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 moment where Jacob Rees-Mogg is told he’s about to lose his seat during the general election is captured in all its awkward glory during a new reality series following the former MP’s family. The show follows the former Conservative cabinet minister and his family in the weeks leading up to the election, which saw the Labour Party win a historic landslide victory.In the second episode, the politician is shown receiving a call from his agent, Margaret Brewer, who informs him he is about to lose his seat – despite having a majority of nearly 15,000 votes. In the moments after the call, Rees-Mogg – who was previously in good spirits – says to his wife Helena: “Not good news. Not good news. Labour are comfortably ahead. And Reform is taking a big share. So there we go.”Meet The Rees-Moggs will be streaming on Discovery+ from December 2 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 moreThe Metropolitan Police has apologised for sending an email that named alleged victims of the Westminster honeytrap scandal to each other.The force said it had referred itself to the Information Commissioner’s Office after an email relating to the ongoing investigation was “sent in error” on Friday.Reports have said alleged victims’ email addresses were viewable to each other in the message, instead of being hidden.The Metropolitan Police said officers would “personally apologise” to those affected.In a statement, a Met spokesperson said: “An email relating to an ongoing investigation was sent in error today.William Wragg has admitted his involvement in a honeytrap scheme targeting Westminster politicians 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 moreHeidi Alexander has been appointed the new transport secretary following the resignation of Louise Haigh on Friday morning. Ms Haigh became the first minister to quit Sir Keir Starmer’s government after admitting she had been convicted for making a false report to police over a mobile phone being stolen 10 years ago.On Friday, Downing Street declined to clarify whether the prime minister knew about Ms Haigh’s criminal conviction when he appointed her to the role and said new information had come to light that led to her resignation.Ms Alexander, who has been the MP for Swindon South since July’s general election, has been handed the role after previously serving as a justice minister. Alexander is the MP for Swindon South 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 families who help terminally ill loved ones to go to Switzerland to die may now be free from the threat of police action, according to Dame Esther Rantzen.The vote by MPs in favour of assisted dying is likely to make it impossible for police to carry out the existing legal ban on ‘assisted suicides,’ said the TV broadcaster, who has stage four cancer.Assisted dying campaigner Dame Esther, who hailed the “extraordinary” Commons decision, says she may now decide to take her family with her to Switzerland if her condition deteriorates – and defy the law.She told BBC Radio Four: “Since there has been this vote I am wondering whether it means I can say to my family ‘come with me to Switzerland, say goodbye to me there’. Because when they come home again I’m not sure they would be investigated for assisting my suicide.”The proposed new law would probably not take effect in Britain soon enough to allow her to have an assisted death in the UK itself, said Ms Rantzen.Kim Leadbeater, the Labour MP who put forward the bill, reacts during a demonstration in support of assisted dying outside parliament More

MPs vote in favour of historic assisted dying legislation following fierce debateYour 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 have voted in favour of the assisted dying bill following a fierce commons debate.The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill received 330 ayes and 275 noes, a majority of 55 votes. In a sign of the level of feeling on the divisive issue, more than 160 MPs made bids to speak during Friday’s Commons debate – the first on the issue in almost a decade.The bill will now go to the committee stage where MPs can table amendments, before facing further scrutiny and votes in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, meaning any change in the law would not be agreed until next year at the earliest.The law would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live to end their lives, subject to the approval of two doctors and a High Court judge.Warning: this article contains information that people might find distressing, including accounts of human suffering.BREAKING: MPs vote in favour of the assisted dying billMPs have voted in favour of the assisted dying bill following a fierce commons debate.The Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill received 330 ayes and 275 noes.In a sign of the level of feeling on the divisive issue, more than 160 MPs made bids to speak during Friday’s Commons debate – the first on the issue in almost a decade.The bill will now go to committee stage where MPs can table amendments, before facing further scrutiny and votes in both the House of Commons and the House of Lords, meaning any change in the law would not be agreed until next year at the earliest.The law would allow terminally ill adults in England and Wales with less than six months to live to end their lives, subject to the approval of two doctors and a High Court judge. Jabed Ahmed29 November 2024 14:23Supporters of the legislation celebrate outside parliamentSupporters of the assisted dying Bill wept and hugged each other outside Parliament as the news came through that it had been passed by MPs.The crowd in Parliament Square erupted into cheers as they watched the results on their phones.Joshua Cook, 33, from Huddersfield, who has Huntington’s disease – an incurable neurodegenerative disease, said it was a “relief”.“It is a weight off my mind, as a terminally ill person, and you can just look around here, at people who are truly affected by this,” he said. “It’s a relief it’s history, finally we are getting towards having a society that shows love and compassion above the need to just keep people alive.”( More