Politics

Jacob Rees-Mogg has refused to apologise for calling the Downing Street partygate scandal “fluff” and “fundamentally trivial”. Answering questions from callers on LBC, the Brexit minister said partygate is “not the most important issue in the world” as the war in Ukraine continues. Mr Rees-Mogg also said some of the coronavirus rules in place at

Grant Shapps has suggested the way poverty is presented can be “somewhat misleading” when put to him that rising bills could push 400,000 more children into poverty. Speaking on Sky News’ Ridge on Sunday programme, the transport secretary admitted that rising costs of living are “very substantial”, but questioned estimates of how many people could

Grant Shapps has pushed back against reported proposals to increase the number of onshore windfarms as the government prepares to unveil its energy security strategy next week. The transport secretary told Sky News’ Ridge on Sunday programme that onshore windfarms are “eyesores” and damage the environment, adding that he personally does not favour “a vast

An MP has had the Tory whip withdrawn pending an investigation into allegations about his conduct. Claims about Somerton and Frome MP David Warburton are being examined by Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS). The scheme is the first of its kind in any parliament in the world and aims to tackle “inappropriate behaviour”

The Indian tech firm in which Rishi Sunak’s wife owns shares believed to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds is closing its office in Russia, Sky News understands. The chancellor’s wife Akshata Murthy has a 0.91% stake in Infosys, a company founded by her father, which had continued to operate in Russia since the

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is “right to ask for answers”, a leading MP said as he launched a select committee inquiry into the government’s handling of her six-year Iran hostage ordeal. Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 43, and fellow British-Iranian national Anoosheh Ashoori, 67, were released last month after the UK agreed to settle a £400m debt with Tehran dating

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has urged Rishi Sunak to “come clean” over whether his wife benefits from investments in Russia. The chancellor has come under pressure over his wife, Akshata Murthy, having a 0.91% stake in Infosys, a company founded by her father, which continues to operate in Russia. Mr Sunak has described the

The government has dropped plans to introduce a new law to ban conversion therapy. Theresa May had initially promised in 2018 the practice, which attempts to change an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity, would be outlawed – and her successor Boris Johnson also said it would be. But on Thursday, a government spokesman told

A second Cabinet minister has admitted that lockdown laws were broken during the partygate scandal – even after Boris Johnson refused to do so. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan conceded that people who have been referred for fines by police investigating events in Downing Street and Whitehall had “broken the regulations”. Ms Trevelyan’s comments on

Boris Johnson has refused to admit to criminality in Downing Street as he was grilled by MPs after fines were issued over the police’s partygate investigation. The prime minister came under pressure, during questions from the Commons liaison committee, to concede that this week’s announcement of 20 fixed penalty notices by the Met Police meant

Dominic Raab has defended Downing Street staff who were under “incredible pressure” after police investigating the partygate scandal began to announce fines for lockdown breaches. The deputy prime minister admitted that “there were clearly things that were got wrong” but said the prime minister had since overhauled the Number 10 operation. Mr Raab’s comments come

Russian-born newspaper mogul Evgeny Lebedev has said he supports Labour’s call for information on the decision to give him a peerage to be made public as he has “nothing to hide”. Boris Johnson has denied that advice was overruled to award the Russian businessman and owner of the Independent and Evening Standard newspapers a seat

The Metropolitan Police is to issue 20 fines to people who attended lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street and Whitehall. But the force has not named the individuals facing the penalties or revealed which events they attended. Prime Minister Boris Johnson was among 100 people who were sent formal legal questionnaires relating to the investigation –

Twenty fines could be issued to 20 people in the coming hours over events held in Downing Street and Whitehall during lockdown, Sky News understands. The fines will be issued by detectives investigating the “partygate” scandal. It is believed these punishments are only the first, and more are expected as more than 100 people were

Pupils falling behind in English and maths will be given extra support under new plans set out by the education secretary – but the move was criticised as a “damp squib” by a teachers’ union. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News that the strategy would help those who did not have the “wherewithal” to

The government plans to take a 20% stake in a new nuclear plant in Suffolk in a move to bolster the country’s energy security against a backdrop of global instability and a cost of living crisis. The French power giant EDF is also to take a 20% share in the delayed £20bn Sizewell C project.