Everything government, Parliament, the statistical agencies and the major policy institutes published — read, summarised and ranked so you can skim the day in a minute.
485 articles · 25 live sources · updated Just now
Argues that Whitehall incrementally narrows personal choice through small regulatory moves, citing the Department for Transport’s dislike of private cars and scooters and the Segway ban as an example of rule‑making that excludes novel devices.
Episode two of the Institute for Government’s series on mid-term prime ministers, titled ‘The transition’, examines how incoming mid-term leaders manage the handover and early days in office; published 13 August 2026.
Third episode in a series on mid-term prime ministers examining how they adjust to the premiership, published 20 August 2026 as analysis of challenges and behaviours facing MPs who take office between elections.
Surveying US debate over displaying the Ten Commandments in schools, the briefing reviews public attitudes and political arguments about religion in public education and the implications for church–state boundaries and policy discourse.
Reports Donald Trump’s job approval at 34%, lower than most recent presidents at similar points in office, with a vast 78-point partisan approval gap.
Full Fact states that a claim Argos was selling a garden storage bench for as little as £3 is incorrect, debunking the viral pricing assertion and clarifying the retailer’s actual prices and offers.
The Institute for Government has launched a project titled ‘Mid‑term prime ministers: Transitions of power between elections’, published 6 August 2026, examining how and why power shifts occur between general elections.
Chart of the week reviews how not-entirely-serious and unusually prominent candidates have performed in recent UK by-elections, alongside commentary on AI developments and a note on persistently ‘sticky’ prices in the economy.
Announces Francesca Brennan has been appointed director of Scottish Fabians; she previously worked in Scottish local government, education and literacy projects, has stood twice for the Scottish Parliament, and is a senior councillor in Inverclyde.
A Pew Research Centre newsletter summarises recent news, including coverage of ABC/Disney suing the US Federal Communications Commission over alleged retaliatory license review; the briefing flags major US media and policy developments.
A US survey finds just over half of Americans say they are confident the 2026 midterm elections will be fair and accurate, indicating significant public scepticism about electoral integrity ahead of the vote.
Since 1990, 43 members of the US Senate have been appointed mid-term; 27 of those appointees (63%) subsequently stood for election to retain their seats, according to Pew Research Center.
Weekly Pew Research Centre finding: substantially more Republicans (83%) than Democrats (53%) say they are confident all citizens who want to vote in the midterms will be able to do so, highlighting partisan divergence in trust about electoral access.
News item reporting Forbes sacked its top editor after failing to disclose a $6 million payment from a company founder that does business with the publisher, raising questions about editorial independence and disclosure practices.
Discusses Botswana’s 2024 election where the long‑governing Botswana Democratic Party was replaced by the left‑wing Umbrella for Democratic Change, exploring the significance of this rare opposition victory in a historically dominant‑party state.
Episode 1 of the Institute for Government’s series on mid‑term prime ministers, titled ‘Preparing for change’, was published on 6 August 2026 as a first instalment exploring transitions of leadership between elections.
A Fabian Society piece argues Scottish Labour faces its ‘worst crisis’ and calls for a new leader with vision and empathy; the author is standing for leadership to make the party electable.
Public opinion tracking shows favourable views of the US Supreme Court remain close to historic lows, with roughly half of Americans expressing an unfavourable opinion and about as many holding positive views.
Ahead of the Greater Manchester mayoral by‑election on 30 July, the piece outlines what is at stake following Andy Burnham’s departure, analysing political implications and the scale of voter engagement in this historic contest.
Authors argue Nigel Farage’s decision to trigger the Clacton by‑election has created a conflict that could damage his prospects, making his electoral gamble likely to backfire politically rather than strengthen his position.
A majority of Americans favour major political reforms including term limits, caps on campaign spending and Electoral College reform — changes that would almost certainly require amending the US Constitution, described as unusually hard to alter.
A Pew Research Center digest on the 2026 US midterms notes public views of the economy: 41% describe conditions as ‘only fair’ and 35% as ‘poor’, with a smaller share rating them excellent or good.