The Independent - March 18, 2025

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March 18, 2025

Sick and disabled set to lose £1,200 in welfare benefits

The shocking scale of the benefits cuts needed by Rachel Reeves to balance the books could see the disabled and long-term sick lose as much as £1,200 a year, a leading think tank has warned.

3 mins

Starmerites are backing a quiet revolution for Labour

We all know that there used to be no such thing as “society” because there was an individualistic “thing” called Thatcherism: a body of values, attitudes and policies personified by Margaret Thatcher. Should we, I wonder, now be speaking of “Starmerism”?

4 mins

Just nine of 29 defectors to Farage's Reform are new

Nigel Farage’s unveiling of 29 new Reform UK councillors fell apart within less than an hour as it emerged just nine are new, with only three of those standing for election.

2 mins

Carney bolsters UK links in meetings with King and PM

King Charles has hosted Canada’s new prime minister Mark Carney at Buckingham Palace, as Donald Trump vows his intention to make the Commonwealth nation America’s 51st state.

3 mins

Ex-Ofsted chief lashes out at Labour's school reforms

The former head of Ofsted has lashed out at the education secretary, accusing her of caring more about the interests of unions than schoolchildren. In a scathing broadside at Bridget Phillipson’s education reforms, Amanda Spielman accused her of bowing to the “demands of unions”. And Ms Spielman, who stood down as the head of the schools watchdog in 2023, called for her to abandon the plans “before the damage is done”.

2 mins

Is Labour's relationship with farmers beyond repair?

Justified or not, many British farmers feel under siege, and their concerns are widely shared by a sympathetic public.

3 mins

Hospital executives join call to suspend Letby inquiry

Former senior hospital executives have called for the public inquiry into the events surrounding the crimes of Lucy Letby to be suspended.

2 mins

Trump 'greatest danger' to gays I've seen, Davies warns

Russell T Davies has claimed gay society is in the “greatest danger” he has “ever seen” following the election of Donald Trump as the 47th president of the United States in November.

2 mins

Meet the British anti-Musk activists targeting his Teslas

From Bluesky radicals to slick PR professionals, Alexander Butler meets protesters trying to take down the Doge chief

3 mins

Virgin Atlantic set to bring 'flying taxis' to British skies

Virgin Atlantic is set to bring flying taxis to the UK, it has been confirmed.

1 min

Trashed Harry Potter rental home 'like a crime scene'

The owner of a Harry Potter-themed rental home has shared her disbelief and sadness after it was trashed so badly it resembled “a crime scene”.

2 mins

'I was saved, my sister died'

The human cost of the North Macedonia nightclub fire is emerging as claims of safety violations and corruption unfold

3 mins

'Swarms' of drones enforce Ukraine's Kursk retreat

Troops outnumbered by as much as six to one on the battlefield, the main supply route cut off, swarms of drones attacking vehicles, and soldiers retreating across the border to Ukraine. That is the picture painted by a senior Ukrainian army officer as Kyiv’s forces are pushed back from their foothold in Russia’s Kursk by Vladimir Putin’s troops.

3 mins

What to expect as Putin and Trump thrash out their deal

The Kremlin has now confirmed that Vladimir Putin will speak on the phone to Donald Trump today. The White House says Volodymyr Zelensky will come to Washington on Friday. Peace – or at least a ceasefire – seems very likely soon.

3 mins

My hospital is full of people having a mental health crisis

I have spent a significant part of the past year working in an overstretched emergency department.

3 mins

No, Wes, my stress wasn't a simple case of ‘overdiagnosis’

Health secretary Wes Streeting has put his foot in his mouth again, this time, claiming there’s “definitely an overdiagnosis” of mental illness in the UK. Apparently, those of us struggling with poor mental health are a burden to the public’s finances because we need time off work to recover.

3 mins

The truth about the toxic content fed to our children

Some parents are too afraid to watch the new Netflix drama ‘Adolescence’ but the reality of what youngsters experience online needs to be faced head-on by us all, says Chloe Combi

6 mins

Fresh blow to Reeves as UK economic forecast slashed

Rachel Reeves’s mission to grow the UK economy has taken yet another knock, as the country’s economic forecast has been slashed as a result of a mounting trade war sparked by Donald Trump’s global tariffs.

3 mins

Odey is fined £1.8m and banned from City by FCA

Hedge fund manager Crispin Odey has been banned from the UK finance industry for his “lack of integrity”.

1 min

The reason why Liverpool's season is sliding off the rails

The Carabao Cup had been lifted by Bruno Guimaraes and Kieran Trippier, Eddie Howe had been drenched in alcohol by Joelinton, and the black-and-white hordes were starting to disperse when a manager reflected on a historic first. Not the victorious one, though. It took us seven, eight, nine months to lose twice in a row,” said Arne Slot. It is perhaps not a statistic to echo through the ages like Newcastle’s 70-year wait for domestic silverware or the 56-year gap between claiming any major honour.

3 mins

Hojlund's long-awaited goal shows his enduring promise

For a striker to go 21 games without a goal is quite something. When that forward is a Manchester United No 9, the pressure cooker is turned up to its maximum setting.

3 mins

Ferrari F1 reality bites on Hamilton's damp debut

There’s nothing like racing agony, the reality of a new dawn compared to the high-octane hullaballoo, to wipe out a twomonth period of euphoric bliss. Lewis Hamilton arrived in Melbourne visibly joyous ahead of the opening chapter of his Ferrari story.

4 mins

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