Politics

There will be no limit to the number of Ukrainian refugees who can come to the UK as they face their “hour of greatest need”, Cabinet minister Michael Gove has told MPs. Announcing the details of a new sponsorship scheme for those fleeing Russia’s invasion, Mr Gove expressed his hope that many Britons would “open their

The UK has issued 4,000 visas under the Ukraine Family Scheme ahead of launching a further programme for Britons to house refugees. The Home Office said the latest number is as of 3pm on 13 March, after Communities Secretary Michael Gove told Sky News on Sunday “more than 3,000” visas had been issued. Under the

Michael Gove said he was never told that he or Boris Johnson should not meet Evening Standard owner Evgeny Lebedev after reports that MI6 has had concerns about the Russian oligarch since 2013. Fresh questions have been raised about Boris Johnson’s decision to nominate Lord Lebedev, whose father was a KGB agent in London, for

JK Rowling has accused Sir Keir Starmer of misrepresenting equalities law after the Labour leader said that according to statute, “trans women are women”. The Harry Potter author disagreed with the Labour leader’s comments and said he had misrepresented the law, which she said indicated “the Labour Party can no longer be counted on to

Downing Street put the brakes on Home Office initiatives to allow a bigger share of Ukrainians fleeing their homeland to settle in the United Kingdom, Sky News understands. Home Secretary Priti Patel faced significant criticism this week from colleagues for failing to provide more routes for Ukrainians to reach the UK, prompting anger among Conservative

Public hearings for the inquiry into the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic are not set to begin until next year, raising the possibility that its findings won’t be published before the next election. The revelation came in an open letter to the public from Baroness Hallett, the chair of the inquiry. She said representatives

Britons will be able to open their homes to Ukrainians fleeing the Russian invasion under a new scheme. Defending the government amid criticism of its response to the refugee crisis, Boris Johnson told Sky News’ Beth Rigby Interviews programme the UK would be “generous” to those fleeing Ukraine, and details of this second visa scheme

When Boris Johnson was deep in the quagmire of the partygate scandal, his rival Sir Keir Starmer said the country needed “a serious leader for serious times” and called on the prime minister to go.  For weeks, Mr Johnson was hanging on by a thread, his future being openly discussed as the Metropolitan Police launched

Armed Forces minister James Heappey has warned serving British soldiers and veterans not to travel to fight in Ukraine. Mr Heappey told Sky News the government position is that if you are serving member of the armed forces and choose to join the conflict in Ukraine, you are considered to be breaking the law. “No

Liz Truss will warn the West must “never again” allow aggression like Vladimir Putin’s “to grow unchecked” – as the Ukraine invasion enters its third week. The foreign secretary will use a speech at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington DC on Thursday – the 15th day of the Ukraine invasion – to call

A visa centre being set up in northern France to assist Ukrainian refugees will not offer appointments or walk-in access, and its exact location will not be made public, the Home Office has confirmed. Earlier, a Downing Street spokesman told reporters the centre in Lille would “start accepting appointments” from Thursday, but that has been

The Ukrainian ambassador to the UK has said he does not believe a huge number of refugees fleeing the country will come to Britain as many want to stay in bordering nations “closer to their roots”. Appearing in front of the Home Affairs Commons Committee, Vadym Prystaiko told MPs that Ukrainian refugees want to get

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said he would support Poland in supplying jets to assist Ukraine if they chose to do so. Mr Wallace told Sky News he would support a decision by the fellow NATO member to supply MiG-29 jets to Ukraine – but that it would have to be their choice. It comes

A new Economic Crime Bill to bolster the government’s ability to target Russian oligarchs has been pushed through the Commons. The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill received an unopposed third reading on Monday evening and will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. It was rushed through the Commons in the

A government minister has defended the UK’s support for fleeing Ukrainian refugees after it was revealed by the Home Office only “around 50” visas had been granted. Foreign Office minister James Cleverly said the UK government has “made it absolutely clear we want to support Ukrainians who are seeking refuge”, adding that most of those

The world must prepare for “even darker days ahead” over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Boris Johnson has said. Writing in the New York Times, the prime minister said Western nations have “failed to learn the lessons of Russian behaviour” that led to Vladimir Putin launching his assault last month. Live updates on Russia’s invasion of

Ensuring Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine fails could take “months, if not years”, the deputy prime minister has told Sky News. Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sunday, Dominic Raab said Ukrainian forces have “proved a far tougher prospect than Putin expected”. Ukraine-Russia latest news: Powerful bombs dropped on city; China warns against ‘adding fuel to

Boris Johnson has said it appears Vladimir Putin sees no way out of the Ukraine invasion “except to continue with the destruction”. “It feels to me as though Vladimir Putin has decided to – and it’s clear from what’s happening – that he’s decided to double down,” he told European papers La Repubblica, Die Welt

A Ukrainian-born Tory donor has begged Boris Johnson to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine – as he labelled Vladimir Putin “insane”. Alexander Temerko has asked the prime minister to reconsider his objections to a no-fly zone, arguing it could save the lives of millions of people. The veteran Tory donor, who gained British citizenship

Former prime minister Gordon Brown has called for the creation of a special tribunal to punish Vladimir Putin for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The former Labour leader is urging Western countries to set up the tribunal to prosecute the Russian president and his accomplices. Live updates as nuclear plant seized by Russian troops Speaking alongside