More stories

  • in

    The Kemi Badenoch interview: Tory leadership favourite discusses how she’ll stand her ground if elected

    In an exclusive interview with The Independent, Kemi Badenoch discusses her campaign to become the next leader of the Conservatives.In a wide-ranging interview, Badenoch defends her position on a number of topics including two-tier policing, that police officers should be backed over the killing of Chris Kaba and how she thinks Britain will have to leave the European Court of Human Rights (ECHR) like her opposition Robert Jenrick.Speaking with political editor, David Maddox, the Conservative MP for North West Essex also responded to comments by Sir Christopher Chope, as well as many comparing her to Margaret Thatcher. More

  • in

    Furious Vladimir Putin blasts BBC journalist Steve Rosenberg when challenged at press conference

    A furious Vladimir Putin blasted BBC journalist Steve Rosenberg when challenged at a post BRICS press conference.Putin was asked whether the Ukraine war went against the values put forward by the BRICS of justice, regional stability and security, and a fair world on Thursday (24 October).It was the final question introduced by Kremlin press secretary Dmitry Peskov who smiled as he claimed the BBC was “a rare guest these days”.Putin hit back at the question saying: “Is it fair that for years our (Western) partners for years ignored our constant appeals not to expand NATO to the East? To lie to our face and violate all their obligations… to get into Ukraine and build military bases?” More

  • in

    Donald Trump endorses Boris Johnson in 2019 general election, resurfaced clip shows

    Donald Trump endorsed former Conservative leader Boris Johnson in the 2019 general election, this resurfaced clip shows.The former US president, who this week filed a legal campaign against Labour accusing it of electoral interference, appeared on Nigel Farage’s LBC show back in 2019 via telephone.Trump tells Farage: “Boris is a fantastic man and I think he is the exact right guy for the times.”Trump continues: “Corbyn would be so bad for your country, he’d take you in such a bad way.” More

  • in

    Vladimir Putin denies having any contact with Donald Trump

    Vladimir Putin has denied having any contact with former US president Donald Trump.Speaking after the BRICS summit in Kazan on Thursday (24 October), the Russian president said: “This is something that has been constantly discussed for more than one year. “At one time, we were accused of this, and Trump himself of being somehow connected with Russia. Then, as a result of an investigation in the United States itself, everyone came to the conclusion, including in the Congress, as far as I know, that this was complete nonsense, that nothing like this had ever happened.“It didn’t happen before, and it doesn’t happen now.” More

  • in

    Keir Starmer claims those with assets are not working people in biggest tax rise hint

    Keir Starmer claimed those with assets are not working people in his biggest hint at a tax rise in the Budget.During a broadcast interview at a Commonwealth summit in Samoa on Thursday (24 October), Sir Keir told Sky News that he does not consider people who have an income from assets such as shares of property to be working people.“They wouldn’t come within my definition,” he said.Labour’s manifesto said the party would not increase taxes on working people, including VAT, national insurance, and income tax. More

  • in

    Debunked: Why is Trump accusing Starmer of election interference?

    Donald Trump has accused Sir Keir Starmer of election interference, claiming Labour officials are illegally campaigning for Kamala Harris in the US. This allegation hinges on two questions: Are Labour staff campaigning alongside Harris, and is the party funding these trips? Trump’s campaign filed a complaint with the Federal Election Commission, citing a now-deleted LinkedIn post from Labour’s head of operations, which alleged nearly 100 staff are travelling to the US to support Harris. However, environment secretary Steve Reed clarified these individuals were volunteering in their spare time and that Labour had not financed the trips. More

  • in

    Chancellor Rachel Reeves hints at ‘challenging’ Budget in new video

    Chancellor Rachel Reeves has hinted at a “challenging” Budget as she prepares to borrow tens of billions of pounds to invest in Britain’s crumbling infrastructure.In a new video, posted on X today (24 October), Ms Reeves said next week’s Budget will “fix the foundations and deliver change”.The chancellor says: “I’m going to be honest about the scale of the challenge we inherited, a decade of sluggish economic growth, deteriorating public services and a £22m billion black hole in public finances. “But, we must not be held back by the past and instead we should look to the opportunities of the future.” More

  • in

    Boris Johnson’s memoir flops as sales slump despite ‘£2m advance’

    Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreSales of Boris Johnson’s political memoir are understood to have slumped well below expectations, with the much-advertised release now on track to be overtaken by a cookbook.Despite an apparent £2m advance on the 784-page account of his time in Downing Street, Unleashed only managed to sell 42,528 copies in its opening week, far fewer than his publishers, HarperCollins, had likely predicted.The former prime minister suffered a 62 per cent reduction in his sales lead this week, narrowly managing to cling onto the number one spot, selling just 133 more copies than Tim Spector’s The Food for Life Cookbook.Mr Johnson’s sales figures fall far short of predecessors Margaret Thatcher, who sold an estimated 120,000 copies upon the release of her 1993 memoir, and Tony Blair, who sold 92,000 copies in the first week of his.Despite the barrage of press attention, the book’s lacklustre reception has reportedly left shops with “piles and piles” of copies, and sales figures are likely to continue to plummet.Despite a sizeable £2m advance on the 784-page account of events, Johnson only managed to sell 42,528 stories in its opening week, far less than his publishers HarperCollins predicted he would sell More