UK Politics

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer will warn the British public that things will get worse before they get better in his first keynote speech since walking into Downing Street.Speaking on Tuesday, the prime minister will say the government has also taken on a “societal black hole”.It will come after chancellor Rachel Reeves claimed the government inherited a £22bn black hole in the public finances from the previous Conservative administration last month. “Things are worse than we ever imagined”, he will warn, adding: “And that is why we have to take action and do things differently. Part of that is being honest with people – about the choices we face. And how tough this will be.“Frankly – things will get worse before we get better.”The warnings come as the government prepares for its first Budget, to be unveiled on 30 October, which will force the Treasury to take tough decisions on spending and taxation.Promising to make “unpopular decisions now if it’s the right thing for the country”, Sir Keir will also accuse the Conservatives of not being honest about the state they left the country in.He will say: “They haven’t recognised what they’ve cost the country and they haven’t apologised for what they’ve cost you.”Rachel Reeves is preparing for his first Budget on 30 October More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer has issued a statement of support as Ukraine marks 33 years since it declared independence from the Soviet Union.The prime minister told Ukrainians the UK will back them “today and always”, offering a “crystal clear” message of solidarity to the war-torn nation.Ukraine’s supreme soviet agreed the state should leave the Moscow-based Soviet Union on 24 August 1991, a decision backed by Ukrainian voters at a referendum in December that same year.Sir Keir said: “My message to all Ukrainians, whether on the front line or here in your second home in the UK, is crystal clear: we are with you today and always.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July 19 (Benjamin Cremel/PA) More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorKemi Badenoch has been handed a boost in the race to take over from Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservatives, after a new poll of party members indicated she would beat all five of the other contenders if she reaches the final two.A YouGov survey published on Friday saw Mrs Badenoch beat James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Tom Tugendhat, Dame Priti Patel and Mel Stride in head-to-head votes.The poll, which spoke to 903 party members between Aug 6 and 15, saw 47 per cent of members say they would back Mrs Badenoch in a contest against Mr Cleverly, who was picked by 38 per cent.The former business secretary beat Mr Jenrick by 48 per cent to 33 per cent, Mr Tugendhat by 49 per cent to 31 per cent, Dame Priti by 55 per cent to 26 per cent and Mr Stride by 61 per cent to 14 per cent.Kemi Badenoch began to set out her stall as a leadership contender (Lucy North/PA) More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer has been urged to review his decision to scrap winter fuel payments for 10m pensioners after the regulator Ofgem announced household energy bills will rise by £150 in October.The prime minister has been warned the double hit will lead to disaster for pensioners on low and modest incomes or living in vulnerable circumstances due to ill health. Analysis shows energy bills this winter will be the highest on record for older people who previously received the winter fuel payment, worth up to £300.Campaigners and charities, as well as Tory and Labour politicians, have called on the PM to change course.The PM is under pressure to reverse a decision to make the winter fuel payment means tested More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorThe Metropolitan Police has dropped its investigation into betting on the date of the general election, saying the bar for misconduct in public office had not been met.The probe was launched after it emerged senior Tory officials and one of Rishi Sunak’s aides had placed bets shortly before the date of the election was announced, allegations which engulfed the Conservative election campaign in June. The Conservatives eventually withdrew support for Mr Sunak’s former parliamentary private secretary Craig Williams as their candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, along with Bristol North West candidate Laura Saunders, who was also alleged to have placed a bet.Craig Williams, who was an aide to the prime minister in the last Parliament, is alleged to have placed a £100 bet on a July election three days before Rishi Sunak announced the date More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorThousands of steelworkers are set to be laid off just before Christmas after British Steel brought forward plans to close its blast furnaces in Scunthorpe.In a move unions say will be devastating for the local community, at least 2,500 jobs are set to be put at risk by the early closure.British Steel has previously announced it would be building an electric arc furnace (EAF) as part of its decarbonisation plans, replacing the carbon-intensive blast furnaces at the Scunthorpe site.The British Steel steelworks in Scunthorpe, North Lincolnshire (Danny Lawson/PA) More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorAll UK children should be given a “digital vaccination” of access to technology and digital skills that ensures they are not susceptible to misinformation and to help close the digital divide, a new report has said.The report says a minimum digital living standards framework should be established, which would look to ensure that every household has a set level of digital infrastructure, including high-speed broadband, a functioning digital device and digital skills training.The study has been published by former children’s commissioner Anne Longfield’s Centre for Young Lives think tank, and the Child of the North initiative – which includes a research partnership between eight universities in the north of England.Technology and the internet provide access to a world of opportunity and are now a crucial part of childhood and our futures Anne Longfield, former children’s commissionerIt says millions of children are being left behind because they do not have regular access to technology and the skills needed to make the best use of it – known as the digital divide – and warns these children are therefore more open to the risks of fake news, disinformation and other online harms.In addition, it says these children will be under-skilled when they enter the workplace in an increasingly digital and online world.According to the study, 42% of young people – approximately six million children – do not have access to either home broadband or a home computer, and 75% of young people feel they lack the necessary skills to thrive in the future, with almost half of young people saying they are teaching themselves digital skills.Financial constraints are highlighted by the report as a key contributor to the digital divide, with one million people said to have cut back or cancelled their internet package because of financial pressures, with 12% of people in the north east of England classified as internet non-users, compared to only 7% in London.The report says digital skills shortages are already estimated to cost the UK £65 billion each year.In response, the study urges the Government to consider adopting the minimum digital living standards framework, as well as boosting digital training and support for schools and teachers and a central, national resource platform for digital skills development.Ms Longfield, executive chair of the Centre for Young Lives, said: “Children are growing up digital but we are not giving them the technology and skills they need to make the most of the opportunities it brings or protection they need to navigate the online world safely.“Technology and the internet provide access to a world of opportunity and are now a crucial part of childhood and our futures.It is crucial that we develop more effective ways of preventing children and young people from being exposed to fake news and vaccinate them against its dangersAnne Longfield, former children’s commissioner“The recent outbreaks of violence in England have shown the consequences of disinformation and its impact on the real world. It is crucial that we develop more effective ways of preventing children and young people from being exposed to fake news and vaccinate them against its dangers.“That means providing children with the digital skills they need, providing teachers with the time and training to keep up to date with digital advancement, and ensuring children are learning about disinformation and other potential online harms from an early age.“We also need to equip children for the digital world they live in. Four in 10 children do not have either home broadband or a laptop or desktop computer. This is not just a problem that happened during Covid. This ongoing digital divide is still leaving behind millions of children, which can have profound implications for their educational outcomes and future employment prospects.“We need to be far more creative and much bolder about how we close the digital divide and improve access to tech and learning.“We can’t hope to achieve the aim of becoming a world-beating economy with a well-trained and well-educated workforce for as long as a substantial number of young people are shut out of the digital world.” More