Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has avoided the drubbing some had predicted as the party retained control of key councils in England, but the party had a bad night in the Scottish Parliament elections, where Nicola Sturgeon won an historic third term for the SNP reported BBC late Thursday.
A total of 114 Conservative MPs have backed an amendment to the Queen's Speech expressing regret an EU referendum bill was not part of the government's agenda for the year ahead. Euro-sceptic Tories forced the vote as part of efforts to make Prime Minister David Cameron's pledge for a poll in 2017 binding.
Argentine born Marta Andreasen a UK south east region MEP (Member of the European Parliament) for the UK Independent Party has said she is leaving the party to join the Conservatives.
British Prime Minister David Cameron is under pressure to reassert his authority over a Conservative Party reeling after a week which saw the resignation of a senior minister and claims of incompetence and elitism at the heart of his government.