UK Politics

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreClose Lithuanians will vote Sunday in the second and final round of parliamentary elections, with the conservative governing party still in contention despite first-round gains for the left-leaning opposition.Strict COVID-19 measures during the pandemic, political scandals involving several key members of the Cabinet and an influx of migrants from neighboring Belarus have hurt the popularity of Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė’s government, which took office in 2020. The vote in Lithuania, which borders Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave to the west and Belarus to the east, comes at a time when Russia’s war in Ukraine is fueling greater fears about Moscow’s intentions, particularly in the strategically important Baltic region.It will set the political tone for the next four years, but despite a possible shift to the left analysts say there won’t be significant change Lithuania’s foreign policy. The European Union and NATO member is a staunch supporter of Ukraine. On Sunday, voters in dozens of electoral districts will choose between the two leading candidates from the first round and complete the new 141-seat parliament, known as the Seimas.The opposition Social Democrats, led by Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, came out of the first round with an edge two weeks ago, taking 20 of the first 70 seats to be decided. That put them two seats ahead of Šimonytė’s Homeland Union party. Blinkevičiūtė has said that she and the center-left Democratic Union, which took eight seats, would attempt to form a coalition together with a smaller third party. The three parties, which so far have 34 lawmakers in total, have said they would support each other’s candidates in the second round. But the center-left parties could lose their lead, and their ability to form a stable government could depend on a new party that many consider a pariah. The Nemuno Aušra party came in third in the first round, with 15 seats. Its leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis had to resign from parliament earlier this year for making antisemitic statements. A strong showing for Nemuno Aušra could open the way for the prime minister’s party to form a minority government.“Nobody can claim to have an obvious majority after the first round,” said Mažvydas Jastramskis, a political analyst at Vilnius University’s institute of international relations and political science.Šimonytė’s Homeland Union won 18 seats in the first round and its coalition member, the Liberal Union, took eight. Both have several dozen candidates leading in run-offs, but they aren’t in a position to win the 71 seats needed for a majority.Tensions in Lithuania’s neighborhood are on voters’ minds as well as domestic concerns.“I voted for those who would never look east, I do not trust former communists and new populists,” Janina Kvietkauskiene, a retired librarian who cast her ballot in an early voting station in Vilnius, told The Associated Press.Most of the traditional parties said before the elections that they would not team up with Nemuno Aušra. The Social Democrats, for instance, have ruled out any alliance with Žemaitaitis’ party. Still, Nemuno Aušra announced this week that it would support the Social Democrats’ Blinkevičiūtė in her bid to become prime minister.Jastramskis said it’s unlikely that the three center-left parties will emerge with enough seats to form a stable new government alone.“The one more likely option for the stable majority is if Nemuno Aušra joins the already announced three-party coalition,” Jastramskis said. “But it may turn out as a major problem for the cabinet if the unacceptable rhetoric and actions continue”. More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseMinisters should commit to a new version of the Online Safety Bill which strengthens regulation in order to better protect children, a charity has said.The Molly Rose Foundation has warned that the current implementation of the Bill by new online safety regulator Ofcom has been risk averse and unambitious, while also exposing structural weaknesses in the Act which it says need to be fixed.In a report published to mark one year since the Act was passed, the charity said it was concerned that Ofcom’s draft regulatory plans were not robust enough in holding tech firms to account, and did not truly grasp the size and scale of online threats, including suicide and self-harm content.It also suggests placing a new duty of candour on tech firms, which would require them to disclose information to the regulator and be open and proactive when new online harms emerge.The Online Safety Act is due to start coming into effect next year, and places new duties on social media platforms to protect users, particularly children, from harmful content, with large fines for those who fail to abide by the rules.Ofcom is currently drafting new codes of practice across a range of policy areas and content types, which platforms will be required to follow.The Molly Rose Foundation was set-up by the family of Molly Russell, who ended her life at age 14, in November 2017, after viewing harmful content on social media.But Molly’s father Ian, who is the chair of the charity, said the rules still needed more work.“Almost seven years after Molly’s death, we urgently need ministers to finish the job, with a strengthened Online Safety Act that makes clear measurable harm reduction is the North Star of this regime,” he said.“While I firmly believe regulation is the best way to protect children from preventable harm, the reality is that timid regulation will cost lives.“Ofcom has so far failed to grasp the nettle and respond decisively to preventable online harm.”The charity’s chief executive, Andy Burrows, said: “By committing to strengthen the Online Safety Act, ministers can give confidence to parents and the country at large that credible, effective and decisive change is on the way.“The Government should commit to a set of clear, effective changes that can build on the landmark Act and deliver the strong regulatory regime that our young people need and deserve.”Alongside its report, the Foundation has published new research which it says shows parents and adults broadly support strengthening the online safety rules.It said 84% of parents and 80% of parents backed a new version of the Act to bolster the regime, with 89% of adults saying they would like to see it be introduced in the first two years of this Parliament.Since coming to power in July, the Labour Government has already strengthened the Act, with Technology Secretary Peter Kyle announcing in September that the sharing of revenge porn was being upgraded to a priority offence under the Act, so platforms would now have to take proactive steps to remove it.At the time, Mr Kyle said he was also “open-minded” about broadening the powers of the Act, including possibly placing criminal liability on named senior managers at social media firms in the event of severe breaches.“I’m open-minded as to what powers need to evolve into the future and where liability rests,” he said.“But I want it to be proportionate and I want it to be effective – I’m not interested in finger-pointing at people unnecessarily.“What I want to do is drive and incentivise behaviour change among any company that has access to British society, so that it benefits society and that any risks are mitigated as much as possible.“Any company that puts these principles first and foremost in a tangible way will find us a Government that is totally on their side and will partner with them to make sure that every British citizen can benefit from their products, but also the jobs and wealth that is created from them.While we’ve already seen some tech firms taking steps in the right direction, once the new duties start to come into force from December, they’ll have to do far moreOfcom spokesperson“But those that don’t prioritise those principles will find us an ever assertive force when it comes to keeping people safer.”In response to the Molly Rose Foundation report, an Ofcom spokesperson said: “We agree that it’s time for tech firms to take action to protect their users, especially children.“The regulations we will finalise in the coming months, once we have finished seeking the views of children, parents and bereaved families, will be the most comprehensive put forward by any regulator in the world.“And we’re confident they’ll deliver a step change in children’s online safety.“Children must be protected from seeing pornography, suicide and self-harm material including by using highly effective age checks.“Algorithms must not promote harmful content to children.“While we’ve already seen some tech firms taking steps in the right direction, once the new duties start to come into force from December, they’ll have to do far more.“And we won’t hesitate to take enforcement action if they fall short.”In a further statement, Technology Secretary Mr Kyle said: “The Online Safety Act lays the foundations for a safer internet and in the coming months will protect against illegal content and harmful material for children.“This Government will be watching closely to ensure the protections make the difference they promised.“For too long safety has been an afterthought as technology is unleashed on our society; my mission is to turn this tide so safety is baked in from the start.“We are already building on the Act; earlier this week we introduced new data laws that will help researchers gather critical evidence about online harms.“This will be essential to informing our future action in protecting everyone online.” More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseSir Keir Starmer is set to drop a proposed ban on smoking in pub and restaurant gardens, it’s been reported.Smokers will still be barred from lighting up outside hospitals and schools, under plans first outlined in the summer. But the government will axe the idea of including pubs and racecourses in the outdoors smoking ban, according to The Sun.It’s thought ministers reconsidered their plans in the light of outrage from pub landlords and hospitality chiefs, who warned customers would be deterred and their futures threatened.In late August, when the idea first emerged, the prime minister said action was needed to reduce the burden of smoking-related disease on the NHS and the taxpayer.“My starting point on this is to remind everybody that over 80,000 people lose their lives every year because of smoking,” Sir Keir said.And last month, health secretary Wes Streeting called for a “national debate” about the idea of banning smoking outside pubs.“We have got to do two things – reform the health service, but also reform public health, because we might be living longer, but we’re becoming sicker sooner and there is a heavy price being paid for that in our economy, our public finances and in our own health.”Sir Keir Starmer said action was needed to reduce the burden on the NHS More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseSir Keir Starmer has sparked a row at the heart of the Labour Party after senior figures urged him to rethink his decision to rule out reparations for Britain’s role in the slave trade.The prime minister flew into a diplomatic storm with Caribbean leaders over the issue at a summit in Samoa – and drew condemnation from his own MPs back in Britain.Commonwealth leaders are preparing to defy the UK and agree to examine plans for “reparative justice”, which could leave the UK owing billions of pounds in reparations.Sir Keir had urged the group to look to the future at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (Chogm), which begins on Friday.But Labour grandee Harriet Harman warned that strategy would fail. “[Starmer] needs to be in this conversation rather than be ruling it out,” she said.Starmer has urged the group to look to the future More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseSir Keir Starmer has ruled out a free movement deal for young people with the EU in a major setback for his post-Brexit reset with the block.The prime minister’s official spokesman said the UK “will not be considering” a youth mobility scheme, which would allow under-30s to study, work and travel across the European Union for up to two years.It came despite Sir Keir’s Europe minister Nick Thomas-Symonds telling MPs the government would “look at EU proposals on a range of issues” after being asked about the scheme.Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out a youth mobility scheme with the EU More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseBritain’s armed forces are so depleted that the country is not ready to fend off an invasion, the defence secretary has warned.In his most damning assessment yet of the state of the UK’s defence capability, John Healey said the military could conduct “operations”, but would be unable to stop an enemy from invading.As Labour increasingly seeks to paint a dire inheritance it was left by the Conservatives, Mr Healey said: “The UK, in keeping with many other nations, has essentially become very skilled and ready to conduct military operations. What we’ve not been ready to do is to fight. Unless we are ready to fight we are not in shape to deter.”Defence secretary John Healey said Britain would be unable to deter an invasion More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreClose Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that the country will significantly reduce the number of new immigrants it allows into the country after acknowledging that his government failed to get the balance right coming out of the pandemic. Trudeau’s Liberal government was criticized for its plan to allow 500,000 new permanent residents into the country in each of the next two years. On Thursday, he said next year’s target will now be 395,000 new permanent residents and that the figure will drop to 380,000 in 2026 and 365,000 in 2027. “In the tumultuous times as we emerged from the pandemic, between addressing labor needs and maintaining population growth, we didn’t get the balance right,” Trudeau said. “Immigration is essential for Canada’s future, but it must be controlled and it must be sustainable.”Trudeau, who is facing calls from within his own party not to seek a fourth term, has endured mounting criticism over his immigration policies and the negative impact that population growth has had on housing affordability.He said his government will reduce the number of immigrants Canada brings in over the next three years, and that this will freeze population growth over the next two years. Canada reached 41 million people in April. The population was 37.5 million in 2019.Trudeau said Canada needs to stabilize its population growth to allow all levels of government to make necessary changes to health care, housing and social services so that it can accommodate more people in the future. Immigration Minister Marc Miller said the lower immigration numbers will help with the country’s housing shortage. He also acknowledged the change in public opinion about immigration. “That volume that we have put forward is of concern,” Miller said. Miller said the government sees the pressures facing Canadians, and that it must must adapt its policies accordingly. He said government leaders have listened and will continue to protect the integrity of the immigration system and grow Canada’s population responsibly.“We are an open country, but not everyone can come to this country,” he said, noting that Canada will continue to welcome outsiders and that the government’s immigration targets remain ambitious.Trudeau’s government has long touted Canada’s immigration policy and how Canada is better than peer countries in welcoming newcomers and integrating them into the economy. Pierre Poilievre, the leader of the opposition Conservative Party, accused Trudeau of destroying the national consensus on immigration.“He has destroyed our immigration system through his own personal incompetence and destroyed 150 years of common sense consensus with the Liberals and Conservatives on that subject,” Poilievre said. “He cannot fix what he broke on immigration and housing or anything else because he is busy fighting his own caucus,” he added.Poilievre was referring to calls by some lawmakers from Trudeau’s own party to not run for a fourth term. Those calls represent one of the biggest tests of Trudeau’s political career, but he said Thursday that he intends to stay on through the next election.Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus of political science at the University of Toronto, said the Trudeau government messed up badly on immigration. “The government’s logic — to grow the economy and sustain an aging Canadian population by bringing in more young immigrants — was sound. But Ottawa has little control over meeting the housing, health, education, and other welfare needs of residents, whether they are citizens or immigrants,” Wiseman said. “These are all provincial government responsibilities, and there was little cooperation or coordination between the two levels of government,” he said.A certain percentage of Canadians have always been xenophobic, but much less so than in some other countries, Wiseman said.“Many Canadians have turned against the recent growing immigrant and temporary worker/student influx because of the growing housing, health, education, and other welfare challenges. Ottawa has read the polls and is responding according,” he said. More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreClose Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Thursday that he will lead his Liberal Party into the next election, dismissing a request by some party members to not run for a fourth term.Trudeau met with his Liberal members of Parliament for three hours Wednesday, where he learned that more than 20 lawmakers from his party signed a letter asking him to step down before the next election. Trudeau said there were “robust conversations” ongoing about the best way forward, but “that will happen as me as leader going into the next election.”No Canadian prime minister in more than a century has won four straight terms.Trudeau’s Cabinet ministers have said he has the support of the vast majority of the 153 Liberal Party members of the House of Commons. The Liberals recently suffered upsets in special elections for seats representing two districts in Toronto and Montreal that the party has held for years, raising doubts about Trudeau’s leadership.The federal election could come anytime between this fall and next October. The Liberals must rely on the support of at least one major party in Parliament, as they don’t hold an outright majority themselves.The leader of the opposition Bloc Québécois has said his party will work with the Conservatives and the New Democratic Party, of NDP, to bring down the Liberals and force an election if the government doesn’t boost pensions.Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto, said pressure is building on Trudeau but that some of his unhappy lawmakers don’t how much power force him out. “Trudeau holds all the cards. It is up to him if he wants to stay. The Liberal Party revised its rules in 2016 so that the party leader is immune to any challenge to his leadership so long as he is prime minister,” said Nelson Wiseman, professor emeritus at the University of Toronto. Trudeau channeled the star power of his father in 2015 when he reasserted the country’s liberal identity after almost 10 years of Conservative Party rule. But the son of late Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau is now in trouble. Canadians have been frustrated by the rising cost of living and other issues including the country’s emergence from the COVID-19 pandemic.The Liberals trail the Conservatives by 38% to 25% in the latest Nanos poll. The poll of 1,037 respondents has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points. More