54 m. ago NI Communities Minister attacks ‘shameful’ welfare reform plans

Gordon Lyons said the Labour Government had made an ‘incredible mess’ of its welfare reform agenda.

Politics

95 m. ago Starmer vows to press on with welfare reform as he takes blame for U

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer acknowledged his Government did not ‘get the process right’.

Politics

1 hour ago Starmer defends Reeves but refuses to rule out tax rises as he announces 10

PM says only possible to transform the NHS due to decisions taken by chancellor, and denies the pressure is too much for herStreeting says he has to go to the Commons to make a statement to MPs.But first he introduces Rachel Reeves, saying that she has put an extra £29bn into the NHS.It is thanks to her leadership that we’ve seen interest rates in our country fall four times. It’s thanks to her leadership that we see wages finally rising faster than the cost of living. And it’s thanks to her leadership we have the fastest growing economy in the G7.If Australia can effectively serve communities living in the remote outback, we can meet the needs of people living in rural England.If community health teams can go door to door to prevent ill health in Brazil, we can do the same in Bradford. Continue reading...

Politics

4 h. ago Can Labour survive its identity crisis? Ask chief political commentator John Rentoul anything

The Independent’s chief political commentator, John Rentoul, is here to answer your questions as Labour grapples with a welfare reform crisis, mounting pressure on Keir Starmer’s leadership, and growing doubts over Rachel Reeves’s position

Events

6 h. ago Reeves will be Chancellor 'into next election', says Starmer after her tears in Commons spooked markets

Prime Minister admits the Government ‘didn’t get the process right’ on welfare reform - after Chancellor told Speaker she was ‘under so much pressure’

Politics

7 h. ago Reeves will be Chancellor 'for years to come', says Starmer after her tears in Commons spooks markets

Prime Minister admits the Government ‘didn’t get the process right’ on welfare reform - after Chancellor told Speaker she was ‘under so much pressure’

Politics

18 h. ago No 10 defends chancellor after day of bitter recriminations over welfare bill fiasco

Rachel Reeves said to have PM’s full backing after she was in tears in the Commons amid fallout of Labour’s welfare bill U-turnKeir Starmer has been forced to defend his chancellor after a day in which the bitter recriminations over Labour’s welfare bill fiasco appeared to leave Rachel Reeves in tears and the markets in turmoil.Ministers said there would be long-lasting implications for the government’s spending priorities after it was forced to abandon the central plank of its welfare changes to prevent a damaging defeat by rebel MPs. Continue reading...

Economics

19 h. ago Watch: MP recalls Starmer defended ‘activist’ who broke into RAF base 21 years ago in court

Independent MP Zarah Sultana drew a sharp comparison between Keir Starmer’s past and present when recalling how, as a barrister, he defended an activist who broke into RAF Fairford to prevent war crimes in Iraq—calling it “not terrorism, but conscience.”

Events

22 h. ago How Starmer went from defiant to defeated as he scrambled to get his bill over the line

The debacle over the welfare reforms has stripped Keir Starmer of his authority and left his government damaged. David Maddox tracks how the prime minister lost control

Politics

22 h. ago Voices: Only Angela Rayner has emerged from the welfare debacle with her reputation intact

It took the intervention of the deputy prime minister to persuade the prime minister that the game was up – now some Labour MPs are wondering if she’ll replace him, writes John Rentoul

Politics

24 h. ago Reeves battles tears as Starmer declines to back her staying in post

The decision to scrap key parts of the welfare reform package has left the Chancellor facing the prospect of tax hikes to balance the books.

Events

25 h. ago Starmer defends welfare reform package despite climbdown over Pip

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer was forced to shelve key elements of the welfare reform plan to limit a Labour revolt.

Politics

26 h. ago 'Disability benefits are our lifeline. Taking it away from people who need it will end in tragedy'

Millions of people who depend on disability benefits were watching yesterday's Commons vote on welfare reform closely. Here six people talk give their verdict's on the government plans.

Politics

27 h. ago Kill the bill: Who are the five London Labour MPs who tried to block Keir Starmer's welfare reforms?

In total, 44 Labour MPs voted for an amendment to scrap the controversial legislation

Events

28 h. ago What benefits have changed after Keir Starmer's Parliament humiliation? Everything you need to know as Labour rebels force PM into farcical U

What happened in the largest revolt so far of Sir Keir Starmer's premiership; what does it mean for the personal independence payment (Pip) and Universal Credit; and what comes next?

Politics

28 h. ago All the concessions made to Keir Starmer's welfare bill and what happens next

Keir Starmer's plans for welfare reform are in tatters this morning after the government dropped a key plank of the plans. The Mirror looks at what could happen next

Economics

28 h. ago Welfare bill climbdown will have ‘a cost’ at budget, says senior minister

Pat McFadden says U-turn will change calculations, as IFS says tax rises in autumn look increasingly likelyUK politics live – latest updatesThere will be “a cost” to the government’s climbdown on welfare changes at the budget, one of Keir Starmer’s senior ministers has said, as a leading fiscal thinktank said new tax rises appeared increasingly likely.Pat McFadden, the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, defended Starmer and the work and pensions secretary, Liz Kendall, after the second reading of the government’s main welfare bill passed its first Commons test only after a central element was removed. Continue reading...

Economics

28 h. ago Welfare cuts chaos: Tax rises loom within months after Starmer's 'shambolic' benefit reforms 'saved nothing'

Chancellor Rachel Reeves now faces a £5 billion hole in her tax and spending plans

Economics

29 h. ago Welfare cuts chaos: Tax rises loom within months after Keir Starmer's 'shambolic' welfare cuts climbdown

Chancellor Rachel Reeves now faces a fiscal headache as a forecast £4.8billion in welfare savings have been whittled away to nothing

Economics

31 h. ago Welfare cuts chaos: Tax rises 'are more likely' after Keir Starmer's 'shambolic' welfare cuts climbdown

Chancellor Rachel Reeves now faces a fiscal headache as a forecast £4.8billion in welfare savings have been whittled away to nothing

Economics