Wednesday, February 25, 2026

Good morning and welcome to your daily news briefing from The Independent.

Peter Mandelson's lawyers have insisted he was arrested over a "baseless" claim, MPs have suggested Jeffrey Epstein may have influenced Andrew's appointment as UK trade envoy, and experts have warned Reform UK's pension plan risks backfiring and pushing up council tax bills.

Top stories

1 | Mandelson's lawyers say police arrest was over 'baseless' claim he planned to leave UK

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2 | MP suggests Epstein may have influenced Andrew's appointment as trade envoy

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3 | Reform's pension plan could backfire and lead to higher council tax bills, experts warn

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4 | Care failings before man's death at immigration detention centre, inquest hears

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5 | Russell Brand pleads not guilty to further sex offence charges including rape

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Editors' picks

Readers share the reality of post-Brexit travel at EU borders

I have entered and left a number of EU countries and have had four fingerprints and a face photo taken every single time. Yet every time I return I'm still doing both fingers and face. I thought once registered the idea was to speed through with only one biometric?

Share your opinion and read the full debate here.

WATCH 

Ten-metre-wide 'fountain of filth' appears on London's South Bank

STAT OF THE DAY

£14m

The amount Reddit has been fined over claims it failed to properly protect the personal information of the young people on its platform.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

"I think we are suffering from having a totally unregulated sexual economy."

Reform MP Danny Kruger said as he announced that the party wants to reset Britain's sexual culture as he attacked the levels of divorce in the UK.

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Other stories you might like

Get 60% off this Oral-B electric toothbrush bundle at Amazon.

Walk away with great savings in the Myrqvist sale.

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