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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.CloseRead moreReform UK leader Nigel Farage has threatened to name the Chinese spy who was revealed to have links with Prince Andrew, amid reports he also met two former prime ministers.Mr Farage says the party may use parliamentary privilege – which provides legal immunity for MPs in cases such as this – to reveal the name of the businessman in the House of Commons.The alleged spy, known as H6, has been described in court as having formed an “unusual degree of trust” with Prince Andrew and has been banned from entering the UK since 2023. The Home Office, led at the time by Suella Braverman, said the spy had engaged in “covert and deceptive activity” on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party.It comes following a Sunday Times report that H6 also met David Cameron at a Downing Street reception and Theresa May at a black-tie event, keeping photos of both encounters, which took place over the last 15 years, in his London office. It is unclear whether the meetings took place while either was in office. On Thursday, a specialist tribunal in London found that Ms Braverman was “entitled to conclude” that H6 was a “risk to national security”.Farage said Reform UK is prepared to lift the anonymity order 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 has unveiled its “most ambitious” clean power plan yet, pledging to produce almost all its electricity from renewables by 2030 in a bid to stabilise energy prices. The plan, announced on Friday, sets a target of achieving 95 per cent clean electricity by the end of the decade by overhauling the country’s electricity grids, expanding investment and connecting more houses to renewables. Energy secretary Ed Miliband described the measures as the amounting to “the most ambitious reform to the energy system in generations”.“This is about harnessing the power of Britain’s natural resources to protect working people from the ravages of global energy markets,” he said. “The clean power sprint is the national security, economic security, and social justice fight of our time.”The announcement comes after prime minister Keir Starmer told reporters at the UN’s Cop29 climate summit that the UK wants to build on its reputation as a “climate leader”. The UK’s commitment under the Paris Agreement is to reduce emissions by at least 81 per cent by 2035 compared to 1990 levels. The government says its new roadmap will protect households from energy price spikes by shifting Britain’s reliance on volatile fossil fuel markets to homegrown renewables like wind and solar. To do this it aims to unlock £40bn annually in private investment, paving the way for economic growth and thousands of skilled jobs across the UK.“The UK has paid the price for over-reliance on expensive gas over the past few years, and the crisis is not over yet,” said Jess Ralston, head of energy at the Energy and Climate Intelligence Unit (ECIU).“Accelerating the rollout of renewables will stabilise prices, and clean technology like electric heat pumps will increasingly run off British wind and solar in contrast to gas boilers, which rely on foreign imports.”One of the biggest barriers to renewable energy expansion has been the UK’s outdated grid system. Clean energy projects have been stuck in long queues under a “first-come, first-served” system, leaving billions of pounds of investment tied up. With its new plan, the Labour government wants to prioritise ready-to-go projects that are in line for meeting the 2030 target while removing speculative or stalled proposals from the queue.The government says its Planning and Infrastructure Bill will streamline approvals for critical energy projects like wind farms and battery storage facilities.A view of the Barrett Steel factory with solar panels covering the roof in Shoreham Port, East Sussex, England 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 moreEarlier this year, Patrick was sleeping in a field. He had nowhere else to go after fleeing an abusive ex-partner. After years spent sofa surfing following a falling out with his parents over his drug use, which saw him kicked out of the family home, Patrick found himself with nowhere to turn.“I never really had an address or somewhere to call home,” Patrick told The Independent. “I came down to London after leaving my parent’s house. I was sofa surfing for a while, then I moved in with an ex-partner who was abusive. “But early this year, I thought, no, I can’t do it anymore. It’s not healthy for me. I ended up sleeping in a field.”Patrick is one of 136,000 18- to 24-year-olds who faced homelessness in the past year, according to the latest estimates. Around 1 in 52 young people are homeless or at risk of homelessness in the UK, according to network of charities EveryYouth.But Patrick was fortunate. With the help of a local youth homelessness charity the Amber Foundation, he was quickly able to get back on his feet.EveryYouth CEO Nick Connolly has written to Angela Rayner calling for youth homelessness services to be protected from the NIC increase 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 as Sir Keir Starmer delivered Labour’s major “plan for change” speech on Thursday (5 December).The prime minister addressed several milestones during his speech at Pinewood Studios, including raising living standards, ending hospital backlogs and putting more police on the beat.Sir Keir promised a named, contactable police officer for every neighbourhood in England and Wales, who will be focused on dealing with local issues.The prime minister described the move as “a relief to millions of people scared to walk the streets they call home”, and promised a range of policing reforms to improve performance alongside £100m to support neighbourhood policing.In a speech billed as setting out the “next phase” of his government, the PM detailed ambitious “milestones” for achieving the five missions laid out in Labour’s manifesto. 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 moreMPs have taken a historic step towards legalising assisted dying in England and Wales, by voting in favour of a bill that would support terminally ill adults with a life expectancy of six months or less to end their lives.After five hours of intense and heartfelt debate, in which some members of parliament were brought to tears, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was passed in the House of Commons with 330 voting in favour and 275 against. The result was a bigger majority than many were predicting, after similar legislation was roundly defeated in 2015.Under the terms of the bill, a terminally ill adult with a life expectancy of six months or less could seek assistance to end their life, provided that two doctors and a High Court judge approve their decision. Kim Leadbeater opens the debate for the second reading 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 moreMPs have voted in favour of the assisted dying bill paving the way for historic change not seen since abortion was legalised in 1967. After five hours of intense and heartfelt debate, in which some members of parliament were brought to tears, the Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill was passed in the House of Commons with 330 voting in favour and 275 against. The result was a bigger majority than many were predicting after similar legislation was soundly defeated in 2015.Under the terms of the Bill, terminally ill adults with a prognosis of six months or less could seek assistance to end their life, provided two doctors and a High Court judge confirm their decision. MPs were given a “free vote” on the issue, meaning they could vote according to their conscience and not along party lines. Kim Leadbeater opens the debate on the second reading 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 MPs vote whether or not to legalise assisted dying on Friday (29 November).If passed, it could lead to the most significant reform in British society since the abolition of the death penalty in 1965 and the introduction of abortion two years later.The divisive issue is being debated in the Commons on Friday for the first time in almost a decade – having been voted down by MPs in 2015.Five hours have been set aside for MPs to air their views on Kim Leadbeater’s Terminally Ill Adults (End of Life) Bill, and a vote must be called before 2.30pm otherwise the Bill is highly unlikely to make any further progress through Parliament.Ms Leadbeater said she is hopeful this “major social reform” will pass this first stage in the process to becoming law.Encouraging or assisting suicide is against the law in England and Wales, with a maximum jail sentence of 14 years.Ms Leadbeater has said the current law is not fit for purpose and her proposals would allow terminally ill adults in the two nations with less than six months to live to end their lives, subject to the approval of two doctors and a High Court judge. 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 Sir Keir Starmer holds a news conference on net migration.The prime minister will hold a press conference on migration in Downing Street at 3pm on Thursday (28 November).Sir Keir is expected to respond to the latest data, which revealed net migration to the UK hit a record 906,000 in 2023.The ONS figures indicate net migration has since dropped by 20 percent and stood at 728,000 in the latest period for the year to June 2024.A total of 133,409 people were waiting for an initial decision on an asylum application in the UK at the end of September 2024.This is up 12 percent from 118,882 at the end of June 2024, but down year on year by 19% from 165,411 at the end of September 2023.The number peaked at 175,457 at the end of June 2023, which was the highest figure since current records began in 2010.The number of people waiting more than six months for an initial decision stood at 83,888 at the end of September, up from 76,268 at the end of June, but down year-on-year by 33% from 124,461.Home secretary Yvette Cooper said: “In the space of four years net migration rose by almost five times to a record high – that shows the serious damage that was done to the immigration system, the lack of proper controls in place, and the over-reliance on a big increase in overseas recruitment.“Net migration is still four times higher than it was at the beginning of the last parliament and we are clear that it needs to come down.” More