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 moreMPs will soon vote on legislation that would legalise assisted dying in England and Wales for terminally ill patients, marking a historic political event.The bill is open to a free vote meaning members from all parties will be allowed to vote however they feel is right. There are more unknowns than knowns, with slightly more thought to be in favour of voting for the bill.Proposed by Labour MP Kim Leadbeater in mid-October, the Private Members bill is lengthy, carrying strict stipulations about how the law is implemented.To be eligible for assisted dying under the laws, a person has to be over 18 years old, have proven mental capacity, no more than six months left to live, and the consent of two medical professionals.Labour MP Kim Leadbeater is behind the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill (Stefan Rousseau/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 more Georgia is suspending talks on its bid to join the European Union for four years, its prime minister said Thursday, in view of what he described as “blackmail and manipulation” from some of the bloc’s politicians.The statement by Irakli Kobakhize came hours after he was reappointed to the job by members of the governing Georgian Dream party after its disputed victory in last month’s parliamentary election that has sparked protests and led to an opposition boycott of parliament.The Oct. 26 election was widely seen as a referendum on the country’s aspirations to join the European Union. The opposition said the vote was rigged under the influence of Russia seeking to keep Georgia in its orbit, and declared a boycott of parliament.European election observers said the balloting took place in a “divisive” atmosphere marked by instances of bribery, double voting and physical violence.The EU has previously announced that the talks on Georgia’s accession to the bloc had been de-facto halted because of its backsliding on democracy. 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 moreMI6 chief Richard Moore is reportedly under consideration to be the UK’s next ambassador in Washington, in a fresh upset for former Labour spinner Peter Mandelson, who has been widely rumoured to be tapped for the key diplomatic role.According to The Sun, Downing Street insiders say the spy chief is now in the running to be Keir Starmer’s representative to the US as Labour prepares for the incoming presidency of Donald Trump in January.Sir Richard, who in September warned alongside CIA head William Burns that both countries faced “an unprecedented array of threats”, previously served in the foreign office and was Britain’s ambassador to Turkey from 2014 to 2017.The development represents a new blow for Lord Mandelson after former Tory leader William Hague beat him to the prestigious chancellorship of the University of Oxford following a high-profile competition between the pair.Earlier this month Lord Hague, whose appointment was announced on Wednesday, warned Lord Mandelson could not be both the UK’s next ambassador to the US and chancellor, telling the Independent that taking on both roles would be “incompatible”.MI6 chief Sir Richard Moore has been working closely with the CIA (FCO/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 moreParliament will vote on an assisted dying bill tomorrow for the first time in nearly a decade.Labour MP Kim Leadbeater proposed the Private Members Bill in mid-October, which will legalise assisted death under certain conditions for terminally ill adults in England and Wales. The bill would apply to those who are over 18 years old, have mental capacity, and have six months left to live, with the consent of two medical professionals. The bill has generated strong opinions from both sides of the assisted dying movement, while even some of those in favour have voiced concerns over the lack of safeguarding in the bill.A group of MPs have also pushed an amendment which may stop the bill from progressing to a vote this week.The Independent analysed public statements from all 650 MPs, in addition to news reports and other available information, to find which MPs will likely vote for or against the assisted dying bill this week. The analysis will be updated as more MPs come forward.The bill is open to a “free vote”, meaning that the party whips will not dictate whether to support or oppose the bill. Individual MPs are free to vote based on their own values and opinions of their constituents, regardless of whether they are Labour, Tory, or otherwise. Note: the voting intention of MPs is not final until the votes have been cast on Friday. As this is a sensitive issue, many MPs are still deciding and some could change their mind from previous positions.Our updated analysis has found that at least 90 MPs are likely to vote in favour of the bill, while at least 83 are likely to vote against it.Dozens of MPs have come out in the last few days alone in support or criticism of the bill, as political heavyweights on either side of the debate have published their thoughts in the papers.Some 477 MPs have either not made their opinion on assisted dying public, said they are still weighing up both possibilities or said they will abstain from the vote. Taking this into consideration, it will be difficult to say exactly whether the vote will pass. There is a significant degree of “unknown”, particularly among first-time MPs who are facing the issue for the first time.Meanwhile, when also including voting intentions shared privately off-record, The Times reports that 265 MPs are planning to vote for the assisted dying bill, and 216 plan to vote against it. Both our analysis and The Times’ analysis indicate that slightly more MPs are leaning in favour of the assisted dying bill than not. Within the parties, our analysis found MPs are divided between voting for and against the bill, according to public declarations, reports, and working group memberships.Labour MPs are more likely than Tories to lean towards supporting the assisted dying bill, which was proposed by a fellow Labour MP.However, influential Labour figure Gordon Brown penned an op-ed in opposition of assisted dying, which has been shared by several Labour MPs.At present, an estimated 54 Labour MPs will support the bill, while 44 will vote against it. Among those against the bill are some of Labour’s most prominent members, including health secretary Wes Streeting, and long-standing MP Diane Abbott. Health secretary Wes Streeting has spoken out against the assisted dying bill More

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Ben Whitley/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 moreLabour’s biggest union backer is taking Sir Keir Starmer’s government to court over the decision to scrap winter fuel payments for millions of pensioners.With temperatures dropping, Unite has applied to the High Court for a judicial review of the prime minister’s move to means test the payment, which will see it withdrawn from around 10m elderly people.General secretary Sharon Graham said Sir Keir’s decision was “wrong on every level”, calling on the courts to “hold the government to account and reverse this cruel cut as quickly as possible”.But government figures are confident the policy will not be overturned by the courts.Keir Starmer and Sharon Graham, right, have clashed over the policy More