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      Tory peers compare case of Baroness Meyer ‘Lord Poppadom’ slur to playground argument

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      Two Conservative peers have compared the case of Baroness Meyer, who twice called a British-Asian peer “Lord Poppadom”, to a playground argument.Debating a motion to remove the entitlement of members of either House to bring a complaint of harassment against a peer, former Tory Cabinet minister Lord Lilley said on Wednesday (5 March): “Surely the presumption is that we are old enough and sensible enough to deal with offensive remarks made by other colleagues without running off to teacher and saying ‘please miss, please miss, Ginny insulted me on the playground’.”Fellow Tory peer Lord Balfe said: “I was appalled by the report on Baroness Meyer, where really it seemed that a playground scrap had been elevated into a great controversy.” More

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      Rishi Sunak opens up on his biggest parenting ‘fail’ to Nick Robinson

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      Former prime minister Rishi Sunak has revealed one of his biggest parenting “fails” to BBC broadcaster Nick Robinson.The former Tory leader appeared on Mr Robinson’s Political Thinking podcast, which was broadcast on Wednesday evening (5 March).After reflecting on his time as prime minister, Mr Sunak admitted he was “excited about this next chapter of my life” and also revealed he is enjoying spending time with his two teenage daughters.He told Mr Robinson: “I have failed to get my girls into football and Star Wars. I am having one last effort at cricket.“You are more likely to find me at a cosmetic skin care counter of Boots these days.” More

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      Rishi Sunak explains how he coped with constant criticism of own wealth when prime minister

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      Rishi Sunak has explained how he coped with constant criticism about his own wealth when he was prime minister.The former Tory leader was repeatedly accused of being “out of touch” with the cost of living crisis because of his wealth, during his time at No 10 Downing Street.Mr Sunak addressed the criticism he received when he appeared on Political Thinking with Nick Robinson on Wednesday (5 March).He said: “You have got to have an inner confidence about who you are. “My background and values are more important.” More

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      Starmer’s approval rating hits six-month high as Trump drags down Farage’s popularity

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      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.Read moreKeir Starmer’s intense round of diplomacy on Ukraine over the past week has seen him rewarded with his highest poll ratings in six months, according to YouGov.Conversely, anger over Donald Trump’s behaviour appears to have hit his closest ally in the UK Nigel Farage, whose own favourability score went down four points from 30 per cent to 26 per cent.The prime minister jetted to Washington DC where he won plaudits for his handling of Donald Trump, before warmly welcoming Volodymyr Zelensky in Downing Street after Ukraine’s president left the White House after angry scenes with Trump and JD Vance in the Oval Office.Sir Keir Starmer met with Volodymyr Zelensky after the Ukranian president left the White House following a breakdown in talks with Donald Trump (Justin Tallis/PA) More

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      Churchill’s grandson says Trump team ‘despises Europe’ and UK-US special relationship ‘not what it was’

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      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.Read moreSir Winston Churchill’s grandson has accused Donald Trump’s team of despising Europe after a furious row which saw vice-president JD Vance criticised for disrespecting Britain’s war dead. Conservative peer Sir Nicholas Soames, 77, told the House of Lords that the US administration “despise Europe really”.He also predicted that in future the “special relationship” between the UK and the US would not be “what it was”. “I don’t think they want it to be,” Lord Soames told the international relations and defence committee on Wednesday.Donald Trump has paid tribute to Churchill, reinstating the bust of the former prime minister in the Oval Office as one of his first acts in power upon his return to the presidential office in January.Lord Soames’s comments come after Mr Vance faced widespread condemnation for appearing to describe the UK as “some random country that hasn’t fought a war in 30 or 40 years”. Lord Soames is critical of the US administration’s stance on Europe and the UK More

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      Trump’s tariff plans will hit UK economy, top economists warn

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      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.Read moreDonald Trump’s plans to impose tariffs on US imports will shrink the British economy, Rachel Reeves has been warned by Britain’s top economists. In a blow for the chancellor, members of the Bank of England’s interest rate-setting committee said the implications of the US president’s plans “are fairly clear” for economic growth. “Tariffs would push down growth,” Megan Greene, an external member of the monetary policy committee told MPs on Wednesday. Donald Trump’s tariffs will hit UK economic growth More

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      Labour to cut welfare spending ‘by billions’ – what changes could they make?

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      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.Read moreLabour is planning billions in welfare spending cuts as part of Rachel Reeves’ upcoming spring statement, new reports have suggested.The chancellor will be announcing her plans for the government’s finances on 26 March, with a raft of multi-department cuts floated. The Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) is expected to bear the brunt of these, with as much as £5bn reportedly to be earmarked for savings.Estimates of exactly how much Ms Reeves is looking to pull back from government receipts have only increased in recent months.Treasury insiders have indicated that the £9.9bn fiscal headroom left after Labour’s October Budget has been severely reduced, with one telling the BBC that “the world has changed” since then.The subsequent months have seen the economy essentially flatline, while borrowing costs have risen and mass uncertainty takes hold amid tensions around the US and Ukraine.Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall claimed the new measure was ‘good for workers and fair on businesses’ (Jacob King/PA) More

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      Poll shows Britons’ fury with Trump’s state visit as petition demands invitation be axed

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      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.Read moreA poll has shown Britons’ fury at Donald Trump’s second state visit invitation, with almost half saying it should be cancelled after his White House clash with Volodymyr Zelensky. Some 42 per cent of voters said the historic second invitation to Mr Trump should be withdrawn amid growing outrage at the US administration’s increasingly critical stance on Ukraine.Sir Keir Starmer has faced pressure from across the political spectrum to withdraw the invitation, which he hand-delivered to Mr Trump just a day before his Oval Office shouting match with Mr Zelensky. That is only likely to increase since Mr Trump’s decision to suspend military aid to Ukraine.Starmer hands the invitation to Trump. Many Britons now want it taken back More