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 moreCloseWes Streeting is set to reveal plans for people to monitor their own health from the comfort of their homes with a 10-year plan aimed at revolutionising the NHS.The health secretary wants to roll out smartwatches to more members of the public in a bid to tackle debilitating conditions like heart disease and diabetes.The devices would allow people to monitor their blood pressure and glucose levels, and be warned about spikes before their health took a turn for the worse.The innovation is part of a wider set of reforms aimed at bringing back community-led health treatment and eventually cutting the cost of healthcare in the UK.It appears it will be linked with a massive investment of billions as the government attempts to “fix” the NHS with a 10-year plan.Mr Streeting said: “Our 10-year health plan will turn the NHS on its head – transforming it into a Neighbourhood Health Service – powered by cutting-edge technology, that helps us stay healthy and out of hospital. We will rebuild the health service around what patients tell us they need.Smartwatches could provide vital health monitoring 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 moreCloseA former Tory peer who called out her own party for being Islamophobic has in a shock move given her backing to Kemi Badenoch, saying she “hopes and prays” that the candidate will bring sanity to the Conservatives.In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Sayeeda Warsi, who has recently published her book Muslims Don’t Matter, said she might regret voting for Ms Badenoch but sees her as the least bad option.She said: “I know I am probably going to regret doing this but I also know the alternative is far far worse. Taking a chance on Kemi. “Hoping and praying she can find a way back to sane, non culture war, grown up, serious and trusted politics once this leadership battle is over.”Sayeeda Warsi is voting for Kemi Badenoch 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 come under pressure to quickly appoint an envoy for religious freedom after frustration over the delay to replace former Tory MP Fiona Bruce.The row has broken out as a leading Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) priest has appealed to the UK for help in urging President Volodymyr Zelensky to end his crackdown on the church and priests in his country.Metropolitan Arseniy, the abbot of the Dormition Sviatohirsk Lavra, was arrested over suspicions he was “disseminating information about the movement or location of armed forces” to Vladimir Putin’s Russia. But he has claimed that it is part of a wider persecution of the Ukrainian Orthodox Church by Mr Zelensky’s government in the current war.He has spoken exclusively to The Independent urging the UK to use its influence to stop the persecution of his church.Metropolitan Arseniy was arrested over suspicions he was ‘disseminating information about the movement or location of armed forces’ to Russia 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 have banned the use of the term “free childcare” to describe a key government policy as anger mounts over nursery fees. Tory Jeremy Hunt announced plans to give every child aged 9 months and older 30 “free” hours of childcare in his Budget last year, as part of last-ditch efforts to stay in power.But Labour accused the Tories of announcing a “pledge without a plan”. The new government will stick with the policy, which will see a massive expansion of the current provision next September. But in a change of tack, they have ditched the word “free” and instead will refer to the hours as “funded”. Ministers said the move was a bid to be “really clear” about expectations for the scheme. Ministers said they wanted to be “really clear” about expectations for the scheme More

Starmer refuses to rule out national insurance rise at PMQsYour 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 insisted the government will keep its manifesto pledges amid reports the Chancellor could extend the freeze on income tax thresholds in this month’s Budget.Rachel Reeves may be considering pushing the freeze beyond its current expiry date of 2028 in a move that could raise £7 billion, according to the Financial Times.Continuing the freeze could help plug some of the £40 billion gap the Chancellor is grappling with in an effort to avoid a return to austerity.Labour’s manifesto promised not to increase rates of income tax, but included no mention of tax thresholds.The Treasury has so far declined to comment on Budget speculation, but when asked about possible tax changes during a press conference in Berlin, Sir Keir Starmer said: “We are going to keep our manifesto pledges.”He added: “I’m not going to pre-empt the individual measures that will be outlined by the Chancellor in due course.”Other measures reported to be under consideration include increasing employers’ national insurance contributions, raising fuel duty for the first time since 2010, changes to rules on inheritance tax and stamp duty, and a levy on e-cigarettesWe’ll be bringing you all the latest updates ahead of the big event on 30 October here, on The Independent’s liveblog.Show latest update 1729348244What should I do with my savings ahead of the Budget?Jabed Ahmed19 October 2024 15:301729344704Workers set for income tax hike as Rachel Reeves ‘to extend freeze on thresholds’Jabed Ahmed19 October 2024 14:311729340924Reeves’ capital gains tax plans will sidestep homeowners, reports sayExperts have long anticipated that Labour will put capital gains tax up in the Budget on 30 October. This is the levy is paid on the profit made when an asset which has increased in value is sold. This includes houses, assets and shares, all paid between 20 and 28 per cent.The latest reports indicate that Ms Reeves will respond to calls to raise capital gains tax in line with income tax bands – meaning rates of 20 to 40 per cent – but will exempt property from the new rates.Jabed Ahmed19 October 2024 13:281729337384Reeves considers raising tax on vaping in BudgetRachel Reeves is considering raising the tax on vaping products in the upcoming Budget as figures lay bare how many children access them in the UK, The Guardian reports.The tax on vaping products was originally announced by the Conservatives in March, to come in to force in 2026. It is now understood that Ms Reeves could look to increase this.Under current plans, the new rates from April 2026 will range from £1-3 per 10ml of liquid, depending on nicotine level.Jabed Ahmed19 October 2024 12:291729333877Stamp duty threshold to drop as Reeves denies extensionThe chancellor is reportedly planning to confirm that the heightened stamp duty threshold will drop back to previous levels in March, costing housebuyers up to £2,500 more.In 2022, the Conservatives under Liz Truss increased the ‘nil rate’ threshold – when stamp duty starts being paid – from £125,000 to £250,000. For first-time buyers, it rose from £300,000 to £425,000.The approach is expected to raise £1.8 billion a year by 2029-30, but experts have warned the news will cause “chaos” in the property market as buyers rush deals to save money.Property expert Kirstie Allsopp told Times Radio: “It’s become so complicated that I can no longer tell anyone what they would be paying in stamp duty.”“It won’t claw back any money. Stamp duty is a dead tax.”Jabed Ahmed19 October 2024 11:311729330184Government will keep manifesto pledges, says StarmerPrime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has said that the government will keep to manifesto pledges ahead of the Budget.Asked about whether reported tax changes under consideration would keep to their promise of not increasing taxes for working people, Sir Keir told a press conference in Berlin: “We are going to keep our manifesto pledges.”He added: “I’m not going to pre-empt the individual measures that will be outlined by the Chancellor in due course.“This is going to be a Budget that will fix the foundations and rebuild our country.”When asked further about potential tax rises, the Prime Minister said that “you’ll just have to wait until the Chancellor lays that out in full, but the structure if you like, the framework, is going to be to fix the foundations and to rebuild our country.”Jabed Ahmed19 October 2024 10:291729327398When is the 2024 Budget and what might be in it?Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver Labour’s first Budget on Wednesday 30 October. Each year, the chancellor of the exchequer – who is in charge of the government’s finances – makes a Budget statement to MPs. . The speech outlines the government’s plans for spending and taxes.The Budget speech usually starts around 12:30pm and lasts about an hour. The Independent will be bringing you all the latest updates on the big day. Ms Reeves may be considering pushing the freeze beyond its current expiry date of 2028 in a move that could raise £7 billion, according to the Financial Times.Other measures reported to be under consideration include increasing employers’ national insurance contributions, raising fuel duty for the first time since 2010, changes to rules on inheritance tax and stamp duty, and a levy on e-cigarettes, according to reports across the media.The Treasury has so far declined to comment on Budget speculation. Jabed Ahmed19 October 2024 09:431729303200What should I do with my savings ahead of the Budget?Ahead of the Budget on 30 October, there has been fevered speculation about changes to pension savers’ tax allowances and other perks.Reports that pensioners could have tax breaks cut or axed led to savers withdrawing chunks of their retirement pots ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s big announcement.Howard Mustoe19 October 2024 03:001729296000The real problem facing Rachel Reeves over the death tax…… is that not only is it deeply unpopular, cautions James Moore – but it’s only a drop in the ocean when it comes to plugging the UK’s vast fiscal black holeJames Moore19 October 2024 01:001729288801Tax-free cash withdrawals ‘surge while pension contributions plummet’ as savers panic over Budget rumoursRetirees are rushing to withdraw cash from their pensions ahead of feared cuts to tax-free benefits in the Budget, the boss of one of Britain’s top investment platforms has said.Savers can typically take 25 per cent of their pension as a lump sum, up to a limit of £268,275, allowing them to avoid paying income tax, but Chancellor Rachel Reeves is reportedly considering a cut to the amount savers can withdraw without triggering a payment to HM Revenue & Customs.Howard Mustoe18 October 2024 23:00 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 come under pressure to publish the true costs of Brexit after a minister confirmed Britain has spent £24bn alone withdrawing from the EU – with a further £6.4bn still to pay.The prime minister has been urged to order an inquiry into Britain’s relationship with the bloc to assess the damage of Brexit and identify opportunities for closer cooperation in future.As Sir Keir embarks on a much-hyped “reset” of relations with Brussels, Treasury minister Tulip Siddiq confirmed Britain has paid the EU £23.8bn as part of its “financial settlement” agreement.On top of the money already spent, Ms Siddiq confirmed in response to a parliamentary question that Britain will pay another estimated £6.4bn to the bloc to settle the UK’s pre-existing financial obligations.The staggering figure has come to light as the chancellor tries to raise funds to plug a £22bn “black hole” in Britain’s finances, warning ministers earlier this week that there would be “difficult decisions on spending, welfare and tax” to come. Campaigners reacted with fury after The Independent revealed the sum, calling for Sir Keir to reverse the damage done by Brexit by pursuing closer ties with Europe.Sir Keir Starmer has embarked on a post-Brexit ‘reset’ of relations 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 moreCloseKeir Starmer has insisted that his government will not break Labour’s manifesto pledge over raising taxes on working people with growing concerns about plans for a stealth tax.The prime minister told journalists Labour will “keep our manifesto pledges” amid reports Rachel Reeves could extend the freeze on income tax thresholds in this month’s Budget beyond 2028.The chancellor needs to fill a £40 billion black hole in Labour’s spending plans in her Budget on 30 October, but there are warnings that freezing the thresholds along with plans to bring in more wealth taxes will accelerate the brain drain and flight of millionaires from the UK.The plan to freeze thresholds will raise extra cash through the so-called “fiscal drag”, where thresholds for the 40p and 45p tax rates are not raised in line with inflation, meaning over time more workers creep into these higher tax brackets.Reeve and Starmer are plotting what to put in the Budget 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 moreCloseChancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to announce the end of a temporary 5p cut in fuel duty in her Budget this month, it has been reported.Sources briefed on the chancellor’s thinking told The Financial Times that they believe the cut will take effect from next year. Additionally, the Treasury department has urged Ms Reeves to end a 13-year freeze on fuel duty, according to the paper.As Ms Reeves seeks to address a £22bn “black hole” in public spending announced in late July, the Campaign for Better Transport estimates that ending the 5p cut and reinstating annual inflation-linked rises could generate £4.2bn in revenue for the Treasury.However, motoring groups have warned that such a move would be “catastrophic for many”. More than 70 Tory MPs have also written a letter to the chancellor, saying any increase in fuel duty would slow economic growth and add an estimated £160 to annual fuel costs for families, reports The Sun.The measure was initially introduced in 2022 following the surge in energy prices triggered by Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine and has been maintained by successive chancellors since.Currently, fuel duty stands at 52.95p per litre for petrol and diesel. While it is supposed to rise annually in line with inflation, it has effectively been frozen since 2011 as successive chancellors sought to win favour with motorists.In the last budget published in March under the previous Conservative government, the latest cancellation of the scheduled fuel duty rise cost around £3bn for 2024-25.On Friday, the Road Haulage Association (RHA) urged Ms Reeves to maintain the current freeze, arguing that businesses are already struggling to cope with squeezed profit margins. “Firms are under pressure as it is, and such a rise in fuel duty would be catastrophic for many, particularly Britain’s small and medium enterprises,” said Richard Smith, managing director of the RHA.A Treasury spokesperson commented: “We do not comment on speculation around tax changes outside of fiscal events.” More