Politics

The government cannot guarantee that the current coronavirus lockdown in England will be the last, a minister has told Sky News. James Cleverly said it was impossible to give people “100% certainty” because “viruses don’t work like that”. Latest coronavirus updates from the UK and around the world Please use Chrome browser for a more

The UK will share the majority of any future surplus COVID vaccines to help developing nations, Boris Johnson will confirm – as he urges world leaders to slash the time taken to create new jabs to 100 days. The prime minister will chair a meeting of G7 leaders via videolink on Friday, during which he

Sir Keir Starmer has set out his vision for a post-coronavirus Britain, declaring: “We can’t return to business as usual.” The Labour leader said the COVID-19 crisis had exposed the UK’s “fragilities” and must prompt a bout of national soul-searching, declaring now was a “moment to think again about the country we want to be”.

Internal plans in Whitehall suggest a rapid reopening of the economy in the weeks after pupils return to classrooms on 8 March, Sky News understands. Whitehall officials have drawn up a timetable to help work out internal plans to roll out the government’s planned mass COVID testing regime. This suggests a desire to reopen rapidly

The NHS is likely to remain under pressure for at least another six weeks, according to a top health executive. Chris Hopson, chief executive of NHS Providers, which represents NHS trusts in England, is calling on the prime minister to be cautious with the easing of restrictions. In a letter to Boris Johnson, he said

A phased return of pupils to classrooms in Scotland will begin on Monday, the first minister has announced. Nicola Sturgeon revealed the news in a statement to the Scottish parliament this afternoon, as she said the country’s lockdown would continue until at least the beginning of March. “The core stay at home requirement will remain

The government is battling a “tsunami of disinformation” when it comes to coronavirus jabs, the vaccines minister has told Sky News. Nadhim Zahawi said that while overall COVID-19 “vaccine positivity” was high, those who are “vaccine hesitant” tend to “skew heavily” towards black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities. “There is a tsunami of disinformation,

Boris Johnson has set out his hope that the current COVID lockdown will be the last – thanks to the “unprecedented” vaccine rollout. Speaking at a Downing Street news conference, the prime minister hailed the “astonishing efforts” of everyone involved in the delivery of COVID jabs after the government met its target of offering a

Everyone in the top four priority groups has been offered a coronavirus vaccine, the health secretary has confirmed. Speaking to Sky News, Matt Hancock said the government had met its target for offering a COVID-19 jab to all over 70s by Monday’s deadline. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world Uptake has

The first rule of world-beating vaccine club is you don’t talk about world-beating vaccine club. A weird one, especially when the first rule of world-beating coronavirus test and trace club seemed to be that you talk about little else. Even when the reality is clearly not living up to the description. So what’s going on?

Scotland’s former first minister Alex Salmond is accusing its Crown Office of an “abuse of legislation” in blocking the publication of key documents. In his final submission to a parliamentary inquiry he will claim that Scotland’s prosecuting authority has misused the law to block the material’s release. A source close to Mr Salmond says it

Boris Johnson has said he is “optimistic” ahead of his “roadmap” for easing England’s lockdown – and hinted at which industries will reopen first. The prime minister said his plan, which will be unveiled on 22 February, will prioritise the reopening of schools from 8 March. He added that non-essential retail will follow, then hospitality

Anyone eligible for a vaccine who has not yet had a jab is being urged to come forward – with Britons in top priority groups being told it isn’t too late to receive one. The government and the NHS have launched a new vaccine uptake plan that’s designed to reach vulnerable and underserved groups, and

A senior Conservative MP has warned the government against “backsliding” on the reopening of all schools in England on 8 March and suggested some younger children should return to classrooms this month. Robert Halfon, the chair of the House of Commons education committee, told Sky News of his concerns of an “epidemic of educational poverty”

Ministers will tomorrow discuss a Cabinet Office proposal to introduce vaccine and testing certificates for when international travel is allowed again, Sky News can reveal. Responsibilities have already been divided up between government departments to look at the idea. If approved, the Department for Transport will be told to draw up plans for a certificate

Health Secretary Matt Hancock has told Sky News the government is “doing everything we can” to allow Britons to enjoy a holiday this year – amid confusion about whether people should be booking summer breaks. Following the introduction of tougher border measures for UK nationals returning from abroad and the continuing lockdown restrictions, the government