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.Read more Hungary’s nationalist prime minister on Wednesday hosted a German far-right party’s candidate for chancellor in Germany’s upcoming elections, a rare gesture from a sitting European leader to a party which Germany’s mainstream politicians are trying hard to contain.Viktor Orbán met with Alice Weidel, co-leader of Alternative for Germany or AfD, in Hungary’s opulent Carmelite Monastery, Orbán’s headquarters, where they held talks Wednesday morning. In a news conference following their meeting, Orbán said the AfD’s support in Germany had reached a level where other parties would find it possible to cooperate. Until now, most European parties have kept their distance from the AfD. “It’s completely clear that the AfD is the future,” Orbán said, adding that all of the far-right party’s platform, from immigration to the economy, would be “beneficial for Hungary” if it were implemented in Germany. Orbán’s decision to meet with Weidel was a break from the right-wing nationalist’s earlier policy of keeping the AfD at arm’s length despite their similar views on issues like immigration and belief that the European Union plays too strong a role in the affairs of its member countries. Before the news conference Wednesday, Orbán posted to social media: “Today I met the future of Germany. It was an honour to welcome you in Budapest, Chairwoman Alice Weidel!”Germany is to vote in an early election on Feb. 23 after Chancellor Olaf Scholz’s three-party governing coalition collapsed in November in a dispute over how to revitalize the country’s stagnant economy. Recent polls have shown the AfD in second place ahead of the election, with support of about 20%. However, other parties say they won’t work with it, and Weidel has no realistic path to becoming Germany’s next leader.On Wednesday, Weidel said Hungary represents “a symbol for us, for Alternative for Germany, a symbol of reason and a symbol of sovereignty and independence. I would like that for our country too.”“Hungary is the bulwark against illegal migration, and we as Alternative for Germany also want no illegal migration in our country any more,” Weidel continued.Both leaders harshly criticized the EU’s immigration and climate policies, arguing they were disabling the European economy. Orbán said that both should be “thrown out.” The Hungarian leader’s willingness to meet with Weidel was the latest outside endorsement for the AfD, which has been placed under observation by Germany’s domestic intelligence agency for suspected extremism — an accusation the AfD strongly rejects. In December, tech billionaire Elon Musk drew strong criticism in Germany for endorsing the AfD. In January, he amplified the party’s message on his X social media platform by hosting a livestream with Weidel. Musk said he was “strongly recommending” that Germans vote for the AfD in upcoming elections. Large numbers of demonstrators have taken to the streets in Germany in recent weeks to protest the far-right and insist that Germany’s mainstream parties uphold their unwritten promise to never pass any rule or resolution in parliament that relies on the support of a far-right party. ___Associated Press writer Geir Moulson in Berlin contributed. 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.Read moreThe government’s claims around the ‘family farm tax’ have suffered a major blow after a new calculation warned they “substantially” underestimate how many will be hit by the tax raid.Ministers claim that only around 520 farms a year will be hit by the inheritance tax hike.But new figures suggest the number will be 200 in Wales alone – a whopping 40 per cent of the forecast – despite the population of Wales being around 5 per cent of Engalnd’s . Farmers have protested the changes 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.Read moreA new government crackdown on refugees travelling to the UK by small boat is so harsh it would mean turning away Paddington Bear, a Labour MP has said.The Home Office has toughened up existing guidance on Wednesday to make it nearly impossible for refugees to become British citizens if they travel to the UK by small boat.Under the previous guidance, refugees who arrived in the UK by irregular routes must wait ten years before being considered for citizenship. Now, new guidance issued by home secretary Yvette Cooper says applicants who have “made a dangerous journey will normally be refused citizenship”.The move was fiercely criticised by Labour MP Stella Creasy who said it flew in the face of Britain’s tradition of letting those who seek refuge in the UK become “part of the community.”Diminishing returns: Paddington Bear in ‘Paddington in Peru’ 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.Read moreSir Keir Starmer should scrap his plans to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius and consider ceding control to the US instead, the former head of the British army has said. Lord Dannatt, former chief of the general staff, said it is “very hard to find good news” in the prime minister’s deal to cede control of the Indian Ocean archipelago, and raised questions about how the agreement would be paid for. And the former army chief criticised a core part of the deal meant to protect the top secret joint US/UK airbase on Diego Garcia, insisting a 99-year guarantee over its use is not long enough. The UK government has denied suggestions it could end up paying £18bn to lease back Diego Garcia over 99 years, but is refusing to set out the costs of the deal. And Lord Dannatt told Times Radio: “If we think we can find 18 billion pounds to buy off Mauritius, frankly, there are much better uses for that £18bn, not the least of which is on the army and on UK defence to spend on things that really matter to us. Britain Chagos Islands“So whichever way you look at it, it’s very hard to find good news in this deal.” The deal between Britain and Mauritius is also being looked at by Donald Trump, with expectations mounting the US president could veto the arrangement. “No wonder President Trump is concerned, indeed, to the point of being angry with Britain… and I just can’t see why Keir Starmer’s government really continues going down this track,” Lord Dannatt added. Lord Dannatt raised questions about the cost of the deal 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.Read moreA group of Labour rebels are pushing for Angela Rayner to adopt a four-day working week in her employment rights bill. More than a dozen Labour MPs, and one Green MP, have challenged the deputy prime minister to commit to exploring a transition “across the economy” from five working days to four – with no reduction in pay.Flexible working campaigners have welcomed Ms Rayner’s employment rights bill, which will give workers greater access to flexible hours as well as stronger day one employment protections and banning fire and rehire.Angela Rayner is under pressure to adpot plans for a four-day working week More