UK

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseTory leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch has been accused of endorsing “disgraceful” and “wrong” claims about mental health. The outcry comes after she launched a pamphlet that said the number of claims for mental health problems in Britain has “outpaced any conceivable clinical explanation”.The Mental Health Foundation attacked the statement as “wrong”, while NHS mental health director Claire Murdoch described the whole section on mental health as “disgraceful”.It comes just days after she was accused of “stigmatising” autism by backing different claims – in the same pamphlet – which suggested people with the condition get “economic advantages and protections”.The new row has been sparked by a claim in the same document, which includes contributions from 24 supporters of Ms Badenoch, that “the rise in welfare claims related to mental health, in the UK at least, has outpaced any conceivable clinical explanation.”Conservative Party leadership candidate Kemi Badenoch More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseSir Keir Starmer has warned his senior ministers they will have to live with swingeing spending cuts after a cabinet row over the Budget erupted in public. The prime minister is facing a backlash from Angela Rayner and other members of his top team over cuts to government departments set to be unveiled by the chancellor, Rachel Reeves. Sir Keir has received letters raising concerns after a number of his team – including transport minister Louise Haigh and justice minister Shabana Mahmood – spoke out against the measures at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting, with one reportedly describing the cuts being sought as “absolutely huge”.In response, on Thursday the PM’s official spokesperson warned: “Not every department will be able to do everything they want to. There will be tough decisions taken [and] tough conversations.”They also warned that “public services and departments have to become more productive and public services will need reform”.Keir Starmer is under pressure over cuts in Rachel Reeves’s upcoming Budget More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseMartin Lewis has issued a warning over a new crackdown on buy now, pay later products. The money expert has cautioned consumers it is a case of buy now, get protected later.Ministers have announced that millions of shoppers are to be protected by new rules for BNPL, as they are known. Mr Lewis welcomed the change saying: “Buy Now, Pay Later is now ubiquitous at online checkouts, so the fact it’s never been regulated is a travesty I and others have long campaigned on.“The last chancellor promised to regulate, then the tumbleweed rolled as he went silent, so I am delighted the new government has quickly restarted the process.”Martin Lewis sent a warning over the new crackdown on buy now, pay later products More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseThe wealth gap between the richest and poorest in the UK soared by nearly 50 per cent in less than a decade, as stalling wages and rising asset values fuelled inequality at the height of austerity, new analysis suggests.In a new report examining the “profound systemic impacts” of this rising inequality, researchers with the Fairness Foundation warn that it “seriously exacerbates a wide range of arguably existential risks” to the UK, such as social unrest, failure to act on the climate crisis, economic stagnation and the decline of democracy.As new polling for the charity found that three in four voters are concerned about the impact of wealth inequality in Britain, Sir Keir Starmer was urged to act to mitigate these risks, in an open letter signed by dozens of academics, charity and business leaders.Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves have made boosting economic growth one of their five key missions More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseA Labour MP has claimed she has experienced better internet connection in wartorn Ukraine than she does in central London.Cat Eccles told an adjournment debate that the UK is languishing behind its European neighbours when it comes to ultra-fast broadband.Technology minister Sir Chris Bryant said the Government aspires to European levels of broadband, adding that some “cowboy” broadband companies should be told they’re “drinking in the last chance saloon”.When I was recently in Ukraine I experienced far better internet connectivity than I do in central London and Stourbridge town centreCat Eccles On Thursday, the MP for Stourbridge said: “The legislation was passed in 2013, yet here we are in 2024 still waiting for the full rollout of this ultra-fast broadband.“And while I appreciate what (Laurence Turner) has said, (that) we do have adequate fast speeds currently, it could be much better.“In fact, when I was recently in Ukraine I experienced far better internet connectivity than I do in central London and Stourbridge town centre.“So our European neighbours are enjoying much faster broadband while we languish behind, and Stourbridge residents have been left at the mercy of these third party companies.”Ms Eccles’ comments came during a debate on planning permission and telegraph poles led by fellow Labour MP Laurence Turner, who raised concerns about the amount and locations of telegraph poles in his constituency of Birmingham Northfield.He told the Commons: “This is not about being against telegraph poles, nor is it about being against the rollout of fast broadband, in fact new infrastructure is vital.”“But is it surely wrong that when poles are sited inappropriately, that recourse (for) residents is advisory only and in many cases it is lacking completely in practice,” he added.Mr Turner went on to say: “As long as the (cabinet and pole siting code of practice) remains voluntary, it will always be circumvented in some cases.”Speaking on behalf of the Government, Sir Chris said: “The vast majority of companies who are operating in this sphere are doing so entirely responsibly, they are doing a great favour for the nation in rolling out broadband at the kind of speed that everybody wants.“I note the point that was made by (Ms Eccles) about other countries in Europe, of course we want to aspire to that as well, for everybody across the whole of the UK.“The vast majority of companies are doing that, a few are frankly behaving like cowboys and I think sometimes we need as Government and as Parliament to say to cowboys that they’re drinking in the last chance saloon.”He added: “The industry has committed to revising that code of practice, I think it will be much tougher, and that guidance should be published in the new year.“But I’m absolutely clear about this, if this does not work, if voluntary adherence does not work, we reserve the right to change the law.” More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseA Conservative MP has sparked fury after claiming Kemi Badenoch of being “preoccupied with her children”, arguing it is impossible to be an opposition leader while spending “all your time” with your family.Alex Brewer, a Lib Dem MP, said the comments made by Sir Christopher Chope about the Tory leadership hopeful were “astonishing”, and that views of this kind ultimately “damage women’s prospects”.Speaking on ITV News, Sir Christopher said: “Much as I like Kemi, I think she is preoccupied with her own children – quite understandably – but I think Robert [Jenrick]’s children are a bit older. “I think it is important that whoever leads the opposition has an immense amount of time and energy.”Kemi Badenoch and Robert Jenrick are the final candidates to be the next Conservative Party leader (UK Parliament/PA) More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseSir Keir Starmer is facing a backlash from Angela Rayner and his cabinet over “huge” cuts to departmental spending to be unveiled in Rachel Reeves’ Budget.The prime minister has received letters from senior ministers raising concerns about the spending cuts after a number spoke out against the measures at Tuesday’s cabinet meeting. Some departments are facing cuts of as much as 20 per cent as Ms Reeves scrambles to find £40bn of spending cuts and tax rises before the October 30 Budget.As the row erupted in public, Downing Street warned that government departments and public services would have to become more productive and that public services “will need reform”. Angela Rayner is among those raising concerns about Rachel Reeves’ Budget plans More

Your support helps us to tell the storyThis election is still a dead heat, according to most polls. In a fight with such wafer-thin margins, we need reporters on the ground talking to the people Trump and Harris are courting. Your support allows us to keep sending journalists to the story.The Independent is trusted by 27 million Americans from across the entire political spectrum every month. Unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock you out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. But quality journalism must still be paid for.Help us keep bring these critical stories to light. Your support makes all the difference.CloseRead moreCloseRachel Reeves’ Budget is a make-or-break moment for Sir Keir Starmer’s government, potentially sparking a decade of national renewal – or sowing the seeds of Labour’s downfall.The prime minister’s poll ratings are at rock bottom after just over 100 days in charge, and the much-hyped “tough choices” to be unveiled on October 30 will likely do little to help boost his appeal.As the driving force behind the financial statement, expected to entail £40bn worth of tax hikes and spending cuts, much of the backlash has and will focus on decisions taken by Ms Reeves.Sir Keir Starmer and Rachel Reeves are facing a backlash against planned Budget cuts More