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 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

New Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch has confronted foreign secretary David Lammy over his previous criticism of Donald Trump following his election to US president.Mr Lammy, has previously compared Trump to Hitler and called for his state visit to be canceled during his last presidency.In her first PMQs as Tory leader on Wednesday (6 November), Ms Badenoch asked Mr Lammy: “The prime minister and the foreign secretary met him in September. Did the foreign secretary take that opportunity to apologise for making derogatory and scatological references, including, and I quote, ‘Trump is not only a woman-hating Neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath, he is also a profound threat to the international order’?” 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 moreCloseWatch again as new Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch challenged Sir Keir Starmer for the first time in Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday (6 November).PMQs came as Donald Trump was declared the 47th president of the United States.Both party leaders sent messages of congratulations to Trump.The prime minister congratulated the former US president on his “historic election victory”, asserting both countries stood shoulder to shoulder as close allies with shared democratic values.“The world faces many serious challenges and I look forward to our two countries working together to confront them,” Ms Badenoch posted on X earlier this morning. 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 moreCloseWith Donald Trump securing a crushing victory over Kamala Harris in the US presidential election, Keir Starmer’s dream of a social democratic, centre-left version of the famous Thatcher/ Reagan partnership between Downing Street and the White House is in tatters.Instead, the prime minister is now faced with a US administration he is not just far away from ideologically, but one which is openly hostile to a Labour government that Trump’s campaign team previously described as “far left”.The recent court case opened by the Trump team over alleged foreign interference in the US election by Labour for sending 100 volunteers across to support the Harris campaign, lifted the lid on the deep animosity that the MAGA Republicans have for Starmer, his party and his government.Trump has declared victory 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 moreCloseBoris Johnson was “fired” from Channel 4’s US election coverage after being criticised for plugging his book.The former prime minister was booked to commentate on the results of the presidential race alongside Republican supporter and reality TV star Caitlyn Jenner, and Stormy Daniels, the woman at the centre of Mr Trump’s hush money trial.But, after repeatedly shoe-horning in references to his memoirUnleashed, host Krishnan Guru-Murthy said Mr Johnson had been “fired for banging on about his book too much”.Just minutes into America Decides: US Presidential Election, Mr Guru-Murthy had told Mr Johnson to “put it away” and “stop it, enough” as he twice referenced his new book and attempted to hold it up to viewers.Guru-Murthy described the former prime minister’s actions as “so cheap”. Mr Johnson hit back, saying: “There’s absolutely nothing you can do to stop me… I’m allowed to plug my book.” Eventually, Channel 4 replaced the former PM with Michael Cohen, Mr Trump’s former lawyer. It remains unclear if Mr Johnson’s exit was planned.Elsewhere on the show, Mr Johnson was grilled by Ms Daniels about whether he still considers Mr Trump a friend. Mr Johnson revealed he had spoken to Mr Trump “quite recently”.Co-host Emily Maitlis challenged Mr Johnson after the exchange in which Ms Daniels spoke of her court case and asked Mr Johnson if he had children. Donald Trump claimed victory on Wednesday morning More