The Independent - July 01, 2022

In this issue

July 01, 2022

Johnson's military pledge 'feeble', say senior Tories

Boris Johnson sought to heal a cabinet rift yesterday by promising to hike defence spending to 2.5 per cent of Britain's economic output by the end of the decade.

3 mins

Climate 'underspend' to be used as Ukraine military aid

The UK's expanded £1bn commitment to military aid for Ukraine will be partly funded through underspending on climate finance, the business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng has said.

3 mins

Fist bumps, Putin and going topless: Johnson's G7 week

When you've lost two by-elections, which happened only because one of your MPs sexually assaulted a child and another watched tractor-based pornography in the House of Commons, there could hardly be a more apposite time for a prime minister to have a little statesman's holiday.

3 mins

Tory deputy chief whip said to have groped men at club

The Conservative Party deputy chief whip Chris Pincher resigned yesterday after he is said to have groped two men while he was drunk.

2 mins

Without action the rogue housing providers will cause 'devastation', charity warns

Tens of thousands of vulnerable people face "devastation" if the government fails to clamp down on rogue supported housing providers, ministers have been warned.

3 mins

Covid infections at record high following Glastonbury

Covid infection rates in the UK are approaching record high levels, new data shows, and are set to rise further this week as the festival season fuels the spread of the virus. An average of 285,507 people are being infected with the virus each day - an increase of 27 per cent from last week - according to the latest incidence figures from ZOE Covid Study.

1 min

Millions more pay higher taxes after Sunak freeze

Nearly 2 million more people are paying higher-rate income tax because Rishi Sunak has scrapped normal increases in allowances, new figures reveal.

2 mins

Downing Street plans VAT cut despite inflation fears

Downing Street is working on plans to cut VAT in a bid to ease the cost of living burden on struggling British households, reports suggest.

1 min

Scientists lose European funding in Brexit deal row

At least 115 UK-based scientists are to lose prestigious European grants and 19 are leaving Britain as a result of a row between London and Brussels over participation in a continent-wide research programme after Brexit.

2 mins

Shadow minister quits post to focus on his constituents

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer's front bench was yesterday hit by a resignation as shadow local government minister Mike Amesbury announced he would quit to "put my constituents first". The Weaver Vale MP said it had been an "honour" to serve Sir Keir but added that he wanted to "continue to put my constituents first as their MP".

2 mins

Don't put a gun to the PM's head, Tory plotters warned

Downing Street has warned Tory MPs that they will be "putting a gun to the head" of every future Conservative prime minister if they change leadership rules in a bid to remove Boris Johnson.

3 mins

Back to reality for PM after holiday from political heat

It would be unfair to claim that the by-elections last week in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton were deliberately timed to coincide with a string of international summits Commonwealth, G7, Nato – but it was a fortunate coincidence for Boris Johnson.

3 mins

Are you listening lists ways Labour Keir? Blair can win

Tony Blair's conference on the theme of the "Future of Britain" was less like the launch of a new party, and more like a reeducation programme for the Labour Party. This should not have been surprising.

3 mins

Wimbledon urged to stop providing plastic bottles

As well as stars including Emma Raducanu, Andy Murray and Serena Williams, tennis fans will have noticed something else on Wimbledon's hallowed Centre Court this week: plastic bottles.

3 mins

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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.