Reform UK is holding on to a significant polling lead heading in to next week’s local elections, with the Greens also challenging the traditional grip of the two main parties over British politics.
A new poll for The i Paper by BMG Research has confirmed the picture of a highly fragmented political landscape with no party able to win the support of even 30 per cent of voters.
But if the picture painted by the survey proves to be an accurate guide to the elections to English councils and the Scottish and Welsh parliaments, Labour and the Conservatives can expect heavy losses with the two insurgent populist parties making major gains.
Shorts – Quick stories
Can you learn to love pigeons? A much-unloved animal in the UK
Features writer Kasia Delgado went on a safari to see if she could look past their rat-like nature
The tour guide
People think pigeons are stupid but lots of studies have shown them to have amazing memories, that they can identify people by their facial features, and they have an extraordinary sense of direction.
Florence Wilkinson, author of Wild City: Encounters with Urban Wildlife, took Kasia on a tour.
Positives of pigeons
War heroes
During the Second World War, carrier pigeons were routinely used to send messages, and they saved thousands of lives.
Homing ability
Scientists have put them in blacked-out vans and put miniature goggles on them to blur their vision and still the pigeons manage to return home.
The Dove family
We think of them as all grey, but they vary in shades, and some of them are quite amazingly coloured, says Florence.
Kasia’s feeding test
As I gingerly chuck some seed, wincing slightly, 15 or so flap their wings at me. I wouldn’t say I feel content or relaxed but I don’t hate it as much as I thought I would. I can see they’re not going to do me harm and after all, they’re just enjoying some free food.
A common myth?
Disease carriers
Research has found that between 1941 and 2004, there were only 207 reports worldwide of pathogens transmitted from pigeons to humans.
Not all walks are created equal
Read on to find out how to supercharge yours into an unbeatable health-builder
How to supercharge your walk
Get a bit breathless
All walking paces are linked with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease but there are additional gains made by those who walk at a moderate-to-vigorous intensity.
Walk uphill
Try to find varying inclines to increase energy and muscle burn.
Add weights
The extra resistance challenges your heart to work harder, increasing cardiovascular fitness.
How to supercharge your walk
Uneven ground
Mountainous and uneven terrain work your stabilising muscles harder, increasing the difficulty and output from your walk.
Go Nordic
Using poles engages the arms as well as the legs and core, turning walking into a full-body workout.
A walk is beneficial at any time of day, but after eating could be best. Research has found that 10- to 30-minute walks taken 10 to 30 minutes after a meal can reduce the peak blood-sugar measurements reached.
Slower and lower blood sugar throughout the day reduces the risk of type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
How to supercharge your walk
Go green
Walking in nature has more psychological benefits than concrete. It’s shown to significantly reduce anxiety and depression.
Improve your posture
Staying tall through the spine, open your chest and keep your eyes forward (not leaning over on your phone..).
Meet outside
Walking is a good time to have conversations, whether with your boss or a friend.
Mistakes to avoid
1Focusing on step count – most research suggests that benefits plateau at 7,000 steps a day.
2Using ankle weights – they can tug at the hip flexors and the knees.
3 Doing one-and-done – just hiking for three hours on the weekend, and nothing throughout the week, means you’re missing out on benefits.
4Thinking it’s not a workout – walking packs in cardio and brain-boosting effects without the recovery time of intense exercise.
Eight million people in the UK are living with heart or circulatory disease
And while chest pain is a well-known symptom, there are more subtle signs you should be aware of too.
Overlooked signs of heart disease
Dizziness and fainting
An abnormal heart rhythm can cause a dizzy feeling. While much dizziness is not serious, it can be associated with life-threatening complications.
Increased breathlessness
This breathlessness could be due to blockages and reduced blood flow in the arteries.
Swollen ankles
Unusual swelling can indicate a problem with the body’s circulatory system and kidneys.
Worsening fatigue
Ongoing and worsening fatigue can indicate an underlying health issue, and it could be a sign that your heart isn’t working as effectively as it should be. If persistent fatigue is impacting you day-to-day, the best thing to do is speak with your doctor.
Ruth Goss, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation
Overlooked signs of heart disease
Indigestion-type symptoms Discomfort in the stomach, chest and ribs, or a burning sensation in the chest area, could all be symptoms of heart disease.
Erectile dysfunction If it’s an ongoing issue, there could be an underlying health problem, including atherosclerosis (narrowing of the arteries), diabetes or high blood pressure.
Emotional detachment is a key life skill
Read on to find out how to embrace it, from GP Dr Radha
Healthy detachment
[Detachment] is not selfish – we can still care and empathise. We don’t avoid, we just balance and respond rather than react because we are not too invested in the outcome. This is very different from emotional numbing, which often happens after trauma.
dr Radha Modgil
When we need detachment
Toxic friendships
When you feel that an interaction brings out the worst in you, or that you are having to watch everything you say or do.
Dysfunctional families
Healthy detachment is helpful when we become overly invested in trying to control or fix someone.
Work issues
It’s helpful in situations you are not in control of and helps you leave work behind at 5pm.
How to start it
Examine your beliefs
You may have been conditioned to think that it is your responsibility to fix everything. Is this a fact or based on old patterns?
Look at the impact
Consider what negative impact your “fixing” has; it can keep situations stuck, or infantilise others from growing up.
Which problems are in your control?
Understanding what problems are ours to hold and which aren’t can help avoid emotional burnout.
How to maintain it
Firm boundaries
This means understanding your sense of self, what is yours and what is not and sticking to it.
Self-care
Recognise and look after your own energy levels, mental health and your need to live your own life.
Be objective
Try to have a factual, calm, rational attitude in moments of conflict. This includes trying to release the need to control.
I spent a week in the world’s happiest country
Here are the five ways I brought Finnish culture back to the UK.
Sauna, sauna, sauna
A regular Finnish sauna boasts a wealth of health benefits: improved cardiovascular health, reduced blood pressure, lower risk of heart disease, stroke and dementia.
In Finnish culture, the sauna is available for everyone: it’s the great equaliser and forms a gently ritualistic part of the day.
Immerse yourself in nature
It is enshrined in Finnish law that anyone living in or visiting Finland has the freedom to roam the countryside, forage, fish, ski, or camp temporarily.
70 per cent of Finland is forest and they have an estimated 180,000 lakes, of which Lake Saimaa (the one I visited) is the largest.
It plays into the Finns’ love of solitude: having space to think. I have found myself not only treasuring the greenery I can find in London.
Eastl local and drink coffee
Finnish diet
Diets are rich in oily fish and local produce: whole grains, Arctic berries, dairy, wild mushrooms, and game like reindeer.
Coffee
The Finns are the number one coffee drinkers in the world. This is both a social ritual and a historic legacy.
I’m cherishing my coffee breaks that bit more, as well as enjoying smoked fish and pickles for lunch
Have fun
Play is embedded from early childhood, as it is seen as a fundamental pillar of development. For every 45-minute lesson, children enjoy unstructured play for 15 mins.
While adults don’t get the same level of structured play, hobbies and a clear demarcation between work and life ensure adults retain a sense of leisure. Every year in July, businesses slow down.
Do not take the good for granted
Finns actively remember not only their suffering through the war, but the fact that the peace they enjoy requires constant maintenance.
Greenwich Park (Photo: AP Photo/Joanna Chan)
Since my visit, I am actively appreciating things like London’s public transport system, or the number of parks my dog can run in. We are fools if we take it for granted.
Inflammation can be harmful. But it is possible to lower it through lifestyle changes.
We asked the experts the habits you can instill to reduce levels.
Dietary changes
Fruit and veg
Research suggests high intakes of fruit and vegetables are linked with lower inflammatory markers, says dietitican Sammie Gill.
Healthy fats
Omega-3 fatty acids from oily fish, nuts, seeds and olive oil are all beneficial in fighting inflammation.
Established diets
Certain patterns, like the Mediterranean diet, can help control long-term inflammation.
What to use and what to avoid
Use turmeric and black pepper
Herbs and spices are an easy way of adding anti-inflammatory plant compounds to your diet.
Drink green tea
Keeping hydrated by drinking enough water helps your body function, and herbal teas can have added benefits.
Eat blueberries
Women eating a handful of blueberries a day can help lower their high blood pressure.
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Regularly, not randomly
“The key is consistency, even light, regular activity is better than long, intense workouts once in a while,” says Dr Maz Mwambazi, a GP.
Yoga
Building muscle through weight lifting can help, as can mind-body practices like yoga, which combine physical postures, breathing, and meditation.
Prioritise fun
Chronic stress can contribute to inflammation, says Dr Rangan Chatterjee – so partake in activities which help you manage or reduce your stress levels.
Finding a hobby you enjoy, spending time in nature and spending time connecting with friends and family have all been shown to reduce stress.
Reform is on 28 per cent, nine points ahead of Labour on 19 per cent – followed by the Tories with 17 per cent, the Greens on 16 per cent and the Liberal Democrats who are backed by 12 per cent of voters.
The figures are almost unchanged from BMG’s previous survey in late March, with a one-point fall in Conservative support the only difference, suggesting voters views are entrenched ahead of the election, with the electorate now fractured between five parties, rather than the two parties who have dominated British politics for a century.
Labour caught between Reform and Greens
Some in Labour will be relieved that the party’s position has not deteriorated further in light of the latest rows over the vetting of Peter Mandelson to be ambassador to the US, and whether Sir Keir Starmer has lied about the scandal.
But the poll shows that Reform – though declining from the heights it achieved in surveys last year – remains the single most popular party, with the Greens also on the rise.
Nearly half of those who voted for Labour in the 2024 general election now say they would not support the party, with 11 per cent of them switching to Nigel Farage’s Reform and 19 per cent preferring the Greens under Zack Polanski. Meanwhile 29 per cent of past Tory voters now endorse Reform.
Pollsters predict Labour is set to lose thousands of seats in local elections in England on Thursday. Elections will also take place for the Scottish and Welsh Parliaments, with Labour on course to lose Wales for the first time since the Senedd was created in 1999.
There have been suggestions that a heavy loss could trigger a challenge to Starmer’s leadership from the likes of Health Secretary Wes Streeting or former Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner – but MPs are also wary of removing the Prime Minister without a clear front runner to take over.
The Greens, energised under new leader Zack Polanski, are also expected to make major gains, particularly in London areas traditionally dominated by Labour, such as Hackney and Tower Hamlets, while Reform is expected to well in the northern Labour heartlands.
Reform to be under scrutiny
A Reform landslide would see intense scrutiny on any local authorities that come under Reform control. Nigel Farage’s party would become responsible for delivering many day to day services such as bin collections, recycling and fixing potholes – as well as setting council tax rates.
Farage has admitted that the weakness in his bid for power is a lack of experience, and has asked voters to look at how well his party runs local authorities. Those Reform already control, such as Kent, have been criticised for raising council tax despite Reform pledges to cut excessive spending.
A heavy defeat for Labour could see calls for Starmer – if he survives – to tack to the left to see off the Green surge, rather than try to face both ways and fight Reform at the same time.
Kemi Badenoch may also have a difficult night, with the Tories expected to lose seats to Reform and the Lib Dems.
While his party has not fallen back since the re-emergence of the Mandelson fiasco, Starmer has taken a knock to his personal ratings which now stand at a net of -49, as just 16 per cent of people are satisfied with his performance and 65 per cent are unhappy. Badenoch is on -5 and Farage on -14.
Healthcare is now the only major policy issue where Labour is the most trusted party. Reform is ahead on crime, the cost of living, EU relations and – by a double-digit margin – immigration, while the Conservatives hold a slim lead on the economy, security and education.
Despite Reform’s lead in the polls the findings suggest that Brexit, Farage’s achievement, is broadly unpopular: 48 per cent of the public want Britain to rejoin the EU with only 35 per cent preferring to stay out.
BMG surveyed a representative sample of 1,521 GB adults between 29 and 30 April. BMG are members of the British Polling Council and abide by its rules.
