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 ThomasEditorExam bosses are facing a growing backlash over their refusal to boost the grades of A-level students affected by crumbling concrete. Thousands were hit as dozens of schools across the country were forced to close entirely or shut off classrooms following the discovery of the dangerous material last year.The head of Ofqual has resisted calls to raise their results, suggesting it would be unfair to pupils who suffered from other problems, such as teacher shortages. But politicians from across the political spectrum have called for a rethink, just days before A-level results are revealed on Thursday.Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Munira Wilson said it was “shocking that some children spent months being taught in Portakabins and makeshift facilities through this crucial time in their education”, adding that the new Labour government must “now ensure pupils and parents impacted by these years of chaos are given the support they need”.Labour MP Mary Foy told The Independent that the decision not to provide extra consideration for affected pupils was “absolutely devastating”, saying it was “perverse that a student would get special consideration for a fire alarm sounding during an exam, but none for having no access to the correct facilities, or even their previous work, for almost a full academic year”.Meanwhile, Robert Halfon, a former Conservative education minister, told The Independent he was sympathetic to calls for more help for affected pupils, but added that it would have to be “done on a school-by-school basis, depending on levels of disruption”.Around 7,600 A-level students, as well as 19,700 GCSE pupils, are in schools whose buildings contain the crumbling concrete, according to House of Commons Library research commissioned by the Lib Dems. Ian Bauckham says it would be ‘difficult’ to allow a special uplift for some pupils 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 ThomasEditorA Tory leadership contender has slammed as “delusional” Elon Musk’s claim that civil war in the UK is inevitable. Tom Tugendhat hit out at the X owner, saying his widely-criticised comment, as riots broke out across the country, was “simply false”.In a speech designed to show how he would respond to the recent violence, Mr Tugendhat also attacked Nigel Farage, saying he would not let the former Ukip leader into the Conservatives and ruling out a deal with his Reform Party.And he suggested Keir Starmer could have brought the appalling scenes on the nation’s streets under control more swiftly – and said the prime minister should have sacked home office minister Jess Phillips, who he accused of justifying the actions of some rioters.Mr Tugendhat slammed Elon Musk and Nigel Farage over the riots (Danny Lawson/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 ThomasEditorLabour MPs have claimed they are quitting or “stepping back” from Twitter/X as owner Elon Musk is accused of turning it into a “megaphone for far-right fringe groups”.Two MPs have reportedly told colleagues they are leaving X altogether, with Noah Law – MP for St Austell and Newquay – already having disabled his account. Others have said they are scaling back their use though they are still posting. Labour veteran Diane Abbott told The Independent she is “limiting” her use of the platform, explaining: “The changes in X under Musk have made it worse. Only a handful of MPs would say it is better and they would mostly be Reform members.” Her last post was on Monday, about an Israeli airstrike, after a gap of four days. A Labour MP said Elon Musk had turned X into ‘a megaphone for foreign adversaries’ 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 live as Tom Tugendhat gives his first major speech of the Tory leadership campaign on Tuesday 13 August.He will call for a national conversation about the root causes of the recent riots, arguing that Britain’s social fabric has deteriorated.In his first major speech since declaring his bid for the Conservative leadership, the former security minister is expected to attack a “culture of denial” that moves on too quickly from acts of serious violence without addressing their underlying causes and the “identity and motives of the perpetrators”.“Too often, over the last two decades or more, we have avoided being brutally honest, preferring instead the warmth and false comfort of denial and complacency,” Mr Tugendhat will say.He is also expected to accuse prime minister Sir Keir Starmer of a “failure of leadership” and urge the police to use “uncompromising force” in dealing with violent disorder.This is Mr Tugendhat’s second bid for the role of Tory leader, having stood in the contest in 2022. He was eliminated in the third round of voting by MPs. 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 MP Clive Lewis is facing calls for his suspension over a tweet appearing to suggest Israel is to blame for the far-right riots that swept the UK last week. The MP for Norwich South argued that the “inhumanity” shown towards Palestinians in Gaza has led to rising Islamophobia in the UK, causing campaigners to call for his suspension.Labour Against Antisemitism has accused Mr Lewis of being highly irresponsible and has urged Sir Keir Starmer to expell him from the party. However, it is understood that no disciplinary action will be taken against the MP by party whips.Labour MP Clive Lewis has been condemned for a tweet which appeared to suggest Israel is to blame for the far-right riots which swept the UK last week 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 ThomasEditorA UK university says it is the first in the world to open a “Minecraft psychology lab”.Students at the University of Essex will learn, research and build experiments within the popular computer game.Lecturer Dr Wijnand van Tilburg said Minecraft “offers a uniquely malleable environment to study and learn about the psychology behind social behaviour, problem solving, and creativity”.Six booths have been set up for psychology students to use Minecraft as part of the course.Students at the university will learn and build experiments within the computer game (University of Essex/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 ThomasEditorBridget Phillipson has pledged to reverse “baked-in” inequalities in educational outcomes to ensure young people from all backgrounds have the opportunity to “get on in life”.Speaking ahead of A-level results day on Thursday, the education secretary accused the Conservative Party of leaving behind a legacy of regional disparities and an attainment gap between private schools and their state school peers.She said societal failures have left too many children living in poverty and schools struggling with the pressures faced by families – something she said is a “big driver” of educational disparities between the most and least advantaged students.Ms Phillipson also urged universities to do more to widen access to higher education, as well as offer “ongoing support” to students once they are on degree courses to ensure they do not drop out.Education secretary Bridget Phillipson 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 government is preparing to limit the amount landowners can receive from selling green belt land, handing councils the power to cheaply buy up land that previously would have been ineligible for development as part of its plan to tackle the housing crisis. In areas with the greatest housing need, landowners could also find themselves penalised for refusing to sell land. Councils would be able to force them to sell land at a “benchmark” value – which would be lower than the market value of similar sites outside the green belt. Deputy prime minister Angela Rayner told MPs that ‘we must all play our part’ in the plan to build more homes More