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 new law has been proposed to legalise assisted dying for some terminally ill adults in England and Wales.Mentally competent adults with a life expectancy of six months or less who have a settled wish to die that has been approved by two doctors and the High Court would be able to do so under the proposed legislation for England and Wales.Ahead of its publication on Tuesday, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater insisted her private member’s bill would offer the “safest choice” for mentally competent adults at the end of their lives.She said the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would make it illegal for someone to persuade a person through dishonesty, coercion or pressure to declare they wanted to end their life or to induce someone to self-administer drugs to die. Anyone found guilty of doing so would face a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.Critics argue the controversial legislation, which is likely to run to more than 40 pages, is being “rushed with indecent haste” and that MPs will not have adequate time to scrutinise it before the 29 November debate.Labour MP Kim Leadbeater (centre) previously joining Dignity in Dying campaigners in Parliament Square outside the Houses of Parliament 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 moreCloseWinter surfers are set to be the big winners in plans to crackdown on the polution of official water bathing spots and provide year round protection.Ministers have today launched a consultation into England and Wales’s more than 550 official water bathing sites with a plan to increase the number to include areas popular for surfing.Currently, the sites on the coast and on British rivers and lakes are only protected for the summer months and there are longstanding concerns that they are becoming poluted at other times of the year.The consultation follows a crackdown on the water industry after a series of high profile cases of sewage being dumped into Britain’s waterways around the country including iconic sites like Lake Windermere.Britain’s official bathing water sites mapped 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 moreCloseA new law has been proposed to legalise assisted dying for some terminally ill adults in England and Wales.Mentally competent adults with a life expectancy of six months or less who have a settled wish to die that has been approved by two doctors and the High Court would be able to do so under the proposed legislation for England and Wales.Ahead of its publication on Tuesday, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater insisted her private member’s bill would offer the “safest choice” for mentally competent adults at the end of their lives.She said the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill would make it illegal for someone to persuade a person through dishonesty, coercion or pressure to declare they wanted to end their life or to induce someone to self-administer drugs to die. Anyone found guilty of doing so would face a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.Critics argue the controversial legislation, which is likely to run to more than 40 pages, is being “rushed with indecent haste” and that MPs will not have adequate time to scrutinise it before the 29 November debate.Labour MP Kim Leadbeater (centre) previously joining Dignity in Dying campaigners in Parliament Square outside the Houses of Parliament 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 moreCloseA bill to legalise assisted dying for some terminally ill adults is the “safest choice” and the “strictest” in the world, the MP behind the new law has claimed as it is set to be published.Mentally competent adults with a life expectancy of six months or less who have a settled wish to die that has been approved by two doctors and the High Court would be able to do so under the proposed legislation for England and Wales.Ahead of its publication on Tuesday, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater insisted her private member’s bill would make it illegal for someone to persuade a person through dishonesty, coercion or pressure to declare they wanted to end their life or to induce someone to self-administer drugs to die. Anyone found guilty of doing so would face a maximum prison sentence of 14 years.Critics argue the controversial Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, which is likely to run to more than 40 pages, is being “rushed with indecent haste” and that MPs will not have adequate time to scrutinise it before the 29 November debate.The legislation says two independent doctors must be satisfied that the person is eligible, but no doctors will be obliged to take part in the process.Kim Leadbeater (centre) is the Labour MP behind the new law 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 moreCloseFrustrated rail passengers will be able to check up on how well their local train company is performing through data available at each station across the country.Transport secretary Louise Haigh has announced the measure in a bid to open up transparency over delays and cancellations on the rail network in England.In a Commons statement, she told MPs: “We have to be clear-eyed about the problems. But we are committed to full transparency.“And I can announce today that we will be fully transparent with passengers by displaying performance data at stations to show demonstrate how the railway is working and allow the public to hold us to account as we deliver change.”Transport Secretary Louise Haigh (Danny Lawson/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 moreCloseAgriculture minister Daniel Zeichner has been accused of having “egg on his face” after his latest attempt to justify the so-called “family farm tax” stirred up further anger on the issue.The Labour minister today addressed the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference in South Wales with anger growing over plans for a tax raid on family farms and claims that he and the government are underestimating its impact.It came as the Countryside Alliance, set up in the later 1990s in protest over the hunting ban but now specialising in wider issues, has reported that more than 5,000 automated emails to MPs have been sent protesting about the family farm tax.Farming minister Daniel Zeichner speaks at the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference in South Wales 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 moreCloseKeir Starmer has no plans to visit Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago on his way to a meeting of the G20 group of world leaders next week, despite at least one ally making the trip.Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei has been invited to see the US president-elect at his Florida club, amid speculation others will follow. A supporter of Mr Trump, Mr Milei celebrated his election win with a fireworks display and posts on social media.But while Sir Keir offered the Republican his “hearty” congratulations, there are fears Labour will struggle with the next occupant of the White House. The Trump campaign has accused the party of meddling in the US election, in a row over activists who travelled to help the Democrats. Sir Keir has also stood by his foreign secretary David Lammy, over comments from 2018 calling Mr Trump a “neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath”.( More