UK

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 ThomasEditorKeir Starmer has warned that Labour’s first autumn Budget will be “painful” in his first keynote address from No 10, prompting fears of that unpopular tax rises will be amongst the announcements.Chancellor Rachel Reeves has already confirmed that her statement will bring fresh tax rises as she says more needs to be done to fill the government’s shortfall in public finances. This reasoning was repeated by the prime minister as he reiterated the need to plug the £22bn spending gap that was “hidden” by the previous conservative government.The announcements come after Ms Reeves announced a slate of cost-cutting measures to grapple with the issue in July. These included scrapping the Winter Fuel Payment for millions of pensioners, alongside halting several in-progress infrastructure projects.Many experts now anticipate that the chancellor will look to both raise taxes and cut costs in her first Budget in October, bolstered by the government’s suggestions that the measures are necessary after errors made by the previous Conservative government.Chancellor Rachel Reeves will deliver her first Budget in October 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 ThomasEditorLiz Truss considered scrapping all cancer treatment on the NHS in a desperate bid to repair the damage caused by her disastrous economic policies, according to a new book.The extraordinary claim is made in a new biography of Ms Truss by Sir Anthony Seldon.Sir Anthony, who is Britain’s leading political biographer, also states that Ms Truss’s allies feared her team could be targeted with a “cocaine” smear by unnamed figures at Tory HQ who wanted to stop her from becoming prime minister.Liz Truss with chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng at the Tory party conference following the disastrous mini-Budget 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 ThomasEditorLabour has reportedly axed the private helicopter service favoured by Rishi Sunak to save the taxpayer £40million.The “grossly wasteful” contract was scrapped by defence secretary John Healey just weeks after coming into office.In 2023, Mr Sunak reversed an initial decision to stop leasing the two Augusta Westland helicopters.A government source said the £40million contract ‘became a symbol’ of the previous government 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 ThomasEditorDowning Street officials are preparing a “media plan” to announce the eventual passing of Larry the cat.Larry has become a widely loved fixture of Downing Street and is often seen outside the door to Number 10 during major political events and news broadcasts.The 17-year-old ‘chief mouser’ is thought to be in his final years, having already outlived the average lifespan for a tabby cat.Larry the cat is often seen outside the door to Number 10 during major political events and news broadcasts 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 ThomasEditorIn his first keynote speech as prime minister, Sir Keir Starmer will promise to “get a grip” on the problems facing Britain and “reverse a decade of decline” said to have taken place under the previous Conservative government.Comparing his task as prime minister to the communities that rallied round to clean up in the wake of this summer’s riots, he will promise to do the “hard work” to fix the challenges facing the country. Starmer will use his first major speech as prime minister to argue that change will take time, and that Britain will get worse before it gets better 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 ThomasEditorSuella Braverman has claimed Sir Keir Starmer is attempting to pave the way for “draconian” tax rises at the next budget with his first keynote speech as prime minister, set to be delivered on Tuesday.She also argued that the chancellor’s claim that the government inherited a £22bn “black hole” in the public finances from the previous Tory government is “one of the biggest lies in British politics right now”.On Tuesday, the prime minister is set to warn the British public that things will get worse before they get better.Sir Keir Starmer will use his first major speech as Prime Minister to argue change will take time, and Britain will get worse before it gets better (James Manning/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 ThomasEditorSir Keir Starmer is under pressure to reveal who authorised a Downing Street security pass for Labour donor Waheed Alli amid a growing cronyism row surrounding the government.The Conservative Party wrote to Cabinet secretary Simon Case on Sunday, urging him to reveal who signed off the pass despite the donor not having a formal job there.Lord Alli, who has donated more than £500,000 to Labour over the last 20 years, was reportedly given unrestricted access to No 10.It is unusual for anyone not formally employed as a political adviser or civil servant to be given such a pass.Sir Keir Starmer is under pressure to reveal who authorised a Downing Street security pass for Labour donor Waheed Alli 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 ThomasEditorDowning Street officials are preparing a “media plan” to announce the eventual passing of Larry the cat, The Independent understands. Larry has become a widely loved fixture of Downing Street and is often seen outside the door to Number 10 during major political events and news broadcasts.The 17-year-old ‘chief mouser’ is thought to be in his final years, having already outlived the average lifespan for a tabby cat.Larry the cat is often seen outside the door to Number 10 during major political events and news broadcasts More