May 9 2026

Prime Minister Starmer Refuses to Step Aside as Labor Party Loses 1,100 Seats in Regional Elections and Losses Continue Mounting

Posted originally on CTH on May 8, 2026 | sundance

U.K Prime Minister Keir Starmer has suffered a massive defeat as the British regional election results continue to be counted. So far, Starmer’s Labour Party has lost 1,100 seats and Nigel Farage’s Reform Party has gained a whooping 1,229 seats.

The results continue to be tallied as many regions and local councils have a form of ranked choice voting. However, despite the mounting electoral losses, Keir Starmer is refusing to step aside.

(VIA AP Newswire) – LONDON (AP) — British Prime Minister Keir Starmer insisted Friday that he will not resign after bruising elections that saw his governing Labour Party suffer big losses and the hard-right Reform UK make major gains.

The local and regional elections were widely seen as an unofficial referendum on Starmer, whose popularity has plummeted since he led the center-left Labour Party to power less than two years ago. […] Starmer said he took responsibility for the “very tough” results but would not quit.

“The voters have sent a message about the pace of change, how they want their lives improved,” he said. “I was elected to meet those challenges, and I’m not going to walk away from those challenges and plunge the country into chaos.”

Reform UK, led by the veteran nationalist politician Nigel Farage, won hundreds of local council seats in working-class areas in England’s north, such as Sunderland, that were solid Labour turf for decades, and also made gains from the Conservatives in areas like the county of Essex, east of London. Reform, which ran on an anti-establishment and anti-immigration message, did particularly well in areas that backed the U.K. to leave the European Union in the historic Brexit vote in 2016.

[…] Tony Travers, professor of government at the London School of Economics, said the elections show established parties struggling “to respond to populists on the left and right who appear to provide painless and simple solutions to intractable political and economic problems.” (read more)

The results will continue to be counted with more concrete outcomes likely on Saturday.

(VIA POLITICO UK) – It’s been an extraordinary day, which has seen a monumental shift in the political landscape across the country. Labour MPs are already calling on Keir Starmer to either go now or set a date — but not yet in huge numbers. That could change over the weekend.

Starmer’s party suffered a historic defeat in Wales, topped off with the loss of First Minister Eluned Morgan. Both Labour and the Conservatives have been reduced to single digits in the Welsh Senedd, while Nigel Farage’s Reform UK soared from a standing start to 34 seats, and Welsh nationalists Plaid Cymru emerged as the largest party with 43 seats, leaving them short of an overall majority.

Labour’s woes in England were huge. The party has lost 1,099 councillors so far, with heartlands falling to both Farage’s Reform UK, who have gained a whopping 1,229 seats, and the left-wing Green Party, who are currently up 289. (more)

History may not always repeat, but it often rhymes. 😂

May 9 2026

April Jobs Report Shows 115,000 Gains, Federal Govt Employment Drops Another -9,000

Posted originally on CTH on May 8, 2026 | sundance

The Bureau of Labor and Statistics (BLS) has released the April jobs report showing 115,000 jobs gained [DATA HERE]. Inside the numbers, federal government employment continued to decline in April (-9,000). Since reaching a peak in October 2024, federal government employment is down by 348,000, or 11.5 percent since the 2024 election.

The March report was also revised upward from 178,000 to 185,000. The overall jobs gain was double what most ‘experts’ and economic pundits had expected. The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 4.3 percent.

[Source BLS, Table-2]

BLS – […] Total nonfarm payroll employment edged up by 115,000 in April, after showing little net change over the prior 12 months. In April, job gains occurred in health care, transportation and warehousing, and retail trade. Federal government employment continued to decline. (See table B-1.)

In April, health care added 37,000 jobs, in line with the average monthly gain of 32,000 over the prior 12 months. Over the month, job gains occurred in nursing and residential care facilities (+15,000) and home health care services (+11,000).

Transportation and warehousing employment increased by 30,000 in April, reflecting a gain in couriers and messengers (+38,000). However, employment in transportation and warehousing is down by 105,000 since reaching a peak in February 2025.

Retail trade added 22,000 jobs in April. Employment increased in warehouse clubs, supercenters, and other general merchandise retailers (+18,000) and in building material and garden equipment and supplies dealers (+13,000). These gains were partially offset by job losses in department stores (-7,000) and in electronics and appliance retailers (-2,000). Retail trade employment had shown little net change over the prior 12 months.

Employment in social assistance continued to trend up in April (+17,000), reflecting a gain of 24,000 jobs in individual and family services.

Federal government employment continued to decline in April (-9,000). Since reaching a peak in October 2024, federal government employment is down by 348,000, or 11.5 percent. (more)

Building supply (retail) shows strong growth (+12,500); that’s good – that’s Main Street. Leisure and Hospitality showed strong growth (+14,000); mostly from restaurants, that’s good – again, Main Street. Shrinking the federal government by another 9,000 – that’s priceless.

[MEDIA] – April jobs report: Economy adds 115,000 jobs, far better than expected. Payrolls rose by 115,000 last month, and the unemployment rate stayed at 4.3%, the Labor Department said Friday. Economists surveyed by Bloomberg had estimated a median gain of 65,000 jobs following March’s blockbuster increase of 178,000 roles, which was revised upward to 185,000. (more)

May 9 2026

Secretary of State Marco Rubio Holds a Press Briefing Following Visit with Pope and Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni in Rome

Posted originally on CTH on May 8, 2026 | sundance

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio travelled to Rome, Italy, for discussions with the Pope and Prime Minister. Secretary Rubio holds a press conference following his diplomatic trip. The press questions cover the meeting with the Pope, foreign policy discussions and ongoing international relations between the United States, Italy and NATO allies.

Secretary Rubio notes President Trump is reevaluating current troop deployment throughout Europe and President Trump will make further decisions on troop levels based on a variety of factors. The previous “base denials” is one of the factors for decision-making. WATCH:

May 9 2026

Virginia Supreme Court Strikes Down Gerrymandered Redistricting Effort – Virginia Will Retain 5 Republican Districts

Posted originally on CTH on May 8, 2026 | sundance

In an opinion delivered by Justice D. Arthur Kelsey [appointed by then-Gov. Mark Warner (D)] the Circuit Court says the process Democrats used to draw new congressional boundaries was unconstitutional. [SEE RULING HERE] That process “incurably taints the resulting referendum vote and nullifies its legal efficacy.”

[LINK]

The court said that maps put in place in 2021 must be used in the November elections instead. Three justices dissented from the court’s ruling.

VIRGINIA – The Virginia Supreme Court on Friday overturned the state’s redistricting ballot measure that would have given Democrats an edge in four House districts, dealing the party a massive blow ahead of the midterms.

The ruling now gives Republicans a clear lead in the gerrymandering efforts over the last year, which were further inflamed by the Supreme Court’s Voting Rights Act decision last week.

Virginia voters passed the measure last month. But the state’s top court ruled that legislative Democrats did not follow the proper procedure when rushing the referendum to the ballot.

Virginia Justice D. Arthur Kelsey, writing for the majority, said Democrats “submitted a proposed constitutional amendment to Virginia voters in an unprecedented manner” that violated state law. (Source)