Tory co-chair braces party for big losses as Kemi Badenoch launches local elections campaign – UK politics live

Nigel Huddleston says local elections ‘will be difficult’ for Conservatives after the ‘high-water mark’ of 2021

One person has died trying to cross the Channel in an overloaded boat, after another person died earlier attempting the same journey, according to the French authorities, Diane Taylor reports.

The average Band D council tax bill in England will rise by £109, or 5%, in 2025-26 according to government figures released this morning. The average Band D total bill will be £2,280, up from £2,171.

We’re going to be using our time in opposition very wisely and Kemi [Badenoch] laid out earlier this week the policy renewal work and policy renewal programme that we will be doing, which will look at every single area of government – and obviously council tax is an area of major concern because it is an important part of people’s annual expenditure.

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