Politics

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

Sir Keir Starmer has set out his vision for a post-coronavirus Britain, declaring: “We can’t return to business as usual.” The Labour leader said the COVID-19 crisis had exposed the UK’s “fragilities” and must prompt a bout of national soul-searching, declaring now was a “moment to think again about the country we want to be”.

Face-to-face visits in care homes could resume within weeks as England’s lockdown is eased, a minister has suggested. Care minister Helen Whately told Sky News she wants to see a return to more “normal” visits as COVID-19 restrictions are relaxed. Latest coronavirus updates from the UK and around the world People would not have to

Boris Johnson has said he will be focusing on data and not dates when it comes to the easing of England’s coronavirus lockdown. The prime minister said Professor Dame Angela McLean was “absolutely right” to tell a committee of MPs earlier that the relaxing of COVID-19 restrictions should hinge upon “data, not dates”. Latest coronavirus

Every adult in the UK could receive both doses of a coronavirus vaccine by August or September “or maybe sooner if we need to”, the head of the country’s vaccine taskforce has told Sky News. Clive Dix, who runs the body which identifies and buys vaccines on behalf of the UK government, said he was

A phased return of pupils to classrooms in Scotland will begin on Monday, the first minister has announced. Nicola Sturgeon revealed the news in a statement to the Scottish parliament this afternoon, as she said the country’s lockdown would continue until at least the beginning of March. “The core stay at home requirement will remain