UK Politics

Minister says accepting freebies is different in governmentYour 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 ChiefA group of indigenous Chagossians plans to stage a protest in Westminster claiming they have been sidelined from discussions surrounding the handover of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius, The Independent understands. Chagossian Voices insists the UK government has “consistently and deliberately ignored” their perspectives throughout the negotiation process, calling for full inclusion in the treaty drafting. As tensions mount, Sir Keir Starmer has defended the government’s decision, claiming that the UK-Mauritius deal ensures continued security of the US-UK Diego Garcia military base.However, the move has drawn significant backlash, particularly from Argentina who capitalised on the situation by vowing to secure “full sovereignty” over the Falklands. The geopolitical fallout followed the prime minister to Cheshire, where Labour ministers pledged nearly £22 billion to develop carbon capture projects in Merseyside and Teesside.Sir Keir promised workers that the new investment would create thousands of jobs and attract private investment while helping the UK meet its net-zero targets.He described today’s investment announcement as a demonstration of “the politics of renewal in action” and declared the new political divide between Labour and the Tories is ‘investment or decline’.Show latest update 1728050232EXCLUSIVE | Indigenous Chagossians plan protest after being ‘excluded’ from talksA group of indigenous Chagossians are planning to stage a protest in Westminster on Monday over the decision to hand the archipelago over to Mauritius, The Independent understands, accusing the government of excluding them from talks, Millie Cooke reports. Chagossian Voices, a group representing indigenous people from the Chagos Islands, has claimed their views have been “consistently and deliberately ignored”, demanding full inclusion in the drafting of the treaty.The group claimed to have learned the outcome of the negotiations through the media, saying indigenous Chagossians feel “powerless and voiceless in determining our own future”.The protest has been organised for Monday at 11.30 am. Salma Ouaguira4 October 2024 14:571728052815Euston station’s controversial advertising board axed Transport secretary Louise Haigh has ordered the shutdown of a large advertising board at London’s Euston station. The decision comes as Network Rail responds to mounting criticism over its decision to replace the traditional departure board with a massive advertising display, leaving travellers with smaller train information screens. A frustrated Ms Haigh said: “For too long, Euston station simply hasn’t been good enough for passengers.“That’s why I’ve tasked Network Rail with coming up with a clear plan to immediately improve conditions for passengers.“This includes a shutdown of the advertising boards from today to review their use.”( 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 ThomasEditorThe official government history of Boris Johnson’s time as prime minister must include “sleaze and scandal” critics have said – after it emerged it is still blank two years on. The UK government has commissioned pen portraits of ex-PMs dating back to Robert Walpole. But Mr Johnson’s entry remains empty, even though he was ousted from office in the summer of 2022. Critics said the disgraced politician’s biography would be “impossible to write” as it would have to include “sleaze and scandal”.Former prime minister Boris Johnson has made a series of claims in his ‘Unleashed’ memoir (Jonathan Brady/PA) 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 ThomasEditorGender equality in the workplace has stalled as women report experiencing many of the same challenges as they did nearly 30 years ago, a new survey of high-flyers suggests.The group is calling for higher salaries and more effort to tear down the ‘glass ceiling’, the invisible barriers that hold women back, saying it was “deeply concerning” that many felt too little had changed since the Nineties.Significantly, nearly half of those asked, 47 per cent, said more needed to be done to promote women into senior positions – mirroring results from a similar survey carried out in 1996.Women want more to be done to pull down the ‘glass ceiling’ 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 ThomasEditorFormer prime minister Liz Truss has hit back at claims that she was responsible for the UK losing the crucial Chagos Islands and claimed it was Boris Johnson’s fault.An extraordinary row broke out yesterday when Keir Starmer’s government announced it was handing the islands to Mauritius in a deal which guarantees the UK military air base in the Indian Ocean for at least 99 years.There are fears the deal will open the islands to Chinese interference and undermine Western defence and security in the southern hemisphere.Truss now blames Boris Johnson for the Diego Garcia debacle 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’s lead in the polls has barely been dented after another week of criticism for the prime minister and his government over free gifts and blanket coverage of the Tory leadership contest.The latest weekly Techne UK tracker poll has revealed that Labour’s share of the vote dropped just one point to 31 per cent while the Tories gained one to 23 per cent.It suggests that the four Conservative leadership candidates hoping to replace Rishi Sunak, who made their pitches over four days in Birmingham, failed to inspire the wider public outside the confines of party activists.The four Tory leadership candidates take the stage 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 ThomasEditorFollowing their election defeat and the departure of Rishi Sunak, the Conservative Party is locked in a leadership contest to determine its future direction. The race has been the focal point of this week’s Tory Party conference in Birmingham, with candidates Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly, and Tom Tugendhat battling to lead a fractured party back to power, challenging Keir Starmer’s Labour. Yet, the key question remains: who will win, and who can truly succeed in reuniting a disillusioned voter base?In a recent poll of Independent readers on X/Twitter, Tugendhat led with 40 per cent support, followed by Cleverly at 25.5 per cent. A poll in our exclusive UK Politics WhatsApp community yielded the same results. In both cases, a significant portion of respondents expressed dissatisfaction with the available choices, criticising the party’s direction and leadership.One reader suggested the Conservatives’ best option may be “a silent leader”. Another described the leadership battle as “cats in a sack,” suggesting that none of the contenders could truly turn the party around. Others echoed similar sentiments, with calls for the party to “move back to the centre,” as their shift to the right has alienated traditional supporters. With the Conservative Party at a crossroads, the outcome of this leadership race could determine its future—and whether it can recover from the depths of internal division and voter disillusionment.Here’s what you had to say:‘A silent leader’Until they have some rational vision for the future leadership is irrelevant. Who cares who leads a party that has betrayed its own voter base?The best way to consider the question is in terms of damage limitation to the reputation of the Conservative Party. It might be best to have a silent leader.Poe‘Move to the centre’In moving further and further to the right, they drove voters away, just as Corbyn did by moving Labour further and further to the left. The only sensible move for the Tories now is to root out the right-wing extremists that have taken control of the party and move back towards the centre. Blair and Starmer did the exact same thing with the Labour Party and, whether you like them or hate them, the results are very clear.Ollie‘Maga-style rhetoric’If they carry on down this road of populist, extreme right, Maga-style rhetoric they will either destroy themselves (not something I’d shed a tear over) or the the whole country if they garner enough support to get back in.I’m fairly terrified it might be the second given the events following the stupidity and division of Brexit.Ben‘Cats in a sack’Unfortunately, anyone who could turn things around does not appear to be running. The usual suspects are fighting like cats in a sack so the winner won’t last long. Crafty GitTories of the pastMmmmm John Major? Kenneth Clark? Michael Heseltine? You might not like them but they had functioning brains, didn’t try to win votes via hate, and gave the impression they cared about the people they represented, vaguely supported the NHS…. Not this lot of self-serving morons…PamelaSome of the comments have been edited for this article. You can read the full discussion in the comments section of the original article here.All you have to do is sign up, submit your question and register your details – then you can then take part in the discussion. You can also sign up by clicking ‘log in’ on the top right-hand corner of the screen.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here. More

Minister says accepting freebies is different in governmentYour 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 ChiefBritain should hold a referendum on its membership of the European Convention on Human Rights, Boris Johnson has said.The ex-prime minister told The Daily Telegraph there was a strong case to give voters a say on the ECHR, which critics say prevents Britain from having full control of immigration.Mr Johnson suggested the ECHR did not “provide people with protections that they wouldn’t otherwise have”. The UK’s membership is a key Tory leadership issue with Robert Jenrick saying the party must back an exit to survive. Earlier this week he also said he was open to Mr Johnson being in his shadow cabinet.Mr Johnson’s comments come ahead of the publication of his memoir, Unleashed, in which he brands Rishi Sunak’s ideas in government as “zany” and laid the blame for the drubbing suffered by the Tories at this year’s general election at his feet.He also writes that he regrets not sacking then-political adviser Dominic Cummings over the Barnard Castle row, dismissing the furore as “lefty journalists angry over Brexit”.Mr Johnson will be questioned about the revelations in his memoir during an appearance on ITV set to air on Friday evening.The BBC was forced to cancel its interview with him after presenter Laura Kuenssberg accidentally sent the former prime minister her briefing notes.Show latest update 1727988255UK should hold vote on ECHR membership, says JohnsonBritain should hold a referendum on its membership of the European Convention on Human Rights, Boris Johnson has said.The former prime minister told The Daily Telegraph there is a “strong case” to give the public a say on the ECHR, which critics say prevents Britain from having full control of its immigration policy.Mr Johnson suggested the ECHR did not “provide people with protections that they wouldn’t otherwise have”.Tory leadership candidates Robert Jenrick and Tom Tugendhat have both backed the idea of leaving the ECHR.Jane Dalton3 October 2024 21:441728009000We want UK to increase ties with Ireland, says Lammy Foreign secretary David Lammy has said he wanted the UK and Ireland to increase co-operation on “growth, climate and global issues” as he met the deputy prime minister.Following the Chagos deal, some critics mocked him by asking whether he would be giving away Northern Ireland. Jane Dalton4 October 2024 03:301728004500Watch: Who will be the next Tory leader?Who will be the next leader of the Conservatives?Following on from their election defeat and Rishi Sunak departing, the Conservatives have been locked in a leadership campaign to pick the next party leader. Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat are the final four vying to win the leadership and return a fractious party to power, wresting it away from Keir Starmer’s Labour. But who will win and who’s most likely to succeed? Kate Devlin and John Rentoul cast an eye over the field of candidates and pick who they think is next to face Kier Starmer at the dispatch box in Westminster.Jane Dalton4 October 2024 02:151728000900Review: Unleashed – A memoir that’s twisted, sour and full of more lies“Shameless, sour, predictable, self-exculpatory stuff”: Enjoy Sean O’Grady’s review of Boris Johnson’s memoir:Jane Dalton4 October 2024 01:151727998500Leader: Johnson’s low moral standards are a warning to StarmerJane Dalton4 October 2024 00:351727994600Half Tory members want party to merge with Reform, poll for Liz Truss’s thinktank revealsA new survey commissioned by a rightwing thinktank has suggested that 53 per cent of Conservative Party members would support a merger with Reform UK.A huge 70 per cent said they would want a closer relationship with Nigel Farage’s party, the survey showed.The poll, which was conducted between September 23 and 27, spoke to 470 Tory members by the rightwing Popular Conservatism (PopCon) organisation, which founded by disgraced former prime minister Liz Truss.Read the full article here: Jane Dalton3 October 2024 23:301727990454Blame Sunak for Tory election drubbing, not me, says JohnsonJane Dalton3 October 2024 22:201727986554US hails Chacos deal as ‘win for diplomacy’US State Department spokesman Matt Miller said of the Chacos deal: “It’s a win for a diplomacy to see a successful, successful outcome of this effort between two US partners after more than a dozen rounds of talks. “The agreement will secure the future of our joint US-UK military facility on Diego Garcia, which plays a vital role in US efforts to establish regional and global security, respond to crises and counter some of the most challenging security threats of our time.”Jane Dalton3 October 2024 21:151727985558Bugging device found in my bathroom after Netanyahu visit, Johnson claimsA bugging device was found in Boris Johnson’s bathroom after a visit by Benjamin Netanyahu when he was foreign secretary, the former prime minister has claimed.Mr Johnson alleged that his security team made the discovery when they did a sweep of the toilets after the Israeli premier had used them during a meeting in 2017.Writing in his memoir Unleashed, the former Tory MP said Mr Netanyahu had excused himself during talks at his old office to use the washroom, described as “a secret annex… a bit like the gents’ in a posh London club”.“Thither Bibi repaired for a while, and it may or may not be a coincidence but I am told that later, when they were doing a regular sweep for bugs, they found a listening device in the thunderbox,” Mr Johnson said.It is unclear whether the Israeli government was confronted about the incident.The Israeli embassy in London has been contacted for comment.Jane Dalton3 October 2024 20:591727983854ITV interviews Boris Johnson after BBC cancelsITV has announced it will broadcast an interview with Boris Johnson, after the BBC cancelled an interview with the ex-prime minister because presenter Laura Kuenssberg accidentally sent him her briefing notes.Boris Johnson: The Interview will go out on ITV1 at 7pm tomorrow. The interviewer is Tom Bradby.Jane Dalton3 October 2024 20:30 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 ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer will promise to create 4,000 jobs by ploughing £22bn into projects to capture and store carbon emissions from energy, industry and hydrogen production.On a visit to Liverpool, the prime minister will unveil two “carbon capture clusters” in Merseyside and Teesside to be developed in the next 25 years.As well as creating thousands of jobs directly, Labour said the investment will support 50,000 jobs in the long-term.Announcing the investment, Sir Keir said his government is “reigniting our industrial heartlands by investing in the industry of the future”.Sir Keir Starmer said the investment will create thousands of jobs and support tens of thousands more More