Voices
Why would Macron bring populism knocking at the door in France? " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">Richard Ogier
Was Macron right to warn of a ‘civil war’ after the coming election?
With the far right posed to take more seats than at any time since 1940, and politicial tensions at thier highest point in decades, why did the French president call for an election in the first place, asks Richard Ogier
It is a sense of betrayal that is driving the national mood for change" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Donald Trump and Joe Biden at the first presidential debate" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
When it comes to managing your money, even small steps can make a big difference" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Next time you’re out with friends, pass on the pinot and take a punt on something you don’t know " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">Rosamund Hall
Here’s why you shouldn’t be afraid of the house wine
Will Gray make No 10 as effective as it was in Blair’s later years? " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">John Rentoul
Rock band IDLES led attendees to chant ‘F*** the King’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
The atmosphere is ripe for romance " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
It took Sunak almost two weeks to suspend two Tory candidates " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
‘It was horrid. Beyond awful. Biden’s performance will reinforce every fear and anxiety that Americans have that he is way too old’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Nigel Farage said he was ‘dismayed’ by the ‘appalling sentiments’ made by Reform UK canvassers " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Sunak began the night seeming tired and subdued" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Once they win, Labour can start to treat us like adults and explain how we will all need to play our part in the task ahead " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
At one point Sunak theatrically declared, ‘Oh my god, ‘smash the gangs’, what does that mean?’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Scientists estimate that, thanks mostly to food packaging, the average person ingests five grams of microplastics a week" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
SNP leader John Swinney challenged Labour to tell voters: ‘Where is the change?’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
When this election is over, neither the Tories nor Labour can afford to take their eye off the Farage show" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Wegovy is a prescription drug that is said to help with weight loss" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
While I agree that the president is past his prime, Donald Trump was hardly more impressive" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
In ‘Cleavage’, former Tory aide Cleo Watson’s latest bonkbuster, the prime minister is nearly caught looking at the ‘Blue Balls and Bazookas’ website" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Jeremy Corbyn (left) joins junior doctors on the picket line outside St Thomas’ Hospital, London, during their latest five-day strike over pay demands " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
The betting scandal that has engulfed Westminster has led to calls for changes to the rules around gambling for politicians " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Join an exclusive Q&A with Labour candidate Stella Creasy" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
For nine years / She watched over me from the lofty perch / Of her superiority" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Ask Dr Ellie Chowns Anything in our exclusive event" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Ask Plaid Cymru candidate Ian Johnson anything in exclusive question and answer session with The Independent" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
On Wednesday, Julian Assange touched down in his home country, Australia, to be with his wife and family " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Labour leader Keir Starmer with actor Idris Elba" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Disinformation is a unique issue that requires a unique solution" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Beach volleyball player Steven van de Velde: ‘I have been branded as a sex monster, as a paedophile. That I am not – really not’" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
My daughter was so overwhelmed she slept through the whole Taylor Swift concert " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
During a hoax video call, David Cameron told Russian pranksters that a Labour government would be just as 'enthusiastic' in its support for Ukraine as the Tories" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Ask SNP candidate Drew Hendry anything in exclusive question and answer session with The Independent" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Both candidates were unhappy with the conduct of the 2016 and 2020 debates " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Starmer and Sunak during the BBC head-to-head debate on Wednesday evening " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
If elected, Keir Starmer will be under immediate pressure to settle the junior doctors’ pay dispute " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Three of the biggest lenders – HSBC, Barclays and NatWest – have reduced their base rates ahead of an anticipated Bank of England interest rate cut" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
It is bad form to campaign against a minority, but politicians and celebrities have jumped on that bandwagon " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Keir Starmer may not enjoy the honeymoon Tony Blair had in 1997 – or be given the benefit of the doubt " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Woe de Cologne: Once again, Gareth Southgate’s Three Lions have played significantly below expectations" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
‘I’ve seen better singers and musicians than Taylor Swift in my time, but she has something that blows other stars away,’ Piers wrote " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Ask Reform candidate Howard Cox anything in exclusive question and answer session with The Independent" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Rishi Sunak has withdrawn the Tory party’s support for Craig Williams, left, and Laura Saunders in the aftermath of the betting scandal" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Not only is Debbie Duncan’s son lost in Tenerife, but she’s now been forced to hit back at Facebook trolls mocking the missing teen" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Rather than remove the two-child benefit cap, perhaps child support should first be means-tested " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Robots powered by Nvidia’s AI chip technology, at a keynote address at an artificial intelligence conference in San Jose, California" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Julian Assange has left Belmarsh Prison and flown out of the UK, WikiLeaks has said " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange arrives in Bangkok, en route to Australia after five years in a British jail" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Starmer has said he understands the argument for abolishing the cap, but has not committed to getting rid of what some campaigners have described as a ‘cruel’ policy " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Nigel Farage’s party is no longer banging on about the EU – it is a bin for protest votes" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
The Tories’ attempts to warn voters against giving Labour a supermajority could result in more people opting for smaller parties " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
La Rambla, Barcelona’s most famous pedestrianised avenue, popular with tourists " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Rishi Sunak’s attempts to win over voters are being overshadowed by the ongoing gambling scandal " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
The man who would be PM has had to face the charge of blandness when it comes to his style " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
When asked about the betting scandal, James Cleverly said that he had been told not to comment by the Gambling Commission " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
I am grateful to Nick Robinson for giving Farage the opportunity to repeat how much he admires Vladimir Putin" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
The Tory party has proved remarkably adaptable and able to move with the times when it wants to" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Financial resentment is not conducive to a happy, healthy relationship " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Kylie Jenner at Paris Fashion Week in January. Through tears, she told her sister Kendall about the impact comments about her appearance had on her " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Winemakers in both France and Italy have recently expressed an excitement for the UK and our burgeoning wine industry" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
The hopes and aspirations of young people are being sidelined to an unprecedented degree " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
‘I’m being penalised by this outrageous situation’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
If the outcome of the election is anything like the opinion polls, there will be a big change in the fundamental assumptions of British politics " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Fans have criticised the episode for being anticlimactic " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Projections that put the Conservatives on as few as 53 seats raises the extraordinary possibility that the Lib Dems could become the second largest party" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Nigel Farage has been accused of being a Putin apologist" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Protest voting: Starmer’s advisers believe opinion polls predicting a massive Labour majority might give some a clear conscience to support other candidates" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
The baby boomers’ ‘gift’ to succeeding generations was Brexit, polluted waters and toxic air " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
The Conservatives are no longer the party that aspirational homeowners turn to for help to get on to the property ladder" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Rosé is best appreciated when chilled to no lower than 7C – and left out of the fridge for 15 minutes before pouring " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Heading for the exit: Rishi Sunak’s hopes of gaining in the polls have been damaged by yet another scandal" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
The Centre Pompidou gallery, in its pomp" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
I watched them dissolve slowly / Into their gins and prosecco " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
‘One celebrity nutritionist told me that clients were begging her for help to come off semaglutide, as their rapid weight-loss had triggered “Ozempic face”, an accelerated ageing side effect’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
At one point during the event, Sunak argued with a questioner who thought the Rwanda policy was ‘inhumane’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Reform UK leader Nigel Farage, ‘this country’s biggest wind-up merchant’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
‘Rare lichen on the stones only survived thanks to the protest happening during a rare break in this summer’s downpours’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Paint by numbers: the classic millennial home contains ‘a Victorian nursing chair, William Morris curtains, a mid-century dining table, and various items made from reclaimed planks’" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Sunshine over the Bank of England on Thursday – but more gloom for borrowers" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Tory candidate Laura Saunders, who previously worked at Conservative Campaign HQ, is facing a Gambling Commission investigation " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Joe Biden could be replaced as the party’s presidential nominee at the Democratic National Convention in August" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Martin Forde was commissioned by the party to report on its culture, factionalism and management during the antisemitism scandal" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
‘The inclusion of Boris Johnson and David Cameron in the election will undoubtedly push more voters towards other parties’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Keir Starmer and shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves during a visit to Morrisons in Wiltshire " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Basket-case economics: The average shopping bill is more than 25 per cent higher than it was at the beginning of 2022" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Rishi Sunak told presenter Nick Ferrari during his LBC election phone-in: ‘You’re sighing – but what do you expect me to say?’ " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Jen-hsun Huang in his trademark black leather jacket " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un with Russian president Vladimir Putin during their 2023 meeting at the Vostochny Cosmodrome " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Sir Keir Starmer and his wife Lady Victoria walk hand in hand after his speech at the Labour Party conference in 2022 " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
A number of pre-packed sandwiches, wraps and salads have been recalled as a precaution after more than 200 cases of E coli were reported" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Austrian fans taunt French fans ahead of their Group D match on Monday " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
It is distinctly possible that Reform’s policies would prove as successful as Farage’s previous endeavour – Brexit" class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
Boris Johnson seems to be positioning himself as the Tories’ saviour once again " class="sc-1mc30lb-0 irICxT sc-ntudqq-2 hroOXE">
