Andy Burnham will make optimism the centrepiece of his political pitch. But for young people across the UK, hope is hard to come by, writes Zoë Grünewald

They are being built at a rapid rate to handle the explosion in data capacity needed for our modern lives, but what’s the environmental impact? Adam Barnett reports.

It’s been a tough year for farmers, again, with record temperatures hitting crops. The latest in our series exploring the impact of climate change digs into farming techniques.

National security concerns deepen after some basic sleuthing from The Lead saw Number 10 act swiftly, reports Michael Holmes

The Reform leader has failed to reinvigorate his party with his recent by-election win, writes Zoë Grünewald
 

There's cries of 'drill Andy drill' and the new Prime Minister has been hinting there may be a change in policy - Adam Barnett drills into the facts
 

Ahead of a contentious by-election forced by Nigel Farage's resignation as MP, the Essex seaside town is weighing up Reform's leader against Count Binface and a vast array of other fringe candidates, reports Fred Garrett-Stanley
 

Clinicians and healthcare professionals saw the human cost of the heatwave last month – but risk suspension for climate protests, Ellie Broughton reports

A bad few months for Nigel Farage's insurgent party has shown their true colours, writes Zoë Grünewald

New planning rules have sparked claims that councils will no longer be able to block HMOs, but the reality is more complicated, Kevin Gopal reports

A new generation of council homes is promised but the myths of who gets them are taking hold, writes Hannah Fearn

A new film explores the stark racial and socioeconomic inequalities shaping water safety in Britain, Natalie Morris reports

A new petition says it’s time to regulate the profession– but therapists and clients disagree, Ellie Broughton reports

Burnham’s first moves suggest a government focused on living standards and everyday concerns — but difficult choices are already emerging, writes Zoë Grünewald

This summer is ten years since the EU referendum, 5.8million people have settled status in the UK. How have they found living here since Brexit? Kevin Gopal reports.
 

The UK is increasingly at risk of experiencing wildfires, with last year seeing the most blazes on record. But are we prepared? Ella Glover reports.

Drilling into what the Reform leader has said and done since the shocking death of Ann Widdecombe, Zoë Grünewald reports

With Andy Burnham almost certain to become the next Prime Minister, campaigners are demanding rent controls, writes Kevin Gopal

He may win the battle, but Farage has already lost the myth, writes Zoë Grünewald

A decade on from the UK's vote to leave the EU, we explore how the political landscape has evolved in Dover, a town that's shaping the national conversation more than any other, Fred Garratt-Stanley reports.
 

With Andy Burnham front and centre, old rumours about his wife’s ties to a public contract are being rehashed online.

Perhaps one of the biggest indicators of whether a town would Vote Leave was its proximity to the sea. Fred Garratt-Stanley went to Dover to see how it fared.

The Labour-leader-in-waiting has correctly identified the source of Britain's stagnation. But will he be able to fix it? Zoë Grünewald reports

Brexit was meant to settle Britain's deepest political divide. Instead, it paved the way for Nigel Farage's return. A special report from Zoë Grünewald

The would-be Prime Minister has drillers to the Left of him, and drillers to the Right, writes Adam Barnett

Sir Keir Starmer's resignation came nearly a decade to the day of the EU Referendum. The result still haunts the top job in UK politics, writes Zoë Grünewald

The majority position is building for closer relationships with the European Union, writes Best For Britain's chief executive Naomi Smith on the 10 year anniversary of the referendum

People are willing to give Labour a chance. But we already knew that. Zoë Grünewald looks at the by-election result and considers what is to come.

An inquiry will mean those who were meant to protect Preston Davey will have to answer how he was so badly failed

The Government today announced long-awaited plans for a social media ban for under-16s. But what are they, and will they work? Ella Glover reports
 

We were a leader in Europe, helping to drive this common progress in universities. Now our reputation is tanking, reports Hannah Fearn

Why is Farage's face all over an ad campaign for crypto scams? We went down the AI-generated rabbit hole so you don't have to
 

Our politicians are no longer responding to the country, they’re responding to their timelines writes Zoë Grünewald

The Referendum campaign saw plenty of claims about what life would be like if we left the EU. A decade on, Claire Miller looks into what the numbers tell us about what happened next.

From Budapest to Britain, proposals once confined to the radical left are moving to the centre ground, writes Zoë Grünewald

Reform's Makerfield by-election candidate has shared several abhorrent social media posts comparing abortion to murder – but his stance is far from surprising, reports Ella Glover

Creaking transport and sky-high childcare costs conspire to keep the young and not so young out of employment, writes Hannah Fearn

We have to discuss where our energy comes from, not just how much it costs, writes Adam Barnett

We're bringing in-depth original local journalism to Stoke-on-Trent

Labour wrongly risk being painted as a Socialist North vs Blairite South in fight for the soul of the party, writes Hannah Fearn

The Reform leader has been shifting explanations about the enormous amount of money received from the crypto billionaire

The next Labour leader will have a tough inheritance, but also a chance to apply some fixes, writes Zoë Grünewald
 

Fragmenting vote, fractured map, and no clear winner — this is Britain in 2026. Westminster Editor Zoë Grünewald gives her take on the events of Friday.
 

From Islamophobia to praise for far-right agitators, a Labour-compiled dossier reveals extremist sympathies among Reform UK candidates standing in this week’s elections, reports Ella Glover

These local elections may not answer Britain’s political questions, but they will make it harder to ignore how fragmented the country has become. Special report from Zoë Grünewald ahead of May 7.

New FOI data reveals gov.uk websites are directing huge numbers of UK citizens to X each year, raising fresh questions about the government’s stance on online safety, reveals Zoë Grünewald

Adam Bychawski's powerful reporting on the case of Ahmed Adan is one of 12 stories selected for the national award recognising brilliant investigative campaigning journalism.
 

Beneath the talk of diplomacy runs a more uncomfortable truth – how power, not justice, consistently manages scandal, writes Zoë Grünewald

As complaints to the Consumer Council for Water rocket over lack of affordability, why is the price we pay for our water increasing so rapidly? Luke Beardsworth untangles.
 

Starmer's vow to do things differently appears to have ended in a tightly controlled insular managerial version of what we all wanted to move on from, Zoë Grünewald reflects on the inner-workings of the government being exposed

The US tech firm is increasingly hooked into NHS, defence and education in the UK, writes Zoë Grünewald

Months after the Bronzefield cancer scandal, the UK’s prison health system is still falling below NHS standards and putting the lives of female prisoners at risk.

Editor of The Southport Lead, Jamie Lopez, reflects on the damning Phase One of the Southport Inquiry and what must happen next

Britain needs to raise more money to meet the moment. The question is why Labour still won’t say so, writes Zoë Grünewald

Labour is betting on a new generation of towns to boost growth and tackle the housing shortage – but can they deliver in time? Kevin Gopal reports.

After years of decline, workers’ rights are finally improving. The question is whether the Government is willing to enforce deeper structural change, reports Zoë Grünewald

As far-right and anti-immigration sentiment has grown in the UK, charities have been forced to increase and introduce radical safeguarding measures to protect staff. Ella Glover reports.

Marketed as affordable home ownership, critics say the government-backed housing scheme can trap buyers in rising costs. We dig into the detail.

From Iran to Silicon Valley, two moments are forcing political clarity. Keir Starmer finally has a chance to define what his government stands for, writes Zoë Grünewald

Exclusive: Schools are increasingly compensating for rising levels of poverty experienced by children at home, according to stark new findings shared with The Lead. Natalie Morris reports.

Plus: Matt Goodwin's latest blunder, Farage's football folly in Ipswich, and a PMQs pity party. Ella Glover reports.

The breakthroughs are less decisive, the contradictions harder to ignore, and the coalition more fragile. Are we seeing the beginning of the end of the populist right? New from Zoë Grünewald
 

Calls to “get drilling” may sound like common sense amid the crisis in the Middle East – but they won’t bring down bills. The real solution lies in green energy, writes Adam Barnett

Digging into the detail of the recently announced Social Cohesion Strategy, Ella Glover reports.

Scotland's decision on assisted dying is an opportunity to expand personal autonomy at the end of life, writes Natalie Morris

The party's deputy leader imagines a Britain in which everyone expects to benefit from the system, but no one feels much obligation to sustain it, writes Zoë Grünewald

Court cases, think-tank connections and opaque funding streams reveal how a Christian pressure group has become a central player in the UK’s culture-war politics. Katherine Denkinson investigates.
 

Worried about how the war in Iran might affect household costs? We spoke to Lesley Tudor-Snodin, Head of Advice at National Energy Action for some actionable tips.

84 per cent of female councillors say they feel at risk doing their job – with online and in-person abuse becoming worryingly normalised, as Ella Glover reports

As Zack Polanski pledges to legalise and regulate drugs, Sarah Sinclair dives into the detail of this controversial policy – what does the evidence say?
 

Without the rule of law, Britain risks being pulled into yet another conflict not of its making, writes Zoë Grünewald

Subscribe - for less than a fiver a month - to support our original reporting at The Lead and across our growing regional network of journalists.

Long after race science fell into public disgrace, Epstein was working to revive its core assumptions – and connecting biological hierarchy to far-right politics. As Dr Annabel Sowemimo uncovers...

Hannah Spencer’s historic Green victory shows voters are rejecting division and embracing progressive politics, writes Zoë Grünewald
 

Framing the Chagos Islands Deal as Labour’s problem is not just hypocritical – it’s plain wrong.  Ella Glover reports for the latest edition of The Lead Untangles.
 

As The Lancashire Lead first reported, Reform’s national leadership is under pressure to intervene over Simon Evans’ actions on Facebook

Homes and workplaces would become sites of state coercion under the proposals announced by Zia Yusuf for a UK Deportation Command, writes Zoë Grünewald

Calls for Nigel Farage’s party to act after Lancashire councillor Simon Evans shares Facebook meme targeting grooming survivor Natalie Fleet, reports Luke Beardsworth

Zack Polanski's party is on the up. But the disruptor left-wing party has a mountain to climb to break through the two-party system. Zoë Grünewald reports.

Whether Reform have been breaking them – and what to do if you suspect foul play.

Plus: Racist tweets, and Matt Goodwin's latest Handmaid's Tale-esque comments.

If Starmer can pivot decisively toward a politics of fairness, he may yet turn survival into renewal, writes Zoë Grünewald

With millions struggling to afford food, utilities and essentials, a protected minimum floor for benefits could provide a lifeline and reduce reliance on food banks, reports Kevin Gopal

The basic rate of benefit support falls woefully short – Iain Porter, senior policy advisor at the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, explains what needs to happen now.

At the National Energy Action conference, fuel poverty’s human cost was clear. Those shaping policy must confront who is being hit hardest, writes Natalie Morris

To have any hope of remaining in Number 10, the prime minister must reset his relationship with his own MPs, writes Zoë Grünewald

The ‘village’, as we once knew it, has disintegrated. A new one is being built from the ground up, Natalie Morris reports as part of our series The Hope Reset.
 

From Nick Candy to Elon Musk, we dig into who lurks within the Epstein files, and why they feature.

Open rebellion means the Prime Minister's position is precarious. But there's a reason the knives haven't been drawn, writes Zoë Grünewald

Welsh baby bundles are welcome – but they won’t rebuild the village parents desperately need, writes Natalie Morris
 

A politics that claims to defend women while refusing to confront the systems that harm them is not about protection. It's about strategy, writes Zoë Grünewald

While national environmental movements have disappeared from headlines, climate action hasn’t stopped – community groups are now leading the charge on positive change. Diyora Shadijanova reports.

Could it bring your energy bills down? Ella Glover takes a look at the implications and importance of what's proposed

Each week we cast our eyes over what Reform have been up to. This week, we're looking directly at Matt Goodwin.

The tales of Suella Braverman and Andy Burnham are two sides of the same coin, writes Zoë Grünewald

Hundreds of people gathered outside the Metropole, but Blackpool had a strong message to those who came from outside to spout their anti-immigration views. Michael Holmes reports from the seafront.
 

The data tells us disillusionment is spreading, but there is hope to be found in community and the young. Claire Miller digs into the numbers for the latest in our series The Hope Reset

No fear, no loathing but plenty of hope on the Greens campaign trail in Calderdale, reports Andrew Greaves
 

Graduates are struggling with spiralling repayments, writes Ella Glover

This threat from abroad has the potential to refocus attention on national interest and remind us who we are, writes Zoë Grünewald

The structural reasons for the current 'relationship recession' are plentiful, but addressing the toxic dating culture starts with us, reports Serena Smith

An invasion of privacy or a much-needed way to keep people safe at major events? As the Home Office consults on the use by police forces we explore the history and current usage, reports Kevin Gopal.

The country has now finally caught up with the disgraceful actions being undertaken on Grok, writes Zoë Grünewald
 

There couldn't be a worse time to drop out of politics — here are the people choosing to zoom in instead. Ella Glover reports in the first of our stories in The Hope Reset series.

Political disillusionment and social apathy are two sides of the same coin. But we can push back.

Britain and Nato have a symbiotic relationship but Venezuela and Greenland have led to questions about the future of the strategic alliance which spans the Atlantic, reports Ella Glover.

The use of AI tool Grok to generate en masse intimate images of real women and girls is sickening, writes Zoë Grünewald

The government must think bigger and braver than they did in 2025, writes Zoë Grünewald

As the year draws to a close we bring together some stories you may have missed this year.

Our award-winning titles delivered exclusives, battled misinformation and plenty more this year

From all of us at The Lead, Merry Christmas! And a heartfelt thank you to our readers and subscribers – we wouldn’t be here without you. What a year it’s been.

From child poverty to the first 'Reform pub' – our editors dive into the things they have loved reading, commissioning and working on this year.
 

From buying presents to funding local lifelines, here are six ways you can support children in poverty during the festive period

Council funding is being reallocated to make sure deprived areas receive the cash they need, but the new three-year deal for local government has received a mixed response. Matty Edwards reports.

As the year draws to a close we bring together some stories you may have missed this year.

New data reveals councils are barely taking over empty homes anymore, amid calls for a new national programme to bring unused properties back into use, reports Matty Edwards
 

Many of the new policies are welcome – but critics say the plans lack ambition. Ella Glover reports.

The first national ban on teen social-media accounts is controversial, imperfect, and a reminder of what real political will on behalf of young people actually looks like, writes Zoë Grünewald

Lowlah was kicked out of a London hospital in the middle of the night after asking for pain relief. Her story reveals a pattern of "racism and stigmatisation", our exclusive and shocking story by Natalie Morris
 

The announcement of the much-delayed child poverty strategy is welcome but four million children will still remain in poverty when it ends in 2029, writes Natalie Morris

As the Employment Rights Bill progresses, Mergan Carnege considers how on flexible working lots of tinkering around the edges leaves employers wide open to refuse requests.
 

Corbyn and Sultana's new party is likely to benefit from factors for which it can claim no credit, writes David Renton

At a time when trust in institutions is collapsing, juries remain one of the few places where civic duty still lives, writes Zoë Grünewald

Most of us think we're poorer than we are – this disconnect creates worse social outcomes for us all. Hannah Fern reflects on The Budget.

What is the mansion tax, who does it affect, and does it go far enough? Ella Glover reports

Lifting the two-child benefit cap is welcome, but Rachel Reeves' tax and spend plans fall far short of the financial shake up this country needs, a special edition of The Lead with our Zoë Grünewald

Labour’s abrupt return to the 28-day move-on period is pushing vulnerable people into rough sleeping and exposing them to fraud and abuse, Chaminda Jayanetti reports.

The government has pledged more money to improve special needs education – but desperate families say the whole system needs overhauling, reports Tiger-Lily Snowdon

Former editor of The Big Issue in the North Kevin Gopal discusses the shameful crisis of child poverty and the regional disparities that are being driven by inequality and deprivation with Natalie Morris

Lancashire councillor Tom Pickup claims the party is showing a moderate face to the public that masks true immigration policies, reports Luke Beardsworth

Ahead of the Budget, the housing sector is united in calling for Local Housing Allowance rates to be unfrozen – will Reeves listen? Matty Edwards reports.
 

How do you build a life when your right to remain is reassessed every two and a half years? writes Zoë Grünewald

Former Editor of the Big Issue North, Kevin Gopal, looks at how families in the North of England are in dire need of help - and why the child poverty strategy must right many years of wrongs
 

The Blackpool Lead has exclusively revealed the family was moved the day after speaking with ITV News – with just two hours' notice, reports Luke Beardsworth

The nation's broadcaster is facing a coordinated assault that threatens public accountability, writes Zoë Grünewald

The broadcaster and British institution has been at the centre of a worldwide story this week but behind the headlines there is a battle for the soul of the Beeb.

Millions of children in the UK are going without basic essentials – how we count them matters. Claire Miller drills into the numbers behind child poverty.

Subscribe to The Lead before the end of November to get a 30% discount on annual membership.

Emails seen by The Lead show the councillor, through Lancashire County Council staff, issuing legal threats after his role in private care was questioned.

This year's climate change conference comes at a pivotal moment, writes Ella Glover
 

The mayoralty of New York proves the left can win when it focuses on delivering for people.

Reform UK wants you to believe it’s on the side of working people. In reality, it serves one master, writes Zoë Grünewald

Fake British “patriot” pages run from abroad are fooling thousands – including elected councillors.

Journalist and mental health worker Katherine Denkinson speaks to Zoe Grunewald about how inceldom grows out of loneliness, lost community and political failure – and what it will take to stop it.

In this exclusive extract from her new book, journalist and mental health worker Katherine Denkinson examines how inceldom emerged from loneliness, lost community, and political failure.

The government has wasted billions on asylum accommodation – could modular housing hold the key to a sustainable fix?

The exodus of the rich, already purported to be in action, hasn’t occurred.

The new deputy leader brings hope for Labour’s renewal, but deep structural problems and voter disillusionment remain, writes Zoe Grunewald

Councils in the capital have managed to vastly reduce the number of families in hotels and B&Bs, but is this really a win in the battle against homelessness? Matty Edwards reports

Cllr Graham Dalton firmly denies that his business would profit in any way if closures were to go ahead, The Lancashire Lead exclusively reports

The consensus on net-zero has crumbled. What now? Zoë Grünewald reports

There are good intentions from Labour, but Jess Phillips must rise to meet this challenge as weaponisation ramps up, writes Zoë Grünewald

Policies to tackle child poverty that don’t acknowledge the impact of race are simply not going to cut it, writes Natalie Morris

The gonorrhoea vaccine should be a major breakthrough, but young Black women are being left out of sexual health policy – with devastating effects.

The government insists we cannot afford to lift children out of poverty, while those same children pay the price for political caution. Our campaign calling for child poverty to be ended, and the government to go much, much, further, begins.

Despite some signs the jobs market is stabilising there's a generation at risk of being left behind. We explore those Not In Education, Employment or Training.

The government has taken notice of the actions involved in the collapse of a major Lancashire employer, as The Lancashire Lead exclusively reports.

Half of ethnic minority Brits have reported “negative experiences” in nature because of their racial identity, according to new research shared exclusively with The Lead. Natalie Morris reports.
 

Can the Stamp Duty announcement save the Tories from political extinction?
 

Why we're shining a light on Black stories this month. Plus: The latest from Reform Watch, and everything our team is reading, watching and listening to this week.

Sarah Collins meets refugees waiting to cross the channel at Loon Plage in northern France

Splits, rows and even legal threats have dogged the first few months of what was supposed to be a new start for the left in Britain. Left-wing veteran David Renton dives into just what went wrong.

The deputy leader of Lancashire County Council has vowed to take Sefton Council to an employment tribunal, believing he was forced out for his political beliefs, reports The Lancashire Lead.

Not unreported, but certainly not given much spotlight, what do the Russian bribes taken by a former Reform UK leader tell us? Padraig Reidy untangles... 
 

The government's second conference in power showed unity against the far right, but anxiety over delivery and messaging remains, writes Zoë Grünewald

Excessive state interference or a foundation for a modern UK? The Prime Minister is due to table a compulsory new ID for everyone in the UK - we've been here before, so what's changed?

The chancellor has an opportunity to reform the tax system in its entirety. Will she seize it?

Four more ideas that could change Rachel Reeves' equation from taxing ultra-frequent fliers more to raising the pension age faster

Thirty hours of free childcare sounds great in theory, but the government's "impenetrable" and arbitrary support plan has been a burden to countless families, reports Scarlet Hannington

We call on the Home Secretary to act following Musk's vile words and hatred stirring at the 'Unite The Kingdom' rally. Sign our petition now and get Elon Musk banned.

While Westminster has been wittering on about the addition of VAT to private school fees hitting family wealth, there has been a simultaneous gross underestimation of the huge effect relatively modest differences in disposable income have on the country’s wider prospects for growth, writes Hannah Fearn

A shadow of greed, grievance, and violence has crossed the Atlantic – and guess who’s invited to dinner?

Scarlet Hannington unpicks the need for Labour to listen when it comes to caring for our youngest and most vulnerable members of society.

The racists have been emboldened and sanctioned by our government’s own rhetoric – to now talk vaguely in terms of resistance is far too little, much too late, writes Natalie Morris

Original reporting by The Lead praised by judges as we scoop newsletter prize at Press Gazette's Future of Media Awards

Polls show support surging. St Helens should bleed the red of Labour. But if a general election were called tomorrow, would it? Ella Glover reports.

Leigh Jones reveals the Tees Valley Mayor only made contact with the Saudi firm three hours after The Teesside Lead submitted a Freedom of Information Request about his claim to be 'working directly with Sabic'.

Can it elevate someone who embodies renewal and inclusivity, who balances loyalty with openness, and who will ensure the government never forgets the voters who put it there? That is the standard by which the next deputy must be judged - writes our Westminster Editor Zoë Grünewald as she considers the path ahead for Bridget Phillipson and Lucy Powell.

You'll hear Donald Trump mention this - and call for its abolition - when he visits the UK next week.

Sign up to receive The Lead direct to your inbox every Tuesday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday - and consider becoming a paid subscriber to support our independent journalism.

Inside the experience of trying to get by in houses of multiple occupation and the realities of renting in 2025. Ella Glover writes as the Renters' Rights Bill looks set to progress.

What do a 400-year-old hotel in Lancaster, a holiday park in Longridge, an Ibis in Preston and a school in Darwen have in common? 

A Reform councillor in Blackpool has slammed his own party for ‘importing more Tories’ and suggested the party may be turning into something he did not sign up for.

Labour made a big pledge to protect women and girls by halving rates of violence. More than a year since the announcement, what progress has been made? Hannah Shewan Stevens investigates.

At the heart of this story is a working class woman who has had multiple relationships and secured more wealth and power than her difficult early life would have suggested would ever be possible, writes Hannah Fearn
 

A straightforward display of national pride, a hostile message to migrants or something more nuanced? Lauren Crosby Medlicott reports.

With venue closures soaring and purse strings tightening, UK nightlife is in crisis. Fred Garratt-Stanley samples two nightlife cities to see if the 'big night out' still exists.

Gen Z loves tracking each other's location, but are they inadvertently creating a surveillance nightmare? Ella Glover reports.

Operators of the Blackpool hotel had to be spoken to by police after an incident where an amateur videographer was able to gain entry.

Nigel Farage's plans for mass deportations are a test of our humanity, writes Zoë Grünewald

We unpick the possible consequences of leaving the European Convention on Human Rights, as Farage unveils his proposal to withdraw.

Many disabled people are already only surviving because of their ability to work and earn alongside their rights to state support, writes Hannah Fearn

Brexit removed vital European cash for mountain path building and maintenance. Now, volunteers are taking action to help fill the gaps, as Peter Ranscombe reports.

Whatever your view, a legal decision in Epping Forest last week is likely to result in a legal challenge from Blackpool Council - and other authorities - which will require a plan from the government.

The high court's decision to close Epping's asylum hotel is the inevitable consequence of years of hostile anti-immigration rhetoric, writes Zoë Grünewald

Ella Glover tackles an issue which will affect 1.5m people in the UK alone.

Cllr Morris, who was first elected in 2018 and was awarded an MBE for services to the Maritime Industry in 2022, was warmly welcomed in to the party as someone who “shares our vision for integrity and accountability”. However, as has so often been the case with Reform selections, he is now facing questions over his social media activity amid accusations of making a series of racist and bigoted posts.

The Met Police is pushing ahead with plans to use divisive LFR at Notting Hill – it's another terrifying slide towards state surveillance, reports Natalie Morris

A grant-giving system is offline for seven weeks, Fergal Kinney reports on the body-blow to creatives, and the precarity of the arts industry.
 

As the Premier League kicks off this weekend you're unlikely to see a non-white official on the pitch. With so many initiatives to improve diversity in football – why is refereeing lagging behind?

Plus: Drilling into Farage's plan for crime, the latest on what Reform have been up to, The Lead Digest and updates from The Lead North team.

Some may sneer at every heat-health warning, but high temperatures come with dangers our housing stock is not ready for. Can we improve things?

The likes of Oasis and Beyonce have defined a summer of big gigs. But does this mask a splintering of music tastes and the crash of smaller music economies? Fergal Kinney reports.

One image that shows a refugee child look on as a ‘send them home’ flag waves outside has captured the imagination of the public and shows the reality inside the hotel isn’t quite what people fear it to be, reports The Blackpool Lead

Here’s a brilliant idea; one this government seems to have taken to heart: let’s put a fox in charge of henhouse policy, writes Zoë Grünewald

Protests – right across the political spectrum – are likely this weekend. But why are so many protestors ending up on the wrong side of the law?

Concerns raised that in-person Home Office visit may be coercive, reports Luke Beardsworth in The Blackpool Lead
 

Another week, and it’s another two institutions on the brink – prisons and the asylum system, writes Zoë Grünewald

The Lead is proud to launch the documentary short from Olivier Award nominated director Lanre Malaolu. Watch it first here.

Entire East Anglian villages could be lost by 2050 – bolder environmental action is desperately needed from the government, reports Fred Garrett-Stanley

Plus: The inside story of Ben Houchen being ignored by Wes Streeting, in the latest edition of The Teesside Lead

On Monday, Reform UK launched the first stage of its six-week policy blitz, and Farage picked law and order as his opening act, writes Zoë Grünewald
 

Changes in the law can often feel abstract and like 'they won't affect me' but this new act is probably having an impact on your browsing, reports Ella Glover
 

What happened 12 months ago will forever affect the lives of those involved and the loss felt by the families of Alice, Bebe and Elsie remains something most of us will never be able to comprehend, write Jamie Lopez and Andrew Brown in The Southport Lead

Broadcaster Jaydee Dyer shares “dehumanising” experiences of being repeatedly detained for no reason in new documentary film, reports Natalie Morris

In our exclusive report on The Blackpool Lead, a whistleblower shares why she is telling her story

A small, organised faction of far‑right agitators has been waiting for moments like this, prowling the edges of public anger, desperate to turn fear into violence, writes Zoe Grunewald

An issue adopted early by the far-right – but there is some truth to the concerns posed, reports Lauren Crosby-Medlicott

From Diane Abbott, to racism at the Euros, to maternal healthcare failings – it has never been more important to call out antiblackness wherever we see it, writes Natalie Morris

Councils are piloting ways to tackle the cost of housing a record number of homeless families while we wait for a new strategy from the government, reports Matty Edwards

Two very different immigration stories have dominated the headlines this week. The first exposed the accidental leak in 2022 of personal details belonging to thousands of Afghan nationals who had applied for asylum in the UK. The second saw the Reform UK leader of Kent County Council raise “grave concern” about tightened visa rules threatening the already fragile health and care sectors, writes Zoë Grünewald

PLUS: The Lancashire Lead's take from the viewing gallery at County Hall

It is not just welfare reform that risks leaving some of the most vulnerable in our society exposed, reports Ella Glover

Our newsletters, read by thousands of subscribers in towns and regions beyond the bright lights in the North of England, receive recognition

A lack of funding and rising workload are leaving teachers and students disillusioned - but figures show the tide could be turning, reports Ella Glover

We examine a system in clear need of change - but whether those changes are being done for the right reasons, reports Lauren Crosby-Medlicott

Ever since the Conservative government completed the marketisation of higher education by lifting the recruitment cap on student numbers in 2015, there have been fears that a university would go to the wall. It hasn’t happened yet, but now certain politicians have said they would be relaxed if it did, reports Kevin Gopal

The Treasury is exerting pressure on the Financial Conduct Authority to rewrite or scrap the mortgage charter, which is being oddly categorised as unnecessary red tape that is holding the economy back - reports Hannah Fearn

Our latest digest of what Farage's hoodwinkers have been up to....

No early years strategy is credible unless it tackles child poverty head-on, writes Zoe Grunewald

How we rated the government on immigration, climate, welfare, foreign affairs, arts and culture, alongside what The Lead's readers had to say on each key policy area, writes Zoe Grunewald

We rank how Keir Starmer and the government is performing against a progressive agenda on the economy, NHS, housing and education and you give your ratings too, writes Zoe Grunewald

Writing exclusively for The Lead ahead of the debate in Parliament, we and the broadcasting legend need you to show your MP why action is needed now

Will Keir Starmer's plan ape the transformative rollout of 2000 - or ape the Five Year Forward View of 2014?, reports Ella Glover

We report from a disastrous attempt by Reform in Lancashire to organise a party....

Plus: Regardless of the welfare vote outcome Starmer and co must listen more + ReformWatch + latest from The Lead North team + The Lead Digest with our recommended reads for the week ahead
 

Parents warn of lasting trauma as local authorities facing financial meltdown withdraw support from children too unwell to attend school - report Sarah Woods and Lauren Crosby-Medlicott.

Half of Blackpool either forced to go private - or go without - vital dental care, reports Michael Holmes
 

The roots of Labour’s welfare rebellion began to form several months ago, writes Luke Beardsworth.

Our latest round-up of what Farage's hoodwinkers have been up to, Ella Glover reports

It became a rebellion – more than 120 MPs force the government to re-think the much criticised plans to reform welfare, reports Hannah Fearn

As we approach the first anniversary of Labour coming into power, we at The Lead want to know what you think of this government.

The latest edition of our monthly subscriber-only podcast hears from two of the families let down and why they are calling for change

A national day, a monument at Waterloo Station, a TFL Overground line. Against the backdrop of the government’s continued inaction on the Windrush Scandal, these commemorations are only good for bittersweet celebration at best, writes Natalie Morris

The government’s announcement that it will scrap a 200-year-old law that criminalises rough sleeping has been welcomed by homelessness charities and campaigners alike, writes Chantelle Lunt.

Grieving families are being left without answers due to an overstretched, untrained coroner's service that is "not fit for purpose", reports Angela Walker in our exclusive investigation
 

Operators of Reform UK's first pub, where Nigel Farage drank last week, previously hosted BNP including jailed neo-Nazi Jack Renshaw, we report in the latest edition of The Blackpool Lead

Too often, institutions refuse to see teenage girls as children worth protecting, writes Zoe Grunewald

For the festival that has nurtured the impressive contemporary Jamaican literary scene, this year was a celebration of regeneration after Hurricane Beryl, reports Charlie Brinkhurst-Cuff

Two days before Rachel Reeves stood at the dispatch box she was already telling the country it needed a little “re-education” to understand her spending review, writes Hannah Fearn

Plus: The latest from The Lead North team, Hannah Fearn on Farage's baby boom plans, our latest ReformWatch + The Lead Digest of good reads and listens

A new bill to expand DWP powers could increase the risk of harm to disabled people – by the very people meant to protect them, reports Kai Charles

The all-out strike by Unite could last all year, Fred Garrett-Stanley headed to England's second city to see what's been happening

Relocations from London have become increasingly far-flung as councils become more hard-line as pressure on housing wait lists continues to explode, reports Sophie Holloway

PLUS: Who has been whacked on the knuckles over failures to pay the minimum wage? In the latest edition of The Blackpool Lead

Unlike many of the Reform leader's obsessions – falling birth rates are real. But his solutions fail to engage with complexity of the issue, writes Hannah Fearn

How many more babies and children will die before the necessary protections for social housing tenants are put into place? writes Natalie Morris

Tees Valley Combined Authority staff held no meetings on expenses-paid French trip, reports Leigh Jones in The Teesside Lead

we report on the history of The Talbot’s co-owner Pete Flynn. Now steering the ship at the UK’s first ever Reform UK pub, his history includes police declaring that he is not fit to run a licenced premises - in the latest edition of The Blackpool Lead
 

The strategy has always been one the police could use – but it's only been necessary recently, reports Luke Beardsworth for the latest edition of The Lead Untangles

Agriculture is still the least ethnically diverse job sector in the country, reports Niellah Arboine

An investigation by The Southport Lead sees the broadcaster pull all the social media adverts which featured Axel Rudakubana’s mugshot

PLUS: Our view on the Brexit reset deal, latest ReformWatch, new from The Lead North and the launch of The Lead Digest.

The former Conservative club being rebranded as the first Reform UK pub has been given the quirky treatment by much of the nation’s press and has been covered far and wide, in The Blackpool Lead we expose a dark and sinister past

Are the government’s new harassment provisions protecting workers or policing everyday speech? Zoë Grünewald investigates.

Plus: What it was like inside County Hall the first time Reform politicians stepped foot in the council chamber (apart from the ones who were previously Tories, of course) as Jamie Lopez reports in The Lancashire Lead

The strict behaviour policies means children who can't follow the explanation of complex and unnecessary rules are constantly being punished, reports Hannah Fearn

As the government prepares sweeping changes to PIP and disabled benefits, we ask what's behind the rise in disability numbers – and what needs to happen now. Our special report from Hannah Shewan Stevens.

Slowly, quietly, reluctantly, this Labour government is ready to confront the reality staring us in the face, writes Zoë Grünewald

The Southport Labour MP writes exclusively for The Southport Lead on his reasons for his decisions when it comes to the free vote on the issue

Cyber Siege: From Russia to Redcar looks at the February 2020 ransomware attack on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council - reports Leigh Jones for The Teesside Lead

The second part of our exclusive interview with Blackpool South MP Chris Webb a year into his term of office after winning the by-election last year

Plus our ReformWatch feature and The View from The North

The issues over which we’re told we’re most divided, are often the ones on which we actually most agree, writes Jon Moses

Defence is trumping everything else - so it seems increasingly unlikely deal that will deliver real change for the standard punter will be finalised next week writes Best for Britain's Niall McGourty

Fishing, food standards, defence and more will be on the agenda next week when Keir Starmer hosts European leaders, Ella Glover writes in latest edition of The Lead Untangles

Not a single positive remark about the benefits of migration featured in the Prime Minister’s fifteen-minute address, writes Nicola Kelly

The government doesn’t want migrants looking for opportunity. It wants those with capital, property portfolios and investment visas, writes Tiago Ventura

The government's anti-migrant lurch will damage the country to please a few pensioners with dog-whistle politics, writes Zoë Grünewald

As mental health crises spiral, many like Lucy find themselves caught in a broken system where prison is seen as the only place of safety

Historian Paula Akpan on what's missing from the curriculum. Plus: The Black women of history erased from the record books + an exclusive extract of Akpan's groundbreaking debut book.

Keir Starmer has been accused of 'two-tier' taxation over the India trade agreement. But is this just low-hanging fruit for opponents or is it backed up by the facts?

The first part of our interview with the Labour MP for Blackpool South a year on from his by-election triumph

Analysis of another win for Nigel Farage's 'outsiders'

We dig into what the parties net zero claims could mean in the latest edition of The Lancashire Lead

VE day reminds us of the true meaning of patriotism: unity, sacrifice, and fairness.

Auditors into TVCA write to government over concerns surrounding Ben Houchen-led TVCA - reports Leigh Jones in The Teesside Lead

One of the few surviving Labour county councillors in Lancashire's recent local elections writes for The Lancashire Lead on what the party must do.

Local authorities believe the Environment Agency is best-placed to tackle landfills. But years of austerity means they can't necessarily provide the level of protection that they want to.

Plus: Reaction following a disastrous day for progressive politics

The persistent racial disparity in maternal mortality is a national scandal. We must acknowledge that systemic racism is a root cause.

PLUS: Analysis on the challenge Reform UK will face - in our latest edition of The Lancashire Lead

Thousands of children living with the life-changing impacts after Covid have been left without access to appropriate healthcare. But their families say no one wants to know.

Tory attacks on trans rights and non-crime hate incidents are a curtain. Behind it, the house is on fire.

This crisis was on the cards even before Trump lobbed his trade war hand grenade into the equation.

PLUS: The latest on the Jameson Road landfill

Labour’s wants to make Britain a "clean energy superpower", Whalley Community Hydro scheme and others like it could set them on the right track.

Anti-trans activists are the ones in the minority—Trans+ people and allies are already proving that with action

The policy that emerged from the young Black man's murder was meant to stop hate before it escalates. Scrapping it doesn't fight crime, it fuels it.

While views on the steelwork’s future are divisive, the town’s community spirit is indisputable.

Young people are stigmatised and written-off from an early age when labelled with a personality disorder – campaigners want to end these childhood diagnoses.

The conclusion of a group of MPs’ investigation into disorder which occurred in the wake of the murders of three young girls in Southport last year.

Farage is parroting Labour talking points and courting the red wall. Keir Starmer must get ready to play his trump card.

In their rush to defend the rich, the right have revealed a depressing truth – public service is now optional for the elite

Plus: Tees Valley Combined Authority spends £35,000 in a single week on overseas trips for staff

PLUS: A new operator to take charge of Blackpool Air Show

Whether Farage’s sudden nationalisation move is simply a ploy to gain support from those desperate to keep their livelihoods or not, uncertainty around Scunthorpe’s industrial future still remains

Plus: Reform UK on Fracking could pit local party against the national party

The Lancashire Lead investigates the circumstances surrounding the closure of a private school in the leafy sleepy Ribble Valley

The first phase of the Southport Inquiry officially began this week with a former Lord Justice appointed to chair the investigation.

Fed up of a lack of government action, campaigners are taking matters into their own hands against water firms.

Brexit left us damaged and vulnerable. But it's not too late for Keir Starmer forge a new path with allies who share our values.

PLUS: Why would people engage politically if politicians can't act?

Plus: We investigate Ben Houchen's 'most FOI-d authority' claim

Bristol City Council is one of many local authorities with thousands of tenants in mouldy flats and a £2.2bn black hole in housing budgets is expected by 2028, reports Matty Edwards

It's no April Fool, energy prices are going up today, while the number of people struggling to survive is on the rise.

Plus: The Spring Statement untangled, our View from the North, and a man who spent 18 years on benefits gives his first-hand perspective on the welfare cuts.

As the Spring Statement showed further sweeping cuts, we ask why politicians are afraid to touch the regressive tax as it’s the most vulnerable who pay the price.

Many people living outside of cities feel left behind as the lack of opportunities widens the gap between town and country life.

Our round-up of what you can read from The Lead's Substack this week - and what our writers and editors have been focused on

Our round-up of what you can read from The Lead's Substack this week - and what our writers and editors have been focused on

Our round-up of what you can read from The Lead's Substack this week - and what our writers and editors have been focused on

The Lead is now on Substack! Become a Member, and get our most groundbreaking content first. Become a Founder, and join the newsroom's internal conversation - meet the writers, the editors and more.

As The Lead, we're calling on our readers to sign our petition to Rachel Reeves to scrap the cap in the budget next week.

Our round-up of what you can read from The Lead's Substack this week - and what our writers and editors have been focused on

Our round-up of what you can read from The Lead's Substack this week - and what our writers and editors have been focused on

Our round-up of what you can read from The Lead's Substack this week - and what our writers and editors have been focused on

The disability employment gap has been stuck at 30 per cent for thirty years. Disabled jobseekers tell The Lead why Labour’s welfare reforms won’t close it, Hannah Shewan Stevens reports.