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 ThomasEditorLabour’s animal-welfare and environmental policies may be better than the Tories’ – but they contain disappointing gaps, experts say.In a YouGov poll last year, a third of voters said animal welfare was one of their top three issues.So new environment secretary Steve Reed will come under pressure from lobby groups – and in some cases, from opposing countryside and farming factions.Nature-restoration pledges hold promise but nature-friendly farming should be encouraged, say experts 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 ThomasEditorThe UK parliament and the US Congress are set to work more closely to combat threats to frontline politicians in the wake of the attempted assassination of Donald Trump.The Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle is to write to his American counterpart stressing the importance of sharing expertise on security measures, The Independent has learned.It comes as the shooting at a campaign rally led to concerns about the safety of MPs and the risk of political violence in the UK.A bloodied Mr Trump was rushed from the stage to a hospital after the attempt on his life and later said that a bullet had “pierced” his ear.The gunman was killed at the scene.Kim Leadbeater, the sister of murdered MP Jo Cox, said the attack on Mr Trump raised questions about “what a civilised democracy looks like”.The Labour MP for Spen Valley told BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: “We are back again having that conversation about what democracy looks like, what our politics looks like. I sadly feel that we are not making a huge amount of progress in this country.”House of Commons leader Lucy Powell also said that there was a “growing sense of … hate and attacks” towards UK politicians which was “something that we need to take action on”.The government’s adviser on political violence has also called on the home secretary to investigate a “dark underbelly” of abuse and intimidation of candidates during the general election.John Woodcock, a former Labour MP, who now sits in the House of Lords as Baron Walney, also suggested there could have been a “concerted campaign by extremists”.Just hours before the attempt on Mr Trump’s life, the Commons speaker warned that the safety of MPs keeps him “awake at night”.Sir Lindsay Hoyle said threats and intimidation towards parliamentarians were currently at such a level that he had “never seen anything as bad”.The security of MPs was tightened after Sir David Amess was stabbed more than 20 times during a constituency surgery in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex nearly three years ago. He was the second MP murdered in recent years, after Ms Cox was killed in her constituency in 2016.A spokesperson for the speaker said: “Mr Speaker will be writing to the former president to express condolences.”They added that he would also be writing to “the current US Speaker of the House – who is also a G7 counterpart – to reiterate the importance of sharing expertise regarding security measures for those in frontline politics”.Earlier Ms Cox’s widower, Brendan Cox, called for a “consensus against political violence in all forms”.Jo Cox’s widower Brendan Cox called for a consensus against all political violence 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 ThomasEditorThe government’s adviser on political violence has called on the home secretary to investigate a “dark underbelly” of abuse and intimidation of candidates during the general election.John Woodcock, a former Labour MP, who now sits in the House of Lords as Baron Walney, also suggested there could have been a “concerted campaign by extremists”.He has urged Yvette Cooper to commission an inquiry.His call comes just days after the Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle said: “If there is something that keeps me awake at night, it is the safety of MPs.”Police secure the entrance for Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and wife Victoria to arrive at a polling station 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 ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer has described Labour’s work as “urgent” as he tries to pack 35 new bills into the King’s Speech next week.The new laws will hand greater powers to local leaders and the economic watchdog with economic growth the keystone of its agenda, the Government has said.The prime minister described the measures, announced on Wednesday, as “the down payment” on the change his Government is seeking to deliver.The strengthening of the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR), which was outlined in Labour’s manifesto, is designed to ensure “nobody can play fast and loose with the public finances ever again”, Downing Street said.Ahead of the speech, which will be delivered by the King as part of the State Opening of Parliament, Sir Keir said: “Our work is urgent. There is no time to waste.“We are hitting the ground running by bringing forward the laws we will need to rebuild our country for the long-term – and our ambitious, fully costed agenda is the down payment on that change.“From energy, to planning, to unbreakable fiscal rules, my government is serious about delivering the stability that is going to turbo-charge growth that will create wealth in every corner of the UK.“The task of national renewal will not be easy, and this is just the down payment on our plans for the next five years, but the legislation set out at the King’s Speech will build on the momentum of our first days in office and make a difference to the lives of working people.”The Prime Minister signalled that Whitehall’s grip over big cities and regions would be loosened as he used his first week in office to meet metro mayors and representatives from the devolved nations.Meanwhile, legislation to enact policies such as Labour’s national wealth fund and a new “mission control” tasked with turbo-charging the UK to clean power by 2030 will also feature in the package.Sir Keir has said such decisions are key to boosting growth, which he has made the central pillar of the changes he wants his new administration to deliver.Measures to boost housebuilding and infrastructure, improve transport and create more jobs will also be included, Number 10 said.The Sunday Times newspaper has reported the speech will include a law to create a national register of children going absent from school.A duty on councils to keep the register is aimed at preventing children from becoming a “lost generation” of pupils following the pandemic, the newspaper says.Sir Keir would not be drawn into saying whether his plans to extend the voting franchise to 16 and 17-year-olds will be in the speech, only telling reporters that “everything will be focused” on economic growth when asked.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets US President Joe Biden at the White House 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 ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer has called on Europe to tackle “vile” trafficking gangs and do more to support Ukraine, warning we cannot be “spectators in this chapter of history”.Ahead of his first major European summit as prime minister, Sir Keir promised to change the way the United Kingdom engages with Europe post-Brexit and Conservative rule.Rishi Sunak had announced that the UK will host European Political Community summit at Blenheim Palace, Sir Winston Churchill’s former residence, with more than 45 leaders to attend on Thursday.Migration, energy and “defending and securing democracy” high on the agenda, according to Number 10.Blenheim Palace will host the fourth European Political Community Summit (Steve Parsons/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 ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer has admitted that 16 and 17-year-olds in England hoping to get the vote in next year’s local elections will be forced to wait.The Labour leader had made reducing the voting age in England to 16 a key promise in his manifesto amid claims by Tories that he as trying to rig future elections and bring politics to the classroom.But with elections next year in 21 English councils as well as the new regional mayors of Hull and East Yorkshire, and Greater Lincolnshire, Sir Keir has admitted he is not in a hurry to change the rules.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer set to disappoint 16-year-olds next year (Alastair Grant/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 ThomasEditorKeir Starmer knew that his first post summit press conference as prime minister was always going to be an important moment.After a good solid first international outing since the election victory where he had been warmly welcomed by fellow world leaders at Nato, Starmer needed to cap off his trip to Washington DC with an equally good, solid performance at the microphone in front of journalists.Few people appreciate how much preparation goes into what often appear to be perfunctory occasions but on the plane home Starmer shared with journalists that in between a succession of bilaterals and Nato council meetings, he had prepared for what he and his team had prepared for all possible questions.It all seemed straight forward and then of course, as often happens, the unexpected happened.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer meets US President Joe Biden at the White House (Stefan Rousseau/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 ThomasEditorSir Mohamed Mansour, the senior treasurer of the Conservative Party, announced on Saturday he was resigning from his post 10 days after Rishi Sunak’s election defeat.The Egyptian-born billionaire had donated £5m to the party and been a key player in raising other funds. His donation was the biggest for the Conservatives since 2001.He told The Independent: “I have been honoured to serve my country and party since December 2022 and it has been a privilege to do so.“Rishi Sunak has announced his intention to depart as party leader, and it makes sense for me to also step down at this time. A new leadership team will bring fresh talent and thinking to the task ahead: guiding the party on its path of renewal.”It adds to the growing list of vacancies for the Tories as they seek a new leader in the aftermath of the worst electoral defeat in its history. Key to their future after selecting an MP to lead them in opposition will be the need to refill their coffers.Mansour was given  a knighthood by Sunak in a surprise honours list in March last year alongside Demis Hassabis, founder of artificial intelligence company DeepMind, and by film-making couple Christopher Nolan and Emma Thomas, who received a knighthood and a damehood. American businessman Ted Sarandos, the co-chief of Netflix, was also given an honorary knighthood.The 76-year-old billionaire is a naturalised British citizen who has donated to many charitable causes including the King’s Foundation and a memorial for the victims of Covid. His knighthood was awarded for services to “business, charity and political service”.Mr Mansour has previously spoken about the Prime Minister in glowing terms and has said he “understands how growth is generated in the modern economy”.He also served from 2006 to 2009 as a transport minister in Egypt under Hosni Mubarak, the late president who quit office during the 2011 Arab Spring. Mansour resigned to return to business life. He famously went from rags to riches, twice losing his fortune due to nationalisation by Egypt and also Sudan, each time rebuilding.Mubarak, who died in 2020, was considered an autocrat and was accused of maintaining his grip on office by cracking down on political opposition and stifling free speech.Mansour will continue to support the Tory party but not as an active member of party’s executive.He is also one of the biggest investors in football in the US on the brink buying a Major League Soccer franchise for a record $500m (£400m). The new franchise, based in San Diego, California, is the sixth biggest football deal in the world, behind Chelsea, AC Milan and Manchester United, but more than the £305m Saudi takeover of Newcastle in 2022.He is expected to create the club from scratch by recruiting a full set of players, staff and an academy, which sources suggest could add an extra $200m to the bill. More