Politics

The Home Office is launching an ad campaign in Albania aimed at deterring people from crossing the English Channel illegally. Posters bear the message that people “face being detained and removed” if they make the journey. The department would not say how much the publicity drive is expected to cost but announced it will also

MPs have voted to suspend COVID rulebreaker Margaret Ferrier from the House of Commons for 30 days. The suspension could now lead to a by-election in the politician’s Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency. Ms Ferrier was ruled to have damaged the reputation of the Commons and put people at risk after taking part in a

Boris Johnson has been referred to the police by the Cabinet Office over new claims he broke COVID lockdown rules. The former prime minister’s ministerial diary has revealed visits by friends to Chequers during the pandemic. The visits to the grace-and-favour residence were highlighted during preparations for a public inquiry into COVID, according to The

MP Margaret Ferrier has lost her appeal against a proposed 30-day ban from the House of Commons over breaching COVID rules. The suspension could now trigger a by-election in her constituency. The Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP was found to have damaged the reputation of the Commons and put people at risk after taking part

China poses “the biggest challenge” to global security, Rishi Sunak has said at the end of a G7 summit. The Prime Minister added: “China poses the biggest challenge of our age to global security and prosperity, they are increasingly authoritarian at home and assertive abroad.” “This is all about de-risking, not de-coupling.” Advertisement

Tony Blair, Labour’s most successful election-winning prime minister, had no doubt that being in government was better than being in opposition. The fundamental difference, he would say, is that in opposition politicians can only talk; in government they can actually do things. As the Conservative Party struggles to improve the state of Britain after their

Boris Johnson considered sending Rishi Sunak a foul-mouthed video after he resigned and triggered his downfall, the former PM’s former director of communications has claimed. Guto Harri, who advised Mr Johnson from February to September last year, said Mr Johnson believed Mr Sunak’s decision to resign last summer was “the great betrayal of all time”,

The BBC “had no concerns” about Richard Sharp’s integrity while he was employed as its chairman, a report from the broadcaster has said. Mr Sharp resigned from his role last month after he failed to reveal his involvement in securing a £800,000 loan for Boris Johnson just weeks before the PM appointed him. A report

Nurses will vote on whether to hold England-wide strike action later this month after rejecting the government’s 5% pay rise. Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members have held a series of strikes over the past six months and while 14 health unions last week agreed to a 5% pay rise, the nurses union rejected the

Lawyers in Aberdeen will join a boycott of plans to pilot juryless rape trials in Scotland. Aberdeen Bar Association branded the proposals “a danger” and accused the Scottish government of “political meddling”. Lawyers in Glasgow and Edinburgh have already confirmed they will refuse to take part in the pilot, which was proposed last month as

Nurses could keep holding strikes “up until Christmas” if the current dispute is not resolved, the leader of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has told Sky News. Pat Cullen, the head of the RCN union, was speaking as her members picket today – although the period of action is truncated after judges ruled the

National exemptions are in place to provide critical care during strike action by nurses, a union leader has insisted, telling Sky News staff would never leave patients unsafe or create more risk. Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary Pat Cullen was speaking to Sophy Ridge On Sunday ahead of a 28-hour walkout by members

Richard Sharp has resigned as chairman of the BBC in the wake of a report into his appointment following a cronyism row. Mr Sharp said the report found he had breached the government’s code for the public appointments but said it was “inadvertent”. The matter has been a “distraction” for the BBC and he has

The home secretary will be able to exercise her “discretion” when weighing up whether to follow European court orders on deportations, a government minister has confirmed. Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said amendments to the government’s Illegal Migration Bill would give Suella Braverman the ability to consider the “timeliness” of interventions from the European Court

Second homeowners could require planning permission if they want to use their property as a holiday let in a tourist hotspot in England, under new government proposals intended to prioritise “desperate” local families looking for a home. A consultation has been launched on the plan, along with the suggestion of a registration scheme for holiday

So many different versions of what might have been in Belfast were considered in the planning for today’s visit by the US president.  If Stormont had been up and running, President Joe Biden would have gone there with Rishi Sunak. With power sharing still deadlocked, at one point they considered making a pointed trip to

Joe Biden said he hoped the Northern Ireland Assembly would be restored as he praised the Good Friday Agreement during a speech in Belfast. In a carefully worded segment of his speech, the US president urged a return to power sharing at Stormont. “As a friend, I hope it’s not too presumptuous for me to

Emergency and urgent care will be prioritised over routine appointments and treatment during this week’s junior doctors’ strike, NHS England says. The strike will begin early on Tuesday and run through until the early hours of Saturday, bringing “immense pressures” to staff and services, according to national medical director of NHS England Professor Sir Stephen

Plans to house 500 asylum seekers in a giant vessel in Portland, Dorset, are to be announced by the government today, Sky News understands. The Home Office has been “exploring” the idea of using vessels to house asylum seekers to reduce the £6m daily bill of using hotels. The government is expected to confirm today

A leaked government report has revealed some teachers are working 60 hours or more a week, with a quarter considering leaving the profession altogether because of the “unacceptable” high workload. The findings from a survey conducted by the Department for Education (DfE), and seen by Sky News, said eight in ten were working upwards of