UK Politics

The new chairman of Reform UK has said there is a “very strong case” for the death penalty – 24 hours after Nigel Farage said he would not support its reintroduction. Dr David Bull, a former medical doctor, has said he would support the return of capital punishment for criminals such as Axel Rudakabana, who murdered three girls in a mass stabbing at a children’s dance class in Southport.“For those people, I think there is a very strong case that I would support the death penalty,” Dr Bull, who succeeded Zia Yusuf as Reform’s chairman on Tuesday.David Bull said ‘yes’ when asked if burqas should be banned More

Sir Keir Starmer appears to be heading for a number of major U-turns amid growing concern from MPs about the direction of government and following a devastating performance at the local elections. The prime minister last month announced plans to reverse his controversial cuts to winter fuel payments, saying he wants more pensioners to be eligible for the benefit – a move that has now been confirmed.There is also a growing expectation he will lift the two-child benefit cap. While nothing has been announced yet, the prime minister is privately said to be in favour of lifting the cap – but has refused to commit to anything until the child poverty strategy is published in the autumn. Below, The Independent looks at all the times Sir Keir has U-turned on his promises or let voters down on the journey from Labour leader to prime minister.Sir Keir Starmer has been repeatedly accused of u-turning on key issues More

Rachel Reeves will today make one of her biggest statements to MPs since Labour’s general election victory. The chancellor will unveil the results of her line by line spending review, setting out the budgets of government departments until the end of the decade. The review will be the first conducted by a Labour government since Alistair Darling and Gordon Brown’s comprehensive spending review in 2007. And it will see Ms Reeves walk the tightrope between delivering on the party’s election promises while seeking to squeeze within her self-imposed fiscal rules. Rachel Reeves is braced for a row over her spending review More

It was a disgruntled backbencher who summed up the mood in Labour ahead of tomorrow’s spending review announcement by Rachel Reeves.“You don’t become a Labour MP to make cuts,” the MP said, looking at the prospect of at least £5bn needing to be slashed across government departments – including housing, local government and policing – to fulfil the chancellor’s spending plans. The billions of pounds of necessary savings, estimated by the House of Commons Library, was a calculation made before the chancellor committed herself to another £1.25bn of spending a year by restoring the winter fuel payments to 9 million pensioners.When the chancellor gets to her feet after Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, she will no doubt be cheered by the Labour MPs behind her.But the reality is that much of the applause will be performative rather than heartfelt.Keir Starmer, Rachel Reeves and Angela Rayner are at odds behind the scenes More

Sir Keir Starmer appears to be heading for a number of major U-turns amid growing concern from MPs about the direction of government and following a devastating performance at the local elections. The prime minister last month announced plans to reverse his controversial cuts to winter fuel payments, saying he wants more pensioners to be eligible for the benefit – a move that has now been confirmed.There is also a growing expectation he will lift the two-child benefit cap. While nothing has been announced yet, the prime minister is privately said to be in favour of lifting the cap – but has refused to commit to anything until the child poverty strategy is published in the autumn. Below, The Independent looks at all the times Sir Keir has U-turned on his promises or let voters down on the journey from Labour leader to prime minister.Sir Keir Starmer has been repeatedly accused of u-turning on key issues More

‘We are making long term decisions for the future of the country’ says Ed MilibandConcerns have been raised that Rachel Reeves may have to make “staggering” cuts as a result of her spending review plans.The chancellor is set to unveil plans for all department funding until the next election in 2029 during her review on Wednesday.Experts have warned the chancellor will have to make £5 billion worth of cuts to ensure the spending plans are fulfilled – with areas such as housing, policing and border control expected to be affected.The analysis, carried out by researchers at the House of Commons library commissioned by the Lib Dems, found that unprotected departments — which excludes NHS England, the core schools budget and defence — could see the real-terms cuts by 2028/29.The Lib Dems said the scale of the expected cuts was “staggering”. Spokesperson Daisy Cooper said: “After years of shameful Conservative neglect, it is household budgets and people relying on these services for vital support who are bearing the brunt. “From social care to neighborhood policing, this Labour government is at risk of failing to deliver the change that people were promised.”Comment: The spending review will reveal how far the government has been blown off courseAthena Stavrou10 June 2025 15:35‘We are really going to suffer’: Residents’ dismay over nuclear plant investmentResidents, campaigners and organisations have expressed outrage after the Government allocated more than £14 billion towards building a nuclear plant on the Suffolk coast.The plant is expected to provide 10,000 jobs but residents and campaign groups say it will damage wildlife and impact the community.( More

Dr David Bull has been unveiled as the new chair of Reform UK after Zia Yusuf sensationally quit the role last week.The former doctor and ex-deputy chair of Reform is a popular figure among members and first joined Nigel Farage’s team when he became an MEP for the Brexit Party in 2019.After the furore surrounding Mr Yusuf’s sudden departure last week – and subsequent return days later to run Reform’s Donald Trump-inspired Doge cost-slashing unit – Mr Farage needed a replacement to run the party who could act as an internal diplomat.He will also need to persuade potential donors to part with their money, with Reform lagging behind the Tories, Labour and the Lib Dems in attracting financial support. This was another problem identified with Mr Yusuf as chair by his critics.Nigel Farage introducing David Bull on Tuesday More

Rachel Reeves will need to wield the axe and make nearly £5bn worth of cuts to balance the books in the wake of Labour’s spending review, new analysis has revealed. The chancellor will on Wednesday announce funding for all departments until the next election in 2029 after a bitter cabinet civil war over what is being dubbed “austerity 2.0”.But experts have warned Labour will have to make billions of pounds of cuts to ensure Reeves can fulfil her spending plans — with areas such as housing, policing and border control expected to be in the line of fire. Follow our live updates on the spending review HEREThe revelation comes after the Treasury was forced to impose a squeezed budget on the Home Office after a row over the settlement. Yvette Cooper’s department is expected to take the brunt of spending cuts, despite being tasked with delivering three of Sir Keir Starmer’s flagship pledges, with fears the Home Office may be forced to cut police numbers. Savings are also expected to come from tighter budgets on local government, foreign aid, culture and the civil service.Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves is set to unveil her spending review (Stefan Rousseau/PA) More