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 moreBirmingham City Council has reached an agreement to settle thousands of historical equal pay claims costing millions – just over a year after going effectively bankrupt.GMB Union, which brought the claims alongside Unison, said the agreement meant four years after launching its campaign 6,000 low-paid, predominantly women workers should finally receive settlement payments from the local authority.Payouts are expected to be up to four times higher than those offered to workers in 2021, with settlements expected to take place in the middle of 2025, the union said.The Labour-run council declared itself effectively bankrupt in September last year after it was facing a £760m bill to settle the claims, and was said earlier this year to be on a “narrow path to financial sustainability” dependent on budget cuts.Settlement payouts are expected to be up to four times higher than those offered to workers in 2021 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 moreA Home Office minister has defended the UK’s suspension of all decisions on asylum claims from Syria, saying it is “important that we just stop and let events play out a bit.”Dame Angela Eagle said the situation in the Middle Eastern nation is “very fluid”, arguing that the Home Office “can’t judge somebody’s asylum claim when the country that they’re fleeing from is in such turmoil”. But she admitted that it is too early to say whether the collapse of the Assad regime will improve the situation.Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which overthrew Bashar al-Assad’s regime at the weekend, is banned in the UK because of its past association with al-Qaida, the terrorist organisation once led by Osama bin Laden.But its leader Abu Mohammed al-Golani cut ties with al-Qaida years ago and has sought to present his group as a more moderate and inclusive organisation.Speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Dame Angela said: “At the moment, we hope that the fall of this brutal regime will lead to a better outcome in Syria, but it’s too early to say.Dame Angela Eagle defended the decision to suspend all asylum claims 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 moreNigel Farage will today unveil the latest defector from the Tories who he hopes will be able to fund Reform UK’s push to win the general election in 2029.After speculation that X owner Elon Musk was about to give Reform £80 million, Mr Farage has produced a different donor who intends to break fundraising records. London property magnate Nick Candy, who previously bankrolled Tory campaigns including Shaun Bailey’s attempt to become London Mayor, has joined his famous Australian singer/ actress wife Holly Valance as a member of Reform UK.Mr Candy, who is friends with Mr Farage, Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, will be the public face of a number of wealthy donors and plans to celebrate his official defection by hosting a major lunch with other potential donors and Mr Farage today in London.Holly Valance and Nick Candy at a Reform UK event in July (Yui Mok/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 moreNigel Farage will today unveil the latest defector from the Tories who he hopes will be able to fund Reform UK’s push to win the general election in 2029.After speculation that X owner Elon Musk was about to give Reform £80 million, Mr Farage has produced a different donor who intends to break fundraising records. London property magnate Nick Candy, who previously bankrolled Tory campaigns including Shaun Bailey’s attempt to become London Mayor, has joined his famous Australian singer/ actress wife Holly Vallance as a member of Reform UK.Mr Candy, who is friends with Mr Farage, Donald Trump and Boris Johnson, will be the public face of a number of wealthy donors and plans to celebrate his official defection by hosting a major lunch with other potential donors and Mr Farage today in London.Holly Valance and Nick Candy at a Reform UK event in July (Yui Mok/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 moreKeir Starmer has landed in Cyprus in the midst of a diplomatic storm after he snubbed the Turkish Cypriot northern part of the island as he became the first prime minister to make an official visit for bilateral talks for more than five decades.The prime minister is set to hold talks on Tuesday with president of the Republic of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides in the Greek Cypriot controlled south of the island. But he has refused to find time for president Ersin Tatar in the self-declared Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) on the visit even though he wants to reinitiate talks to reunite the island.Sir Keir arrived on Monday evening after a brief tour of Arab gulf states and plans to talk to president Christodoulides about defence, trade, resetting the EU relationship after Brexit and the “Cyprus problem”.The “Cyprus problem” refers to the division of the island 50 years ago after Turkish troops intervened in the north in 1974 when a Greek Cypriot military coup attempted to unite the island with Greece and initiated attacks on Turkish Cypriot communities.President of Cyprus Nikos Christodoulides first met Sir Keir Starmer in Downing Street in October (Dan Kitwood/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 moreThe UK has paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims due to the uncertainty following the collapse of the Bashar al-Assad regime.It follows the decision of other countries, including Germany, Austria and Sweden, in suspending application decisions, after 13 years of civil war saw a coalition of rebel groups seize Damascus on Sunday.A Home Office spokesperson said: “The Home Office has paused decisions on Syrian asylum claims whilst we assess the current situation. We keep all country guidance relating to asylum claims under constant review so we can respond to emerging issues.”Millions of Syrians fled the country after the outbreak of civil war and the Assad regime’s brutal crackdown on opponents.Hundreds of Syrians gathered in Trafalgar Square to celebrate Assad’s regime collapse 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 moreNigel Farage will be in the USA on Sunday for an astonishing sixth time since he was elected as the MP for on 4 July after he was unveiled as one of the headline acts at the biggest MAGA gala since Donald Trump won the US presidential election.The Reform UK leader, who has been dubbed “the MP for MAGA”, by some political opponents in Westminster will be giving one of the speeches at a major Republican fundraising event which will also be addressed by the president-elect via video link.Organisers of the dinner though have delivered an extraordinary snub to Kemi Badenoch and the Tories because they do not want “loser parties” involved following the Tories’ suffering their worst election defeat in their 365-year history.The extraordinary remarks come as Ms Badenoch has attempted to woo parts of Team Trump including strengthening her relationship with vice president elect J. D. Vance as she tries to revive her party and stave off the threat from Farage and Reform.Special relationship: Nigel Farage is close to 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 moreRachel Reeves has stubbornly insisted that the Labour government will “stick to our red lines” over the Brexit reset with the EU despite growing evidence that a more fundamental change is needed in the relationship.Ms Reeves became the first chancellor to join European member state finance ministers and EU commissioners for a meeting in Brussels since Brexit, with hopes running high that it would herald a more open-minded approach to reworking the flawed EU deal left by Boris Johnson.But at the subsequent press conference, Ms Reeves made it clear that the government does not intend to budge from its original red lines.Pressure has begun to mount for a more fundamental reconsideration of EU or single market membership with the re-election of Donald Trump and concerns of an international trade war with the UK being hit by US tariffs.Reeves spoke at a press conference after the meeting with EU finance ministers More