In this issue

July 31, 2022

Public appetite for election revealed in exclusive poll

A majority of voters believe a general election should be called immediately after the Conservative leadership election, regardless of whether Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak succeeds Boris Johnson in No 10, a poll for The Independent reveals. It comes as around 160,000 members of the Conservative Party - equivalent to 0.34 per cent of the voting public - begin casting their ballots to elect the next Tory leader and Britain's next prime minister.

2 mins

White, well off and over 50: the Tories choosing the PM

In just over five weeks, either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak will be announced as the new Conservative leader and Britain's next prime minister. As Boris Johnson enjoys his remaining days in No 10, the two candidates will be frantically zig-zagging across the country participating in head-to-head debates and a dozen official hustings events organised by the party.

4 mins

How Tory party members will elect their new leader

The 160,000 or so eligible to vote in the leadership election will receive ballot packs this week, writes Ashley Cowburn

2 mins

Sunak vows to slash number of empty high-street shops

Rishi Sunak has vowed to take action to reduce the number of boarded-up shops on Britain's high streets by the middle of the decade if he wins the Tory leadership contest.

2 mins

Charles's charity received £1m from Bin Laden family

Prince Charles was facing further questions about his charity's donations this weekend after it emerged that his foundation accepted £1m from the family of Osama bin Laden.

2 mins

'Beth would always pause for a chat about the footy'

Lioness hero Beth Mead's village buzzing for Euro final

3 mins

Second monkeypox death in Spain as UK delivers jabs

Authorities in Spain have confirmed a second death from monkeypox, a week after the WHO declared the virus outbreak a "global health emergency".

1 min

Rooney won't seek damages over 'Wagatha Christie' win

Coleen Rooney is not seeking compensation after winning the "Wagatha Christie" libel action brought against her by Rebekah Vardy, her lawyer has said.

2 mins

Kyiv demands investigation after prisoners die in attack

The United Nations and the Red Cross must be allowed to investigate the deaths of Ukrainian prisoners of war (POWS) in an attack at a camp in the Russian-occupied territory of Donetsk, Kyiv has said. More than 50 Ukrainian POWs were killed when a prison in the frontline town of Olenivka was struck by rockets on Friday.

2 mins

British forces take part in military exercise in Finland

Around 150 British army and Royal Air Force (RAF) personnel have been deployed to Finland alongside US and Finnish armed forces for a training exercise, the Ministry of Defence (MOD) said yesterday. Named "Exercise Vigilant Fox", the training operation includes more than 750 troops from the three countries, who gathered this week in Niinisalo, western Finland, to participate in the four-day "high readiness" exercise.

1 min

Read all stories from The Independent

The Independent Newspaper Description:

The Independent has been at the frontline of journalism since 1986, with its mission to challenge and debate always ahead of its time. The Independent is free-thinking and free of bias in an increasingly fragmented world where communities locally, regionally and across continents are disenfranchised with traditional establishments. They want real facts and frank opinions delivered first-hand from a news source that is ready to stand for something, not everything.