UK

Subterms

    More stories

    • 200 Shares99 Views

      in UK Politics

      Yvette Cooper ‘to leave job’ as Starmer reshuffles cabinet after Angela Rayner resignation: UK Politics live

      by

      Angela Rayner resigns after report reveals she broke ministerial code on stamp dutyHome secretary Yvette Cooper is reportedly set to lose her job as Sir Keir Starmer embarks on a major cabinet reshuffle followingAngela Rayner stepping down as deputy prime minister after an investigation into her tax affairs.Lucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons, and Scottish Secretary Ian Murray have already been sacked this afternoon, while Ms Cooper could be moved from the Home Office and become foreign secretary, The Telegraph reported. The prime minister’s reshuffle comes after Ms Rayner stepped down after ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus found that she had breached the ministerial code over her underpayment of stamp duty on her £800,000 flat in Hove, East Sussex.She told the prime minister in a letter that “I deeply regret my decision to not seek additional specialist tax advice” and took “full responsibility for this error”.In a letter responding to her resignation, the prime minister said he was “very sad” that her time in government had come to an end and that he had “nothing but admiration” for her.Yvette Cooper ‘to be sacked from Home Office’Yvette Cooper is set to be sacked from her job as home secretary, according to reports.Sir Keir Starmer has embarked upon a major reshuffle after Angela Rayner stepped down as deputy prime minister following an investigation into her tax affairs.The Telegraph is reporting that Ms Cooper could be moved to foreign secretary.There is speculation that justice secretary Shabana Mahmood, is in prime position to take Ms Cooper’s job at the Home Office.Joe Middleton5 September 2025 15:47Watch: Andrea Jenkyns belts out own song in bizarre Reform conference entranceAndrea Jenkyns belts out own song in bizarre Reform conference entranceJoe Middleton5 September 2025 15:38Starmer cabinet reshuffle: Who is in and who is out as PM overhauls his top teamThe Independent’s Archie Mitchell reportsSir Keir Starmer has launched a major cabinet reshuffle after Angela Rayner’s resignation as housing secretary and deputy prime minister.The prime minister is seeking to relaunch his government as it lags behind Reform UK in the polls and struggles to deliver on key promises.Ms Rayner resigned after Sir Keir’s ethics advisor concluded she had breached the ministerial code by failing to pay the correct amount of stamp duty on the purchase of an £800,000 flat in Hove.Joe Middleton5 September 2025 15:20Scottish secretary Ian Murray sacked by StarmerIan Murray has been sacked as Scottish Secretary in Sir Keir Starmer’s reshuffle, sources said.Mr Murray has represented Edinburgh South since 2010 – and was the only Scottish Labour MP left in Westminster after the party’s 2019 general election defeat.A critic of former leader Jeremy Corbyn, Mr Murray has campaigned against Scottish independence and won the backing of Sir Tony Blair and Gordon Brown during an unsuccessful bid for the Labour deputy leadership in 2020.In a statement on X he said it was a “privilege” to play a role in bringing Labour back to power.Joe Middleton5 September 2025 15:12Lucy Powell said it was an ‘an honour’ to serve in government and confirms sackingLucy Powell, the Leader of the House of Commons, has said it has been “an honour to serve in the first Labour Government in 15 years” as the Manchester Central MP confirmed she had been sacked in a post on X.In a statement she said: “I spoke to the Prime Minister earlier today and he informed me of his intention to appoint a new Leader of the House of Commons.”It has been an honour to serve in the first Labour Government in 15 years, particularly as Leader of the House. It’s been a role I’ve really enjoyed – overseeing the first Labour King’s Speech in a generation with such an ambitious and transformative legislative programme, taking on vested interests in the service of ordinary people.”I’ve also had a big agenda of modernising the Commons – I’ve tightened the rules on MPs’ second jobs – with more to come, standing up for the different voices in the House, family-friendly measures and have been embarking on improved accessibility and inclusion. These are the changes a Labour Government can and should be making.”This has not been an easy time for the Government. People want to see change and improvements to their difficult lives. Nor in politics more generally, not least with the rise of abuse, misrepresentation, social media echo chambers and the call for easy answers. As women in public life, we experience this all the more. The future of our democracy looks uncertain and Parliament and representational politics has an important role to play.”Living and raising my children in my home city of Manchester has always given me a different perspective of politics. My first job has always been to represent the residents of Manchester Central, and I look forward to using my voice and my role on in Parliament to ensure they see the change they long for.”Joe Middleton5 September 2025 14:58Nigel Farage football shirts on sale at Reform conference as supporters gather in BirminghamThe shirts, which are flying off the shelves, are being sold for £40 – or particularly keen activists can buy two for £75.For those who wanted something cheaper there were £15 caps or football terrace themed scarves to cheer on their top team.Joe Middleton5 September 2025 14:45’Mixed feelings’ in Hove around Rayner’s resignation Locals gathered outside Angela Rayner’s seaside flat in Hove discussed “mixed feelings” about the outgoing deputy prime minister.“She was very busy and when you are busy you don’t always use common sense,” said Ann, who is from Australia but lives in the UK.The group echoed that it was a “shame” but agreed with Ann that “£40,000 is an awful lot of money for some people”.( More

    • 213 Shares199 Views

      in UK Politics

      Voices: Readers clash over digital ID cards – from ‘Big Brother state’ fears to ‘making life easier’

      by

      Plans to introduce digital ID cards as part of the government’s efforts to tackle illegal migration have sparked sharp debate among Independent readers, dividing opinion almost evenly.A recent poll of our community found 50 per cent in favour of the move, arguing the cards could help reduce benefit fraud, close loopholes exploited by gangs and limit illegal working, which many see as a key “pull factor” behind Channel crossings. Some pointed to systems already in place across Europe, saying the UK was lagging behind in adopting modern safeguards.But 44 per cent opposed the idea, warning it would undermine privacy and civil liberties. Several readers described it as the first step towards a “dystopian nightmare”, forcing ordinary people to prove their identity to go about daily life. They argued that digital IDs would not stop small boat crossings and would instead punish law-abiding citizens.Many comments revealed a deep scepticism about whether the government’s focus on ID cards addresses the real drivers of migration. Others saw it as another example of politicians reaching for headline policies without tackling root causes.Here’s what you had to say:ID cards abroad work well and protect freedomsI’ve lived and worked overseas where ID cards are mandatory and civil liberties seem much better protected than in the UK. We already have a national insurance number and most carry a photo driving licence, or most of the older generation carry a photo bus pass. Of course, those looking to exploit workers who have to accept low cash-in-hand wages will cry foul, but if we truly want to sort the problem out, put effort into processing asylum claims quickly, set up an official route to enter the UK to apply for asylum, and allow them to work whilst their claims are processed, not bottled up in “cages” to act as bait for all the self-styled “patriots”. ifonlyitwastrueID cards make life easierI would like to have an ID card in the UK, not to stop illegal migration but because it would make my life so much easier. Living in Belgium it is compulsory to carry ID and I can use it for everything – healthcare, banking, taxes, travel. It is invaluable. Dealing with banks and government in the UK is so tedious… I have already had to pay twice to prove my ID when buying a house. I have to remember multiple sets of passwords to phone the bank, and on and on. I don’t get why people are so happy to give every aspect of their lives to Google and the like, but not have an ID. ThoughtIsFreeGet involved in the debate a leave a comment below.A right, not an obligationI have had a Portuguese National ID Card since I was a child and really don’t see how I could have done most things without it. It contains my Citizen ID number, my Social Security number, and also my Fiscal number in case I work self-employed or start a company. It’s like everything about you on a single card. It allows me to travel all the EU and EEA without the need for a passport or limitations, even entering or leaving the UK under the EU Withdrawal Agreement. It is a right to have a National ID Card, not an obligation. Basically, I was never forced to have it, nor to renew it, but everything would have been harder without it. CacoNo downsideI honestly do not know what the big deal is about carrying an ID card. I live in Europe and have had one since Brexit was implemented. The only times I’m asked to show it are for legal purposes (registering residence, now also at passport control as I’m not under the EU 90/180 rule), something major at the bank (account change etc.), or things like large purchases or signing a credit agreement. I can’t think of other circumstances when I’ve been asked to present it. The whole scaremongering around the police state ‘tracking you’ with it is frankly a load of blox. Way more convenient than a passport, accepted everywhere in the EU as ID. I don’t see a downside. nicksbNone of their businessUnder no circumstances would I carry an ID card in peacetime. I will strongly defend my Article 8 rights to privacy (Human Rights Act). This is why I first got a VPN and why I use emails from outside the UK. I’m law-abiding and have no criminal record, so why should I, and every other British citizen, be treated as a suspect all the time? The LINOs, first under Blair and now under Starmer, seem to want to track everybody all the time, and it’s none of their business. LadyCrumpsallIssue of trustIf they are simply used to reduce crime and prevent fraud, I have no problem with them. But they could easily be used to monitor movements or track behaviour. And data could be sold to commercial interests. Frankly, there’s now an issue of trust between citizens and government, and many will be unhappy with identity cards for the reasons listed. MusilRemoving hassleStandard ID cards would make it much easier. At the moment everyone asks for something different – usually two forms of ID, each with different lists and requirements. It’s such a hassle. AjamesDigital ID is a tool for controlDigital ID is a solution in search of a problem. Countries that have it are countries like China, Vietnam and North Korea. The reason it has to be digital rather than physical is because everything will be linked – your bank account, your medical records, your ability to travel, what you can and cannot buy. In China it is tied to your “social credit score”. They want to introduce it so they can control you. Your freedom to make choices is the “problem” they want to solve.GaryGlassID cards would help the elderlyMy elderly mother, frail and bed-bound, has neither a driving licence nor a passport. She has no legal ‘photo ID’ should she need to consult a legal professional that requires identification. An ID card would be ideal.MsRuthlessNI numbers are issued at birth. What seems to be suggested is some form of ‘document’ that everyone has to carry so that the Gestapo can make their famous “papers” demand of anyone they fancy. The reality is that we live in a far more dystopian country than imagined by Orwell in his 1984. He hadn’t imagined two-way TVs so small that all citizens could be compelled to carry one with them. The weakness with Big Brother’s technology was that it could only monitor a few people at a time. Today’s AI means that everyone’s activities can be monitored continuously. The modern dictator has no need of ID cards. LordNelson3Who’s to say that the state will not go adrift?Liberty lies in the inefficiency of the state and its bureaucrats. Of course, if the state is largely benevolent then ID cards are not a serious problem, but if the state goes adrift then ID cards pose a severe threat to civil rights simply because the instruments of the state will be more efficient. Who’s to say that the state will not go adrift? We can see an example abroad right now. Do you trust Farage? tohuA retrograde stepI’m vehemently against the idea of introducing digital ID cards for anyone in the UK. In my view, it would be a retrograde step and a huge infringement of our civil rights. Do we really wish to have a “Big Brother” state in this country? In addition, I doubt very much that widespread fraud and illegal migration would be successfully curbed by such draconian measures. In my experience of life, human beings will often find loopholes around any obstacles put in their way. JanetCWhat’s not to like?Many European countries have had them for years without any bother. It saves carrying a lot of information around in various formats. What is not to like about it? And whether it would help with the migration issue is merely coincidental. That should not be the reason to introduce them. 49ninerWe already have enough IDIn my opinion, no. We all have a National Insurance Number (NIC), an NHS Number. Many have a photo card driving licence or another form of photo ID. These are more than enough to prove our identity, in my opinion. DisgustedOfMiddleEnglandID won’t stop fraud or illegal migrationMost fraud involves people being persuaded to transfer money to others, and it’s not really possible to see how any ID system could change that. It’s also really hard to see how such a system could reduce “illegal” migration. The people who give work without checking legal status will no doubt continue to do so. YorkshiremanHandmaid’s Tale trickThe Government wants digital ID cards – ones they can update at will, without even telling you. And of course it would be an everything card: no need for a separate driving licence, or senior citizen’s bus pass. That is all fine until the Government does a Handmaid’s Tale trick and decides to revoke the rights of some group it doesn’t like. It could do that at the touch of a keyboard in Whitehall. It could change your sex, or remove your NHS number, or make you ineligible to vote, or revoke your driving licence. No thank you. RachaelPKeep it physical, not digitalI’m happy to have an ID card as long as it’s a physical card (like my driving licence) because my phone is so old I just couldn’t have an electronic version on it. Some might say update my phone, but as it’s not broken and I can use it to call, I see no need to replace it. Rafpi1964A written constitution would offer protectionThe UK should draw up a written constitution that can only be changed after a general election on the issue, provided there then is a bicameral double two-thirds majority to change it. Enshrine the obligations and rights of the state and of the people in the constitution. That way the rights of the people will be protected and the roll-out of an ID card cannot threaten those rights. Real EuropeanSome of the comments have been edited for this article for brevity and clarity.The debate isn’t over. Simply register your details and leave a comment below with your views.Make sure you adhere to our community guidelines, which can be found here. For a full guide on how to comment click here. More

    • 200 Shares159 Views

      in UK Politics

      Starmer cabinet reshuffle: Who is in and who is out as PM overhauls his top team

      by

      Sir Keir Starmer has launched a major cabinet reshuffle after Angela Rayner’s resignation as housing secretary and deputy prime minister. The prime minister is seeking to relaunch his government as it lags behind Reform UK in the polls and struggles to deliver on key promises.Ms Rayner resigned after Sir Keir’s ethics advisor concluded she had breached the ministerial code by failing to pay the correct amount of stamp duty on the purchase of an £800,000 flat in Hove. Sir Keir Starmer is reshuffling his top team after the departure of Angela Rayner More

    • 200 Shares99 Views

      in UK Politics

      Rayner’s resignation shows this government is worse than the last, Farage declares in Reform conference speech

      by

      Angela Rayner’s resignation shows this government is “as bad – if not worse – than the one that went before”, Nigel Farage has told the Reform UK party conference in his main address. Ms Rayner sensationally quit as deputy prime minister and housing secretary just one hour before Mr Farage took to the stage after an investigation into her tax affairs over her purchase of an £800,000 flat in Hove, East Sussex.Capitalising on the chaos within government, the Reform UK leader told the Birmingham crowd the scandal “screams entitlement”.Nigel Farage brought forward his keynote speech at Reform UK’s party conference after Rayner’s resignation More

    • 163 Shares199 Views

      in UK Politics

      Farage no. 10: Reform selling football shirts in party colours at Birmingham conference

      by

      Reform UK members and party activists are queuing up at this year’s conference to purchase party branded football shirts, emblazoned with the names of MPs and key party figures. The shirts, which are flying off the shelves, are being sold for £40 – or particularly keen activists can buy two for £75. For those who wanted something cheaper there were £15 caps or football terrace themed scarves to cheer on their top team.Football style Reform scarf on sale More

    • 150 Shares129 Views

      in UK Politics

      Why has Angela Rayner resigned? The key takeaways after tax scandal investigation

      by

      Angela Rayner has resigned from government after it emerged that she underpaid stamp duty on a seaside flat, breaching the ministerial code.Ms Rayner’s admission followed mounting pressure and media reports alleging she saved £40,000 on the property in Hove, East Sussex, by removing her name from the deeds of a family home in her Ashton-under-Lyne constituency.Her resignation follows the findings of ministerial ethics adviser Sir Laurie Magnus, to whom she referred herself on Wednesday.Sir Laurie Magnus said the outgoing deputy prime minister had “acted with integrity”, but failed to “heed the caution” contained within legal advice she received when buying the £800,000 property in Hove.In her resignation letter, the former deputy PM wrote: “I have long believed that people who serve the British public in government must always observe the highest standards.“While the Independent Adviser has concluded that I acted in good faith and with honesty and integrity throughout, I accept that I did not meet the highest standards in relation to my recent property purchase.”Here, The Independent explains the issue and how it led to the resignation of one of the top figures in British politics:What are the rules around stamp duty?For those buying their first home, or moving from one to another, stamp duty is usually quite straightforward. There are several rates liable on the purchase, ranging from zero to 12 per cent, based on its value. Rayner’s political career hangs in the balance More

    • 163 Shares169 Views

      in UK Politics

      Angela Rayner’s resignation letter in full as she steps down over tax row

      by

      Angela Rayner has resigned as both deputy prime minister and housing secretary after an investigation into unpaid stamp duty on her new Hove flat.Ms Rayner said this week she had received incorrect advice on the purchase of the property, leading to her paying less land tax than she should have, and referred herself to Sir Laurie Magnus, the prime minister’s independent adviser on ministerial standards.On Friday, Sir Laurie returned his verdict, saying she fell short of the expected standards.Below is Ms Rayner’s resignation letter to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer, in full:“Dear Keir,“Thank you for the personal and public support you have shown me in recent days. As you know, on Wednesday I referred myself to your Independent Adviser on Ministerial Standards, Sir Laurie Magnus, to conduct a thorough investigation into my personal financial circumstances after I became aware that it is likely I inadvertently paid the incorrect rate for Stamp Duty Land Tax (SDLT).Angela Rayner has resigned over unpaid stamp duty More

    • 150 Shares119 Views

      in UK Politics

      Who could replace Angela Rayner as she resigns over stamp duty row?

      by

      Angela Rayner has resigned after she admitted she did not pay enough stamp duty on the purchase of her £800,000 seaside flat. The deputy prime minister, who on Wednesday referred herself to Sir Keir Starmer’s ethics adviser, insisted she made a mistake based on the advice she received at the time. And, after receiving the report’s conclusion, Ms Rayner has the has quit her roles as housing secretary and deputy prime minister, as well as her role as deputy leader of the Labour Party.Her resignation puts Sir Keir in an extremely difficult position and is a major headache for the prime minister. But who are the likely candidates to replace her? Angela Rayner is under growing pressure to resign after she admitted she did not pay enough stamp duty of her Hove flat More