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 moreSir Keir Starmer has failed to rule further tax rises before the next general election – despite Rachel Reeves claiming otherwise less than two weeks ago.The prime minister said he has no plan to hike taxes further, but could not rule out changes in unforeseen circumstances such as Covid or the war in Ukraine.Last week, the chancellor explicitly ruled out further tax rises in an address to the CBI, where she told business leaders: “I’m really clear, I’m not coming back with more borrowing or more taxes.” Since then, the party has stumbled through speeches and media interviews with senior figures refusing to repeat the promise.Speaking to BBC Breakfast on Friday, less than two weeks after the chancellor ruled out further tax rises, the prime minister said he can’t say there are “no circumstances unforeseen in the future that wouldn’t lead to any changes at all”. Sir Keir Starmer (Hannah McKay/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 moreMayor of London Sadiq Khan is reportedly being lined up for a knighthood in the New Year honours list after securing a historic third term as London mayor in May.He is expected to be awarded the gong for his political and public service, having previously served as the MP for Tooting before he left the Commons in 2016.Mr Khan is first Muslim mayor of the capital also served as a minister under Gordon Brown.Sources told the Financial Times he is expected to receive the honours alongside a number of Labour veterans, including Islington South MP Emily Thornberry.Despite being dropped from Sir Keir Starmer’s front bench after the election, Ms Thornberry – who served as shadow attorney general for nearly three years and was a long serving member of the shadow cabinet – is set to receive a damehood, the newspaper reported.Sadiq Khan will be in New York this week (Yui Mok/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 vowed to usher in a “new golden era of building” as he takes aim at “blockers and bureaucrats” who he claims have throttled economic growth and made homeownership unattainable.Writing in The Times, the prime minister attacked nimbys and environmentalists who he says have stymied economic progress in the UK. Sir Keir has directed ministers to draft laws that would simplify complex environmental regulations, which he argues can add millions to the cost of development and cause lengthy delays.These proposed reforms aim to eliminate the “case-by-case negotiations” currently required under habitat regulations inherited from EU law. By allowing developers to offset environmental damage by funding broader environmental improvements, Sir Keir hopes to avoid protracted negotiations over individual projects.He highlighted the HS2 project, which was compelled to spend £100 million constructing a tunnel for bats, as an “absurd spectacle” that must end. “This government will not accept this nonsense any more,” he said.Ministers are considering designating specific areas of the country as key infrastructure sites to expedite project approvals. This move would streamline the process, allowing projects to avoid the lengthy and uncertain approval procedures currently in place.Sir Keir’s comments came as he unveiled a new “plan for government” focused on six key areas: health, housebuilding, education, the economy, crime, and net zero. He said these milestones would enable the public to hold the government accountable by the next election.However, Sir Keir faced criticism for appearing to dilute Labour’s election pledge to generate “100 per cent” clean power by 2030 and for not setting specific targets to reduce either legal or illegal migration.Central to Sir Keir’s economic strategy is Labour’s target of building 1.5 million homes by 2030 and fast-tracking planning decisions on 150 major infrastructure projects. He promised to build “roads, grid connections, laboratories, train lines, warehouses, wind farms, power stations,” and to confront the “alliance of naysayers” that he says have impeded progress.Writing in The Times, Sir Keir explicitly targeted those who use environmental regulations to delay building, asserting that he would not shy away from confronting local development opponents. He described rising homelessness and falling homeownership as “a shame and a failure of our politics.”He lamented Britain’s failure to build a reservoir for over 30 years and criticized the “endless hoops” that every infrastructure project must jump through, only to face opposition and delays. Using the example of the costly bat tunnel in the HS2 project, he underscored the need for more efficient processes.Sir Keir pledged to double infrastructure project approvals compared to the previous Conservative government, acknowledging that both the government and developers would need to “stretch ourselves to the max” to achieve these goals.He anticipated resistance to his planning reforms but welcomed the challenge, saying: “I always knew there would be resistance to our planning reform. Let me say this — I won’t shy from this argument. In fact, I welcome it. Where there are blockers putting the brakes on, it’s a sign you are delivering real change.”Sir Keir’s remarks coincided with deputy prime minister Angela Rayner approving a multimillion pound plan by Marks and Spencer to redevelop its flagship Oxford Street store, a project previously blocked by Michael Gove. Stuart Machin, M&S’s chief executive, expressed his satisfaction with the decision but criticized the “three unnecessary years of delays, obfuscation and political posturing” under the previous government. 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 moreKeir Starmer has attempted to relaunch his struggling government with a new set of six “milestones” aimed at persuading voters he is making progress.After five months in Downing Street beset by scandals over freebies and the loss of his chief of staff and a cabinet minister, the prime minister delivered a keynote speech at Pinewood Studios in a bid to steady his ship.But in a sign of the difficult task ahead of him, his address to an event packed with Labour supporters was met with a muted audience response and little applause.It reflected the findings of a new national poll from Find Out Now UK that puts Labour in third place on 23 per cent, behind the Tories on 26 per cent and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK on 24 per cent.Keir Starmer gives a speech in Buckinghamshire setting out his government’s ‘plan for change’ 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 moreLeading pollsters have warned Keir Starmer that too few Britons know about his more popular policies, as the prime minister tried to relaunch his government just five months after winning power. Voters are instead much more likely to have heard of the hugely controversial ‘family farm tax’ or Labour’s decision to strip millions of pensioners of their winter fuel payments.Luke Tryl, executive director at More in Common UK, said: “Far fewer Britons know about the government’s more popular actions, like the protection of the triple lock on pensions and the launch of GB Energy, than their less popular policy measures.” The warning comes as The Independent can reveal that union leaders have warned Labour that it needs to hire “an Alastair Campbell figure” after a torrid first few months in power.Sir Keir has outlined what he said was a ‘Plan for Change’, 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 moreMel Stride has claimed the only reason the previous Tory government’s Rwanda scheme failed to work was because it was scrapped by the Labour Party in their first week in office.He comments came despite the scheme being bound up in legal challenges and failing to get a single flight off the ground in more than two years after it was announced by then-prime minister Boris Johnson.While the shadow chancellor claimed a small number of people were sent to Rwanda, the only people that left the UK for the East African nation went voluntarily as part of a scheme separate to the forced deportation plan.It comes just days after a cost breakdown of the plan revealed that a total of £715m was spent on the failed scheme.Shadow chancellor Mel Stride (Jordan Pettitt/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 First Minister says he will look into “completely reasonable” concerns around recouping public investment into Sutherland Spaceport after it was put on hold by the company developing the site.The spaceport on the north coast of the Scottish mainland received £14.6 million in investment from the public sector over several years, including from the Scottish Government and Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).However on Wednesday Orbex, a rocket manufacturing company which was also constructing the spaceport, suddenly announced it is pausing development at Sutherland and will instead launch from the rival SaxaVord Spaceport on the northern tip of the Shetland Islands.The spaceport was a positive development for the Sutherland community, bringing 40 jobs and economic benefits to a part of the Highlands that has suffered from depopulationLabour’s Rhoda GrantIt means the Sutherland site on the A’Mhoine peninsula lies partially completed – with a “floating road” over a giant peat bog stretching more than two kilometres but without launch facilities.Orbex now hopes to launch its first rocket from SaxaVord in 2025.It is one of a number of companies which will be using launch pads at the spaceport on Unst to carry satellites into orbit, tapping into a lucrative global market for space launches.Labour’s Rhoda Grant raised the issue at First Minister’s Questions on Thursday.She said: “Yesterday we heard that Sutherland Spaceport has been mothballed by Orbex.“The spaceport was a positive development for the Sutherland community, bringing 40 jobs and economic benefits to a part of the Highlands that has suffered from depopulation.“Orbex have received £14.6 million in investment for the spaceport.”She asked the First Minister to intervene to see if development can continue, or otherwise “make sure the public investment can be recouped and used to bring jobs and an economic boost to that part of the Highlands”.John Swinney said he understood the points raised by Ms Grant, saying ministers would intervene to “see if there is any other way that this can be taken forward”.There will be contractual arrangements that are put in the provision of grant fundingFirst Minister John SwinneyHe continued: “(Ms Grant) raises what I think is a completely reasonable question about public investment that has been committed – either spent or committed – and how that stands.“There will be contractual arrangements that are put in the provision of grant funding.“I will explore those issues and reply in writing to Rhoda Grant about what steps can be taken to address what I recognise to be a legitimate issue that she’s raised with me today.”Orbex, based in Forres, had initially intended to use the Sutherland Spaceport to launch its 19-metre tall rocket called Prime, saying its operations would be carbon neutral.On Wednesday chief executive Phil Chambers said the move to SaxaVord would help the firm deliver on its core mission of producing rockets, rather than building spaceports.He said: “Orbex is first and foremost a launch services specialist.“Our primary goal is to support the European space industry by achieving a sustainable series of satellite launches into low Earth orbit.“This is best achieved by focusing our resources and talents on developing launch vehicles and associated launch services.”Orbex said the decision will also allow it to develop a larger rocket called Proxima.Later on Thursday, Scottish Conservative MSP Edward Mountain said the announcement had been a “kick in the teeth” for local residents in Sutherland.He said: “Far too much time and public money has been wasted on this project, especially in relation to the 2km floating road which will now sadly lead to nowhere.“I am prepared to work, on a cross-party basis, with all those involved to try and reverse this decision, especially as much of the infrastructure is already in place.”Ms Grant, who is a Highlands and Islands MSP, said she welcomed the First Minister’s response.She added: “I urge the Scottish Government to intervene as Sutherland desperately needs this investment, if the spaceport cannot be salvaged, I urge them to recoup the public money that has been spent and to again invest it in Sutherland and create the jobs we need to stop depopulation.” 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 outlined Labour’s ‘Plan for Change’ in a landmark speech, outlining several new milestones which the Labour government hopes to acheive.The event marked something of a relaunch of Labour’s policy aims, and builds on previously made commitments. The prime minister says the new pledges will define Labour’s aims to be acheived by the end of this parliament.They include higher living standards, cutting NHS waiting lists clean power, and new infrastructure committments.Speaking at Pinewood Studios, Sir Keir said: “This government was elected to deliver real change for working people – and that is exactly what we are doing.“Faced with a dire inheritance, we know that we cannot deliver our Plan for Change alone. Mission-led government means doing things differently, and a decade of national renewal will require the skills and determination of us all.”Sir Keir Starmer set out his Government’s ‘plan for change’ at Pinewood Studios in Slough on Thursday (Darren Staples/PA) More