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 was accused of “running out the backdoor like a flipping rat” to avoid scores of angry farmers outside protesting over controversial changes to death duties dubbed “the family farm tax.”The prime minister had been giving a speech at the Welsh Labour conference in Llandudno where he stood by the measures in Rachel Reeves much criticised Budget with a record £40 billion in tax rises. But he didn’t directly acknowledge the growing backlash to inheritance tax changes which mean two thirds of farmers would be liable to pay 20 per cent inheritance tax on family farms – a figure disputed by the Treasury. Hundreds of farmers had gathered on the promenade in Lladudno and were dismayed the PM did not appear to leave via the front of the conference centre.Farmer and well-known YouTuber Gareth Wyn Jones said that he “ran out of the backdoor like a flipping rat.”Tractors are driven along the Promenade to the venue of the Welsh Labour Party conference in Llandudno 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 economic adviser to Donald Trump has warned the UK that it needs to ditch the “socialist” EU and embrace a trade deal with the US instead, or face tariffs.The intervention by Stephen Moore appears to be an attempt to force the hand of Sir Keir Starmer in the latest sign that the relationship with the incoming White House administration is going to be painful.But the prime minister has been urged not to “take the threat on the chin” and to continue to pursue closer ties with the European Union, Britain’s largest export market.Earlier this week, The Independent revealed that President-elect Trump plans to veto Sir Keir’s deal to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, in a move that could humiliate the prime minister, because of concerns over the joint UK-US airbase on Diego Garcia.Now Mr Trump’s team is pushing the Labour government to ditch its biggest foreign policy objective – resetting the EU relationship – in favour of a trade deal with the US.Trump’s incoming adminsitration is attempting to force the UK into ditching ties with the EU 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 defiant Keir Starmer has said he will defend Labour’s controversial Budget “all day long” as he rejects growing calls to U-turn. The prime minister will double down on his government’s plans, which have faced intense criticism, ahead of mass protests against the so-called ‘tractor tax’ next week.Thousands of angry farmers are expected to descend on Westminster, furious at inheritance tax changes they say will destroy family farms.A week-long strike, which organisers say will include “thousands” of farmers who will withhold meat and crops from supermarkets, will begin in Wales this weekend. But in a speech in Wales on Saturday, Sir Keir will take on his critics to suggest the Budget is key to transforming the “lives and pockets of working people”. His phrasing will be seen as a clear sign that Labour wants to avoid a repeat of the Democrats’ loss to Donald Trump, which was blamed on inflation.Keir Starmer will double down on his government’s plans, which have faced intense criticism 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 moreWes Streeting has promised to protect Britons travelling abroad for Brazilian butt lifts (BBLs) and other cosmetic surgeries.After several deaths linked to the treatments, the health secretary said he will work to improve the safety of those going to Turkey and elsewhere for procedures including BBLs and tummy tucks.He warned British travellers seeking cut-price surgeries to think carefully before taking up offers that are “too good to be true”.And Mr Streeting said: “I think we need to take very seriously this issue of medical negligence and malpractice overseas.”It comes after several women lost their lives in the last few years after travelling to Turkey for discounted surgery.Health secretary Wes Streeting urged Brits to be careful travelling abroad for BBLs 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 moreDominic Raab took a £16,000 pay off after he quit government following a finding he had been “persistently aggressive” towards civil servants. An independent investigation found the Boris Johnson ally had made what “could have been understood as a threat” and had “acted in a way which was intimidating”.In response, Mr Raab, who denied the allegations, resigned with a defiant attack on the bullying probe – and, it now emerges, a severance package that ran into thousands of pounds.Dominic Raab resigned in the wake of the bullying probe 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 moreDowning Street has been forced to apologised to British Hindus after meat and alcohol were served at an annual Diwali celebration.Number 10 said that a “mistake” had been made and pledged “it will not happen again”.Hinduism does not have a clear prohibition on alcohol or meat consumption, but many Hindus choose not to drink and some are also vegetarian.The event sparked a series of complaints, including from Shivani Raja, the Conservative MP for Leicester East, who said she was “greatly concerned” and “deeply saddened”. Keir Starmer at the reception to celebrate Diwali in Downing Street 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 been urged to step up his plans for a post-Brexit reset of relations with the European Union after an unprecedented warning from the Bank of England.In a speech to leading business figures, the Bank’s governor said that Britain must “rebuild” a closer trading relationship with the European Union after our exit from the bloc damaged exports.The effects of Brexit had “weighed” on the economy, Andrew Bailey added, just hours before the latest figures showed the economy flatlining in the months after Labour came to power. In the wake of the governor’s warning, the UK’s former national security adviser Lord Ricketts warned that “momentum” could be lost.Lord Ricketts, who is also the chair of the Lords European Affairs Committee but told The Independent he was speaking in a personal capacity, said: “I’m picking up from my European friends that they’ve appreciated the new government’s efforts to warm up the tone and rebuild personal contacts. But they are beginning to be impatient for substance.“Once the new (European) Commission is formed it will be important that the government has more detail to offer on what they want from the reset, otherwise the momentum will be lost.”Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has come under pressure over his Brexit ‘reset’ (Carl Court/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 moreRachel Reeves has set out plans to target a free trade deal with Donald Trump after saying she is “not satisfied” with the UK’s flatlining economy. As official figures showed economic growth stalling under Labour, the chancellor said she wanted to boost trade with the US and “looks forward to working with president-elect Trump”. “There’s more than £300bn of trade flows between the UK and the United States every year, and we want to see that trade increase, whether that’s through a free trade agreement or through further improvements in our trade and investment flows,” Ms Reeves told ITV. Donald Trump’s America first policies threaten a tit-for-tat trade war that would push up prices More