UK Independent
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:56:10 GMTNo rape took place outside Epsom church, police say after sex attack reports triggered protests
Protests broke out in the Surrey town last week after detectives said they did not have enough information to release descriptions of the suspects
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:55:36 GMTUK-grown strawberries hit supermarket shelves early thanks to warm weather
Punnets will begin to arrive on Tesco shelves from Friday
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:52:39 GMTCouncillors banned from pubs in seaside town on Isle of Sheppey after voting for controversial parking charges
The new fees have turned Queenborough into an ‘empty’ ghost town
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:51:01 GMTUS could ‘review’ Britain’s claim over Falklands as Trump seeks revenge over Nato’s lack of support for Iran war
Trump has repeatedly insulted Keir Starmer, calling him cowardly because of his unwillingness to join the war
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:49:30 GMTSelf-checkouts fuelling rise in shoplifting among ‘good, honest people’, M&S chair warns
Archie Norman said the ‘human link’ between customers and retailers has been broken by the technology
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:46:56 GMTFormer Brexit boss says Britain should rejoin EU after failed ‘heady promises’
Philip Rycroft said the British public was ‘falling out of love’ with Brexit
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:28:24 GMTFarage admits he hasn’t spoken to Trump for months as Reform leader questions president’s judgement
The Reform UK leader previously suggested the US president had been badly advised ahead of military action
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:12:49 GMT‘I lost my wife and daughter in the Air India crash. Now I’m being told to leave Britain’
Mohammad Shethwala, 28, has applied for leave to remain in Britain on compassionate grounds after nightmare crash 10 months ago. He tells Namita Singh he wants to stay to honour their memories
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 08:03:38 GMTStarmer stands firm against Trump’s criticism on immigration and North Sea oil
Sir Keir Starmer has stood firm against Donald Trump’s criticism of UK immigration and the North Sea.
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:59:21 GMTTrump says Prince Harry ‘is not speaking for the UK’ after Duke of Sussex plea to support Ukraine
In a rare input on global matters, Harry urged the “American leadership” to “honour its international treaty obligations” in its “enduring role in global security”
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:54:52 GMTLondon plumber whose hand was crushed in radiator row wins payout of up to £200k from bosses
Thomas Browne was punched in the face by the furious son of a householder
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:36:03 GMTI’ve covered Labour for decades – ask me anything about what happens next for Starmer
With Keir Starmer under pressure from the deepening Mandelson vetting scandal, chief political commentator John Rentoul is here to answer your questions and offer his insight from Westminster
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 07:30:22 GMTStarmer-Mandelson latest: Dismissal of Robbins over vetting scandal ‘wholly unacceptable’, says ex-Labour minister
Denis MacShane said he had never seen such a ‘fallout’ between No 10 and the civil service
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 05:41:30 GMTUK weather: Britain set to bask in 23C heat this weekend
Dominant high pressure system is set to keep UK bright and sunny, though cool easterly winds may reduce temperatures along coasts and in exposed areas
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 01:09:37 GMTMinisters told British public must be better protected after UK Biobank breach
Dame Chi Onwurah, the Labour chair of the science, innovation and technology committee, said the breach was ‘another blow to public confidence’
Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:09:38 GMTTrump says King’s US visit could ‘absolutely’ repair UK relations
Relations between Keir Starmer and the US president have been fractious in recent months, with Donald Trump branding Britain’s approach to the Iran war ‘terrible’ and repeatedly lashing out at the UK prime minister
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:01:00 GMTBlack and ethnic minority employees facing ‘appalling’ levels of racism in the workplace
The TUC said its study revealed a “shocking increase” in explicit racism at work over the past six years
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:01:00 GMTBoy, 13, among rising number of males blackmailed in sextortion scam
The age range of victims spanned from a 13-year-old to a 70-year-old
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 23:01:00 GMTTrump mocked dyslexia. Here’s why he is wrong: ‘It’s not a weakness, it’s a strength’
A new animation starring Jeremy Irons and Liv Tyler is being released in a bid to tackle negative attitudes towards dyslexia
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 22:39:27 GMTStarmer ‘increasingly concerned’ about countries using proxies for criminal activity in UK
The Prime Minister said he will bring legislation forward to deal with ‘malign state actors’
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 22:38:23 GMTStarmer made ‘biggest mistake of his life’ in appointing Mandelson, key Labour backbencher says
Jo White, who chairs the Red Wall group of Labour MPs, said the Government must “cleanse” itself of the problems that have emerged from the vetting scandal
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 22:26:09 GMTSunderland man jailed for at least 23 years for deliberately infecting partners with HIV
Adam Hall was diagnosed with HIV in 2010 but had unprotected sex despite not adhering to his treatment
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 21:00:54 GMTBadenoch vows to ‘end blanket 20mph schemes’ for drivers as Tories aim to ‘get Britain moving again’
The Conservative leader also pledged to reverse fuel duty hikes and scrap the 2030 ban on the sale of new petrol and diesel cars
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 20:07:24 GMTAdam Hall’s victim speaks out as rapist jailed for deliberate HIV infections
A victim of Adam Hall has spoken out after the 43-year-old was jailed at Newcastle Crown Court for life with a minimum term of 23 years for deliberately infecting sexual partners with HIV and raping some of his victims.
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 19:38:27 GMTUK hosts positive talks on Strait of Hormuz mission: ‘Millions are looking to our leaders, we can’t let them down’
The military planning conference in London had aimed to build on talks held by Sir Keir Starmer and French President Emmanuel Macron in Paris last week
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:26:08 GMTWeather map: Where in UK will be as hot as Athens on Friday as temperatures set to soar
Temperatures are expected to soar from Friday
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:24:39 GMTOfficials requested Mandelson’s vetting details days after Independent revealed he failed
Cat Little, the most senior official in the Cabinet Office, said details of the disgraced peer’s vetting were requested by the Foreign Office seven months ago
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:13:26 GMTAsylum seeker who filmed rape on Brighton beach ‘was convicted of murder in Egypt’, court told
Karin Al-Danasurt’s defence barrister said it was in fact his brother who had the conviction for murder, not him
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:01:42 GMTPeople were still complaining about potholes 300 years ago
‘Robinson Crusoe’ author Daniel Defoe among diarists to describe road craters as ‘insufferable’ and ‘ruinous’
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 17:02:02 GMTRecord number of rape offences recorded as minister promises ‘urgent action’
More than 74,000 rape offences were recorded by police last year as officers get better at dealing with sexual abuse cases and victims come forward
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:14:03 GMTBaby died after NHS trust failed to warn mother of home birth risks, coroner finds
Poppy Hope Lomas was just one week old when she died
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 16:12:59 GMT‘National scandal’ as ministers U-turn on lifesaving fire safety plans for overcrowded prisons
Eleven prisoners have died while ministers drag their heels over legally required fire safety measures in overcrowded British prisons, where there are an average of eight fires a day, Amy-Clare Martin reports
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:25:29 GMTTaking vitamin D supplements has hidden potential benefits for some people
Vitamin D may help prevent pre-diabetes, which affects 6.3 million Britons, but only for those who have a certain gene
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:12:59 GMTDo not expect the ‘special relationship’ to get better – even after Trump leaves office, warns ex-Nato chief
In his second attack on the government’s defence policy in less than two weeks, Lord George Robertson warned that Britain’s military reliance on the US is ‘no longer tenable’
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 15:12:18 GMTThree asylum seekers found guilty of raping woman in ‘callous’ attack on Brighton beach
A trial at Hove Crown Court heard the woman was targeted by the men in the early hours of 4 October last year
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:41:12 GMTVoices: ‘He’ll be toast by August’: Readers on Starmer’s precarious position after Mandelson scandal
Our community sees Keir Starmer’s position as increasingly fragile, with many arguing he is clinging on to power amid mounting doubts over his leadership, authority and electoral prospects
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:23:42 GMTThese are the best 0% balance transfer credit cards for April 2026
Check if you could avoid paying thousands in interest with one of these cards
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:21:16 GMTReform wins first Salford council seat after by-election slammed as ‘indefensible’
A local Reform member was able to trigger the early election using a little-known law
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:09:41 GMTWind farm worker sues for £500k after falling 25 metres from gangway into North Sea
Ben Thompson alleges that GE Energy UK was negligent
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:09:27 GMTUK funding France’s ‘violent tactics’ that will push more migrants into dangerous Channel crossings, charities warn
UK-France deal could lead to further deaths in the Channel, ministers warned
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 14:09:18 GMTUK failing to attract wealthy individuals after non-dom changes, report says
The number of billionaires is set to reach nearly 4,000 by 2031
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:59:23 GMTFormer defence secretaries back ex-Nato chief’s warning that PM’s ‘complacency’ on defence putting UK ‘in peril’
In a damning assessment of the PM’s military strategy, the Labour peer and former defence secretary will warn: ‘We are underprepared. We are underinsured. We are under attack. We are not safe’
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:40:52 GMTEx-London Pride CEO admits contempt of court after stoush over event’s social media and bank accounts
Christopher Joell-Deshields ‘failed to deliver up’ documents, a WeWork pass and a SIM card
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:34:41 GMTGovernment is pushing for UK to start investing. Here’s what they need to fix first
Education is vital but the campaign still leaves key gaps to overcome, Karl Matchett writes
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 13:33:21 GMTHospital boss arrested for perverting course of justice in Lucy Letby baby deaths probe
They were arrested as part of an ongoing inquiry into the hospital where the killer nurse worked
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:36:33 GMTMet chief throws support behind Morrisons manager fired after confronting shoplifter
Sean Egan lost the only job he has ever had after confrontation in which he was spat on by shoplifter he asked to leave the store
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 12:03:52 GMTRussell Brand admits ‘exploitative’ sex with 16-year-old girl – but denies he broke the law
The comedian called himself ‘selfish’ and an ‘exploiter of women’
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:49:00 GMTHealthy mother said she plans to take life in Switzerland because she is heartbroken over son’s death
Wendy Duffy, 56, said she wished assisted dying was available in the UK so she wouldn’t have to go to Switzerland
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:48:26 GMTTop midwife warns ‘things aren’t good enough’ as NHS overhauls care to reduce maternal deaths
Figures show 257 women died either during pregnancy or in the weeks after giving birth between 2021 and 2023
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:45:15 GMTSunak suggests scrapping national insurance to support young people at risk of unemployment from AI
The former prime minister said there are ‘reasons to be worried and think about the future - but we are able to do something about this’
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:44:09 GMTReform UK unveils plans for union flags and ‘patriotic’ history lessons in schools
The party has announced a string of education policies ahead of St George’s Day
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:40:36 GMTNewly discovered letter reveals Roald Dahl criticising eight-year-old girl’s poem
The author told the schoolgirl's teacher that the girl 'commits the usual crime of failing to scan her lines properly'
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:02:25 GMT‘We’re pushing at an open door’: Why this London borough is the Greens’ top target
Athena Stavrou joins campaigners in Zack Polanski’s home borough of Hackney, where the Greens are confident they can make a dent in Labour’s domination of the capital
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 11:02:18 GMTIn The Room | Does Olly Robbins’ testimony signal the end for Starmer?
Westminster watchers have had their popcorn out over the last 24 hours.
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:57:30 GMTStudy reveals why firstborn children are more likely to earn more
Illnesses during early years could account for the 1.9 per cent wage gap between siblings
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:44:37 GMTWoman abandoned by millionaire father as baby wins big payout in court fight over his will
Emma McDaniel’s father Mark Talbot exited her life when she was just eight months old
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:39:58 GMTPrince Louis smiles on Cornwall holiday as he turns 8
The new photo was shared on Kensington Palace’s social media
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:29:39 GMTVoices: Keir Starmer will survive his Commons grilling
As the prime minister faces MPs over the Mandelson vetting scandal, former Downing Street special adviser Cleo Watson – who helped prepare Boris Johnson for his high-stakes appearances in parliament – says Starmer will live to fight another day
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:22:31 GMTMPs push for ‘forever chemicals’ in uniforms and frying pans to be banned
Evidence has linked PFAS to an increased risk of cancers
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:05:59 GMTTory councillor sacked as magistrate after accusing judge of ‘two-tier justice system’ in ULEZ case
Simon Fawthrop drew a comparison to a separate case where Greenpeace activists were acquitted of criminal damage after scaling Rishi Sunak’s house
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 10:01:50 GMTWildfire warning as ‘extreme’ risk alert issued for parts of UK this weekend
A warning of a very high risk of wildfire in western Scotland will increase to an ‘extreme’ risk alert on Friday
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:57:00 GMTWealthiest parts of London see double figure drop in house prices
London saw the percentage change in house prices in the country while average house prices grew in England
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:51:45 GMTLabour risk being ‘stonked’ in London elections over Mandelson scandal, Sadiq Khan warns
Labour mayor says he is ‘really frustrated’ about latest scandal’s impact on London voters
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:48:03 GMTStarmer pays tribute to cancer nurse who cared for his late brother in emotional St George’s Day speech
The Prime Minister also hailed ‘service, generosity, and respect’ as three key English values
Thu, 23 Apr 2026 09:30:17 GMTMeet Savvy the Squirrel - the government’s answer to get you investing
A survey for one campaign indicated that 10.1m savers are interested in learning more about investing