2 h. ago Inside Labour's identity crisis as party members and MPs speak their mind

More than two-thirds of Labour members want the party to shift to the left - as Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces calls for a reset of the direction of his Government

Events

17 h. ago My cultural awakening: Buffy gave me the courage to escape my conservative Pakistani upbringing

The vampire slayer’s tenacity and independence freed me from the judgment and violence of my conservative relatives – and now my mum appreciates me for who I amI was 10, cross-legged on the floor of my parents’ living room in Newcastle, bathed in the blue light of a TV. The volume was set to near-silence – my dad, asleep in another room, had schizophrenia and frontal lobe syndrome, and I didn’t want to wake him. Then, like some divine interruption to the endless blur of news and repeats, I stumbled across Buffy the Vampire Slayer. The show may have been barely audible, but it hit me like a lightning bolt.Before Buffy, life was like a pressure cooker. I secretly yearned for a more alternative lifestyle, but even wearing jeans would have been a big deal in my family. I had an assisted place at a private school as my parents were quite poor. Mum would say: “If you don’t study, we’ll have to put you in the other school, and you’ll just get beaten up.” It sounds like fear-monge...

Politics

34 h. ago Labour faces backlash after asking MPs to attend summer parties with private firms

MPs invited to ‘relax in a private setting with senior party figures’ at sponsored events

Economics

36 h. ago Labour MPs demand ‘reset’ in relations with Number 10 after welfare U

A Number 10 spokesman insisted that the Prime Minister ‘remains fully committed to engaging with parliamentarians’.

Politics

36 h. ago DWP chief Liz Kendall breaks silence following dramatic welfare climbdown

Labour's Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said she hopes rebel Labour MPs will now support controversial legislation after a dramatic u-turn overnight

Events

36 h. ago How has Labour changed its welfare proposals – and will it be enough for rebel MPs?

Ministers will be hoping two key changes will be enough to keep wavering MPs on side

Politics

37 h. ago All PIP and Universal Credit cuts being scrapped as Keir Starmer makes huge U

The government has made an offer to rebel Labour Party MPs over its controversial welfare reforms - and these are the likely changes that are expected to be made

Politics

38 h. ago All the Labour MPs who forced PIP change as PM warned welfare fight isn't over

Keir Starmer has been warned he still faces a showdown to push through controversial welfare changes as critics warned a string of concessions are 'nowhere near enough'

Events

40 h. ago No 10 climbs down over welfare bill in move to win over Labour rebels

Compromises include exempting those currently receiving disability benefits and increasing health element of universal credit in line with inflationDowning Street has announced major changes to the welfare bill in an attempt to win the support of more than Labour 120 rebels who had threatened to vote against it next week and hand Keir Starmer a damaging first defeat as prime minister.Liz Kendall, the work and pensions secretary, wrote to Labour MPs on Thursday night to lay out the concessions, which were thrashed out over 24 hours of negotiations between senior rebels and government officials. Continue reading...

Economics

42 h. ago Another tragic fact about this disastrous welfare bill: it proves Labour hasn’t learned and doesn’t listen | Polly Toynbee

From cabinet members to the British public, there is an outcry about these benefits cuts. Why is the government always so poor at reading the room?This disaster bill won’t pass on Tuesday. The dangerous obduracy of the prime minister and chancellor confirms precisely what Labour MPs say: they haven’t listened, they aren’t listening and the fear is they won’t learn to listen. Even if the bill squeezed through with some softening, it will be a pyrrhic victory. Why take such a risk for so little? U-turns are better than crashes, but best not left to the last nanosecond.Senior ministers, some of whom have already spoken up in cabinet, will put their feet down firmly to insist on radical alteration, or better still that it’s withdrawn and rethought to avoid what they call “this catastrophe”. If niceties of parliamentary practice escape some, understand how extraordinary this rebellion is. Read their “reasoned amendment” with its crushing reasons why.Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist ...

Events

42 h. ago Another tragic fact about this disastrous welfare bill: it proves Labour hasn’t learned and doesn’t truly listen | Polly Toynbee

From cabinet members to the British public, there is an outcry about these benefits cuts. Why is the government always so poor at reading the room?This disaster bill won’t pass on Tuesday. The dangerous obduracy of the prime minister and chancellor confirms precisely what Labour MPs say: they haven’t listened, they aren’t listening and the fear is they won’t learn to listen. Even if the bill squeezed through with some softening, it will be a pyrrhic victory. Why take such a risk for so little? U-turns are better than crashes, but best not left to the last nanosecond.Senior ministers, some of whom have already spoken up in cabinet, will put their feet down firmly to insist on radical alteration, or better still that it’s withdrawn and rethought to avoid what they call “this catastrophe”. If niceties of parliamentary practice escape some, understand how extraordinary this rebellion is. Read their “reasoned amendment” with its crushing reasons why.Polly Toynbee is a Guardian columnist ...

Events

43 h. ago How Starmer averted ‘civil war’ with Labour MPs after diluting welfare cuts

Downing Street counts the political and financial cost after initial response fanned flames of unrest

Events

46 h. ago Government announces concessions to welfare bill after talks

In a letter to MPs, Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall said personal independence payments would be protected.

Politics

47 h. ago Starmer caves in to Labour rebels on welfare cuts with £2bn concessions sparking tax rise fears

Prime minister has offered major concessions on his controversial welfare bill after a tense day of talks with rebel Labour MPs, The Independent understands

Economics

48 h. ago Government expected to unveil welfare Bill concessions after talks with rebels

Sir Keir Starmer is understood to have agreed to water down some reforms in a move to save the Bill.

Politics

50 h. ago Starmer makes costly concessions to rebel MPs as he nears deal on welfare cuts

PM tries to fend off uprising by more than 120 Labour MPs over ‘brutal’ cuts

Economics

50 h. ago Government expected to unveil welfare concessions after talks with Labour rebels

Some 126 backbenchers had signed an amendment that would halt the legislation in its tracks.

Politics

51 h. ago Keir Starmer in talks with Labour rebels over welfare cuts concessions

Overnight, six more Labour MPs added their names to the rebel amendment that would halt the legislation in its tracks

Politics

51 h. ago Starmer gives rebel MPs costly concessions as he nears deal on welfare cuts

PM tries to fend off uprising by more than 120 Labour MPs over ‘brutal’ cuts

Economics

52 h. ago Starmer nears deal on welfare cuts after offering concessions to rebel MPs

PM tries to fend off uprising by more than 120 Labour MPs over ‘brutal’ cuts

Economics