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Polanski says Greens ‘have turned hope into electoral wins’ ahead of conference speech – UK politics live
The Green party is holding its largest-ever conference, while its leader runs as a candidate in the Holborn and St Pancras byelection Zack Polanski also insisted his authority as leader of the Green party of England and Wales does not depend on winning next week’s Holborn and St Pancras byelection , amid suggestions that the party’s popularity has peaked. Polanski, who is trying to take Keir Starmer’s former seat from Labour, described the contest as “probably 50/50 right now” and “really on a knife edge”. This will be our biggest and most exciting Green party conference ever, coming on the back of a year of unprecedented membership growth and extraordinary electoral success. Greens have turned hope into electoral wins – in councils, boroughs, in mayoral elections and with our exciting breakthrough in Gorton and Denton. Continue reading...

First minister demands 'new deal' for Wales, before Plaid Cymru conference
Rhun ap Iorwerth will address members at Plaid's first conference since winning the Senedd election.

Polanski says he does not need to win ‘50/50’ byelection to stay Green leader
Exclusive: Party leader says outcome of ‘knife edge’ vote in Keir Starmer’s former seat will not affect his position UK politics live – latest updates Zack Polanski has said his authority as leader of the Green party of England and Wales does not depend on winning next week’s Holborn and St Pancras byelection, amid suggestions the party’s popularity may have peaked. Polanski, who is trying to take Keir Starmer’s former seat from Labour, described the contest as “probably 50/50 right now” and “really on a knife edge”. Continue reading...

Digested week: My heart sank at seeing Labour’s ‘Hope Again’ conference slogan. But then came Andy Burnham | John Crace
The prime minister gave far and away the most powerful, emotional and gamechanging leader’s speech of the century Words I thought I’d never write. We owe a huge debt of gratitude to the Tory party. Look, I know we ended up with Theresa May and Boris Johnson in the Conservative party leadership contests of 2016 and 2019 – and they were shockers, both of them – but at least the Tory MPs twice ensured we dodged the bullet of Michael Gove. Last week, Sky broadcast The War Game , a reality show for superannuated politicians and former senior civil servants and military officers. The setup was that the Russians had engineered an attack on a British warship in the North Sea and over the course of four episodes set in the Cobra emergency situation room, the assembled cast had to figure how to respond. We were left hanging at the final credits, but a nuclear apocalypse felt like the most likely o

Failed 'torturous' execution attempt on Christa Pike reignites death penalty debate
The botched execution in Tennessee of Christa Pike, who survived despite being subject to two doses of lethal injection on Wednesday, has reignited furious debate about the death penalty in the U.S.

Drumcree talks break up without agreement on fifth day of standoff
Dispute over march will go to legal appeal on Monday after talks hosted by Northern Ireland secretary end Talks aimed at resolving the Drumcree parade dispute have broken up without agreement, with the Northern Ireland secretary, Chris Bryant, describing the situation as being between a “rock and a hard place”. Speaking on Thursday night after the latest talks with the Orange Order and residents of Garvaghy Road broke up, Bryant said: “I think this is the end of these conversations. We haven’t come to a settled agreement, and it’s a shame, but my door remains open.” Continue reading...