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 ThomasEditorCleaners in the Houses of Parliament are facing cuts of up to 25 per cent of the workforce and are complaining of uncertain and chaotic conditions, despite Sir Keir Starmer’s pledge to “serve working people”. In May 2024, the Churchill Group was awarded the contract to clean the Houses of Parliament. But since then, Cleaners and Allied Independent Workers Union (CAIWU) claim they have faced “chaos and uncertainty”.The group is planning to cut staffing by 25 per cent, a total of between 30 to 50 people. The decision was announced on 8 July, with redundancies set to start on 2 September. The union has said its members, which make up 90 per cent of the workforce, are “preparing to fight back”.Sir Keir has repeatedly said his plan in government is to put Britain “back in the service of working people”. But a CAIWU spokesperson said: “Members of CAIWU have faced chaos and uncertainty: pressure to sign new contracts, changed pay structure and plans to cut the workforce by 25 per cent.“Despite promises from the incumbent Government to create real change for working people, Keir Starmer has ridden back on several pledges regarding an end to outsourcing since his election as Labour Party leader in 2019.“But a key question remains: if Keir Starmer and the incumbent Labour Party can’t even ensure the fair and equal treatment of those in their own house, what does it say about the future of workers across the country?”It said its workers are facing “increased workloads, leading to physical and mental health issues, while the private sector reaps the rewards”, adding that the outsourcing process has created a “two-tier workforce where those unlucky enough to be outsourced lack the same rights and allowances as their peers.”Sir Keir has repeatedly said his plan in government is to put Britain “back in the service of working people” 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 boss of a major housing giant has warned ministers of the real cost of achieving their ambitious housing targets. Rob Perrins, the chief executive of Berkeley Group, said his organisation welcomed the government’s plans to build 1.5 million new homes in five years. But in an article for The Independent he said the “rub” was “the cost. And, in one word, what our country needs is investment”.He also warned that charging homebuilders up to £75,000 for every flat they build was not part of the solution.Ministers want 1.5 million new homes in five years (Gareth Fuller/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 ThomasEditorMembers of Sir Keir Starmer’s cabinet have had housing targets in their constituencies slashed, despite a government push to build hundreds of thousands of new homes across the UK.Announcing new targets for housebuilding, deputy prime minister Angela Rayner this week told MPs that “we must all play our part” in the plan to build more homes.She unveiled a major overhaul of the planning system last week, which will see all councils in England given mandatory housing targets as part of a plan to deliver 1.5 million more homes in the UK.Deputy Prime Minister and Housing Secretary Angela Rayner has set out an overhaul of planning rules (Andy Buchanan/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 ThomasEditorKeir Starmer is being pressed by cyber experts to urgently prioritise new legislation to protect the UK from attacks and catastrophic system failures.A report by the Chartered Institute for IT (BCS) has listed a series of recommendations after the last month saw more concerns about Russian cyber attacks on the UK linked to misinformation about the Southport attack, and a major outage taking down aeroplanes, trains, hospitals, broadcasters and scores of companies.The government has listed the Cyber Security and Resilience Bill in the King’s speech but there are fears that it is not enough of a priority.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer answers questions during a press conference in Downing Street (Henry Nicholls/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 ThomasEditorBBC bosses have been put on notice by the new culture secretary Lisa Nandy regarding failures in dealing with disgraced presenter Huw Edwards.Ms Nandy met with BBC executives on Thursday night to discuss “serious concerns” about the way the corporation handled the investigation into Edwards, alleged complaints and warnings made about him, and a £40,000 pay rise given to him while he was off work being investigated.The former news presenter who also narrated major events like the late Queen Elizabeth II’s funeral, has pleaded guilty to three counts of serious crimes involving indecent images of children.Huw Edwards arriving at Westminster Magistrates’ Court 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 prime minister has put police forces in Britain on a national footing to prepare for what many fear could be a summer of riots and violence by the far right.Sir Keir Starmer today announced that police forces would be sharing resources and intelligence with national teams following known far-right activists around the country.He also issued a veiled threat to social media giants that continuing to platform misinformation and criminality is against the law and would have consequences.Keir Starmer answers questions on the scenes in Southport during a press conference in Downing Street on Thursday 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 Sir Keir Starmer holds an emergency press conference at No 10 after vowing “action will be taken” following “violent disorder” in parts of England in the wake of the Southport stabbings.The prime minister summoned police chiefs to Downing Street on Thursday afternoon (1 August) following scenes of unrest in London, Hartlepool and Manchester overnight, while a demonstration in Aldershot saw a tense stand-off with riot police.At the meeting, he told the senior officers: “I wanted to send a message to each of you and, through you, your officers to say that this government supports the police, supports what you are doing, and to be absolutely clear: This is not protest, this is violent disorder and action will be taken.“This Government will make sure you have got the powers you need and will back you in using those powers.”Home secretary Yvette Cooper and Justice secretary Shabana Mahmood also attended the meeting with at least a dozen police bosses.Merseyside Police chief constable Serena Kennedy told the meeting by videolink that the force is “determined to get justice” for the deadly attack on Monday, and to identify all those who took part in rioting on Tuesday in the seaside town.In London, more than 100 people were arrested after protesters in Whitehall launched beer cans and glass bottles at police and threw flares at the statue of Winston Churchill in Parliament Square. More