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 moreCloseMilitary families are set to be protected from Labour’s decision to impose VAT on private school fees.Critics of the plan have warned it is unfair to those in the Armed Forces who have to move countries and homes frequently and put their children in boarding schools. There have even been warnings some could leave the services altogether as a result of fee increases which could come as a result of the changes due to come in in January.Military families already receive support through an existing scheme, and now they are set to get extra help to ensure they are not affected by VAT under a package in the Budget, to be revealed on Wednesday.But the move risks fuelling the outcry from other parents.Military families are to be protected VAT on private schools (Ben Birchall/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 moreClose Georgia’s pro-Western opposition disputed the results of the parliamentary election after officials declared Sunday the ruling party led the crucial vote that could decide whether the country remains on the path to joining the European Union or comes under Russian sway. The Central Election Commission said Georgian Dream won 54.8% of Saturday’s vote with almost 100% of ballots counted. Following a divisive pre-election campaign, initial figures suggested turnout is the highest since the ruling party was first elected in 2012.Georgian electoral observers, who stationed thousands across the country to monitor the vote, reported multiple violations and said the results “do not correspond to the will of the Georgian people.” Georgian Dream has become increasingly authoritarian, adopting laws similar to those used by Russia to crack down on freedom of speech. Brussels suspended Georgia’s EU membership process indefinitely because of a “Russian law,” passed in June.Bidzina Ivanishvili, the billionaire founder of Georgian Dream who made his fortune in Russia, claimed victory almost immediately after polls closed and said, “It is rare in the world for the same party to achieve such success in such a difficult situation.” He had vowed ahead of the election to ban opposition parties should his party win.Tina Bokuchava, the chair of the United National Movement opposition party accused the election commission of carrying out Ivanishvili’s “dirty order” and said he “stole the victory from the Georgian people and thereby stole the European future.”She indicated the opposition would not recognize the results and “will fight like never before to reclaim our European future.”The UNM party said its headquarters were attacked on Saturday while Georgian media reported two people were hospitalized after being attacked outside polling stations. The pre-election campaign in the South Caucasus nation of 3.7 million people, which borders Russia, was dominated by foreign policy and marked by a bitter fight for votes and allegations of a smear campaign.Some Georgians complained of intimidation and being pressured to vote for the governing party.Georgian Dream scored its highest share of the vote — polling almost 90% — in the Javakheti region of southern Georgia, 135 kilometers (83 miles) west of the capital Tbilisi where it failed to get more than 44% of the vote in any district. The Associated Press traveled to the region before the election where many people are ethnic Armenians who speak Armenian, Russian and limited Georgian. Some voters suggested they were instructed how to vote by local officials while several questioned why Georgia needed a relationship with Europe and suggested it would be better off allied with Moscow. Around 80% of Georgians favor joining the EU, according to polls, and the country’s constitution obliges its leaders to pursue membership in that bloc and NATO.Many fear that Georgian Dream is dragging the country toward authoritarianism and killing off hopes of becoming and EU member.—Associated Press producer Sophiko Megrelidze contributed to this report 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 moreClose Lithuanians headed to the ballots Sunday in the second and final round of parliamentary elections, with the conservative governing party still in contention despite first-round gains for the left-leaning opposition.Strict COVID-19 measures during the pandemic, political scandals involving several key members of the Cabinet and an influx of migrants from neighboring Belarus have hurt the popularity of Prime Minister Ingrida Šimonytė’s government, which took office in 2020. The vote in Lithuania, which borders Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave to the west and Belarus to the east, comes at a time when Russia’s war in Ukraine is fueling greater fears about Moscow’s intentions, particularly in the strategically important Baltic region.It will set the political tone for the next four years, but despite a possible shift to the left analysts say there won’t be any significant change in Lithuania’s foreign policy. The European Union and NATO member is a staunch supporter of Ukraine. Voters in dozens of electoral districts will choose between the two leading candidates from the first round to complete the new 141-seat parliament, known as the Seimas.The opposition Social Democrats, led by Vilija Blinkevičiūtė, came out of the first round with an edge two weeks ago, taking 20 of the first 70 seats to be decided. That put them two seats ahead of Šimonytė’s Homeland Union party. Blinkevičiūtė has said that she and the center-left Democratic Union, which took eight seats, would attempt to form a coalition together with a smaller third party. The three parties, which so far have 34 lawmakers in total, have said they would support each other’s candidates in the second round. But the center-left parties could lose their lead, and their ability to form a stable government could depend on a new party that many consider a pariah. The Nemuno Aušra party came in third in the first round, with 15 seats. Its leader Remigijus Žemaitaitis had to resign from parliament earlier this year for making antisemitic statements. A strong showing for Nemuno Aušra could open the way for the prime minister’s party to form a minority government.“Nobody can claim to have an obvious majority after the first round,” said Mažvydas Jastramskis, a political analyst at Vilnius University’s Institute of International Relations and Political Science.Šimonytė’s Homeland Union won 18 seats in the first round and its coalition member, the Liberal Union, took eight. Both have several dozen candidates leading in run-offs, but they aren’t in a position to win the 71 seats needed for a majority.Tensions in Lithuania’s neighborhood, with Russia’s war on Ukraine, are on voters’ minds as well as domestic concerns.Most of the traditional parties said before the elections that they would not team up with Nemuno Aušra. The Social Democrats, for instance, have ruled out any alliance with Žemaitaitis’ party. Still, Nemuno Aušra announced this week that it would support the Social Democrats’ Blinkevičiūtė in her bid to become prime minister.Jastramskis said it’s unlikely that the three center-left parties will emerge with enough seats to form a stable new government alone.“The one more likely option for the stable majority is if Nemuno Aušra joins the already announced three-party coalition,” Jastramskis said. “But it may turn out as a major problem for the cabinet if the unacceptable rhetoric and actions continue”. 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 moreClose Bulgarians were voting Sunday in a seventh general election in just over three years with little hope that a stable government will be formed to stop the country’s further slide into political instability.Voter fatigue and disillusionment with politicians have created an environment where radical political voices, aided by Moscow’s widespread disinformation, are successfully undermining public support for the democratic process and boosting the popularity of pro-Russian and far-right groups.The never-ending election spiral has a serious impact on Bulgaria’s economy and its foreign policy. The country risks losing billions of euros in EU recovery funds due to lack of reforms. Full integration into the open-border Schengen area and joining the eurozone are likely to be delayed further.Polling stations opened at 7 a.m. local time (0500 GMT) on Sunday. Initial exit poll results will be announced after polls close at 8 p.m. (1800 GMT) and preliminary results are expected on Monday.According to latest opinion polls, Bulgarians’ lack of confidence in elections will result in a record low voter turnout. Gallup World Poll data show only 10% of Bulgarians trust the integrity of their elections — the lowest proportion in the EU, where the average is 62%.Some observers have labelled the past few years as a period of “revolving-door governments,” which has additionally fueled voters’ apathy.There was no clear winner in the latest vote, held in June, and the seven groups elected to the fragmented legislature were unable to put together a viable coalition. Observers suggest that Sunday’s vote will produce more of the same. These early elections are not expected to break a protracted political stalemate, Teneo, a political risk consultancy, said in a report last week. Although former prime minister Boyko Borissov’s center-right GERB party is set to win a plurality of seats, it will likely struggle to form a majority government in a fragmented parliament, Teneo predicted.“As a result, a technocratic government or another early election are the most likely outcomes. Political instability and a surging budget deficit are key challenges to Bulgaria’s accession to the eurozone,” the consultancy added.The Balkan country of 6.7 million has been gripped by political instability since 2020, when nationwide protests erupted against corrupt politicians that had allowed oligarchs to take control of state institutions.Bulgaria is one of the poorest and most corrupt European Union member states. Attempts to fight graft are an uphill battle against an unreformed judiciary widely accused of serving the interests of politicians.Despite a fall in support for GERB in recent elections, it is tipped to finish first with a quarter of the votes. It will be a hard task for Borisov, however, to secure enough support for a stable coalition government.Analysts believe that the main pro-Russia party in Bulgaria, Vazrazhdane, could emerge as the second-largest group in parliament. The far-right, ultra-nationalist and populist party demands that Bulgaria lift sanctions against Russia, stop helping Ukraine, and hold a referendum on its membership in NATO.The reformist, pro-EU We Continue the Change/Democratic Bulgaria bloc is tipped to come in third.The Movement for Rights and Freedoms, which traditionally represented Bulgaria’s large ethnic Turkish minority, recently split into two rival factions, one around party founder Ahmed Dogan, and the other behind U.S.-sanctioned businessman and former media tycoon Delyan Peevski. Both factions are tipped to enter parliament, gaining between 7 and 9 percent each,Up to four smaller groups could also pass the 4-percent threshold for entering parliament, which would even more complicate the forming of a government. 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 moreCloseRachel Reeves has announced she will earmark £1.4 billion to rebuild crumbling schools as she pledges to prioritise education and childcare in the Budget.Investment in free breakfast clubs for pupils will also be tripled, while there will be another £1.8 billion to expand government-funded nursery care.The Chancellor said children “should not suffer for” because of a £22 billion ‘black hole’ Labour says it was left by the last Tory government.However, experts cautioned that most of the funding would simply be enough to maintain existing programmes. Rachel Reeves will announce plans to consult on a new five-year social housing rent settlement (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 moreCloseA prominent Labour donor has told wealthy Britons threatening to leave the country over potential tax hikes to “f*** off,” claiming they contribute little to the UK if they are only here for low taxes.Dale Vince, the green energy tycoon who has previously donated £5 million to Labour, has dismissed arguments that higher taxes will harm UK entrepreneurship, describing this view as “profoundly stupid.” Instead, Mr Vince suggests Britain would be better off without those who are prepared to leave if, as expected, Shadow Chancellor Rachel Reeves raises taxes in the upcoming Budget.“If people only live here because they pay less tax, they should f— off,” said Mr Vince, the Telegraph reported. “This is a brilliant country. There’s no way people won’t live here because of a fairer tax system.”The outspoken comments come as the Chancellor gears up for an autumn statement that’s expected to include a raft of tax increases aimed at filling what Reeves has called a £40 billion deficit in the economy.Speculation suggests that higher capital gains tax and inheritance tax reform are among the options under consideration.Britain’s top 100 taxpayers alone contributed £3.9 billion in capital gains and income tax in 2022-23.But research revealed last week indicates that over 6,000 millionaires are expected to leave the UK for the EU by year’s end in anticipation of looming tax changes.Among those threatening to move is Charlie Mullins, founder of Pimlico Plumbers, who put his £12 million London penthouse on the market and discussed moving abroad.Mr Vince, founder of the pioneering green energy firm Ecotricity, has also turned his ire on ‘Nimbyism’—in particular, those opposing the government’s net-zero drive by protesting against new infrastructure like electricity pylons and overhead cables.“Countryside dwellers need to accept that this is a contribution to our national economy,” he said. “Some aren’t used to it.”Worth around £100 million, Mr Vince has come a long way from his humble beginnings, dropping out of school at 15, spending a decade travelling in a converted ambulance, and ultimately setting up Ecotricity in 1995 with a windmill to power telephones at Glastonbury.Beyond Ecotricity, Mr Vince also founded lab-grown diamond company Skydiamond and runs Forest Green Rovers, a vegan football club, continuing to stake his claim as one of Britain’s wealthiest green entrepreneurs. 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 moreCloseDefiant Kemi Badenoch has vowed she will not give up her hard-hitting style, saying: “This is what always happens to strong women. If you don’t play ball, then they will come after you.”The favourite to become Tory leader next month was responding to claims by Tory critics that she had been “too abrasive” and Dr Who actor David Tennant, who said he wished she would “shut up”.In a candid interview with Independent TV, she said: “People know that I’m pretty tough. I’m not scared. I will always do the right thing, and I won’t be quiet when it is time to speak up.”The former business secretary was clearly hurt by one jibe by a Tory MP saying she should spend more time being a mother, retorting: “All I want to do is spend time with my children.”But she also said she was “flattered” by comparisons with another outspoken female Tory leader, Margaret Thatcher – adding there were “similitaries” between them.Kemi Badenoch and Margaret Thatcher 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 moreCloseCommonwealth leaders have defied the prime minister to agree the “time has come” to discuss reparations for the slave trade. A row over the issue erupted earlier this week as Keir Starmer arrived at a major two-day summit in Samoa. The UK has failed to keep language on reparations out of a joint statement signed at the end of the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting (CHOGM), despite Sir Keir’s call for the group to look to the future and not the past.However, the prime minister insisted there had been no discussions about money at the event. And he tried to downplay the prominence of the issue, saying talks about climate resilience had instead been the “absolute priority” on Saturday.Sir Keir Starmer had been told that he had to come to the table to discuss the ‘ill effects’ of slavery (Stefan Rousseau/PA) More