Politics

A bottle of champagne that Conservative Party Chairman Oliver Dowden donated to a fundraising auction was labelled as being “hugely valuable as a souvenir of partygate”. A picture of the gift, shared by food critic Jay Rayner on social media, shows the bottle’s label stating: “A bottle of champagne signed by Boris. Hugely valuable as

Jacob Rees-Mogg has said that plans to cut more than 90,000 civil service jobs in order to free up billions of pounds for measures to ease the cost of living crisis does not amount to the return of austerity. During an away-day with cabinet ministers in Stoke-on-Trent on Thursday, the prime minister asked cabinet ministers

At least 50 more fines have been issued as a result of the police investigation into lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street and Whitehall during coronavirus restrictions. But Number 10 has confirmed Prime Minister Boris Johnson is not one of those who have received a new fixed penalty notice (FPN). In the latest update on its

Emergency talks between the UK and EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol are due on Thursday as ministers consider whether to override parts of the post-Brexit deal. The UK’s Attorney General Suella Braverman is said to have approved the scrapping of swathes of the agreement, giving Boris Johnson legal cover to make the move, despite

Tory backbenchers are pushing for tax cuts after Boris Johnson was said to have shown “more than a bit of ankle” on doing so to address the cost of living crisis. Jake Berry, the Conservative MP who leads a group of Tories representing northern constituencies, said it was “now or never” for Mr Johnson to

The government will not be bringing forward an emergency budget in light of the cost of living crisis, but “will be saying more and doing more to help people”, Michael Gove has said. Responding to the government’s Queen’s Speech on Tuesday, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer claimed the government was “bereft of ideas” as the

Boris Johnson has hinted at an announcement about addressing the cost of living crisis in coming days – but the Treasury swiftly denied there would be an emergency budget. The prime minister came under pressure over the surge in prices facing British households during the Commons debate on the Queen’s Speech, which sets out the

New laws to outlaw guerrilla-style climate protests that have caused misery for the public are being unveiled in a bumper Queen’s Speech. A new offence of “locking-on”, targeting activists who lock or glue themselves together or to buildings, is planned by Home Secretary Priti Patel. Her crackdown comes in one of 38 new bills, which

The Queen will not be attending tomorrow’s State Opening of Parliament for the first time in 59 years, Buckingham Palace has said. The Prince of Wales will read the Queen’s Speech on her behalf, with the Duke of Cambridge also in attendance. In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “The Queen continues to experience episodic mobility

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has pulled out of a keynote speech he is due to give today – as pressure mounts on him over so-called ‘beergate’ claims. After being a hugely vocal critic of Prime Minister Boris Johnson and the ‘partygate’ Downing Street gatherings during COVID lockdown, Sir Keir is now facing allegations that

Fixing the Northern Ireland Protocol “cannot be put off”, the deputy prime minister has said amid fears that progress on power sharing will remain stalled after last Thursday’s elections. Dominic Raab told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday that stability was being “imperilled” by problems with the protocol, which governs Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading arrangements.

Sinn Fein is to become the first nationalist party to take control of the Northern Ireland Assembly in its 101-year history. The party has 27 seats, pushing the Democratic Unionist Party (DUP), which has 24 into second place. The most seats the DUP can return with is 25 and Michelle O’Neill is now set to

Sinn Fein has become the first nationalist party to win the most seats in the Northern Ireland Assembly in its 101-year history. Voters flocked to the polls to elect 90 new members of the Legislative Assembly, with Sinn Fein winning a lion’s share of the seats. As counting concluded in the early hours of Sunday

The Northern Ireland Protocol has been at the heart of UK politics for the past couple of years. Since the Brexit transition period ended on 31 December 2020 the protocol has been a point of friction between Westminster, Belfast and the EU. Now, nationalist party Sinn Fein has make history by becoming the first nationalist

Tory MPs are assessing the fall-out after a “tough night” for Boris Johnson in his first test at the ballot box since being fined for breaking lockdown rules. The Conservatives lost nearly 500 seats in England, Wales, and Scotland in Thursday’s council elections, with partygate and the cost of living crisis cited by local leaders

The Conservatives face losing their Commons majority if local election results are replicated at a general election, according to a Sky News projection. Analysis suggests that it would mean a hung parliament with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Tories remaining the largest party at Westminster but falling 48 seats short of an overall majority. The projection

The Conservatives have lost former leader Margaret Thatcher’s ‘favourite council’ Wandsworth to Labour in a significant boost for Sir Keir Starmer’s party. The south London council had been held by the Conservatives for more than forty years, turning blue in 1978 just before Mrs Thatcher’s election as prime minister. A Labour source said: “Boris Johnson

Labour is likely to advance in key battlegrounds in the local elections but may struggle to win significant numbers of new councils outright, according to a major new results projection by YouGov for Sky News. Labour looks set to make slower progress tomorrow in the north of England than elsewhere in the local council elections,

Britain’s cost of living squeeze and the future of the prime minister have taken centre stage as party leaders delivered their final messages to voters on the eve of local elections. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said Thursday’s local elections, in which thousands of seats across England, Scotland and Wales will be up for grabs,

At the City of Wolverhampton Market business is brisk, but it’s a hard time for the traders and their customers. Richard Dollar, a fishmonger who has run his popular stall for 20 years, says he’s never known it this tough, as he talks about trying to stay afloat amid rising costs and price. “Some of

Durham Police should reopen an investigation into whether Sir Keir Starmer broke coronavirus laws, a minister has said. The Labour leader has come under pressure since footage emerged of him drinking a beer with colleagues at a time when restrictions were in place. Speaking on Sky News, International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan said officers should

Sir Keir Starmer has accused Conservative MPs of “mudslinging” over footage of him drinking a beer with colleagues at a time when COVID restrictions were in place. The Labour leader told broadcasters those pictured were working and paused for some food and that “no rules were broken”. At the time, people in England were banned

A growing divide is predicted at this week’s local elections, with Labour on course to make gains in cities in England but struggling to breakthrough in former industrial heartlands. Experts say there are “two elections” at play, predicting big urban areas could swing to Labour due to the cost of living squeeze and the partygate

Angela Rayner has written to Boris Johnson demanding answers over reports that a ‘Sexist of the Year’ award was handed out at a lockdown-busting Christmas party in Number 10. Labour’s deputy leader has called on the prime minister to confirm whether or not the award was presented at a gathering in Downing Street in December

Many voters in England, Wales and Scotland will head to the polls today to elect their new local representatives. More than 4,350 seats are being contested in England on over 140 councils, with all of Scotland’s 32 councils and all 22 councils in Wales also holding local elections. These elections will directly decide who is

Many voters in England, Wales and Scotland will head to the polls on 5 May to elect their new local representatives. More than 4,350 seats will be contested in England on over 140 councils, with all of Scotland’s 32 councils and all 22 councils in Wales also holding elections. While these elections will directly decide

“Radical” reform is needed to working practices in the Commons, the Speaker of the House has urged, following a series of bullying and sexual misconduct claims against MPs. Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s call for urgent action comes as Conservative MP Neil Parish resigned from his post after admitting to watching pornography in a “moment of madness”

An MP has said he will resign after admitting to watching pornography in the House of Commons. The 65-year-old farmer said he watched adult material twice in Parliament, claiming the first time was accidental after looking at tractors online but that the second was “a moment of madness”. The select committee chairman had initially vowed

The MP accused of watching pornography in the Commons is Conservative Neil Parish, the chief whip has told Sky News. A spokesman for the chief whip said: “Having spoken to the chief whip this afternoon, Neil Parish MP is reporting himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards. “Mr Parish has been suspended from the Conservative

An MP under investigation for allegedly watching pornography in the Commons said he opened a file by mistake but would step down if he is found guilty. Conservative MP Neil Parish referred himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on Friday, days after two female Tory MPs said they witnessed him watching pornography on his

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has described sexist behaviour in Parliament as “shameful” and said “the culture of Westminster needs to change”. Mr Javid made the comments on Twitter after an allegation surfaced that an unnamed Conservative MP was spotted watching pornography on his phone in the House of Commons. He becomes the latest cabinet minister

Labour MP Liam Byrne should be suspended from the House of Commons for two days for bullying a member of his constituency staff, a report has recommended. Following an investigation by an independent investigator, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone upheld the allegation of bullying against Mr Byrne made under Parliament’s Independent Complaints and

The Conservative Party’s chief whip is investigating reports that a Tory MP watched pornography on his phone in the Commons chamber. The party’s whips office said “the chief whip is looking into this matter” in a statement released on Wednesday. “This behaviour is wholly unacceptable and action will be taken.” It is believed the accusation