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Nigel Farage's latest party is proving, so far at least, that healthy opinion poll figures can translate into actual votes and – in some places at least -- actual victories.

In the last few days all four nations of the UK have marked their hottest temperatures of 2025 so far.

The party won 39% of the vote in the results declared so far, enough to put it well ahead of all if its rivals.

With so many forces both inside and outside Syria still dangerously at odds with one another, the goal of unifying and stabilising the country - despite some successes so far - remains hugely challenging.

Thursday was also the hottest day of the year so far, beating the previous high of 26.7C recorded in Wisley, Surrey earlier this week.