Politics

Sir Keir Starmer has been forced to water down his planned overhaul of Labour rules at the opening of the party’s conference in Brighton, as he was accused of an “almost pathological fear of democracy” in pushing for change. The Labour leader had sought to use the Brighton gathering to alter the rules on how

Labour’s conference is opening in Brighton after Sir Keir Starmer was forced into a humiliating retreat over his attempt to re-write the party’s rulebook. He had to put his reforms on hold after a backlash from unions and party activists, in what left-wing MPs said was an own goal that had weakened his authority. The

Will Britain elect a prime minister people see as weak? This unfortunate question is one Sir Keir Starmer must confront on the eve of his first in-person party conference as Labour leader, however personally painful he finds it. Can he reverse voters’ first impressions of him by taking on his party in Brighton then imprinting

The transport secretary has said motorists should “carry on as normal” when it comes to buying fuel, after BP closed some of its petrol stations due to supply issues. The energy giant said tens of forecourts in its 1,200-strong network were experiencing shortages – blamed on the nationwide lack of HGV drivers – while rival

Sir Keir Starmer must use the Labour conference to show the nation he “has what it takes” to be prime minister, the leader of the GMB Union has said. Gary Smith, who took over as general secretary earlier this year, told Sky News the Labour leader was “decent” and “committed”. But he warned the party

Boris Johnson is urging humankind to “grow up” and “come of age” at the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow this year. The prime minister, in an address to the United Nations General Assembly in New York, called on world leaders to “recognise the scale of the challenge we face” on climate issues. In a

Boris Johnson has said France should get over its anger at a partnership between the UK, US and Australia that saw the latter pull out of a major contract with Paris for submarines. “What I want to say about that is I just think it’s time for some of our dearest friends around the world

Ministers are considering efforts to join an existing free trade agreement between the US, Mexico and Canada – or to strike a series of mini-deals with America – after Boris Johnson appeared to admit a standalone UK-US free trade deal was not an imminent prospect. On his visit to New York and Washington DC this

Members of a coronavirus campaign group will be able to attend the Conservative Party conference after initially having their application rejected. COVID-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, made up of 4,000 people who have lost a loved one to the virus, hit out after being told its members would not be allowed into next month’s event

Fears remain over the future of a number of UK energy providers due to surging gas costs as it was confirmed the price cap must “remain in place”. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng held a crisis meeting with the industry then announced to the Commons that ministers would not be bailing out energy firms and that

There is “absolutely no question of the lights going out this winter” and the energy price cap will remain in place despite escalating gas prices, the business secretary has said. Kwasi Kwarteng said the cap “protects millions of consumers” and reiterated “the need for us all to prioritise consumers” during crisis talks with industry figures.

Rich countries must do more to help developing nations cut carbon emissions, Boris Johnson will tell other world leaders at a high-level gathering in New York. The prime minister will be hosting the meeting on climate change with UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres. It is understood the PM is likely to focus on coal, cash

Liberal Democrat leader Sir Ed Davey has challenged his party to “tear down” the Conservatives’ “blue wall” in order to help oust Boris Johnson from Downing Street. In his keynote address at the Liberal Democrat conference on Sunday, Sir Ed said the Tories would only lose power at the next election if his party took

New Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has defended the UK’s “hard-headed” security pact with the US and Australia, amid a deepening diplomatic row with France. The AUKUS deal saw the UK, Australia and the US form a security pact to develop and deploy a new fleet of nuclear-powered submarines, adding to the Western military presence in

The bonds of friendship between France and the UK, US and Australia have been “tarnished” by the AUKUS pact, and it is now “more difficult than before” for France to trust those countries, the president of the French National Assembly has told Sky News. Richard Ferrand is attending the G7 Speakers’ Conference in Chorley, Lancashire, hosted

Michael Gove’s new levelling up department is being warned not to expect a large injection of new cash in the spending review hours after Boris Johnson called levelling up “our fundamental project”, Sky News understands. Mr Gove‘s department, which covers housing, the Union, local government and elections, will be expected to negotiate its three-year budget