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 moreCloseKeir Starmer has been warned that he must prioritise attempts to reset Britain’s relationship with the EU and unpick the trade barriers created by leaving if he wants to offset the impact of the tariffs Donald Trump has threatened to impose.With Mr Trump re-elected to the White House and intending to impose protectionist tariffs to protect sectors of the US economy, there are fears that not only will the policy wipeout the UK’s hopes for economic growth but could see the economy shrinking.Foreign secretary David Lammy, who has attempted to dismiss any ill feeling he may have created between the Labour government and Trump White House with his historic tweets calling the president-elect a “neo Nazi”, has also warned against US trade tariffs.Mr Lammy told the BBC’s Newscast: “We will seek to ensure and to get across to the United States – and I believe that they would understand this – that hurting your closest allies cannot be in your medium or long-term interests, whatever the pursuit of public policy in relation to some of the problems posed by China.”Trump could impose tariffs (Niall Carson/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 moreCloseKeir Starmer has been warned a trade deal with Donald Trump risks selling out farmers already infuriated by his ‘tractor tax’.When he was last in office the new president enthusiastically embraced the idea of a post-Brexit free trade deal with the UK, but US sources have always made clear it would have to include agriculture – a key sticking point given controversial US farming methods including washing chicken in chlorine. Former Labour shadow chancellor Ed Balls said that to clinch the deal, Sir Keir would have to be willing to say to British farmers “you’re gonna have to pay a price” at a time when they are already furious with the government. On Wednesday Rachel Reeves rejected an alternative proposal to her inheritance tax raid on family farms, which farmers have dubbed “cruel” and warned will spell the end of their industry.Prime minister Keir Starmer (L) and Donald Trump after assassination attempt (R) 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 moreCloseAndy Burnham has hit out at Donald Trump as Labour’s divisions over his return to the White House become increasingly public.Sir Keir Starmer has already been warned not to roll out the red carpet for Mr Trump in the UK, as the government attempts to build bridges with the president-elect.Sir Keir sent his “hearty” congratulations on Wednesday, in a move seen as designed to smooth tensions after the Trump campaign accused Labour of interfering in the election in a row over activists campaigning for the Democrats.The foreign secretary David Lammy was also forced to try to dampen speculation of a rift with Mr Trump, after his comments branding the president-elect “a racist KKK and Nazi sympathiser” resurfaced. Asked about the result, Mr Burnham spoke of his “concerns” and said his city “won’t compromise our principles”. Labour mayor Andy Burnham struck a different tone to Keir Starmer 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 moreCloseKemi Badenoch has cut into Keir Starmer’s poll lead in her first week as Conservative Party leader, closing the gap by two points.The Techne UK weekly tracker poll for The Independent has revealed in the week since she took over from Rishi Sunak, Ms Badenoch has increased the Conservative support by one point to 25 per cent while Labour has fallen a point to 29 per cent reducing the gap from six points to four.It comes in a difficult week for Sir Keir’s government with continued anger over the £40 billion of tax rises in the Budget particularly the farm land inheritance tax raid and increase in employer contributions to national insurance.Badenoch made a strong start 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.CloseRead moreCloseDavid Lammy has moved to dampen down speculation of a rift with Donald Trump after his comments branding the president-elect “a racist KKK and Nazi sympathiser” resurfaced.In an article in 2018 the now foreign secretary wrote about Mr Trump’s first official visit to the UK and described him as a “tyrant” and “a woman-hating, neo-Nazi-sympathising sociopath”.However, in his first interview since the president-elect’s victory he told the BBC Newcast podcast that Mr Trump’s campaign was “very well run”, adding: “I felt in my bones that there could be a Trump presidency.”David Lammy had called Donald Trump a ‘tyrant in a toupee’ 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 moreCloseSir Keir Starmer and fellow European leaders have urged Donald Trump to stand up to the “bully” Vladimir Putin as they digest the potential consequences of the historic Republican election victory in the US.Volodymyr Zelensky made a desperate appeal at the European Political Community (EPC) summit in Budapest for leaders to continue their support for Ukraine in its war with Russia amid fears that Mr Trump will try to force a deal involving concessions.It came as Sir Keir faces increasing pressure to prioritise a new post-Brexit defence pact with the EU, with concerns growing that Mr Trump may also dilute support for Nato and focus US military objectives elsewhere.President-elect Trump is looking to end the war in Ukraine 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 moreCloseHS2 Ltd is spending more than £100m building a “shed” for bats despite there being “no evidence” that high-speed trains interfere with the protected species, the chair of the government-owned company said.Sir Jon Thompson told a rail industry conference that a bat protection structure is being built in Buckinghamshire to appease government adviser Natural England, as all bats are legally protected in the UK.“We call it a shed. This shed, you’re not going to believe this, cost more than £100m to protect the bats in this wood,” he said. The saga is an example of the UK’s “genuine problem” with completing major infrastructure projects, the HS2 chief told the Rail Industry Association’s annual conference in London.Ministers revealed they could not confirm whether the HS2 project was £10bn or £20bn over budget 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 moreCloseWhen Donald Trump sets off on his first tour of the world’s capitals, his itinerary is likely to be a roll call of famous cities: Berlin, Moscow, Kyiv, Rome, London perhaps.But as Air Force One dots the globe, anyone who suggests that the unfashionable Essex resort of Clacton-on-Sea might be tacked on to the list will not be taken seriously.It has echoes of the slogan on Del Trotter’s battered yellow Reliant Robin in Only Fools and Horses: “Trotters Independent Trading: New York, Paris, Peckham”.But don’t laugh: there are those in Nigel Farage’s circle who believe it might actually happen.Trump with Farage at the Trump Turnberry course in South Ayrshire in May 2023 More