The Labour Party has taken Blackpool South from the Conservatives in a by-election today.

John Swinney has announced he will stand for SNP leadership and first minister of Scotland. 

The number of skilled workers arriving in the UK has fallen by a quarter in six months due to the government’s visa crackdown, new research has found. 

Polls have opened in England for the local elections.
Councillors, mayors are being elected across England and police and crime commissioners will be elected in England and Wales.
More than 2,500 seats are up for election across more than 100 councils.
There are mayoral elections in London and nine other metro areas in England. For the first time, mayors will be elected in the East Midlands, the North East, and York and North Yorkshire.

The government has said councils will be able to buy cheaper land to help build more social and affordable homes because of new reforms coming into force today (1 May) as part of the long-term plan for housing.

Record numbers of homeless households and children in temporary accommodation have been recorded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities in their latest homelessness statistics.

Ahead of May’s local and mayoral elections, motorists have noted an absence of conversation around charging infrastructure from candidates, according to research from Vauxhall.
The study found that only 25 per cent of respondents noticed issues around charging infrastructure playing a role in the political manifestos and canvassing of local candidates, suggesting it has dropped off the political agenda.

The LGA has joined forces with the Electoral Commission and the Jo Cox Foundation to call for no abuse towards candidates at this set of local elections.

Scotland's first minister, Humza Yousaf, has announced his resignation today.

Scotland is aiming to boost affordable their housing supply by acquiring properties to bring into use and help reduce homelessness with an £80 million uplift over the next two years.