UK Politics

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseAt about 2.30pm yesterday James Cleverly was with his entourage talking to representatives of the Girl Guides who had a stall for the day in Portcullis House on the parliamentary estate. He seemed relaxed and confident just a like man destined to go through to the final round of the Tory leadership contest.But already things were going badly wrong for the former home secretary. An hour later Bob Blackman, chairman of the Tory backbench 1922 committee, announced that he had been eliminated from the contest.It led to the question: How could Mr Cleverly have got two votes less than he had done in the previous round when he had been the clear winner before, and favourite to be Rishi Sunak’s replacement.Fingers were being pointed to his campaign manager former cabinet minister Grant Shapps – or Mr Spreadsheet as he is often known. Shapps has made a reputation of being able to work out numbers down to the exact detail in previous contests. Had he been responsible for a cunning plan to get rival Robert Jenrick as Cleverly’s main opponent only for the whole thing to backfire?Robert Jenrick may have been lucky to get to the final two More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseUK cyber security chiefs have issued a new warning to Government bodies, tech companies and financial institutions to ensure they are safe from Russian state-backed hackers.The latest advice from the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), penned alongside US security agencies, shares the most recent tactics used by the SVR – Russia’s foreign intelligence service – to collect information that could help it in future cyber operations.This could include efforts to help Russia in its ongoing invasion of Ukraine, according to the agencies.The advisory warns SVR attackers are exploiting cyber vulnerabilities on a massive scale, and have two types of intended victims for their actions.The first of these are “targets of intent”, and include Government and diplomatic bodies, think tanks, tech companies, and financial institutions.The second are “targets of opportunity”, where the SVR scans internet systems to look for vulnerabilities that could be exploited.Once either kind of victim has been compromised, follow-up attacks by the SVR are likely, the advisory said.UK organisations who believe they have been subject to the kind of Russian cyber attack highlighted in the advice are being urged to report it to the NCSC.NCSC director of operations Paul Chichester said: “Russian cyber actors are interested in and highly capable of accessing unpatched systems across a range of sectors, and once they are in, they can exploit this access to meet their objectives.“All organisations are encouraged to bolster their cyber defences: take heed of the advice set out within the advisory and prioritise the deployment of patches and software updates.” More

Cleverly knocked out in huge Tory leadership shock to set up Badenoch and Jenrick clashYour support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseRobert Jenrick has thrown a thinly-veiled criticism at fellow contender Kemi Badenoch, suggesting the shadow secretary is an unserious candidate.In his speech at the Policy Exchange think tank, he told supporters that the choices in the election are framed around his “serious plan” versus “not needless drama”, which was an apparent attack at his rival.The former immigration minister also promised to bring back the government’s Rwanda deportation plan.After the address, he rejected suggestions that Tory MPs mistakenly backed him for the final two in the leadership race, following speculation about internal “horse trading”.Mr Jenrick was asked directly whether he could have made the final two by mistake. He admitted that there is always some manoeuvring but was confident that MPs ultimately chose him based on his leadership credentials. Meanwhile, as the Labour government unveils its Employment Rights Bill, the party denied claims that the proposed reforms could jeopardise jobs. However, unions criticised the proposed legislation claiming it fails to fully protect workers. Unite boss Sharon Graham said the reform would leave “more holes than Swiss cheese” for employers to exploit.Show latest update 1728571808NHS faces ‘harsh trade-offs’ this winter, experts warn Health experts are sounding the alarm as new data revealed the NHS is heading into the winter season “in bad shape”.Experts at King’s Fund warned the health service has shown deteriorating performance across key measures. The charity’s chief analyst highlighted a concerning picture of rising financial pressures, ongoing strikes and missed targets. Siva Anandaciva said: “The NHS is approaching winter in bad shape.“Industrial action is continuing, financial pressures are rising, and important performance targets continue to be missed.“Despite the hard work of staff, patient care in the NHS continues to fall short of expectations.“Today’s statistics show it has been three years since A&E performance was above the current temporary target of 78 per cent of people waiting under four hours and nearly a decade since the official target of 95 per cent of people being seen in four hours was met.”Salma Ouaguira10 October 2024 15:501728570608Bill on assisted dying to be debated next month A bill on assisted dying will have its first debate on 29 November, Labour MP Kim Leadbeater has said.It will be the first time in almost a decade MPs have debated and voted on the subject in the House of Commons in almost a decade.Her private member’s bill (PMB) on choice at the end of life for people with terminal illness will be formally introduced in Parliament on Wednesday.The details of the legislation will be published ahead of the first full debate and vote on 29 November, Ms Leadbeater’s office said.Salma Ouaguira10 October 2024 15:301728569708Pictured: Kemi Badenoch takes Tory leadership campaign to Ealing ( More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseRobert Jenrick has kicked off the final stage of the Tory leadership contest with a series of thinly-veiled attacks on his rival Kemi Badenoch.The former immigration minister painted himself as the serious contender to succeed Rishi Sunak, in stark contrast with fellow right-winger Ms Badenoch who he suggested would oversee “needless drama”.Setting out his stall with a hardline pitch on legal and illegal migration, Mr Jenrick said the Conservatives need to “get serious” after the party’s worst general election defeat in history.Robert Jenrick hinted the party would be dominated by ‘needless drama’ if he loses the leadership contest More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseThe leading centrist group on the left of the Tory party has announced it will not endorse either of the hard-right candidates put forward by Conservative MPs for members to choose from.The Tory Reform Group (TRG), which is in its 50th year, issued a statement after former home secretary James Cleverly was shockingly eliminated from the contest on Wednesday. It leaves two right-wing candidates Robert Jenrick, who wants the UK to leave the European Convention of Human Rights, and Kemi Badenoch, who has been a leading voice in the so-called culture wars including trans issues.The TRG statement read: “Unfortunately, we have been consistently disappointed by the lack of engagement from the two candidates chosen by MPs.James Cleverly’s elimination has disenfranchiesed the left of the Conservative Party More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseThe Conservative leadership election has been whittled down to the two final candidates, as Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick face off for a final month of campaigning.Both MPs are considered to be on the right of the party, with Labour officials reportedly rejoicing that the more centrist – and perhaps more electable – candidate James Cleverly was knocked out in a surprise result.With their seemingly similar politics, some have struggled to see the key differences between Ms Badenoch and Mr Jenrick. Both are outspoken social commentators, unafraid to share their views.Tory leadership candidates Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat before knockouts (PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseSo cautious and moderate was former immigration minister Robert Jenrick when he entered the Commons that he was nicknamed “Robert Generic”.Yet now 10 years later, he has reached the final two of the 2024 Conservative Party leadership campaign in a battle against Kemi Badenoch to become the champion of the Tory hard-right – but it all was very different when he was first elected.He ticked every box of the Conservative cliche. A history graduate from Cambridge and a qualified solicitor, he joined parliament as the MP for Newark in 2014. He voted to remain in the EU, and backed Theresa May’s Brexit deal three times. He has served as a minister, in multiple departments, under every prime minister since 2017. It is no surprise that he has long been considered a moderate within the party.Robert Jenrick has been friends with Rishi Sunak for many years More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseBridget Phillipson has been urged to take immediate action to tackle the use of smartphones by children in schools by a group of educators “deeply concerned” about their impact.In an open letter to the education secretary, 30 education leaders said there is clear evidence that “children at smartphone-free schools do better”, urging her to put in place effective restrictions on their use.The letter said: “Pupils achieve GCSE results 1-2 grades higher on average than those with more permissive policies. Studies show that results of disadvantaged and underachieving pupils improve fastest when a school removes smartphones.”Campaign group Smartphone Free Childhood has encouraged all schools to restrict the use of mobiles by putting them in lockers or similar, demanding the government to commit funding to support schools which wish to do so.Bridget Phillipson has been urged to take immediate action to tackle the use of smartphones by children in schools More