Jenrick to use first speech as Farage’s ‘chancellor’ to slam net-zero after Reform Equality Act row

Plus: Secret prison documents show government plan to tackle the IPP scandal will faildepths

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 Good morning and welcome to your daily news briefing from The Independent.   Reform's pick for 'chancellor' Robert Jenrick to call net zero efforts a "distraction" for the Bank of England, The Independent has revealed that the government's plan to progress IPP prisoners will leave hundreds to rot, and police are investigating claims Labour tried to bribe voters with food in an upcoming Westminster by-election. Top stories 1 | Jenrick to use first speech as Farage's 'chancellor' to slam net-zero after Reform Equality Act row Read more 2 | Secret prison documents show government plan to tackle the IPP scandal will fail Read more 3 |Essex Police assessing Stansted Airport flights tied to Epstein files Read more 4 | DWP pays out £35m in Cold Weather Payments – how to check your area Read more 5 | Police probe claims Labour bribed voters with food to support Gorton and Denton by-election candidate Read more Editors' picks It's time to admit it - we have failed young people at every step Unemployment is rising – how to become one of the 'irreplaceable' 35 per cent Why Jeremy King might regret banning influencers from his restaurants Don't forget to complete your registration You haven't completed your registration with The Independent. It's free, quick, and helps support our journalism while tailoring your experience. Register now to enjoy benefits including access to limited Premium articles, The Independent app, more than 20 newsletters and commenting on independent.co.uk. Complete your registration today to unlock access. WATCH  Mandelson appears in Blair documentary STAT OF THE DAY 4 million More than four million household are not earning enough to afford a "decent life", new findings have revealed. Read more QUOTE OF THE DAY "My eyes are always teary, and he never leaves my mind" A mother is campaigning for change after her 16 year old son's killer collected his murder weapon without any ID or age checks. Read more Other stories you might like Starmer buys personalised cufflinks given to him by Trump as gift for his son Jesse Jackson: The civil rights activist who inspired a generation Met crackdown on gangs recruiting children to steal phones for money Get an extra saving on Hoover's robot vacuum with discount code "HG2-170". Walk away with great savings in the Myrqvist sale. Join the conversation and follow us Download our apps: Please do not reply directly to this email   You are currently registered to receive The Independent's Evening Headlines newsletter.   To unsubscribe from The Independent's Morning Headlines newsletter, or to manage your email preferences please click here.   This e-mail was sent by Independent Digital News and Media Ltd, 14-18 Finsbury Square, London EC2A 1AH. Registered in England and Wales with company number 07320345 Read our privacy policy and cookie policy