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    EU sues UK over post-Brexit freedom of movement failures in blow to Starmer’s reset

    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.CloseRead moreThe European Commission is taking Britain to court over its alleged failure to comply with EU law on freedom of movement after Brexit.In a blow to Sir Keir Starmer’s efforts to reset relations with the bloc, the commission referred the UK to the Court of Justice of the European Union over shortcomings in how it has cooperated with the post-Brexit withdrawal agreement.It alleges several shortcomings in how Britain has stuck to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, affecting residents’ rights to live and work freely between EU member states. It said Britain has failed to heed a series of warnings that its national laws do not comply with EU free movement laws at the end of 2020.The European Commission alleges several shortcomings in how Britain has stuck to post-Brexit agreements More

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    New top mandarin issues stark warning to Whitehall on first day in the job

    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.CloseRead moreThe new cabinet secretary Sir Chris Wormald has delivered a stark pre-Christmas warning on his first day in the job as Britain’s top civil servant.In a message to all civil servants across Whitehall, Sir Chris has echoed the comments from the prime minister that they must stop being a block to progress with an instruction “we must do things differently”.The new top mandarin toned down the language after Sir Keir Starmer was described as “Trumpian” in his attack on civil servants. He said in a major speech: “too many people in Whitehall are “comfortable in the tepid bath of managed decline”, though he insisted he did not think there was a “swamp to be drained here”.Sir Chris Wormald the new Cabinet Secretary (Yui Mok/PA) More

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    EU seeks assurances from Syria’s new leaders in exchange for dropping sanctions

    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.CloseRead more European Union nations on Monday set out conditions for lifting sanctions on Syria and kick-starting aid to the conflict-ravaged country amid uncertainty about its new leaders’ intentions just over a week after they seized power.At a meeting in Brussels, the EU’s top diplomats said they want guarantees from members of Syria’s interim government that they are preparing for a peaceful political future involving all minority groups, one in which extremism and former allies Russia and Iran have no place.Since Damascus fell on Dec. 8 and leader Bashar Assad fled to Moscow, Syria’s transition has been surprisingly smooth. Few reports have surfaced of reprisals, revenge killings or sectarian violence. Most looting or destruction has been quickly contained.But the new leadership has yet to lay out a clear vision of how Syria will be governed. The interim government was set up by former opposition forces led by the Islamic militant group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, or HTS, a former al-Qaida affiliate that the EU and U.S. consider to be a terrorist organization.The interim government is set to rule until March. Arab foreign ministers have called for U.N.-supervised elections based on a new constitution. The U.N. envoy to Syria has pressed for removing sanctions.To understand more, the EU is sending an envoy to Damascus for talks with those at least temporarily in charge.EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said the bloc wants a “stable, peaceful and all-comprising government in place,” but that it will probably take weeks, if not months, for Syria’s new path to be clear.“Syria faces an optimistic, positive, but rather uncertain future, and we have to make sure that this goes to the right direction,” she told reporters at a meeting of EU foreign ministers. “For us, it’s not only the words, but we want to see the deeds.”In a message aimed at the new leaders, Kallas said: “Russia and Iran are not your friends, are not helping you if you are in trouble. They left Assad’s regime, and that is a very clear message showing that their hands are full elsewhere and they are weakened.”Syria has been shattered by five decades of Assad family rule. Its economy has been destroyed, poverty is widespread, inflation and unemployment are high and corruption seeps through daily life. Millions of people have fled the country.Hundreds of thousands of them live in Europe, and while some EU countries have suspended asylum applications from Syrian refugees, only those willing to return will be helped to get home, for now.In 2011, the EU began imposing asset freezes and travel bans on Syrian officials and organizations in response to Assad’s crackdown on civilian protesters, which turned into civil war. The sanctions have been slapped on some 316 people and 86 entities accused of backing Assad.French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said that before any sanctions are lifted or EU development aid sent to Syria, “a certain number of conditions must be met.” They include, he said, “a political transition that allows all Syrian minority groups to be represented, the respect of human rights, the rights of women in Syria (and) the rejection of terrorism and extremism.”His Spanish counterpart, Jose Manuel Albares, said Syria’s new leaders must understand that the EU has some “red lines” which should be respected before support comes.“We must guarantee the territorial integrity of Syria and we must make sure that there (is) no foreign interference,” he said. “If those questions are correctly addressed by the new authorities, then we can have a second conversation about sanctions.”Austrian Foreign Minister Alexander Schallenberg said Europe’s support for Syria’s new leaders should not be “a blank check in advance,” whereby the bloc would be expected to lift all its sanctions and economic restrictions and then start talks.Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp also told reporters that “regarding the Russian military bases in Syria, we want the Russians out.” More

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    Rachel Reeves’ inheritance tax changes will put 125,000 jobs at risk, chancellor warned

    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.CloseRead moreRachel Reeves is being warned that her so-called “tractor tax” will not just hit farms but also puts tens of thousands of family businesses at risk along with 125,000 job losses.The main trade body representing builders – the Builders Merchants Federation (BMF) – has become the latest of 32 trade bodies to sign an open letter to the chancellor warning about the consequences of changes to inheritance tax in the Budget.It has raised serious questions over the Labour government’s hopes over a building revolution pushing forward economic growth.The 32 trade bodies, representing 160,000 family businesses, have made their intervention ahead of a major protest event at the London Palladium on Monday which will be addressed by Tory leader Kemi Badenoch.The Chancellor is facing criticism over the tractor tax (Peter Byrne/PA) More

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    Nigel Farage refuses to take ‘woke’ anti-bullying training for MPs

    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.CloseRead moreNigel Farage has refused to take up parliament’s anti-bullying training, branding the scheme “woke” and saying he has no intention of engaging with it.The Reform UK leader is one of five MPs to have not taken up the course, which is designed to explain the rules around harassment and sexual misconduct.Others include two Conservative MPs, the former minister Neil O’Brien and Dr Caroline Johnson, and two DUP MPs, Sammy Wilson and Gregory Campbell, The Times reported.Nigel Farage has ‘no intention’ of completing the anti-bullying course More

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    Angela Rayner to create mega-councils in war on nimbys

    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.CloseRead moreAngela Rayner will on Monday unveil plans for new mega-councils as Labour takes on ‘nimbys’ blocking planning applications. A white paper on English devolution is expected to ask councils to submit plans for mergers. The move comes just days after Keir Starmer pledged to force local authorities to build if they stood in the way of Labour’s plans for 1.5 million new homes in five years. The proposals would see the creation of so-called “strategic authorities” across England, bringing councils together. The government said the move would help “to avoid duplication and give our cities and regions a bigger voice”.Angela Rayner and Keir Starmer during a visit to a construction site in Cambridg as the government announced major planning reforms to get Britain building (PA) More

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    Nigerian VP who attacked Kemi Badenoch was accused of failures when Boko Haram kidnapped 200 girls

    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.CloseRead moreAllies of Kemi Badenoch have urged people to scrutinise the record of the vice president of Nigeria who publicly criticised her this week after it emerged he was the governor of the region where 200 girls were kidnapped by Boko Haram.VP Kashim Shettima this week hit out at the Tory leader in a speech this week accusing of “denigrating her country of origin”, while praising Rishi Sunak as a “brilliant young man, he never denigrated his nation of ancestry.”But allies of Ms Badenoch have said that scrutiny should be focussed on the record of Mr Shettima as being illustrative of the problems in Nigeria and its failings.Conservative Party leader Kemi Badenoch has been in a row with the VP of Nigeria (PA) More

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    Badenoch warns of ‘devastating’ impact of Reeves’ ‘farm tax’ on rural economy

    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.CloseRead moreKemi Badenoch will warn on Monday of the “devastating” impact of Rachel Reeves’ “family farm tax” on the rural economy, as campaigners hold a mass rally in London against the changes.The Conservative leader will tell attendees that Labour has “unleashed the worst raid on family business in living memory”. She will claim that “no one is safe” and reference “chilling” figures released earlier this month by Family Business UK that changes to Business Property Relief could lead to 125,000 job losses. The reforms which, similar to agricultural property relief, mean owners of family firms will have to pay Inheritance Tax if they want to pass shares or other assets to the next generation. It could reduce economic activity by £9.4bn and see the Treasury lose out on £1.3billion by 2030, according to calculations the group commissioned from CBI Economics. Farmer’s protest in London More