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.CloseRead moreCloseThousands of farmers are set to descend on London later this month in protest against the government’s extension of inheritance tax, after the Metropolitan Police gave the march the green light. There has been a growing backlash from the farming community following the decision to extend the duty to cover agricultural properties, with National Farmers’ Union (NFU) chief Tom Bradshaw warning that the government should be prepared for a “militant” response from farmers. The demonstration has been organised alongside a NFU lobbying event, after the union told supporters to stay away from the city if they didn’t have a ticket saying it could not “take responsibility for people in the streets”.Clive Bailye, the protest’s organiser and founder of The Farming Forum, said there were 2,000 registrations in the first two hours of the event being launched.The farmer said he could see the number of attendees “getting past 10,000”.Farmers have staged a protest outside the Northern Farming Conference in Hexham in Northumberland 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.CloseRead moreCloseThe NHS is “drinking in the last-chance saloon”, Labour’s top health adviser and a former health secretary has warned, saying it must stop asking for more money.Alan Milburn, who was a minister under Tony Blair, said the service needs radical reform rather than more cash, calling for an end to what he said was a “more, more, more culture”.He called for clinics to be paid for keeping people healthy and out of hospital in an attempt to improve both care and efficiency.It comes ahead of an announcement by Wes Streeting next week, where he will outline plans on how the £22.6bn extra funding announced in Labour’s first Budget should be spent. The health secretary will set out goals and targets to improve healthcare, as well as cutting waste.Alan Milburn, a former health secretary, is now Labour’s top health adviser 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.CloseRead moreCloseNigel Farage has offered his services to Sir Keir Starmer’s administration, saying he would be “useful as an interlocutor” with Donald Trump.The Reform UK leader – a close ally of Mr Trump and the only UK politician who was at his Palm Beach home on election night – described Mr Trump as a “pro-British American president”.He claimed the Republican politician would give the UK “potentially huge opportunities if we can overcome the difficulties that the whole of the cabinet have been rude about him”.It comes as the prime minister attempts to build bridges with Mr Trump’s administration ahead of him returning to the White House, following a row over Labour activists campaigning for Kamala Harris and controversy over comments previously made by foreign secretary David Lammy.Sir Keir defended his foreign secretary, who in the past called Donald Trump a “neo-Nazi sympathising sociopath”.The Reform UK leader said he has “got a great relationship” with the president-elect, adding that he knows people he believes will be in Mr Trump’s administration for “quite a long time”.In 2016, Mr Trump claimed “many people” would like to see Mr Farage as the British ambassador to the US, saying he would do a “great job”.Speaking to the PA news agency at a Reform event in Exeter, the Reform MP said: “I’ve got a great relationship with Donald Trump but equally I know many of the other senior figures who will be in this administration and I’ve known them for quite a long time.“It seems to me that with a Labour Party and a Republican Party who disagree on so many things – who are such fundamentally different people – that I might be useful as an interlocutor. Unofficially, behind the scenes, to try and help mend some of those fences.“If the government choose to use me, I would do that not because I support the Labour government but because I believe in something called the national interest.”It comes amid growing speculation over who might replace Karen Pierce, the UK ambassador to the US. On Tuesday, cabinet minister Pat McFadden said Ms Pierce is “doing an excellent job” and the government wants her “to keep on doing the job”.Her term is due to end in early 2025, with speculation about her replacement circulating from before the general election.While Mr Farage said Sir Keir should “roll out the red carpet” for Trump, such a possibility has sparked backlash. Matt Wrack, general secretary of the Fire Brigades Union (FBU), this week told The Independent such a move would be “obscene”, saying Mr Trump’s election is “disastrous for trade unions and the labour movement globally”.“Trump is a far-right nationalist demagogue who has launched a racist and misogynistic ‘hate-fest’ in the US,” he added.Meanwhile, former shadow attorney general Emily Thornberry warned Sir Keir against “holding Trump’s hand”.The chair of the foreign affairs select committee told The Independent: “It is in Britain’s interests not to alienate the president-elect of the USA, but we must of course balance that with standing up for our values and beliefs. There is no need to hold his hand.”Downing Street has been contacted for comment. 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.CloseRead moreCloseThe defence secretary has revealed his son joined the Army as a result of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying the conflict is now “personal”.John Healey said his son’s decision to join the British Army reservists has allowed him to better understand the real-life impact of decisions he may make in a ministerial capacity.He said: “It weighs heavily on me as defence secretary, knowing that if we face conflict, it will be my decision to send British forces and personnel into situations which put them at risk. It’s a responsibility of the post, but now it’s personal as well.”His son Alex, who is in his late twenties, is now an infantryman in the Army reserves – a decision Mr Healey says he took in the days after Russia invaded Ukraine.Defence secretary John Healey spoke about his son’s decision to join the Army reservists 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.CloseRead moreCloseThe government has dropped official opposition to the introduction of a four-day working week by a local council – a move which could pave the way for other local authorities to do the same.The previous Conservative government objected to the plans by South Cambridgeshire District Council after it was introduced in 2023. But local government secretary Angela Rayner has criticised the previous administration for “micromanaging” local authorities over the policy.The four-day working week continued past the end of its trial period in March this year as the council awaited information from ministers.While it is not official government policy to support a four-day working week – and the government has no plans to consider such a move – ministers are no longer objecting to it.A letter from the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government to the Cambridgeshire authority on Friday said councils are “rightly responsible for the management and organisation of their own workforces”.The government is no longer objecting to a local council’s four day working week policy 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.CloseRead moreCloseThe NHS has been warned it is “drinking in the last chance saloon” and must end its culture of asking for more money, by Labour’s top health advisor.In the Budget, Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced what she called the biggest real-terms increase in day-to-day NHS spending since 2010 – outside the Covid pandemic – providing £22.6 billion for the health service along with another £3.1 billion of capital investment.Alan Milburn, former secretary of state for health who had success slashing waiting times under Tony Blair, will return in a role as Wes Streeting’s key adviser on reform, making him lead non-executive director of the Department of Health.He told The Times: “The NHS is in the worst state I’ve ever seen and I’ve been around health policy now for 30 years. I genuinely think it’s drinking in the last-chance saloon.”“Keir [Starmer] has got religion on public-service reform,” Milburn said. “He knows that … when you put that amount of money in, you better make sure that every pound of it is working to produce better outcomes for patients.”It came as a BBC investigation found senior consultants earning the most were more likely to be part-time, which means they can work overtime for rates of £200 an hour – more than four times normal pay.The BBC found that Medway NHS Foundation Trust paid one radiologist more than £200,000 – almost twice the average basic pay for a full-time consultant in England.Mr Milburn called for a “culture of change” in the health service, adding: “People have got to stop thinking that the answer to the NHS problem is simply more and more money.”Mr Streeting is expected to announce “tough reforms to the way the NHS is run” next week to make sure every extra pound set out in the Budget is well spent.Mr Milburn said the current health secretary would go “further and faster” than New Labour had, adding: “The NHS has got to be weaned off the ‘more, more, more’ culture, and it’s got to recognise that if you’re going to do big dollops of resources, then that has got to be matched by a massive dose of reform.”He added the United Kingdom needed “a Dunkirk-spirit moment for the NHS, where the whole nation pulls together”. 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.CloseRead moreCloseSir Keir Starmer’s new national security adviser wrote an article a year ago in which he recommended a “more relaxed attitude” to engaging with terrorist groups.Jonathan Powell, who was Tony Blair’s chief of staff during the last Labour government, was appointed to the crucial role by Sir Keir after the prime minister ditched Rishi Sunak’s choice, vice-chief of the defence staff General Gwyn Jenkins.Mr Powell comes to the role from negotiating the controversial handover of the Chagos Islands in the Indian Ocean to Mauritius, but also brings a great deal of experience to the job.As Mr Blair’s chief of staff, he played a critical role in bringing about the Good Friday Agreement in Northern Ireland and ending the Troubles there.Jonathan Powell, who served in Tony Blair’s New Labour government, brings a great deal of experience to the role 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.CloseRead moreCloseKeir Starmer has been warned that he must prioritise attempts to reset Britain’s relationship with the EU and unpick the trade barriers created by leaving if he wants to offset the impact of the tariffs Donald Trump has threatened to impose.With Mr Trump re-elected to the White House and intending to impose protectionist tariffs to protect sectors of the US economy, there are fears that not only will the policy wipeout the UK’s hopes for economic growth but could see the economy shrinking.Foreign secretary David Lammy, who has attempted to dismiss any ill feeling he may have created between the Labour government and Trump White House with his historic tweets calling the president-elect a “neo Nazi”, has also warned against US trade tariffs.Mr Lammy told the BBC’s Newscast: “We will seek to ensure and to get across to the United States – and I believe that they would understand this – that hurting your closest allies cannot be in your medium or long-term interests, whatever the pursuit of public policy in relation to some of the problems posed by China.”Trump could impose tariffs (Niall Carson/PA) More