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 declared the Falkland Islands are British and will remain British after a row about his decision to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.The prime minister last week refused to rule out ending British control of Gibraltar and the Falklands as he faced a backlash over a deal with Mauritius to cede control of the remote archipelago.Asked on Friday to guarantee no other British overseas territory would be signed away by the government, the PM dodged the question, pointing to a deal to secure the long-term future of a joint US-UK military base on Diego Garcia, the largest of the islands.But, asked during PMQs about measures to make it easier for British citizens fishing off the Falklands to sell fish into Europe, Sir Keir said: “My uncle nearly lost his life when his ship was torpedoed defending the Falklands.” Keir Starmer said the Falklands are British and will remain British 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 wounded Israeli soldier urged the UK not to forget the mistake of Neville Chamberlain by being more like Churchill and standing up against “the evil of Iran”.Barak Deri, an Israeli Defence Force reservist, has been hailed as a hero in his country and is visiting London this week as part of a mission to win support for Israel’s struggle in the ongoing war on multiple fronts in the Middle East.The 32-year-old, who was wounded and is likely to be disabled for the rest of his life, arrived in the UK with a simple warning that “Israel’s war is the West’s war” and the demand: “We cannot be quiet, we must send a clear message that another Holocaust is not an option.”He said: “I think that for me, I grew up on [Winston] Churchill. Coming here to the UK, it amazes me how people forget all this [Neville] Chamberlain deal in 1938.“When you see so much evil from Iran to Syria, everything that they touch is just a black hole of tears, blood and suffering. I think to myself, didn’t we learn anything from history?”Barak Deri fought in the IDF special forces 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 ThomasEditorDowning Street was like a “crack den” when Boris Johnson arrived, the former prime minister has claimed as he defended his £200,000 refurbishment of the flat.Mr Johnson was embroiled in a scandal after it emerged a donor had initially paid for the lavish overhaul, which included 10 rolls of wallpaper costing £225 each and a £7,000 rug, revealed by The Independent at the time.After the Conservative Party initially settled the bill, including with a donation from Tory donor Lord Brownlow, Mr Johnson reimbursed them out of his own pocket.Boris Johnson said his Downing Street apartment resembled a ‘crack den’ 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 ThomasEditorRenters’ voices are “finally starting to be heard”, a charity has said as Angela Rayner prepares to table her bill to ban “cruel” no-fault evictions.Anti-homelessness charity Shelter said 11 million renters in England have been “ignored or shouted down” after sounding the alarm about the broken system for years.But, with the Renters’ Rights Bill set for its second reading in the Commons on Wednesday, chief executive Polly Neate said: “The Renters’ Rights Bill is proof that their voices are finally starting to be heard.”Angela Rayner said she is determined to deliver the change first promised by Theresa May in 2019 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 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