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 more A hard-right British politician has been charged with accepting bribes to make favorable statements about Russia in the European Parliament.Nathan Gill, 51, appeared in a London court on Monday. He did not enter a plea to eight counts of bribery and one count of conspiracy to commit bribery.Prosecutors say Gill, a former member of the European Union legislature who also led the Reform U.K. party in Wales, was tasked by former Ukrainian politician Oleg Voloshyn on at least eight occasions to make statements in return for money.Prosecution lawyer Richard Link said Gill made statements in the European Parliament and in opinion pieces to news outlets which were “supportive of a particular narrative” which would “benefit Russia regarding events in Ukraine.”The offenses are alleged to have taken place between 2018 and 2020. Gill was stopped at Manchester Airport on Sept. 13, 2021 under British counterterrorism laws, and after an investigation was charged last week.Gill spoke only to confirm his name, birthdate and address when he appeared by video link Monday at Westminster Magistrates’ Court. He was released on bail until his next court appearance on March 14.Gill was elected to the European Parliament in 2014 for the anti-EU U.K. Independence Party, and later represented the Brexit Party. He remained in the legislature until Britain left the European Union in 2020.He led the Welsh branch of the Brexit Party’s successor Reform U.K. during 2021 elections in Wales but is no longer a member, the party 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 moreBoris Johnson has claimed Ukraine is just “days away” from signing a deal to cede control of its rare earth minerals to the US as part of a process to end the war with Russia. The former prime minister on Monday said he “remains convinced that Ukraine will have a great future as a free sovereign and independent nation”.Mr Johnson, who is in Kyiv for the third anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, said the deal was “a very interesting development” which would commit the US to future financing of Ukraine and ensure the country remains a free and sovereign nation. Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky has previously rejected the deal, thought to be worth around $500 billion (£400 billion), and said on Sunday he would not “sign something that 10 generations of Ukrainians will have to repay”. Boris Johnson said he is convinced Ukraine has a ‘great future’ as a free nation 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 moreBoris Johnson abruptly ended a live interview in Kyiv on Good Morning Britain on Monday. Speaking from the Ukrainian capital three years after Russia’s invasion, the former PM said he believed a minerals agreement between the US and Ukraine was close to being signed – before then abruptly ending the interview. Pressed on how he thought world leaders should communicate with Mr Trump, Mr Johnson said: “You have to keep knocking the ball back over the net. I mean this is crazy stuff… but you’ve got to look at what is actually being proposed. “When you look at the potential of the [minerals] agreement – I think that it’s positive for Ukraine”. He then said: “I’ve got to go”, before removing his equipment in a hurry on camera and walking out of shot. Mr Johnson’s comments came after Mike Waltz claimed Ukraine will sign an agreement to cede control of much of its rare earth minerals to the US. 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 failed to rule out Russia returning to the G7 group of nations on the third anniversary of Vladimir Putin’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine. His security minister Dan Jarvis said it was “a matter to be discussed with international allies” when he was pressed on whether the country should be allowed back into the group. “And that is a matter that no doubt will be considered at the point at which the conflict in Ukraine has been concluded. And we need to get to that point as quickly as we possibly can,” Mr Jarvis told Times Radio. Security minister Dan Jarvis said Russia’s readmission to the G7 was ‘a matter to be discussed with international allies’ 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 a “very tough hand” to play when he meets Donald Trump in the White House this week, former US secretary of state John Kerry has warned. The prime minister is meeting the US president on Thursday to discuss the war in Ukraine and is set to promise Britain and Europe will play a greater role in their own defence. Ahead of the meeting, Mr Kerry, who served as Barack Obama’s secretary of state, said: “I like Keir, I think he’s a bright guy. But he’s got a very tough hand.”With the PM expected to highlight Labour’s plans to boost Britain’s defence budget from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of GDP, Mr Kerry highlighted the “tough choices” facing Sir Keir in terms of spending elsewhere. But, asked what advice he would give Sir Keir, Mr Kerry told The Telegraph: “He knows what he’s doing.” John Kerry warned Sir Keir Starmer has ‘a very tough hand’ ahead of his meeting with Donald Trump 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 moreKemi Badenoch has threatened to withdraw support for the BBC licence fee in a lurch to the right as her party continues to leak support to Reform UK.In a letter to director general Tim Davie she claimed that the final straw was the broadcaster airing a documentary featuring the son of man who worked as a deputy agriculture minister for Hamas.Accusing the broadcaster of bias, she demanded a full investigation into the BBC2 programme Gaza: How to Survive a Warzone, questioning whether it may have led to cash being given to Hamas.The BBC has taken the show off iPlayer amid “continuing questions raised” that have led to a talks with the production company.In her letter to Mr Davie, Ms Badenoch wrote: “The BBC must recognise how serious these allegations are for its public standing.“The BBC’s Middle East coverage is widely regarded as unreliable. The Conservative Party has supported the BBC in government, including through the current charter, which will end in 2027.“I cannot see how my party could support the continuation of the current licence fee-based system without serious action by the BBC management to prove the organisation is committed to true impartiality.”Her comments are a step up from Boris Johnson in 2019, who said the party is “looking at” abolishing the TV licence, calling into question its status as a publicly funded broadcaster. Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch said she is concerned money could have been provided to Hamas as part of the programme 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 is travelling to Washington this week armed with a plan to boost Britain’s defence spending, which he hopes will help the UK avoid any conflict with US president Donald Trump. The prime minister is expected to outline plans for Britain to spend 2.5 per cent of its GDP on defence, up from 2.3 per cent currently. It comes amid calls from Mr Trump for Nato countries to significantly bolster their armed forces as he seeks to negotiate an end to Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine. Why is defence spending being increased? Sir Keir has faced flak from the left of the Labour Party for prioritising a boost for Britain’s armed forces over spending on public services or tackling child poverty. Keir Starmer is expected to outline plans to hike Britain’s defence 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.Read moreSir Keir Starmer can make history at his meeting with Donald Trump this week – but only if he shows Churchillian strength and stands up for Britain and Europe.That is the message of the UK’s leading political biographer Sir Anthony Seldon on the eve of the Prime Minister’s trip to Washington on Thursday.Sir Anthony said Sir Keir’s visit could be his “finest hour”, a reference to Winston Churchill’s famous speech in 1940 when he rallied the nation to defy Hitler.Sir Keir must pledge to go even further than he has already in ordering a major increase in Britain’s defence spending – as demanded by president Trump.But he must also promise to end the ‘”feebleness” of Europe and show it is powerful enough to be a “challenge and threat” to both America and Russia.Sir Keir Starmer meets Donald Trump in the US next week where he is expected to present plans to hike Britain’s defence budget amid negotiations to end the war in Ukraine More