UK

Starmer takes aim at Farage during Labour conference speechSir Keir Starmer has launched a fresh attack on Nigel Farage, accusing the Reform UK leader of being an “enemy of national renewal” over his immigration plans.In his keynote address at the Labour Party conference, the prime minister said: “When was the last time you heard Nigel Farage say anything positive about Britain’s future? He can’t.”He doesn’t like Britain, doesn’t believe in Britain, wants you to doubt it as much as he does and so he resorts to grievance. They all do.”Taking to the stage, Sir Keir called for unity, telling the crowd at Liverpool: “We can all see our country faces a choice, a defining choice. Britain stands at a fork in the road.“We can choose decency. Or we can choose division. Renewal or decline.” He also took the fight to Reform, reclaiming the Union Jack flag and calling for stronger borders and controlled migration. Despite the cheers that greeted him, one Labour figure was notably absent as Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham was pictured leaving the conference shortly before the speech. The PM has faced a turbulent month, losing to scandal key figures in his team and facing open opposition from within his party, all against the backdrop of Reform outperforming Labour in the polls following a summer of protests against illegal immigration. Badenoch says Starmer has ‘all but confirmed’ tax rises Kemi Badenoch said the Prime Minister had “all but confirmed” that taxes would increase at the Budget in November.The Conservative leader said: “Keir Starmer has all but confirmed that tax rises are coming.“The Prime Minister could have used his speech to own up to the mistakes he’s made on the economy, admit the country was living beyond its means and set out a plan to avoid further punishing tax hikes this autumn, but he did not.“In Labour’s first year, inflation has doubled, economic growth has halved and unemployment has risen almost every single month. Everyone in Britain will now pay the price for Starmer’s weakness with a smaller economy and higher taxes.”Holly Evans30 September 2025 15:54Reform will teach Starmer a lesson in May, Farage vowsNigel Farage has promised to teach Sir Keir Starmer a lesson in May “that British political history will never forget”.The Reform UK leader said he is “more determined than ever” to trounce Labour in the local elections, particularly in Scotland and Wales, after a series of attacks on his character throughout the party’s conference.He said: “I am now, as a result of this week, and the abuse that has been heaped upon our supporters and our voters, more determined than ever.“Don’t underestimate that.” Holly Evans30 September 2025 15:51Farage: Starmer’s attacks are direct threat to our safetyNigel Farage has said Sir Keir Starmer’s personal attacks on him and Reform UK are a direct threat to the safety of its MPs and activists.Responding to the prime minister’s conference speech, which was laden with personal criticisms of Reform, Mr Farage said: “It directly threatens the safety of our elected officials and our campaigners.“Frankly, in the wake of the Charlie Kirk murder, it is an absolute disgrace.“I used to think the prime minister was a decent man… I am completely shocked at his behaviour.“I hope that when he wakes up tomorrow morning, he feels ashamed of what he has done.”Mr Farage added that it is “a desperate last throw of the dice from a prime minister deeply in trouble” and said he no longer believes Sir Keir is fit to be prime minister. Archie Mitchell30 September 2025 15:50David Lammy says Farage has ‘brass neck’ for incitement of violence claim Deputy Prime Minister David Lammy said Nigel Farage has a “brass neck” for accusing Labour of inciting violence against his party.The Reform UK leader is expected to make the claim in a response to Sir Keir Starmer’s conference speech.Asked about it, Mr Lammy told the BBC: “I think he’s got a bit of a brass neck, hasn’t he, Nigel Farage?“This story goes back a long way. This is calling out his policies, his policies that would line people up who have a right to be in this country, who might be Indian, who might be Nigerian, and send them home. It’s not British. It doesn’t respect our values.“And Keir Starmer was very articulate about that.”Asked whether he thought Mr Farage was a racist, Mr Lammy stressed that his policies were racist.“I’m not going to play the man. I’m playing the ball, as our leader did. I will leave it for the public to come to their own judgments about someone who once flirted with Hitler Youth when he was younger.”Holly Evans30 September 2025 15:42Former Labour shadow chancellor describes Starmer speech as ‘extremely policy light’John McDonnell, the party’s former shadow chancellor, told the Independent the speech was “full blown rhetorical flourish but extremely policy light, exemplified by denunciation of child poverty but sadly no announcement on scrapping the two-child limit”.Mr McDonnell was only given the party whip back last year after he was suspended as part of a row over the two-child benefit cap. Kate Devlin30 September 2025 15:35Starmer vows to ‘fight with every breath’ for working peopleSir Keir Starmer said he would “fight with every breath I have” for “working people” and “the tolerant, decent, respectful Britain I know”.The Prime Minister told Labour conference: “The Tories – remember them?“I don’t know if they believed in grievance politics.“Maybe they do now, when you see them turning away from the rule of law. It’s honestly hard to tell.Sir Keir Starmer addressing flag-waving delegates in Liverpool (Danny Lawson/PA) More

A Labour MP has blamed Brexit for Rachel Reeves’ tax-hiking Budget last October, adding that he hopes Britain rejoins the European Union in his lifetime.Andrew Lewin said leaving the EU has left Britain £40bn poorer per year, adding that “were we still members… there would not have been a single tax rise”.The Welwyn Hatfield MP cited research showing that 16,000 smaller businesses have stopped trading with the EU since Brexit. And, speaking at a fringe event at Labour’s conference on the future of Britain’s relationship with the bloc, he said: “Economists agree we are £40bn poorer as a country because of the Brexit deal. “And what does that practically mean? Wind back the clocks 11 months to last year’s Budget, where the chancellor had to raise taxes to the tune of about £40bn. “In a scenario where we are still members of the European Union, there would not have been a single tax rise, because we would have that growing productivity as part of the biggest democratic trading bloc in the world.” Mr Lewin also blamed Brexit for soaring food prices in shops, arguing that barriers to trade are pushing up inflation. The Welwyn Hatfield MP also said Brexit was to blame for soaring food prices in shops More

The education secretary has said that lifting the two-child benefit cap is “definitely on the table”, amid growing pressure on the government to scrap the controversial policy. Bridget Phillipson, who is in the race to succeed Angela Rayner as deputy leader of the party, argued there is “absolutely” more to do when it comes to tackling child poverty, adding that she will “make it happen”.Speaking on the fringes of the Labour conference in Liverpool, Ms Phillipson said: “I am determined and will guarantee by the end of this parliament that child poverty will come down. And the two-child limit, yes, is definitely on the table.”Bridget Phillipson is in the race to succeed Angela Rayner as deputy leader More

Wes Streeting has called for Angela Rayner to return to government just weeks after she resigned for not paying enough tax.To a huge cheer, the health secretary told the Labour party conference in Liverpool: “We need her back.”He also hit out at Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, labelling him a “con artist” and a “snake oil salesman”. His praise for Ms Rayner came as he unveiled £500m investment for the first ever “fair pay agreement” for care workers. Streeting was unveiling a £500m investment for a ‘fair pay agreement’ for care workers More

Speculation over Andy Burnham’s leadership ambitions has sharply divided Independent readers, with many weighing both his political record and the practical hurdles he would face.Several pointed out that Burnham is not an MP, making a leadership bid highly complex. He would need to win a by-election, secure the backing of dozens of MPs, and then convince the party to rally behind him – a process some described as “unwise” and potentially disastrous for Labour if it triggered months of infighting. Others argued that such turmoil could hand the initiative to the right, risking a Farage resurgence or another long spell in opposition.Some readers defended Burnham’s analysis of Labour’s limitations, warning that Starmer’s government has so far failed to deliver the transformative change needed to prevent national discontent fuelling populism. But others accused Burnham of opportunism, disloyalty, and political posturing, noting it is far easier to “snipe from the sidelines” than make tough decisions in government.Here’s what you had to say:Too many uncertain stagesThere are too many uncertain stages for Burnham to be able to mount a leadership challenge and if he tried it, he could lose the Mayoralty, let down the North West he loves and be scuppered, possibly by Starmer not agreeing for him to become an official Labour candidate. Or else the public could refuse to elect any Labour candidate in early mid-term unpopularity?ParcelOfRogueDo you think Andy Burnham should bide his time or take on Starmer now? Share your views in the comments below.All the problems facing Starmer would still be thereBurnham isn’t on offer as a leadership candidate. Even if he’s willing to seek re-election to parliament, he’d have to find a constituency with an imminent by-election, persuade it to select him, win the election, convince 80 MPs (the threshold to trigger a leadership challenge) to back him as leader, and then win the ensuing contest. Just supposing he succeeded, what would it change? All the problems facing Starmer would still be there, the government would have less time to deal with them, having wasted months on internal infighting, and there would be pressure to call an election, especially if Burnham wanted to pursue a radically different manifesto to the one Labour was elected on. That would be highly unwise. It would put rocket boosters under the right-wing media narrative that the Labour party is unfit to govern and probably send it back into opposition for another fourteen years, leaving the way clear for Farage or the Tories to dismantle the green economy and lay waste to public services. We all saw what factional infighting did to the Tories. Labour can’t afford a repeat of this.Tanaquil2Burnham is simply rightBurnham is simply right in his analysis. I predicted when Starmer won his majority that unless his government was radically different, brought fundamental change and was transformative in its policies, its opportunity would be limited and it would be the last Labour government. Everything to date convinces me that prediction is right. It was also clear Labour’s failure would create fertile ground for new ideas and new political forms in the shape of a populist ideology feeding on that failure and the national discontent. Unfortunately that outcome was even more predictable.CriticaleyeLocal and national politics are very differentWhat exactly Burnham’s game is is difficult to say right now. He isn’t even an MP so couldn’t become PM without a lot of manoeuvring and winning a seat somewhere. He’s undoubtedly been good for Manchester which doesn’t necessarily mean he’d also make a good PM. Local politics and national politics are very different beasts.Like Starmer, he’d have some of the factions within the party working against him and he’d have to take a stance and make decisions as to how he’d represent the country internationally as well as his policy on Israel and Ukraine. Despite the UK’s diminished clout internationally Starmer has seemingly represented the country well. Appeasing Trump hasn’t gone down well everywhere but some believe keeping the door to the US open was more important and he seems to have managed that reasonably well given how unpredictable and irrational Trump is. Maybe a full state visit could have been delayed until it was clearer which way the wind was blowing on the US’s relationship with the UK.How would Burnham cope internationally? Would he be capable of dealing with the level of diplomacy international policy demands? Only time would tell. The problem being the country hasn’t got any time to waste as too many issues need to be sorted and soon if Farage is to be stopped. The NHS, care system, social services, benefits, education, prison service and practically everything else is often only being propped up by charities which also need to be controlled as not all are seemingly as charitable as they claim. Whoever became PM would also have to fight an election, almost before they’d have time to start changing anything. A daunting task!AmbigirlsEasy to snipe from the sidelinesVery easy for Burnham to snipe from the sidelines. Much harder to make the difficult decisions facing our nation. Starmer is hopeless at being PM, but I’d rather that than the bloke from Manchester who couldn’t even decide to turn on the local ULEZ scheme. Sadiq Khan did what was right – not what was popular.PerchpoleLabour is always riven by infightingWhy is it that Labour is always riven by infighting that makes the Tories and even Reform look positively united? Why is Burnham cynically muddying the waters? And Corbyn and Sultana’s troubled relationship demonstrates the left’s inability even to get on with itself. Why aren’t Starmer and his MPs emphasising the massive improvements the government has already made to people’s lives? This is partly because Number 10 is often strangely hesitant about making its case with conviction and panache. Polling for the think tank IPPR suggests that less than a third of voters know this government has legislated for the greatest strengthening of workers’ rights in a generation, and less than a quarter are aware that it has given new rights to renters. Add more breakfast clubs, more free school meals, more free nursery places, reducing NHS waiting lists and quicker asylum processing and the voters should be pleased with the progress after 14 years of Tory chaos. But even when the government does radical things, it hides them. I despair…haynemanGoing about it in the wrong wayBurnham’s going about showing his leadership potential totally in the wrong way. Starmer’s position is still too strong, and it’s far too soon. He should allow his MP supporters to speak for him; not push himself to the forefront, like he has. By doing what he’s done, I think he’s blown his chance at leading the party.UncleSleptOpportunistic and disloyalBurnham is just showing that he is opportunistic and disloyal, which isn’t new. That said, not sure he has blown his chance as many Labour MPs are scared of losing their seats, whilst many on the Left see it as an opportunity to enact policies that the public have voted against when explicitly campaigned on. Should be a fascinating few years.LangleyBurnham is a notorious flip-flopperSpending, tax, the NHS, the small boats, etc, etc. I don’t rate Starmer particularly highly but I trust him to deliver more than Burnham – who’s always been a notorious flip-flopper.PerchpoleAll things to all menBurnham seems to want to be all things to all men to garner support. Currying favour with the pro-EU brigade at a Guardian fringe meeting and funny how he now all of a sudden supports full-blown renationalisation. Wasn’t quite brave enough to put himself fully out there and is now already retracting things he’s just said just a couple of days ago. Not the mark of a leader.Noverngit1Utter chaosAndy is clutching at anything to get him to No 10, the Remainer/Rejoiner community a prime target. The party is in utter chaos, and its various leaders are throwing in ideas which they think will protect their positions or promote them in the party, without a care for what it does to the country and its democratic traditions and practice. Labour, in my opinion, now constitutes a clear and present danger to decent political process in the UK.KrispadSome of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.Want to share your views? Simply register your details below. Once registered, you can comment on the day’s top stories for a chance to be featured. Alternatively, click ‘log in’ or ‘register’ in the top right corner to sign in or sign up.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here. More

Labour has vowed to strengthen the requirements for indefinite leave to remain (ILR) in the UK, in an apparent response to Reform’s pledge to scrap the policy entirely.Sir Keir Starmer called Nigel Farage’s plan to revoke the rights of thousands of people to live in Britain “racist” and “immoral”, with newly appointed home secretary Shabana Mahmood laying out the government’s alternative to the proposals.Labour has already pledged to introduce tough new restrictions on ILR, but now goes further in a move many will see as a reaction to the plan laid out by Reform last week. Recent polling shows the government’s popularity is trailing behind Mr Farage’s party.Home secretary Shabana Mahmood has laid out plans to strengthen requirements for legal migrants More

Sir Keir Starmer is set to announce a new “online hospital” that hopes to deliver millions of appointments and help slash waiting lists.The Prime Minister will use his leader’s speech at Labour’s conference to set out plans for NHS Online, which will connect patients to specialist clinicians.The scheme, which will begin operating in 2027, will deliver up to 8.5 million extra NHS appointments in its first three years, Labour claims.In his speech in Liverpool, Sir Keir will say “a new world is coming” and “in decades to come, I want people to look back on this moment as the moment we renewed the NHS for a new world”.The online hospital will be accessible through the NHS app and will allow patients to choose between the digital service and their local hospital.Those who use the service will be able to access and track prescriptions, be referred for scans and tests, and receive clinical advice on managing their condition.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer will make the announcement in his speech in Liverpool More

A new “online hospital” will deliver millions of appointments and help slash waiting lists, Sir Keir Starmer will announce.The Prime Minister will use his leader’s speech at Labour’s conference to set out plans for NHS Online which will connect patients to specialist clinicians.The scheme, which will begin operating in 2027, will deliver up to 8.5 million extra NHS appointments in its first three years, Labour claimed.In his speech in Liverpool Sir Keir will say “a new world is coming” and “in decades to come, I want people to look back on this moment as the moment we renewed the NHS for a new world”.The online hospital will be accessible through the NHS app and will allow patients to choose between the digital service and their local hospital.Those who use the service will be able to access and track prescriptions, be referred for scans and tests, and receive clinical advice on managing their condition.Patients who require a physical test or a procedure will be able to book them on the app, at a nearby hospital, surgical hub or community diagnostic centre.Sir Keir will describe it as “a new chapter in the story of our NHS, harnessing the future, patients in control”.“Waiting times cut for every single person in this country. That’s national renewal, that’s a Britain built for all.”The Prime Minister will stress the need for continued NHS modernisation, insisting it is Labour’s responsibility to make the health service fit for the years to come.Sir Keir will say: “I know how hard people work in the NHS – I see it my family – and I celebrate it at every opportunity.“But the responsibility of this party is not just to celebrate the NHS, it’s to make it better.”The scheme builds upon ideas already being used in some NHS trusts to reduce waiting times and allow patients to get treatment or advice quicker.NHS England chief executive Sir Jim Mackey said: “This is a huge step forward for the NHS and will deliver millions more appointments by the end of the decade, offering a real alternative for patients and more control over their own care.“Patients who choose to receive their treatment through the online hospital will benefit from us industrialising the latest technology and innovations, while the increased capacity will help to cut demand and slash waiting times.“The NHS can, must and will move forward to match other sectors in offering digital services that make services as personalised, convenient, and flexible as possible for both staff and patients.”NHS Providers chief executive Daniel Elkeles said: “The online hospital could be a very significant development, transforming the way many patients receive their care.“The way the NHS provides outpatients services hasn’t changed much for decades, but during Covid we learned a lot about opportunities for new approaches using digital technology.“It’s sensible they are taking the time to plan this properly because there are a lot of factors to consider.“These include the handling of patient data and the need to avoid ‘digital exclusion’ of people who can’t access the service.“It’s important there’s new funding and it will be an NHS organisation with NHS staff.“This is a bold, exciting initiative, but the benefits should not come at the cost of destabilising vital services patients will continue to rely on.” More