UKIP members were last night expected to rubber stamp the selection of Nigel Farage as their party's candidate for South Thanet.
The south coast seat has been carefully selected by Mr Farage for his make of break battle for a seat in Parliament.
A high number of pensioners with a perception that immigration is the cause of persistent social problems in Kent's seaside towns is his draw.
Every Starmer boast about removing asylum-seekers probably wins Reform another seat while Labour loses more voters to Lib Dems, Greens and nationalists than to the far right — the disaster facing Labour is the leadership’s fault, writes DIANE ABBOTT MP
While Spode quit politics after inheriting an earldom, Farage combines MP duties with selling columns, gin, and even video messages — proving reality produces more shameless characters than PG Wodehouse imagined, writes STEPHEN ARNELL
Holding office in local government is a poisoned chalice for a party that bases its electoral appeal around issues where it has no power whatsoever, argues NICK WRIGHT
The Gala’s core message of working-class solidarity offers renewed hope and provides the antidote to the anti-worker policies of Reform UK, argues IAN LAVERY MP


