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    Keir Starmer warns Iran not to respond after Israeli strikes on military targets

    Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseKeir Starmer has urged Iran not to retaliate as world leaders fear a response to a barrage of Israeli strikes overnight. Israel launched three waves of air strikes early on Saturday, explicitly linking them to missile strikes from Tehran earlier this month. Israel had made no secret of its plans to hit back against Iran, which it also blames for backing Hamas in Gaza. As the world anxiously awaits Iran’s response, the prime minister warned of the need to ensure tensions do not escalate across the region.The US also said Israel’s overnight strikes should end the direct exchange of fire between the two countries and warned Tehran of “consequences” if it responds. Keir Starmer warned Iran not to retaliate More

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    The Kemi Badenoch interview: Tory leadership favourite discusses how she’ll stand her ground if elected

    In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Kemi Badenoch discusses her campaign to become the next leader of the Conservatives.In a wide-ranging interview, Badenoch defends her position on a number of topics including two-tier policing, that police officers should be backed over the killing of Chris Kaba and how she thinks Britain will have to leave the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) like her opposition Robert Jenrick.Speaking with political editor, David Maddox, the Conservative MP for North West Essex also responded to comments by Sir Christopher Chope, as well as many comparing her to Margaret Thatcher. More

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    Rachel Reeves to slash discount for ‘right to buy’ council homes in Budget

    Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseRachel Reeves is to slash the ‘right to buy’ discount given to those purchasing their council house in next week’s Budget. Ministers say the move is designed to “protect” existing stock so thousands more homes remain for rent. But the cut risks accusations that it is an attack on aspiration. The move is part of a wider housing package that has been hailed by the deputy prime minister Angela Rayer, who used the right to buy scheme to buy her Stockport house in 2007. She later turned a £48,500 profit on the house, when she sold it in 2015. The housing package has been hailed by Ms Reeves and Ms Rayner More

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    Keir Starmer is ‘a working person’ so could be shielded from tax rises, chancellor admits

    Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseThe prime minister is set to be among those people protected from tax rises in next week’s Budget, the chancellor has suggested.Asked whether Sir Keir Starmer was defined as a working person, Rachel Reeves said: “The prime minister gets his income from going out to work and working for our country.”Before the election, Labour pledged not to raise taxes for working people, and ministers have come under increasing pressure to define the term.But Sir Keir prompted anger by suggesting people whose income is primarily from stocks and shares were not “working people”.People from unpaid carers to landlords have objected, saying what they do is vital for others and they would object to facing tax rises.Asked on LBC radio whether Sir Keir was a worker, Ms Reeves said: “He’s a working person.”Earlier this month, the PM was forced to pay back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality he received since entering No 10 after a row over ministerial donations.Ms Reeves added: “In this budget, we made a clear commitment in our manifesto not to increase the key taxes that working people pay: national insurance, income tax and VAT, and despite the difficult circumstances and unfunded commitments of the previous government, I’m determined to stick to that manifesto commitment in the Budget next Wednesday.”The prime minister’s comment has heightened expectations of a hike in capital gains tax. Inheritance tax and fuel duty are also said to be in line for hikes.Ms Reeves is looking to bridge what she calls a “£22 billion black hole” in the public finances.Downing Street was forced to backtrack after initially suggesting those with even a small income from stocks and shares would face higher taxes.Tom Selby, director of public policy at investment firm AJ Bell, told The Independent: “The government’s commitment not to raise taxes on ‘working people’ was always going to come unstuck because the definition is potentially so broad.“While raising the rate of capital gains tax will undoubtedly affect many working people and reduce the rewards for investing – potentially undermining the government’s wider ambition to drive economic growth – the chancellor will argue it is broadly wealthier people who will shoulder the burden.” More

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    Domestic abuse victims making multiple reports are failed, women’s minister admits

    Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseDomestic abuse victims who make multiple reports to the police of violence and abuse carried out by their partners are being failed, the women’s minister has admitted.Speaking to The Independent, Anneliese Dodds warned that violence against women is “stubbornly high” but charge rates for such crimes are “extremely low”.Ms Dodds, currently in Washington with chancellor Rachel Reeves, said the impact of such violence was also having a devastating impact on children caught up in the abuse.“For some women, unfortunately, home can be an extremely dangerous place,” she said. “We are determined to change that. That is why we said we will put domestic abuse specialists into every 999 control room so that we can have a joined-up approach.“So you end that situation where women are reporting repeatedly that they have been subject to domestic violence, but no one is joining the dots and making sure that they are protected.”The move to place domestic abuse specialists in emergency control rooms in England and Wales is one of a raft of measures being rolled out to fulfil the government’s manifesto pledge to halve violence against women and girls in a decade.Ms Dodds said the whole Labour team is determined to ensure they are tackling domestic abuse. “It has an impact on women, also on their children,” she added. “It really holds women back. There is a strong moral case, but I have to say there is also an economic case for taking action on this too, and we are determined to make sure that we are moving things forward.”Ms Dodds lent her backing to The Independent’s Brick by Brick campaign which has been launched in partnership with charity Refuge to build a house for women and children escaping abusive partners. Plans are already underway for building a second home after the initial target of £300,000 for the campaign was smashed and more than £350,000 in donations has poured in.“Everyone deserves a safe roof over their head. No one should have to fear for their safety at home,” Ms Dodds said. “I fully support The Independent’s fantastic Brick by Brick campaign and commend the campaign for already surpassing its original £300,000 target. This campaign will make a huge difference to the lives of women affected by domestic abuse.”The Independent recently reported that more than half of domestic abuse survivors face homelessness after being turned away from refuges due to a chronic national shortage of spaces. Figures show around six in 10 women fleeing domestic abuse who requested a space in a refuge in England between April 2022 and March 2023 were denied a place.The new Labour government has got a really clear reform agenda for women – making changes across a range of areas so that women can fulfil their potentialAnneliese DoddsSir Keir Starmer also gave his personal backing to the Brick by Brick campaign recently in an exclusive interview with The Independent – with the PM promising he and his cabinet would donate to the campaign. Dame Joanna Lumley, Dame Helen Mirren, Olivia Colman, Sir Patrick Stewart, David Morrissey and Victoria Derbyshire are among the famous faces backing The Independent’s appeal.Every five days in England and Wales, an average of one woman is killed by a partner or ex-partner. While one in four women will be subjected to domestic abuse in their lives in England and Wales, someone will turn to Refuge for help as often as every two minutes.Fears have recently been raised that domestic abusers are “slipping through the net” of the government’s early release scheme for prisoners and survivors could be put at grave risk.Discussing the 14 years of Tory rule before Labour came to power in July, she warned of “really disturbing developments” in regards to women’s safety and women’s health being “deprioritised”.“We have also seen women’s economic opportunities not being opened as they should have been,” she said. “The new Labour government has got a really clear reform agenda for women – making changes across a range of areas so that women can fulfil their potential and that is going to be important not just for those women but for our whole society, communities and our country as well.” More

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    UK minister hits out at French proposals to charge Britons more to see the Mona Lisa

    Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseThe Culture secretary has hit back at French proposals plans to charge Brits and other non-EU visitors a surcharge to see the Mona Lisa. Minister Chris Bryant said entry to the UK’s national galleries and museums was “FREE to all. You’re welcome. Je vous en prie.” “Je vous en prie,” translates as “you’re welcome” in French. His riposte came after France’s culture minister Rachida Dati said she wanted to increase the charges to enter the Louvre, the home of the Mona Lisa.She also wants to charge visitors to enter Notre Dame cathedral for the first time.Visitors observe the painting The Mona Lisa by Leonardo Da Vinci on display in a gallery at Louvre More

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    Tory MP calls for ‘spitting crackdown’ and end to vandalism in bid to ‘make Britain vaguely civilised again’

    Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseA Conservative MP has called for a “crackdown on spitting” and “large and instant fines” for people playing music on public transport as part of an attempt to make the UK “vaguely civilised again”.Neil O’Brien also called for an end to vandalism of street furniture, action to stop e-bikes and scooters being ridden on pavements, an end to “street scars” where gaps in street paving are replaced with tarmac, and a “galvanising” national goal to cut down the volume of litter.The Leicestershire MP also called for a push to plant trees on every residential street “where this is remotely possible”.Writing in his Substack blog, Mr O’Brien, who was a minister in the previous Tory administration, said the desire to live in an “orderly and civilised society” was “one of the most under-discussed and under-appreciated things in politics”.Neil O’Brien said an ‘orderly and civilised society’ has not been delivered by politicians More

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    Keir Starmer says stocks and shares owners ‘not working people’ in hint at capital gains hike

    Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseSir Keir Starmer has heightened expectations of a capital gains tax hike in next week’s Budget by describing “working people” as those whose income is not primarily from stocks and shares.The prime minister all but confirmed he would raise taxes on wealth, saying that those whose main source of income is stocks, shares and property fall outside his definition of “working people”.He and Labour promised repeatedly during the general election campaign to not raise taxes on working people, and ministers have come under increasing pressure to define the term.Sir Keir’s revelation on Thursday night gives the clearest indication yet of his thinking ahead of Rachel Reeves’ make-or-break Budget on Wednesday.He was forced to backtrack after initially suggesting those with even relatively little income from stocks and shares were in line for tax hikes. But a spokesman for the PM quickly clarified that Sir Keir meant those for whom stocks, shares and property made up their primary income source.Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves promised to not raise taxes on ‘working people’ during the election campaign More