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Support trulyindependent journalismFind 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 ThomasEditorUnion leaders have backed Keir Starmer’s planned ‘reset’ of Brexit and predicted that it will help save the British car industry.In an interview with The Independent, Paul Nowak, the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress (TUC), said he “absolutely” believed the policy would keep manufacturing and other jobs in the UK and prevent them being moved to the continent.Mr Nowak also urged the new Labour government to deliver the “change” he said the public had voted for. And he called for an urgent new ‘workforce commission’ to plot a way to repair the UK’s public services, as a new poll reveals that nearly three-quarters (73 per cent) of voters think they are deteriorating.Paul Nowak, the general secretary of the TUC, predicted the Brexit ‘reset’ would help keep jobs in the UK (Peter Byrne/PA) More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind 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 Conservatives’ latest leadership contest is underway after Rishi Sunak led the party to its worst election defeat in history. A string of senior figures have thrown their hats in the ring to succeed the former PM and lead the party through the next five years in opposition. Robert Jenrick has emerged as the frontrunner among to take leadership of the party as former home secretary Dame Priti Patel was eliminated from the contest.Former immigration minister Mr Jenrick picked up 28 votes in the first ballot of MPs, with bookmakers’ favourite Kemi Badenoch in second place on 22.Shadow home secretary James Cleverly was one vote behind on 21, shadow security minister Tom Tugendhat on 17 and shadow work and pensions secretary Mel Stride on 16.Dame Priti picked up just 14 votes and so was knocked out at the first stage of the race to replace Rishi Sunak.The shortlist will be whittled down gradually until a final four are paraded in front of the party faithful at October’s Tory conference. The Independent looks at the runners and riders to take the reins from Mr Sunak. Who has officially declared? James Cleverly Former home secretary James Cleverly avoided losing his seat, unlike many of his cabinet colleagues More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind 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 ThomasEditorSeven in 10 children aged between nine and 13 say they have been exposed to harmful experiences or content online, according to new research.Figures also show that a fifth of children in the same age group have been contacted by a stranger.The data, released on Thursday by charity Internet Matters in partnership with Opinium, found 17% of nine to 13-year-olds have seen content that promotes online stunts or challenges.Other harmful online experiences reported by children in this age group include coming across hate speech (13%), coming across mis/disinformation (15%) and one in ten have seen violent content or content that promotes violence.The children were also reported to be spending 23.2 hours online each week, two hours more than their parents realise.Internet Matters warned parents were “underestimating” the amount of time their children spend online, “which unknowingly may further expose and leave them open to further risks”.The study is based on research conducted between May and June among 1,000 children aged nine to 17, 2,000 parents of children aged three to 17 and a further 1,000 parents of children aged five to 17.The group said it chose to research this age group as it is a time “where many may be getting their first smartphone and have increased access to the digital world”.About three-quarters (74%) of parents surveyed said they do not use browser safe search settings or filters, potentially leaving children just a few clicks away from accessing harmful content – even if they are not intentionally searching for it.Meanwhile, about two-thirds (67%) of parents do not use parental controls on their home broadband.In a bid to help parents, Internet Matters has launched a Government-supported “ABC online safety checklist” which covers a series of actions for parents to take.The ABC checklist is:Activate parental controls – Use the controls and tools available from broadband providers, online platforms and apps to install safe search settings, block inappropriate content and prevent contact from strangers.The Online Safety Act will introduce major obligations to protect children from harmful content online and we are committed to getting these protections in place as quickly as possibleBaroness Jones, minister for online safetyBalance screen time – Agree a good balance for your children’s screen time, taking education and leisure content into account. Explore whether your child’s screen time is more passive than active and consider setting limits for the total hours spent online each day.Check and chat – Check which apps your children are using and the relevant age limits for each platform. Talk regularly about online safety and what they might come across – it might seem daunting , but your children will benefit. Reassure them that you can work together to manage any risks and make their online experiences as positive as possible.Baroness Jones, minister for online safety, said: “Creating a safer online world is vital for children and the health of our wider society.“The Online Safety Act will introduce major obligations to protect children from harmful content online and we are committed to getting these protections in place as quickly as possible.“It is also important parents are supported to make informed choices about their children’s social media use and resources like Internet Matters’ online safety checklist will help parents get the online balance right for their families.”Rachel Huggins, co-chief executive of Internet Matters, said: “With technology constantly evolving, there’s so much to think about when it comes to online safety that parents and carers are quite simply overwhelmed. We want to help them protect their children online while still enjoying all the benefits the internet has to offer.“Thinking about online safety comes on top of all the jobs parents already have, so the ABC checklist gives them a place to start with some actionable tasks that can make a real difference and give them added peace of mind.” More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind 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 ThomasEditorWater bosses are to be told today that new laws will mean they face prison if they continue to pump filth into Britain’s lakes and rivers.Environment secretary Steve Reed will warn executives from the industry directly at a major speech in Putney, London where he will unveil details of the new Water (Special Measures) Bill to end sewage and other pollutants being pumped into the country’s waterways.Among the new measures announced in the crackdown will be the loss of bonuses, potential prison sentences for industry executives and a duty for the water companies themselves to pay the cost of enforcement.Mr Reed will tell them: “The public are furious that in 21st century Britain, record levels of sewage are being pumped into our rivers, lakes and seas. After years of neglect, our waterways are now in an unacceptable state. Environment secretary Steve Reed says water comapany executives will face prison if they break the law More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind 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 ThomasEditorRobert Jenrick has won the first round of voting in the race to be the next Conservative leader as Dame Priti Patel was eliminated. The former immigration minister took 28 votes, beating the favourite Kemi Badenoch into second with the backing of 22 Tory MPs. The other contenders are former security minister Tom Tugendhat, ex-home secretary James Cleverly and Mel Stride.Next week the group will be whittled down again, to just four.Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Mel Stride, James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat and Dame Priti Patel (PA) More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind 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 ThomasEditorWatch as the result of the first round of voting in the Conservative leadership contest to select a successor to Rishi Sunak was held on Wednesday, 4 September.The first ballot begins the process of narrowing the list of the current six candidates – Kemi Badenoch, Robert Jenrick, Mel Stride, James Cleverly, Tom Tugendhat and Dame Priti Patel.More voting will take place throughout September in order to select four hopefuls who will set out their positions to Tory members at the party’s conference in October.MPs will then take part in further rounds of voting to select two final candidates for party members to choose between, with the result announced on 2 November.Priti Patel was eliminated from the process on Wednesday.Several candidates have officially launched their campaigns as MPs returned to Parliament.Mrs Badenoch, widely tipped as a favourite to win, has sought to position herself as someone who will govern further to the political right, claiming that the Tories “talked right but governed left, sounding like Conservatives but acting like Labour”. More

Priti Patel eliminated from Tory leadership contest in first roundSupport trulyindependent journalismFind 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 ThomasEditorRobert Jenrick has won the first ballot in the race to take over from Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party.Mr Jenrick has sought to centre his campaign on immigration, with a promise to introduce a binding cap on the number of legal migrants and to leave the European Convention on Human Rights.An announcement on the result of the first round came at 3.30pm. Mr Jenrick received 28 votes and closely behind him was bookmaker’s favourite Kemi Badenoch on 22.Dame Priti Patel has been eliminated in the first voting round of the contest.After this first ballot MPs will carry out further rounds of voting to select two final candidates for party members to choose between, with the result announced on 2 November.It comes as Sir Keir Starmer and Mr Sunak clashed over Labour’s decision to cut winter fuel payments at the first Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs) since MPs returned from summer recess.Mr Sunak said the prime minister has chosen to take “winter fuel allowance away from low-income pensioners” and offered train drivers a pay rise.Sir Keir responded that Labour was forced “to clear up the mess left by the party opposite.”Show latest update 1725461408Badenoch has ‘momentum’ going in second round, says shadow ministerKemi Badenoch has “momentum” after coming second in the first Tory leadership ballot, shadow minister Andrew Griffith has said.Mr Griffith, who is backing Ms Badenoch for the leadership, told Sky News: “Kemi did really well in this round, second, coming through very strongly for someone who, remember, is one of the younger members of the candidate team here.”Pointing to polls suggesting Ms Badenoch has significant support among party members, Mr Griffith added: “At this point in the cycle, you often see people come through and gather support and momentum, and it seems to me Kemi’s got that momentum.”Joe Middleton4 September 2024 15:501725460829The results of the Tory leadership first ballot in fullIn the first round of the Conservative leadership contest, the results of the ballot of MPs were as follows: Robert Jenrick won 28 votes, Kemi Badenoch 22, James Cleverly 21, Tom Tugendhat 17, Mel Stride 16 and Dame Priti Patel 14.Some 30 Conservative MPs gathered in a Parliamentary committee room for the result of the first ballot, a quarter of their total numbers.Joe Middleton4 September 2024 15:401725460565BREAKING : Patel eliminated in Tory leadership vote as Jenrick wins first ballot to replace SunakRobert Jenrick has won the first ballot in the race to take over from Rishi Sunak as leader of the Conservative Party.Joe Middleton4 September 2024 15:361725459147Result of first ballot to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Tory Party expected imminentlyThe result of first ballot to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the Tory Party is expected in the next 20 minutes.The field of six is made up of ex-ministers from the previous government: James Cleverly, Robert Jenrick, Dame Priti Patel, Tom Tugendhat, Mel Stride and Kemi Badenoch.An announcement on the result of the first round is expected at about 3.30pm.After that, MPs will carry out further rounds of voting to select two final candidates for party members to choose between, with the result announced on 2 November.Joe Middleton4 September 2024 15:121725458446The tragic stories behind the night Grenfell Tower fire claimed 72 victimsThe long-awaited report into the deadly fire claimed the lives of 72 people at Grenfell Tower has been published seven years after the blaze.Inquiry chair, Sir Martin Moore-Bick, told bereaved and survivors on Wednesday the “simple truth” is that all the deaths were avoidable and that those who lived in the tower were “badly failed” by authorities.Each of the 72 victims – ranging in age from an unborn baby to an 84-year-old woman – was somebody’s father, mother, brother, sister, relative, friend or neighbour. These are their stories from that night.Joe Middleton4 September 2024 15:001725456646RECAP: Fraud and scam complaints reach record highScam-related complaints have reached their highest level since at least early 2018, according to a service that resolves disputes between consumers and financial firms.In the first quarter of this financial year (April 1 to June 30), consumers lodged 8,734 gripes about fraud and scams, the Financial Ombudsman Service (FOS) said.More than half were in relation to customer-approved online bank transfers, also known as authorised push payment (APP) scams.By comparison, in the same period in the first quarter of the 2023-24 financial year, 6,094 scam complaints were recorded.The service said the rise in cases is due to several factors, including cases where consumers are putting in multiple claims due to more than one firm being involved.Abby Thomas, chief executive and chief ombudsman of the FOS, said: “Being a victim of a fraud and scam is a horrendous experience – not just financially, but emotionally too. That’s why it’s disappointing to see complaint levels rising to even higher levels.“We often hear from people embarrassed to have fallen victim to a fraud, but these crimes can be complex and incredibly convincing, and nobody should be afraid to come forward.“In recent years, we have investigated thousands of cases, returning more than £150 million to those who have fallen victim to these crimes.“No matter how complex a case is, people can come with confidence to our free, independent service and we’ll investigate their complaint.”Joe Middleton4 September 2024 14:301725455437Watch: Starmer defends Israel arms withdrawalStarmer defends Israel arms withdrawalJoe Middleton4 September 2024 14:101725453303Grenfell: Muslim survivors denied halal food while being rehoused, inquiry findsMuslim survivors of the Grenfell Tower fire were badly failed by the local council and denied their right to halal food while being temporarily rehoused at hotels, a damning inquiry has revealed.The inquiry’s final report found the fire that killed 72 people in 2017 was the result of “decades of failure” by central government and the construction industry to act on the dangers of flammable cladding.It concluded that Kensington and Chelsea Council should have done more to cater to people from diverse backgrounds. Many of those who lived in the tower had been observing Ramadan, but halal food was not available at all hotels, nor was it possible to observe the requirement to eat at set times.Our race correspondent Nadine White reportsJoe Middleton4 September 2024 13:351725452432Sunak pays tribute to ‘strength and patience’ of Grenfell Tower survivorsLeader of the opposition Rishi Sunak paid tribute to the “strength and patience” of Grenfell Tower survivors, some of whom were in the House of Commons public gallery.Responding to the Prime Minister’s statement, the Tory leader said: “It is not hyperbole to say that we would not be here today without them.“It was their tenacity and strength that brought the truth to light and for that, they deserve our thanks.“Their search for truth and justice is a noble one, and for that, they have our full support.”Joe Middleton4 September 2024 13:201725451208‘Great that Oasis are back’ says Keir Starmer amid ‘depressing’ ticket price hikeSir Keir Starmer suggested it was “great” that Oasis are back together, but criticised the “depressing” ticket price hike for their reunion tour.Fans were left shocked by standard tickets more than doubling from £148 to £355 on Ticketmaster over the weekend, prompting the government to pledge to look into the use of dynamic pricing in its forthcoming review of the secondary gig sales market.“It’s great that Oasis are back together, from what I’ve determined, about half of the country were queuing for tickets over the weekend,” Sir Keir said.“But it is depressing to hear of price hikes, I’m committed to putting fans at the heart of music.”‘Great that Oasis are back’ says Keir Starmer amid ‘depressing’ ticket price hikeSir Keir Starmer suggested it was “great” that Oasis are back together, but criticised the “depressing” ticket price hike for their reunion tour. Fans were left shocked by standard tickets more than doubling from £148 to £355 on Ticketmaster over the weekend, prompting the government to pledge to look into the use of dynamic pricing in its forthcoming review of the secondary gig sales market. “It’s great that Oasis are back together, from what I’ve determined, about half of the country were queuing for tickets over the weekend,” Sir Keir said. “But it is depressing to hear of price hikes, I’m committed to putting fans at the heart of music.”Joe Middleton4 September 2024 13:00 More

Support trulyindependent journalismFind 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 ThomasEditorIt’s now been two months since Labour won their landslide victory at the 2024 general election, bringing to an end 14 years of Conservative rule.Running on a central message of change, Sir Keir has looked to set his party apart from the previous Conservative administration. Standing on the steps of Downing Street on 5 July, the new prime minister said people had voted “for national renewal” and “a return of politics to public service.”“You have given us a clear mandate,” he added, “and we will use it to deliver change, to restore service and respect to politics, end the era of noisy performance, tread more lightly on your lives, and unite our country.”As the new Labour government begins to roll out some of it’s promised reforms, the new leader now warns that things may get worse before they get better. Sir Keir has made no secret of the challenges to come during his sixty days in power, as his first two months have seens controversial policy decisions, political disagreements, and civil disorder.Sir Keir Starmer makes his first speech as prime minister outside No 10, July 5 More