UK Politics

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer has already squandered the biggest potential dividends of his post-Brexit reset with the EU by ruling out a return to the single market and customs union, a report has warned.The prime minister has repeatedly talked up his push to rebuild ties with the bloc after years of acrimony under successive Tory governments, promising that doing so will boost economic growth and living standards.But the Resolution Foundation has said Sir Keir’s red lines are limiting the government’s room for manoeuvre and keeping the biggest growth dividends off limits to the UK. It cited the government’s own analysis suggesting that rejoining the single market would boost GDP by around 3.5 per cent compared with the current EU trade deal.Sir Keir Starmer has promised a reset of relations between the UK and EU More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorKeir Starmer has spoken of his own passion for the creative arts as he prepares to unveil a major new investment strategy for Britain’s film industry to put it at the heart of his plans to boost economic growth.The prime minister spoke exclusively to The Independent ahead of a new package of tax relief to help boost “British Hollywood” and see more films made in the UK with “many, many” more job opportunities.He told Independent TV: “This is a really important initiative, tax relief for filmmaking. Here in the United Kingdom, we are really good in the creative sector.The creative industries generate £125bn a year, and form a central part of the government’s plan to grow the economy More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorA new cybersecurity competition has been launched by the Government to help uncover the best young talent from across the UK who could go on to have a career in the sector.The UK Cyber Team Competition is open to 18 to 25-year-olds from across the UK, and tests them on their digital skills through a range of cyber challenges designed to highlight technical expertise and problem-solving abilities.Those who perform best will earn a place on the UK Cyber Team and represent the country in international cyber competitions, as well as being given access to advanced training and support from experts, and networking opportunities and mentorship to help develop a potential career.The Government said the competition will also help the UK plug the cyber skills gap and strengthen national security at a time when the need for skilled cyber professionals has never been greater.Cyber Security Minister Feryal Clark said: “In an increasingly digital world, cyber threats are evolving rapidly – and it’s essential we stay ahead of the curve.“The UK Cyber Team Competition is an exciting opportunity for young talent to showcase their skills and play a crucial role in protecting our nation’s digital future.“We’re looking to find the best and brightest minds to represent the UK on the world stage.“I encourage all eligible young people with a passion for cyber security and technology to take on the challenge and be part of something truly impactful.”A string of high-profile cybersecurity incidents have hit the UK in recent times, including the CrowdStrike outage in July which grounded flights and disrupted healthcare, and a “cyber vandalism” incident last month shut down WiFi networks at major rail stations across the country.Speaking to the PA news agency, Ms Clark said the broader issue of cybersecurity was a “major priority” for the new Labour Government.“You will have heard the Secretary of State (Peter Kyle) talk about the significance of cybersecurity and the threats that are posed to us from hostile nations and criminals,” she said.“That’s why we are very keen to bring forward the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill next year.“It’s a major issue for us as a government, and as a nation.”The Cyber Security Minister added that she was also focused on “looking at where the skills shortage is and what we can do to tackle that” including any issues around recruitment and “what programs we can put in place to attract the right people into the roles”. More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorParliamentary pressure is building on the UK government to vote against Saudi Arabia’s bid for a seat on the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC), in what has been described as a “litmus test” for the new Labour administration.A letter to foreign secretary David Lammy – signed by MPs and peers from across parties – outlines concerns over the Kingdom’s human rights record, including the jailing of women’s rights advocates and a surge in executions.Shared exclusively with The Independent, it warns that electing Saudi Arabia to the council would “undermine global confidence” in the UN’s ability to “protect human rights” and pleads with the foreign secretary “not to vote for such an unsuitable candidate”.MPs and peers sent a letter to foreign secretary David Lammy outlining concerns over Saudi Arabia’s human rights record More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorIf Sue Gray divided opinion inside and outside Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet – and she certainly did – then his chosen replacement may prove to be even more controversial.Even before the Sunday lunch of short knives saw Ms Gray ousted from Sir Keir’s top team, Morgan McSweeney was a deeply controversial figure within the Labour Party, a man who has attracted an almost pathological hatred from the left.But what is now fascinating many within the Westminster bubble are the comparisons between McSweeney and that recent Svengali figure at the heart of Boris Johnson’s government, Dominic Cummings. Given that Mr Johnson in his new autobiography Unleashed has compared Cummings to a fictional “homicidal robot” bent on destruction, this may not be the most comfortable comparison for the newly installed regime around Sir Keir.Morgan McSweeney has a reputation for ruthlessness More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditorTwo of Jeremy Corbyn’s Commons allies have united with the Tories to oppose Labour’s tax raid on private schools, despite having been elected on left-wing tickets.Pro-Gaza independents Iqbal Mohamed and Ayoub Khan spoke out against Sir Keir Starmer’s plans to levy VAT on independent schools and remove their relief from business rates.The pair, who have joined Mr Corbyn’s Independent Alliance alongside other left-wing independents elected in July, both opposed the plans being introduced by Labour.Jeremy Corbyn has formed the five-strong Independent Alliance of MPs More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseOur mission is to deliver unbiased, fact-based reporting that holds power to account and exposes the truth.Whether $5 or $50, every contribution counts.Support us to deliver journalism without an agenda.Louise ThomasEditor Conservative lawmakers in Britain ejected former Security Minister Tom Tugendhat from the party leadership contest on Tuesday, leaving three contenders still running to lead the party after its catastrophic election defeat.Tugendhat garnered 20 votes in a ballot of 120 members of Parliament, finishing last. Former Foreign Secretary James Cleverly topped the ballot with 39 votes.Former Immigration Minister Robert Jenrick got 31 votes and ex-Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch received 30.Another candidate will be kicked out of the race by legislators on Wednesday, before tens of thousands of party members across the country choose between the final two. The winner will be announced on Nov. 2. The result adds to Cleverly’s momentum in the race. Jenrick, a hard-liner who calls for Britain to make deep cuts to immigration and rip up European human rights law, had been considered the front-runner since the contest started in July.Cleverly, a centrist, picked up support with a well-received speech at last week’s Conservative conference. He urged the fractious party “let’s be more normal,” and argued he had the skills to defeat the Labour Party of Prime Minister Keir Starmer and return the Conservatives to power at the next election, due by 2029.The party’s last contested leadership selection, in mid-2022, saw members choose Liz Truss over Rishi Sunak. Truss resigned as prime minister after just 49 days in office when her tax-cutting plans rocked the financial markets and battered the value of the pound. The party then picked Sunak to replace her. In July, Sunak led the Conservative Party to its worst election result since 1832. The Conservatives lost more than 200 seats, taking their tally down to 121. More

Sue Gray quits: Defence secretary says Labour cabinet is ‘most unified’ he’s ever served inYour support helps us to tell the storyFind out moreCloseMy recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyondEric GarciaWashington Bureau ChiefTom Tugendhat has been eliminated from the Conservative leadership contest, paving the way for James Cleverly, who has received a significant boost in support. The former security minister, who was previously viewed as a strong contender, failed to win over enough backing from parliamentary colleagues to make it to the final three, garnering only 20 votes. James Cleverly topped the third ballot with a notable rise in support, securing 39 votes from Tory MPs. Thisshift in momentum placed him as a frontrunner as the race intensifies. Meanwhile, Robert Jenrick remains a key player in the contest with 31 of the votes. Kemi Badenoch closely trails with 30 votes, reflecting a tight race among the remaining candidates. With the final two candidates set to be announced in another ballot on Wednesday, Tory members will have the chance to vote in an online ballot from 10 to 31 October. It comes as the Conservatives narrowed Labour’s lead to just one point, raising alarms for Sir Keir Starmer’s party months after its sweeping election victory. The latest More in Common poll revealed the party now sits at 29 per cent, down one percentage point, while the Tories have gained two points, reaching 28 per cent. This represents the smallest lead Labour has seen since the pollster began tracking voting intentions last year. Show latest update 1728397846Breaking: Tom Tugendhat knocked out of Tory leadership contestTom Tugendhat has been knocked out of the Tory leadership contest.The former minister received 20 votes, placing him in last place and eliminating him from the contest.James Cleverly came first with the backing of 39 MPs, Robert Jenrick got 31 and Kemi Badenoch had 30.Salma Ouaguira8 October 2024 15:301728398997Kemi Badenoch calls on Jenrick supporters to unite behind her bidKemi Badenoch is rallying supporters of Robert Jenrick to pivot their backing towards her campaign as the Tory leadership race narrows to three contenders. A spokesperson for the shadow secretary said: “There are three candidates left in this contest, two are gaining votes and one is going backwards and losing support.“The right of the Conservative Party now needs to coalesce around Kemi, who can reach across and unify the party, has the star quality to cut through in opposition, and is indisputably the members’ choice for leader.”Salma Ouaguira8 October 2024 15:491728398837James Cleverly: ‘The job’s not finished’Salma Ouaguira8 October 2024 15:471728398434Tugendhat thanks backers as he exits leadership raceSalma Ouaguira8 October 2024 15:401728397823Reform UK membership reaches 90,000 supportersMeanwhile, Nigel Farage has taken to social media to announce that Reform UK’s membership has increased to 90,000.The last time the party revealed the numbers, it stood at 85,000.Salma Ouaguira8 October 2024 15:301728397555Coming up: Tory leadership vote result revealed shortly Chariman of the 1922 Committee of Tory MPs Bob Blackman will appear at 3.30pm to announce the result of the latest round of voting in the leadership contest.Salma Ouaguira8 October 2024 15:251728396623Labour MP slams Tories for defending private school tax breaksConnor Naismith, Labour MP for Crewe and Nantwich, has criticised the Tories for their support of tax breaks for private education during the ongoing VAT discussion. Speaking passionately in the Commons, Mr Naismith argued that the previous administration demonstrated a lack of change in their priorities.He said: “(The Conservatives) have demonstrated perfectly well that nothing has changed and it’s business as usual as they choose to leap to the defence of tax breaks for private education.“Only 7 per cent of children in the UK go to a private school, a smaller proportion than the most recent Conservative cabinet, of which it is believed that 65 per cent were privately educated. So, perhaps that tells us something about why we are debating this matter today.”Tory members on the opposition benches responded by shouting – “look around you”.Salma Ouaguira8 October 2024 15:101728396153Back to the Commons…MPs continue to debate Labour’s decision to scrap tax exemptions for private schools. Alicia Kearns, Conservative MP for Rutland and Stamford, condemned Labour’s proposal to impose VAT on school fees, calling it “cruel and vindictive”.Speaking in the House of Commons, she warned that the move would have dire consequences for rural economies, which rely heavily on the presence of independent schools. She told members: “I have over 2,000 people locally who are employed directly by independent schools, let alone those working within the supply chain, whether it be buses, or food, or flowers, or cafes or shops, rural economies do not have that many options at the moment and independent schools are a bedrock for them.“So, the economic impact of this (policy) should be considered within that impact assessment, which I very much doubt has been carried out.”Salma Ouaguira8 October 2024 15:021728396023No 10 rejects fears of Truss-style chaos ahead of Budget announcement Downing Street has downplayed fears that potential changes to borrowing rules in the upcoming Budget could trigger a crisis like the chaotic premiership of Liz Truss.The government insisted that it is committed to restoring economic stability, amid growing speculation that shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves plans to revamp fiscal policies. With the Budget statement set to be released at the end of this month, investors are cautioning shadow chancellor Jeremy Hunt to “walk a tightrope” to avoid unsettling the markets and prompting a sell-off of government bonds. In response to fears of a Truss-style chaos, a No 10 spokesperson said: “Obviously, I wouldn’t accept that characterisation.“The government has made clear that one of the first steps of this government is to restore economic stability in the Budget. It will absolutely deliver on that, delivering on the robust fiscal rules that were set out in the manifesto.“That includes moving the current Budget into balance, it includes debt falling as a share of the economy, and more broadly, as I say, the Budget will be about fixing the foundations of the economy, delivering stability, because it is only with economic stability that we will get the growth and investment that the economy needs.”( More