Markus Andrews

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emailsSign up to our free breaking news emailsWhen Jo Swinson ignored the advice of a few of the more senior Lib Dem MPs and took one of the great political gambles in 2019 it spectacularly failed.The then Lib Dem leader made a deal with the SNP to effectively force an early general election to break the then Brexit deadlock and give Boris Johnson the election he was desperate for.She went into the campaign as her party’s “candidate for prime minister” with a promise to have a second referendum to reverse the 2016 Brexit vote front and centre. Instead of measuring the curtains for 10 Downing Street though she lost her seat in Scotland and her party dropped from 12 to 11 seats.But as they launch their manifesto today, the process of reversing Brexit is back on the agenda. There are good reasons though why they believe it will succeed now where it failed five years ago.Ed Davey launching the Lib Dem manifesto More

Sign up to our free Brexit and beyond email for the latest headlines on what Brexit is meaning for the UKSign up to our Brexit email for the latest insightIt’s been more than four years since the UK officially left the European Union, but that doesn’t mean the conversation about Brexit and its impact is over.On Monday, Sir Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, pledged to push for Britain to rejoin the European single market and eventually the EU. Unveiling his general election manifesto, Sir Ed said repairing the UK’s damaged relationship with Europe will lower shop prices and create more job opportunities for young people across Europe.He emphasised that the Liberal Democrats are a “pro-European party” and that Britain “needs to be back at the heart of Europe.” In his speech, he also criticised the Conservatives for damaging the UK’s relationship with its closest neighbours.Now we want to know what you think. Do you think the UK should rejoin the European single market? Should Brexit, as Sir Ed is suggesting, be reversed? And does the Lib Dem’s freshly unveiled manifesto give you food for thought as polling day looms?Share your thoughts by adding them in the comments — we’ll highlight the most insightful ones as they come in.All you have to do is sign up and register your details — then you can take part in the discussion. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here.Join the conversation with other Independent readers below. More

Labour’s shadow education secretary has distanced herself from Emily Thornberry’s suggestion that the party’s plan to add VAT to private school fees would lead to larger class sizes in the state sector.The shadow attorney general said on Sunday: “It would be fine if we have to, in the short term, have larger classes” amid concerns the move could force pupils to leave private schools.Bridget Phillipson rejected the comments, telling the BBC on Monday, 10 June: “That is not our policy.“I’m afraid there’s been some misunderstanding there.” More

Sir Keir Starmer has distanced himself from Emily Thornberry’s suggestion that Labour’s plan to add VAT to private school fees would lead to larger class sizes in the state sector.The shadow attorney general said on Sunday, 9 June, that “it would be fine if we have to, in the short term, have larger classes”, amid concerns the policy could force pupils to leave private schools.Shadow education secretary Bridget Phillipson said the suggestion “just wasn’t right”.“We’ve had the analysis by the IFS (Institute for Fiscal Studies) on this, which says that there’ll be a negligible impact. So we’re very confident about that,” the Labour leader added. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailSir Ed Davey has promised to push for Britain to rejoin the European single market and eventually the EU.The Liberal Democrat leader said fixing the UK’s broken relationship with Europe will drive down prices in shops and widen opportunities for young people to work throughout the bloc.Launching his general election manifesto, Sir Ed said Britain “needs to be back at the heart of Europe” and stressed the Lib Dems “are a pro-European party”.But he accused the Conservatives of having “poisoned Britain’s relationship with our nearest neighbours” and “undermined trust in the UK”.“We are being really clear that it is not going to be easy,” the seasoned Lib Dem said.Follow our live coverage of the general election campaign hereLiberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey stressed his party has ‘put health and care at the heart’ of its manifesto, but the document also includes the aim to ‘fix the UK’s broken relationship with Europe’ More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailDouglas Ross is to step down as Scottish Conservative leader after the general election and will also quit Holyrood if he is elected as an MP.The Scottish Tory made the announcement in the wake of the row over his decision to stand in the Aberdeen North and Moray East constituency.Former UK Government minister David Duguid had wanted to fight the seat, but the Scottish Conservative Party management board ruled ill health meant he should not stand, with Mr Ross confirming last week that he would put himself forward for the constituency.Click here for our live coverage of the general election campaign.It comes after Mr Ross, who is also an MSP, had previously vowed he would step down from Westminster to focus on Holyrood and his role as party leader.Douglas Ross has announced he is quitting as Scottish Tory leaderIn a statement released on Monday, Mr Ross said: “I am committed to fighting and winning the Aberdeenshire North and Moray East constituency.“Should I be given the honour to represent the people and communities of this new seat, they should know being their MP would receive my complete focus and attention.“I will therefore stand down as leader following the election on July 4, once a successor is elected.“Should I win the seat, I will also stand down as an MSP to make way for another Scottish Conservative representative in Holyrood.”Mr Ross sparked fury when he announced he intended to run for Westminster after previously planning to concentrate on the Scottish parliament.His neighbouring Scottish Tory MP David Duguid was ruthlessly deselected by the Scottish Conservative management board at the last minute to make way for Mr Ross in Aberdeenshire North and Moray East.Mr Duguid, who was the MP for Banff and Buchan before the boundary changes, had recently had spinal surgery but was on course to make a full recovery. He had been readopted by his local party and told by doctors that he could campaign as long as he did not go door-knocking.Mr Ross had said he intended to step back from Westminster politics to focus on his duties at Holyrood. More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailKeir Starmer is facing calls to be clearer on climate change as a new poll warns half of voters are unsure of Labour’s plans. The Survation figures also show that less than a third, 30 per cent, believe they know what the party would do in government. Greenpeace, which commissioned the poll, has launched a new campaign ‘Keir be Clear’ ahead of Labour’s general election manifesto launch on Thursday. The environmental group, which caused controversy last year when they draped 200 square metres of oil-black fabric over Rishi Sunak’s £2m manor house in Yorkshire, says Labour has the opportunity to win over voters who are hungry for change on the climate. Follow our live coverage of the general election campaignLabour has pledged to create a new green energy company (Danny Lawson/PA) More

Sign up for the View from Westminster email for expert analysis straight to your inboxGet our free View from Westminster emailNigel Farage has dismissed calls by Tory rightwinger Suella Braverman for her party to embrace him in an election pact.The Reform UK leader told a press conference that he “likes Suella Braverman” but said it was “impossible” to believe Reform would want to join the “high tax, high immigration” Tories.He suggested that the former home secretary instead joins his party after the “inevitable” election defeat for the Conservatives.The former Ukip and Brexit Party leader confirmed that “all marriage plans are off” when it comes to him rejoining the Tories, a party he left over the Maastricht Treaty in 1992.Farage addresses the media today More