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 ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer has been warned his new pensions bill will fail to tackle the crisis facing retirees, with the prime minister having ducked an increase in automatic enrolment.In his first King’s Speech, the PM unveiled plans to support more than 15m people with private pensions and ensure they get better outcomes.Sir Keir said the bill would boost the amount available for pension savers and help average earners save an additional £11,000 over the course of their career.The pensions schemes bill included measures to prevent people losing track of pension pots, ensure workers are saving into pension schemes that deliver value for money and consolidate the defined benefit pensions market through so-called commercial superfunds.The government estimates that the measures will lead to pension pots being around 9 per cent higher by the time a person retires, while allowing more productive investment of funds in British infrastructure and companies to boost growth.Investment platform AJ Bell, said the bill will “put millions of people’s pension pots at the heart of the new government’s drive to boost investment in the UK and drive long-term economic growth”.Public policy director Tom Selby said the government also appears “intent on pushing forward with greater consolidation of pension schemes”, in part to improve the value members receive.But he said claims the measures in the bill will lead to bigger pensions upon retirement “need to be taken with a pinch of salt” due to risks in how funds are invested.And he warned: “One key thing missing from this Bill is any mention of scaling up automatic enrolment.”Mr Selby pointed to “wide agreement” in the sector that minimum contributions under auto-enrolment will need to rise, while a 2017 review recommended removing the lower earnings band and reducing the minimum qualifying age to 18 to help savers.“The legislation for these changes is already in place – but the big question is when will it be put into practice?” he added.Former pensions minister Sir Steve Webb meanwhile said the pension schemes bill represented “business as usual”. The former Lib Dem MP, now a partner at consultancy LPC, said millions with pension pots slightly over £1,000 will still struggle with savings “scattered across the pensions landscape”, adding that “further action may be needed”.He added: “There appears to be nothing in the legislation that so far represents a distinctively ‘Labour party approach’ to pensions, and a Conservative minister could happily have brought forward this legislation.  Perhaps inevitably, it will take time before we see how the new government’s agenda differs from that of its predecessor.“But this does mean that any distinctive policies will have to await legislation later in this Parliament and may take time to have effect.”Sir Steve has previously warned that “without urgent action we are likely to see more and more people facing an unenviable choice between an extended working life or a poor retirement”.Rising living costs, particularly for food and energy bills, as well as shifting expectations about retirement lifestyles have driven a huge increase in retirement costs. 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 ThomasEditorKing Charles gave his King’s Speech today, marking the opening of parliament as the first Labour government in 14 years is ushered in.As is tradition, the speech gave the new government an opportunity to lay out their plans for the coming months in the form of legislative bills. Sir Keir Starmer took the chance to signal his desire for change, as a massive 39 bills were announced overall.Amongst these was new legislation to get ‘Great British Energy’ off the ground, crack down on failing water companies and bring rail operators into public ownership.For the latest political updates, follow The Independent’s live coverage“Rebuilding our country will not happen overnight,” said Sir Keir. “The challenges we face require determined, patient work and serious solutions, rather than the temptation of the easy answer.”“This King’s Speech sets out a clear destination for our country.”However, the speech left some disappointed as measures they expected – or hoped – would be offered didn’t make the cut. Here’s an overview of what was missing in the King’s Speech:Scrapping the two-child benefit capPressure has been mounting on Labour to scrap the two-child benefit cap since they came into power, with many hoping the new government would use this ceremony to accept demands.This was not the case, as the two-child benefit cap made no mention in the speech. Instead, the King introduced the Children’s Wellbeing Bill, which aims to raise standards in education and protect children.Latest figures show that around 1.6 million children are missing out on thousands of pounds a year due to the two-child benefit cap.Action for Children described the policy as “cruel” in the wake of the statistics, echoing the previous words of The Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby who said the measure is “neither moral nor necessary”.Responding to the King’s Speech, the Child Poverty Action Group said: “The new Government pledged an ambitious approach to tackling child poverty but there was little to help achieve that aim in the speech today.”“The two-child limit is the biggest driver of rising child poverty and teachers, struggling parents and even children themselves can testify to the harm the policy is causing to kids day in, day out”. “All eyes will now be on government’s first budget, which must commit to scrapping this policy. Delaying its abolition will harm many more young lives and undercut the government’s poverty-reduction plans”.Labour has not responded to calls to scrap the measure yet, insisting that public funds cannot allow it.The measures announced today will strengthen child protection, require free breakfast clubs at every primary school, and limit the number of branded items of clothing a school can require.Lowering the voting age to 16With Labour pledging to lower the voting age to 16 in their manifesto, many expected the King’s Speech to push through the plans – but the policy did not make an appearance.Instead, King Charles said the government will work to “encourage wide participation in the democratic process”.It was recently revealed that Sir Keir does not intend to bring in the new voting rules in time for the 2025 local elections, leading many to wonder what the timeframe is for giving votes to 16- and 17-year-olds.However, speaking to reporters about the reform, he had said: “You’ll have to wait for the King’s Speech for that.”“But I’ve got a number of priorities as we come into government and they are around my missions and economic growth is the number one.”It would seem those who expected to hear about the measure today will have to wait a little longer.Little new public spending or revenue raisingA key criticism lodged at Labour’s manifesto was its lack of spending measures. At £4.7 billion, it was the lowest of all major party manifestos – even the Conservative’s £17.7 billion.While the NHS did receive a mention from King Charles, it’s unlikely to alleviate fears that Labour’s plans could be relying on a source of income which is too unreliable. Labour’s headline NHS policy is reducing waiting times, but no new revenue raising measures made an appearance in the speech.And while chancellor Rachel Reeves has made clear her vision to prioritise economic growth and attract private investment to fund public services, some economists have called this method into question.Responding to Labour’s manifesto in June, Director of the respected IFS think tank Paul Johnson said the party’s spending plans were “trivial,” adding that there was no clear “plan for where the money would come from”.Renters’ reform – but no rent capsA crucial piece of leglisation brought forward in the King’s Speech today is Renters’ Rights Bill – a remixed version of the long-awaited Renters’ Reform Bill that previous government’s had not pushed over the line.It’s key measure is scrapping the controversial Section 21 ‘no-fault’ eviction notices which allow landlords to evict tenants from their properties without giving a reason.Labour bringing this bill back after the Conservatives dropped it ahead of the election will come as good news to renters’ rights activists. However, private rental costs have soared over the past few years – increasing 8.6 percent over the past 12 months while wages have only gone up 5.9 percent – with some saying more needs to be done.Tom Darling, Campaign Manager at the Renters’ Reform Coalition said Labour’s new bill is “welcome,” adding that the group is “concerned, however, that unaffordable rent increases will continue to be no-fault evictions for many renters”.“The Government should be warned that its welcome and ambitious vision for renters will come unstuck if it doesn’t have an answer to the affordability question.”While a recent report comissioned by Labour recommended introducing rent caps in England and Wales for those struggling to afford rates, the party has not adopted the measure as official policy. The new bill will likely form the bulk of their policy on renters for the next year. 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 ThomasEditorKing Charles III made his second ever King’s Speech today, marking the 2024 State Opening of Parliament.In it, he laid out Labour’s vision for the country, and the key legislation the government will begin working on in the coming months.The party came to power at the start of July, ending 14 years of Tory government. Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer has been keen to hit the ground running, bringing a slate of new bills which seek to change the direction of the country.“My government will be committed to uniting the country in our shared mission of national renewal,” the prime minister said, introducing the King’s Speech.For the latest political updates, follow The Independent’s live coverage“We will serve every person, regardless of how they voted, to fix the foundations of this nation for the long term. The era of politics as performance and self-interest above service is over.”There were a total of 39 bills included in the King’s Speech, with some likely to have big impacts on the life of UK citizens.Here’s the key bills confirmed today and what they could mean for you:Budget Responsibility BillThis was the first piece of legislation announced by the King today, a signal from Labour of their emphasis the mission of economic growth.The bill will introduce a ‘fiscal lock’ by requiring any major tax or spending changes to be subject to an independent assessment by the Office for Budget Responsibility.This is a policy that has long been floated by Labour, and was detailed in their manifesto. It is in line with chancellor Rachel Reeves vision of ‘securonomics’ which see economic growth and wealth creation prioritised with limited state intervention.Labour says the bill is designed “to ensure that the mistakes of Liz Truss ‘mini budget’ cannot be repeated.”Housebuilding and planning bill( 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 King Charles III travelled to the Houses of Parliament for the state opening with the new Labour government on Wednesday, 17 July.His Majesty was taken to the Palace of Westminster in the Irish State Coach before reading out Sir Keir Starmer’s pledges, which the party says will “take the brakes of Britain”, inside the House of Lords.The speech is written by the government and read out in a neutral tone by the monarch, allowing the winning party to outline its priorities for the next parliament.Wednesday was be the first Speech from the Throne under a Labour government for 14 years.It contained more than 35 bills and draft bills aimed at improving transport, creating jobs and accelerating the building of houses and infrastructure as the government seeks to turn round Britain’s recent cycle of low growth.Only 22 bills were put forward the last time there was a change of government in 2010.Charles delivered the speech, the second of his reign, at around 11.30am on Wednesday. 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 ThomasEditorKing Charles will make his second King’s Speech today to mark the State Opening of Parliament. This is when a new parliamentary year begins, giving the government the opportunity to set out its plans for the coming months.For the first time in almost 15 years, it will be for a Labour government that a monarch makes the speech. Kicking off at 11.30am on Wednesday, viewers can expect details of several bills that will spell out Sir Keir Starmer’s plans for his first year in government.One iconic ceremony the UK sees every year is Black Rod being sent from the Lords chamber to Commons to summon MPs for the King’s speech.Sarah Clarke was appointed Lady Usher of the Black Rod in 2017, and took up the role in 2018. She became the first female holder of the position in its 650-year history.For the latest political updates, follow The Independent’s live coverageBut what is the point of this historic post?Black Rod is a senior official in the House of Lords, who is responsible for maintaining order and organising ceremonial events within the Palace of Westminster.The name derives from the three and a half foot ebony staff that the post holder carries, which is topped with a golden lion to symbolise the power of the office.As the King’s representative in Parliament, Black Rod’s most high-profile ceremonial job is to summon MPs to listen to the King’s Speech in the Lords during the state opening of Parliament.In a symbol of the Commons’ independence from the monarch, the doors of the Chamber are slammed in Black Rod’s face before they strike the door three times with the ebony staff.MPs then follow Black Rod to the Lords, dawdling and talking loudly, to hear the monarch outline the Government’s legislative programme.As well as the ceremonial duties, Black Rod is responsible for organising access to and maintaining order within the Lords Chamber and the precincts, and is responsible for the King’s residual estate in the Palace and the Chapel of St Mary Undercroft.The earliest known reference to the role of Black Rod as the Usher to the Order of the Garter appears in letters in 1361. Walter Whitehorse is believed to have been the first person to hold the post, which 59 others have held since.David Leakey, a former army commander, has been in the post since 2010.The first reference to Black Rod in connection with Parliament comes in a Garter statute of 1522 which states that Black Rod has an additional duty to “keep the doors… in the High Court called Parliament”.It is thought that, when Henry VIII moved from the Palace of Westminster to the Palace of Whitehall, Black Rod – a member of the Royal Household, stayed behind to act as usher to the House of Lords.There are also Black Rods in the parliaments and legislative assemblies of Canada, Australia and New Zealand. 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 ThomasEditorDonald Trump’s choice for vice-president has provoked fury by describing the UK under Labour as an “Islamist country” with nuclear weapons.Author and Ohio senator JD Vance was announced as Mr Trump’s running mate on Monday, just two days after an attempt to assassinate the former president, who is challenging Joe Biden for the White House in November.Politicians from across the spectrum have condemned Mr Vance’s comments, with former Tory co-chair Sayeeda Warsi suggesting the special relationship between the UK and the US has “become no more than a racist joke”. Writing for The Independent, she added: “It bodes for really dangerous times ahead.”Labour MP Rosie Duffield said Mr Vance had made “obviously a pretty ignorant and racist comment”, while Green Party co-leader Carla Denyer said: “We need to call that out for what it is, it’s Islamophobic.”In a speech for the National Conservatism Conference in Washington DC, Mr Vance recounted a conversation with a friend.“I was talking about, you know: what is the first truly Islamist country that will get a nuclear weapon?” he said. “Maybe it is Iran, maybe Pakistan already kind of counts, and then we finally decided that it’s actually the UK – since Labour just took over.”Vance , the Ohio senator, was announced as Mr Trump’s running mate on Monday 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 Britain’s new Labour Party government campaigned on a promise to bring bold change at modest cost. Prime Minister Keir Starmer gets a chance to show how he aims to reconcile those two aims on Wednesday when the government announces its plans for the coming year.Starmer said the measures announced in the King’s Speech to Parliament would “take the brakes off Britain” and “create wealth for people up and down the country” by spurring economic growth.The King’s Speech is the centerpiece of the State Opening of Parliament, an occasion where royal pomp meets hard-nosed politics, as King Charles III dons a diamond-studded crown, sits on a gilded throne and announces the government’s legislative agenda.Starmer said the speech would be a “down payment on our plans for the next five years,” which center on getting the U.K.’s stuttering economy growing strongly.Labour won a landslide election victory on July 4 as voters turned on the Conservatives after years of high inflation, ethics scandals and a revolving door of prime ministers. Starmer has promised to patch up the country’s aging infrastructure and frayed public services, but says he won’t raise personal taxes and insists change must be bound by “unbreakable fiscal rules.”The government said Wednesday’s speech will include more than 35 bills – the Conservatives’ last speech had just 21 – ranging from housebuilding to nationalizing Britain’s railways and decarbonizing the nation’s power supply with a publicly owned green energy firm.“It looks like it’s going to be very ambitious and very wide-ranging,” said Jill Rutter, senior research fellow at the Institute for Government think tank.There will be moves to give more powers to local government, and a law to ensure all government budgets get advance independent scrutiny. Rutter called that the “anti- Liz Truss bill,” referring to the Conservative prime minister whose package of unfunded tax cuts in 2022 rocked the British economy and ended her brief term in office.Also expected are new measures to strengthen border security, following on from Starmer’s decision to scrap the Conservatives’ plan to send people arriving in the U.K. across the English Channel on a one-way trip to Rwanda. The contentious scheme faced multiple legal challenges and cost the U.K. several hundred million pounds (dollars), without a single flight taking off.There is also expected to be a law regulating the development of artificial intelligence, a possible break from the previous government’s light-touch approach to governing AI.The government may also announce significant changes to the U.K.’s political system, including lowering the voting age from 18 to 16, one of Labour’s election promises.It might even tackle an issue that has foxed previous governments: reforming the House of Lords. The unelected upper chamber of Parliament is packed with almost 800 members – largely lifetime political appointees, with a smattering of judges, bishops and hereditary aristocrats. Starmer has said he would like to remove the hereditary nobles and set a Lords retirement age of 80.While much of Starmer’s agenda marks a break with the defeated Conservative government of former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Starmer may revive Sunak’s plan to stop future generations from smoking by gradually raising the minimum age for buying tobacco.Wednesday’s address is the second such speech delivered by Charles since the death of his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, in September 2022. For all its royal trappings – including lords in ermine-trimmed robes and an official known as Black Rod — it is the King’s Speech in name only.“The king has zero agency in this,” Rutter said. 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 ThomasEditorFormer prime minister Boris Johnson has claimed that Donald Trump “will be strong and decisive” in his support of Ukraine and in “defending democracy”.The Conservative ex-premier was in Washington this week to attend the Republican National Conference in Milwaukee, where Mr Trump was named the party’s official candidate in the upcoming US presidential elections.After a photograph circulated showing him giving a speech to a near-empty room at the conference on Tuesday, Mr Johnson later shared an image of himself meeting with Mr Trump, just days after the ex-president survived an assassination attempt at a rally in Pennsylvania.“Great to meet President Trump who is on top form after the shameful attempt on his life,” wrote the former PM. “We discussed Ukraine and I have no doubt that he will be strong and decisive in supporting that country and defending democracy.”Mr Johnson’s government was viewed in Ukraine as having been a staunch ally in its existential fight against Russia, after Vladimir Putin launched his invasion in February 2022.Mr Johnson was ousted by his own party five months later over a series of domestic political scandals.But his buoyant remarks run in stark contrast to alarm that has been raised over the potential impact of a second Trump presidency on vital military aid for Ukraine in its war against Russia, which intensified on Monday as he announced isolationist senator JD Vance as his pick for vice-president.One senior EU official told Politico on Monday that the appointment of Mr Vance was a “disaster” for Ukraine, as a former senior British defence official told Sky News they feared a Trump-Vance White House would lead to the “immediate termination of all financial and military aid for Ukraine”.Mr Vance, who came to prominence with his 2016 memoirHillbilly Elegy, was one of the biggest opponents of sending more money to support Ukraine, insisting that Washington does not have the financial or manufacturing capabilities needed to sustain Kyiv in its defence against Moscow’s full-scale invasion.Donald Trump has chosen JD Vance as his prospective pick for vice president More