UK Politics

A minister has accused British Medical Association (BMA) leaders of being “determined to turn their organisation into a farce” after a motion was passed for GPs to refuse to comply with new online access requirements for surgeries.While Stephen Kinnock claimed the government wants “to work constructively with the BMA”, he said the motion “will put patient safety at risk at a critical time ahead of winter.”From October 1, GP surgeries in England have been required to keep their online consultation platform open for the duration of their working hours for non-urgent appointment requests, medication queries and admin requests.But a motion was passed that demanded the requirements’ removal and insisted online consultations should be curtailed once safe working limits have been reached, during Friday’s England LMC (local medical committee) conference.Health and care minister Stephen Kinnock has hit out at the BMA’s leadership More

Tens of thousands of people in Lisbon took to the streets Saturday to protest a package of labor reforms proposed by Portuguese Prime Minister Luis Montenegro’s government. Demonstrators carried posters that read “No to the labor package” and called for a monthly minimum wage of 1,050 euros ($1,214) in 2026. The protest was organized by the country’s main labor union in opposition to an overhaul the government says aims to improve productivity and flexibility in the job market. Opponents want the package withdrawn and say it threatens workers’ rights.Among the controversial elements are a limit on how long breastfeeding women can claim a flexible work schedule and reduced miscarriage bereavement leave. The reforms would also make worker dismissals easier.Portugal’s current minimum wage stands at 870 euros (about $1,007) per month.Montenegro, who leads the center-right Democratic Alliance, heads a minority government in the European Union nation of 10.6 million people. If approved, the bill will be sent to parliament where it’s expected to pass with the votes of far-right Chega, the largest opposition party. Organizers of Saturday’s protest announced a general strike on Dec. 11. More

Two of the four prisoners who are at large were mistakenly released in 2024, according to reports.The government is under increasing pressure as the details emerged, with the other two on-the-run inmates revealed to have been wrongly freed in June this year.The mistaken releases of the four offenders mark just some of a number of high-profile cases of prisoners being wrongly freed.The mistaken releases of the four offenders mark just some of a number of high-profile cases of prisoners being wrongly freed (stock image) More

Labour MPs are said to be plotting to oust Sir Keir Starmer, despite the prime minister welcoming rebellious backbenchers back into the fold.It comes amid despair about the party’s poll ratings and concern that the government may break Labour’s manifesto promise not to raise income tax to fill a hole in the public finances. The warnings come less than 18 months after Labour won a historic majority, with the government now seeing mounting discontent brewing among Labour backbenchers.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer should face further scrutiny from his ethics adviser over the appointment of a Labour donor as the chairman of the new football watchdog, the Tories said (Ben Stansall/PA) More

The home secretary is preparing to announce a major shake-up of the immigration system that would be modelled on Denmark – which has one of the toughest systems in Europe. Officials are thought to be looking at Denmark’s tighter rules on family reunion, as well as considering restricting most asylum seekers to a temporary stay in the country.A delegation of senior officials was sent to Copenhagen last month to learn about their interventions and draw lessons that could be applied to the UK. The plan to copy Denmark comes as the government ramps up its efforts to bring down migration amid growing public anger over the issue. Home secretary Shabana Mahmood is looking at Denmark’s immigration system More

The government is expected to break Labour’s manifesto pledge not to raise income tax.The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, has told the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) that she intends to increase personal tax in one of several “major measures” planned for the Budget at the end of the month, according to The Times.The watchdog will produce an impact assessment of the chancellor’s proposals to be presented to the Treasury on Monday, ahead of the Budget on 26 November.Lucy Powell, the newly elected Labour deputy leader, has urged the government not to hike taxes at the upcoming Budget, warning that doing so could damage “trust in politics”.But amid speculation that Ms Reeves is plotting to take the plunge, The Independent takes a look at what her options are when it comes to income tax, and what they could mean for you.Chancellor Rachel Reeves may be set to break Labour’s manifesto pledge not to raise income tax More

Rachel Reeves will reportedly target employee pension contributions in a bid to raise more money at this month’s crunch Budget. The chancellor, according to The Times, is expected to limit an existing tax break on salary pension contributions by introducing a cap on the amount saved for retirement without incurring national insurance payments. The newspaper claims employee contributions of more than £2,000 a year would be subject to national insurance – a move that could raise up to £2 billion per year.It comes at the end of a week in which Ms Reeves reportedly told the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) that she intends to increase income tax in the budget, which will be unveiled on 26 November.Despite Labour’s manifesto pledge to the contrary, she is said to be weighing a 2p rise in income tax, balanced by a 2p cut in national insurance in order to effectively cancel out the burden on workers.Rachel Reeves is looking to address a hole in public finances worth up to £30 billion More

The government has been urged to implement new ways of reducing energy bills without cutting VAT. Removing renewables subsidies, reducing system costs and introducing efficiency standards for landlords, could cut the typical household’s annual fuel bill by £178 by 2030, the think tank Green Alliance has said.Families living in draughty, inefficient rented homes could see even greater savings, potentially up to £587 per year. through these measures. The recommendations emerge amid reports that the Treasury is considering removing VAT from energy and scaling back efficiency programmes funded through household bills, as it seeks to ease the cost-of-living crisis and address criticism regarding the expense of net-zero policies.The Green Alliance stressed the immediate need for government intervention, noting that the average household is expected to pay £478 more in October 2025 than four years prior. Currently, an estimated nine million UK households are experiencing fuel poverty, highlighting the critical urgency of the situation.But the environmental organisation said cutting VAT and energy efficiency programmes would be the wrong way to do it.The recommendations emerge amid reports that the Treasury is considering removing VAT from energy and scaling back efficiency programmes funded through household bills More