Politics

Sir Keir Starmer has led criticism of Boris Johnson 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 prime minister made the comment during a visit to Scotland, when he was asked if he would set a

People will be able to go on holiday “without looking over their shoulders the whole time”, Grant Shapps has said, as he promised that the next set of travel changes will not come “for another three weeks”. The transport secretary told Kay Burley on Sky News that while ministers must “always keep an eye on

Fully vaccinated travellers and under 18s arriving in England from France will no longer need to isolate, while India is coming off the red list. The Department for Transport has set out the government’s latest COVID-19 travel update, with all of the changes taking effect from 4am on Sunday. In a surprise move, the cost

Nicola Sturgeon has said it is “a bit strange” for Boris Johnson to have declined her invitation to meet for talks during the PM’s trip to Scotland this week. Speaking to reporters, Scotland’s first minister said “most people will think it is a bit odd” that the prime minister did not want to discuss COVID-19

Boris Johnson has declined Nicola Sturgeon’s invitation to meet for talks while he is in Scotland this week. The first minister had invited the prime minister to her official Edinburgh residence, Bute House, to discuss their plans for recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world But in

Nicola Sturgeon will announce this afternoon whether Scotland will lift its coronavirus restrictions next week. If the Scottish first minister decides the easing will go ahead, then the country will move beyond the current Level 0 rules on Monday 9 August. The last time rules changed was 19 July, when the number of people who

There is no prospect of an amber watchlist being introduced at the latest travel review this week, Sky News understands. Government sources have confirmed that Boris Johnson has rejected the idea. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player ‘We have to have

Fully vaccinated travellers from the US and EU can now arrive in the UK without having to isolate. The new rules came into effect at 4am on Monday but they have not yet been met by a reciprocal easing of restrictions for travellers from the UK. The new rule applies to England, Scotland, Wales and

The UK and US have blamed Iran for an attack on an oil tanker in which two crew members, including a British national, were killed. Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab accused Iran of carrying out a “deliberate, targeted” assault which he says constituted “a clear violation of international law”. Meanwhile, US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken

Rishi Sunak has written to Boris Johnson warning that the UK’s travel restrictions are “out of step” in comparison to other countries, reports suggest. According to the Sunday Times newspaper, the chancellor has raised concerns with the prime minister about the damage that the current border controls are doing to the UK’s economy and has

Discounted meals and cheaper cab rides will be offered to customers who get a COVID-19 jab, as part of a government-led attempt to boost the uptake of vaccines. Uber, Bolt, Deliveroo and Pizza Pilgrims are among the brands that will offer incentives to encourage young people to get vaccinated. Almost three million under-30s are yet

The UK is “closing in on” striking an agreement in principle with New Zealand, the international trade secretary has said. Liz Truss said “great progress” had been made in the sixth round of discussions between the two sides, which took place from 19 to 30 July. “We’re closing in on an agreement in principle, with

The Conservatives could be in danger of losing more than a dozen seats in their so-called “blue wall” heartlands, a new poll suggests. YouGov found that voting intention in 53 such constituencies in the south and east of England currently held by the party stood at 44% for the Conservatives, 24% for Labour, 18% for

Grant Shapps has defended France’s position on the UK’s ‘amber plus’ travel list, saying the decision was made due to cases of the Beta coronavirus variant in the north of the country. On Wednesday, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab said the move was made because of the “prevalence of the so-called Beta variant, in particular in

A number of Conservative MPs have told Sky News they do not think the government will follow through and actually introduce domestic vaccine passports. The prospect of people having to prove their COVID-19 status to access a range of venues has been raised in recent weeks. Boris Johnson has already said that individuals will need

The government is “increasingly confident” that more countries will soon be added to the amber and green travel lists, Dominic Raab has told Sky News. The foreign secretary said he believes opportunities for international travel can in the near future be opened up further as “the momentum forward is positive”. Mr Raab also did not

Fully vaccinated travellers from the EU and the US will be able to avoid quarantining when they arrive in England from next Monday, the government has confirmed. Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has also announced the resumption of international cruises. The change regarding US and EU arrivals come into force from 4am on 2 August. Live

Fully vaccinated people will not be legally required to take a coronavirus test to avoid isolation if “pinged” from 16 August, Sky News understands. It has already been announced by the government that people who have been double jabbed will no longer have to isolate after contact with someone who tests positive for COVID-19 from

A senior minister has dropped the strongest hint yet that vaccine passports will be introduced for football matches by the government later this year. Michael Gove said it was his view that “some form of certification is the right way to go” and that “selfish” individuals who refuse to get a COVID-19 jab face being

Boris Johnson has pledged to ensure “less crime, fewer victims and a safer society” as the country recovers from the pandemic. The government will unveil its new Beating Crime Plan on Tuesday which will see the creation of league tables for 101 and 999 call answering times so the public can see how quickly their