UK Politics

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 doubled down on his claim that the “vast majority of farms and farmers” will be unaffected by changes to inheritance tax announced in the Budget ahead of a major demonstration over the tax hike on Tuesday.The row has rumbled on since the Budget, when it was announced that farmers will have to pay 20 per cent of tax on inherited agricultural assets worth more than £1m from April 2026. Critics warn that the new tax grab will destroy family farms, which make up around two-thirds of Britain’s agricultural base. The PM has attempted to persuade farmers that the sector is a priority for the government, telling reporters on Sunday that the money the Treasury has put into farming is “not to be overlooked”.His latest comments came as farmers gear up to stage a major protest in London on Tuesday. Separately, the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) will hold a mass lobby of MPs in an attempt to persuade the government to rethink its plans.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (Danny Lawson/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 moreMinisters are facing questions about whether they will exclude Chinese companies from operating in Britain in a bid to protect health data from foreign exploitation.Senior Tories have questioned whether Labour will follow steps taken by the US and Europe aimed at protecting the UK’s genomics sector.Genomics, the study of humanity’s genetic material, has the potential for use in new medical technologies, and the UK is a global leader in the field.It could be used to provide improved, personalised treatment for patients, but there are also concerns about how access to genomic data could be exploited.Two Chinese biotechnology companies, BGI Group and MGI Tech, feature in a letter to the Government from shadow cabinet office minister John Glen, though both firms insist they have no ties with the Chinese state.Worries about Chinese involvement in the genomics sector come after similar concerns about China’s influence over other new technologies.Equipment made by Shenzhen-based telecommunications company Huawei was banned from the UK’s 5G network in 2020, and security concerns have since been raised about the Beijing parent company of social media platform TikTok.In a letter to Cabinet Office minister Abena Oppong-Asare seen by the PA news agency, Mr Glen claimed the Chinese genomics companies are being used by Beijing to “harvest as much DNA data as possible globally and dominate the genomics industry supply chain”.Beijing’s data laws require private companies to share information with state authorities, Mr Glen said.Europe and the US have taken steps to mitigate the risks of Chinese influence in the genomics sector, he added, including US efforts to limit access to government contracts.Mr Glen asked if Labour planned to take similar steps in office, either using its new Biological Security Strategy to protect against foreign companies of concern, or by debarring them from involvement in the UK’s genomics pipeline.Mr Glen told PA: “In light of the Prime Minister’s desire to pursue closer economic relations with China, many will want reassurances that they are committed to protecting the critical genomics data industry from the security and privacy risks posed by over exposure to foreign companies.“It is vital that this data, which has significant implications for future UK healthcare strategies, cannot be leveraged by other states.”When the Tories were in power, then-minister Mr Glen said in correspondence that “significant work related to national security is being conducted” in relation to BGI.In response to the senior Tory’s letter, Cabinet Office Ms Oppong-Asare said moves to exclude companies from operating in the UK under the Procurement Act would be taken on a “case-by-case basis”.She added: “Debarment decisions will be taken after a rigorous investigation process with subsequent publication onto the relevant debarment list which will reference the reason for debarment.”Ms Oppong-Asare added ministers were “actively engaging with UK data repositories to ensure that their protocols reflect up to date risk assessments and patients’ data is protected”.BGI Group said it was not state-owned or state-controlled in any way and insisted all of its services and research are conducted for civilian and scientific purposes.The company also said it takes data protection extremely seriously and follows all local laws and data regulations, including GDPR rules in Europe.MGI Tech also emphasised it is an independent publicly listed company, and said there was no relationship with Beijing other than following its applicable laws and regulations.The Chinese government has never been involved in any part of the process of MGI’s overseas projects, the company added. 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 moreOne of the world’s most iconic rural brands has thrown its support behind farmers who have been left furious at the new changes to inheritance tax rules, saying it’s essential that we “look after the people who feed us”.Ahead of a huge farmer protest expected in London on Tuesday in what is already being dubbed “rural England’s revolution”, French-based tractor producer Massey Ferguson, a subsidiary of US-based AGCO, has become the first international manufacturing firm to weigh into the debate that kicked off in the wake of Labour’s first Budget where Rachel Reeves imposed a new tax on family farms.The chancellor has provoked outrage with the so-called “tractor tax” by extending death duties to farms worth £1 million or more at a rate of 20 per cent. Farmers have warned it will be the death of their sector unless Ms Reeves performs a U-turn.Massey Ferguson’s UK, Ireland and Middle East sales promotion manager Lindsay Haddon agreed the company “of course” held concerns about the impact of the new tax on farmers. Farmers protested in Llandudno on Saturday, where the prime minister was giving a speech 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 moreA senior minister has revealed that plans exist to deal with food shortages if farmers go ahead with their threat to strike over the controversial family farm tax.Transport secretary Louise Haigh revealed the plans, as part of the government’s “business as usual” preparations, in an interview with Sir Trevor Phillips on his Sunday morning show on Sky News, as concerns mount over the furious backlash to a decision to apply inheritance tax to farms.Farmers are set to descend on London in their thousands on Tuesday to protest against plans to impose a 20 per cent inheritance tax on farms worth £1m or more. They have warned that the policy will destroy family farms across the country or see them broken up.But more worrying for the government are the plans by farmers to go on strike and stop food production to give ministers a taste of what it would be like if the UK food-producing sector were no longer operating.Transport secretary Louise Haigh has said she is not concerned about the prospect of empty shelves 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 moreA senior minister has defended plans to strike deals with countries like Libya, Vietnam, and even the semi-autonomous region of Kurdistan to help tackle the illegal migrant crisis and stop the small boats crossing.Transport secretary Louise Haigh confirmed reports in The Sunday Times that home secretary Yvette Cooper and Sir Keir Starmer were in talks with a range of countries to end the migrant crisis.But speaking on Sky News’ Sunday morning show with Sir Trevor Phillips, she insisted that the deals were not the same as the Tories’ failed Rwanda scheme, which cost the taxpayer hundreds of millions and was cancelled as soon as Labour took power.Ms Haigh said: “The prime minister and home secretary have made no secret that this is an international problem which needs international solutions. That is why both of them have been working with their counterparts across Europe and across the world to make sure we have deals in place to make sure we can tackle this problem.Louise Haigh said that third-country deals to stop illegal migration are not the same as the Tory Rwanda plan 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 has revealed where £1bn in funding will go to deliver London-style buses nationwide as part of a massive Budget boost.Transport secretary Louise Haigh announced £712 million in funding for local authorities to improve services, alongside a further £243 million for bus operators.Ms Haigh said the investment would end “complicated and inconsistent” funding models that have impacted passengers for years.She added the government has considered targeting the fare bus cap rather than maintaining the £3 cap beyond the end of 2025. “We’ve stepped in with funding to protect (the cap) at £3 until the 31st of December next year, and in that period, we’ll look to establish more targeted approaches,” she told Sunday Morning with Trevor Philips. Louise Haigh says: ‘Buses are the lifeblood of communities, but the system is broken’ More