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    Britain had voted to leave the European Union, and Nigel Farage was almost speechless with disbelief. For nearly 23 years, the founder of Britain’s fringe UK Independence Party (UKIP) had been pushing for a referendum on the country’s EU membership. Now, in June 2016, he had gotten that referendum, and the results were exactly what he’d hoped for. “The dawn is breaking on an independent United Kingdom,” Farage told UKIP members early on June 24. “This will be a victory for real people, a victory for ordinary people, a victory for decent people.” They had fought against big politics, multinationals, the world’s banks, and any number of detractors, he said—and they had won. But within a month, Farage would bow out of helping to make his dream a reality. On July 4, 2...

    Britain’s largest Muslim organisation has called for a formal investigation into Islamophobia in the Conservative Party. Since the Westminster attack in March 2017, 14 Islamist and five far-right terror plots have been foiled in the UK. Last week, the Home Affairs Committee was told that more than half of rising hate crime offences recorded by police in England and Wales are committed against Muslims. The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) sent more than 20 pages of evidence to the Equality and Human Rights Commission, in the wake of the government’s refusal to adopt a proposed definition on Islamophobia. Its complaint accused the Tories of ignoring calls for an independent inquiry on anti-Muslim hatred and failing to take action against Islamophobes in its ranks. B...

    Sajid Javid has become the latest Conservative to declare he is standing for the party leadership, telling party members: First and foremost, we must deliver Brexit. The home secretary made his announcement on Monday in a video posted on Twitter. He said: As last night’s results made all too clear, we must get on and deliver Brexit, adding it was important to restore trust, bring unity, and create new opportunities across the UK. Javid is the latest entrant in a crowded field. His announcement came after another candidate, Dominic Raab, challenged his rivals to take part in a televised debate amid concerns it could further expose gaping divisions across the party. In a statement issued after dramatic electoral losses to the Brexit party, the bookmakers’ second favo...

    A petition to prevent the sacking of a doctor who asked a Muslim patient to remove her veil in order to hear the details of her daughter's medical condition has reached over 59,000 signatures. Dr Keith Wolverson admitted he was rather fearful of the consequences after finding out he had been reported to the General Medical Council (GMC) and would be the subject of a racial discrimination inquiry. But despite being upset at the inquiry, Mr Wolverson said he was absolutely bowled over by the petition. He said there was no sign the patient was upset during the consultation at the Royal Stoke University Hospital last June. The freelance GP, who has been practising for 23 years, told the Press Association that because of the support, he would continue to "fight to the ...

    Boris Johnson’s march towards No 10 has hit trouble as senior Tories back away from his leadership bid because of his willingness to embrace a crash-out Brexit. The overwhelming favourite to succeed Theresa May suffered a backlash when pro-EU Tories, led by Rory Stewart, questioned his fitness for the job if he threatened a no-deal departure this autumn. Amber Rudd, the work and pensions secretary, who has hinted she could back Mr Johnson, refused three times to describe him as an honest politician. I would be very concerned about somebody who is too enthusiastic about no deal, she warned, while ruling herself out of the race. The charge was led by Mr Stewart, a rival for the top job, who dramatically ruled out serving under Mr Johnson because he wasn’t ready to c...

    Theresa May has bowed to intense pressure from her own party and named 7 June as the day she will step aside as Conservative leader, drawing her turbulent three-year premiership to a close. Speaking in Downing Street, May said it had been the honour of my life to serve as Britain’s second female prime minister. Her voice breaking, she said she would leave with no ill will, but with enormous and enduring gratitude to have had the opportunity to serve the country I love. The prime minister listed a series of what she said were her government’s achievements, including tackling the deficit, reducing unemployment and boosting funding for mental health. But she admitted: It is and will alway remain a matter of deep regret to me that I have not been able to deliver Brexit...