Health Secretary Matt Hancock has denied claims he broke the government’s coronavirus drinking curfew by continuing to consume alcohol in the Commons bar after 10pm. A senior Tory MP told the Mail on Sunday that Mr Hancock remained in the Smoking Room bar until at least 10.25pm on Monday, despite House Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle
Politics
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has told the French leader that the UK will explore “every avenue” to reach a trade deal with the EU. Mr Johnson spoke with Emmanuel Macron over the phone on Saturday morning as the deadline for securing an agreement nudges closer. The PM told Mr Macron that the UK was actively
Leaders in the north of England have warned further coronavirus restrictions would have a “devastating” effect on the country and the overall regional economy. Their comments come as Prime Minister Boris Johnson is set to make a statement to MPs on Monday amid expectations that a three-tier local lockdown system will be introduced across England. Doctors have
Throughout the pandemic the chancellor has been consistent on one key point. He’s always said “not every job and not every business” could be saved. As recently as two weeks ago, when announcing his Job Support Scheme, Rishi Sunak repeated this mantra – the Winter Economy Plan was primarily focused on protecting “viable jobs”. Today’s
Nicola Sturgeon insists she has “nothing to hide” over the Alex Salmond inquiry, after being accused of misleading parliament about when she first knew of allegations against him. The first minister previously said she was first made aware of complaints against her predecessor when he told her in a meeting at her home on 2
Theresa May has led a fierce onslaught by Tory ex-cabinet ministers against a housing shake-up proposed by Boris Johnson, which could lead to some building going ahead without planning permission. Backed by her former cabinet allies Damian Green, Jeremy Hunt and Chris Grayling – and several more ex-ministers – the former prime minister demanded a
Boris Johnson may have avoided a high-profile coronavirus defeat by his own MPs last week, but rebellion has not gone away. The consequence is the Commons is starting to exert newfound influence over his plans, and the first casualty may well be the 10pm pub and restaurant curfew. The prime minister is in trouble because
Ministers are preparing to introduce further restrictions in the north of England as the government races to handle the spike in coronavirus cases and hospital admissions. Government insiders told Sky News that no decisions had been taken on whether to introduce even tighter controls in the North – with the the North East and North
More than a dozen Tory rebels flexed their muscles on new coronavirus rules, but failed to defeat the government over its “rule of six”. Fourteen Conservative backbenchers were joined by five DUP MPs in trying to curb the restrictions on social gatherings. They were easily outnumbered, but Labour and 62 Conservatives abstained, meaning the total
Boris Johnson has dismissed claims coronavirus has “robbed me of my mojo” as he set out promises on social care, green energy and housing in his Conservative Party conference speech. The prime minister, speaking via a video stream to his party’s members, launched a strident defence of the private sector as he vowed to “build
Boris Johnson is claiming the coronavirus crisis should be a trigger for green energy, with wind farms powering every home in Britain within a decade. In his speech to the Tory party’s online conference, the prime minister will unveil a vision of the economy post-COVID, with the UK a world leader in clean energy. In
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has warned there will be no “easy cost-free answer” as he vowed to “balance the books” following his spending splurge during the coronavirus crisis. In his speech to the Conservative Party‘s virtual conference, Mr Sunak listed the various schemes he has introduced in a bid to shore up the economy amid the
After a shaky start to the Conservative Party Conference (at least on the technological front), Monday will see Rishi Sunak speaking from the virtual podium. Right now the chancellor can do no wrong, but he knows difficult decisions are coming, not least the problem of how to come back from the largest recession on record.
The White House has not been “open at all” about Donald Trump’s condition as he is treated for coronavirus, a former UK ambassador to the US has told Sky News. Speaking on the Sophy Ridge on Sunday show, Sir Christopher Meyer said there had been “conflicting messages” about the president’s health as he battles COVID-19.
The home secretary will promise an asylum system that is “firm and fair” when she speaks at the Conservative Party conference later. Priti Patel will present a system that would see the government routinely denying asylum to migrants who cross the English Channel on boats or via other “illegal routes”. This would include migrants who