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 moreLord Peter Mandelson has urged Sir Keir Starmer to use Nigel Farage as a bridge between Donald Trump’s incoming administration and the UK.The Labour peer, who is the favourite to be named as the next British ambassador to the UK, also warned that his party needs to end its feud with Trump ally and X (formerly Twitter) boss Elon Musk.It comes after Mr Musk continued his social media assault on Sir Keir’s government this week by backing protesting farmers and likening Britain to a Stalinist state. He has previously attacked the Labour government over free speech and backed far right rioters over the summer.In September, The Independent revealed that Peter Kyle, the cabinet minister responsible for social media and information technology, had not even spoken to the owner of X although the two had in effect communicated through intermediaries.Farage wants to be an envoy to the US and Mandelson agrees with the idea More

Jeremy Clarkson joins farmers’ ‘tractor tax’ protest in WestminsterYour 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 Metropolitan Police have said tractor drivers who ploughed through barriers at the farmers’ protest in Westminster will be reported. Scotland Yard said that they had been engaging with those driving the vehicles but said that driving through a no entry sign was “not acceptable”.Taking to the stage, Jeremy Clarkson urged Rachel Reeves to admit her proposed inheritance tax hikes for farmers was a “mistake”, as he described it as a “hammer blow” to the agricultural community. Speaking to protesters on stage in Whitehall, the TV presenter said: “For the sake of everybody here, and all the farmers stuck at home today paralysed by a fog of despair by what’s been foisted upon them, I beg the government to accept this was rushed through, wasn’t thought out, and was a mistake.”First unveiled in chancellor Rachel Reeves’s Budget, the plans to impose inheritance tax on farms worth more than £1m have sparked fury among rural communities, who have contested the government’s assertion that small family farms will not be impacted by the changes.National Farmers’ Union president Tom Bradshaw said an estimated 75 per cent of commercial farm businesses “were caught in the eye of this storm” of a policy which will “rip the heart of family farms”.Farmer’s daughter says family farm will be lost over Budget changes A farmer’s daughter said the changes to agricultural inheritance tax will prevent her and her brother from taking over their family farm.Jen, from Yorkshire, who did not give her surname, told the PA news agency after a protest in central London on Tuesday: “I’ll be seventh generation on our farm and essentially, if the Budget goes through, then that means that I won’t be able to take her over my family farm because between me and my brother we would have to sell up to be able to pay the tax.“It’s something we’ve both been passionate about from when we were little kids, ever since we could walk, always been involved – it’s a lifestyle.”The 24-year-old said they would have to pay approximately £1.2 million if the Government does not scrap the tax changes.“We have spoken to our accountant, solicitors, and once something happens to our parents – unless there is some change, unless there’s something we can do – then it’s not possible for us,” she said.“The logistics of it for us to keep going just isn’t financially viable at all, even with an outside job, you still wouldn’t be able to bring in enough money to be able to pay that off.”Jen, 24, said she would have to sell her family farm in order to pay off the taxes 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 general secretary of the National Farmers’ Union (NFU) has hinted that more extreme action could be taken if the government does not backtrack on its plan to extend inheritance tax to agricultural properties.Asked “what happens next” following Tuesday’s planned events – which has seen an estimated 20,000 people descend on Westminster to urge the government to backtrack on the levy – Tom Bradshaw said: “I think you’ll have all seen the media reports about what farmers across the United Kingdom think they should be doing next.”It comes as farmers have threatened the government with “militant action” over the policy, which they argue will cause food shortages and the breakup of family farms.First unveiled in chancellor Rachel Reeves’s October Budget, the plans to impose the duty on farms worth more than £1m have sparked fury among rural communities, who have contested the government’s assertion that small family farms will not be impacted by the changes.”The ball is in the government’s court”, Mr Bradshaw warned. “They have to be the ones that now decide how they react to this.”Speaking to journalists at the NFU’s mass lobby event in Westminster, which saw union members lobby around 150 members of parliament, he added: “I don’t want any of our customers any of our consumers not able to get the food they desperately need. But I also understand why emotions are running so high.NFU president Tom Bradshaw said 75 per cent of farms would be affected 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 moreWatch live as David Lammy marks 1,000 days since Russia launched its full-scale invasion of Ukraine.The foreign secretary has warned that the UK will “never let up” in backing Ukraine as questions lingered over whether British-supplied missiles could be authorised to hit targets within Russia.Mr Lammy, who spoke at a UN Security Council session on Monday, warned that faith in international law may “never return” unless Vladimir Putin fails.It comes after speculation that the UK could follow the US after Joe Biden allowed Ukraine to use American-supplied weapons to strike sites in Russia after months of pressure from Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky.Sir Keir Starmer has declared that the UK’s commitment to Ukraine remains “ironclad.”The Kremlin marked the anniversary of the invasion by lowering the threshold at which Russian forces could use nuclear weapons.The Russian president signed a revised nuclear doctrine declaring that a conventional attack on Russia by any nation that is supported by a nuclear power will be considered a joint attack on his country. 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 moreLabour has been warned by some of the UK’s biggest retailers that shop closures, job losses and price rises may all be “inevitable” due to changes made in the October Budget.In a letter to chancellor Rachel Reeves, more than 70 companies including Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Asda and Marks & Spencer warn that the “sheer scale” of rising business costs will have a “harmful effect” on customers and the high street.It marks the first time that many of these household names have expressed concerns over the Budget. The letter was organised by the British Retail Consortium (BRC), with its publication reportedly discouraged by the Treasury.Other business signatories include Amazon, Boots, Aldi, Lidl, Ocado, Morrisons, Greggs, Currys, B&Q, Burberry, JD Sports, Holland & Barrett, Oliver Bonas and Specsavers.Over 70 big retailers have warned against Budget changes (Andrew Matthews/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 moreSir Keir Starmer has been criticised for meeting China’s president Xi Jinping just hours before 45 Hong Kong pro-democracy activists were sentenced for attempting to field opposition candidates in an election.Among those sentenced were Benny Tai, who was jailed for 10 years and Joshua Wong, sentenced to four years, for “subversion” after being involved in the “Hong Kong 47” group of activists and lawmakers.The imprisonments were the largest use of the authoritarian National Security Law brought in to clamp down on democracy in Hong Kong in 2019.Speaking on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, former chair of the Democratic Party in Hong Kong, Emily Lau, suggested Sir Keir’s meeting with Xi at the G20 a mere hours before the sentencing meant the UK’s agreements with China over the governance of the territory before its handover in 1997 were “evaporating”.Sir Keir Starmer shakes hands with President Xi Jinping of China (Stefan Rousseau/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 moreRachel Reeves has refused to back down over the planned extension of inheritance tax to agricultural properties, telling farmers they must pay their share to fund public services including the NHS.Her remarks come despite thousands of farmers descend on London for a major protest on Tuesday, held alongside a mass lobby of MPs in Westminster where National Farmers’ Union (NFU) president Tom Bradshaw is expected to say that the betrayal on the tax changes is extraordinary.The union chief will warn that farms producing the country’s food will need to be broken up and sold as a result of the policy, “because farmers simply won’t have the money to pay this tax any other way”.“Our request is simple – this is a policy that will rip the heart out of Britain’s family farms, launched on bad data with no consultation and it must be halted and considered properly, taking in the views of the experts not just Treasury civil servants,” he will say.The protest, taking place on 19 November, is now expected to easily exceed the original 5,000 to 10,000 estimated by the Farming Forum which is organising it, The Independent understands.Rachel Reeves (Ben Birchall/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 government’s announcement of changes to inheritance tax, which will see a 20 per cent levy imposed on inherited agricultural assets worth over £1 million starting from April 2026, has ignited widespread debate. While Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer insists that “the vast majority of farms and farmers” will remain unaffected by the changes, many in the farming community are unconvinced.Critics, including the National Farmers’ Union (NFU), warn that this policy could jeopardise family farms, which make up approximately two-thirds of Britain’s agricultural base. NFU president Tom Bradshaw and other prominent voices argue that the tax hike may lead to long-term consequences for food production, rural economies, and the sustainability of family farming.Sir Keir has defended the measure, noting that £5 billion has been committed to the farming budget over the next two years, and that exemptions could allow farm-owning couples to pass on up to £3 million without paying any inheritance tax. As thousands prepare to march in protest on Tuesday, with farmers’ children leading the demonstration on toy tractors and celebrities like Jeremy Clarkson lending their support, the debate remains heated. Some believe the policy is a necessary step to balance public finances and support essential services, while others see it as a threat to the agricultural heritage and food security of the UK.Now we want to know what you think. Is the ‘tractor tax’ a fair approach to reform inheritance tax, or does it risk dismantling the fabric of family farming?Share your thoughts in the comments — we’ll highlight the best responses as they come in.All you have to do is sign up and register your details — then you can take part in the discussion. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen. More