Markus Andrews

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreAngela Rayner has failed to rule out any further inheritance tax raids on farmers, despite thousands of people marching on Westminster on Tuesday to protest the levy.Asked to rule out any further increases to the tax while she was standing in for Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions, Ms Rayner declined to do so – instead claiming “the vast majority of estate owners will be totally unaffected” by the new levy.In response, Tory MP Alex Burghart – who was standing in for Kemi Badenoch – joked: “Perhaps the right honourable lady thinks that everyone came to London yesterday to thank the government.”The shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said: “Let’s look at the facts. A typical mid-size 360 acre family farm in the constituency of Thirsk and Molten, they have spoken to their accountant, their new liability because of this government is half a million pounds. “That is 12 years’ worth of profit. When this generation passes away, that farm will become totally unviable and it is just one of thousands and thousands of similar farms. It is clear that government hasn’t got its facts right.”The deputy prime minister stood in for Sir Keir Starmer on Wednesday More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreWatch live as Angela Rayner steps in for Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) on Wednesday, 20 November, as official figures showed UK inflation has risen to its highest level since April.The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Consumer Prices Index (CPI) inflation rose to 2.3% for October, from 1.7% in the previous month, driven by an increase in household energy bills.In October, average household energy bills increased by £149 a year after regulator Ofgem raised the cap from £1,568 for a typical dual-fuel household in England, Scotland and Wales to £1,717 — representing approximately a 10 per cent rise.It marks the sharpest month-on-month increase in the rate of inflation for two years.Wednesday’s PMQs also came after hordes of farmers descended upon London to protest against Labour’s proposed changes to agricultural inheritance tax.From April 2026, landowners who inherit agricultural assets worth more than £1m will have to pay 20 per cent inheritance tax on them.These assets were previously entirely exempt from the tax under the agricultural property relief law.Under the new rules, the 20 per cent levy – which is half of the standard 40 per cent rate – will be charged on assets above the £1m threshold only.Treasury data shows that around three-quarters of farmers will pay nothing in inheritance tax as a result of the controversial changes.However, farmers critical of the figures have pointed to data from the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) which suggests 66 per cent of farm businesses are worth more than the £1m threshold at which a 20% inheritance tax will now need to be paid.The prime minister has insisted he is “absolutely confident the vast majority of farms and farmers will not be affected by this.” More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreThe first Labour MPs have expressed doubts over the government’s decision to extend inheritance tax to cover agricultural properties, after an estimated 13,000 people marched on Westminster on Tuesday to protest the levy.It comes amid growing concern from rural MPs that they will face a wipeout at the next election as a result of the policy, after the party’s landslide election victory saw Labour MPs elected across 114 countryside constituencies.Steve Witherden, MP for Montgomeryshire and Glyndŵr, called on the Treasury to release its modelling on the impact of the policy.He also suggested changes to the plans may be necessary to protect family farms, telling the Telegraph: “It’s not remotely uncommon for any legislation to go through various phases. There’ll be the opportunity for backbench MPs like myself to feed into that debate.”Andy MacNae, MP for Rossendale and Darwen, admitted it is unclear whether or not family farms would be protected with the extension of the tax, saying he would take the “real concerns of farmers” to the Treasury.Farmers protest in central London (Andrew Matthews/PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreElon Musk will be summoned by MPs to testify about the role of his social media platform X in spreading disinformation during the riots which rocked England and Northern Ireland over the summer.The questioning will come as part of a Commons science and technology select committee, where senior executives from Meta – the parent company of Facebook and Instagram – as well as from TikTok are also expected to be called for questioning.The first evidence sessions are expected to take place in the new year.According to the Guardian, MPs will probe the consequences of generative AI, which was used to create images shared to social media inciting people to join join Islamophobic protests in the wake of the killing of three schoolgirls in Southport in August. Chi Onwurah, the Labour MP who chairs the select committee, said Mr Musk has “very strong views on multiple aspects of this”.( More