Politics

The UK government has announced sanctions against a further 370 Russian and Belarusian individuals and entities. Since the Russian invasion of Ukraine, the UK has sanctioned more than 1,000 of Russia and Belarus’ most significant and high-value individuals, entities, and subsidiaries. The Foreign Office said the new additions to the UK government’s sanction list include

Britain’s pay squeeze deepened at the start of the year as wages fell in real terms at the sharpest rate for more than seven years, official figures show. Average earnings – stripping out bonuses – climbed by 3.8% in the three months to January, according to the Office for National Statistics (ONS), up from 3.7%

There will be no limit to the number of Ukrainian refugees who can come to the UK as they face their “hour of greatest need”, Cabinet minister Michael Gove has told MPs. Announcing the details of a new sponsorship scheme for those fleeing Russia’s invasion, Mr Gove expressed his hope that many Britons would “open their

Vladimir Putin is attempting “some form of legitimacy” in Ukraine by holding “faux elections” to justify his invasion, the Foreign Office minister warned. James Cleverly told Sky News’ Kay Burley the Russian president wanted a “lightning war” to capture Ukraine and quickly install a puppet government, but “that is clearly not working”. ‘No evidence’ Putin

The government is closing in on a multibillion pound investment deal with Saudi Arabia that would provide a backdrop to crucial talks on the Gulf state’s oil production. Sky News understands that ministers have been working for weeks to finalise a new sovereign investment partnership (SIP) with Riyadh that would replicate a £10bn alliance unveiled

Boris Johnson has called on Western nations to “take back control” of their energy supplies and end an “addiction” to Russian oil and gas that has left them subject to “blackmail” by Vladimir Putin. In an article for the Daily Telegraph, the prime minister insisted the West “cannot go on like this” and remain “economically

Boris Johnson has said he does not want to “tempt fate” by commenting on negotiations currently taking place to secure the freedom of Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe. The prime minister confirmed on Tuesday that “conversations are still going on” to secure the release of the British-Iranian mother. She was first arrested by Iranian authorities six years ago

The UK government has placed an export ban on luxury goods to Russia and hiked up import tariffs from the country on iconic products such as vodka. British vehicles, high-end fashion and art are some of the luxury goods that will no longer be exported to Russia as the UK and other G7 leaders continue

Boris Johnson has said Vladimir Putin is like a drug dealer who has got Western nations hooked on Russian oil and gas. “Vladimir Putin over the last years has been like a pusher, feeding an addiction in Western countries to his hydrocarbons,” the prime minister said on Tuesday. “We need to get ourselves off that

More than 100,000 Britons have offered up their homes to Ukrainian refugees, Boris Johnson has said. The prime minister said it was “fantastic” and thanked “everyone across the country who has stepped up to offer their help so far”. A website where people can register their interest in providing a home for at least six

Hopes for a summer getaway are given a boost from today with a sizeable expansion of the government’s green travel list – and the return of holiday favourite France to the regular amber category. After a spell on the so-called “amber plus” list, France’s move back to amber means that fully vaccinated travellers returning from

Climate minister Alok Sharma’s air travel to 30 countries in seven months is “bizarre” and sets a bad example ahead of COP26, a Labour minister has said. Speaking to Kay Burley on Sky News, David Lammy told that reports that COP26 President Mr Sharma flew tens of thousands of miles during the pandemic are “worrying”

The prime minister is not expected to isolate after flying to Scotland this week with a member of his staff who has tested positive for COVID-19. Boris Johnson was on the same flight as the person but did not come within two metres of them, Sky News understands. A Number 10 spokesman said: “The prime

Boris Johnson has refused to apologise after he said Margaret Thatcher gave the UK a “big early start” in its battle against climate change when she closed coal mines in the 1980s. The PM’s official spokesperson told reporters Mr Johnson recognises the “huge impact and pain” caused by the closure of coal mines – but