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 moreCloseFrustrated rail passengers will be able to check up on how well their local train company is performing through data available at each station across the country.Transport secretary Louise Haigh has announced the measure in a bid to open up transparency over delays and cancellations on the rail network in England.In a Commons statement, she told MPs: “We have to be clear-eyed about the problems. But we are committed to full transparency.“And I can announce today that we will be fully transparent with passengers by displaying performance data at stations to show demonstrate how the railway is working and allow the public to hold us to account as we deliver change.”Transport Secretary Louise Haigh (Danny Lawson/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 moreCloseAgriculture minister Daniel Zeichner has been accused of having “egg on his face” after his latest attempt to justify the so-called “family farm tax” stirred up further anger on the issue.The Labour minister today addressed the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference in South Wales with anger growing over plans for a tax raid on family farms and claims that he and the government are underestimating its impact.It came as the Countryside Alliance, set up in the later 1990s in protest over the hunting ban but now specialising in wider issues, has reported that more than 5,000 automated emails to MPs have been sent protesting about the family farm tax.Farming minister Daniel Zeichner speaks at the Egg and Poultry Industry Conference in South Wales 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 moreCloseKeir Starmer has no plans to visit Donald Trump in Mar-a-Lago on his way to a meeting of the G20 group of world leaders next week, despite at least one ally making the trip.Argentina’s libertarian President Javier Milei has been invited to see the US president-elect at his Florida club, amid speculation others will follow. A supporter of Mr Trump, Mr Milei celebrated his election win with a fireworks display and posts on social media.But while Sir Keir offered the Republican his “hearty” congratulations, there are fears Labour will struggle with the next occupant of the White House. The Trump campaign has accused the party of meddling in the US election, in a row over activists who travelled to help the Democrats. Sir Keir has also stood by his foreign secretary David Lammy, over comments from 2018 calling Mr Trump a “neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath”.( 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 moreCloseRachel Reeves’s increase in employer national insurance contributions (NICs) will hit workers’ living standards, Barclays has warned, amid growing backlash over the tax hike.It comes as leaders of Britain’s biggest business organisations accused the Labour government of “betrayal”.Economists at the bank said the policy would cause real incomes to take a hit, as companies pass on the cost of the levy through lower pay rises and higher prices. This, they said, will leave people feeling poorer as prices rise faster than wages.Despite a manifesto pledge not to increase taxes for working people – including NICs, income tax and VAT – the chancellor increased employers’ NICs from 13.8 per cent to 15 per cent at the Budget. She also reduced the threshold at which employers start paying the tax, slashing it from £9,100 per year to £5,000.In a note to clients seen by The Daily Telegraph, economists at the bank said: “We expect the additional costs implied by changes to employer NICs to lead to lower real incomes, through a combination of higher inflation and lower wages.”Meanwhile, the prime minister has been urged to take “decisive action” to restore business confidence following the decision to increase employer NICs – something business groups have described as a “betrayal”. The chancellor argued that the policy, which is expected to raise more than £25bn for the Treasury, does not breach Labour’s manifesto commitment because it does not show up on employees’ payslips.Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves has defenced the decision to raise NICs for employers 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 moreCloseGas boilers will reportedly be banned in most new homes by 2027, as part of legislation to slash carbon emissions across households.The Future Homes Standard, being brought forward by the government, will mean developers must ensure that new-builds are only fitted out with electric heat pumps or non-gas alternatives.It aims to ensure the carbon emissions of new homes are 75 per cent lower than under current standards. The new Labour government hopes to lay out the final guidance on phasing out gas boilers in May next year, sources told the Financial Times.But the ban is unlikely to be enforced until 2026, when the legislation takes effect, the paper reported. There would then be a year-long delay to give housebuilders sufficient time to prepare for the transition.The average household energy bill increases by £149 a year from Tuesday (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 moreCloseBritain’s next ambassador to the US is set to be decided within days in what will be one of the most important diplomatic decisions of Sir Keir Starmer’s first year in No 10.The appointment will be key to shaping the UK-US relationship once Donald Trump returns to the White House, with the future of Ukraine, the conflict in the Middle East and trade tariffs among the key areas where the prime minister and the president-elect differ in opinion.Sir Keir’s attempts to woo Trump have not started well, with many of his top team facing tough questions about disparaging comments made during his first term. Trump’s election campaign team also hit out at the Labour Party, accusing it of attempting to interfere in the election, in a row over UK activists helping Democrats. Our next man, or woman, in Washington will need all the political and diplomatic nous they can muster. Here we look at the runners and riders.Peter Mandelson The former Labour spinner has already staged a series of political comebacks – including as EU trade commissioner and then returning to help Gordon Brown’s beleaguered government as business secretary – and now he is seen as one of the frontrunners to head to Washington. At the weekend he insisted that “nobody’s asked me” about the job. But he also popped up on Laura Kuenssberg’s Sunday morning BBC programme where he said of the next US president – on defence spending – “Mr Trump is not always wrong”.As for his thoughts on what the next four years will bring? He said: “Of course… I immediately thought ‘what does this mean for Britain’ and I thought we’re going to be in for a relatively transactional rollercoaster ride, but that we have to decide about how we’re going to influence this presidency, what we’re going to put into it and what we’re going to get back from it.” David MilibandAnother Labour politician, rather than a career diplomat, his appointment would show Downing Street is wary of Mr Trump’s disdain for bureaucrats. After standing down as an MP, the former foreign secretary has been president and chief executive officer (CEO) of the International Rescue Committee, based in the US, since 2013. He took that job three years after losing the Labour leadership contest – to his brother Ed, now a minister in Keir Starmer’s cabinet.David Miliband, pcitured with his brother Ed during the 2010 Labour leadership contest 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 moreCloseThe government let bureaucracy get in the way of redress for wronged subpostmasters, Kemi Badenoch has told the inquiry into the Post Office scandal.The new Tory leader said that during her time as business secretary, she and former postal affairs minister Kevin Hollinrake “wanted to get the money out there” but were constantly given reasons why they could not by officials.In a tetchy appearance before the Horizon IT inquiry, said: “We had briefings on the issue with officials, and it was quite clear to me that we were allowing bureaucracy to get in the way of redress too much of the time.Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch gave evidence to the inquiry on Monday (Maja Smiejkowska/PA) More

Sir Keir Starmer has joined Emmanuel Macron for Armistice Day More