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Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreSir Keir Starmer has been accused of a “cover-up” over his increase in defence spending after he refused to say whether it includes funding the cost of handing over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius.The prime minister told MPs on Wednesday that the uplift is aimed at boosting “our capability on defence and security in Europe”, but stopped short of ruling out using the cash to lease back the joint UK-US Diego Garcia airbase located on Chagos.Tory leader Kemi Badenoch said Sir Keir’s failure to disclose where the money for Chagos was coming from meant he had “all but confessed” it would come from the defence budget. And her spokesperson said the Tory leader hoped President Donald Trump would block the deal.“Labour must not give a penny of defence cash to fund this shady deal. National interest first. No ifs or buts,” Ms Badenoch wrote on X (Twitter).The UK is in talks to hand control of the archipelago back to Mauritius as part of a deal rumoured to be worth £9bn.Keir Starmer was accused of a cover-up at PMQs More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreRory Stewart has hit out at Keir Starmer’s decision to slash foreign aid spending to boost the defence budget, comparing the Labour prime minister to Donald Trump. Sir Keir bowed to pressure from Donald Trump to boost defence spending to 2.5 per cent of GDP just hours before jetting to the White House for a crunch meeting with the US President. The PM defended the move, saying it was necessary to take on “tyrants” like Putin. But former foreign office minister and Tory MP Mr Stewart warned that parallel decisions to reduce aid on both sides of the Atlantic would leave the UK and US jointly responsible for “unimaginable damage” to international security and the climate. “The US and the UK were foundation stones of the international development system,” he said. “Now that Trump has stopped all USAid and Starmer has cut most of UKAid, the change will be almost unimaginable in global health and pandemic preparedness, famines, global education, refugees and migration, international security, global financial stability, climate action, and above all for hundreds of millions of the extreme poor worldwide.” Keir Starmer and Donald Trump are responsible for ‘unimaginable damage’, Rory Stewart has said More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreTech platforms who are not doing enough to protect women and girls online will have their inaction highlighted so the public can make a choice about whether or not to use them, Ofcom has said.The online safety regulator said that as well as enforcing new legally binding rules around protecting users from harm under the Online Safety Act, it will also “shine a light” on those failing to be proactive in making their sites safer and easier to use.The warning comes as Ofcom has published new guidance on measures tech firms should consider using to help better protect women and girls on their sites, who they say are disproportionately impacted by online harms.The guidance joins already published legally binding codes of practice on illegal content and protecting children online that have already been put in place by Ofcom and will begin to take effect next month under the Online Safety Act, and which carry large financial penalties if found to have been breached.The additional guidance sets out a range of proposals which tech firms are also being encouraged to put in place, including the better use of technology to prevent intimate image abuse and asks sites to consider introducing tools which would help spot and fix ways sites can be exploited by abusers.Ofcom’s Jessica Smith, who led the development of the guidance, said the regulator was also prepared to use its powers under the Online Safety Act to highlight platforms not doing enough to protect women and girls on their sites through new online safety transparency reports.“Effectively, what we are going to do is use our information-gathering and transparency powers,” she told the PA news agency.“So one of the things we’re committing to do is, once the guidance is finalised and a sufficient period of time has passed, is we’ll publish a transparency report that shines a light on what platforms are doing and not doing to keep their users safe.“It’s about putting information out there, so users can be informed and make a choice about where they spend their time online.”She added: “What we’re saying to platforms today is that you have a commercial choice.“We know that women spend longer online than men, for example, on a daily basis, and so we think it makes good commercial sense to take their safety seriously.“For some platforms, they may not choose to do that, and that is their decision. But as I said, then we will make sure people know what kind of space they are entering into when they go on that kind of platform.”Ofcom chief executive Dame Melanie Dawes said the new guidance was a “call to action for online services”.“There’s not only a moral imperative for tech firms to protect the interests of female users, but it also makes sound commercial sense – fostering greater trust and engagement with a significant proportion of their customer base,” she said.Under the Online Safety Act, platforms will be legally required to follow a new set of duties around protecting users from harm online, with fines of up to 10% of global turnover for those who fail to do so – which could run into billions of pounds for the largest services.New regulation of the online world has been broadly welcomed, but some charities and campaigners have warned that the current plans have taken too long to implement, and do not go far enough to protect users from harm.In response, Ms Smith said: “We’re at the fairly early days when it comes to implementation of the Act.“I think we’re still at the stage of testing and implementing the powers that we have now, and I know that this has taken a while, so I really understand people’s frustration.“I think when it comes to this particular guidance, we are balancing quite difficult issues. There are issues around free expression.”Ofcom has now opened a consultation period on the guidance, and Ms Smith said it was vital the regulator also heard from men and boys on the issues raised.“Obviously, this guidance is focused on women and girls, and we’ve spoken to a lot of survivors and women’s advocacy organisations as part of the process, but it’s also for men and boys – these tools can be for everybody,” she said.“We know boys are more exposed to online misogyny than girls are, so we think that this will have broader benefits and we’re keen to speak to men and boys as part of our consultation process.” More

Starmer unable to say defence uplift won’t go on Chagos Islands at PMQsYour support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreSir Keir Starmer is jetting off this afternoon to meet with Donald Trump in Washington DC, amid a row over his shock announcement to hike the UK’s defence spending to 2.5 per cent. During PMQs, he defended his claims over the level of extra money for defence after the government was accused of “silly games with numbers” after it was said £13.4bn more would be spent. However, defence secretary John Healey suggested the real-terms increase in defence spending year on year “would be something over £6 billion”.In a heated exchange in the Commons, Starmer said that Kemi Badenoch has appointed herself “saviour of the western civilisation”, after the Conservative leader suggested she had advised the Prime Minister to increase defence spending. He added that she “didn’t feature in my thinking at all” and that her comment was a “desperate search for relevance”. He reiterated his stance that Ukraine “must be at the table” in negotiations to end the war with Ukraine, and reiterated that the UK and the US have a “special deep relationship”. Sir Keir is set to fly to Washington DC on Wednesday where he will meet with Mr Trump where he will follow in French president Emmanuel Macron’s footsteps to persuade him Europe has a plan for Ukraine.Europe cannot sustain 100,000-strong Ukraine peacekeeping force, former British army chief warnsThe former chief of the defence staff warned it is “inevitable” that Russia will seek to test any defence force placed in Ukraine in the event of a deal to end the war. “If we send troops, they will be tested, and they have to robustly be able to defend themselves,” Lord Richards told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.Read the full article here: Holly Evans26 February 2025 14:51Badenoch suggests ‘cover-up’ of Chagos money deal Speaking after Prime Minister’s Questions, a spokesman for Mrs Badenoch said: “I think this all points to what amounts to really a cover-up of where this money for the Chagos surrender is coming from.“It is incumbent on the Government as soon as possible to come and explain where the money is coming from, and if it is coming from the defence budget it makes all of the announcements over the last 24 hours seem (to be) ringing increasingly hollow.”On Tuesday a Conservative former defence minister suggested that money earmarked for the Chagos deal could instead be spent on the armed forces.Andrew Murrison asked the Prime Minister: “Will he look at other things that perhaps present easier choices, and in particular, his choice to spend billions of pounds on Mauritius? And will he repurpose that money in defence of our armed forces?”Holly Evans26 February 2025 14:39Starmer declines to say whether defence spending increase includes Chagos cashSir Keir Starmer has declined to say whether money for a deal with the Chagos Islands would come out of the increase in defence spending.The Prime Minister told the Commons that the increase to 2.5% of GDP announced on Tuesday is for “our capability on defence and security in Europe”, and described the deal being negotiated with Mauritius as “extremely important for our security”.The UK is in talks with Mauritius about handing over sovereignty of the British Indian Ocean Territory, but leasing back the strategically important Diego Garcia military base which is used by the US.The Conservatives have called on ministers to explain as soon as possible if money for the deal will come out of the uplift announced on Tuesday.Earlier on Wednesday, Defence Secretary John Healey did not say whether the Chagos money was included when asked, and the issue was pressed by Kemi Badenoch at Prime Minister’s Questions.Holly Evans26 February 2025 14:24Watch: Diane Abbott rebukes Keir Starmer over foreign aid cut Diane Abbott rebukes Keir Starmer over foreign aid cutHolly Evans26 February 2025 14:04Dominic Cummings backs Reform UK for local electionsDominic Cummings has called for voters to back Nigel Farage’s Reform UK in the May local elections. The former Boris Johnson aide did not say who he would vote for if there was an imminent general election. But, amid a furious backlash at Labour’s policies so far, he said everyone should back Mr Farage’s party in May.Asked who he would vote for in a national election, Mr Cummings said: “Dunno yet, but obviously everyone should vote Reform this spring, no downsides, just upsides.”A mass Reform vote, with the party surging in the polls, would pile major pressure on Sir Keir Starmer while helping Mr Farage paint his party as the real opposition to Labour. Holly Evans26 February 2025 14:03Seven organisations face government contract ban Jane Dalton26 February 2025 13:22Seven companies face new Grenfell probe Investigations will be launched into seven organisations criticised in the Grenfell Tower Inquiry report, with the potential they could be banned from public contracts in future.They are: Arconic Architectural Products SAS; Saint-Gobain Construction Products UK Limited which previously owned Celotex Limited; Exova (UK) Limited; Harley Facades Limited; Kingspan Insulation Limited; Rydon Maintenance Limited; and Studio E Architects Limited.Cabinet Office parliamentary secretary Georgia Gould said the firms would be investigated under new debarment powers in the Procurement Act 2023, which came into effect on Monday.She said: “These investigations will establish whether the organisations have engaged in professional misconduct for the purposes of that Act.”The organisations will be notified when an investigation is opened, she said, adding that investigations into other organisations could also take place.Jane Dalton26 February 2025 13:18Government to take ‘tough action’ to avoid future tragedies Angela Rayner, who is also Housing Secretary, said: ”We are acting on all of the inquiry’s findings, and today set out our full response, detailing the tough action we are taking to drive change and reform the system to ensure no community will ever have to face a tragedy like Grenfell ever again.“That means greater accountability, stronger regulation, and putting residents at the heart of decision-making.“We must deliver the fundamental change required. We owe that to the Grenfell community, to the country, and to the memory of those who lost their lives.”Grenfell Next of Kin, a group representing some of the bereaved, said it will be “paying close attention to these words and intentions” from Government, as it repeated criticism of the “grave mistakes, failures, corruption” it said had led to the deaths.The group: “We can never forget our beloved kin and we can never forgive the negligence and corruption that led to their deaths.“The injustice is so great and the measures being put in place now with new laws and reforms are welcomed, but should have been basic requirements for a developed country such as ours.The government have responded to the Grenfell Tower inquiry findings More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreSir Keir Starmer has “serious questions to answer” about his defence spending uplift, the Tories have said, after a cabinet minister admitted the PM’s figures were misleading.The prime minister on Tuesday promised to boost the defence budget from 2.3 per cent to 2.5 per cent of GDP ahead of a crunch meeting in the White House with Donald Trump on Thursday.At a Downing Street press conference, Sir Keir said the increase amounted to Labour spending £13.4 billion extra each year on the armed forces. Sir Keir Starmer has been accused of using misleading figures to sell his big defence spending announcement More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreThe traditional gifts for Keir Starmer’s visit to see Donald Trump for the first time since the inauguration have yet to be announced, but it is a fair bet that the prime minister will hand the US president an Arsenal shirt with the number 47 (for 47th president) on it.The shirt of the prime minister’s favourite football team has been his safe go-to gift for all his first meetings with previous world leaders and this is one trip above all where he will be wanting to play safe.Insiders have told The Independent that Sir Keir will receive a “respectful” and even “warm” greeting from the new president – at least publicly – and we’re likely to see similar jovial treatment in the Oval Office in front of journalists as French president Emmanuel Macron did earlier this week. Starmer announced an increase in defence spending More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreThe number of British personnel working on an international training program for Ukrainian soldiers has fallen by more than 1,000 in the last 2.5 years, new figures reveal. The decline marks a 73 per cent reduction in the UK staffing of the British-led Operation Interflex that has trained over 51,000 Ukrainian soldiers to resist Vladimir Putin’s invasion.It comes as Britain and its European allies scramble to bolster their own defences amid mounting pressure from Donald Trump and stark warnings about their defence capabilities.Operation Interflex has trained over 51,000 Ukrainian soldiers More

Your support helps us to tell the storyFrom reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it’s investigating the financials of Elon Musk’s pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, ‘The A Word’, which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.Your support makes all the difference.Read moreNigel Farage’s trip to Florida to meet tech billionaire Elon Musk was partly funded by convicted fraudster George Cottrell, records show. The former Ukip volunteer paid for the Reform UK leader’s £15,000 fight from Teterboro, New Jersey, to Palm Beach, Florida, last year where he was pictured posing next to Mr Musk and Reform UK treasurer Nick Candy. Mr Cottrell, who spent eight months in jail after being convicted of one count of wire fraud in the US, is a former adviser to Mr Farage.After being arrested in 2016, he struck a plea bargain with prosecutors, who said he had agreed to launder money for undercover agents posing as drug traffickers.Reform UK leader Nigel Farage (Yui Mok/PA) More