Politics

Labour will remain in power in Wales after winning a working majority in the Senedd. The result provides a bright spot for the party in a largely disappointing set of elections for Labour across the rest of the UK. In the Welsh parliament, once all results were declared, Labour won exactly half of the 60

The SNP’s hopes of securing a majority in the Scottish elections are on a knife edge this morning, but Nicola Sturgeon’s party remains on course for an historic fourth term in office. Ms Sturgeon has told Sky News that a majority is “very much in the balance” and has “always been a long shot”. She

Sir Keir Starmer is facing calls to “change direction” from Labour’s left wing after he became the first leader to see the party lose Hartlepool in 47 years. Labour suffered a “shattering” defeat in Thursday’s by-election as they lost out to the Conservatives by 6,940 votes. The result boosts Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s majority in

The polling stations are closed, the campaigns are over and there is nothing left for the candidates to do other than wait for the results. Votes cast by millions of people across England, Scotland and Wales will now determine who controls the key levers of political power outside of Westminster. Image: Shona Barton, from the

New figures from the Office for National Statistics have revealed the take-up of first dose COVID jabs among over-50s in England. Due to the progress of the coronavirus vaccination programme, it can be assumed that a substantial proportion of over-50s had been offered a jab up to 12 April – the period to which the

The UK is sending two Royal Navy boats to Jersey “as a precaution” after threats of a French blockade of the island’s main port. Downing Street confirmed Boris Johnson spoke to Chief Minister of Jersey Senator John Le Fondre on Wednesday evening “about the prospect of a blockade of Saint Helier” – the island’s main

There have been two positive COVID cases among the Indian delegation in the UK for this week’s G7 meeting, Sky News understands. Although it is not a G7 member, India was invited to attend the first in-person meeting of the group’s foreign ministers in more than two years in London this week. The meeting was

In a few days, voters will go to the polls for the first time since Labour’s red wall turned blue in a bumper set of local and mayoral elections. And it will be Sir Keir Starmer’s, rather than Boris Johnson’s big test. It is the first time the Labour leader has faced the electorate since

Sir Keir Starmer has admitted Labour still have “a mountain to climb” to win back voters ahead of this week’s local elections – as some polls showed his party behind the Conservatives in key races. On Thursday, people in England, Scotland and Wales will head to the polls in a bumper set of elections with

Boris Johnson has said there is a “good chance” the one-metre plus social distancing rule can be scrapped from 21 June. During a campaign visit in Hartlepool, the prime minister told reporters: “I think we’ve got a good chance, a good chance, of being able to dispense with one-metre plus.” Under the government’s roadmap for

The UK is to send 1,000 more ventilators to India as it battles a surge in coronavirus cases. Announcing the extra support, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “The UK will always be there for India in its time of need.” The shipment of ventilators, which will be dispatched from the UK’s surplus supply, follows on

The prime minister has been “crystal clear” about how the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat was financed, the foreign secretary has told Sky News. Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sunday, Dominic Raab said Boris Johnson had “covered the cost himself” and “followed all the relevant codes of conduct”. But another senior Conservative, the party’s

Nicola Sturgeon has thrown down the gauntlet to Boris Johnson over a second independence referendum, telling Sky News that if the UK government doesn’t challenge the Scottish government in court, then “by definition it would be a legal referendum”. Scotland’s first minister, who will claim the right to hold a second independence referendum by the

The drip feed of allegations has been relentless, and the questions seemingly never-ending. How did Boris Johnson fund his trendy make-over of the Downing Street flat? What messages did he exchange with businessman James Dyson? Just how many times did David Cameron text Rishi Sunak? But perhaps the biggest question of all – just how

Council and mayoral elections across England on 6 May are a challenge for both main party leaders. Boris Johnson must demonstrate that his general election victory signalled a reshaping of the Conservative brand. It is imperative that Sir Keir Starmer significantly increases the number of Labour councils and councillors rather than the losses sustained under

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has insisted “all security protocols have been followed” despite the prime minister’s phone number being freely available online, prompting snooping fears. The Conservative cabinet minister moved to play down concerns that Boris Johnson had left himself vulnerable to being targeted by hostile states and criminal gangs after it was revealed his personal