Politics

The expansion of ultra-low emission zone (ULEZ) to outer London boroughs has been ruled as lawful by the High Court. Five Conservative-run councils had launched legal action back in February over the expansion. The scheme will come into force from 29 August and see the drivers of the most polluting vehicles charged £12.50 a day

The Home Office has bought marquees to accommodate 2,000 migrants at disused military sites by the end of August, Sky News understands. The tents will start to be erected over the coming weeks as part of emergency plans to deal with an expected surge of Channel crossings. According to The Times, which first reported on

The solicitors’ watchdog has launched an investigation following reports lawyers were offering to help people make false asylum claims. It comes after the government wrote to the Solicitors Regulatory Authority (SRA) calling for the “full force of sanctions” to be employed in the wake of an investigation by the Daily Mail. The paper reported numerous

Rishi Sunak was heckled for failing to answer questions over delays to a full compensation scheme for victims of the NHS infected blood scandal. The prime minister’s evidence to the infected blood inquiry was met with groans, jeers and even laughter from those listening. The reaction prompted Sir Brian Langstaff, chair of the inquiry, to

NatWest boss Dame Alison Rose has stepped down as chief executive effective immediately after she admitted to being the source of an inaccurate story about Nigel Farage’s bank account. Her four-year tenure as chief executive has ended in ignominy over her admission that she had discussed Mr Farage’s bank details with a BBC journalist. Howard

Rishi Sunak has been branded “desperate and pathetic” after accusing Labour of being “on the same side of criminal gangs” smuggling immigrants into the UK. Senior Labour MPs have rounded in on the prime minister over a tweet sent from his official account on Tuesday. Mr Sunak shared a link to a Daily Mail story

Cabinet minister Michael Gove says he is going on holiday to a Greek island which is experiencing wildfires – as he insisted the region is “safe”. The housing secretary told Sky News he was heading to Evia – a large island just off the coast of Athens – in “just over a week”. It has

The “turmoil” at the top of the Tories has led to “slow” progress in tackling Islamophobia within the party, an independent reviewer has said. Boris Johnson launched an inquiry into discrimination within its ranks after the last election in 2019. And in 2021, Professor Swaran Singh published his findings, saying anti-Muslim sentiment “remains a problem”

Michael Gove and Rishi Sunak have pledged to see off Conservative rebellions over housebuilding as they lay out their plans to increase homes in the UK. Mr Gove, the housing secretary, was delivering a speech on his plans to increase the number of homes being built in the UK, with the government having previously missed

Developers have accused the government of not doing enough to tackle falling levels of house building, as Michael Gove prepares to unveil plans that he says will boost construction – without spoiling the countryside. In a speech expected on Monday, the levelling up and housing secretary will set out measures aimed at “unblocking the planning

Michael Gove has warned against “treating the cause of the environment as a religious crusade” and called for a relaxation of some net zero measures. The housing secretary told The Sunday Telegraph he wants to “relax” the deadline for landlords in the private rented sector to make energy improvements to their properties. He said the

Labour’s big beasts descended on Nottingham on Saturday for the party’s National Policy Forum (NPF). Alongside the unions and other party representatives, they will hash out what will become the main thrust of their manifesto. The problem is they are doing it in the wake of a by-election that was lost on the back of

Labour’s failure to take Boris Johnson’s former seat is a reminder that “policy matters”, Sir Keir Starmer has said – after the expansion of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) by London mayor Sadiq Khan was blamed for the narrow loss. The opposition leader told activists that the Conservatives hanging on to Uxbridge and South

All three leading political parties are turning their attention to next year’s general election after a mixed bag of results from Thursday’s ballot box contests. The Conservatives managed to hold former prime minister Boris Johnson’s seat of Uxbridge and South Ruislip overnight, with Rishi Sunak saying the victory showed the next national vote was “not

Two by-elections lost, one held by the Tories, but the biggest lesson of the last extraordinary few hours is apparent by looking at the swings against Rishi Sunak’s party: that they suggest the Conservative Party is on course to lose Number 10 at the next election. This does not mean the situation isn’t salvageable. But

Polling stations have closed in by-elections that could deliver a triple blow to Rishi Sunak. The results from Uxbridge and South Ruislip in west London, Selby and Ainsty in North Yorkshire, and Somerton and Frome in Somerset, are expected in the early hours of Friday morning. The three seats were left empty by outgoing Conservative

Polls will open today at 7am for three by-elections across the country, as voters decide who they want to represent them in parliament. The seats of Uxbridge and South Ruislip in west London, Selby and Ainsty in North Yorkshire, and Somerton and Frome in Somerset, will all be up for grabs, with polls closing at

The government has delayed publishing its long-awaited transgender guidance for schools after its own legal advisors concluded some of the suggested elements would be unlawful, Sky News understands. Prime Minister Rishi Sunak had promised to bring out the advice during the summer term, which comes to an end this week for most state schools. But

The rate of price rises has dropped to 7.9% in the year up to June, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS). The consumer price index (CPI) measure of inflation shows prices are still rising, just at a slower pace than before, as the rate fell from 8.7% in the year to May. Another