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 moreSir Keir Starmer has rejected demands that he make a choice between a trade deal with the US and closer relations with the EU in the wake of the re-election of Donald Trump to the White House.The prime minister has been posed a Brexit conundrum amid fears that Mr Trump’s plans to introduce tariffs and instigate a trade war will force Britain to choose between striking a trade deal with the incoming US president and continuing to pursue closer ties with the EU in a planned reset of Britain’s relationship with the bloc.With Mr Trump also understood to be ready to pull the plug on support for Ukraine, and threatening to withdraw funding for European defence if Nato allies do not pay more money towards it, Sir Keir is also being pushed to pursue closer integration with European allies on defence.But addressing the Lord Mayor’s Banquet at Mansion House, he made it clear that he believes the choice being posed is a false one and that he can achieve closer relationships with both allies.Starmer attends the Mansion House dinner yesterday 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 moreBritish food sales to the EU have fallen by almost a fifth since Brexit, a new report shows, with campaigners calling on Sir Keir Starmer to urgently cut red tape holding back exporters.New requirements for physical, documentary and ID checks have complicated food trade between the UK and Europe, leading to a 16.3 per cent drop each year in food exports to the EU, the Centre for Inclusive Trade Policy (CITP) found.The drop-off has meant a £3bn hit to food exports on average in the three years since the end of the Brexit transition period, the report found.Keir Starmer was urged to rip up his red lines on the single market and customs union 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 more Ireland faces weeks of coalition talks before it gets a new government, as the country’s two major center-right parties work to form a stable administration.With all but a handful of seats filled in the 174-seat legislature on Monday after three days of counting election ballots, Fianna Fail had won 46 seats and Fine Gael 38. The two parties, who have governed in coalition since 2020, look set to fall just short of the 88 needed for a majority without third-party support.“The people have spoken, let us now get on with the work,” said Fianna Fail leader Micheál Martin.Left-of-center party Sinn Fein won at least 37 seats in Friday’s election but is unlikely to be part of the next government. Both Fine Gael and Fianna Fail have a longstanding refusal to work with Sinn Fein, partly because of its historic ties with the Irish Republican Army during three decades of violence in Northern Ireland.“The outcome of the election is now clear. The numbers are there for Fianna Fail and Fine Gael to form a government together,” said Sinn Fein lawmaker Eoin Ó Broin. He said that would be “the worst possible outcome for the people of the country.” Longtime rivals with origins on opposing sides of Ireland’s 1920s civil war, Fianna Fail and Fine Gael formed an alliance after the 2020 election ended in a virtual dead heat. The two parties took it in turns to hold the post of premier, for about two years each. This time, Fianna Fail’s bigger seat tally means its Martin looks likely to become prime minister, or taoiseach, rather than Simon Harris of Fine Gael.Fianna Fail’s deputy leader, Jack Chambers, said coalition talks would require “time and space,” and it’s unlikely there will be a new government before Christmas.Ireland has proved a partial exception to the anti-incumbent mood in elections around the world. Fianna Fail and Fine Gael, which have dominated Irish politics for a century, remain in the driving seat, though their combined share of the vote has declined to just over 40%.They will need support to command a majority in parliament, and could turn to the Social Democrats and the Irish Labour Party, who both increased their seat totals, or to independent lawmakers.The new government will face huge pressure to ease rising homelessness, driven by soaring rents and property prices, and to better absorb a growing number of asylum-seekers.The cost of living — especially Ireland’s acute housing crisis — was a dominant topic in the election campaign, and immigration has become an emotive and challenging issue in a country of 5.4 million people long defined by emigration.A stabbing attack on children outside a Dublin school just over a year ago, in which an Algerian man has been charged, sparked the worst rioting Ireland had seen in decades.For all the focus on migration, anti-immigration independents made few breakthroughs. Ireland does not have a significant far-right party to capitalize on the issue. 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 moreRachel Reeves is under pressure to scrap plans to impose a luxury car tax on electric vehicles, amid fears the levy could make the cars unaffordable and undermine the government’s net zero ambitions.Electric vehicles registered from 1 April will be subject to an additional levy, known as an “expensive car supplement”, if priced above £40,000.The surcharge will cost drivers £425 per year for five years, from the second to sixth years of a car’s lifespan – meaning drivers will have to shell out more than £2,000 for the levy, which applies even if the vehicle’s ownership changes hands.Since 2020, zero-emission vehicles have been exempt, but the Treasury is now following through on plans announced by the previous Tory government to tax them.Chancellor Rachel Reeves decided to restrict the winter fuel payment to those claiming pension credit in an effort to fill a ‘black hole’ in the public finances (Lucy North/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 moreMore than half of Britons would support farmers if they decided to strike, according to a new poll which shows the same levels of support seen for nurses and ambulance workers.Voters back workers in the under-fire farming sector walking out on strike, viewing them as among the worst treated groups by Sir Keir Starmer’s government.The Ipsos poll found that 55 per cent of respondents would support farmers if they decided to strike, which mirrors the support shown to striking nurses and ambulance workers, both on 56 per cent.As well as strong public support, half of the public believe farmers are being treated worse than they should be by the PM and his chancellor Rachel Reeves.Reacting to the poll, Liz Webster, founder of Save British Farming, said: “Keir Starmer got to the top by fence-sitting and being all things to all people.“Now he’s PM, he’s trying to use the same strategy to deliver decisions for the whole country which are deeply unpopular and have no mandate.Children on toy tractors during a farmers protest in central London over the changes to inheritance tax (Gareth Fuller/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 moreSir Keir Starmer has appointed Sir Chris Wormald as his cabinet secretary, Britain’s most senior civil service position.The prime minister picked Sir Chris, the Department for Health’s long-serving permanent secretary, to take over from Simon Case, who was appointed by Boris Johnson in 2020.The major appointment comes ahead of Sir Keir’s first relaunch since taking office five months ago, with the beleaguered prime minister to set out his “plan for change”.Sir Chris Wormald will play a key role in delivering the PM’s ‘plan for change’ 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 moreRemarks made by MasterChef presenter Gregg Wallace were “completely inappropriate and misogynistic”, Downing Street has said after culture secretary Lisa Nandy held crunch talks with the BBC over the allegations. The broadcaster is conducting an independent review into workplace culture after numerous allegations about Mr Wallace’s behaviour emerged.Lisa Nandy met with BBC bosses to seek assurances that the review will “deliver clear and timely recommendations”, as well as asking for an update on its progress.Defending his actions over the weekend, Mr Wallace said the accusations originated from “a handful of middle-class women of a certain age” – remarks which were later slapped down by No 10. Gregg Wallace addressed the accusations in a post on Instagram (Yui Mok/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 moreThe government is facing growing questions over its economic policy, after a Labour minister failed to commit to the party’s number one mission on growing the economy ahead of Sir Keir Starmer’s reset of government priorities on Thursday. Alex Norris, building safety minister, was repeatedly pressed on whether the government planned to sideline Sir Keir’s pledge to make the UK the fastest growing economy in the G7 – but refused to provide a clear answer.In Labour’s election manifesto, the party announced five key missions: to kickstart economic growth; make Britain a clean energy superpower; take back our streets; break down barriers to opportunity; and build an NHS fit for the future.But asked by Times Radio whether the government plans to sideline its pledge to become the fastest growing economy in the G7 when the prime minister unveils his “plan for change” on Thursday, Mr Norris said: “I can’t comment on UK newspaper speculation. That’s not something I’d be privy to.”( More