Politics

The SNP has retained its position as Scotland’s biggest party in local elections while Labour has pushed the Tories into third place. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told Sky News her party – in government at Holyrood for 15 years – had won the poll “by a country mile”. The results showed the SNP on 453

The main parties will put entirely different spins on local election results declared overnight. Labour will highlight historic gains in London with Barnet, Westminster and Wandsworth front and centre of its soundbites. And make no mistake these are historic gains. Politics Hub: Live updates as Labour win Westminster for first time ever The Conservatives had

The big picture is still taking shape, with a lot more results to come in, but we’re getting a sense of the mood within the political parties. Labour have achieved a morale-boosting triple whammy in London, taking Wandsworth, Westminster and Barnet councils – all Conservative strongholds in the city where Boris Johnson used to be

This is not an easy election to analyse: the picture is mixed and messy. As dawn breaks on Friday, nobody – perhaps with the exception of the Lib Dems – should be overly happy with the results. Tories suffered losses – perhaps not as many as they might. Two losing council leaders, one in the

Sir Keir Starmer will be investigated by police over “beergate” – the allegation he broke lockdown rules while drinking with colleagues. The Labour leader has come under pressure since footage emerged of him drinking a beer and having curry with colleagues in Durham during campaigning for the Hartlepool by-election in April 2021. At the time,

It has been a “tough night” for the Conservative party, after the loss of some key local councils in London to Labour – but the opposition party has seen mixed results outside the capital. The Tories have lost Wandsworth, Margaret Thatcher’s “favourite council”, Westminster and Barnet to Labour. Boris Johnson faces losing his Commons majority

The Conservatives face losing their Commons majority if local election results are replicated at a general election, according to a Sky News projection. Analysis suggests that it would mean a hung parliament with Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s Tories remaining the largest party at Westminster but falling 48 seats short of an overall majority. The projection

An MP under investigation for allegedly watching pornography in the Commons said he opened a file by mistake but would step down if he is found guilty. Conservative MP Neil Parish referred himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on Friday, days after two female Tory MPs said they witnessed him watching pornography on his

All women in parliament have been subjected to “wandering hands”, a female cabinet minister has said as she told male MPs “to keep your hands in your pockets”. International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan made her comments to Sky News, amid renewed accusations of misogyny and sexual misconduct in parliament, including claims a Tory MP watched

Labour MP Liam Byrne should be suspended from the House of Commons for two days for bullying a member of his constituency staff, a report has recommended. Following an investigation by an independent investigator, the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards Kathryn Stone upheld the allegation of bullying against Mr Byrne made under Parliament’s Independent Complaints and

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has described sexist behaviour in Parliament as “shameful” and said “the culture of Westminster needs to change”. Mr Javid made the comments on Twitter after an allegation surfaced that an unnamed Conservative MP was spotted watching pornography on his phone in the House of Commons. He becomes the latest cabinet minister

The Conservative Party’s chief whip is investigating reports that a Tory MP watched pornography on his phone in the Commons chamber. The party’s whips office said “the chief whip is looking into this matter” in a statement released on Wednesday. “This behaviour is wholly unacceptable and action will be taken.” It is believed the accusation

Annual MOT checks could be scrapped under government plans to ease the cost of living for households across the country, Sky News understands. On Tuesday, Boris Johnson held a cabinet meeting in which he asked his top team to come with “innovative” ideas to help ease the pressure on household finances which do not require

The West must be prepared “for the long haul” in the Ukraine war, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss will warn, as she calls for allies to increase defence spending and supplies to Kyiv. Ms Truss will use a speech in London on Wednesday to urge allies to keep pressure on Vladimir Putin’s regime as Ukraine’s fate

There is “no golden bullet” to solve the cost of living crisis, a minister has warned, as Boris Johnson prepares to ask his Cabinet ministers to help him find solutions to ease the pressure on household finances. Armed Forces minister James Heappey told Sky News there is “no doubt” that any interventions by the government

The UK is sending more ambulances and further funding to train Ukrainian doctors to deal with mass casualties, Boris Johnson has announced. More fire engines and medical supplies are also being donated to Ukraine as part of the government’s continuing support for the country more than two months after Russia first invaded. As part of

Tory whips will be “looking at whether they know” who made comments about Angela Rayner to a newspaper that have been roundly condemned as sexist, a minister has told Sky News. Technology minister Chris Philp said he expected that if the source of the comments to the Mail on Sunday about Labour’s deputy leader were

Angela Rayner has condemned a “sexist” and “misogynistic” Mail on Sunday article which claimed Tory MPs have accused her of a ‘Basic Instinct’ ploy to distract Boris Johnson. The prime minister also commented, tweeting: “As much as I disagree with Angela Rayner on almost every political issue I respect her as a parliamentarian and deplore

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