UK voters reject reparations talks and progressive pact

The UK delivered its clearest verdict of the day by rejecting formal talks with Caribbean nations on reparations. Voters treated the question as one that needed closing rather than opening, with "this is now" becoming the dominant refrain on the platform.

The verdicts

Should being an MP disqualify you from taking paid second jobs? The country said yes by a clear margin, convinced that MPs are paid enough to represent us. The winning argument proved tighter and more respected than the case for outside earnings.

Should delivery firms like Uber Eats face bigger fines over couriers working in the UK illegally? Voters backed stiffer penalties overwhelmingly, widening the charge to include checks on valid vehicle insurance as well as the right to work.

Should the government make student loans interest-free for students studying STEM degrees? The floor turned a narrow proposal into a broader revolt against what many called government-authorised loan sharking, delivering a solid yes.

Should the UK train a civilian reserve now rather than wait until war makes mass mobilisation necessary? A yes carried the room, though the sharpest note of caution came from the other side: fix pay, equipment and the existing reserves before launching Dad's Army 2.0.

Has the term 'net zero' become too toxic for the UK government to keep using? Despite warnings that worrying about language only adds delay, the country chose to drop the phrase, treating it as a political liability.

Should buyers compensate sellers if they pull out of a house purchase before contracts are exchanged? The UK split almost down the middle in a near dead heat. Arguments for basic due diligence met a wall of objections about surveys and broken chains.

Should Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens form a progressive alliance? Voters rejected the idea by a wide margin, giving more weight to warnings about incompatible programmes and electoral principle than to fears of the right.

Voting continues today on fresh questions.

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