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 moreLabour’s plan to tackle the housing crisis is unachievable, the construction industry has warned, saying it simply does not have enough workers to build 1.5m homes in the next five years.Angela Rayner last week said there was “no excuse” not to meet the target and this week Sir Keir Starmer doubled down on that pledge, committing to the creation of a generation of new towns with spades in the ground before the next election in 2029.But the Considerate Constructors Scheme (CCS), which supports and represents builders, has poured cold water on the plans, warning that the sector “simply doesn’t have the workforce to build it”. While Sir Keir has said ministers are “urgently using all levers available to build the homes we need so more families can get on the housing ladder”, the CCS said the government’s major infrastructure projects are at risk because of a “black hole in recruitment”.Angela Rayner insists there is “no excuse” for not meeting her ambitious home-building target 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 moreA cabinet minister has said the UK has to spend more on defence as he warned the US against cutting European nations out of talks over the future of Ukraine.Business secretary Jonathan Reynolds said any peace settlement would not be “durable” without their participation.Sir Keir Starmer is to attend a crisis summit on Ukraine in Paris on Monday, as European leaders reel from the events of the last week. A Ukrainian tank brigade on the frontline in the Kharkiv region 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 pledged to put the government’s “full weight” behind the UK steel industry after Donald Trump’s tariffs threat. Up to £2.5 billion will be put towards supporting the sector after the US president triggered panic last Monday over the future of the fragile industry in the UK when he announced a worldwide 25 per cent tariff on steel imports. Keir Starmer has pledged billion to support the sector 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 is set to join a European crisis summit to face down the threat of Russia after the US barred European leaders from peace talks with Vladimir Putin over the Ukraine war.France is preparing to host the last-minute, informal meeting with Nato secretary general Mark Rutte following comments by Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelensky that the continent should form an “army of Europe” as it could not rely on the US for defence.Sir Keir said: “This is a once-in-a-generation moment for our national security where we engage with the reality of the world today and the threat we face from Russia.”“It’s clear Europe must take on a greater role in Nato as we work with the United States to secure Ukraine’s future and face down the threat we face from Russia. Keir Starmer is set to join a European crisis summit to face down the threat of Russia 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 moreDavid Lammy has warned that failure to deal with Russia over Ukraine would cost the UK billions, as the US said Europe would be excluded from talks over the country’s future. Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, the foreign secretary said Ukraine had an “irreversible pathway towards Nato” and pointed to the approximate 7 per cent of gross domestic product that countries spent on defence in the Cold War, against the current UK rate of 2.3 per cent. “Don’t think that not meeting the challenge now somehow saves us money down the line,” Mr Lammy said on Saturday. “If Ukraine were to fail, the costs would be considerably more.”And he called on Donald Trump, who famously wrote a book titled The Art of the Deal, to realise a good “deal” was working with Ukraine. David Lammy called on Donald Trump, who once wrote a book titled The Art of the Deal, to realise a good ‘deal’ was working with 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.Read moreA government-funded advertising campaign depicts the UK as expensive, run down and prejudiced – in a bid to stop Albanian migrants from coming to the country.Videos used in the social media drive, designed to reduce the number of people on small boats crossing the Channel, show shops covered in graffiti as well as parts of broken furniture on a housing estate. Titled “Stories from Britain”, they also contain Albanian refugees complaining about the cost of living in Britain and the prejudice they face, as part of a £3.75m-a-year project funded by the Foreign Office.A previous ad campaign to target people in Albania 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 moreJD Vance has sparked a furious backlash for delivering an anti-immigration speech at the Munich Security Conference in which he attacked European leaders and backed those who voted for Brexit. The US vice-president was accused of “hypocrisy” and his speech described as “bizarre and dangerous” as he departed from the usual defence focus of speeches at the conference to lash out at the UK and EU over migration and free speech. Vance stunned gathered delegates as he lashed out at governments across the continent and accused Europe of “retreating from some of its most fundamental values”, claiming that freedom is in danger across the continent. JD Vance stunned European officials with a stinging attack on the continent 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 moreRachel Reeves has said that she was never questioned about her expenses during her time working at Halifax Bank of Scotland.The chancellor was responding to a BBC report which found evidence of an internal inquiry into the spending habits of Ms Reeves and two other colleagues on their company cards but it appears that the investigation was never escalated to the point where action was taken. Insisting her expenses had been submitted and approved “in the proper way”, she added: “I was never questioned, never asked to pay back any expenses.”Ms Reeves worked at Halifax Bank of Scotland (HBOS) between 2006 and 2009.On Thursday, the BBC reported she was one of three employees investigated by HBOS for using her expenses to “fund a lifestyle” with inappropriate spending on dinners, events, taxis and gifts.It uncovered documents it alleged showed Ms Reeves was accused of spending hundreds of pounds on the items, including one gift for her boss. Concerns were reportedly raised about her spending on taxis and on a Christmas party, with one whistleblower believing it to be excessive, the BBC said.But Ms Reeves’s spokesperson said she did not recall being investigated by HBOS or facing questions over her expenses.And on Friday, Ms Reeves said: “I submitted, had processed and had my expenses signed off in the proper way as you would expect, and no issues were ever raised during my time at Halifax Bank of Scotland.”Rachel Reeves has defended herself from claims she was investigated over her expenses while working for a bank More