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    Campaigners urge MPs to vote down assisted dying bill over anorexia ‘loophole’

    People with anorexia could be allowed to die by assisted death under a proposed bill, more than 250 campaigners have warned, urging MPs to vote down the legislation when it returns to the Commons.A letter to MPs, signed by 268 people who have suffered with eating disorders, warned: “If this bill had been law during the years many of us were struggling, we would have used it to end our lives.” Campaigner Chelsea Roff, the founder of the eating disorder organisation Eat Breathe Thrive, warned that the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill contains “dangerous loopholes that have enabled suicidal women with anorexia to die by assisted death” in other countries. Kim Leadbeater speaking during the debate on the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill More

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    Tax hikes will come if economy shrinks any further, IFS warns Rachel Reeves

    The influential Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) has warned Rachel Reeves that any more bad economic news will “almost certainly” spark fresh tax rises. Council tax will already have to rise at its fastest rate in a generation, the IFS said, as it added to concerns the chancellor has left herself with little room for manoeuvre a day after she unveiled her spending plans for the rest of the parliament. The warning came as the government was hit with the bad news that the economy had shrunk by 0.3 per cent, sparking fears of a potential recession.Ms Reeves came into office with a pledge to grow the economy, but it has been sluggish at best in her first year.Paul Johnson, the outgoing director of the IFS, said council tax is set to rise at its fastest rate for 20 years as local government tries to close its funding gaps with annual increases of up to 5 per cent. More councils could also reach a “tipping point” unless demands on their resources fall, the think tank warned. Rachel Reeves insisted she would not need to increase taxes on the same scale as in her first budget, but declined to rule out rises altogether More

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    Ben Wallace accuses Labour of ‘conning’ public over defence spending boost claim

    Former defence secretary Ben Wallace has branded Labour’s claims that it has boosted military spending “a con” after concerns were raised over how the figures are being calculated.The row has exploded following Rachel Reeves’ spending review on Wednesday where she boasted that defence spending would be 2.6 per cent of GDP. But this included wrapping in security and intelligence spending for the first time.Earlier this year prime minister Sir Keir Starmer controversially slashed international aid to boost defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP by 2027, two years ahead of schedule. At the time he also promised it would rise to 3 per cent by 2034.Sir Ben Wallace (Stefan Rousseau/PA) More

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    Blow for Rachel Reeves after UK economy shrinks by more than expected

    The UK economy has shrunk by more than expected in a major blow to Rachel Reeves, just one day after she unveiled her spending review. The chancellor, who set out record investment in the Commons on Wednesday, acknowledged that the latest GDP figures, released on Thursday, were “clearly disappointing” but insisted her plan for the economy would help deliver growth.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said gross domestic product (GDP) fell by 0.3 per cent in April, compared with growth of 0.2 per cent the previous month and marking the biggest contraction since October 2023. It was also worse than the 0.1 per cent contraction expected by most economists.Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves delivering her Government’s spending review to MPs in the Commons (House of Commons/UK Parliament/PA) More

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    Voices: ‘It feels good to say I’m Irish’: How second passports grant readers post-Brexit travel freedom

    As Brits grapple with the post-Brexit reality of restricted EU access, many Independent readers have been sharing why they’ve pursued second citizenship – and how it’s reshaped their identity, freedom, and sense of belonging.Jessica Furseth’s article struck a chord with those determined to reclaim their right to freedom of movement through ancestral ties, even if it meant wrestling with red tape. Her piece captured the reality of a growing trend: UK-born citizens pursuing second passports not for novelty, but necessity, reestablishing the rights they feel were stripped away by Brexit.Our readers described frantic searches through family records, cross-border paperwork marathons, and bittersweet awakenings to long-dormant heritage. Irish citizenship was the most popular route, but many also explored their Polish, German and Italian heritage. While a few wrestled with feelings of imposter syndrome, most said the outcome was worth it – not just for smoother holidays or easier work permits, but to feel connected to Europe again.The overarching view was that Brexit took something personal – and that this wave of passport reclamation isn’t just administrative – it’s emotional: about agency, identity, and quietly defying the walls that went up.Here’s what you had to say:Jus sanguinisHusband asserted his right to Italian citizenship on the basis of jus sanguinis, or bloodline, unbroken through his mother’s family. Took about two weeks after getting a codicil on his birth certificate, as a result of which my daughter has done the same (found herself frozen out of jobs otherwise) and my son should have got around to it, having studied in Italy for six years. I will be applying on the grounds of marriage, only slightly more complicated. All of this became an issue solely because of Brexit, and I’m so annoyed that the doors have been slammed in the faces of Britons who valued EU membership.MonteRosaHave you pursued a dual citizenship post-Brexit? Share your story in the commentsWonderful to still have my European citizenshipAs someone who, years after his hair became grey, became truly interested in his Irish heritage, I can only say it’s wonderful to still have my European citizenship. I can see my daughter in Holland as I please – no 90 days nonsense. I can cross any Schengen border as a true European citizen. This, as we go, for example, as a family to the Christmas fair in Oldenburg (Germany).But as we pass Mr Farage and his German-speaking family doing their Christmas shopping in Germany too, it’s good to know that more people have found this loophole!BradIt feels good to say I’m IrishI can relate to Tom Harrison. My father told me many years ago that I could claim Irish citizenship because his father was Irish, but I never saw the need. But post-Brexit, I wanted to remain an EU citizen, so I went for it, and it’s a much simpler task now with the advent of the internet. Despite visiting family and friends and having many holidays in Ireland over the years, I do feel a bit of a fraud. That said, I am immensely grateful to the Irish government for allowing it. I sometimes feel a little uncomfortable telling people that I’m British, but it feels good to be able to say that I’m Irish.BionicpantsTravel is what the EU is aboutThese people are pro-EU for the right reasons: the freedom to travel, work and live all over Europe. That is what the EU is about, the Ever Closer Union. You may notice, they don’t mention the nice side effects, like frictionless trade, no additional roaming, or certain subsidies. They embrace the Euro and the Schengen area.Should the UK want to join, they have to embrace the principles of the Ever Closer Union as well. It helps if you focus on what that means, instead of repeating the economic benefits. As said, those are just nice side effects.OrvalCan we please have Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Grealish back?As an Irish person, it’s very satisfying to hear these stories of people with Irish heritage benefiting from getting an Irish passport. Can we please have Harry Kane, Declan Rice and Grealish back as a sign of appreciation? All very pleasant chaps too from what I can see.AnonyMousseMy mother is an immigrant from an EU country, and I got an EU passport about three years ago, as a result.Interestingly, I went to Spain recently, and when spotted with my EU passport getting off a flight from Britain, they ushered me and my friend (with her British passport) through EU passport control. She went via the EU fast lane because she was with me.PrenstSwitch nationality mid-flightAfter having lived in the UK for 18 years, Brexit made it necessary for me to apply for naturalisation as a British citizen. When I now travel to my native Germany, I have to leave the UK on my British passport and arrive in Frankfurt on my German passport. As per German law, I have to use my German ID to enter/leave Germany. I could, of course, enter any other EU country on my British passport, but this would mean queuing and getting an entry stamp and then an exit stamp. When returning to the UK, I then ‘switch’ nationality again in mid-flight from being a German in the EU to being a Brit in the UK.On one occasion, I flew from Tenerife to London… as a German from Tenerife to Madrid and as Brit from Madrid to London.Baldrick’s PlanLegal technicalitiesMy mother is a French citizen, as is all her side of the family, with French government certificates back to the 14th century, but I am refused citizenship (despite also living and paying taxes in France for eight years). Reason: a legal technicality called desuetude. You may want to do some research before handing over a few grand to the lawyers!Frankx33You can’t complain about being considered a foreignerBritain’s approach to the EU always was a “what can I get in return” one… called it cakeism. What matters is being in the slow lane, no longer being able to live and work, etc. Britain would have loved to retain all EU perks without committing. You can’t complain about being considered as a foreigner while being one and expecting the same rights as EU citizens….EuropeancitizenI don’t know what I would have done with just a UK passportGot my precious Irish passport a couple of years ago, thanks to my grandfather, who was born in Ireland. This has allowed me to move from Italy back to France following retirement without any issues. I don’t know what I would have done with just a UK passport, as there is no mechanism for UK passport holders to move from one EU place of residence to another. Farage, Johnson, Gove, etc, should be imprisoned for the lies they told. I cannot believe that Farage is still so popular, says a lot for the intelligence of a good percentage of the UK population. Very sad. YaketyYakKeep the family in one piece with my Irish passportMy father was born in Ireland in 1916. I was born in England in 1944. He was an RAF pilot. I ended up marrying a German and lived happily in Solingen (which my father’s squadron bombed!) until that swine Farage stirred up his sleazy chauvinism. Thanks to my father, I was able to keep the family in one piece with my Irish passport. I am immensely grateful. And to the Germans, too, who have made me very welcome KenhubertHearteningIt is heartening to read the stories of the people who have been able to reclaim the EU citizenship stripped from them by the disgusting and mendacious Brexiteers, who have yet to apologise to the rest of us for stripping us of our rights. SturlusonNot just the youngIt’s not just young people. Us older folk are also going for dual passports after Brexit cut off our travel freedom. My Irish grandfather has now continued to be very useful after his death!JustMeHereSome of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.Want to share your views? Simply register your details below. Once registered, you can comment on the day’s top stories for a chance to be featured. Alternatively, click ‘log in’ or ‘register’ in the top right corner to sign in or sign up.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here. More

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    How will Rachel Reeves’s pledge to end asylum hotels work?

    Rachel Reeves has pledged to end the use of asylum hotels by 2029 as part of a spending review that saw the Home Office budget cut. Speaking to MPs in the Commons on Wednesday, the chancellor said her plans to reform the asylum system would save £1bn a year. However, Treasury estimates show that the Home Office still expects the annual cost to be £2.5bn by the final year of this parliament. Labour had already made a manifesto commitment to end the use of hotels for migrants, but Ms Reeves has now committed to doing this within four years. Refugee charities welcomed the news, saying that hotels are “hugely expensive” and isolate asylum seekers from local communities, but urged ministers to move faster.Where will the government put asylum seekers instead? The Home Office has been exploring the use of medium-sized sites for asylum seekers instead of hotels, including former student accommodation. They are also working with local councils to try to house more people in flats and other accommodation within communities. Home Office minister Dame Angela Eagle has said empty tower blocks, former teacher-training colleges and disused student accommodation are being considered as alternatives.Joanna Rowland, a senior civil servant at the Home Office, told MPs on Tuesday that the government’s providers were clear “that we are exiting hotels and we need to do that rapidly due to cost”. But she added: “We need to do the hotel exit and the alternative accommodation in a highly controlled way. If it was just an edict to close hotels, get dispersed, then we would end up with uneven concentration – and some local authorities, I know, are feeling that acutely right now.”Labour has moved away from Conservative plans to repurpose former military bases for migrants, as these sites are expensive to run and very isolated, and are often not close to local services such as doctors’ surgeries and schools. The controversial Bibby Stockholm barge contract was ended, and officials axed plans to use the former RAF Scampton site in Lincolnshire. But the Home Office is yet to provide further details on whether they would buy the new required sites or rent them, or to disclose which sites they are looking at.What else is the government doing to reduce the need for hotels?Ministers are also putting more resources into processing asylum claims and asylum appeals in an effort to clear the backlog of people waiting to have their cases processed. The Home Office has recruited more staff to assess claims, which has resulted in an increase in asylum claims being rejected. Once their claims have been rejected, applicants no longer qualify for Home Office accommodation and must either support themselves or go to local councils for emergency housing support. The number of asylum applications in the UK has hit a new high of 109,343 in the year to March 2025, up 17 per cent from 93,150 in the year ending March 2024.But the backlog of cases waiting for a decision has fallen to its lowest level since 2021. Home Office figures show there were 109,536 people waiting for an initial decision at the end of March 2025 – down 12 per cent from 124,802 at the end of December 2024 and the lowest number since December 2021.How much money will be saved, and how much do we currently spend on hotels? Asylum seekers housed in hotels account for around 35 per cent of all people in asylum accommodation; however, the money spent on hotels makes up a much larger proportion of the overall spend. Around 76 per cent of asylum contract costs, or £1.3bn, was spent on hotels in 2024-25, the National Audit Office found. Around 110,000 people seeking asylum were being housed by the Home Office in December 2024, with some 38,000 in hotels, the watchdog said. New figures from March show that 32,345 asylum seekers were being housed in hotels at that time. Under spending plans published by the Treasury on Wednesday, officials estimated that they would still have to spend £2.9bn on the asylum system in 2027-28, and £2.5bn in 2028-29. This year, asylum costs are expected to total £3.9bn. Is 2029 a realistic target? The Home Office’s top civil servant told MPs earlier this year that the department is aiming to bring hotel use down to “zero” but that this would depend on any “ups and downs”. Sir Matthew Rycroft, who has now left the top job, said: “Ministers will want to keep the committee and parliament updated on the total numbers [of hotels], which have fallen from over 400 to 218, but I do not think you should expect a gradual decline of that number down to zero neatly by the end of this parliament. Our aim is to get to zero by the end of this parliament, but there will be ups and downs.”Why are politicians so keen to clear migrant hotels? Hotels are more costly than other forms of accommodation, and private companies are making significant profits from providing hotel rooms to the Home Office. The day-to-day running of these hotels is often subcontracted, and in some cases, Home Office officials in charge of large hotel contracts have been unaware of who is providing vital services. According to testimony provided to MPs, sexual assaults, threats, and prostitution have taken place inside hotels, and children have experienced malnutrition due to poor food. Hotels can also be isolating for asylum seekers who are keen to get to know people in the community, with sites often located away from city centres. Hotels have also been targeted by anti-migrant rioters and activists, with several being attacked during last summer’s rioting. YouTubers have also visited migrant hotels to film themselves intimidating residents. What has been the reaction to the pledge? Refugee charities have welcomed the news but urged the government to go further. Enver Solomon, CEO of the Refugee Council, said: “Asylum hotels have become a flashpoint for community tensions and cost billions to the taxpayer, so ending their use is good for refugees, the taxpayer and communities. The deadline of 2029 feels far away, and we urge government to make it happen before then.”He added that asylum seekers should be placed “within our communities not isolated in remote hotels”.Charity Care4Calais said moving asylum seekers from hotels to accommodation within communities would be welcome and called for an end to the “for-profit asylum accommodation model that has created billionaires”. Chief executive Steve Smith said: “Asylum accommodation should be provided based on the needs of people seeking asylum, not the profits of private owners and shareholders. Involving local authorities in the delivery of accommodation in their areas would be a first step in that direction.”Shadow chancellor Mel Stride said the Home Office is still squandering money on asylum costs “because this government simply doesn’t have a plan on illegal migration”. More

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    These unanswered questions could be Rachel Reeves’s downfall

    Even the UK’s leading economist was flummoxed.Minutes after Rachel Reeves had delivered her first spending review, Paul Johnson, the head of the influential Institute for Fiscal Studies, said he was not sure he had ever listened to a speech by a chancellor where it was “so hard to work out what is happening”. Her statement to the Commons had been “full of numbers, few of them useful”, he added. But one thing is sure – big problems are still to come down the line. The under-pressure chancellor had no choice but to come out fighting on Wednesday as she unveiled plans for government spending until the next election. She is facing criticism from all sides for a series of policy choices she has made since entering office, as well as poor economic growth. Just days before she unveiled her spending review, Labour’s first in a generation, she was forced to announce a massive U-turn on one of her earliest decisions in the Treasury – stripping the winter fuel allowance from millions of pensioners. Rachel Reeves is under growing pressure from her colleagues over her fiscal choices More

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    Reeves unveils record spending plans but experts warn of tax rises ahead

    Rachel Reeves cheered beleaguered Labour backbenchers with record investment in her spending plans as she unveiled major boosts for the NHS, social housing and defence.In her long-awaited spending review, the chancellor also promised to save £1bn by closing all asylum hotels as she took aim at Nigel Farage and Reform.But experts warned that she will have to break her manifesto pledge not to raise taxes or increase borrowing much further to pay for her promises.Reeves set out her spending plans for the rest of this parliament More