Politics

David Davis telling Boris Johnson to resign over the Downing Street lockdown parties is “damaging” for the government, Sajid Javid has said. Mr Davis, a Tory grandee and former minister, stood up in the House of Commons on Wednesday and told the prime minister: “In the name of God, go.” He is the most senior

The Omicron variant of coronavirus is “in retreat” and England is in the “next chapter” of its fight against the virus, the health secretary has said. Speaking at a Downing Street news conference, Sajid Javid said the lifting of Plan B COVID-19 measures is a moment “we can all be proud of”. He said Omicron

Boris Johnson is preparing to face MPs in the Commons amid claims that support among Tory MPs is “haemorrhaging away” and he is on the brink of being removed from office. After a potentially brutal Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson will attempt to launch a fightback by announcing he is ripping up Plan B COVID

Dominic Cummings will be interviewed as part of an investigation into parties and gatherings at Downing Street during coronavirus restrictions. Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser confirmed to Sky News that he will be involved in the probe, which is looking at events in Number 10 and other government departments. And a Cabinet Office source told

The government’s attempt to introduce laws to contain protests has been dealt a major blow after the House of Lords voted down a number of the controversial proposals. The government had been moved to act after the disruption caused by eco-activists such as Insulate Britain. But the Lords rejected several of the proposed powers, including:

No 10 policy bosses have explored the use of powerful sonic weapons to force migrants to turn around in the English Channel, amid a growing row over how to handle the situation. The Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD) are already installed on two Border Force vessels but are used to issue voice commands. They were purchased

The education secretary has defended the prime minister as he said Boris Johnson did not know a Downing Street lockdown event was a party. Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News’ Kay Burley: “It’s not true that the prime minister knew about this. He implicitly thought this was a work event.” He said senior civil servant Sue

Lord Myners, a Treasury minister under former prime minister Gordon Brown, has died aged 73. He advised Mr Brown on the historic bailout of the British banking system following the 2008 financial crash. Lord Myners died in the early hours of Sunday morning and is survived by his five children and five grandchildren Image: Lord

A sixth Conservative MP is calling for the prime minister to quit over the ever-growing list of alleged lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street, as Boris Johnson is reportedly preparing to strike back by ousting members of his inner circle. Tim Loughton, former children’s minister and East Worthing and Shoreham MP, said Mr Johnson’s position had become “untenable”

One of five Conservative MPs calling for Boris Johnson to step down has told Sky News he has “lost his moral authority to lead” amid allegations of numerous Downing Street parties during lockdown. Andrew Bridgen, who represents North West Leicestershire, said the wave of accusations against the PM and his Number 10 staff have “made

Boris Johnson is facing claims that regular drinking sessions were held in Downing Street throughout the COVID pandemic with reports that staff held “wine-time Fridays”. In fresh allegations in the “partygate” scandal engulfing the prime minister, it is alleged that the weekly event was scheduled into the electronic calendars of around 50 staff in Number

The head of the taskforce responsible for leading the government’s COVID-19 response held an office leaving bash at a time when indoor socialising was banned, it has been revealed. Kate Josephs, the former director general of the Cabinet Office’s COVID taskforce, said she was “truly sorry” for the gathering on 17 December 2020. She also

The prime minister’s former director of communications has apologised “unreservedly” for a party held to mark his departure from Downing Street on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral. In a statement released on Friday morning, James Slack said he wanted to “apologise unreservedly for the anger and hurt caused” by the gathering on 16 April,

MI5 has warned that a Chinese government agent has been working in parliament “to subvert the processes”, MPs have been told. Iain Duncan Smith told the Commons that Speaker Lindsay Hoyle has written to MPs to let them know he has been contacted by MI5 over the matter. The MP said: “I understand that Mr

Boris Johnson will still be able to win the next general election for the Conservative Party, a cabinet minister has said, amid open speculation about his political future. Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis backed the PM to lead his party into the next election, saying he “rightly” apologised in the Commons yesterday for a Downing

Boris Johnson has apologised after admitting that he attended a Downing Street garden drinks party during the first lockdown. Addressing the Commons under intense pressure from MPs, including those on his own government benches, to confirm whether he attended a drinks gathering at Number 10 on 20 May 2020, the prime minister said he had