UK Politics

A 21-year-old man has been charged with arson after London properties linked to Sir Keir Starmer caught on fire.Roman Lavrynovych, a Ukrainian national from Sydenham, south-east London, has been charged with three counts of arson with intent to endanger life, the Metropolitan Police said.Officers arrested the suspect in the early hours of Tuesday after fires at two homes in north London within 24 hours of each other. Counterterror police were investigating whether the fires were linked because of the properties’ connection to Sir Keir. Lavrynovych is due to appear at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Friday.Forensics teams could be seen outside the prime minister’s former home More

The government is seeking to rejoin the EU’s pet passport scheme as part of its Brexit reset talks, The Independent understands.Hundreds of thousands of British travellers took their pets on holiday to the EU every year before the UK left the pet passport scheme at the end of the Brexit transition period in January 2021.Now, British travellers must microchip their pets, vaccinate them against rabies, and obtain an animal health certificate – which can cost up to £200.The UK’s Brexit reset negotiators have pushed for British cats and dogs to regain freedom of movement within the bloc, as first reported by The Telegraph. In order to obtain the agreement on sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) regulations and re-enter the pet passport programme, the government is expected to give in to EU demands for a long-term agreement on fish.A government source told The Independent: “Nothing is agreed until everything is agreed.” The UK has pushed for British cats and dogs to regain freedom of movement within the EU More

Sir Keir Starmer is locked in a £1bn standoff with the EU over university tuition fees as he tries to get his much-vaunted Brexit reset deal agreed in time for Monday’s crucial summit.The prime minister’s optimism that he is on the cusp of landing a “superb deal” with the EU was dealt a blow with just days to go after EU member states raised a series of objections to the European Commission’s draft communique.The Independent understands that there is anger that the draft deal does not include big enough concessions from the UK on fishing rights and student fees, while a proposed cap on the number of under-40s who could live and work in the UK and Europe under a time-limited youth mobility scheme is too low.They also appear to be pressing for Britain to accept the authority of the European Court of Justice (ECJ), as first reported in the Financial Times.Keir Starmer and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen will meet for a summit on 19 May More

In an era of political drama, shifting alliances and high-stakes decisions, understanding what’s really going on in Westminster has never been more vital. That’s where View from Westminster comes in – The Independent’s essential politics newsletter, delivered straight to your inbox every Monday to Thursday at 6pm.Each edition offers a clear, concise briefing on the day’s political developments – from policy shifts and party infighting to behind-the-scenes manoeuvres and the stories shaping tomorrow’s headlines. Whether it’s debate in the Commons, movement on key legislation, or leadership speculation in No 10, our award-winning lobby team – including our political editor David Maddox; political commentators John Rentoul and Andrew Grice; Whitehall editor Kate Devlin; and correspondents Archie Mitchell and Millie Cooke – bring you the clarity, context and analysis that cuts through the noise.Alongside the top stories, you’ll find sharp insight into Labour’s direction under Keir Starmer, the future of the Conservative Party, and the mood inside Whitehall. Plus, we include the kind of informed political gossip and talking points that help you understand not just what happened, but why it matters – and what might happen next.How to sign upTo receive the View from Westminster newsletter, simply enter your email address in the box at the top of this page.You can also head to our newsletter preference centre to sign up for the email.Once there, all you need to do is press the ‘+’ button and enter your email address to sign up.While there you can also browse The Independent’s wide range of other newsletters: from Climate to Health Check and from Indy/Tech to IndyEats, there’s something for everyone. More

Independent readers are divided over Sir Keir Starmer’s proposed Brexit reset deal with the EU, which includes a youth mobility scheme for 18 to 30-year-olds and closer trade ties. Starmer’s hopes of a “superb deal” are facing last-minute problems, with EU countries reportedly unhappy about Britain’s stance on fishing rights and student fees. There is also pressure for the UK to accept the European Court of Justice’s role in disputes – a point the UK government says it will negotiate “in the national interest.”Some readers welcomed the idea of reintroducing limited freedom of movement for young people, saying it could broaden horizons and foster closer ties with Europe. Others said it was an inevitable move – and saw it as a first step toward mending post-Brexit relations.However, many felt the youth scheme and Brexit reset deal could be no real substitute for full EU membership or proper freedom of movement, dismissing the negotiations as window dressing. Meanwhile, supporters of Brexit warned that any move toward closer ties with the EU could be intepretated as a betrayal of democracy, undermining the referendum result.Here’s what you had to say:Mutual exchangeWere there restrictions on young people visiting neighbours before the EU?I voted for Brexit, but see no problem with the reintroduction of mutual exchange.MartynAdd your opinion in the comments hereFrom good to greatThe deal will be good and when that sits alongside India and the US, it’ll be great…But compared to the US and India deals, the existing TCA deal is already far better, because it has zero tariffs. The US has 10 per cent, and India just reduced tariffs and forced the migrant labour floodgates open.Not sure how youth mobility will improve the wealth of British people… and how participating in EU defence will improve the lot of the British masses? But trade deals are very politicised for the UK now.(Politically irrelevant for EU 27 nations as it’s a shared sovereignty and interest.)EuropeanObserverEconomic self-harmGenuinely have to laugh at this negotiation performance. Both sides of the argument are going to be upset, so it must be a sensible compromise. Not really. Brexit was and remains a really stupid act of economic self-harm, and the huge increase in immigration from areas other than the EU since it happened is what is driving the authors of their own misfortune crazy – and so it should.AintnosanityclausePush for easier travelling for UK touristsWhy not push for easier travelling for tourists from the UK to the EU? At the moment, we have all these ridiculous EU rules which are just a pain in the backside and really serve no purpose when applied to other European people.Pomerol95Extracting concessionsThe youth mobility scheme was always going to happen. Starmer held it back in order to extract as many concessions from the EU as possible. Brilliant negotiator. Brillianter than Trump.grcUnpopularityI do wonder at the wisdom of striking a deal that will annoy leavers and remainers when one is such an unpopular leader, leading such an unpopular party.Interesting strategy there.9DiamondsA return to freedom of movement30 is NOT youth… 16–19 or maybe 21 at a push is youth. 18–30 is simply a return to freedom of movement for working-age men, I am guessing. The EU has long been a failure with a serious youth unemployment issue – Spain: 16–19 with over 42 per cent unemployed. Work it out.In any case, if freedom to go, stay, and work is acceptable for 30-year-olds, why not those 50, 60?Frankx33Nothing to get excited aboutThe EU youth mobility scheme is time-limited and no substitute for proper EU freedom of movement. It’s nothing to get excited about.Hammer71Stop tinketing at the edgesYouth mobility? All very nice for them, but what needs to happen is the full restoration of freedom of movement for anyone who wants it.Starmer needs to stop tinkering at the edges and get Little Britain back on the road to the European Union – and let Farage, the Mail and the few remaining Brexity types spout their venom while the majority laugh at them.rEUjoinWon’t alleviate the economic consequences of BrexitThe youth mobility scheme and closer European defence cooperation will do nothing to alleviate the disastrous economic consequences of Brexit. The UK is still excluded from having a slice of the EU’s member countries’ budget on defence spending.The US tariff reduction is spun as a successful trade deal, when Trump has succeeded in his mission to eliminate the trade surplus the UK had over the US. “Brexit reset” is a Labour con-word, just like “Change [for the worse]” and “Make Brexit work”.OpinatorThe real worldA start. Let’s see where it takes us. To use the language of the article, you could call me an ‘ardent Rejoiner’ myself, but we have to deal with the real world – the one regrettably created for us by Farage, Bozo, and Frost.It sounds like this does that. Now that defence is a more pressing issue than in 2016, closer relations with the EU are a no-brainer. Unless Kemi or Nige get in.CarnabyswhiskersDoesn’t address tradeGetting closer on defence is a no-brainer, and it’s fine for the youth. Being able to see how others live broadens the mind. However, it doesn’t address trade, and that is the be-all and end-all of closer relationships.We could gain tens of billions – unlike the India deal, which will help to the tune of £5 billion, but not for 15 years. Starmer is afraid to upset the snake oil drinkers.Boy from ceiberTread carefullyBrexit was clear, and so was the government leaflet sent to every home prior to the referendum – and that Brexit meant leaving all EU institutions. This is what the people voted for.Your go, Starmer, and tread carefully, because any breach will mean Reform gets stronger and people will remove this Labour government from power via mass strike action.ProudUKBringing the country together…Keir is great at bringing the country together… He manages to upset everyone from across the political spectrum.That said, I hope this goes well. We really need some good news for a change.thecultureSome of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.Want to share your views? Simply register your details below. Once registered, you can comment on the day’s top stories for a chance to be featured. Alternatively, click ‘log in’ or ‘register’ in the top right corner to sign in or sign up.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here. More

Keir Starmer has confirmed he wants to send failed asylum seekers to foreign countries, in his latest crackdown on illegal immigration. Speaking during a visit to Albania, the prime minister said he would look to create “return hubs” abroad for those who have no chance of appeal in the UK. Sir Keir told GB News: “What now we want to do and are having discussions of is return hubs – which is where someone has been through the system in the UK, they need to be returned and we have to make sure they’re returned effectively and we’ll do that, if we can, through return hubs.” But he said there was no “silver bullet” to solve the problem. Sir Keir Starmer is in Albania to discuss new plans to crack down on migration More

A senior minister from one of the UK’s Nato allies has publicly voiced opposition to efforts by Sir Keir Starmer’s “coalition of the willing” to guarantee peace in Ukraine if US president Donald Trump can broker a deal.Hungary’s state secretary Zoltán Kovács, the mouthpiece of right-wing prime minister Viktor Orban, suggested on a trip to London that Western troops in Ukraine could be an extension of a “proxy war” against Russia.He added that Hungary, seen as being close to Russia, would play no part in joint EU efforts.“It’s certain that Hungary’s position is very firm on this,” he said. “Hungary is not going to participate in any kind of supply of weapons, military cooperation with Ukraine, because we have a different mandate coming from the Hungarian people.”Sir Keir has been carrying out lengthy negotiations to get a peacekeeping force made up from several countries – dubbed “the coalition of the willing” – stationed in Ukraine to guarantee any agreement to end the war that may emerge. Starmer and Orban are on a collision course over Ukraine More

Sir Keir Starmer faces one of the biggest days of his premiership on Monday, unveiling his plans for Britain’s post-Brexit reset deal towards closer ties with the EU. The prime minister has been determined to rebuild ties with the bloc after years of tension and mistrust under the Conservatives. He has made the reset a centrepiece of his administration, but has been keen to stress that its scope will be limited while the Brexit vote will be respected. So when European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen and European Council president Antonio Costa arrive in the UK, he will be keen to show progress has been made. Sir Keir Starmer is resetting Britain’s relationship with the EU More