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 moreA former Tory MP who organised an infamous Nazi-themed stag party has joined Nigel Farage’s Reform UK. Aidan Burley was sacked as a ministerial aide after the incident came to light. However, he was welcomed by Mr Farage, who hailed the politician’s decision to cross the floor, suggesting it was “death by a thousand defections” for the Conservative Party. Reform’s decision to welcome Mr Burley comes just months after a Reform candidate claimed the country would have been “far better” off if it had “taken Hitler up on his offer of neutrality” instead of fighting the Nazis.In 2014, while he was still a Tory MP, an internal Conservative Party investigation found Mr Burley “caused deep offence” with the Nazi-themed stag do. He even bought a Nazi uniform for the groom to wear on the last night of the four-day trip to French ski resort Val Thorens in December 2011.After the meal, the groom’s brother gave a Nazi-themed toast, the Tory report said, while it added that Mr Burley was not a “racist or anti-Semite” but had acted in an “unacceptable” way.The report, which was delayed while French authorities considered legal action against him, said that the groom had given a Nazi salute when prompted by a Mail on Sunday journalist also present in the restaurant and attendees had reportedly chanted the names of prominent Nazi figures.Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, welcomed the former Conservative politician to his party 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 has denied that she is imposing a new round of austerity after she ordered departments to find five per cent cuts as part of her spending review.The chancellor has already raised tax by a record £40 billion in her Budget last month, causing fury among businesses over the national insurance contributions hike. Added to that she has already made swinging cuts to tackle the £22 billion black hole she claims the Tories left behind.Critics on the left have warned that this latest round of savings amounts to another wave of austerity, which former Tory chancellor George Osborne imposed on the country in the wake of the banking collapse.But speaking to Matt Chorley on Radio 5 Live, Ms Reeves insisted that she is not repeating the austerity policies of Osborne.Reeves has launched her spending review 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 moreIt’s a coup that could further rock the landscape of British politics.Reform UK’s leader Nigel Farage has secured the support of billionaire property tycoon Nick Candy, who has left the Conservatives to become Mr Farage’s party’s new treasurer.Mr Candy is the latest high-profile Tory member to defect to Reform UK, after former MP Andrea Jenkyns joining Reform last month to become the party’s mayoral candidate for Lincolnshire. Conservative Home founder Tim Montgomerie also switched last week as the party tasted a surge in the polls after Sir Keir Starmer’s “reset” speech.With him, Mr Candy, who is married to Australian singer and actress Holly Valance, brings heavy financial backing.Holly Valance and Nick Candy at a Reform UK event in July (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 UK has agreed a new deal with Cyprus to crack down on serious organised crime and illicit Russian finance, in what the prime minister has said is an attempt to “starve Putin’s war machine and protect global stability.”The two nations have agreed to set up a new National Sanctions Implementation Unit to stop dirty money being funnelled through Europe, in addition to agreeing closer cooperation to tackle serious organised crime.The partnership, agreed by Sir Keir Starmer and Cypriot president Nikos Christodoulides on Tuesday morning, will further strengthen the intelligence and security relationship between the two countries, the government said.Sir Keir Starmer is welcomed by Cyprus’ President Nikos Christodoulides in Nicosia (Kirsty Wigglesworth/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 moreBirmingham City Council has reached an agreement to settle thousands of historical equal pay claims costing millions – just over a year after going effectively bankrupt.GMB Union, which brought the claims alongside Unison, said the agreement meant four years after launching its campaign 6,000 low-paid, predominantly women workers should finally receive settlement payments from the local authority.Payouts are expected to be up to four times higher than those offered to workers in 2021, with settlements expected to take place in the middle of 2025, the union said.The Labour-run council declared itself effectively bankrupt in September last year after it was facing a £760m bill to settle the claims, and was said earlier this year to be on a “narrow path to financial sustainability” dependent on budget cuts.Settlement payouts are expected to be up to four times higher than those offered to workers in 2021 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 Home Office minister has defended the UK’s suspension of all decisions on asylum claims from Syria, saying it is “important that we just stop and let events play out a bit.”Dame Angela Eagle said the situation in the Middle Eastern nation is “very fluid”, arguing that the Home Office “can’t judge somebody’s asylum claim when the country that they’re fleeing from is in such turmoil”. But she admitted that it is too early to say whether the collapse of the Assad regime will improve the situation.Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s regime at the weekend, is banned in the UK because of its past association with al-Qaida, the terrorist organisation once led by Osama bin Laden.But its leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani cut ties with al-Qaida years ago and has sought to present his group as a more moderate and inclusive organisation.Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Dame Angela said: “At the moment, we hope that the fall of this brutal regime will lead to a better outcome in Syria, but it’s too early to say.Dame Angela Eagle defended the decision to suspend all asylum claims 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 moreNigel Farage will today unveil the latest defector from the Tories who he hopes will be able to fund Reform UK’s push to win the general election in 2029.After speculation that X owner Elon Musk was about to give Reform £80 million, Mr Farage has produced a different donor who intends to break fundraising records. London property magnate Nick Candy, who previously bankrolled Tory campaigns including Shaun Bailey’s attempt to become London Mayor, has joined his famous Australian singer/ actress wife Holly Valance as a member of Reform UK.Mr Candy, who is friends with Mr Farage, Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, will be the public face of a number of wealthy donors and plans to celebrate his official defection by hosting a major lunch with other potential donors and Mr Farage today in London.Holly Valance and Nick Candy at a Reform UK event in July (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 moreNigel Farage will today unveil the latest defector from the Tories who he hopes will be able to fund Reform UK’s push to win the general election in 2029.After speculation that X owner Elon Musk was about to give Reform £80 million, Mr Farage has produced a different donor who intends to break fundraising records. London property magnate Nick Candy, who previously bankrolled Tory campaigns including Shaun Bailey’s attempt to become London Mayor, has joined his famous Australian singer/ actress wife Holly Vallance as a member of Reform UK.Mr Candy, who is friends with Mr Farage, Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, will be the public face of a number of wealthy donors and plans to celebrate his official defection by hosting a major lunch with other potential donors and Mr Farage today in London.Holly Valance and Nick Candy at a Reform UK event in July (Yui Mok/PA) More