British elections

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Sunak Protection Officer Arrested Over Election Bets

Officer is suspected of using inside information to bet on British election date

(Newser) - British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak called a surprise election last month—and investigators believe one of his protection officers saw it as an opportunity to cash in. Police say an officer working as part of Sunak's close protection team was arrested this week on suspicion of misconduct in public...

Farage Launches Campaign, Gets Milkshaked

Reform Party leader had drink thrown over him as he left pub

(Newser) - It's election season in Britain and the milkshakes are flying again. A 25-year-old woman was arrested on suspicion of assault Tuesday after Nigel Farage had a milkshake thrown over him on his first day of campaigning, Politico reports. Video shows the woman throwing a McDonald's milkshake over the...

UK PM Wants to Bring In Compulsory Service for Teens

Opposition calls campaign announcement on national service 'desperate'

(Newser) - In a move the opposition Labour Party calls "desperate," British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak is promising to bring back a form of conscription if his Conservative Party wins the July 4 election. Sunak, who surprised the country by calling the election last week, said Sunday that the party...

UK's Sunak Makes Surprise Election Move

With his party far behind in the polls, prime minister calls an election

(Newser) - With his Conservative Party far behind the opposition Labour Party in the polls, Prime Minister has surprised Britain by calling an election for July 4. The latest possible election date would have been January 28 and a fall election had been widely expected. In a statement outside 10 Downing Street,...

US, UK Impose Sanctions Over 'Malicious Cyberoperations'

'It's right that we take measures to protect ourselves,' says Sunak, announcing moves against China-linked hacks

(Newser) - The US and British governments on Monday announced sanctions against a company and two people linked to the Chinese government over a string of malicious cyberactivity targeting the UK's election watchdog and lawmakers in both countries. Officials said those sanctioned are responsible for a hack that may have gained...

Boris Johnson Hails 'Great Stonking Mandate'

Conservatives win historic victory in UK election

(Newser) - British Prime Minister Boris Johnson is celebrating what he calls a "huge great stonking mandate" to deliver Brexit after a landslide win for his Conservative Party in Thursday's election. The party won a majority of at least 76 seats in Parliament, its biggest since the 1980s, while the...

Exit Poll Shows Johnson on His Way to Clear Victory

Vote would put Brexit on for next month

(Newser) - Boris Johnson’s Conservative Party is likely to win a solid majority of seats in Parliament, an exit poll suggested late Thursday—a decisive outcome to a Brexit-dominated British election that should allow Johnson to fulfill his plan to take the UK out of the European Union next month. It...

Crowd Laughed at Johnson, but Not in BBC Clip

Network calls it a mistake after editing audience's reaction to question asked of the candidate

(Newser) - Boris Johnson could well have fretted that a bit of mocking during a debate of British party leaders would made him look bad. Not to worry. When the BBC showed the clip on its newscast the next day, the audience's response to a question asked of Johnson had been...

After Shocking Election Turn, Here's What's Next in UK

Conservatives looking to form government with DUP

(Newser) - Theresa May appears set to stay on as prime minister despite the spectacular failure of her attempt to increase the Conservative Party's majority with an early election in the UK. The BBC reports that May, whose party lost 12 seats in Parliament, leaving it without the majority needed to...

Conservatives Dealt Huge Blow in British Election

Theresa May's election gamble backfires

(Newser) - She gambled on an early election—and she lost, big time. Theresa May and the Conservative Party have been dealt a huge blow in Britain's election, with the party losing its majority in Parliament after early predictions that it would gain as many as 80 seats. Full results have...

Polls Open in Unpredictable UK Election

Campaign has not gone to plan for May

(Newser) - After weeks of fierce campaigning and unpredictable twists, polling stations have opened across Britain in an election to choose a new government. Polls opened at 7am Thursday as voters choose 650 lawmakers for the House of Commons. Prime Minister Theresa May called the snap election in hopes of increasing the...

Weird Election, Indeed: Surprises Abound in UK

Conservative Party sweeps to power

(Newser) - The Conservative Party swept to power today in Britain's Parliamentary elections, winning a wholly unexpected and resounding victory and bringing the election to a much-quicker-than-expected conclusion. Polls ahead of Election Day showed Conservatives locked in a tight race with the opposition Labour Party, raising the possibility of days or...

UK Elects Youngest Lawmaker Since 1667

20-year-old hasn't finished her politics degree yet

(Newser) - After yesterday's election , the UK now has a lawmaker too young to get into a bar in the US, let alone Congress. Mhairi Black, the Scottish National Party's candidate for a district near Glasgow, is 20 years old, and her victory makes her the youngest member of Parliament...

British Exit Poll Bodes Well for Cameron

His Conservatives expected to easily win most seats, though short of a majority

(Newser) - It looks like David Cameron, not Ed Miliband, will be celebrating the British election results. As expected, an exit poll shows that neither of their parties will win a clear majority in today's British elections . The surprise, however, is that Cameron's Conservatives are on track to do way...

What to Know About UK's Weirdest Election in Memory

It could take weeks for country to get a new government

(Newser) - After many decades of power going back and forth between the Labour and Conservative parties, the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition that took power after the 2010 election was seen as a fluke—but up to a dozen parties have a shot at being in government after today's election, which analysts...

Mr. Prime Minister, About That Nick Clegg Joke...
 Mr. Prime Minister, 
 About That Nick Clegg Joke...  
bygones department
May 12, 2010 2:24 PM CDT

Mr. Prime Minister, About That Nick Clegg Joke...

Cameron reminded of old dig against new partner

(Newser) - In the heat of the British election campaign, a reporter asked David Cameron for his favorite joke. "Nick Clegg," he answered. A reporter helpfully reminded Britain's new prime minister of that during his press conference today with his new deputy prime minister, that same Nick Clegg. Cameron could...

Cameron Takes Reins in UK
 Cameron Takes Reins in UK 
May 12, 2010 6:27 AM CDT

Cameron Takes Reins in UK

Conservative becomes youngest PM in 200 years

(Newser) - Britain woke up to a new political era today with the first coalition government since World War II—an unlikely marriage between the Conservative Party and the left-leaning Liberal Democrats. With a handshake, smiles and waves, the Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron welcomed his new coalition partner, Deputy Prime Minister...

Gordon Brown Offers to Step Down—Eventually

Move aimed to help talks with Liberal Democrats on coalition government

(Newser) - Gordon Brown has announced that he's stepping down as the head of the Labour party—some time before the party's next conference this fall—but that he'd like to remain prime minister until then if possible, the Guardian reports. Brown also announced that the Liberal Democrats would begin formal talks...

Cameron, Clegg Scramble to Form UK Government
 Cameron, Clegg Scramble 
 to Form UK Government  
Brown urged to step down
May 10, 2010 7:50 AM CDT

Cameron, Clegg Scramble to Form UK Government

Election leaves Liberal Dems in driver's seat

(Newser) - Britain's winner-less election has left both the Conservatives and the Labour Party furiously negotiating with and sucking up to Nick Clegg's Liberal Democrat party, with papers just as furiously live-blogging the comings and goings. Though they actually lost seats, the Liberal Dems have the power to determine who becomes prime...

Cameron Says He'll Form UK Government

Conservative Party didn't win majority but got most votes, seats

(Newser) - In the wake of yesterday's no-winner election in the UK, Conservative Party leader David Cameron says he plans to form a government even though he failed to secure a majority in Parliament, the Times of London reports. He has the support of Liberal Democrat leader Nick Clegg, who said Cameron...

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