Politics

Sajid Javid starts work today as the new health secretary, replacing Matt Hancock who resigned after being caught kissing a close aide. Former chancellor and home secretary Mr Javid said he was “honoured” to be appointed to the role – just 90 minutes after Downing Street announced Mr Hancock had quit on Saturday evening. Honoured to

Demand for Matt Hancock to resign – or for Boris Johnson to take action – is growing over footage of the health secretary kissing a close aide, in breach of COVID-19 regulations. A video of Mr Hancock, who is married, embracing Gina Coladangelo was published by The Sun newspaper on Friday night, following the release

It was never likely that Boris Johnson would fire one of his cabinet over an alleged affair. This afternoon Downing Street is busy attempting to shut down the Matt Hancock controversy and is making clear they regard the matter as closed. But there are plenty of grounds to think this issue won’t go away that

Matt Hancock has admitted breaking social distancing guidelines after pictures emerged of him kissing an aide. Questions about the health secretary hiring former lobbyist Gina Coladangelo surfaced after pictures in The Sun newspaper showed Mr Hancock, who is married, embracing the aide in his office. “I accept that I breached the social distancing guidance in

Spain’s Balearic islands, Malta, Madeira, and some islands in the Caribbean – including Barbados – have been added to England’s travel green list, Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has announced. The Balearic islands are made up of Ibiza, Menorca, Majorca and Formentera. The move means those heading to some popular holiday hotspots will not have to

Boris Johnson has indicated that a relaxation of travel rules for those who have had two doses of a coronavirus vaccine is on the horizon. The prime minister said there is a “real opportunity” to “open up travel through the double jab”. “We’ve got more than 60% of our population that have now had two

The government is due to deliver its latest travel advice on Thursday after Matt Hancock gave fresh hope to the prospect of summer holidays this year. Ministers will reveal which, if any, countries are to move to the quarantine-free green list and those which travelling to continues to be banned or restricted. It comes as

Boris Johnson has apologised to victims and survivors of rape for the delays they have faced in securing justice. It came as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer warned the prime minister that rape convictions “have plummeted on his watch”. Sir Keir questioned why, at present, 98.4% of rape cases do not end up in any

The deadline for applications to the government’s EU Settlement Scheme will not be extended beyond the end of June, a minister has warned, as tens of thousands face having their benefits cut. Home Office minister Kevin Foster said postponing the cut-off point would create “uncertainty”, adding that all those who make an application before June

The health secretary has insisted the government will deliver a plan for the reform of social care this year, as he refused to be drawn on whether a key meeting on the issue between him, the prime minister and the chancellor has been postponed. Matt Hancock told Sky News he was “not going to get

Quarantine-free travel to amber list countries for people who have been fully vaccinated is “absolutely something” the government is “working on”, the health secretary has told Sky News. “This hasn’t been clinically advised yet, we’re working on it,” Matt Hancock said. “When I’m in a position to be able to say something then we will

Matt Hancock did not withhold key COVID data ahead of the decision to postpone the easing of restrictions in England, the justice secretary has told Sky News. Robert Buckland defended the health secretary and said he has the “full support” of the government, denying reports that Mr Hancock held back data on the effectiveness of

Former Conservative MP and Commons Speaker John Bercow has said his switching of allegiance to join the Labour Party is “not personal against Boris Johnson”. Mr Bercow told Sky News his decision to defect away from the Conservative Party is not to do with the PM, but added that Mr Johnson has “only a nodding

Former Conservative MP and Commons Speaker John Bercow has said he has switched allegiances to join the Labour Party. Mr Bercow, who stepped down as Speaker in 2019, said he regards the Tories under Boris Johnson as “reactionary, populist, nationalistic and sometimes even xenophobic”. “I am motivated by support for equality, social justice and internationalism.

Sir Keir Starmer’s top spin doctor has quit after Labour suffered another poor by-election result in which the party lost its deposit. Ben Nunn announced he was stepping down as the opposition leader’s director of communications, after the party trailed in fourth behind the Green Party in the Chesham and Amersham poll. The departure of

It’s an unwritten rule of politics that every electoral action can have an opposite – if not quite equal – reaction. The question being asked by many Tories this morning will be whether the party’s recent relentless focus on winning new supporters in traditionally Labour-held areas in the north is starting to cost them in

Boris Johnson has denied his Conservative Party are neglecting southern parts of England in favour of its new northern seats as he blamed “particular circumstances” for a surprise by-election loss. The Tories have been dealt a humiliating defeat after the Liberal Democrats won Thursday’s Chesham and Amersham by-election. The Buckinghamshire constituency had been a Conservative

Boris Johnson’s Tories have suffered a humiliating by-election defeat as the Liberal Democrats secured a historic win in Chesham and Amersham. Lib Dem Sarah Green is the country’s newest MP after winning the seat, which has been a Conservative stronghold since its creation in 1974. The contest was triggered by the death of former Cabinet

The government is considering relaxing restrictions surrounding international travel for Britons who have had both coronavirus vaccines. A government spokesperson has told Sky News that it is “working with industry for a safe return to international travel, guided by one overwhelming priority – public health”. They added: “Recognising the strong strategic rationale and success of

Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser has published a 7,000-word blogpost including a series of claims about the prime minister and Health Secretary Matt Hancock. Here’s a round-up of Dominic Cummings’s most explosive allegations: PM branded Hancock ‘totally f****** hopeless’ The most eye-catching part of Mr Cummings’s blogpost was his inclusion of screenshots of WhatsApp messages