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 refused to guarantee any of his top team a job in his new cabinet as Labour appears to be closing in on victory.The Labour leader was pressed on the issue in his final broadcast interview with the BBC’s political editor Chris Mason as he toured the key battleground seats in the midlands.Mr Mason pressed Sir Keir: “People deserve to know who might be running some of the big aspects of the state come Friday, if you are to win. Will the senior figures in your shadow cabinet to take those respective roles in government if you do win?Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves (Stefan Rousseau/PA) More

Sunak on FarageSupport 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 ThomasEditorParties have begun a 48-hour blitz in constituencies across the country as they make their final appeals to voters ahead of polling day.Rishi Sunak began Tuesday visiting businesses in Oxfordshire, insisting predictions of a heavy Tory defeat were not going to stop him from continuing his fight to remain in No 10.Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer is campaigning across the Midlands. The Labour leader has urged Mr Sunak to meet Royal Mail bosses “in the next hour or two” to fix the ongoing postal vote chaos. It comes as Post Office minister Kevin Hollinrake announced the delays to postal vote delivery are being “urgently investigated” and criticised Royal Mail for failing to deliver ballot packs on time. But Royal Mail, who is also conducting sweeps of their delivery system on polling day, said there is “no backlog” and blamed stakeholders instead. Scotland’s First Minister John Swinney and SNP’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn warned some Scots could be “disenfranchised” if their postal votes cannot be filled out and returned on time.Show latest update 1719931941Starmer refuses to name new Labour cabinet if he wins electionSir Keir Starmer has refused to name his cabinet if he wins the General Election on Thursday and speculated “plenty of constituencies” could come down to “just a few hundred votes”.The Labour leader told the BBC: “I’m not going to get ahead of myself and announce, say, cabinet or possible cabinet.”He added: “To do so two days before the election, to do so would to be complacent – and you would never expect a leader to do that.”( 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 general election is only a few days away and the polls suggest Labour will be in a position to form a government on 5 July.As well as bringing a fresh intake of MPs, a Labour victory would mean a new cabinet running the country with Sir Keir Starmer. The cabinet is made up of about 20 senior ministers, each appointed by the prime minister and most with their own department.Although there may be minor changes, the cabinet is likely to be comprised in line with the current shadow cabinet.For the latest political updates, follow The Independent’s live coverageOn top of the standard £91,346 that all MPs receive, cabinet ministers can be paid up to £67,505 in addition. Senior ministers oversee departments and often other MPs holding junior minister positions.Here’s your guide to all the politicians that would be likely to make up the new cabinet if Labour secures victory on 5 July:Here’s all the likely cabinet ministers in a Labour government at a glance:Sir Keir Starmer, Prime MinisterAngela Rayner, Deputy Prime MinisterRachel Reeves, Chancellor of the ExchequerBridget Phillipson, Education SecretaryYvette Cooper, Home SecretaryWes Streeting, Health SecretaryEd Miliband, Secretary of State for Energy Security and Net ZeroDavid Lammy, Foreign SecretaryPat McFadden, Chancellor of the Duchy of LancasterShabana Mahmood, Justice SecretaryJonathan Reynolds, Business SecretaryLiz Kendall, Work and Pensions SecretaryJohn Healey, Defence SecretaryLouise Haigh, Transport SecretaryThangam Debbonaire, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and SportAnneliese Dodds, Women and Equalities SecretarySteve Reed, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural AffairsPeter Kyle, Secretary of State for Science, Innovation and TechnologyHilary Benn, Northern Ireland SecretaryIan Murray, Scotland SecretaryJo Stevens, Wales Secretary 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 ThomasEditorClacton is expected to receive an official visit by a US president if Nigel Farage pulls off victory on Thursday and his friend Donald Trump retakes the White House in November, Reform campaigners have been told.With Mr Farage now the odds on favourite to win the seaside town against defending Tory MP Giles Watling his supporters are already beginning to look ahead to what will follow.With the election of an international celebrity politician, Reform campaigners in Clacton have been told that Trump will visit if he is reelected against an increasingly tired looking Joe Biden.Mr Trump’s love for golf may mean that Clacton Golf Club with its 18-hole links course, 10-acre practice field, putting and chipping areas and clubhouse with bar may need to prepare for an unusual guest.Nigel Farage has claimed former US president Donald Trump “learned quite a lot from me” 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 ThomasEditorMillions of voters in Britain are going to the polls on Thursday July 4 to choose a new Prime Minister and a new government. Voters will elect 650 MPs representing as many constituencies, or local areas, and the leader of the party that returns the most lawmakers will become prime minister. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Conservatives are widely expected to lose to the main opposition party, the left-of-center Labour, after 14 years in power under five different prime ministers.The Conservatives and Labour traditionally dominate British politics under the U.K.’s “first past the post” electoral system, which makes it difficult for smaller parties to win representation in Parliament. But also in the running are the Liberal Democrats, Reform UK, the Scottish National Party and the Greens, among others.Here’s a look at the parties, who’s leading them and what they are promising:Who is the Conservative leader?Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, 44, is the leader of the Conservative party.Sunak came to power in October 2022 when he inherited a Conservative Party and an economy in turmoil after Liz Truss’s short-lived premiership. The Oxford graduate and former Goldman Sachs hedge fund manager is Britain’s first leader of color and the first Hindu to become prime minister. Sunak has stressed he is the man who steadied the ship, but critics say he lacks political judgement and is out of touch with ordinary voters.How many seats did they win in the last election? 365What are they promising? Delivering a stronger economy and cutting taxes by some 17 billion pounds per year. Increasing public health spending above inflation, and boosting defense spending to 2.5% of GDP by 2030. The party says this will be paid for by savings on tax evasion and slashing welfare spending. The party also pledges to cap immigration numbers and remove some asylum-seekers to Rwanda. Who is the Labour leader?Keir Starmer, a 61-year-old lawyer, is the leader of the Labour party. Starmer is a former chief prosecutor for England and Wales and the current favorite to be Britain’s next leader. A centrist and pragmatist, Starmer has worked hard to steer his party away from the more overtly socialist policies of former leader Jeremy Corbyn and quelled internal divisions. Critics call him unexciting and unambitious, but Labour has surged in popularity under his leadership.How many seats did they win in the last election? 202What are they promising? Promoting “wealth creation,” encouraging investment and improving Britain’s infrastructure like railways under a 10-year infrastructure strategy. Setting up a state-owned clean power company to boost energy security, paid for by a windfall tax on oil and gas giants. Taxing private schools to pay for thousands of new teachers in state schools. Cutting record-high public health waiting times. Who is the Liberal Democrat’s leader?Ed Davey, 58, is the leader of the Liberal Democrat party.Davey was first elected to Parliament in 1997. The former economics researcher served as the government’s energy and climate change secretary under an uneasy Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition from 2012 to 2015. Davey became leader of the left-of-center Lib Dems in 2019 and was not a household name until this election, when he made headlines with multiple zany stunts — including bungee-jumping to urge voters to take “a leap of faith.”How many seats did they win in the last election? 11What are they promising? Improving Britain’s overstretched health and social care systems, including introducing free nursing care at home. Investing in renewable energy and home insulation. Clamping down on sewage-dumping water companies. Lowering the voting age to 16. Rejoining the European Union’s single market.Who is Reform UK’s leader?Nigel Farage, 60, is the leader of the Reform UK party.Farage, a political firebrand who takes pride in being the disruptor in British politics, has posed a serious headache to the Conservatives since he announced he is running in the election. The populist has long divided opinion with his anti-migrant rhetoric and Euroskeptic stance. A key proponent of Brexit, Farage is capturing many disillusioned Conservative voters with his promises to cut immigration and focus on “British values.” Farage previously ran for Parliament seven times but never won.How many seats did they win in the last election? None — though the party gained its first MP this year when ex-Conservative Party deputy chair Lee Anderson defected to Reform. What are they promising? Freezing all “nonessential immigration” and barring international students from bringing their dependents with them. Leaving the European Convention on Human Rights so that asylum-seekers can be deported without interventions from rights courts. Scrapping “net zero” goals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in order to bring down energy bills. Who is the SNP leader?John Swinney, 60, is the leader of the SNP party.Swinney became the SNP’s third leader in just over a year in May. The politician has sought to bring stability to the party, which has been in turmoil since Scotland’s long-serving First Minister Nicola Sturgeon abruptly stepped down last year during a campaign finance investigation that eventually led to criminal charges against her husband. Swinney has long served the party: he joined its ranks at 15 years old, and previously led the party from 2000 to 2004. How many seats did they win in the last election? 48What are they promising? Swinney has said that if his party wins a majority of seats in Scotland he will try to open Scottish independence negotiations with the London-based U.K. government. He wants to rejoin the European Union and the European single market. He also called for boosting public health funding, scrapping the U.K.’s Scotland-based nuclear deterrent, and an immediate cease-fire in Gaza.Who are the Green party leaders?Carla Denyer and Adrian Ramsay are co-leaders of the Green party.Denyer, a mechanical engineer, worked in wind energy before she joined the Greens in 2011. The 38-year-old served as a local politician for the southwestern English city of Bristol for nine years. In 2021 she was elected co-leader of the Greens along with Ramsay, also a local government politician who has experience working with environmental charities. How many seats did they win in the last election? 1What are they promising? Phasing out nuclear power and getting the U.K. to net zero by 2040. The Greens have pledged 24 billion pounds a year to insulate homes and 40 billion pounds a year invested in the green economy, to be paid for by a carbon tax, a new wealth tax on the very rich and an income tax hike for millions of higher earners. 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 ThomasEditorWith the July 4 general election nearly just days away, all major parties have released their manifestos setting out their vision for the country’s future.The policies within these documents explain what each party would aim to achieve during their time in power, should they successfully secure a parliamentary majority.For all the latest updates ahead of the general election, follow The Independent’s live coverageWhile it’s very unlikely any party but Labour or the Conservatives will form the new government in July, other parties’ manifestos offer an insight into the principles their members hold, and will hold the prevailing government to account on if they secure any MPs.With each manifesto coming in at hundreds of pages, it can be hard to sift through to the important bits, so here’s a handy guide to where all the major parties stand on the key areas:ConservativesIncrease NHS spending above inflation every yearLong-term workforce plan: 92,000 new nurses, 28,000 more doctors by the end of next parliamentInvesting £8.6bn into social care system, reaching a funding settlement with local authoritiesSticking to 2019 plan of 40 new hospitals by 2030 (despite concerns from the National Audit Office)Expand Pharmacy First, build or modernise 250 GPs, build 50 more Community Diagnostic CentresLabourReduce waiting time for non-urgent treatment to no longer than 18 weeks from referral40,000 more appointments a week by incentivising out-of-hours working and shared waiting lists between practicesUse ‘spare capacity’ in the private sector to reduce waiting times (in the short-term)8,500 more mental health staffDouble the number of CT and MRI scanners for cancer preventionIntroduce Neighbourhood Health Service and give pharmacists independent prescribing rightsLib DemsGive patients the right to see a GP within 7 days, or 24 hours if urgentRecruit 8,000 new GPsBring in mental health hubs for young people, with check-ups offered at key points in lifeCancer treatment to be guaranteed no more than 62 days after referralGive pharmacists independent prescribing rightsSupport carers with wages at least £2 above the minimum, and free personal care for adultsGreensSteadily reduce waiting lists and grant rapid access to a GP (same day if urgent)Guaranteed access to an NHS dentistBoost NHS staff pay immediatelyRestrict the role of commercial companies in the NHSMove towards a legal and regulated drug marketMake mental health and equal priority to physical health: guaranteed free therapy within 28 daysReformNo tax on frontline NHS staff for first three yearsUse independent healthcare capacity to supplement NHS services20 per cent tax relief on all private healthcare and insuranceNHS patients to receive voucher for private treatment if they can’t see a GP within three daysSet up an ‘excess deaths and vaccine harms’ Covid inquiryTax and economyConservativesAnother 2p cut to national insurance (halving it to 6p from 12p at the start of the year)No increase to personal taxes like income tax or VAT Maintain corporation tax at 25 per cent and back businesses to trade and invest in the UKReduce borrowing and debtAbolish main rate of national insurance for self-employed workersLabourNo increases to taxes like income tax, VAT or national insuranceImplement new strict fiscal rules guided by ‘securonomics,’ strengthen the role of the OBRCreate ‘sustained economic growth’ by being the party of ‘wealth creation’Close non-dom tax loopholes and tackle tax avoidanceIntroduce VAT and business rates to private schoolsWindfall tax on oil and gas giantsLib DemsCut income tax by increasing the tax-free personal allowance (frozen since 2022)Reform capital gains tax to make it ‘fairer’ by introducing three rates, similar to income tax, and raising allowanceReverse Conservative ‘tax cuts’ for big banksImplement a one-off windfall tax on ‘super-profits’ of oil and gas companiesProtect the independence of the Bank of England and OBRFix ‘broken relationship’ with Europe to improve trade opportunitiesGreensNo increase to basic rate of income tax during cost of living crisis75 per cent windfall tax on banksIntroduce a ‘wealth tax’: assets over £10 million taxed at 1 per cent; assets over £1 billion at 2 per centReform capital gains by bringing rates in line with income tax, scrap the upper limit of national insurance taxInvest £40bn into the “green economic transformation,” through combined revenue-raising measuresOnly party backing full nationalisation of public utilitiesReformLift income tax allowance to £20k (and higher rate to £70k)Lower fuel duty by 20p per litreReduce stamp duty to 0 per cent below £750k (up from the current £250k)Bring corporation tax down to 15 per cent within three yearsImmigrationConservativeGet Rwanda scheme off the ground as soon as possibleIntroduce a legal cap on migrationIncrease visa feesCut migration by half and then reduce every year of next parliamentLabourReduce migration by training more UK workers to fill employment gapsBan employers from recruiting from overseas as defaultAbolish the non-dom status immediately (curbing transitional measures)Bring in 1,000 more staff dedicated to returning asylum seekers with rejected applicationsCancel the Rwanda policyLib DemsScrap the Rwanda scheme, and provide a safe, legal route for refugeesCreate a dedicated unit to decide on asylum cases within three monthsGive asylum seekers right to work if no decision is made on their case in three monthsGive full settled status to all EU citizens in the UK with pre-settled statusGreensReplace Home Office with Department of MigrationScrap minimum income requirement for spouses of migrants with work visasEnd all detention of migrantsAll asylum seekers to work while their case is being decidedReformAll migrants who arrive illegally from safe countries are barred from claiming asylumSmall boat migrants who cross Channel are sent back to FranceRequired five years residency before benefits can be claimedAsylum seekers to be processed from safe countries offshore20 per cent national insurance for international workersLabourRecruit 6,500 new teachersCreate 100,000 new nursery places and 3,000 primary school-based nurseriesHelp such as training or apprenticeships for all 18-21 year olds looking for workFree primary school breakfast clubs for all childrenConservatives30 hours free childcare from nine months old (from September 2025)Child benefit threshold for single-income households raises to £120,000Schools to ban mobile phonesEnd ‘rip-off’ degrees and fund 100,000 more apprenticeships instead60,000 more school places and 15 new free schoolsLib DemsDedicated mental health professional in every primary and secondary schoolIncrease school and college funding per pupil above inflation every yearIntroduce a ‘tutoring guarantee’ for every disadvantaged pupil needing supportAll adults given £5,000 to spend on education or training throughout their lives, rising to £10k when possibleTriple pupil premium to £1000 a yearGreensAdditional £8bn funding for schoolsAbolish university tuition feesScrap OFSTEDEnd ‘high stakes’ testing in schools to reduce pupil stressReformBan ‘transgender ideology’ in all schoolsNo VAT on private school feesScrap interest on student loansCut funding to universities that ‘undermine free speech’EnvironmentConservativesBan bonuses for water company bosses if the company breaks the lawCreate a new national parkIncrease the UK’s offshore wind capacity threefoldCut the cost of net zero and aim for goal of 2050LabourCreate Great British Energy – a publicly-owned clean power companyBan bonuses for bosses of failing water companiesMake five million homes energy efficientCreate 650,000 new energy jobs by 2030Ban frackingLib DemsWater companies made public and bonuses for bosses bannedIntroduce a 16 per cent sewage tax on water company profitsDouble the size of Protected Area Network by 2050All new homes to be zero carbonPlant 60 million trees a yearGreensBring in a carbon tax on businesses of £120 per tonne emitted (rising to £500 p/t over ten years)70 per cent of UK electricity to come from wind by 2030Ban cage farming and badger cullingBring energy sources into community ownership, allowing excess to be soldRemove oil and gas subsidiesReformScrap VAT on energy billsScrap environmental leviesSpeed up North Sea oil and gas licencesScrap HS2 and ULEZ 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 ThomasEditorJacob Rees-Mogg said he wants to build a wall in the middle of the English channel and questioned the mental acuity of US president Joe Biden.Mr Rees-Mogg told young Tory activists that he would vote for former US president Trump if he could and that he was right to build the wall along the border with Mexico.In a leaked recording obtained by The Guardian, he said: “If I were American I’d want the border closed, I’d be all in favour of building a wall. I’d want to build a wall in the middle of the English Channel,” the former cabinet minister said.Mr Rees-Mogg is currently campaigning hard to regain his North East Somerset and Hanham seat amid a strong challenge from Labour’s Dan Norris.He’s not the only member of the Tory party who has previously admitted his admiration for Mr Trump. Former prime minister Liz Truss has backed Mr Trump to win the presidential election this year and said the world was “safer” when he was in the White House.In comments to the BBC in April, she said: “I’m not saying that I agree with absolutely everything he’s ever said.”But added: “I do agree that under Donald Trump when he was president of the United States, the world was safer.“I want to work with fellow conservatives to take on what I believe is a real threat of Western society and civilization being undermined by left-wing extreme ideas.”Nigel Farage with former US president Donald Trump 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 ThomasEditorDelays to postal votes being delivered are being urgently investigated, a minister has said, amid concerns that some people could be left disenfranchised at the General Election.Kevin Hollinrake has criticised Royal Mail for failing to deliver ballot packs to voters in some constituencies ahead of polling day on Thursday.Appearing on Tuesday’s morning broadcast round, health minister Maria Caulfield said Mr Hollinrake, the postal affairs minister, is in “direct contact” with the service.Click here for our live coverage of the general election campaign.Kevin Hollinrake criticised Royal Mail over delays in postal votes arriving (PA) More