Politics

A Tory MP who announced last month that he is trans has said he hopes to begin the process of transitioning “as quickly as possible” and hailed the “incredible amount of support”  since he came out. Speaking on Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Jamie Wallis, MP for Bridgend, also described his experiences of rape and blackmail.

Jacob Rees-Mogg has been criticised for leaving “crass, demeaning” notes on the empty desks of civil servants urging them to return to the office. The government efficiency minister has recently called for the “rapid return” of civil servants to their desks in Whitehall now COVID restrictions have ended. In notes left for civil servants, he

At least one Number 10 official has received a fixed penalty notice from the Metropolitan Police for attending a lockdown-busting “bring your own booze” event held in the Downing Street garden, Sky News understands. It is not known who has been fined for the gathering which was held at the height of the UK’s first

Boris Johnson will shortly return to England with his premiership under increasing strain amid the ongoing partygate scandal. The prime minister has been on a two-day official visit to India this week where he met Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and vowed to deepen trade ties with the country. But now, heading back to Westminster,

Britain is to reopen its embassy in Kyiv next month in a show of support for Ukraine and its people, Boris Johnson has announced. The prime minister made the commitment at a news conference during his trip to India. Britain moved its embassy away from the Ukrainian capital in February before Russia invaded the country.

Boris Johnson is to meet Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday as a investigation into whether he misled parliament about lockdown-busting Downing Street parties looms. The prime minister will try to progress UK-India trade talks when he meets Mr Modi in New Delhi, emphasising the importance of the partnership between the two nations for

Boris Johnson “should be long gone”, a senior Tory backbencher has declared during a key parliamentary debate on partygate. Steve Baker had only two days ago offered the prime minister his backing after he apologised in the Commons following his fine for breaking lockdown rules. Mr Baker revealed his change of heart as MPs discussed

Boris Johnson has said he intends to fight the next general election as Conservative Party leader as he faces persistent pressure over his leadership due to the ongoing partygate row. Speaking to reporters on the plane as he embarks on a two-day trip to India, the prime minister said that he does not intend to

Sir Keir Starmer has accused Boris Johnson of choosing to “slander decent people” in private but lacking the “backbone to repeat it in public”. The Labour leader claimed that Mr Johnson showed a different attitude “once the cameras were off” – during bad-tempered exchanges at Prime Minister’s Questions. Sir Keir accused the PM of going

Boris Johnson has hit back at Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby over his criticism of sending illegal migrants to Rwanda, claiming the top clergy should be condemning Vladimir Putin instead. In an upbeat speech to Tory MPs after his partygate apology in the Commons, the prime minister said that while bishops attacked the Rwanda deal

A cabinet minister has likened Boris Johnson’s lockdown fixed penalty to a parking fine – ahead of the prime minister facing MPs for the first time since the punishment was issued. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis also told Sky News’ Kay Burley that Mr Johnson had not misled parliament when he initially declared that no

The price of more than a million train tickets will be cut by up to half in April and May as the government seeks to ease cost of living pressures – but commuters will not benefit as only off-peak and advanced tickets are included in the sale. Dubbed the Great British Rail Sale, Transport Secretary

Boris Johnson is preparing to set out his “version of events” on partygate as he faces MPs this week for the first time since being fined as a result of a police investigation. Mr Johnson is expected to update the House of Commons on the affair as parliament resumes following the Easter break – after

New allegations have emerged regarding lockdown parties in Downing Street – with Labour claiming Boris Johnson has “deliberately misled the British people at every turn”. The prime minister has already been fined once for breaking COVID rules on his birthday in 2020, but that is said to be regarded as the least problematic of a

Priti Patel’s top official told her it was “highly uncertain” that sending migrants to Rwanda would reduce attempts to cross the English Channel – the day before the policy was announced. In a letter to the home secretary, dated Wednesday, Matthew Rycroft also said there was “uncertainty” over “value for money”. The permanent secretary at

In our analysis of the government’s new plans to send asylum seekers to Rwanda, we’ve looked at the moral and legal implications as well as the cost. There is one thing we’ve overlooked, though, and that is how those changes will impact the country which the government says will process “tens of thousands” of asylum

More than a month after the UK’s Ukraine Sponsorship Scheme was launched, thousands of sponsors are still waiting to welcome Ukrainian nationals, amid reports of red tape and bureaucracy in the process. Lynette Protheroe, from Derbyshire, was matched with sisters Yana and Inna and their three children on 20 March but weeks after submitting an

The Home Secretary has issued a “ministerial direction” in relation to the Rwanda asylum plan, overruling concerns from her own civil servants, Sky News understands. Ministerial directions are used when the top civil servant in a department has objected to the costs or feasibility of a spending plan. A Home Office source said: “Home Office

The government hopes it can start sending asylum seekers to Rwanda in a matter of “weeks”, according to Boris Johnson’s policy chief. The UK government is attempting to crack down on Channel crossings by small boats and as part of the plans, the Home Office has signed a “world first” deal with Rwanda to send

Coming two days after the prime minister was fined for breaking his own lockdown rules, today’s eye-catching asylum announcement has been greeted by many as a cynical attempt to change the subject. In reality, this unveiling has been in the offing for a while, with details of the home secretary’s trip to Rwanda pencilled in