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 moreThe new Mauritian government has ordered an independent review of the Chagos Islands agreement, The Independent understands, throwing the future of Sir Keir Starmer’s deal into even greater uncertainty.The new administration in Mauritius, which took over after elections last month, has previously expressed doubts about the terms of the agreement, with the UK’s national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, travelling to the country in an attempt to smooth over any issues. But sources in Mauritius have since told The Independent the new government feels it was “kept in the dark” over the agreement. In a statement to the Mauritian parliament on Friday, the country’s new prime minister, Navin Ramgoolam, said the details of the deal were “unknown to the new government” throughout the two years of negotiations. He announced the government would now be conducting an independent review into the terms of the agreement, the findings of which will be considered by the cabinet. The prime minister also said he has consulted external legal advisers over the deal. It comes just one day after Downing Street said there is “no discussion around renegotiating the deal”.The government announced last month it had reached a political agreement to hand over sovreignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius 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 moreGrowing support for Nigel Farage and Reform UK is the only reason Keir Starmer and his besieged Labour government remain at the top of the opinion polls, a leading pollster has claimed.As the government woke up this morning to the shock resignation of transport secretary Louise Haigh over a historic fraud conviction, the latest Techne UK tracker poll for The Independent put Labour at a one-point lead over the Tories.With 28 per cent for Labour compared to 27 per cent for the Conservatives, Sir Keir has stayed on top despite fury over the government’s Budget regarding national insurance rises and the so-called family farm tax, as well as a series of scandals involving freebies and ministerial conduct.The findings appear to confirm the initial bounce enjoyed by the Tories after Kemi Badenoch became leader has ended, with the party polling the same percentage for a third week in a row.Sir Keir Starmer lost Louise Haigh from his ministerial team on Friday 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 moreLouise Haigh became the first minister to quit Sir Keir Starmer’s government in a blow to the prime minister which has raised question marks about his judgement.The transport secretary wrote to the prime minister tendering her resignation as transport secretary after admitting she was convicted for making a false report to police over a mobile phone being stolen 10 years ago.But the episode drew questions about Sir Keir’s judgement when it emerged on Thursday night that he had appointed her to his shadow cabinet in 2020 after she had disclosed the offence to him.When the revelations broke a number of comments on social media pointed out that when Boris Johnson was fined over a Covid lockdown breach, Sir Keir had tweeted: “You cannot be a lawmaker and a lawbreaker.”Ms Louise Haigh has now stepped down as transport secretary following a letter to the prime minister 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 moreParliament will vote on an assisted dying bill tomorrow for the first time in nearly a decade.Labour MP Kim Leadbeater proposed the Private Members Bill in mid-October, which will legalise assisted death under certain conditions for terminally ill adults in England and Wales. The bill would apply to those who are over 18 years old, have mental capacity, and have six months left to live, with the consent of two medical professionals. The bill has generated strong opinions from both sides of the assisted dying movement, while even some of those in favour have voiced concerns over the lack of safeguarding in the bill.A group of MPs have also pushed an amendment which may stop the bill from progressing to a vote this week.The Independent analysed public statements from all 650 MPs, in addition to news reports and other available information, to find which MPs will likely vote for or against the assisted dying bill this week. The analysis will be updated as more MPs come forward.The bill is open to a “free vote”, meaning that the party whips will not dictate whether to support or oppose the bill. Individual MPs are free to vote based on their own values and opinions of their constituents, regardless of whether they are Labour, Tory, or otherwise. Note: the voting intention of MPs is not final until the votes have been cast on Friday. As this is a sensitive issue, many MPs are still deciding and some could change their mind from previous positions.Our updated analysis has found that at least 104 MPs are likely to vote in favour of the bill, while at least 97 are likely to vote against it.Dozens of MPs have come out in the last few days alone in support or criticism of the bill, as political heavyweights on either side of the debate have published their thoughts in the papers.Some 477 MPs have either not made their opinion on assisted dying public, said they are still weighing up both possibilities or said they will abstain from the vote. Taking this into consideration, it will be difficult to say exactly whether the vote will pass. There is a significant degree of “unknown”, particularly among first-time MPs who are facing the issue for the first time.When including assumptions of how MPs might vote based on positions in the 2015 bill and previous statements, approximately 212 MPs may support the bill and 209 may vote against it, with the rest unknown. Meanwhile, when also including voting intentions shared privately off-record, The Times reports that 265 MPs are planning to vote for the assisted dying bill, and 217 plan to vote against it. Both our analysis and The Times’ analysis indicate that slightly more MPs are leaning in favour of the assisted dying bill than not. Within the parties, our analysis found MPs are divided between voting for and against the bill, according to public declarations, reports, and working group memberships.Labour MPs are more likely than Tories to lean towards supporting the assisted dying bill, which was proposed by a fellow Labour MP.However, influential Labour figure Gordon Brown penned an op-ed in opposition of assisted dying, which has been shared by several Labour MPs.At present, an estimated 66 Labour MPs will support the bill, while 55 will vote against it. Among those against the bill are some of Labour’s most prominent members, including health secretary Wes Streeting, and long-standing MP Diane Abbott. Health secretary Wes Streeting has spoken out against the assisted dying bill 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 moreMPs are debating the divisive issue of assisted dying for the first time in almost a decade ahead of a historic vote this afternoon.Kim Leadbeater, the MP behind the bill, has argued her colleagues have a chance to “correct injustice and reduce human suffering”, while opposition campaigners have warned of “inevitable abuse, pressure, coercion and mistakes”.Five hours have been set aside for MPs to air their views on the controversial Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the Commons on Friday.A vote must be called before 2.30pm otherwise the bill is highly unlikely to make any further progress through parliament, with Ms Leadbeater saying she is hopeful this “major social reform” will pass this first stage in the process of becoming law.The debate comes after the issue was voted down by MPs in 2015, with MPs split over the new proposed legislation.Encouraging or assisting suicide is against the law in England and Wales, with a maximum jail sentence of 14 years.Kim Leadbeater opening the debate in favour of her Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill in the Commons on Friday 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 moreBritish troops should be sent to guard Ukraine’s border under any future ceasefire with Russia, Boris Johnson has said.The former prime minister has said responsibility for keeping any deal intact should fall to a group of European peace-keeping forces.Ahead of Donald Trump’s return to the White House, which is expected to spark talks to end the conflict, Mr Johnson said British troops should be sent to Ukraine to maintain a ceasefire.Vladimir Putin praised Donald Trump as an ‘intelligent’ man More