UK Politics

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorMore than 6,000 votes cast in a London constituency for the general election were missed off due to a “spreadsheet issue”.Wandsworth Council has apologised after revealing it had mistakenly failed to include 6,558 votes in the declaration of the election result in Putney.The first published result had shown Labour’s Fleur Anderson held onto the seat with 20,952 votes, beating Conservative Lee Roberts who received 10,011.However, almost two weeks after the 4 July general election, the council revealed it had made a mistake and published a revised list of the results on its website.The revision did not impact the overall result, or ranking, but provided Ms Anderson with a greater majority. She took 24,113 votes, increasing her share of the vote to almost 49 per cent.Mr Roberts received 11,625 votes. He was followed by Kieren Michael McCarthy, the Lib Dem candidate, with 5,932 and Fergal McEntee, of the Green Party, with 3,721.In a statement, Wandsworth Council said: “We acknowledge a spreadsheet issue that resulted in not all the properly counted and allocated votes being included in the announcement on the night in the Putney election count for the general election 2024.“This was identified and the figures on this page have been updated. This did not affect the result or the order of the candidates.“While we are confident this was an isolated incident we are taking this opportunity to review processes with a particular focus on spreadsheet procedures.”However, some expressed anger at the mistake.Aled Richards-Jones, the leader of the Conservative group on the council, said: “Wandsworth residents deserve urgent clarification about how an error of this magnitude could have occurred, why it wasn’t detected at the time and the steps the council is taking to ensure this can never happen again.”Former education minister Justine Greening had held the Putney seat for the Tory party from 2005, until in 2019 she rebelled against Boris Johnson’s government and became an independent MP.The seat was then won by Ms Anderson for Labour with a majority of more than 4,700 in 2019. More

Lammy clashes with Naga Munchetty over his ‘neo Nazi’ comment on TrumpSupport trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer is attempting to forge new migration deals with European countries and become EU’s “friend and partner” during a meeting with continental leaders as part of the fourth European Political Community summit. The prime minister is using the 47-member EPC meeting at Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, to push for action to secure the continent’s borders, and reiterate the UK’s support to Ukraine. Volodymyr Zelensky urged European leaders to channel Winston Churchill’s “bravery” in the fight against the Russian aggression and declared that Putin has sacrificed “tens of thousands of his citizens but has achieved nothing significant”.During the meeting, senior European leaders and representatives welcomed Sir Keir’s approach on improving post-Brexit relations with Josep Borrell praising the “new tone of the British Government” Despite the positive noises being made by EU leaders, David Lammy has warned the UK is unlikely to be able to begin renegotiating a deal with the bloc for some time.Speaking this morning, he said the European Union and the European Commission will not be up and running until December following their elections.Show latest update 1721314310Starmer welcomes the King at Blenheim Palace King Charles has arrived at Blenheim Palace where he will be hosting a reception as part of Sir Keir Starmer’s European summit. The King will meet all European leaders at the historic palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire. The prime minister greeted the King as he arrived at Blenheim’s Great Court before they both headed to the Long Library for the reception. Salma Ouaguira18 July 2024 15:511721314080Pictured: Inside the gardens of Blenheim PalacePrime Minister Sir Keir Starmer with Italy’s Prime Minister Georgia Meloni during a bilateral meeting at the European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace in Woodstock, Oxfordshire More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorKeir Starmer has scored his first major international success after the French and the Irish hailed his plan for a new era in relations with Europe. The Irish prime minister described the election of a new Labour government as a potential “gamechanger” for the bloc. Echoing Sir Keir’s own language as he arrived for a summit of European leaders in Oxfordshire, the French president Emmanuel Macron said “this is a great opportunity for a reset”.And Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez said he had the “highest expectations” of the new prime minister. Sir Keir fired the starting gun on what he hopes will be Britain’s new relationship with the EU as he hosted the European Political Community event at Blenheim Palace. Ahead of the summit, Sir Keir promised to fix Britain’s damaged relations to benefit “generations to come” as he warned “we cannot let the challenges of the recent past define our relationships of the future.”Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer and Taoiseach Simon Harris drink a pint of Guinness during his visit to Chequers (Carl Court/PA) More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorWatch as Sir Keir Starmer and European leaders attended meetings and posed for a family photo at a major summit in Oxfordshire on Thursday, 18 July.Leaders from the 47-member European Political Community (EPC) gathered at Blenheim Palace as the new British prime minister attempts to reset the UK’s relationship with its neighbours after Brexit turmoil.Sir Keir will use the EPC event to push for action to secure the continent’s borders as he steps up efforts to tackle the UK’s asylum backlog.The EPC was set up in 2022 in response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine so European leaders could meet for informal talks.More than 100 Home Office staff will be redeployed from working on the now-scrapped Rwanda scheme to focus on a “rapid returns unit” to send people with no right to be in the UK back to their home country.The PM, who will will join a session on migration co-chaired by Italy’s right-wing leader Giorgia Meloni, has called for continent-wide action to tackle the international “people-smuggling webs”.Sir Keir’s government is also seeking a security pact with the EU and intends to cement European nations’ support for Ukraine in its war with Vladimir Putin’s Russia. More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorWatch live as Sir Keir Starmer holds bilateral meetings with more than 40 European leaders during a major summit in Oxfordshire on Thursday, 18 July.The new prime minister welcomed his European counterparts to Blenheim Palace, the birthplace of Winston Churchill, in a bid for a reset in post-Brexit ties with the European Union.He will hold talks to call for closer cooperation in Europe to advance support for Ukraine and discuss issues such as migration, climate change, and energy security.Opening the summit, Sir Keir urged European leaders to address the illegal migration “crisis” and to stand firm in support of Ukraine as he sought to strengthen the UK’s ties with the continent.The PM also stressed his government’s support for the European Convention on Human Rights after the Conservatives flirted with the idea of pulling out of the agreement. More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditor Lawmakers at the European Parliament on Thursday re-elected Ursula von der Leyen to a second 5-year term as president of the European Union’s executive commission.The re-election ensures leadership continuity for the 27-nation bloc as it wrestles with crises ranging from the war in Ukraine to climate change, migration and housing shortages.A majority in the 720-seat legislature voted for the German Christian Democrat after a speech in which she pledged to be a strong leader for Europe in a time of crisis and polarization.THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE. AP’s earlier story follows below.STRASBOURG, France (AP) — Ursula von der Leyen pledged to be a strong leader for Europe in a time of crisis and polarization as she made her final leadership pitch in a speech to lawmakers at the European Parliament ahead of a vote Thursday afternoon on whether to grant her a second five-year term as president of the European Union’s executive commission.The secret ballot at the 720-seat parliament comes hot on the heels of strong gains by the far right in last month’s election for the European Parliament. Voting started at 1 p.m. (1100 GMT) and results are expected by 3 p.m. (1300 GMT).“I will never let the extreme polarization of our societies become accepted. I will never accept that demagogues and extremists destroy our European way of life. And I stand here today ready to lead the fight with all the Democratic forces in this house,” von der Leyen said.If a majority of the lawmakers reject her candidacy, it would leave leaders of the 27-nation bloc scrambling to find a replacement as Europe grapples with crises ranging from the war in Ukraine to climate change.In a speech that sought to shore up support from across the political spectrum, von der Leyen pledged to strengthen the EU economy, its police and border agencies, tackle migration and pursue policies tackling climate change while also helping farmers who have staged protests against what they call stifling EU bureaucracy and environmental rules.She also took a swipe at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán and his recent visit to Russia shortly after his country took over the rotating six-month EU presidency.”This so-called peace mission was nothing but an appeasement mission,” von der Leyen said as she vowed that Europe would remain shoulder-to-shoulder with Ukraine.One radical right lawmaker, Diana Iovanovici-Sosoaca of Romania, was escorted out of the parliament’s chamber for heckling a speaker during the debate following von der Leyen’s speech. Iovanovici-Sosoaca briefly wore what appeared to be a muzzle and held up religious icons before being led out of the room. Over the past five years, von der Leyen has steered the bloc through a series of crises, including Britain’s exit from the EU, the COVID-19 pandemic and Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She has also pushed a Green Deal aiming to make the EU climate-neutral by 2050.As the debate ended, she told lawmakers: “I hope to have your trust and confidence for the next years. Long live Europe.”Von der Leyen’s election came as newly elected U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was welcoming some 45 heads of government to discuss migration, energy security and the threat from Russia as he seeks to restore relations between the U.K. and its European neighbors.The leaders signed off on the conservative German von der Leyen at a summit meeting late last month. The 65-year-old von der Leyen’s bid was boosted when the European People’s Party, which includes von der Leyen’s Christian Democratic Union, remained the largest group at the EU Parliament after the elections. But her reelection is not a foregone conclusion as some lawmakers within her own center-right European People’s Party could still vote against her. She needs a straight majority of 361 votes to secure a second termThe German politician has been praised for her leading role during the coronavirus crisis, when the EU bought vaccines collectively for its citizens. But she also found herself receiving sharp criticism for the opacity of the negotiations with vaccine makers.The EU general court ruled Wednesday that the commission did not allow the public enough access to information about COVID-19 vaccine purchase agreements it secured with pharmaceutical companies during the pandemic.Voting got underway after a majority of lawmakers rejected a motion from a leftist bloc in parliament calling for the election to be delayed until September in light of the court ruling.Following the elections for EU Parliament, European Union leaders agreed on the officials who will hold the key positions in the world’s biggest trading bloc in the coming years for issues ranging from antitrust investigations to foreign policy. At the side of von der Leyen will be two new faces: Antonio Costa of Portugal as European Council president and Estonia’s Kaja Kallas as the top diplomat of the world’s largest trading bloc.While Costa’s nomination only needed the leaders’ approval, Kallas will also need to be approved by European lawmakers later this year. The Estonian prime minister is a staunch supporter of Ukraine and a fierce critic of Russia within the European Union and NATO.___Corder reported from The Hague, Netherlands. Associated Press journalist Samuel Petrequin in Brussels contributed. More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorNigel Farage says it was right he travelled to the US to support Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention and hit back at the suggestion the trip was a disservice to his new constituents. After he was elected as Clacton’s MP two weeks ago, the UK Reform party leader attended the King’s Speech on Wednesday morning before quickly flying out to Milwaukee in Wisconsin for the event.Mr Trump is set to give his acceptance speech at the convention on Thursday evening, five days after surviving an attempted assassination attempt during a campaign rally in Pennsylvania at the weekend.Writing for the Daily Telegraph, Mr Farage announced he was attending the convention in support of his “friend” Mr Trump ahead of the election in November.But on Wednesday evening, in Milwaukee, he was asked again by News Agents host Emily Maitlis during an awkward interview.Questioned on why he was at the convention, Mr Farage replied: “It’s been a busy day, kings speech this morning, and here… well I had to come, Trump, I’ve been friendly with him all these years and he’s just survived an assassination attempt so I thought I’d come and say hello.”For updates on US politics, including pressure on Biden to quit, go to our live blog by clicking hereNigel Farage questioned by Emily Maitlis on his appearance at the Republican National Convention More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorVolodymyr Zelensky has urged European leaders to channel Winston Churchill’s “bravery” in the fight against Russian aggression. The Ukrainian leader made his call as he spoke in the former prime minister’s birthplace, Blenheim Palace, during only his third visit to the UK since Russia’s full-scale invasion. It is his first trip to the UK since Sir Keir Starmer entered Downing Street. Mr Zelensky is also due to meet with King Charles during the visit. The Ukrainian leader told a summit of European leaders: “Bravery made Churchill Churchill. Bravery won the greatest battle of his life. It was the battle for Britain.“Now our bravery and cooperation must achieve no less so that the children of our nations can someday look back at us, at what we have done, at what we have chosen, what we have promised, and see the pillars of their peace, their security and their prosperity just as we see it when we look back at the most famous person from Blenheim.”Sir Keir greeted Mr Zelensky in the grand entrance of Blenheim Palace near Oxford, where the prime minister is hosting the European Political Community (EPC). The pair exchanged pleasantries before heading inside the building. Sir Keir Starmer touched Mr Zelensky’s shoulder as he highlighted the Ukrainian leader’s comments calling for more air defences to protect children as they return to school More