Politics

A cabinet meeting to sign off on Boris Johnson’s “living with COVID” strategy has been delayed due to a row over free testing. Number 10 has told Sky News that the gathering has been pushed back while the prime minister is briefed, with ministers convening later on Monday afternoon to agree the plan. Mr Johnson’s

Boris Johnson is expected to announce how England will “live with COVID” on Monday as he considers dropping all remaining restrictions, Downing Street said. The prime minister will meet his cabinet ministers on Monday morning to agree the plan for living with the virus after nearly three years of restrictions, according to Number 10. He

DUP politician Christopher Stalford has died suddenly at the age of 39, the party has said. The South Belfast Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), a married father of four children aged below 10, died this weekend, DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson said on Sunday. Mr Stalford was a rising star in Northern Ireland politics

The plan to end all legal COVID restrictions marks a key moment for everyone in England – but for Boris Johnson’s premiership too. It puts the country at the forefront of learning to live with the disease which has wrought havoc on the world for the past couple of years. Some say it is a

Boris Johnson has responded to a questionnaire from the Metropolitan Police about Downing Street gatherings during coronavirus restrictions. A Number 10 spokesperson confirmed to Sky News that the prime minister has returned the document. Downing Street has previously said Mr Johnson’s responses will not be made public. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible

An RAF aircraft flew hundreds of miles from a base in Scotland for a photoshoot with Boris Johnson before flying back. Images of the prime minister with two RAF aircraft featured on a number of newspaper front pages on Friday after his visit to RAF Waddington in Lincolnshire the previous day. An RAF P-8A Poseidon,

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has said she wants police to “shoot your terrorists and ask questions second”. Ms Rayner told Matt Forde’s Political Party podcast she was “quite hardline” on law and order and said she would encourage police to “antagonise” criminals. “On things like law and order, I am quite hardline. I am

Campaigners found to have been harmed by medical products have written to the health secretary warning that government inaction is “causing pain and destroying lives” by ignoring review recommendations. Some 18 months ago, an independent review recommended financial help for people damaged by some products and drugs that had been prescribed by UK doctors. The

The golden visa scheme many Russian oligarchs use to live in the UK will be closed as soon as this week, Sky News understands. A government source said the Tier 1 investor visa scheme will be closed by the home secretary. Those who invest at least £2m in the UK are offered residency through the

The world must judge Russia with its own eyes as to whether it is de-escalating, the defence secretary said as he warned an invasion of Ukraine is still possible. Ben Wallace told Sky News: “I can also tell you judge with your own eyes at the scale of that Russian deployment on the borders of

Former health secretary Matt Hancock did not comply with a public sector equality duty when making appointments to top health jobs during the COVID pandemic, the High Court has ruled. In a judgment issued on Tuesday, it was found that Mr Hancock failed to comply with the duty when appointing Conservative peer Baroness Dido Harding

A Russian invasion of Ukraine would be a “very dangerous moment” for the world and could encourage aggressors such as China and Iran, the foreign secretary has warned. Liz Truss’ warning came as the UK and the US said an invasion was “imminent” as Moscow amasses more than 130,000 troops on Ukraine’s border. Ms Truss

Sir Keir Starmer has confirmed he has received death threats following the discredited Jimmy Savile remarks Boris Johnson made about him. The Labour leader said he had received death threats after the Metropolitan Police revealed on Sunday it was investigating allegations of malicious communications after receiving a third party report. Asked on Monday morning if

Bombs will drop on Ukraine within minutes of Vladimir Putin giving the order, the armed forces minister has warned. After telling all Britons on Friday to leave Ukraine immediately, James Heappey told Sky News: “My fear is it is very imminent, that’s not to say it’s definitely going to happen. “This is a warning because

The Metropolitan Police is investigating death threats against Sir Keir Starmer following Boris Johnson’s use of the discredited claim that the Labour leader failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile when he was director of public prosecutions. The force confirmed that on Friday it received a third party report relating to allegations of malicious communications made against

Boris Johnson is making his first visit to Scotland since the leader of the Scottish Conservatives called for him to quit over Downing Street partygate allegations. He is using Parliament’s half-term break to embark on a “levelling up” tour of the UK, starting in Scotland with visits to a manufacturing site and research and development

Boris Johnson is facing more pressure over Downing Street parties as he attempts to cling to power, after receiving a questionnaire from the Metropolitan Police. Senior Tory MPs claim that despite his determination to fight on it will be difficult for him to continue as prime minister if he is fined for breaching COVID lockdown

All children aged five to 11 in the UK will be offered a low dose COVID vaccine after England and Northern Ireland became the latest of the four nations to offer those in that age group the jab. Health Secretary Sajid Javid confirmed that the UK government’s vaccine advisory body – the Joint Committee on

Boris Johnson has been contacted by the Metropolitan Police as part of the probe into lockdown-busting parties held in Downing Street and across Whitehall. A questionnaire on the partygate scandal has been sent to the prime minister from Scotland Yard. It is understood to have been received late on Friday evening. A Number 10 spokesperson

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will hold fresh talks with EU vice-president Maros Sefcovic over post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland ahead of a hoped-for deadline for a deal later this month. The pair will meet at Ms Truss’s official residence in London on Friday morning for their latest discussions over the Northern Ireland Protocol. It brings