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 moreCloseRachel Reeves has given her top official at the Treasury a vote of confidence amid a row over whether the cover-up of a £22 billion black hole in government finances broke the law.The suggestion over illegality during Jeremy Hunt’s tenure as chancellor was made by Richard Hughes, the chief executive of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), yesterday.While criticism has been focused on the previous Tory government, questions are also being asked about the role of Treasury officials in the alleged cover-up.Rachel Reeves will face MPs on Wednesday 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 moreCloseSir Keir Starmer has dodged demands from Kemi Badenoch to invite to President Trump to address parliament on his next visit to the UK.At her first PMQs as leader of the opposition, Ms Badenoch called for the prime minister to show that “he and his government can be more than student politicians” and ask the Commons speaker to extend the invitation to the president elect, who swept to victory in the US election overnight.In response, the prime minister accused Ms Badenoch of “giving a masterclass in student politics”. “We live in a more volatile world than we’ve lived in for recent decades”, he said. “It’s absolutely crucial that we have a strong relationship, that strong special relationship, forged in difficult circumstances between the US and UK.Badenoch addresses her first PMQs since winning the Tory leadership election 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 moreCloseLee Anderson has apologised to the Commons for bullying and harassment after a parliamentary watchdog found he twice swore at a security officer when his pass did not work.The Reform UK MP allegedly told the guard “f*** off, everyone opens the door to me, you are the only one” when he was told he needed to have his pass checked at the gates to the Westminster estate.A complaint about the incident on 3 November was upheld by parliament’s standards commissioner.Mr Anderson initially appealed against the finding to the Independent Expert Panel, but the panel dismissed his case.Reform UK MP Lee Anderson has been told to apologise to the Commons (Maja Smiejkowska/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 moreCloseKeir Starmer has sidestepped a call to apologise for his foreign secretary dubbing Donald Trump a “neo-Nazi sympathising’ sociopath”. David Lammy made the comment in an article when he was a backbench MP in 2018.A year before he also tweeted: “Yes, if Trump comes to the UK I will be out protesting on the streets. He is a racist KKK and Nazi sympathiser.” Mr Lammy has sought to build links with the Trump campaign since becoming foreign secretary, but the election result has shone a new spotlight on his comments, raising questions about his ability to work with the next US president. The prime minister came under pressure over the issue at prime minister’s questions in the Commons from the new Tory leader Kemi Badenoch. She asked him about the meeting he and Mr Lammy had with Mr Trump in September. David Lammy has previously called Mr Trump a ‘KKK/neo-Nazi sympathiser’ (Lucy North/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 moreCloseDonald Trump’s victory is a dark day for mankind, the Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has warned.Responding to Trump’s emphatic win, he called on the government to urgently repair the UK’s post Brexit relationship with the European Union now that the world’s largest economy and its most powerful military “will be led by a dangerous, destructive demagogue”.Stronger trade and defence co-operation across Europe would “help protect ourselves from the damage Trump will do”, he added. Sir Ed’s comments were in stark contrast to prime minister Sir Keir Starmer, who congratulated Trump and said the UK-US special relationship would “continue to prosper” following the “historic election victory”.Sir Ed Davey said: “This is a dark, dark day for people around the globe”. 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 moreCloseDonald Trump has won the 2024 US election, securing a second presidential term many thought impossible just a few months ago.Taking to the stage for a victory speech before the announcement, Mr Trump pledged his second presidency would be a “golden age for America.”Reaction in the UK has been mixed. The government has broadly welcomed the news, with Keir Starmer congratulating the president-elect in the hours before his victory was officially announced.“I look forward to working with you in the years ahead,” he said, adding: “I know that the UK-US special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come.”Prime minister Keir Starmer and US president-elect Donald Trump 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 moreCloseThe Labour Party is divided in its response to Donald Trump’s imminent return to the White House, with London mayor Sadiq Khan refusing to congratulate the Republican on his election win. While Sir Keir Starmer complimented Trump on his “historic election victory”, Mr Khan issued a more disparaging statement, saying the result shows “progress is not inevitable”. Trump claimed victory at a rally in Florida after sweeping three of the key battleground states hours after the polls closed.In a statement, the prime minister said: “As the closest of allies, we stand shoulder to shoulder in defence of our shared values of freedom, democracy and enterprise.“From growth and security to innovation and tech, I know that the UK-US special relationship will continue to prosper on both sides of the Atlantic for years to come”, he added. But Mr Khan – who had a long-running row with Trump during his first term in the White House – said Londoners will be “anxious about the outcome”. Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer (PA) More