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 more The European Union said Friday it sent TikTok an urgent request for more information about Romanian intelligence files suggesting that Moscow coordinated influencers on its platform to promote an election candidate who became the front-runner in the presidential election. The 27-nation bloc’s executive branch is using its sweeping digital rulebook to scrutinize the video sharing platform’s role in the election, which ended with the far-right populist Calin Georgescu coming from out of nowhere to take top spot in the first round of voting. Declassified files released by Romanian authorities earlier this week suggest that a pro-Russia campaign used the messaging app Telegram to recruit thousands of TikTok users to promote Georgescu. It is unclear from the intelligence release whether Georgescu was aware of the alleged campaign or assisted in it.European Commission officials said they asked the video sharing platform to comment on the files and to provide information on actions that it’s taking in response. It’s the second time the commission has asked TikTok for information since the election’s first round of voting on Nov. 24, and comes a day after it ordered the Chinese-owned platform to retain all election-related files and evidence. TikTok did not respond immediately to a request for comment. “We are concerned about mounting indications of coordinated foreign online influence operation targeting ongoing Romanian elections, especially on TikTok,” Henna Virkkunen, the commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, security and democracy, said in a post on X. TikTok has 24 hours to respond to the EU request, officials told a press briefing in Brussels. Georgescu will face pro-EU reformist Elena Lasconi of the Save Romania Union party in a final vote on Sunday. “TikTok needs to step up resources to counter information operations ahead of the election weekend,” Virkkunen said. Georgescu’s unexpected rise in the polls has plunged the European Union and NATO country into turmoil and spurred the authorities to release the files. Romania’s intelligence services alleged that one TikTok user paid $381,000 to influencers on the platform to promote content about Georgescu. They said they obtained information that “revealed an aggressive promotion campaign” to increase and accelerate the candidate’s popularity.Some of the thousands of social media accounts used in the campaign were allegedly created years ago but were only activated in the weeks leading up to the first round vote, the files indicated. ___AP writer Stephen McGrath in Bucharest contributed to this report. 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 moreSir Keir Starmer has failed to rule further tax rises before the next general election – despite Rachel Reeves claiming otherwise less than two weeks ago.The prime minister said he has no plan to hike taxes further, but could not rule out changes in unforeseen circumstances such as Covid or the war in Ukraine.Last week, the chancellor explicitly ruled out further tax rises in an address to the CBI, where she told business leaders: “I’m really clear, I’m not coming back with more borrowing or more taxes.” Since then, the party has stumbled through speeches and media interviews with senior figures refusing to repeat the promise.Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Friday, less than two weeks after the chancellor ruled out further tax rises, the prime minister said he can’t say there are “no circumstances unforeseen in the future that wouldn’t lead to any changes at all”. Sir Keir Starmer (Hannah McKay/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 moreMayor of London Sadiq Khan is reportedly being lined up for a knighthood in the New Year honours list after securing a historic third term as London mayor in May.He is expected to be awarded the gong for his political and public service, having previously served as the MP for Tooting before he left the Commons in 2016.Mr Khan is first Muslim mayor of the capital also served as a minister under Gordon Brown.Sources told the Financial Times he is expected to receive the honours alongside a number of Labour veterans, including Islington South MP Emily Thornberry.Despite being dropped from Sir Keir Starmer’s front bench after the election, Ms Thornberry – who served as shadow attorney general for nearly three years and was a long serving member of the shadow cabinet – is set to receive a damehood, the newspaper reported.Sadiq Khan will be in New York this week (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 moreSir Keir Starmer has vowed to usher in a “new golden era of building” as he takes aim at “blockers and bureaucrats” who he claims have throttled economic growth and made homeownership unattainable.Writing in The Times, the prime minister attacked nimbys and environmentalists who he says have stymied economic progress in the UK. Sir Keir has directed ministers to draft laws that would simplify complex environmental regulations, which he argues can add millions to the cost of development and cause lengthy delays.These proposed reforms aim to eliminate the “case-by-case negotiations” currently required under habitat regulations inherited from EU law. By allowing developers to offset environmental damage by funding broader environmental improvements, Sir Keir hopes to avoid protracted negotiations over individual projects.He highlighted the HS2 project, which was compelled to spend £100 million constructing a tunnel for bats, as an “absurd spectacle” that must end. “This government will not accept this nonsense any more,” he said.Ministers are considering designating specific areas of the country as key infrastructure sites to expedite project approvals. This move would streamline the process, allowing projects to avoid the lengthy and uncertain approval procedures currently in place.Sir Keir’s comments came as he unveiled a new “plan for government” focused on six key areas: health, housebuilding, education, the economy, crime, and net zero. He said these milestones would enable the public to hold the government accountable by the next election.However, Sir Keir faced criticism for appearing to dilute Labour’s election pledge to generate “100 per cent” clean power by 2030 and for not setting specific targets to reduce either legal or illegal migration.Central to Sir Keir’s economic strategy is Labour’s target of building 1.5 million homes by 2030 and fast-tracking planning decisions on 150 major infrastructure projects. He promised to build “roads, grid connections, laboratories, train lines, warehouses, wind farms, power stations,” and to confront the “alliance of naysayers” that he says have impeded progress.Writing in The Times, Sir Keir explicitly targeted those who use environmental regulations to delay building, asserting that he would not shy away from confronting local development opponents. He described rising homelessness and falling homeownership as “a shame and a failure of our politics.”He lamented Britain’s failure to build a reservoir for over 30 years and criticized the “endless hoops” that every infrastructure project must jump through, only to face opposition and delays. Using the example of the costly bat tunnel in the HS2 project, he underscored the need for more efficient processes.Sir Keir pledged to double infrastructure project approvals compared to the previous Conservative government, acknowledging that both the government and developers would need to “stretch ourselves to the max” to achieve these goals.He anticipated resistance to his planning reforms but welcomed the challenge, saying: “I always knew there would be resistance to our planning reform. Let me say this — I won’t shy from this argument. In fact, I welcome it. Where there are blockers putting the brakes on, it’s a sign you are delivering real change.”Sir Keir’s remarks coincided with deputy prime minister Angela Rayner approving a multimillion pound plan by Marks and Spencer to redevelop its flagship Oxford Street store, a project previously blocked by Michael Gove. Stuart Machin, M&S’s chief executive, expressed his satisfaction with the decision but criticized the “three unnecessary years of delays, obfuscation and political posturing” under the previous government. 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 moreKeir Starmer has attempted to relaunch his struggling government with a new set of six “milestones” aimed at persuading voters he is making progress.After five months in Downing Street beset by scandals over freebies and the loss of his chief of staff and a cabinet minister, the prime minister delivered a keynote speech at Pinewood Studios in a bid to steady his ship.But in a sign of the difficult task ahead of him, his address to an event packed with Labour supporters was met with a muted audience response and little applause.It reflected the findings of a new national poll from Find Out Now UK that puts Labour in third place on 23 per cent, behind the Tories on 26 per cent and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK on 24 per cent.Keir Starmer gives a speech in Buckinghamshire setting out his government’s ‘plan for change’ More