UK Politics

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer has already squandered the biggest potential dividends of his post-Brexit reset with the EU by ruling out a return to the single market and customs union, a report has warned.The prime minister has repeatedly talked up his push to rebuild ties with the bloc after years of acrimony under successive Tory governments, promising that doing so will boost economic growth and living standards.But the Resolution Foundation has said Sir Keir’s red lines are limiting the government’s room for manoeuvre and keeping the biggest growth dividends off limits to the UK. It cited the government’s own analysis suggesting that rejoining the single market would boost GDP by around 3.5 per cent compared with the current EU trade deal.Sir Keir Starmer has promised a reset of relations between the UK and EU More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorKeir Starmer has spoken of his own passion for the creative arts as he prepares to unveil a major new investment strategy for Britain’s film industry to put it at the heart of his plans to boost economic growth.The prime minister spoke exclusively to The Independent ahead of a new package of tax relief to help boost “British Hollywood” and see more films made in the UK with “many, many” more job opportunities.He told Independent TV: “This is a really important initiative, tax relief for filmmaking. Here in the United Kingdom, we are really good in the creative sector.The creative industries generate £125bn a year, and form a central part of the government’s plan to grow the economy More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorA new cybersecurity competition has been launched by the Government to help uncover the best young talent from across the UK who could go on to have a career in the sector.The UK Cyber Team Competition is open to 18 to 25-year-olds from across the UK, and tests them on their digital skills through a range of cyber challenges designed to highlight technical expertise and problem-solving abilities.Those who perform best will earn a place on the UK Cyber Team and represent the country in international cyber competitions, as well as being given access to advanced training and support from experts, and networking opportunities and mentorship to help develop a potential career.The Government said the competition will also help the UK plug the cyber skills gap and strengthen national security at a time when the need for skilled cyber professionals has never been greater.Cyber Security Minister Feryal Clark said: “In an increasingly digital world, cyber threats are evolving rapidly – and it’s essential we stay ahead of the curve.“The UK Cyber Team Competition is an exciting opportunity for young talent to showcase their skills and play a crucial role in protecting our nation’s digital future.“We’re looking to find the best and brightest minds to represent the UK on the world stage.“I encourage all eligible young people with a passion for cyber security and technology to take on the challenge and be part of something truly impactful.”A string of high-profile cybersecurity incidents have hit the UK in recent times, including the CrowdStrike outage in July which grounded flights and disrupted healthcare, and a “cyber vandalism” incident last month shut down WiFi networks at major rail stations across the country.Speaking to the PA news agency, Ms Clark said the broader issue of cybersecurity was a “major priority” for the new Labour Government.“You will have heard the Secretary of State (Peter Kyle) talk about the significance of cybersecurity and the threats that are posed to us from hostile nations and criminals,” she said.“That’s why we are very keen to bring forward the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill next year.“It’s a major issue for us as a government, and as a nation.”The Cyber Security Minister added that she was also focused on “looking at where the skills shortage is and what we can do to tackle that” including any issues around recruitment and “what programs we can put in place to attract the right people into the roles”. More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorParliamentary pressure is building on the UK government to vote against Saudi Arabia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), in what has been described as a “litmus test” for the new Labour administration.A letter to foreign secretary David Lammy – signed by MPs and peers from across parties – outlines concerns over the Kingdom’s human rights record, including the jailing of women’s rights advocates and a surge in executions.Shared exclusively with The Independent, it warns that electing Saudi Arabia to the council would “undermine global confidence” in the UN’s ability to “protect human rights” and pleads with the foreign secretary “not to vote for such an unsuitable candidate”.MPs and peers sent a letter to foreign secretary David Lammy outlining concerns over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorIf Sue Gray divided opinion inside and outside Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet – and she certainly did – then his chosen replacement may prove to be even more controversial.Even before the Sunday lunch of short knives saw Ms Gray ousted from Sir Keir’s top team, Morgan McSweeney was a deeply controversial figure within the Labour Party, a man who has attracted an almost pathological hatred from the left.But what is now fascinating many within the Westminster bubble are the comparisons between McSweeney and that recent Svengali figure at the heart of Boris Johnson’s government, Dominic Cummings. Given that Mr Johnson in his new autobiography Unleashed has compared Cummings to a fictional “homicidal robot” bent on destruction, this may not be the most comfortable comparison for the newly installed regime around Sir Keir.Morgan McSweeney has a reputation for ruthlessness More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorTwo of Jeremy Corbyn’s Commons allies have united with the Tories to oppose Labour’s tax raid on private schools, despite having been elected on left-wing tickets.Pro-Gaza independents Iqbal Mohamed and Ayoub Khan spoke out against Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to levy VAT on independent schools and remove their relief from business rates.The pair, who have joined Mr Corbyn’s Independent Alliance alongside other left-wing independents elected in July, both opposed the plans being introduced by Labour.Jeremy Corbyn has formed the five-strong Independent Alliance of MPs More

Your support helps us to tell the storyOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorFind out moreLabour minister Lisa Nandy has said she is “absolutely determined” to ensure that access to the arts is a reality for every child in the UK. The secretary of state for culture, media, and sport spoke at an event in Westminster on Tuesday (8 October), as she announced the winner of the Robson Orr TenTen Award 2024. Grenada-born British artist Denzil Forrester was the recipient of the prize for his work, Altar, which depicts a scene from a reggae festival in Cornwall, where the artist lives and works. The 10-year scheme was launched in 2018 and was presented by the Government Art Collection. It is sponsored by leading philanthropists Sybil Robson Orr and Matthew Orr. Nandy praised Forrester as she hailed his story as an example of the importance of getting “great art works out of the basement and into communities where they belong”. “We’re going to lead by example, with the Government Art Collection to make sure that people in every part of the country can see what it is,” she said. “But while talent is everywhere in our country, we are aware that opportunity is not. It is down to people like Sybil today that that is beginning to change, because not only do they support emerging artists, but they also work tirelessly to take us back into our schools and into our classrooms where they move it along to a whole new generation of young people.”Speaking about the impact of previous government rule, Nandy continued, “Over the last decade we have seen culture and creativity erased from our classrooms.”Nandy presented Denzil Forrester with the Robson Orr TenTen Award More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditor Conservative lawmakers in Britain ejected former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat from the party leadership contest on Tuesday, leaving three contenders still running to lead the party after its catastrophic election defeat.Tugendhat garnered 20 votes in a ballot of 120 members of Parliament, finishing last. Former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly topped the ballot with 39 votes.Former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick got 31 votes and ex-Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch received 30.Another candidate will be kicked out of the race by legislators on Wednesday, before tens of thousands of party members across the country choose between the final two. The winner will be announced on Nov. 2. The result adds to Cleverly’s momentum in the race. Jenrick, a hard-liner who calls for Britain to make deep cuts to immigration and rip up European human rights law, had been considered the front-runner since the contest started in July.Cleverly, a centrist, picked up support with a well-received speech at last week’s Conservative conference. He urged the fractious party “let’s be more normal,” and argued he had the skills to defeat the Labour Party of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and return the Conservatives to power at the next election, due by 2029.The party’s last contested leadership selection, in mid-2022, saw members choose Liz Truss over Rishi Sunak. Truss resigned as prime minister after just 49 days in office when her tax-cutting plans rocked the financial markets and battered the value of the pound. The party then picked Sunak to replace her. In July, Sunak led the Conservative Party to its worst election result since 1832. The Conservatives lost more than 200 seats, taking their tally down to 121. More