UK Politics

Keir Starmer refuses to rule out raising national insurance contributionsYour 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 will announce Labour’s first Budget since coming into power on 30 October, leading one of the most anticipated fiscal events in over two decades.Ahead of her announcement, local mayors have reportedly launched last-minute lobbying talks with the Treasury to prevent cuts to their transport budgets. The chancellor is reportedly looking to skim funds from the pots to help fill the £22bn public spending shortfall she revealed in July.The reports come after cabinet ministers are understood to have written to the prime minister, going over Ms Reeves’ head to urge him to reconsider cuts to their departments.It is thought that complaints came from the transport secretary, Louise Haigh, deputy PM and housing secretary, Angela Rayner, and justice secretary Shabana Mahmood.Ms Reeves is also reportedly exploring increasing business rates on online tech giants in what has been dubbed an ‘Amazon tax’. The measure would be designed to help ailing high-street stores as online companies continue to dominate the market.We’ll be bringing you all the latest updates ahead of the big event on 30 October here, on The Independent’s liveblog.Show latest update 1729691065ICYMI: Wes Streeting warned inflation-busting NHS Budget deal will not be enoughFears have been raised that Wes Streeting’s inflation-busting funding deal for the NHS will not be enough for him to pay for the reforms he wants to drive through.Sources have told The Independent that the Department for Health and Social Care is set to get about 4 per cent – between £7bn and £8bn – as Mr Streeting confirmed that he has mostly agreed his settlement with chancellor Rachel Reeves. Inflation is currently running at 1.7 per cent.David Maddox23 October 2024 14:441729687555Could the chancellor introduce an ‘Amazon tax’?The chancellor is reportedly considering a new ‘Amazon tax’ that would see business rates paid my online tech giants increased.Industry sources understand that a consultation will be launched after Ms Reeves announces the Budget on 30 October. This means the plans may get a mention.It comes after Labour wrote in its manifesto that it would reform the business rates system to “level the playing field between the high street and online giants.”The manifesto added that the current system “disincentivises investment, creates uncertainty and places an undue burden on our high streets.”Albert Toth23 October 2024 13:451729680548Mayors in talks to soften local transport cuts – reportsLocal mayors have reportedly engaged in a last-minute lobbying campaign to persuade the chancellor to soften potentially hundreds of millions in transport cuts.There are fears bus, tube and tram projects in all 12 combined authorities represented by metro mayors could be at risk of underfunding. Following the local elections in May, 11 of these posts are held by Labour mayors.“The mayors have been pushing back on the idea that their sustainable budgets should be cut, not least because many of them thought the money was guaranteed until 2027,” one official told The Guardian.With the Budget only a week away, Ms Reeves will have already submitted her proposals to the Office for Budget Responsibility, making any last-minute changes unlikely. The chancellor already made a substantial cut to rail infrastructure projects in July, when she announced the cancellation of the Tory-era Restoring Your Railways project alongside unveiling the £22bn shortfall in public spending:Albert Toth23 October 2024 11:491729675097What should I do with my savings ahead of the Budget?Ahead of the Budget on 30 October, there has been fevered speculation about changes to pension savers’ tax allowances and other perks.Reports that pensioners could have tax breaks cut or axed led to savers withdrawing chunks of their retirement pots ahead of Chancellor Rachel Reeves’s big announcement.Howard Mustoe23 October 2024 10:181729670962UK economy to grow faster than thought in pre-Budget boost for ReevesThe UK economy will grow faster than previously thought as lower inflation and borrowing costs lead to a boost in business activity, a boost for chancellor Rachel Reeves as she aims to fix the nation’s finances.The update from the International Monetary Fund also suggested that the fight against inflation and the cost of living crisis had “largely been won”.Albert Toth23 October 2024 09:091729665394Jeremy Hunt “had a tough job” says Rachel ReevesChancellor Rachel Reeves has said she has a “good relationship” with her predecessor Jeremy Hunt. “I may not be particularly impressed with the state of the public finances that he left me, but I do recognise that after Kwasi Kwarteng, he had a tough job to do as well,” she told BBC Radio 5 listeners.She adds that if there were one person she could “pick up the phone to now” it would be Alistair Darling, who delivered Labour’s last budget in 2010.The veteran politician died last year at the age of 70. He served in cabinet for 13 years under both Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, working as chancellor during the 2008 financial crisis.“I hope that he would be proud of what I’m doing as the next Labour chancellor after him,” Ms Reeves said.Albert Toth23 October 2024 07:361729663200How make-or-break Budget has fractured Keir Starmer’s cabinetAlexander Butler23 October 2024 07:001729659600Budget 2024: Inheritance tax set to rise – here’s what it means for youAlexander Butler23 October 2024 06:001729652400Public sector pay rises hand Reeves a £6.7bn headache ahead of BudgetAlexander Butler23 October 2024 04:001729645200Inheritance tax already up 10 per cent as Reeves looks to squeeze levy in Budget, official figures showAlexander Butler23 October 2024 02:00 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 moreCloseDonald Trump’s presidential campaign has launched an extraordinary attack on Keir Starmer’s Labour as party officials are accused of interfering in the upcoming US election.Filing a complaint with the Federal Election Commission (FEC), the Trump-Vance campaign accused Labour of illegal foreign donations to rival Kamala Harris’s campaign.Writing on Mr Trump’s website, the campaign’s co-manager Susie Wiles says: “The far-left Labour Party has inspired Kamala’s dangerously liberal policies and rhetoric.”The post contains several obvious references to the American Revolutionary War, fought in the 18th century, which resulted in the US gaining independence from Britain.Republican presidential nominee former President Donald Trump 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 moreCloseThere has been an ongoing joke in PMQs each week that Keir Starmer keeps forgetting who he is now, and calling Rishi Sunak “prime minister”. But a slip of the tongue in parliamentary exchanges is very different to causing an international incident with Donald Trump – the man who may shortly be president of Britain’s leading ally country again.This really is something Labour should have seen coming, given Trump has been claiming the 2020 election was stolen from him for the last four years. Someone should have said: “Remember January 6!”In past elections, it has been normal for Labour members and politicians to be given time to go and help their sister party the Democrats. The same has been true about the Tories and their sister party, the Republicans.Former President Trump has accused Labour of election interference 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 moreCloseLabour MP and former shadow minister Bell Ribeiro-Addy has warned the “Commonwealth will crumble” if the government does not reopen talks on reparations for the slave trade.It comes as the prime minister faces growing demands to rethink the UK’s position on the issue as he heads to Samoa for a major Commonwealth meeting.On Monday, Downing Street rejected demands, saying the issue of reparations is “not on the agenda” for the event and “we won’t be offering an apology”.But Ms Ribeiro-Addy, a former shadow immigration minister, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme “an apology is absolutely free”, dismissing attempts from both this government and the previous government to focus on the present rather than unpick wrongs of the past.Bell Ribeiro-Addy said ‘an apology is absolutely free’ 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 moreCloseYvette Cooper will revive and complete a probe into how firearms police officers who take fatal shots in the line of duty are held to account after a police marksman was cleared of murdering Chris Kaba.The home secretary is expected to make a Commons statement on Wednesday on the planned review following the acquittal of Martyn Blake.In 2023, then home secretary Suella Braverman pledged to review the ways that firearms officers who take fatal shots are held accountable. Plans to give swifter decisions to suspended officers and more clarity to victims were among the changes touted by the previous government.Tory ministers also considered raising the threshold for referring firearms officers for prosecution.Home secretary Yvette Cooper during a visit to Lewisham Police Station in south London 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 moreCloseDonald Trump’s presidential campaign has accused the “far-left” Labour Party of interfering in the US election in a six-page legal complaint to the Federal Election Commission.The letter, addressed to the electoral commission’s acting general counsel, was published on the former US president’s website on Tuesday evening along with a statement from a campaign manager.Both the letter and the website notice make parallels to the American Revolution, with the former president’s team stating “the British are coming!” and warning: “When representatives of the British government previously sought to go door-to-door in America, it did not end well for them.”The letter also misspells Britain in the second sentence.The complaint itself references reports in The Telegraph newspaper several times and cites a now-deleted LinkedIn post from a Labour staffer stating almost 100 staff were going to the US and offering to cover housing for ten others who may be able to join.The complaint follows reports of senior Labour officials meeting with Kamala Harris’ campaign. Sir Keir Starmer has insisted his relationship with Trump is not in jeopardy, and when asked if it was a mistake for senior staffers to have met with the Harris campaign, he insisted that any members of his party were in the US on an entirely voluntary basis, similar to in previous elections.Donald Trump’s presidential campaign has filed a six-page legal complaint to the Federal Election Commission 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 moreCloseFour new badge activities have been launched for the Scouts, backed by GCHQ’s National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC), to help young people learn how to stay safe online.The activities will form part of the Digital Citizen Badge and have been designed to teach children aged eight to 14 how to protect their devices and keep their data safe.The new activities have been launched during Cyber Security Awareness Month, and encourage young people good cybersecurity habits.Specifically, the four activities for the Scouts are focused on strong passwords, recognising phishing emails, understanding fundamental cyber security principles and identifying the importance of regularly backing up key digital assets.The activities have been designed alongside cybersecurity experts from the NCSC.Sally Milner, Scout partnership manager, said: “Keeping your digital assets safe is a key modern life skill and here at the Scouts we want to help young people develop digital skills as well as the more traditional team work, navigation and leaderships skills.“In 2024, it’s just as important to know how to keep your data safe as it is to work in a team or navigate using a map; it’s our mission to help young people develop all these key skills, and others so they are fully equipped to live and operate effectively in the modern world.”Sarah Lyons, NCSC deputy director for economy and society, said: “Empowering young people with the skills to navigate the digital world safely is crucial.“By equipping Scouts with essential knowledge about online safety, we help ensure they can protect themselves against cyber threats and make informed choices in an increasingly digital society.” 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 moreCloseSir Keir Starmer has scored the first major breakthrough in his great Brexit reset with a landmark new defence deal with Germany.Less than four months into his premiership, the prime minister has struck an agreement with the most influential and powerful member state in the European Union.Under the plans, German aircraft in the Luftwaffe, Germany’s air force, will operate from a base in Britain to help protect the North Atlantic from the growing threat from Russia, while around 400 jobs are set to be created in a new munitions factory in the UK.Defence secretary John Healey said the agreement represented a “major strengthening of Europe’s security” and was a “milestone moment” in the UK’s relationship with Germany.But the prime minister was urged to go further in strengthening the UK’s relationship with the EU and seize other areas of cooperation.Keir Starmer is greeted by German chancellor Olaf Scholz ahead of a meeting between the two and other leaders More