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 ThomasEditorDonors and businesses are turning their backs on the Tories for Labour and Nigel Farage’s Reform UK as the party enters its conference with question marks over its finances.Insiders have told The Independent that a number of red flags have been raised in preparation for the first annual conference since the historically poor general election defeat in July.In the weeks before the conference in Birmingham, set to get underway on Sunday, it was claimed that the party was still struggling to find a sponsor for its VIP Blue Room, previously sponsored by the retail company Regent Street Group. Sources also suggested that the level of donation required to gain access to the VIP room has significantly dropped.The party has denied a lack of interest from members and businesses, However, a number of major donors including property magnate Nick Candy have either openly or privately switched to Reform or just no longer give money.Rishi Sunak’s historic defeat has left the party in trouble, not least financially 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 is facing calls to be investigated over gifts and freebies after it emerged he received a further £16,000 of clothing donations from Labour peer Waheed Alli last October.The SNP has written to the House of Commons standards commissioner demanding a probe of the gifts, which include thousands of pounds worth of clothes and accommodation.In a letter to the Commons commissioner for standards, the independent adviser on ministers’ interests Sir Laurie Magnus and the Cabinet SecretarySimon Case, Brendan O’Hara said the revelations have “become Sir Keir Starmer’s version of the expenses scandal”.The SNP MP also called for an investigation into Lord Alli’s Downing Street pass, which he was given for a period after the general election.Waheed Alli has given the PM thousands of pounds worth of clothing and gifts including free use of his flat More

Keir Starmer refuses to apologise to pensioners over winter fuel payment cutsYour 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 ChiefKemi Badenoch has warned that Tory members will be “very angry” if MPs take part in a “stitch-up” to lend votes to other candidates to keep her out of the top two in the leadership contest. Allies of Badenoch have claimed she is the victim of a “dirty tricks” campaign, with Robert Jenrick in effect lending votes to James Cleverly, which the former has strongly denied. Asked if she believed Jenrick was taking this approach, she told The Times: “I think that may be happening. But what else is happening is that there is tactical voting. We’re also operating in an environment where people have friends — people who they’ve worked with, people they owe favours to. So that will be happening.”Meanwhile, Boris Johnson has claimed he considered launching an “aquatic raid” on a warehouse in the Netherlands to retrieve Covid vaccine doses amid a row with Europe.The former prime minister wrote in his new book Unleashed that he considered sending the British Army on a daring raid to snatch the vaccines from an EU warehouse, although he rejected the idea, saying: “The whole thing was nuts.”Mr Johnson’s book, Unleashed, is being serialised in the Daily Mail and has seen him defend his actions during “Partygate”, which eventually led to his resignation after he was found to have lied over flouting lockdown rules. Show latest update 1727534127Revealed: Starmer’s ‘three pillar’ blueprint to rebuild EU ties with youth mobility a negotiating chipRead the full article here: Holly Evans28 September 2024 15:351727531942Security ramps up ahead of Tory conference in Birmingham Security measures have been ramped up around Birmingham city centre as the Conservative Party Conference gets under way.The annual conference is an opportunity for the four candidates in the Tory leadership race to convince members to pledge their support. Robert Jenrick, Kemi Badenoch, James Cleverly and Tom Tugendhat are all hoping to take over from Rishi Sunak, with MPs due to vote for the final two after they return to parliament. Armed police and high-visibility patrols are visible around the International Convention Centre (ICC), with access to roads around the centre blocked until Friday, 4 October. Access to Broad Street, Great Charles Street, Street, Sandpits, Parade, Clement Street, St Vincent Street, Sheepcote Street and Oozells Way will be restricted so those travelling in via bus or tram are being encouraged to allow more time for journeys.Bus services affected include 9, 12, 12A, 13, 13A, 126, X8, X10, 23 and 24.Holly Evans28 September 2024 14:591727530227Resetting UK-EU relationship will ‘not be easy’, Starmer says Securing a closer trading relationship with the European Union will not be easy but it is possible, Sir Keir Starmer has said.The Prime Minister will head to Brussels next week for talks with European Commission chief Ursula von der Leyen as he pushes for a “reset” in the UK’s relationship with the EU.Sir Keir also believes more can be done on defence and security and tackling the migrant crisis.“I want to ensure that we’ve got a closer trading relationship if we can,” the Prime Minister said.“I think it’s possible. I’m not going to pretend it’s easy, but I think it’s possible.”Holly Evans28 September 2024 14:301727529027Is the Tory conference worth paying attention to this year?Dazed, confused, but with more than a hint of defiance (foolish or otherwise), the Conservatives meet for their party conference in Birmingham with some important business to transact. The official theme is “Review and Rebuild”, which sounds about right. Given their fratricidal tendencies, however, and the spectral presence of Boris Johnson through the medium of his memoir Unleashed, it could easily descend into acrimony. The Tories may not be too relevant right now, but it will be entertaining…Read the full article here: Holly Evans28 September 2024 14:101727527827Boris Johnson thought he ‘might have carked it’ in intensive careFormer prime minister Boris Johnson believed he “might have carked it” when he was in intensive care with Covid without the “skills and experience” of his nurses, according to an extract of his memoir.Mr Johnson spent several days in intensive care with Covid in April 2020. In the extract of his Unleashed book published in the Daily Mail, he described not wanting to fall asleep on his first night in intensive care “partly in case I never woke up”.He also recalled feeling “rotten” with “guilt” and “political embarrassment” in the days before he was admitted to hospital.The nurses caring for Mr Johnson on his first night in intensive care were “Jenny from New Zealand and Luis from Portugal,” he recalled.Following his release from hospital, the then prime minister spent some time at Chequers with his now-wife Carrie, and he recalled joining in with the clap for the NHS on a Thursday evening.Boris Johnson said he thought he ‘might have carked it’ after contracting Covid during the pandemic (PA) More

Keir Starmer refuses to apologise to pensioners over winter fuel payment cutsYour 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 ChiefBoris Johnson has claimed he considered sending the British Army on a daring raid to snatch Covid-19 vaccines from an EU warehouse, although he rejected the idea, saying: “The whole thing was nuts.”The former prime minister demanded of senior military leaders whether he could launch a mission to a warehouse where the EU had stowed five million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, with global supplies dwindling in the height of lockdown.Mr Johnson Johnson’s book, Unleashed, is being serialised in the Daily Mail and as well as defending his actions during “Partygate” and writing about his experiences in hospital with Covid, he discusses his wranglings with the EU after his post-Brexit deal was put in place.He wrote: “I was angry enough to ­contemplate this clandestine operation, because after two months of futile negotiation I had come to the conclusion that the EU was treating us with malice and with spite; not because we had done anything wrong – we had not, far from it; but because we were vaccinating our population much faster than they were, and the European electorate had long since noticed.”Show latest update 1727488800Watch: Who will be the next leader of the Conservatives?Who will be the next leader of the Conservatives?Jabed Ahmed28 September 2024 03:001727485200Labour freebies: The gifts Starmer and other MPs have accepted as PM under fireJabed Ahmed28 September 2024 02:001727481660Boris Johnson has spoken of the moment he handed over Prime Ministerial responsibility to Dominic RaabBoris Johnson has written of the moment he handed before he went to the ICU suffering with Covid-19.Writing in Unleashed, serialised in Mail + he said: “With the oximeter on my finger, we could see that my oxygen levels started slowly to creep up again, and I began to feel sleepy. Before I folded, there was one thing I had to do.“I rang Dominic Raab. ‘First Secretary of State,’ I said.“‘PM,’ he said. “‘You know I said that you might have to deputise for me,’ I said.“‘Yes, PM.’“‘Well, that moment has come.’“‘No problem, PM,’ he said. ‘Get well soon.’“He didn’t sound remotely rattled – in fact, he went on to do an ­outstanding job.”If Mr Johnson had died, Mr Raab would have taken over as caretaker prime minister while a successor was chosen from a leadership election.Barney Davis28 September 2024 01:011727481600Watch: Starmer warns Israel-Hezbollah clashes risk triggering wider regional warStarmer warns Israel-Hezbollah clashes risk triggering wider regional warJabed Ahmed28 September 2024 01:001727478060Boris Johnson said he paid the partygate fine because ‘he had a lot on’Boris Johnson has insisted he didn’t see anything illegal at his Downing Street birthday party writing in his memoir Unleashed, being serialised in Mail +.Writing about the fallout of the event he said: “I relied upon Sue Gray, who (though I did not know this) had already been approached to be the chief of staff to Ed Miliband, former Labour leader, and who was to go on to be the chief of staff to Keir Starmer, my number one political foe.“Some of the allegations in her report – vomiting, fights and so on – turned out to be untrue, and had to be withdrawn.“As for all the other fines that were issued – more than 120 fixed penalty notices – the answer is of course that I don’t know. I wasn’t there, or didn’t see anything that looked illegal. If the fines were like mine, they must have been a bit puzzling.“But what could I do? I paid the fine and got on with the job. I had a lot on.”Barney Davis28 September 2024 00:011727477993ICYMI: What was announced in Starmer’s Labour conference speech?Jabed Ahmed27 September 2024 23:591727474453Defence Secretary watching Israeli ground invasion rumours ‘really carefully’Defence Secretary John Healey is looking at a rumoured Israeli ground invasion into Lebanon “really carefully”.Mr Healey said on Friday airstrikes and rocket fire exchanged between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah present a “risk that this escalates into something that is much wider and much more serious”.Defence Secretary John Healey is looking at a rumoured Israeli ground invasion into Lebanon “really carefully”.Mr Healey said on Friday airstrikes and rocket fire exchanged between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah present a “risk that this escalates into something that is much wider and much more serious”.Asked about the rumoured ground invasion, Mr Healey replied: “We’re watching this really carefully. That will be a matter for the Israelis.“At the moment, it’s airstrikes. At the moment, there are missiles from the Lebanese Hezbollah directed at Israel. This conflict serves no one.”Jabed Ahmed27 September 2024 23:001727472600Boris Johnson claims the Downing Street event that sparked the partygate scandal was ‘feeblest event in the history of human festivity’Boris Johnson has insisted that he had no birthday cake at the Downing Street event that launched the Partygate scandal.The former Prime Minister wrote in Unleashed being serialised Mail +: “I saw no cake. I ate no blooming cake. If this was a party, it was the feeblest event in the history of human festivity.“I had only just got over Covid. I did not sing. I did not dance. I ate a salad – but then it was lunchtime, and I do normally eat at my desk. I did not meet anyone that I don’t meet in the course of the working day.”The scandal contributed to Boris Johnson‘s downfall as Prime Minister and his resignation as an MP.He added: “I have no idea what version of events people gave the police. But I very much doubt that it was fair. I was obviously ­vulnerable to the testimony of some who were determined to bring me down.”Barney Davis27 September 2024 22:301727470853Exclusive: Starmer saved by Tory leadership chaos in Labour poll slide over freebies rowJabed Ahmed27 September 2024 22:001727469716Boris Johnson realised he had Covid-19 when he couldn’t finish the cheese in the fridgeThe former Prime Minister has claimed he knew he was suffering from life-threatening Covid when he couldn’t finish the cheese in the fridge.He wrote in Unleashed being serialised in Mail +: “By Sunday, April 5, there were more than 1,000 daily ­fatalities across the country. I was still flat out, floating in and out of consciousness, waiting for my fix of paracetamol, when Carrie came in like a ministering angel.“‘Come on,’ she said. ‘You need to get something to eat.’“I said that the kitchen really felt a long way away. So she brought up some apple and cheese. I looked at that cheese with such complete apathy that I knew – after a lifetime as a functioning cheese-oholic – that something was definitely awry.He added: “Carrie rang Dr Price and explained things, and then passed the phone to me. He wanted me to come in right away, to St Thomas’ Hospital. No, no, I said… You have got to come in, he said. You have now spent too long getting worse, and it has got to the stage where it could go either way.”Barney Davis27 September 2024 21:41 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 ThomasEditorAs the Conservatives grapple with an uncertain political landscape ahead of the next general election, key questions loom over the future of the party’s direction and leadership. This year’s Conservative Party conference in Birmingham promises to be a radically different affair from 2023’s gathering when Rishi Sunak’s government clung on to power with a series of last-ditch policy announcements. Ministers at the time proposed offshoring prisoners, cutting civil servants, and controversially scrapping HS2.The focus has now shifted to the battle for the party’s future. James Cleverly, Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, and Tom Tugendhat are the frontrunners, engaging in hustings, speeches, and behind-the-scenes lobbying as they vie for the leadership.Meanwhile, former Tory MPs, ousted in July’s general election, will reflect on where the party went wrong and how it can recover. Should the Tories focus on winning back votes from Reform or the Liberal Democrats? How can they regain credibility on immigration, having presided over significant increases? And how can they come to terms with the legacies of Boris Johnson, Liz Truss, David Cameron, George Osborne, and Rishi Sunak?The party faces tough decisions on its strategy, as well as internal debates about its identity and priorities. With these pressing issues in mind, I invite you to join me, John Rentoul, The Independent’s chief political commentator, for a live Q&A. I will be answering your questions on the Conservative Party’s future, the challenges it faces, and the key figures shaping its direction.If you have a question on the Conservative Party conference, submit it now here, or when I join you live at 4pm on Monday September 30 for the “Ask Me Anything” event.Register to submit your question in the comments box under this article. If you’re not already a member, click “sign up” in the comments section to leave your question. For a full guide on how to comment click here.Don’t worry if you can’t see your question – they may be hidden until I join the conversation to answer them. Then join us live on this page at 4pm as I tackle as many questions as I can. 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 ThomasEditorMoves by the chancellor to soften a proposed crackdown on people living in the UK with non-dom status have been backed by academics and tax experts, who say the changes are “sensible and pragmatic”.Rachel Reeves is considering rowing back on Labour’s manifesto promise to scrap concessions after former chancellor Jeremy Hunt announced plans to abolish the tax status.There are fears that tightening up Mr Hunt’s proposed changes to the non-dom regime could see wealthy foreigners leave the country, lowering the tax take overall.Non-dom status lets those who live in the UK but are not permanently settled avoid paying tax on overseas income.In March’s spring Budget, Mr Hunt announced an overhaul of the system, replacing it with a foreign income and gains regime (FIG) that will still let individuals who come to the UK avoid paying UK tax on overseas earnings, but only for four years.Labour figures at the time vowed to replace the Tories’ “semi-skimmed” plan with a “full-fat” one. Its general election manifesto promised to end the use of offshore trusts to avoid inheritance tax and to remove a discount for those bringing foreign income into the UK in 2025-26, with the measures set to raise £1bn in their first year.But a Treasury source confirmed discussions are ongoing between the Treasury and Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) about which measures would be announced in next month’s Budget.Reeves is considering watering down some of her non-dom tax reforms More

Keir Starmer refuses to apologise to pensioners over winter fuel payment cutsYour 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 ChiefSir Keir Stamer and Rachel Reeves could water down their planned raid on nom-doms amid fears the move would fail to raise any money, according to reports.The chancellor had hoped to raise about £1bn a year by cracking down on the tax perk available to wealthy UK residents.But government officials said Ms Reeves could overhaul the plan ahead of her 30 October Budget if the numbers did not add up, the Financial Times reported.A government official told the newspaper: “We will be pragmatic, not ideological. We won’t press on regardless, but we are not going to abandon this completely.”A Treasury spokesperson called the report “speculation” and pledged to remove “the outdated non-dom tax regime”.It comes as Labour MP Emily Thornberry said the government should not “pull our punches” if they disagree with the American president. Sir Keir met Republican nominee for US president Donald Trump for the first time as the two sat down for a two-hour dinner meeting in New York. Show latest update 1727447993What to expect from Tory conferenceThe 2024 Conservative Party Conference will be a drastically different affair from last year’s gathering in Manchester, when Rishi Sunak’s government was in its dying days.Back then, ministers announced a slew of eye-catching policies that would reshape the future of the country in a desperate last few roles of the dice – Alex Chalk promising to offshore prisoners, Jeremy Hunt planning to slash the number of civil servants and Rishi Sunak scrapping HS2.This year, Mr Sunak is a lame duck Tory leader and all eyes will be far from the diminished former prime minister. Instead it will be a four-day battle for the future leadership of the party, with the four remaining contenders thrashing it out to try to win over Tory members.James Cleverly, Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick and Tom Tugendhat will be put to the test in a series of hustings and speeches, as well as taking part in intense lobbying and networking behind the scenes in Birmingham with MPs and the party rank and file.On offer elsewhere will be former Tory MPs, ousted by the public in July’s general election, setting out where they think the party went wrong and what it needs to do next. High profile names expected to appear are ex-PM Liz Truss, former business secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg and incoming Spectator Editor Michael Gove.The Independent will be bringing the latest updates and analysis from the conference. Archie Mitchell, Political Correspondent27 September 2024 15:391727446793What is non-dom tax status and is Labour still going to change it?My colleague Albert Toth explains:Jabed Ahmed27 September 2024 15:191727445713Government responds to increase in pension credit claimsA Government spokesperson said: “We are committed to supporting pensioners, with millions set to see their state pension rise by £1,700 this parliament through our commitment to the triple lock.“Given the dire state of the public finances we have inherited, it’s right we target support to those who need it most.“Over a million pensioners will still receive the winter fuel payment, and our drive to boost pension credit take-up has already seen a 152% increase in claims.“Many others will also benefit from the £150 warm home discount to help with energy bills over winter while our extension of the household support fund will help with the cost of food, heating and bills.”Jabed Ahmed27 September 2024 15:011727444453Independent readers say Keir Starmer needs ‘time and space to clean out the Tories’ from governmentJabed Ahmed27 September 2024 14:401727443193Your Labour Party conference questions answered by John Rentoul as Keir Starmer pledges to ‘face the storm’Our chief political commentator John Rentoul has been responding to readers questions following a significant week for Labour, as they held their first conference in government in over a decade.Here are six questions from Independent readers – and his answers from the “Ask Me Anything” event.Read below:Jabed Ahmed27 September 2024 14:191727442113Who is Russell Findlay? The new leader of the Scottish ConservativesRussell Findlay has billed himself as someone who is “not a career politician”.For decades, Mr Findlay was an investigative reporter in Scotland, covering organised crime and justice for the likes of STV and the Scottish Sun.It was his work investigating some of the country’s biggest criminals that led to him being attacked with acid at his home, narrowly avoiding serious injury.Mr Findlay went on to become – to the surprise of many colleagues – the head of communications for the Scottish Conservatives in 2020, and later announced his intention to run for Holyrood.Topping the Tories’ West Scotland list, he was elected in 2021 – after coming third in the Paisley constituency – and quickly rose to become the party’s justice spokesman.Throughout his four years at Holyrood, the former reporter has become a fierce critic of the Scottish Government, particularly around the controversial gender reforms blocked by the UK government early last year.He was also seen by some as the continuity candidate in the Tory leadership race, with reports suggesting his predecessor Douglas Ross wanted him to take over the top job last year.Mr Findlay will now be tasked with bringing together a party which has been struggling in recent months.Jabed Ahmed27 September 2024 14:011727440733Full report: Russell Findlay elected as leader of the Scottish Conservatives following bitter contestRead the full report from my colleague Alex Croft below: Jabed Ahmed27 September 2024 13:381727439593Badenoch doubles down on claim she became working class after working in McDonald’s Kemi Badenoch has doubled down on her claim that she “became working class” when she got a job at McDonald’s.The Tory leadership hopeful said she came to the UK “with no money, no friends, no parents”.She told LBC at that point in her life she was working class as she “had to work to eat”.“I grew up in a middle class family but coming here I became working class – my dad gave me his last £100, he said ‘you know this is all we have’ because all our money was gone and this is one of the things that people don’t understand,” Ms Badenoch said. Watch her original comments below:Badenoch says she ‘went from middle class to working class’ after working at McDonald’sJabed Ahmed27 September 2024 13:191727438513Pension credit claims hit almost 75,000 since winter fuel payment slimdownPension credit claims have hit almost 75,000 amid Government efforts to boost benefits take-up.Department for Work and Pensions figures released on Friday showed the Government received around 74,400 pension credit claims in the eight weeks since 29 July, when Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced means testing for the winter fuel payment.This is up from 29,500 claims in the eight weeks before the announcement.But in the seven days beginning on 16 September, the department received 11,800 claims, down from 13,400 the week before.The vast majority (92 per cent) of claims made in the week beginning 16 September were made online.Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall has previously urged pensioners to check if they are eligible for the benefit, which would unlock winter fuel payments of up to £300.Jabed Ahmed27 September 2024 13:011727437133Unite union says it welcomes government move to borrow to invest in UK infrastructureUnite, the UK’s biggest union, has said it welcomes reports that the treasury is set to change its fiscal rules in order to allow the government to borrow. The change is set to be announced in next month’s budget. Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It seems that the government has listened and will now reform its fiscal rules to allow borrowing to invest. This is a move we have been calling on Labour to make for a long time.“If this government is going to achieve its aim of making the UK a fairer society that delivers for workers and their communities then it needs make serious investment in infrastructure and new job creating industries.”Jabed Ahmed27 September 2024 12:38 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 ThomasEditorLabour’s flagship non-dom tax policy could reportedly be watered down experts say, as some economists predict that the measure would fail to raise the predicted funds.Announced before the election, Rachel Reeves presented the party’s scrapping of the controversial “non-domiciled” tax status as a cornerstone policy, designed to raise around £1bn in the first year.Although the Conservatives had also made plans to axe the tax status, Labour’s vision was to go further and faster with the change. The party’s manifesto said the status would be abolished “once and for all” with funds going towards policies like increased NHS appointments and free primary school breakfast clubs.Prime minister Sir Keir Starmer and chancellor Rachel Reeves (Stefan Rousseau/PA) More