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 moreMinisters are considering relaxing the two-child benefit cap after facing intense pressure to scrap the limit entirely, it has emerged. Under plans being considered to tackle child poverty, parents of under-fives could reportedly be exempted from the limit.The government is also considering exempting parents of disabled children, parents in work and hiking child benefit payments for those with young children, The Guardian reported. Keir Starmer is under mounting pressure to scrap the two-child benefit cap 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 moreKeir Starmer has made it clear he intends to stand up to Donald Trump over Ukraine as he jets over to Washington DC for one of the most consequential meetings ever between a US president and British prime minister.Speaking to journalists on the flight over the Atlantic, Sir Keir insisted that Russia’s Vladimir Putin has to be viewed as the aggressor.He will make clear that there can be no negotiations about Ukraine without Ukraine, and will push for Europe to play a greater part in global defence.However, in a challenging meeting which will also encompass awkward conversations on plans to hand the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, trade deals and a potential visit by President Trump, Sir Keir was keen to talk up the relationship between the two.The prime minister insisted that “there is no issue between us” on Ukraine as he jetted out – attempting to play down disagreements in the past two weeks.He said: “Of course, the president has been very clear about the peace that he wants. He’s right about that. We all want peace. The question is, how do we make sure it’s a lasting peace? There’s no issue between us on this.”His words came as it was revealed he plans to host Ukraine’s president Volodymyr Zelensky and other European leaders for a defence summit this weekend.With talks on tariffs being imposed by the US and concerns by the Trump administration, inflamed by Elon Musk, on free speech in the UK regarding social media, Sir Keir will be keen to remind the president that the two countries share trade worth $400bn, which supports more than 2.5 million jobs across both countries.The prime minister will join the president at the White House on Thursday, before a tete a tete at the Oval Office. He will be accompanied by the foreign secretary, David Lammy.Last week, President Trump shocked allies in the West by calling President Zelensky a dictator and arranging a meeting in Saudi Arabia with Russia without Ukraine or Europe at the table.Even worse, there was fury when the US sided with autocratic regimes including China and North Korea to vote down a resolution blaming Russian aggression for the war.Donald Trump discussing foreign policy 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 moreDavid Lammy has conceded that Donald Trump can veto the controversial deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.The foreign secretary’s admission comes as The Independent has discovered the US President has been handed a second legal dossier on why the deal should not go ahead.It is understood that Mr Trump will raise the subject of giving the islands, which are home to the crucial UK/US Diego Garcia airbase, to a potential ally of China.The UK had been prepared to spend as much as £18 billion leasing back the base for the next 99 years after the handover takes place.Britain Chagos IslandsSpeaking on Robert Peston’s show on ITV, Mr Lammy said: “If President Trump doesn’t like the deal, the deal will not go forward.”The admission appears to underline a growing feeling that the president will veto the deal which is set to be discussed in the White House when the prime minister visits on Thursday.It also comes on a day when Sir Keir Starmer refused to deny that his defence budget boost of £6 billion will be spent paying Mauritius to lease back the airbase, after he was confronted on the issue at Prime Minister’s Questions by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.Sir Keir and Mr Lammy hope that they can make a last ditch effort to persuade the president that the deal is “good” and will preserve the legality of the base on Diego Garcia.But they have been unwilling to provide details on the consequences of a deal, which has already been delayed because of a change of government in Mauritius.The Independent has been told that a dossier, prepared by Tory shadow justice secretary Robert Jenrick on the legalities of the issue and why there is no need to hand over the islands, has been placed in the hands of Trump aide Stephen Miller.The president is being briefed for questions on the subject when he and Sir Keir meet in the Oval Office on Thursday.David Lammy has been Foreign Secretary since July (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.Read moreSir Keir Starmer has been accused of a “cover-up” over his increase in defence spending after he refused to say whether it includes funding the cost of handing over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.The prime minister told MPs on Wednesday that the uplift is aimed at boosting “our capability on defence and security in Europe”, but stopped short of ruling out using the cash to lease back the joint UK-US Diego Garcia airbase located on Chagos.Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Sir Keir’s failure to disclose where the money for Chagos was coming from meant he had “all but confessed” it would come from the defence budget. And her spokesperson said the Tory leader hoped President Donald Trump would block the deal.“Labour must not give a penny of defence cash to fund this shady deal. National interest first. No ifs or buts,” Ms Badenoch wrote on X (Twitter).The UK is in talks to hand control of the archipelago back to Mauritius as part of a deal rumoured to be worth £9bn.Keir Starmer was accused of a cover-up at PMQs 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 moreRory Stewart has hit out at Keir Starmer’s decision to slash foreign aid spending to boost the defence budget, comparing the Labour prime minister to Donald Trump. Sir Keir bowed to pressure from Donald Trump to boost defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP just hours before jetting to the White House for a crunch meeting with the US President. The PM defended the move, saying it was necessary to take on “tyrants” like Putin. But former foreign office minister and Tory MP Mr Stewart warned that parallel decisions to reduce aid on both sides of the Atlantic would leave the UK and US jointly responsible for “unimaginable damage” to international security and the climate. “The US and the UK were foundation stones of the international development system,” he said. “Now that Trump has stopped all USAid and Starmer has cut most of UKAid, the change will be almost unimaginable in global health and pandemic preparedness, famines, global education, refugees and migration, international security, global financial stability, climate action, and above all for hundreds of millions of the extreme poor worldwide.” Keir Starmer and Donald Trump are responsible for ‘unimaginable damage’, Rory Stewart has said 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 moreTech platforms who are not doing enough to protect women and girls online will have their inaction highlighted so the public can make a choice about whether or not to use them, Ofcom has said.The online safety regulator said that as well as enforcing new legally binding rules around protecting users from harm under the Online Safety Act, it will also “shine a light” on those failing to be proactive in making their sites safer and easier to use.The warning comes as Ofcom has published new guidance on measures tech firms should consider using to help better protect women and girls on their sites, who they say are disproportionately impacted by online harms.The guidance joins already published legally binding codes of practice on illegal content and protecting children online that have already been put in place by Ofcom and will begin to take effect next month under the Online Safety Act, and which carry large financial penalties if found to have been breached.The additional guidance sets out a range of proposals which tech firms are also being encouraged to put in place, including the better use of technology to prevent intimate image abuse and asks sites to consider introducing tools which would help spot and fix ways sites can be exploited by abusers.Ofcom’s Jessica Smith, who led the development of the guidance, said the regulator was also prepared to use its powers under the Online Safety Act to highlight platforms not doing enough to protect women and girls on their sites through new online safety transparency reports.“Effectively, what we are going to do is use our information-gathering and transparency powers,” she told the PA news agency.“So one of the things we’re committing to do is, once the guidance is finalised and a sufficient period of time has passed, is we’ll publish a transparency report that shines a light on what platforms are doing and not doing to keep their users safe.“It’s about putting information out there, so users can be informed and make a choice about where they spend their time online.”She added: “What we’re saying to platforms today is that you have a commercial choice.“We know that women spend longer online than men, for example, on a daily basis, and so we think it makes good commercial sense to take their safety seriously.“For some platforms, they may not choose to do that, and that is their decision. But as I said, then we will make sure people know what kind of space they are entering into when they go on that kind of platform.”Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said the new guidance was a “call to action for online services”.“There’s not only a moral imperative for tech firms to protect the interests of female users, but it also makes sound commercial sense – fostering greater trust and engagement with a significant proportion of their customer base,” she said.Under the Online Safety Act, platforms will be legally required to follow a new set of duties around protecting users from harm online, with fines of up to 10% of global turnover for those who fail to do so – which could run into billions of pounds for the largest services.New regulation of the online world has been broadly welcomed, but some charities and campaigners have warned that the current plans have taken too long to implement, and do not go far enough to protect users from harm.In response, Ms Smith said: “We’re at the fairly early days when it comes to implementation of the Act.“I think we’re still at the stage of testing and implementing the powers that we have now, and I know that this has taken a while, so I really understand people’s frustration.“I think when it comes to this particular guidance, we are balancing quite difficult issues. There are issues around free expression.”Ofcom has now opened a consultation period on the guidance, and Ms Smith said it was vital the regulator also heard from men and boys on the issues raised.“Obviously, this guidance is focused on women and girls, and we’ve spoken to a lot of survivors and women’s advocacy organisations as part of the process, but it’s also for men and boys – these tools can be for everybody,” she said.“We know boys are more exposed to online misogyny than girls are, so we think that this will have broader benefits and we’re keen to speak to men and boys as part of our consultation process.” More

Starmer unable to say defence uplift won’t go on Chagos Islands at PMQsYour 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 is jetting off this afternoon to meet with Donald Trump in Washington DC, amid a row over his shock announcement to hike the UK’s defence spending to 2.5 per cent. During PMQs, he defended his claims over the level of extra money for defence after the government was accused of “silly games with numbers” after it was said £13.4bn more would be spent. However, defence secretary John Healey suggested the real-terms increase in defence spending year on year “would be something over £6 billion”.In a heated exchange in the Commons, Starmer said that Kemi Badenoch has appointed herself “saviour of the western civilisation”, after the Conservative leader suggested she had advised the Prime Minister to increase defence spending. He added that she “didn’t feature in my thinking at all” and that her comment was a “desperate search for relevance”. He reiterated his stance that Ukraine “must be at the table” in negotiations to end the war with Ukraine, and reiterated that the UK and the US have a “special deep relationship”. Sir Keir is set to fly to Washington DC on Wednesday where he will meet with Mr Trump where he will follow in French president Emmanuel Macron’s footsteps to persuade him Europe has a plan for Ukraine.Europe cannot sustain 100,000-strong Ukraine peacekeeping force, former British army chief warnsThe former chief of the defence staff warned it is “inevitable” that Russia will seek to test any defence force placed in Ukraine in the event of a deal to end the war. “If we send troops, they will be tested, and they have to robustly be able to defend themselves,” Lord Richards told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.Read the full article here: Holly Evans26 February 2025 14:51Badenoch suggests ‘cover-up’ of Chagos money deal Speaking after Prime Minister’s Questions, a spokesman for Mrs Badenoch said: “I think this all points to what amounts to really a cover-up of where this money for the Chagos surrender is coming from.“It is incumbent on the Government as soon as possible to come and explain where the money is coming from, and if it is coming from the defence budget it makes all of the announcements over the last 24 hours seem (to be) ringing increasingly hollow.”On Tuesday a Conservative former defence minister suggested that money earmarked for the Chagos deal could instead be spent on the armed forces.Andrew Murrison asked the Prime Minister: “Will he look at other things that perhaps present easier choices, and in particular, his choice to spend billions of pounds on Mauritius? And will he repurpose that money in defence of our armed forces?”Holly Evans26 February 2025 14:39Starmer declines to say whether defence spending increase includes Chagos cashSir Keir Starmer has declined to say whether money for a deal with the Chagos Islands would come out of the increase in defence spending.The Prime Minister told the Commons that the increase to 2.5% of GDP announced on Tuesday is for “our capability on defence and security in Europe”, and described the deal being negotiated with Mauritius as “extremely important for our security”.The UK is in talks with Mauritius about handing over sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, but leasing back the strategically important Diego Garcia military base which is used by the US.The Conservatives have called on ministers to explain as soon as possible if money for the deal will come out of the uplift announced on Tuesday.Earlier on Wednesday, Defence Secretary John Healey did not say whether the Chagos money was included when asked, and the issue was pressed by Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions.Holly Evans26 February 2025 14:24Watch: Diane Abbott rebukes Keir Starmer over foreign aid cut Diane Abbott rebukes Keir Starmer over foreign aid cutHolly Evans26 February 2025 14:04Dominic Cummings backs Reform UK for local electionsDominic Cummings has called for voters to back Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in the May local elections. The former Boris Johnson aide did not say who he would vote for if there was an imminent general election. But, amid a furious backlash at Labour’s policies so far, he said everyone should back Mr Farage’s party in May.Asked who he would vote for in a national election, Mr Cummings said: “Dunno yet, but obviously everyone should vote Reform this spring, no downsides, just upsides.”A mass Reform vote, with the party surging in the polls, would pile major pressure on Sir Keir Starmer while helping Mr Farage paint his party as the real opposition to Labour. Holly Evans26 February 2025 14:03Seven organisations face government contract ban Jane Dalton26 February 2025 13:22Seven companies face new Grenfell probe Investigations will be launched into seven organisations criticised in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report, with the potential they could be banned from public contracts in future.They are: Arconic Architectural Products SAS; Saint-Gobain Construction Products UK Limited which previously owned Celotex Limited; Exova (UK) Limited; Harley Facades Limited; Kingspan Insulation Limited; Rydon Maintenance Limited; and Studio E Architects Limited.Cabinet Office parliamentary secretary Georgia Gould said the firms would be investigated under new debarment powers in the Procurement Act 2023, which came into effect on Monday.She said: “These investigations will establish whether the organisations have engaged in professional misconduct for the purposes of that Act.”The organisations will be notified when an investigation is opened, she said, adding that investigations into other organisations could also take place.Jane Dalton26 February 2025 13:18Government to take ‘tough action’ to avoid future tragedies Angela Rayner, who is also Housing Secretary, said: ”We are acting on all of the inquiry’s findings, and today set out our full response, detailing the tough action we are taking to drive change and reform the system to ensure no community will ever have to face a tragedy like Grenfell ever again.“That means greater accountability, stronger regulation, and putting residents at the heart of decision-making.“We must deliver the fundamental change required. We owe that to the Grenfell community, to the country, and to the memory of those who lost their lives.”Grenfell Next of Kin, a group representing some of the bereaved, said it will be “paying close attention to these words and intentions” from Government, as it repeated criticism of the “grave mistakes, failures, corruption” it said had led to the deaths.The group: “We can never forget our beloved kin and we can never forgive the negligence and corruption that led to their deaths.“The injustice is so great and the measures being put in place now with new laws and reforms are welcomed, but should have been basic requirements for a developed country such as ours.The government have responded to the Grenfell Tower inquiry findings 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 has “serious questions to answer” about his defence spending uplift, the Tories have said, after a cabinet minister admitted the PM’s figures were misleading.The prime minister on Tuesday promised to boost the defence budget from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of GDP ahead of a crunch meeting in the White House with Donald Trump on Thursday.At a Downing Street press conference, Sir Keir said the increase amounted to Labour spending £13.4 billion extra each year on the armed forces. Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of using misleading figures to sell his big defence spending announcement More