Green Party insiders have said a sense of unease and panic has overcome the party just days from crucial local elections in England following the row over antisemitism which has seen some candidates arrested.
There is also concern over the way leader Zack Polanski has handled the issue, particularly his recent row with the Met Police over the way they tackled a man who had allegedly stabbed two Jewish men in Golders Green in north London in a terrorist incident.
Canvassers who had enjoyed a positive reception on doorsteps during a campaign expected to deliver record gains for the Green Party of England and Wales are uneasy about the force of the backlash they are seeing, sources say.
Shorts – Quick stories
Think you know all the signs of heart problems? Some might be myths rather than fact…
These are the beliefs to be wary of, according to Dr Abdul Mozid, a consultant cardiologist at Nuffield Health Leeds Hospital.
‘Getting out of breath is just a sign of getting older’
Caption: Senior man laying down on the sofa, watching tv and holding the remote control. Photographer: PicTour Studio Provider: Getty Images Source: iStockphoto
While ageing can contribute, breathlessness is also a common early warning sign of heart disease.
When the heart cannot pump efficiently, fluid can build up in the lungs, making simple activities difficult.
If it occurs while laying down, or while doing minimal activity, it should never be ignored.
LIFESTYLE
4 min read
‘Sleep has little effect on the heart’
There are ways to get a better night’s sleep (Photo: Maskot/Getty/Digital Vision/Copyright Maskot Bildbyr?)
Poor or fragmented sleep increases stress hormone levels, raises blood pressure, disrupts glucose metabolism and promotes inflammation — all of which contribute to cardiovascular disease.
Good-quality sleep is not a luxury; it is a pillar of cardiovascular health alongside diet and exercise.
‘Exercise gives you a healthy heart’
You can ‘out-exercise’ metabolic stress
A young Indian woman sits on a couch at home, holding her hand over her heart, grimacing as she feels severe pain in her chest – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
This is not true. A poor diet high in saturated fats, refined sugars and salt promotes high cholesterol, diabetes and hypertension, regardless of your activity levels.
Analysis
3 min read
Other heart health myths to ignore
Only “bad” cholesterol matters
While HDL cholesterol may be associated with lower risk in some contexts, it does not provide total immunity to heart problems. Managing LDL levels remains crucial as part of your overall health.
(Photo: Jacob Wackerhausen/Getty).Midlife depression. Sad upset middle aged woman at home, feeling lonely. Aging anxiety and loneliness concept – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
It’s just anxiety Women are more likely to present with less “classic” heart attack symptoms, such as fatigue, nausea, jaw pain or back discomfort. If symptoms are new or persistent, cardiac issues must be considered.
‘Heart disease is an older person problem’
Heart disease remains the leading cause of death in women, yet risk is often underestimated. Symptoms may be subtle and attributed to life stage or stress.
Recognising these unique risk enhancers is vital to earlier diagnosis and prevention.
The older couple has a conflict. Upset mature woman, quarrel with her husband. Relationship crisis – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)Caption: BERLIN, GERMANY – AUGUST 13: Symbolic photo on the topic of problems in a relationship. An older woman and an older man are sitting at home on August 13, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo Illustration by Thomas Trutschel/Photothek via Getty Images) Photographer: Thomas Trutschel Provider: Photothek via Getty Images Source: Photothek
Why eating eggs five times a week could cut Alzheimer’s risk
People who eat eggs more regularly could have a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests.
Caption: A detail of cracked egg falling into the pan as woman holds egg shells in both hands. Photographer: SimpleImages Provider: Getty Images Source: Moment RF
What does the study show?
Having eggs at least five times a week suggests a…
27%
lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s, compared with those who rarely or never eat them.
The research followed nearly 40,000 adults aged 65 and over for an average of 15 years.
980,000
People are estimated to be living with dementia in the UK, with Alzheimer’s the most common cause.
This is forecast to rise to 1.4m by 2040 as the population ages.
What’s so special about eggs?
Photographer: Andrew Brookes Provider: Getty Images/Image Source Source: Image Source Copyright: Copyright Andrew Brookes
A no-brainer
Eggs contain choline, which the body uses to make acetylcholine, a chemical involved in memory and learning.
Nutritious and delicious
Eggs contain lutein and zeaxanthin, the yellow-orange pigments in food which could act as antioxidants.
(Photo: Laurie Ambrose/Getty).
Caption: Eggs are seen in a carton on Monday, April 13, 2026, in Portland, Ore. (AP Photo/Jenny Kane) Photographer: Jenny Kane Provider: AP Source: AP
Egg-ceptional
They also provide some omega-3 fatty acids, which have been linked with cognitive function.
HEALTH
The potential cause of common type of stroke uncovered
Caption: Closeup of elderly Asian man visiting neurologist explaining stroke risk using artery model ??? discussing brain health and blood pressure Photographer: PonyWang Provider: Getty Images Source: E+
Researchers have pinpointed the potential cause of a type of stroke suffered by about 35,000 people in the UK every year.
The discovery could explain why widely used treatments don’t work, and could pave the way for new options.
What does the study say?
Lacunar strokes – triggered by damage to tiny blood vessels – are caused by the widening of arteries in the brain, researchers say.
This is unlike ischaemic strokes, which are caused by a blocked blood vessel.
This could explain why usual treatments, such as anti-platelet drugs, which stop blood clots from forming in the arteries, do not work.
Lacunar strokes can lead to problems with thinking, memory, movement and dementia.
Divorce Diaries
5 min read
New treatments are needed
Researchers at the University of Edinburgh and the UK Dementia Research Institute tested and tracked 229 people who had a lacunar or mild non-lacunar stroke. Patients with widened arteries were four times more likely to have a lacunar stroke.
Scientists argue that ‘holistic’ approach is needed to brain disease prevention and treatment as the world faces a dramatic rise in cases of stroke, dementia and other conditions. (Photo credit: FRED TANNEAU/AFP/Getty Images)A retired infection control nurse says it isn’t possible to “hand wash” your way out of the quad-demic. She says hospitals need better ventilation and mask wearing to tackle the crisis (Photo: Jeff Moore/PA Wire)
This explains why conventional blood-thinners don’t work and highlights the need for new therapies to target the underlying microvascular damage.
Stroke research ‘chronically underfunded’
Stroke research is chronically underfunded, with less than 1% of total UK research funding spent on the condition…Yet these findings illustrate the value of research and the potential it has to change the lives of stroke patients.
MAEVA MAY, STROKE ASSOCIATION
Caption: Embryologist performing embryo cleaning under microscope in Petri plate after IVF next day in real laboratory Photographer: Natalia Lebedinskaia Provider: Getty Images Source: Moment RF Copyright: www.natasha-lebedinskaya.ru
Over 5,000 council seats are set to be contested in England as part of the elections this week (Photo: Peter Byrne/PA Wire)
POLITICS
Everything you need to know about the local elections
Thursday’s local elections are set to reshape the political landscape and potentially threaten Sir Keir Starmer’s leadership.
Here’s everything you need to know as voters prepare to head to the polls.
How will the results unfold?
Polling stations open at 7am on Thursday, 7 May. Voters in England will need to show photo ID to be able to cast a vote..
Millions of people will take to the polls before they close at 10pm.
In England, 46 of the local authorities will count and declare overnight, with results expected in the early hours of the morning on 8 May.
The results in Scotland and Wales are expected to trickle in from Friday afternoon.
The remaining English authorities begin counting ballots on Friday morning, with results announced throughout the day.
All the results will be in by Saturday 9 May.
Status quo upended
The local elections are set to be grim for Labour, with sweeping losses across the country. The polls show the Tories are also expecting a bruising defeat.
Reform UK and the Greens are likely to reap the rewards, with Nigel Farage’s party hoping to gain control of councils across the country.
Reform is in danger of jumping feet-first into fiscal commitments and having to unpick them later (Photo: Rasid Necati Aslim/Anadolu/Getty)
Exclusive
3 min read
Fridge or cupboard?
This is your definitive guide on where and how to store your foods at home to maximise the quality and shelf life, from ketchup and butter to nuts and jam.
Where to store the basics
Keeping butter in the fridge maximises food safety and freshness.
Ketchup and mayonnaise can be stored in the cupboard but once opened, are best in the fridge.
Bread shouldn’t be refridgerated due to the starch molecules. A bread bin at room temparture, or an airtight container is best.
LIFESTYLE
6 min read
How and where to store food items
There is a fine line between ripe or matured and spoilt.
Jam
Keeping it in the fridge will help it last longer.
Eggs
Storing them at a constant cool temperature, preferably in the fridge, will keep them safe to eat.
Berries
Keeping them in the fridge slows down mould growth and keeps them fresh.
LIFESTYLE
5 min read
Where to store your food
Caption: Fresh organic tomato closeup . Photographer: Maria Korneeva Provider: Getty Images Source: Moment RF
Tomatoes
Ripe ones should be kept on the counter uncovered if you’re going to enjoy them in the first few days after purchase.
Potatoes
They need to be in a dry, dark place like a cupboard. Exposure to light or moisture can rot the skin.
When you cook potatoes the right way they go from being a health burden to a health hero (Photo: Getty)
Caption: A Hand holding a bit brown banana Photographer: bauwimauwi Provider: Getty Images Source: iStockphoto
Bananas
12°C is best, as they will ripen quicker if they are too warm, so a darker space with no direct sunlight is ideal.
Fridge or cupboard?
1Apples are best in cool to cold temperatures so the salad compartment of the fridge is ideal to keep them crunchy.
2At room temperature lemons stay good for a week but in the fridge it stretches to two.
3Ripe avocados should go in the fridge to slow down the ripening process but if they’re firm, a warm sunny spot is best.
4Soy sauce, due to the high levels of salt, is best in the cupboard – even once opened.
Where to store your food
Nuts
Nuts are fine in the cupboard but keeping them in the fridge in an airtight container helps prevent spoilage.
Caption: Cookie jar, tea, wine, nuts, books, lit candles and Christmas decorations on the table. Cozy Christmas hygge at home. Selective focus. Photographer: Jelena990 Provider: Getty Images Source: iStockphoto
Garlic bulbs (Photo: Emma Dahl/RHS)
Garlic
This suits dry, dark places so a cupboard is ideal.
Onions
Low temperatures can transform the starches of the onion into sugars, making it soft, and potentially mouldy.
Close up shot of man chopping onions during cooking class – stock photo. (Photo: Getty)
Four key takeaways from Starmer’s antisemitism summit
Iran’s attempts to incite antisemitism in the UK “will not be tolerated”, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said.
Here are the main points from the Downing Street summit.
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – MAY 5: Prime Minister Keir Starmer speaks during a meeting with civic leaders to discuss tackling antisemitism at Downing Street on May 5, 2026 in London, England. (Photo by Hannah McKay – WPA Pool/Getty Images) Photographer: WPA Pool Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images Europe
Key takeaways
1Starmer said one of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state is behind the attacks.
2He announced £1.5m funding to strengthen community cohesion and protect Jews in at-risk areas.
3Ministers are “fast-tracking legislation” allowing them to ban state threats such as Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps.
4Universities must publish the scale of antisemitism on campus and show how they are tackling it.
Go deeper on this topic
The measures to protect the Jewish community come after the stabbing of two Jewish men in Golders Green and a series of attacks at synagogues and other sites in recent months.
Starmer has faced criticism that he has not done enough to keep the community safe, and was heckled during a visit to the north London suburb on Thursday.
Caption: TOPSHOT – Local residents look on from outside a cordoned off area in the Golders Green neighbourhood of north London on April 29, 2026, following the stabbing to two people nearby. Two people were stabbed on April 29 in north London, Jewish groups said, following a series of arson attacks targeting Jewish sites in the area. A man was arrested after he was seen running with a knife “attempting to stab Jewish members of the public”, the Shomrim Jewish neighbourhood watch said on social media. (Photo by JUSTIN TALLIS / AFP via Getty Images) Photographer: JUSTIN TALLIS Provider: AFP via Getty Images Source: AFP Copyright: AFP or licensors
NEWS
7 min read
Starmer’s message to Iran
One of the lines of inquiry is whether a foreign state has been behind some of these incidents…Our message to Iran, or to any other country that might seek to foment violence, hatred or division in society, is that it will not be tolerated.
SiR KEIR STARMER, PRIME MINISTER
Caption: LONDON, ENGLAND – APRIL 30: Prime Minister Keir Starmer (C) and Home Secretary Shabana Mahmood (CR) meet members of Shomrim, the Jewish community security organisation, in Golders Green following yesterday’s attack on April 30, 2026 in Golders Green, England. A 45-year-old British-Somali man was arrested yesterday, after stabbing two Jewish men, Shloime Rand and Moshe Shine, in a terrorist attack in Golders Green. Both victims are in a stable condition, and the suspect was caught by police after being tasered. The government has since pledged ??25 million to improve security for the Jewish community following the incident. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images) Photographer: Leon Neal Provider: Getty Images Source: Getty Images Europe Copyright: 2026 Getty Images
Co-op is confident it’s stores will be ‘back to normal’ within days (Photo: Chris J Ratcliffe/Reuters)
NEWS
The supermarket using invisible spray to combat shoplifting
Co-op has been secretly marking frequently shoplifted groceries with a special forensic spray to tackle the resale of stolen goods.
Here’s how the invisible spray works, and how the company hopes it will make shoplifting less profitable.
What’s the story?
Co-op has been marking items with an invisible spray that contains a unique forensic code linked to the shop where it was originally sold, according to Retail Gazette.
Retail theft on the increase – woman stealing in UK supermarket. (Photo: Andrey Popov/Getty Images Copyright: Copyright (C) Andrey Popov Caption: A shopper walks along an aisle inside a Tesco supermarket in Manchester, Britain, February 5, 2026 REUTERS/Phil Noble Photographer: Phil Noble Provider: REUTERS Source: REUTERS
Co-op has invested £250m in store security, including body-worn cameras for staff, reinforced kiosks for items such as spirits and tobacco, and shelf fixtures designed to stop thieves sweeping products into bags.
How does the scheme work?
Where?
The scheme has been trialled in Manchester and London and will be rolled out across the UK.
Which items?
High-risk items such as alcohol, laundry detergent and confectionary have been sprayed.
Why?
The aim is to help Co-op and the police identify where stolen products are being resold, making theft less profitable.
More than 300 babies have been born with inflatable forceps, the first breakthrough in childbirth assistance in decades.
It is hoped that the device, called the OdonAssist, could reduce birth trauma. It will be rolled out to 40 hospitals across Britain and Europe.
How new forceps could revolutionise childbirth
Around one in eight people will have an assisted vaginal birth using forceps or vacuum extraction.
Women may have bleeding or tears and marks can be left on the baby.
Inflatable forceps work by surrounding the baby’s head with a soft air cuff, allowing doctors to help remove it more gently.
In trials, patients reported no or low pain in more than 95 per cent of births where OdonAssist was used.
Analysis
5 min read
How ‘gentle’ forceps were invented
From a prototype using a jar and a doll to development by the World Health Organisation (WHO).
The OdonAssist was thought up by a mechanic in Argentina in 2006 called Jorge Odón.
He created the first prototype using a jar, a cloth and his daughter’s doll.
It was then taken up by Mario Merialdi, of the WHO, who refined the idea for clinical use.
It was created by Maternal Newborn Health Innovations, a public benefit corporation to help reduce avoidable pain.
Party insiders argue they have faced attacks from across the political spectrum due to the new-found popularity under Polanski’s leadership.
But they also said there was horror over the “abhorrent” allegedly antisemitic comments made by a small proportion of council candidates.
Sense of unease over level of scrutiny
Two Green candidates have been arrested over remarks posted on social media. Other alleged antiemetic comments made by more candidates have been unearthed by the Labour Party.
“We are still expecting the results to be record-breaking for us and predicting we will take seats off Labour, the Lib Dems and Conservatives,” a Green source said. “But it is fair to say there is a sense of unease in the party because people aren’t used to having the full weight of the Labour Party briefing against us.”
“And in the Green Party, people struggle with sharing a platform with people with such abhorrent views [as those who have been arrested/suspended].
“There’s a bit of worry in terms of how we are responding to the accusations, but I think Zack was clear that our vetting process hasn’t been good enough, and we will invest in this to improve this process.”
The i Paper revealed last week that the Greens were planning to toughen up their candidate vetting process, with sources acknowledging the system was not fit to manage the huge surge in candidates selected for Thursday’s elections.
The current system relies on local parties to make decisions about who they select as candidates with minimal input from the central party, which has resulted in no real background checks, it is understood.
But off the back of the antisemitism allegations this will be toughened up.
A second Green source said: “We have had local parties contacting us and raising concerns about how they can make sure this never happens again. So after these elections I imagine we will set out a standard practice we would ask them all to agree to.”
Greens are ‘an anti-racist party’
Polanski – when confronted with a series of comments made by candidates – told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme the remarks were “all unacceptable” and the Green Party was “an anti-racist party and it’s important that we stick to our values”.
He said there would be a “standardised vetting process” in future, with compulsory training for candidates, “to make it clear that antisemitism is completely unwelcome in the Green Party, as it is in society”.
Polanski himself has come under heightened scrutiny as his party increases in prominence.
On Wednesday he was forced to admit he wrongly described himself as a former spokesperson for the British Red Cross.
While campaigning for the party’s deputy leadership in 2022 he referenced the former job but later clarified he was not an official spokesperson.
“I used the wrong word, and I accept that, but I would essentially take words on stage with me and speak. It’s important, though, and I accept this, that they don’t support any political party, and I’ve made sure that’s been taken down,” he said.
Polanski under fire over police criticism
The Green Party leader last week also faced widespread condemnation for his response to footage of the alleged Golders Green terrorist who was tackled to the ground and kicked by police officers attempting to arrest him.
He reposted criticism of the footage on social media before then apologising for sharing the post in haste, having been rebuked by Met Police Commissioner Sir Mark Rowley.
But Polanski – an elected member of the London Assembly which oversees the Met – doubled down on his view that police operations should be scrutinised, telling the Today programme on Wednesday he was “traumatised” by the footage.
It is understood Green Party insiders were divided over Polanski’s decision to criticise officers in the immediate aftermath of the incident.
And since the row, public opinion of the party leader has taken a downward turn.
YouGov analysis suggests 39 per cent of Brits had an unfavourable view of Polanski immediately before his social media repost, rising to 47 per cent in YouGov’s latest poll of 2,377 adults between 4 and 5 May.
