Elections continue to dominate political life and discourse in Ireland, the UK, and across the European Union with the European Parliament elections, Irish local elections, and the UK general election. As the Irish polls, both local and European, provoke debate about the appearance of ‘far right’ candidates and the performance of the main opposition party, the French President, Emmanuel Macron produced a virtual ‘Coup de Tonnerre’. President Macron declared that he would dissolve the National Assembly and hold legislative elections after the far right National Rally took over 30% of the European Parliament vote, almost double that of his centrist alliance. In the UK, Nigel Farage, has yet again hit the headlines, this time in Northern Ireland, backing two DUP friends despite the TUV/Reform UK campaign agreement.

This UK Update brings together the manifestos of the largest parties running in the UK general election, with a particular focus on political leaders’ views on the future of Northern Ireland and how the general election might alter its course.