The Independent UK Politics

‘There might be a few less Porsches’: Union boss urges Burnham to bring in bank tax to ease cost of living

Kate Devlin — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 23:01:00 GMT

The general secretary of the TUC Paul Nowak called on the Labour leader to go ‘further and faster’ on cutting bills

Labour peer spoiled her ballot at 2019 election to write ‘antisemite’ in protest at Jeremy Corbyn, new book reveals

Kate Devlin and John Rentoul — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 23:01:00 GMT

Margaret Hodge says she did not swear at then Labour leader during infamous showdown in the House of Commons

AI poses risks to national security, Burnham says after Anthropic expert says tech ‘could kill all humans’

Nina Lloyd — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 22:25:36 GMT

The Prime Minister was questioned in the Commons over the potential hazards of artificial intelligence

Labour names candidate to stand in by-election for Starmer’s old seat

Helen Corbett — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 22:23:45 GMT

The by-election, which takes place on October 8, comes after Sir Keir Starmer revealed his plans to quit Parliament earlier this month

What are the allegations Reform UK is facing on illegal donations as police launch probe

Millie Cooke — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 21:11:42 GMT

Nigel Farage has insisted he and his aides ‘had done nothing illegal’ – but the Met says ‘there are potential offences requiring investigation’

Trump says he will ‘speak to Israel’ after UK trade ban on West Bank settlements

Nick Lester — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 20:30:09 GMT

The US president seemed unusually hesitant to elaborate on the joint sanctions from Britain, Canada and France

West Bank trade ban is Britain showing ‘leadership on world stage’, Burnham says

Christopher McKeon and David Lynch — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 18:57:54 GMT

The ban, announced by Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband on Tuesday, has triggered a diplomatic row with Israel and drawn criticism from opposition figures at home

Archbishop issues verdict over UK sanctions on Israeli settlements in West Bank

Will Meakin-Durrant — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 18:32:29 GMT

Speaking in the House of Lords on Wednesday, Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said he welcomed Mr Miliband’s statement

Majority of Britons back UK sanctions on Israeli settlements in West Bank, poll finds

Suha Kidwai — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 18:20:33 GMT

Survey finds more than half of British public back ban on imports from Israeli settlements

Police launch criminal investigation into Reform UK donations after undercover sting

Millie Cooke and Kate Devlin — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 18:07:23 GMT

Nigel Farage has insisted he and his aides ‘had done nothing illegal’ and that no money changed hands – but the Met says ‘there are potential offences requiring investigation’

In The Room: How Badenoch’s reshuffle highlights Labour’s woman problem

Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:33:53 GMT

Kemi Badenoch has been making some major changes to her shadow cabinet. One which caught particular attention was the appointment of Claire Coutinho, who is currently pregnant, to shadow business secretary.

I won’t fund national security at the expense of social security, Burnham says

Athena Stavrou — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:24:38 GMT

The prime minister was grilled on his commitment to reach 3 per cent for defenced funding by 2030

More voters think Restore Britain’s Rupert Lowe is doing a good job as leader than Greens’ Zack Polanski, new poll shows

Athena Stavrou — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 15:06:42 GMT

More than 4 in 10 (43 per cent) of voters believe the Green Party leader is doing a bad job, compared to 24 per cent who think the same of the Restore Britain leader

Reform was told there was ‘nothing in’ Channel 4 sting before aides quit

Maja Anushka — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 14:54:51 GMT

It certainly isn’t the first time Reform’s finances have landed the party in hot water. But the latest scandal does show a changing Nigel Farage, says Helen MacNamara. Reported by Maja Anushka

UK voters urge Burnham to change post-Brexit relationship with EU

Kate Devlin — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:34:20 GMT

New research shows just one in five voters think Brexit has been a success, heaping pressure on the new prime minister to improve Britain’s relationship with Europe

In The Room | Farage’s scandal-hit conference and Burnham’s next big test

Helen MacNamara and Cleo Watson — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 10:18:26 GMT

Westminster is back, and so is conference season, beginning with Reform’s scandal-hit gathering in Birmingham.

Nigel Farage is losing social media crown to Andy Burnham, analysis suggests

David Maddox — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 09:22:37 GMT

New research seen by The Independent shows that Andy Burnham’s social media videos on pub snacks, toy buses, the cost of Freddos and playing a guitar with a soldier are outdoing the Reform UK leader’s efforts

Top Reform supporter quits party and urges Nigel Farage to ‘get a grip’

Athena Stavrou — Wed, 09 Sep 2026 08:26:05 GMT

A civil war erupted within the party after Tim Montgomerie was suspended last month