16 h. ago Voices: Rachel Reeves is undermined by a ‘spend now, pay later’ prime minister

John Rentoul says Keir Starmer is guilty of Trussonomics, albeit on a smaller scale, making promises without knowing how to pay for them – hoping that the chancellor can sort it out later

Politics

45 h. ago John Rentoul answers your Farage questions: ‘Reform voters aren’t unreasonable – they’re desperate’

Our chief political commentator John Rentoul answers your questions as Nigel Farage’s Reform surges in the polls, capitalising on widespread voter disillusionment and posing a serious challenge to the political establishment

Politics

66 h. ago Voices: Has Scotland fallen for English nationalist Nigel Farage?

If Reform performs well in the Hamilton by-election – a Scottish Parliamentary seat that Labour ought to be able to take from the beleaguered SNP – the symbolism will send a message directly to the heart of Downing Street, says John Rentoul

Politics

4 d. ago Voices: First Sadiq, now Andy will no one rid Keir Starmer of his turbulent mayors?

As the mayor of Greater Manchester proposes a ‘popular left programme’ – just days after the mayor of London defied Downing Street with a new plan for drugs law – is the prime minister under threat from colleagues with their own fiefdoms, asks John Rentoul

Politics

4 d. ago Reform’s rise explained: Ask chief political commentator John Rentoul anything

The Independent’s chief political commentator, John Rentoul, is here to answer your questions on Nigel Farage’s political shift, Reform’s rising poll numbers, and what it all means for Britain’s future

Politics

7 d. ago Voices: Robert Jenrick’s TfL stunt reminds us how simple politics can be

‘Do you want to go back and pay like everybody else?’ Jenrick’s public transport vigilante video conveyed a brilliantly effective message – and was another example of how successful political stunts can be, writes John Rentoul

Politics

8 d. ago Voices: Oh dear, m’lud: It’s never a good idea to call people Nazis if they are not Nazis

The attorney general Lord Harmer has compared the rise of Reform to 1930s Germany – and it’s not only a mistake but a sign that Labour may be losing its battle with Nigel Farage, writes John Rentoul

Politics

9 d. ago Voices: Keir Starmer has found Nigel Farage’s weak spot – and it is Trussonomics

The prime minister looks as if he is being pushed around by five-MP Reform, but at least he is taking the fight to them on issues that matter to the voters, writes John Rentoul

Politics

2 w. ago Voices: Angela Rayner is the Gordon Brown of this government

The deputy prime minister is serious about her ambition but, like Brown, she will have to wait, says John Rentoul

Politics

2 w. ago Voices: This baffling Chagos deal will forever haunt Keir Starmer

The roll-call of British politicians who put their fingerprints on the decision to transfer sovereignty of the Chagos Islands to Mauritius are no fools – and yet the deal the prime minister has just signed looks foolish, says John Rentoul

Economics

2 w. ago Voices: Well done, Rishi – you handed Keir Starmer his immigration ‘win’ on a plate

By taking office just as net migration was passing its peak, the prime minister has been a lucky general, says John Rentoul – but there is more than meets the eye in new figures showing it has halved in a year

Politics

3 w. ago Voices: The Tories ‘sliding into oblivion’? Keir Starmer should be careful what he wishes for

Mocking the Conservative Party may win applause, but it also helps Nigel Farage dominate the stage, writes John Rentoul. The prime minister should be trying to prop Kemi Badenoch up instead of boosting Reform

Politics

4 w. ago Voices: Starmer is celebrating big wins on the global stage – but Labour must still beware the threat at home

In trade deals with India and the US, he has succeeded beyond the dreams of his Tory predecessors. But domestic flashpoints on welfare and immigration still loom for the PM, says John Rentoul

Events

4 w. ago John Rentoul answers your questions on Starmer’s trade deals – and their impact UK’s EU bargaining power

In a live Q&A, John Rentoul answered readers’ questions on Starmer’s trade deals, their impact on the UK’s global future, and their potential effect on relations with the EU

Economics