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Local political news across the West of England. Choose your area for an Intelligence Hub.

COUNCILSource17 Aug

Burnham scraps restrictions on disabled people's bus passes in England

Guardian — Politics

Move means holders will be able to travel free on local services at any time of day or night from April next year Disabled people across England will be able to use their free bus passes at any time of day from next April, as Andy Burnham expands a policy he introduced as mayor of Greater Manchester. The prime minister has said the current weekday restric…

COUNCILSource9 Aug

London mayor orders council to drop plan to ban new pubs and bars in Soho and West End

Guardian — Politics

Exclusive: Sadiq Khan urges Westminster council to adopt 'positive vision of economic growth' of nightlife Sadiq Khan has ordered Westminster council to scrap a policy that would ban new pubs and bars from opening in Soho and the West End of London. This comes after the Guardian revealed the council's new licensing policy asks pubs to stop customers from…

COUNCILPublic Body25 Jun

Bath & North East Somerset secures funding to extend Park & Ride evening services

West of England Combined Authority

Residents and visitors in Bath & North East Somerset can benefit from improved evening travel, as the council has successfully secured funding from the West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA) to continue extending Park & Ride bus services later into the evening.

PARLIAMENTSource12h ago

As a doctor, I say this: before we even consider assisted dying, fix how we care for the most vulnerable | Zubir Ahmed

Guardian — Politics

A person's wish to die can be shaped by whether they have access to proper palliative care – and in England and Wales, too many do not Zubir Ahmed is a transplant surgeon and former Labour minister As a doctor, I have spent much of my professional life caring for people at some of the most vulnerable moments they will ever face. I have seen the anxiety th…

COUNCILSource4d ago

The Guardian view on Andy Burnham's buses: a blueprint for governing Britain | Editorial

Guardian — Politics

The prime minister is right to think that taking Manchester's model national could widen opportunity, clean the air and rebuild state capacity. Other public services could be next Barely a month into his premiership, Andy Burnham is already taking the lessons of Manchester's buses national. This week his government backed the West Midlands mayor Richard P…

PARLIAMENTSource4d ago

Nigel Farage called us 'nobodies' in the Clacton byelection. He seems to treat the town in much the same way | Attieh Fard

Guardian — Politics

I had few resources as a candidate, but the contest allowed me to speak to local people about their lives and their MP. They deserve so much better In the early hours of last Friday morning, a video was posted. It showed Nigel Farage among his team of volunteers, before the votes had been counted, celebrating his victory and saying that he was not going t…

PARLIAMENTSource14 Aug

Standards watchdog resumes investigation into Nigel Farage over financial gifts

Guardian — Politics

Reform UK leader's return to Clacton restarts inquiry into £5m gift from cyrpto-billionaire and support from fraudster The suspended parliamentary standards investigation into Nigel Farage over accusations he failed to declare gifts and donations has resumed after the Reform UK leader's re-election as the MP for Clacton. The twofold investigation by Danie…

PARLIAMENTSource12 Aug

Nigel Farage and Count Binface: a visual guide to their electoral careers

Guardian — Politics

Farage was elected to EU parliament five times before becoming Clacton MP, while Binface has been less successful – so far Nigel Farage has been standing in British elections since 1994, when he narrowly beat Screaming Lord Sutch of the Monster Raving Loony party into fourth place in a Commons byelection. He was elected five times to the European parliame…

PARLIAMENTSource5 Aug

Former neo-Nazi activist withdraws as Conservative election candidate

Guardian — Politics

Joshua Bonehill-Paine, who was convicted of harassing Jewish MP, says Badenoch has offered him advisory role instead • UK politics live – latest updates A former neo-Nazi activist who was convicted of harassing a Jewish MP has withdrawn as a Conservative election candidate after his selection prompted an outcry from Jewish groups and others. Joshua Bonehi…

COUNCILSource5 Aug

Badenoch defends decision to allow man jailed for antisemitism to stand as councillor

Guardian — Politics

Tory leader praises Joshua Bonehill-Paine's 'contrition' but says she has higher thresholds for MP candidates Kemi Badenoch has defended her party's decision to allow a former neo-Nazi who was jailed for subjecting a prominent Labour politician to antisemitic abuse to stand as a councillor. Badenoch said her party was not giving Joshua Bonehill-Paine, who…

COUNCILSource3 Aug

Former neo-Nazi activist selected as Tory candidate for Somerset council election

Guardian — Politics

Joshua Bonehill-Paine, creator of satirical Crewkerne Gazette, has convictions including for harassing a Jewish MP A former neo-Nazi activist with convictions including for harassing a Jewish MP has been selected as a Conservative candidate for a local election in Somerset. Joshua Bonehill-Paine, the creator of the viral Crewkerne Gazette series of AI cli…

TRANSPORTSource18 Aug

Burnham launches 'national drive' to get rough sleepers off streets by Christmas

Guardian — Politics

Prime minister urges local leaders to act as homelessness campaigners welcome move but say more needs to be done I won't abandon anyone to sleep rough on our streets. That's my £442m promise Andy Burnham has urged local leaders to offer all rough sleepers in England a route off the streets by Christmas, as he pledges another £100m to end street homelessne…

COUNCILPublic Body24 Jun

West of England supports Better Transport Week

West of England Combined Authority

The West of England Mayoral Combined Authority (WECA) – alongside partners Great Western Railway (GWR) and Network Rail – have proudly supported Better Transport Week with a visit to Ashley Down, the West's newest train station, and the soon to be opened Eastern Entrance of Bristol Temple Meads.

TRANSPORTPublic Body12 Jun

Cycling and walking boom with £4.5bn for thousands of new routes and safer crossings

West of England Combined Authority

More than half of short journeys in towns and cities will be walked, wheeled or cycled by 2035 under new national targets announced by the Department for Transport. The new Cycling and Walking Investment Strategy sets a national target for people to hit the pavement or pedals for 55% of short trips in towns and for 60% of children aged 5 to 16 to travel a…

PARLIAMENTSource5 Aug

Women must not feel pressure to have 'ideal birth', says Yvette Cooper

Guardian — Politics

Exclusive: New health secretary promises root-and-branch reform after damning maternity scandals Women should not feel pressurised into experiencing an "ideal birth", the new health secretary, Yvette Cooper, has said, promising a root-and-branch reform of standards after several damning maternity scandals. Cooper, who returns to the department 27 years af…

TRANSPORTCouncil6 Jul

(26-044) (RESIDENT PARKING ZONE 29) (VARIOUS ROADS, NEWBRIDGE AREA, BATH) (PROHIBITION AND RESTRICTION OF PARKING) (AUTHORISED AND DESIGNATED PARKING PLACES) ORDER 202-

Bath & North East Somerset Council

(26-044) (RESIDENT PARKING ZONE 29) (VARIOUS ROADS, NEWBRIDGE AREA, BATH) (PROHIBITION AND RESTRICTION OF PARKING) (AUTHORISED AND DESIGNATED PARKING PLACES) ORDER 202- Anonymous Mon, 07/06/2026 - 08:41 Category Permanent Traffic Regulation Order Date published 9 July 2026 NOTICE is given that the Bath and North East Somerset Council proposes to make an o…