prices unsettle investors
Burnham said on Thursday he would seek to contest a parliamentary seat becoming vacant after a colleague’s decision to stand down, potentially paving the way to challenge Starmer
International News via Reuters:
UK shares were set to snap a two-day winning streak on Friday as investors weighed a possible leadership challenge to Prime Minister Keir Starmer from Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham, while also worrying about inflation risks.
Burnham said on Thursday he would seek to contest a parliamentary seat becoming vacant after a colleague’s decision to stand down, potentially paving the way to challenge Starmer.
Investors worry that Burnham’s “business friendly socialism” could lead to more spending and borrowing by the government, straining Britain’s finances at a time when it is already under pressure.
“A process involving Burnham promises to be more protracted and ‘noisy’, thereby prolonging and exacerbating the uncertainty about the political situation in the UK,” said AJ Bell investment director Russ Mould.
The blue-chip FTSE 100 index fell 1.20% as of 10:58 am GMT, while the midcap FTSE 250 dropped 1.22%.
Starmer has been struggling to hold on to power after the Labour Party’s poor performance in the local elections last week. Wes Streeting, who quit as health minister on Thursday, is also expected to run against Starmer if a formal contest begins.
Separately, investors were spooked by the prospect of escalation in the Middle East conflict after U.S. President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran was running out.
Oil prices rose, with Brent crude futures rising 2.61% to $108.49 a barrel. As an oil importer, the UK faces the risk of higher inflation if disruption in the Strait of Hormuz persists and oil prices stay elevated.
The highly anticipated meeting between Trump and China’s President Xi Jinping also produced no major breakthroughs on resolving the war.
“Markets didn’t hear enough from Beijing to turn more optimistic on the Gulf,” said Francesco Pesole, FX strategist at ING.
Shares of metal miners fell 5.00%, while utilities dropped 4.88%.
3i Group was the biggest gainer on the FTSE 100, rebounding 5.40% after a 12.76% drop a day earlier.
Reporting by Niket Nishant in Bengaluru; Editing by Tasim Zahid
UK 30-year gilt yield hits highest since 1998 on political and inflation fears
Britain no longer issues much debt at 20- and 30-year maturities but the bonds’ yields are sometimes seen as a barometer of investor concerns about long-term borrowing and inflation concerns
International News via Reuters:
British 20- and 30-year gilt yields rose to their highest since 1998 on Friday as British bonds extended a selloff driven by domestic political worries and global inflation concerns that also pushed 10-year yields to their highest since 2008.
Britain no longer issues much debt at 20- and 30-year maturities but the bonds’ yields are sometimes seen as a barometer of investor concerns about long-term borrowing and inflation concerns.
Thirty-year gilt yields rose as high as 5.822% at 1042 GMT, up 17 basis points on the day, according to LSEG data, surpassing a previous high of 5.813% set on Tuesday, while 20-year yields reached 5.766%, up a similar amount.
Ten-year yields – which are more reflective of the rate Britain is charged for new borrowing – peaked at 5.153% and were up 14 bps at 5.133% at 1054 GMT.
Reporting by David MillikenEditing by William Schomberg
Ministers adopt new interpretation of migrants’ rights in European legal system
The declaration comes amid complaints from member states in recent years that the European Court of Human Rights has prevented governments from forcibly removing foreign nationals convicted of crimes or refused asylum seekers
International News via Reuters:
European ministers adopted a new interpretation of the European Convention on Human Rights on Friday that could facilitate some migrant deportations, including to third country “return hubs”, but which critics say will weaken human rights protections.
The declaration comes amid complaints from member states in recent years that the European Court of Human Rights has prevented governments from forcibly removing foreign nationals convicted of crimes or refused asylum seekers.
The declaration adopted at the annual session of the Council of Europe’s Committee of ministers in Moldova qualifies the rights under article 3 and article 8 of the convention, which relate to protection from torture and inhuman and degrading treatment and the right to a private and family life.
It approves cooperation with third countries on immigration, including on “return hubs”, provided that the countries respect the human rights convention.
It states that prohibition from torture and inhuman or degrading treatment is absolute, but that “the assessment of the minimum level of severity of the ill-treatment that constitutes inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment is relative and depends on all the circumstances of the case”.
Veronika Fikfak, Professor of Human Rights and International Law at University College London, said that the declaration’s interpretation of article 3 was a significant development and would dilute protections from torture.
“It says (prohibition of torture and inhuman or degrading treatment) is absolute, but then they use words to balance and offer a relative interpretation, but this is inconsistent with the heart of Article 3 – an absolute right cannot contain any element of relativity or balance,” she said.
On article 8, the declaration said states can expel foreign nationals in spite of their right to a private and family life so long as it is balanced with a legitimate aim, such as national security, and that the European Court of Human Rights would require “strong reasons” to override a state’s decision.
The 46-member Council of Europe was set up after World War Two to uphold human rights and the rule of law.
Council of Europe Secretary General Alain Berset welcomed the declaration and said it would guide the work of the council and of national authorities and domestic courts.
“We have been able to bring together countries across Europe, with different views and experiences to agree a common position on how the system should work best, notably in the challenging context of migration,” he said in a statement.
Reporting by Layli Foroudi; Editing by Alex Richardson
UK’s Starmer faces survival battle as potential rivals circle
Disastrous results for the governing Labour Party in local elections last week have plunged Britain into a new crisis, just under two years after Starmer won a large majority on a vow to bring stability and end a decade of political chaos
International News via Reuters:
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was struggling to hold on to power after his main rival in the government resigned on Thursday, accusing him of political drift, and others positioned themselves for potential challenges to his leadership.
Disastrous results for the governing Labour Party in local elections last week have plunged Britain into a new crisis, just under two years after Starmer won a large majority on a vow to bring stability and end a decade of political chaos.
After days of calls by Labour lawmakers for Starmer to quit or set out a timetable for his departure, Wes Streeting resigned as health minister, the first senior minister to break cover. He said he was standing down because “it is now clear you will not lead the Labour Party into the next general election”.
While Streeting did not trigger a formal contest, potential rivals to the prime minister, such as Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham, started positioning themselves for a possible leadership challenge that Starmer has said he will fight.
Streeting criticised his former boss in a resignation letter which said he was standing down to allow a wide debate about what comes next, one which the Labour movement wanted to focus on ideas rather than personalities or factions.
“It needs to be broad, and it needs the best possible field of candidates,” Streeting wrote.
STREETING SAYS BRITAIN NEEDS VISION
“Where we need vision, we have a vacuum. Where we need direction, we have drift,” Streeting said in pointed remarks about Starmer. “Leaders take responsibility, but too often that has meant other people falling on their swords.”
A source close to Streeting said the former health minister had enough support to mount a formal leadership challenge but had not triggered an immediate contest because he felt it would be preferable for Starmer to set out an orderly timetable.
Starmer responded with a letter expressing regret Streeting had stepped down, saying “it is incumbent on all of us to rise to what I see as a battle for the soul of our nation” and “turn the page on the chaos”.
He swiftly appointed one of his supporters, James Murray, as Streeting’s replacement.
The British leader has said he will battle to keep his job, and sources close to him say he is determined to fight any leadership contest.
The pound edged lower after Streeting’s resignation and news that Burnham would seek to return to parliament.
POTENTIAL CANDIDATES FACE OFF AGAINST STARMER LOYALISTS
Another possible candidate in any leadership contest, Starmer’s former deputy, Angela Rayner, said earlier on Thursday that she had been cleared of deliberate wrongdoing over her tax affairs, an impediment to challenging the prime minister. But she would not say whether she wanted to launch a formal bid.
Burnham also was offered a path for a possible leadership challenge. After a Labour lawmaker in Greater Manchester said he would resign from his parliamentary seat, Burnham said he would seek permission to stand as Labour’s candidate.
He would have to win an election for that seat to be able to challenge Starmer – an aim he stopped short of voicing.
“Much bigger change is needed at a national level if everyday life is to be made more affordable again. This is why I now seek people’s support to return to parliament,” he said on X.
Another potential candidate is armed forces minister Al Carns, a former Royal Marine seen by some in Labour as a new face who could freshen up the party.
But Starmer still enjoys some support. Education Minister Bridget Phillipson repeated her backing for Starmer and suggested the rest of his cabinet team of top ministers were also supportive.
“This is now a chance for us to pause, take a breath as a party and try and draw a line under all of this,” she said.
Starmer, 63, has adopted a “business-as-usual” approach and finance minister Rachel Reeves warned lawmakers against plunging Britain into chaos when its anaemic economy was turning a corner. The economy grew unexpectedly in March.
Business leaders fear another leadership race to choose what would be Britain’s seventh prime minister in about a decade would deter investment – something the Labour government has said must improve to turn around Britain’s fortunes.
The political instability has pushed borrowing costs higher, with some investors nervous about the possible election of a more left-wing, tax-and-spend Labour prime minister.
“There have been too many changes of government strategy, leadership, just in my six years of being CEO,” Amanda Blanc, boss of insurance company Aviva, told Reuters. “And I think that is harmful to a major economy such as the UK and how we are perceived abroad.”($1 = 0.7398 pounds)
Reporting by Elizabeth Piper, Andrew MacAskill and Alistair Smout, Additional reporting by Sam Tabahriti, Muvija M and William James; Writing by Elizabeth Piper and Kate Holton; Editing by Alison Williams, Timothy Heritage and Deepa Babington
At Cannes, Japanese director Fukada says AI undermines the creative process
He said his new drama “Nagi Notes,” set in rural Japan, which he is premiering at the festival, reflects on the human process of creating a sculpture
International News via Reuters:
Using artificial intelligence to “jump straight to the result” could mean art fails to achieve its purposes of self-expression and to deepen our understanding of the world, Japanese filmmaker Koji Fukada said at the Cannes Film Festival on Thursday.
He said his new drama “Nagi Notes,” set in rural Japan, which he is premiering at the festival, reflects on the human process of creating a sculpture.
“When AI is used to create an artwork or produce a video, you effectively skip over the process and jump straight to the result and, in doing so, we, who ought to be the ones expressing ourselves, lose sight of the very process in which we are to increase our understanding of the world,” he said.
“Nagi Notes” stars Shizuka Ishibashi as Yuri, a Tokyo-based architect who travels to the western Japanese village of Nagi to visit her friend and former sister-in-law, Yoriko, played by Takako Matsu, to pose for a sculpture.
Yuri and Yoriko also connect with two young boys in the village, Keita (Kiyora Fujiwara) and Haruki (Waku Kawaguchi), and provide them with a safe haven for their blossoming feelings for one another.
Asked about the boys’ relationship, Fukada said he felt there was an asymmetry in how audiences view homosexual relationships on screen versus heterosexual ones.
“I hope that in 10, 20 or 30 years’ time or longer, when it’s commonplace for characters of all sexual orientations to appear in dramas, that such questions will become obsolete.”
Fukada’s last feature, “Love on Trial,” screened in the sidebar Cannes Premiere section in 2025.
He also presented his 2020 title “The Real Thing” in official selection at the cinema showcase, while his 2016 film “Harmonium” premiered in the secondary competition section Un Certain Regard, winning the Jury Prize.
“Nagi Notes” is one of 22 titles vying for the festival’s top Palme d’Or prize, which will be handed out on May 23.
Reporting by Hanna Rantala, Writing by Miranda Murray; editing by Barbara Lewis
Britain’s foreign minister plans to visit China in early June, sources say
The June 2-3 trip will take Cooper to Beijing for talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and then to the southern tech hub of Shenzhen for meetings with businesses, one of the sources said
International News via Reuters:
British foreign minister Yvette Cooper is expected to visit China in early June, three sources said, as London seeks to capitalise on relatively cordial ties with Beijing before any fresh setback over a new Chinese embassy in the UK capital.
The June 2-3 trip will take Cooper to Beijing for talks with her Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and then to the southern tech hub of Shenzhen for meetings with businesses, one of the sources said.
Briefings are being prepared on the basis that even if there is a leadership contest to oust British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, that would take weeks or months and Cooper would likely still travel regardless, two British officials said.
Cooper is not a current frontrunner for Labour leader, despite having held two of the UK’s Great Offices of State – she was also interior minister, or home secretary, from 2024 to 2025.
“China is willing to maintain close contact and dialogue with the UK,” Chinese foreign ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun said when asked to confirm the visit. He said he did not have any information to share “at this time”.
Britain’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Starmer and Chinese leader Xi Jinping announced a “reset” in ties during a January visit to China, following the British government’s approval of plans for Beijing to build its largest embassy in Europe in London, and paving the way for the lifting of Chinese sanctions on six serving lawmakers.
Beijing is a hive of diplomacy, with U.S. President Donald Trump ending a state visit a week before the expected arrival of Russian President Vladimir Putin.
BRIEF WINDOW OF OPPORTUNITY
Officials in China and the UK are seeking to hold further rounds of high-level financial and commercial talks this year, with the Starmer government prioritising efforts to attract fresh investment from the world’s second-largest economy, while China seeks improved market access to offset sluggish domestic demand.
But a British government decision in March to block the use of Chinese wind turbine maker Ming Yang Smart Energy in offshore wind projects on security grounds – that dealt a blow to the company’s planned 1.5 billion pound ($2.01 billion) investment in Scotland – has frustrated Beijing, two British officials said.
The decision on Ming Yang was communicated to the Chinese in advance in a bid to keep Cooper’s visit on track, one of the officials said.
Furthermore, both British and Chinese officials told Reuters they are bracing for the outcome of a High Court review of the government’s January approval of a new Chinese embassy, due in June or July, with Beijing likely to retaliate if the project is stalled again.
Still, the British government is trying to make the most of the current detente, with ties under the previous Conservative government soured by tension during the coronavirus pandemic over human rights and spying accusations.
The Foreign Affairs Select Committee, led by senior Labour lawmaker Emily Thornberry, is expected to visit China later this month, two of the sources said, with stops in Beijing and Guangzhou, according to one of them, who warned the trip may not go ahead due to political upheaval at home.
($1 = 0.7479 pounds)
Reporting by Joe Cash; Editing by Raju Gopalakrishnan and Andrew Heavens
Oil prices up 3% after Trump says he is losing patience with Iran
Brent crude futures gained $3.47, or 3.3%, to $109.19 a barrel by 0925 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were up $3.72, or 3.7%, at $104.89
International News via Reuters:
Oil prices gained more than 3% on Friday after U.S. President Donald Trump said his patience with Iran is running out, adding to concerns over the lack of progress on a peace deal to end ship attacks and seizures around the Strait of Hormuz.
Brent crude futures gained $3.47, or 3.3%, to $109.19 a barrel by 0925 GMT. U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures were up $3.72, or 3.7%, at $104.89.
Over the week, Brent has climbed 7.8% and WTI 9.9% on uncertainty over the shaky ceasefire in the Iran conflict.
After talks with Chinese President Xi Jinping, Trump said they agreed that Iran cannot be allowed to have a nuclear weapon and must reopen the Strait of Hormuz, adding that he is losing patience with Tehran.
“Market focus is back on the deadlock and a blockaded Strait of Hormuz, with a tail risk of renewed military escalation,” said Vandana Hari, founder of oil market analysis provider Vanda Insights.
President Xi did not comment on his discussions with Trump about Iran, though China’s foreign ministry issued a statement. “This conflict, which should never have happened, has no reason to continue,” the ministry said.
Among deals the market was looking for from the summit, Trump said China wants to buy oil from the United States.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards said that 30 vessels had crossed the Strait of Hormuz between Wednesday evening and Thursday, still far short of the 140 a day that was typical before the war, but a substantial increase if confirmed.
“An increasing number of vessels are filtering through the Strait … although currently this has a more tangible impact on sentiment than on the actual oil balance,” said PVM analyst Tamas Varga.
Shipping analytics firm Kpler said on Thursday that 10 ships had sailed through the strait in the past 24 hours, compared with the five to seven that have crossed daily in recent weeks.
Reporting by Robert Harvey in London, Mohi Narayan in New Delhi and Sam Li in BeijingEditing by David Goodman
Britain’s pound, stocks and bonds fall on political uncertainty, global inflation angst
Sterling fell to a five-week low and is down almost 2% against the dollar this week, set for its biggest weekly drop since November 2024
International News via Reuters:
British government bonds, stocks and sterling fell on Friday, as domestic political uncertainty clashed with global worries about an inflationary shock, leaving UK assets in the mire.
Sterling fell to a five-week low and is down almost 2% against the dollar this week, set for its biggest weekly drop since November 2024.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer was in a battle to hold on to power after his health minister Wes Streeting resigned from government, while others positioned themselves to challenge his leadership, following disastrous local election results last week.
Markets are concerned that a new leader may be willing to loosen fiscal policy more, with British government borrowing costs up sharply again and UK bank stocks selling off on Friday.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham has been offered a path for a possible leadership challenge after another Labour lawmaker said he would resign his parliamentary seat. If Burnham were to win the seat, he could then challenge for the party leadership.
“Market’s fear is that Burnham would be more left leaning, and we could see further increase in deficits,” said Jefferies economist Mohit Kumar.
“Our base case is one of a managed exit for Starmer and Burnham likely becoming the next PM,” he added.
The domestic political drama has coincided with another rise in energy prices on Friday and growing evidence that the economic damage from the Iran war is hurting.
U.S. inflation data this week has shown consumers and factories are starting to see big increases in price pressures as a result of the war, which has pushed up the price of crude by over 50%.
The pound has tended to suffer against the dollar when tensions between Washington and Tehran flare or oil prices rise, given Britain’s dependence on energy imports and the economy’s sensitivity to higher fuel costs.
It was last down 0.3% on the day at $1.3364 after earlier touching $1.3335, its lowest level in over five weeks.
British bond yields jumped across the curve. The 10-year yield was last up almost 12 basis points (bps) at around 5.11%. Bond yields move inversely with prices.
Stocks also fell. The blue-chip FTSE 100 was last down 0.6%, while the more domestic-oriented FTSE 250 index of midcap stocks was down 1.1%.
UK banks were also down sharply, with Barclays and Lloyds down over 2% each.
Reporting by Samuel Indyk; Editing by Dhara Ranasinghe
Motorcyclist injured in Palmetto Road crash
The rider was taken to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital with head injuries while police closed Palmetto Road for about two hours to process the scene
Media Release:
Around 10:25 p.m. on Thursday, May 14, 2026, Police and Emergency Medical Services were dispatched to a reported serious road traffic collision involving a motorcar and a motorcycle, just west of the Tynes Bay waste to energy facility on Palmetto Road, Devonshire.
It was reported that the motorcycle rider sustained head injuries. He was attended to at the scene and was conscious and alert.
He was subsequently transported by ambulance to King Edward VII Memorial Hospital, for further treatment of his injuries. The driver of the other vehicle was not reported to have been injured.
The roadway remained closed for approximately two hours, to allow for processing of the collision scene with traffic diversions at the junction of Barker’s Hill and North Shore Road, as well as Parson’s Lane and Palmetto Road.
Heart of Bermuda: Miles of History
Before the music, the majorettes and the parade floats, there was the race.
For 117 years, the Bermuda Day Half-Marathon Derby has tested endurance, crowned legends and brought generations of Bermudians together each May 24th holiday.
In the second installment of our new series Heart of Bermuda, Julie Matthews-Borchardt explores the rich history of the race that helped shape Bermuda Day itself.
