Politics

A Conservative MP has called on fellow Tories to change their attitude towards people who take the knee as an anti-racism protest. Steve Baker’s comments, first reported by The Guardian, come after members of the England squad received racist abuse following their defeat in the Euro 2020 final. “This may be a decisive moment for

Boris Johnson has seen off a Conservative rebellion over his plan to cut the UK’s foreign aid spending. MPs voted 333 to 298, a majority of 35, to back reducing overseas aid spending from 0.7% of gross national income to 0.5%. Ministers have insisted the cut – which will see a reduction of around £4.4bn

Boris Johnson has called the bluff of rebel Tory MPs demanding a Commons vote on Rishi Sunak’s controversial decision to cut spending on overseas aid. After months of resisting a vote, ministers sprang a surprise on the rebels by announcing a last-minute change to Commons business with a debate and vote less than 24 hours

England will move to the fourth and final stage of the government’s roadmap for lifting lockdown restrictions in a week’s time, the health secretary has confirmed to MPs. In what Sajid Javid said was a “major milestone for this country”, the move to step four on 19 July will see social distancing rules and limits

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said “caution is absolutely vital” as he prepares to address the nation on Monday to announce whether the final stage of releasing coronavirus restrictions can go ahead. The prime minister is expected to confirm that England can move to step four of the government’s roadmap out of lockdown, but to

An eight-week interval between vaccine doses provides “much better” protection from coronavirus, vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi has said, as he dismissed reports that the gap is due to be reduced from eight weeks to four. Mr Zahawi also told Sky News he is “confident” that Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce on Monday that COVID

Labour has called for Theresa May’s former communications director to be sacked from the BBC board over claims he tried to block someone from a senior job on political grounds. Sir Robbie Gibb, who became non-executive director at the Corporation in May, tried to stop Jess Brammar, former HuffPost UK editor and Newsnight journalist, from

Boris Johnson’s Brexit minister has blamed Theresa May for problems with the implementation of border arrangements for Northern Ireland. Lord Frost told members of the Northern Ireland Assembly on Friday that current issues with the Northern Ireland Protocol were “to a very large degree” the fault of negotiations under Mr Johnson‘s predecessor as prime minister.

Details of a plan to allow vaccinated expats into the UK without having to quarantine could be revealed in the “next couple of weeks”, the transport secretary has said. Grant Shapps told Sky News that ministers are “actively working” on proposals to allow those who received their jabs outside of the UK to be exempt

The government will set out its plans for post-Brexit arrangements for Northern Ireland within the next two weeks – as Labour claimed trust in Boris Johnson over the issue had fallen to “an all-time low”. At the end of last month, the UK and EU agreed a three-month extension to a grace period to avert

Boris Johnson did not break the MPs code of conduct by accepting donations towards a private 10-day holiday to Mustique over Christmas in 2019, an investigation has found. Parliament’s standards watchdog said the PM’s account of the “informal” funding arrangement was “accurate and complete” but that it was “regrettable” information related to the trip was

Reducing the sensitivity of the NHS COVID app to bring down the number of people being told to self-isolate is “like taking the batteries out of the smoke alarm”, Sir Keir Starmer has said. On Thursday, the head of the UK Health Security Agency, Dr Jenny Harries, confirmed that ministers plan to “tune” the app

Boris Johnson has told MPs that possible herd immunity is “not the consideration” behind holding back changes to COVID self-isolation rules until 16 August. The prime minister is facing a backlash after he set out his intention to press ahead with the final lifting of coronavirus restrictions in England on 19 July – but the

The transport secretary has told MPs he is “very relaxed” about airlines, train firms and bus operators imposing their own COVID-related rules, including on wearing face masks, beyond 19 July. Speaking during a Transport Committee evidence session, Grant Shapps said individual companies could implement travel conditions beyond the government’s final stage of lockdown easing if

The Department of Health and Social Care is being formally investigated over the use of private email addresses by ministers during the coronavirus crisis. The Information Commissioner’s Office has launched a probe into “the use of private correspondence channels” by the department and is seeking the handover of evidence. It follows a Sunday Times report

Those who have received two vaccination doses will no longer have to self-isolate if they come into contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 from 16 August. Making an announcement in the Commons on changes to the government’s self-isolation policy, newly appointed Health Secretary Sajid Javid also confirmed self-isolation rules for those aged