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      Voices: Is HS2 still worth completing, or is it just a £66bn mistake? Join The Independent Debate

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      With the cost of Britain’s flagship high-speed rail project soaring past £66 billion and its opening delayed yet again – this time well beyond 2033 – serious questions are being raised about the future of HS2, and what, if anything, should be salvaged.What was once promised as a transformational national infrastructure project linking London, Birmingham, Manchester and Leeds has been continuously scaled back, plagued by spiralling budgets, environmental controversies, governance failures and now, fresh allegations of fraud. Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander is set to confirm to Parliament this week that the project will be delayed indefinitely, conceding there is “no reasonable way to deliver” HS2 on time or within budget.Two independent reviews are due to be published imminently, one focusing on the London-Birmingham section still under construction, the other investigating the leadership and decision-making behind the project’s troubled path. Ms Alexander says this is about drawing “a line in the sand” and moving forward with lessons learned for future schemes like Northern Powerhouse Rail and the Lower Thames Crossing.But the question remains: what should become of HS2? Some argue that completing the full route as originally envisioned is the only way to realise its benefits and justify the money already spent. Meanwhile, others believe it’s time to stop the funding tap and either halt the project entirely or limit it to the part that’s already furthest along, from London to Birmingham. Now we want to know where you stand. Should HS2 be finished in full or scaled back? Or do you think it should be scrapped entirely? Share your thoughts in the comments and vote in the poll above – we’ll feature the most compelling responses and discuss the results in the coming days.All you have to do is sign up and register your details – then you can take part in the debate. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen. More

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      Reeves considers U-turn on non-dom crackdown to halt exodus of wealthy

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      Rachel Reeves is considering climbing down on her non-dom crackdown to stem the flow of ultra-rich taxpayers leaving the UK.The chancellor is deciding whether to U-turn on the decision to tax non-domiciled individuals inheritance tax based on their global assets. The changes, which formed a key part of Labour’s general election campaign, have raised concerns about an exodus of the wealthy as they flee in search of lower taxes. And a senior City figure told the Financial Times “there will most likely be some tweaks to inheritance tax to stop the non-dom exodus”.Billionaire steel tycoon Lakshmi Mittal is among those said to be considering leaving Britain as a result of the chancellor’s changes. Rachel Reeves is considering a change to her non-dom crackdown More

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      Defiant Rayner says ‘underestimate me at your peril’ over criticism of huge housing pledge

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      Angela Rayner has hit back at critics of Labour’s ambitious plan to build 1.5 million homes, warning them to “underestimate me at your peril”. The deputy prime minister has come under increasing pressure over the flagship target after property agent Savills forecast that there would be only 840,000 new homes – just over half.Ms Rayner, who is the cabinet minister in charge of the policy, said she had been underestimated “all my life” as she announced the launch of a new government-backed project to support builders.She says the National Housing Bank will unlock new housing schemes across the UK, thanks to low-interest loans provided to developers hampered by rising inflation and higher interest and mortgage costs.The move, backed by £22bn in government finance, will see more than 500,000 new homes built, including many social and affordable properties, says Ms Rayner.It comes after warnings to the local government secretary that Labour’s election pledge for 1.5 million homes over this parliament is unachievable. In its forecast on housebuilding published earlier this month, Savills said 840,000 new homes will be completed over the next five years, with the property firm blaming a low demand from buyers.Government figures for 2024 also show a 28 per cent fall in new-build starts in England compared to 2023.However, writing exclusively for The Independent, Ms Rayner tells critics to “underestimate me at your peril” as she announced the housing bank scheme, which she claims would finally give access to housing for many hard-working families.Angela Rayner says the task ahead is ‘tough’, but has warned critics to ‘underestimate me at your peril’ as she targets the 1.5 million homes plan set by Labour before the election More

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      MPs vote to decriminalise abortion in biggest change to reproductive rights in decades

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      MPs have voted to decriminalise abortion in England and Wales in a historic step that will usher in the most far-reaching change to reproductive rights in decades. After an emotional and impassioned debate in the House of Commons, MPs voted by 379 to 137 in favour of the reform. They overwhelmingly backed an amendment by Labour MP Tonia Antoniazzi to remove “the threat of investigation, arrest, prosecution, or imprisonment” of any woman who acts in relation to her own pregnancy.The reform is designed to protect women while retaining penalties for abusive partners or medical professionals who terminate a pregnancy outside the current framework of the law.During the debate, MPs had argued that the UK’s “Victorian” abortion law was “increasingly used against vulnerable women and girls”. Under the current law, abortion in England and Wales is a criminal offence but is legal up to 24 weeks, with the sign-off from two doctors. It is also allowed under limited circumstances after this time, including when the mother’s life is at risk. Women can also be prescribed medication to end a pregnancy at home if they are less than 10 weeks pregnant.Campaigners had called for a change in the law More

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      Decriminalising abortion is a major step toward giving women full control over their bodies

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      The vote to decriminalise abortion will herald the largest changes to the law on terminations in decades. The changes are designed to ensure women cannot be prosecuted for terminating their own pregnancy at any stage. While access to abortions is generally available in practice, this legal aspect imposes unnecessary stigma, restricts autonomy, and risks criminalising women and healthcare providers, campaigners say.Removing abortion from criminal law allows it to be treated like any other healthcare issue – governed by clinical guidance, not courts.This decision aligns England and Wales with countries like Canada, New Zealand, and parts of Australia, which have seen improved access and no increase in abortion rates – only safer outcomes.( More

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      Starmer to cut visas for countries who fail to sign return agreements for illegal migrants

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      Sir Keir Starmer has signalled a new hardline approach to tackling illegal immigration by limiting visas for countries which did not do enough to tackle the irregular migration crisis, like taking back failed asylum seekers.The prime minister revealed the plans on Tuesday after holding talks about illegal migration at the G7 in Kananaskis, Alberta, with French president Emmanuel Macron, Italian PM Giorgia Meloni and German chancellor Friedrich Merz.The readout from the meeting with President Macron talked about “innovative approaches” to be adopted to stop small boats crossing the Channel.Some 16,545 people have crossed in small boats so far in 2025 according to Home Office figures, a 45 per cent increase on the same period in 2024 and higher than at the same point in 2022, the overall record year for crossings. Keir Starmer and Emmanuel Macron at the G7 summit on Tuesday More

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      Starmer reveals why he rushed to picked up Trump’s trade deal papers at the G7

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      Keir Starmer has revealed why he rushed to pick up Donald Trump’s papers during one of the most talked about moments of the G7 summit in Canada. The prime minister and US president were announcing the implementation of their US-UK trade deal after holding a bilat at the summit in Alberta when the wind caught the papers, sending them to the floor.It prompted a swift response from Sir Keir, who stooped down and collected the bundle, before handing them back to Trump. US President Donald Trump, left, holds the UK-US trade deal document with Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (PA) More

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      Starmer warned British jobs at risk without better trade deal from Trump

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      Keir Starmer has been warned that UK jobs are at risk without a better trade deal with Donald Trump that removes tariffs from the beleaguered steel industry. President Trump and the PM finally signed off a US-UK agreement to slash trade barriers on goods when they met at the G7 in Canada on Monday.But missing from the deal was the steel industry, which still faces levies of a whopping 25 per cent on goods entering the US. Industry experts and unions have now called for these to be scrapped as soon as possible, amid warnings they are a threat to jobs and livelihoods. But there are fears negotiations could drag on into the autumn after the transport secretary said work to get tariffs removed will continue in the coming “days, weeks and months”. Alasdair McDiarmid, assistant general secretary of the Community union, said it was “absolutely vital” to secure a deal on steel as quickly as possible.“Our steel producers and their US customers need an end to the current state of uncertainty to allow normal business to resume,” he said.“Crucially, we must see a full exemption for all UK steel exports to the US – without that guarantee some of our leading steel businesses could be left behind, with a threat to jobs and livelihoods.”Gareth Stace, Director-General, UK Steel said the sector should also benefit “imminently… from a tariff rate cut similar to that which the automotive and aerospace industries will enjoy in seven days.” The government said the two leaders had pledged to “make progress towards 0% tariffs on core steel products”, but the Chinese ownership of British Steel could be a sticking point, as an executive order signed by Mr Trump suggests the US wants assurances that the metal originates in the UK.President Trump left the summit earlier than expectedAfter signing it, the US President was asked whether steel tariffs would be eliminated, to which he replied: “We’re gonna let you have that information in a little while.”In April, parliament gave the government emergency powers to take control of British Steel and continue production after Chinese owners Jingye proposed shutting the Scunthorpe site’s two blast furnaces and other key steelmaking operations.But its future is still uncertain.The uncertainty comes as a £500 million five-year deal has been struck between Network Rail and British Steel, which Ms Alexander said was a “vote of confidence”.Workers at the British Steel site in Scunthorpe will make rail tracks (Danny Lawson/PA)British Steel is to supply 337,000 tonnes of rail track, with a further 80-90,000 tonnes to be provided by other European manufacturers.The Network Rail contract will start on July 1 and is set to provide the company with 80 per cent of its rail needs.Jingye, which bought British Steel in 2020, launched a consultation in March which it said would affect between 2,000 and 2,700 jobs, despite months of negotiations and a £500 million co-investment offer from the Government.The Scunthorpe plant has been producing steel for Britain’s railways since 1865.The Network Rail agreement is the first major public procurement since the Government’s emergency legislation was passed.Network Rail’s group director for railway business services Clive Berrington said: “We are committed to buying British where it makes economic sense to do so and British Steel remain extremely competitive in the provision of rail and will remain our main supplier in the years ahead.”Charlotte Brumpton-Childs, national officer at the GMB union, said it was a “crucial first step in securing the future of our steel industry” and urged ministers to make sure British Steel has a “constant flow of orders” from other infrastructure projects.No 10 said it wanted to implement a further deal to remove tariffs on steel “as soon as possible”. More