Politics

Scotland’s leadership has “failed”, Alex Salmond has told a Holyrood inquiry into the SNP government’s unlawful investigation of sexual harassment claims made against him. The former first minister said Nicola Sturgeon’s administration had “acted illegally” in its handling of the allegations “but somehow no one’s to blame”. Mr Salmond said “this inquiry is not about

Scotland’s former first minister Alex Salmond is set to elaborate today on claims that his successor Nicola Sturgeon misled parliament.  Mr Salmond will give evidence to Holyrood’s harassment committee following his written submission which levelled accusations against Ms Sturgeon as well as senior figures in her government and party. He has accused the current first

Allowing teachers to award grades to pupils this summer is “as good as compromise as we can come to” following the cancellation of formal exams, Boris Johnson has said. The prime minister described this year’s system for awarding A-level and GCSE grades in England – as well as some vocational and technical qualifications – as

Face masks may not be required indoors in public places over the summer, one of England’s deputy chief medical officers has suggested. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has set out a roadmap for easing the COVID-19 lockdown which envisages all legal limits on people’s social contact ending by 21 June at the earliest. Asked if face

A-level and GCSE students in England will get their teacher-assessed grades earlier in August to give them more time to appeal. Gavin Williamson announced in January that exams would be scrapped this summer due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Pupils will return to the classroom from 8 March as lockdown is eased, with the government on

The prime minister has announced an extra £400m to help children in England catch up on lost learning caused by the coronavirus pandemic, which will include asking secondary schools to run classes in the summer holidays. Boris Johnson said the “extensive programme”, backed by a total of £700m in funding, will give teachers the “tools

Alex Salmond may not now appear before a Holyrood committee tomorrow after some of his evidence in a dispute with the devolved administration and the SNP was redacted from the parliament’s website, his lawyer has said. David McKie said he was “urgently” seeking “the legal basis for the proposed redactions”. Some 474 words appear to

At first glance any lockdown lifting plan that is being criticised both as too fast and too slow might appear to have struck the right balance of risks. The public appears to believe so. According to a snap poll by YouGov tonight, voters think the 60-page blueprint set out by Boris Johnson on balance made

Downing Street has rubbished claims the prime minister’s fiancee, Carrie Symonds, has taken a central role in running the country. A think tank, which counts Conservative MPs and peers among its members, this weekend called for an independent inquiry into the “position and authority” of Ms Symonds. It follows speculation about the influence of Boris

The UK’s vaccination programme is “beginning to really bear fruit” and has allowed the government to unveil its plans for lifting lockdown, the vaccines minister has said. Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News the “evidence looks good” on COVID vaccines, which have now been given to one in three adults in the UK. Later, Prime Minister Boris

There is a “value” in giving COVID jabs to children, the health secretary has told Sky News – as a leading scientist said the UK’s vaccine rollout should turn to younger age groups “as fast as we can”. Oxford University last week launched the first study to assess the safety and immune responses in children

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has said he would like to see all children back at school from next month, but admits that things will need to move forward “carefully”. Speaking to Sky’s Sophy Ride on Sunday, Sir Keir said: “Ideally I’d like to see all schools back open on 8 March and all children

The prime minister is still aiming to reopen all schools in England next month despite concerns from teachers and scientists. Ahead of an announcement about easing coronavirus lockdown on Monday, Downing Street refused to be drawn on specific reports that more extensive outdoor socialising could be allowed by Easter, including suggestions that two households will

The government unlawfully failed to publish details of coronavirus-related contracts worth billions, the High Court has ruled. The Good Law Project launched a judicial review against the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) over its “wholesale failure” to disclose details of the COVID-19-related contracts. Under law, the government has to publish a “contract award

Sadiq Khan has received his first dose of a coronavirus vaccine and urged members of black, Asian and minority ethnic (BAME) communities to follow suit, declaring: “I wouldn’t be taking the jab if I didn’t think it was safe.” The London mayor received a COVID-19 jab on Friday morning at a vaccine centre located inside

At least 10,000 children in care were placed in potentially unsafe accommodation including caravans, tents and barges, a Sky News investigation has found.  Figures obtained under the Freedom of Information Act show that local councils used unregulated accommodation to house vulnerable children – even though these settings were not subject to inspection or regulation by Ofsted. Between January 2019 and December