Politics

The Northern Ireland Executive has condemned “deplorable” riots in which more than 50 police officers have been injured during more than a week of violence. Ministers were updated by the chief constable during a “special meeting” on Thursday morning, the executive said. It is “gravely concerned by the scenes we have all witnessed on our

Boris Johnson has said the roadmap out of lockdown will not be affected by the decision to offer 18 to 29-year-olds an alternative to the Oxford-AstraZeneca vaccine. The prime minister added that “nothing he has seen” from government scientists on the possible link between this jab and rare blood clots suggests that plans to ease

Opposition parties are withholding their support for the government’s domestic COVID passports plan in a warning that Boris Johnson could struggle to get his proposals through the House of Commons. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his party “do not support the government’s plans in their current form” and attacked ministers’ thinking as “a complete

The government must “sustain the impetus” to fight food poverty seen during the coronavirus pandemic and should consider putting a “right to food” in law, MPs have said. Efforts to tackle hunger by expanding the free school meals programme and boosting support to food banks should continue beyond the pandemic, the Commons Environment, Food and

Boris Johnson has not “given up” on allowing Britons to jet abroad from 17 May as he raised the prospect of holidaymakers being able to use cheaper and faster COVID tests on their return to the UK. Under the prime minister’s roadmap for lifting lockdown restrictions, international travel without a reasonable excuse will not be

The later stages of Boris Johnson’s roadmap for ending lockdown restrictions in England could cause coronavirus infection rates to surge, the government’s scientific advisers have warned. At a Downing Street briefing yesterday, the prime minister said he plans to stick “like glue” to his plans for easing current measures. He confirmed that step two –

Boris Johnson has confirmed England will progress to the next stage of lockdown lifting as he said the roadmap was on track. The government’s four tests – a successful vaccine deployment programme, coronavirus hospitalisation and death rates under control, infections not putting pressure on the NHS, and the risk assessment not changed by variants –

Supporters of Scottish independence look set to win a big majority in next month’s Holyrood elections. The latest Panelbase survey for The Sunday Times suggests that pro-independence parties could win 79 of the Scottish Parliament’s 129 seats come the 6 May vote. With nearly half of the constituency vote, Nicola Sturgeon’s SNP would win a

Labour is demanding a new law in next month’s Queen’s Speech to crack down on political lobbying, following disclosures about David Cameron’s links with an Australian tycoon. The former prime minister lobbied Chancellor Rishi Sunak and Treasury minister Jesse Norman for access to coronavirus support payments on behalf of financier Lex Greensill. From 2018, Mr

Boris Johnson has said Britain can look forward to “brighter days ahead” while Sir Keir Starmer has said “it’s a time for hope and renewal” as the country celebrates Easter. The Prime Minister said it had been a “very tough” year, but said the holiday brought with it new hope. “And, this year more than

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been criticised by members of his own party for visiting a church that has homophobic links. LGBT+ Labour said the visit to Jesus House in north London was “unacceptable”. Sources confirmed that the leader of the opposition‘s office had offered an “unreserved apology” to the group. Image: Sir Keir

Children will be able to visit grandparents in care homes from next week – in many cases, for the first time in a year. Care home residents in England will be able to receive two visitors indoors from next Monday 12 April in the latest easing of COVID-19 restrictions. Boris Johnson has announced that care

Pakistan, Kenya, Bangladesh and the Philippines have been added to England’s coronavirus red list. The move, which will take effect from 4am on Friday, 9 April, is in response to concerns about new variants of COVID-19, like those first detected in South Africa and Brazil. It means international visitors who have departed from or transited

More than 70 MPs – including more than 40 Conservatives – have sent a warning shot to Boris Johnson by forming a major cross-party campaign against the use of vaccine passports within the UK. The prime minister has said there will “definitely” be a role for vaccine passports for Britons heading abroad, with it reported

The prime minister’s most senior black adviser is to step down from the government. Samuel Kasumu will leave his role as special adviser for civil society and communities in May. It comes a day after a government-backed review of racial disparities in Britain was published. The Commission on Race and Ethnic Disparities’ 2458-page report was

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has suggested the “British instinct” will be against the introduction of vaccine passports for places like pubs. The government is conducting a review into the possible use of COVID certification to help with the reopening of some sectors of the economy. Prime Minister Boris Johnson last week said “there is