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 ThomasEditorCalls for electoral reform have increased following the results of last month’s election.Reform UK claims the first-past-the-post system is “broken” and the Liberal Democrats have long argued lack of proportional representation robs millions of voters of their voice.We were inundated when we asked readers to submit their burning questions on electoral reform and proportional representation.It’s clear that whatever happens, there is a renewed debate about electoral reform and that is to be welcomed.Here are seven questions from Independent readers – and my answers from the “Ask Me Anything” event.Q: Will proportional representation make any difference to ordinary people’s lives, and how?captaintrippsA: It’s fair to say government policies on the economy and public services have much more impact on people’s daily lives than the system we use to elect the government. But I believe the health of our democracy matters. The recent election was the most disproportionate in UK history. It’s hard to justify a party winning almost two-thirds of the seats with a third of the votes.Q: Should England also have its own devolved English Parliament like Scotland and Wales?Independent EnglandA: I’m not sold on the idea of an English Parliament. The “English question” is real, but I think it’s being answered by the creation of directly elected mayors. Labour wants to extend them to other areas. If the mayors can work with the government in helping to secure economic growth – rather than argue with ministers about money – their status will be enhanced.In the long run, I quite like Labour’s idea of making the House of Lords more representative of the regions and nations. That would also address the “English question.” Whether major Lords reform ever happens is another matter. Perhaps it’s on Labour’s list for its third five-year term, which might never arrive!Q: Has any research been done which shows how voters may cast their votes differently under PR? alfafileA: I’m not aware of any such research. There would probably be less tactical voting under a PR system. First-past-the-post arguably allows people to express an opinion about one party and it might be a negative one. PR allows more choice and preferences.One interpretation of last month’s election is that it was an anti-Conservative vote, but I think it was also an anti-political establishment vote even though Labour won a huge majority. Labour and the Tories won only 58 per cent of the total votes between them, their lowest combined share ever.I believe PR would boost turnout by tackling the “wasted vote” problem. Last month, 58 per cent of people backed a candidate who did not win; the average in elections since 1945 is 47 per cent. So only 42 per cent of people are now represented by an MP of their choice. It’s higher with PR – for example, 90 per cent in Germany and 92 per cent in Denmark.Q: Given that the collapse of the Weimar Republic and the French 4th republic are generally reckoned to be as a result of their having PR, whilst the Greeks give a bonus 50 MPs to the party that gets the most seats, it’s clear that there are reasons to be sceptical. PR is no panacea. Do you have any solutions to those issues?Ender’s ShadowA: PR is not a panacea, but I think it would be an improvement on first-past-the-post (FPTP). From memory, about 40 of the 43 European countries use PR in some form and there’s some polling evidence of higher public satisfaction with democracy there than in nations like the UK and France which do not use it.I think the argument that FPTP brings stable government has been tested to destruction in the UK in recent years. Supporters of electoral reform point to a study showing that countries using PR outperform those without it on eight out of 10 measures of political stability such as completing a term of office and the turnover of ministers. We’ve certainly had a high turnover in the UK in recent years!Q: Does a move to PR actually require a referendum to enact (as in 2011) or can it be implemented by Parliament alone through legislation?TheMadGeologistA: It’s true that the approach of Labour and the Conservatives towards PR is governed by self-interest (though you could say the same about the smaller parties who support PR). There is growing support inside Labour for PR. Its party conference voted for it in 2022. About a third of Labour MPs backed it in the last parliament and that proportion has now grown.But but but… to be realistic, it’s going to be hard to persuade the Labour leadership to back this “change” after the party has just won a majority of 174. A small number of Conservatives support PR but many fear it would lock their party out of power by ensuring a permanent Lab-Lib Dem coalition.The best chance of PR going to the top of Labour’s or the Tories’ agenda is in a hung parliament, when it would be a key demand of the Lib Dems. That’s how we got the 2011 referendum, as part of the Lib-Con coalition deal.As for D’Hondt, the formula which translates votes on the regional list into seats in the Scottish Parliament, I’m afraid I will need to consult the professor – John Curtice, professor of politics at Strathclyde University.In theory, a party could claim a mandate for changing the voting system if it had been explicit about it in its manifesto. The House of Lords would not block the legislation in these circumstances. In practice, I think any party would feel honour bound to hold a referendum on such a big constitutional change.Q: Will the regional assemblies Labour are proposing become the secondary democratic institutions that allow for the House of Lords to be abolished and PR introduced in the commons?TabbersA: I don’t think Labour is committed to regional assemblies. The Blair government held a referendum on setting up one in the North East in 2004 but the idea was overwhelmingly rejected. The Starmer government’s focus is on the directly elected mayors.Some Labour figures favour a directly elected House of Lords, with representatives from the regions and nations. But would the Commons ever agree to set up a rival chamber with its own mandate? I rather doubt it.Q: What PR system is best? MMP (NZ, Germany) or STV?Russell SimpsonA: The Electoral Reform Society regards STV as the “gold standard” on the grounds it provides maximum choice. I prefer mixed member PR, known as the additional member system (AMS) in the Scottish and Welsh parliaments because it preserves a link between voters and a local constituency MP while securing a proportional result through a top-up from a regional party list. I’ve met ministers from other countries who are amazed that British ministers have constituencies and hold regular surgeries for their residents. A lot of voters think our politicians are out of touch, but this contact provides a vital link between them and the real world.These questions and answers were part of an ‘Ask Me Anything’ hosted by Andrew Grice at 12pm BST on Friday 2 August. Some of the questions and answers have been edited for this article. You can read the full discussion in the comments section of the original article.If you want more political comment, news and insight, sign up for John Rentoul’s weekly Commons Confidential newsletter exclusive to Independent Premium subscribers, taking you behind the curtain of Westminster. If this sounds like something you would be interested in, head here to find out more. 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 ThomasEditorRenegotiating Boris Johnson’s Brexit deal could have a “serious positive impact” on turning around Britain’s failing economy, a major think tank has claimed.The National Institute of Economic and Social Research (NIESR) claimed “Brexit uncertainty”, along with the effects of lockdown and the Covid pandemic, has caused growth and productivity in the UK to lag behindIt added Brexit had contributed to a loss of confidence in Britain as a destination for investment.It comes as Sir Keir Starmer has already started the process of renegotiating the “flawed” Brexit deal, with his new European affairs minister Nick Thomas-Symonds spearheading the project.Even though his Brexit renegotiation was welcomed, NIESR questioned the Starmer government’s overall strategy particularly in cancelling infrastructure projects which would have boosted growth.Sir Keir Starmer wants to renegotiate the Brexit deal 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 Government has been urged to consider banning a popular material used to make kitchen worktops after a rise in an incurable disease linked to its manufacture.One leading medic has called for “urgent action” to protect workers who cut artificial stone.Kitchen worktops made from artificial stone are cheaper than natural stone – such as granite or marble – but they contain significantly more silica.What’s really striking is it is affecting young people, in their 20s and 30s, and there’s no treatment for it. If they didn’t do their job, they wouldn’t have a disease, and it should be preventable. So we need urgent actionDr Jo Feary, consultant in occupational lung diseasesAnd stonemasons who cut this material could be breathing in high concentrations of silica dust, which could potentially lead to them developing a potentially fatal lung condition called silicosis.The first UK case of silicosis linked to the cutting of artificial stone – which is made from crushed rocks bound together with resins and pigments – was identified last year and medics have seen a rise in cases since.Experts have documented the first eight cases in the UK in a new paper.“I think there needs to be an urgent focus on this disease,” Dr Jo Feary, lead author of the paper, told the PA news agency.The consultant in occupational lung diseases at the Royal Brompton Hospital added: “What’s really striking is it is affecting young people, in their 20s and 30s, and there’s no treatment for it.“If they didn’t do their job, they wouldn’t have a disease, and it should be preventable. So we need urgent action.”Dr Feary, who also works as a senior clinical research fellow at Imperial College London, told PA: “We’ve known about the problems associated with artificial stone silicosis from colleagues from around the world for the last few years, but we had not seen any confirmed cases in the UK until the middle of last year when they started arriving in my clinic.”Artificial stone, or engineered stone, has been around for a few decades, but I think it’s increasingly dominating the market for kitchen worktopsDr Jo Feary, consultant in occupational lung diseasesShe expects “many more” cases in the future, but added: “I don’t know how many people in the UK work with engineered stone, and so I don’t know how many people are at risk of breathing in the dust and developing the disease.“Artificial stone, or engineered stone, has been around for a few decades, but I think it’s increasingly dominating the market for kitchen worktops.“One of the things about artificial stone is it’s easier to work with, ie, it’s easier to cut and shape and polish the natural stone.“And therefore, my suspicion is it’s done with poorer control of exposure to dust than it would be if you were using natural stones – so potentially, with less training, with less sophisticated equipment.”She added: “We need to invest time in understanding how many people are exposed, if it’s possible to use it safely and decisions made about how we’re going to tackle it in the UK – there may be different ways of doing that, a ban is one option, but there are other options as well.”Engineered stone has been banned in Australia after a rise in cases of silicosis.The condition occurs when silica dust is inhaled, causing inflammation in the lungs.This gradually leads to hardened and scarred lung tissue which means the lung cannot function properly.UK cases are likely to increase, with urgent action needed to identify cases and enforce regulationsStudy in Thorax journalThis can lead to a persistent shortness of breath, weakness and tiredness and an ongoing cough.People with the condition may eventually find simple activities – such as walking or climbing stairs – very difficult and may be largely confined to their bed or be housebound.It has no known cure – though some with the condition have received lung transplants – prompting researchers to say that prevention of the disease in the first place is “critical”.Writing in the journal Thorax, Dr Feary and colleagues documented the first cases of the disease in the UK.All were among men with an average age of 34.Some had worked cutting artificial stone for just four years before they were diagnosed with silicosis.“All cases were dry cutting and polishing artificial stone worktops with inadequate safety measures,” they wrote.“UK cases are likely to increase, with urgent action needed to identify cases and enforce regulations.”The team called for action to protect workers, including for the Government to consider following in Australia’s footsteps by banning artificial stone.We strongly believe it is important to reduce the number of silicosis cases, given the severity of the diseaseDr Patrick Howlett, Imperial College London“The cases we present illustrate the failure of the employer to take responsibility for exposure control in their workplaces. National guidelines are urgently needed, as well as work to enumerate the at-risk population and identify cases early,” the authors wrote.“A UK ban on AS (as introduced in Australia in 2024) must be considered.”Researchers have confirmed that one of the eight patients has since died.In a linked editorial, Dr Christopher Barber, of Sheffield Teaching Hospitals, said that cases are expected to pose a “significant challenge” to doctors.On a potential ban, he said that a change in the law in the 1920s “was successful in protecting the Sheffield cutlery workers” which led to the industry switching to silica-free grinding wheels.Meanwhile, an additional study, led by Dr Patrick Howlett, MRC clinical research fellow at Imperial College London, suggests that limiting a person’s exposure to silica dust could help.He said: “This research supports the reduction of permissible exposure limits over an eight-hour working shift.“Although lowering exposure limits across different settings is challenging, it has been shown to be achievable.“We strongly believe it is important to reduce the number of silicosis cases, given the severity of the disease.”A Health and Safety Executive (HSE) spokesperson said: “Our sympathies are with those who have lost loved ones to any work-related disease.“Great Britain has a robust and well-established regulatory framework in place to protect workers from the health risks associated with exposure to hazardous substances.“We continue to work with industry to raise awareness of managing the risks of exposure to respirable crystalline silica and we are considering options for future interventions to ensure workers are protected.” 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 ThomasEditorBillionaire social media platform owner Elon Musk has launched a tirade against Sir Keir Starmer amid fears that Britain is on the cusp of descending further into civil unrest. It came as a standing army of 6,000 police officers was preparing for a new wave of violence at 39 demonstrations planned around the UK.There was fury that Mr Musk used far-right messages and images to attack Sir Keir personally as he appeared to fan the flames of discontent. But when questioned on the X owner’s comments, he repeatedly refused to even acknowledge Mr Musk by name.The apparently unprovoked attack on Starmer and the UK government from across the Atlantic came as:Two emergency meetings were called by Sir Keir, first with his cabinet and then the emergency committee Cobra to prepare for more violenceFears offices of legal firms that help asylum seekers and asylum centres will be targeted in 39 protests planned for WednesdayA warning the violence is set to spread to new parts of the country, with concerns flagged up by Scottish secretary Ian MurrayResidents and businesses board up homes and offices in target areas1,000 writers, actors and musicians call for an end to racism, condemning violenceThe address of an 88-year-old grandmother was wrongly included on a far-right target listSecurity advice has been handed out to MPs over fears they could be targetedElon Musk has been accused of being an ‘attention seeker’ by a social media expert following his response to the disorder across the UK 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’s spat with Elon Musk has escalated, with the social media boss calling the Prime Minister “two-tier Keir” in a series of new tweets.Mr Musk reposted a series of images, videos and memes related to ongoing rioting in the UK.The owner of X, formerly Twitter, tagged Sir Keir in several tweets, writing “Why aren’t all communities protected in Britain?” and “#TwoTierKeir”.The Prime Minister has rejected claims of “two-tier policing” in Britain after Nigel Farage suggested riots over the last week have been dealt with more harshly than other recent unrest and protests.Downing Street had criticised Mr Musk for tweeting that “civil war is inevitable” in the UK, with Sir Keir’s official spokesman saying that there was “no justification for comments like that”.“We’re talking about a minority of thugs who don’t speak for Britain,” he said.Justice minister Heidi Alexander told Times Radio it was “deeply irresponsible” and that “everyone should be appealing for calm”.“Use of language such as a ‘civil war’ is in no way acceptable. We are seeing police officers being seriously injured, buildings set alight, and so I really do think that everyone who has a platform should be exercising their power responsibly,” Ms Alexander said.Mr Musk’s latest retweets included an image what appears to be men in military uniforms and helmets with union jacks superimposed onto their backs approaching a front door, with the caption: “We saw your meme, step outside!”Michelle Donelan, a former Conservative MP who worked on the Online Safety Act when she was technology secretary, had earlier criticised Sir Keir for “going off on one at Elon Musk”, saying the Prime Minister should focus on engaging with social media platforms.She told GB News: “I don’t think he’ll do anything in relation to social media.“We’ve done the Online Safety Act, which is the most comprehensive Bill in this space in the world.”Offences around incitement in UK law were in place long before the social media age, and fall under the Public Order Act 1986, but stronger measures are on the way in the form of the Online Safety Act, which passed into law in 2023 but is yet to come into full effect.It will require social media firms to take more robust action against illegal and harmful content and activity on their platforms.They have got a moral responsibility not to be propagating and disseminating misleading and inflammatory content on their platformsHeidi Alexander, justice ministerBut Sir Keir’s spokesman said on Monday that social media firms have a responsibility to make sure their users are safe and that criminal activity is not being posted on their platforms.He said: “They shouldn’t be waiting for the Online Safety Act for that.”A mosque in Southport and a Citizens Advice office and police station in Sunderland are among buildings that have been damaged during days of clashes between anti-immigration demonstrators, police and counter-protesters.Ms Alexander also said the Government was taking a “very robust approach” to social media companies and that being behind a computer or mobile phone screen would offer no protection from the law.The justice minister told Sky News: “There has been some welcome action where there has been automated removal of some false information, but I do think the social media companies could and should be doing more.“They have got a moral responsibility not to be propagating and disseminating misleading and inflammatory content on their platforms.”On Monday, Technology Secretary Peter Kyle said he had met representatives from TikTok, Facebook’s parent company Meta, Google, and X “to make clear their responsibility to continue to work with us to stop the spread of hateful misinformation and incitement”.Home Secretary Yvette Cooper said the Government would not tolerate “armchair thuggery” and that social media platforms needed to take responsibility for the spread of online misinformation which has fuelled much of the disorder. 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 ThomasEditorA prominent anti-racist Muslim group are urging the government to ramp up its commitment to gender-based Islamophobia, The Independent can reveal.Muslim communities, including women, are fearing for their lives amid widespread race riots around Britain across the past week which have left dozens of people injured and hundreds arrested.Shaista Aziz, Amna Abdullatif and Huda Jawad, who are known as ‘The Three Hijabis’ due to their heritage and Islamic religious dress, have been contacted by Muslim women across the country with worries and reports of their hijabs being pulled off in the street. Yet, there is no specific government strategy in place to safeguard Muslim women, despite the government’s stated “mission” to protect women and girls.”Muslim women being afraid to travel into their town and city centres – making them no-go areas for them, is gendered Islamophobia,” a statement, first seen by The Independent, from The Three Hijabis says.“Muslim women have told us that they have changed their daily routine taking care not to be outside of their homes due to fear of being attacked by far-right mobs.“Muslim women shared their concerns about the safety and well-being of their children, brothers, husbands and family members, particularly when attending mosque. Mosques have been the target of coordinated far-right Islamophbic attacks.”The statement continued: “We call for gendered Islamophobia to be acknowledged as a specific form of violence against women and girls at the highest levels of government.”The Three Hijabis are also calling on specialist services to advocate for the safety of Muslim women and girls, recognising that it is part of their work to stand up for all women and communities.Violence erupted across England and in Northern Ireland (Owen Humphreys/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 ThomasEditorMPs have been warned to take safety precautions as riots continue to spread across the country. Members of parliament have been urged to contact police and consider working from home instead of their constituency offices. Those whose offices are “prominent and easily identifiable” have also been advised to look at their security protocols. And MPs near where 30 protests are planned on Wednesday have also been made aware of the situation. A mob attacked a Holiday Inn Express housing asylum seekers in Rotherham on Sunday (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 ThomasEditorElon Musk has launched another Twitter tirade about the UK’s handling of crime after he was accused of being “deeply irresponsible” by a government minister. Repeatedly posting on his social media platform on Tuesday afternoon, he has repeatedly implied that communities are treated differently under the law under so-called ‘two-tier policing’. In one of his posts, Musk shared a video from US right-wing influencer, Andy Ngo, showing a group of men wearing balaclavas, with some waving Palestinian flags. The caption claimed “armed ‘Muslim patrol’ members surrounded and attacked a pub after marching around the area looking for white right-wingers to attack.”No 10 criticised X owner Elon Musk for saying ‘civil war is inevitable’ in response to a post on Sunday sharing footage of the violence More