Politics

England will enter a fresh month-long lockdown from tomorrow after MPs approved the new shutdown. In a House of Commons vote on Wednesday, MPs supported the new coronavirus measures by 516 to 38, a majority of 478. It means that, from one minute past midnight, pubs, bars, restaurants and non-essential shops will close across England

The race for a COVID-19 vaccine is edging towards the finishing line, but we still don’t know how far off a winner is. Kate Bingham, the head of the UK Vaccines Taskforce told MPs on the Science and Technology Committee that – if she put on her rose-tinted specs – she can see the first

Boris Johnson will today urge MPs to approve England’s new lockdown – but the prime minister is continuing to face a backlash from his own Conservative MPs over the fresh shutdown. Following a 90-minute debate on the new national measures, the House of Commons will on Wednesday afternoon vote on whether to give a second

Nicola Sturgeon has called for clarity over whether the furlough scheme will be extended beyond 2 December in Scotland if needed. Scotland’s first minister made the call after Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky News’ Kay Burley it would be a decision for the chancellor to take after the nationwide lockdown in England ends at

Self-employed workers will be able to claim government support worth 80% of trading profits as England prepares to enter a new lockdown, Boris Johnson has announced. Ahead of the new national measures coming into force on Thursday, the prime minister used a House of Commons statement to warn of an “existential threat” to the NHS

Sir Keir Starmer has launched an attack on the chancellor – blaming Rishi Sunak for delaying a second coronavirus lockdown. “Make no mistake, the chancellor’s name is all over this,” the Labour leader told the Confederation of British Industry conference in London. Live coronavirus updates from the UK and around the world Please use Chrome

Boris Johnson will tomorrow insist the national lockdown in England will end on 2 December, despite a member of his cabinet indicating the new measures could be extended beyond that date. Growing numbers of senior Conservative backbenchers have signalled their opposition to the measures due to come into effect on Thursday, while Labour have said

England is to enter a second national lockdown from Thursday, Boris Johnson has announced, as a second wave of coronavirus cases continues to grow. In a speech on Saturday the prime minister detailed new the new rules which will be in place from 5 November until 2 December. Here is that speech in full: Thank

England is to be placed under stricter nationwide restrictions from Thursday in an attempt to slow down the spread of coronavirus. Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced the new measures just after confirmed COVID-19 cases passed the one million mark across the UK. The new restrictions will initially be imposed from 0001 on 5 November until

A second national lockdown. It was something that the prime minister said would be a “disaster” for this country and something he vowed to do “everything in his power” to avoid. But now Mr Johnson is poised to announce exactly that. The measures are still under discussion – with a cabinet meeting planned this afternoon

“Every child has the right to be fed,” says charity worker Helen Needham as she packs tins and fruit into white plastic bags. “No child should be going hungry in 2020 and we have a responsibility to make sure that doesn’t happen.” At Foleshill Community Centre in north Coventry, they’ve registered 500 new individuals for

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has told Sky News he was “disappointed” in his predecessor Jeremy Corbyn’s response to a damning antisemitism report – but has insisted there is “no reason for a civil war” in the party. Mr Corbyn was suspended from Labour on Thursday – a move he condemned as “political intervention” –

Days after being involved in a minor road accident which left his car dented and scratched and a Deliveroo cyclist with an injured arm, Sir Keir Starmer is on collision course with the Labour left. But while his car can be repaired and the cyclist’s arm will hopefully heal speedily, the Labour leader is now

Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn has been suspended from the party and has had the whip removed. A party spokesman said: “In light of his comments made today and his failure to retract them subsequently, the Labour Party has suspended Jeremy Corbyn pending investigation. He has also had the whip removed from the Parliamentary Labour

Big family reunions may be banned at Christmas in England as the coronavirus second wave could last until March, a senior minister has warned. Justice Secretary Robert Buckland said people should prepare now for the “realistic” prospect that high numbers of COVID-19 cases and deaths continue, so a normal festive period “won’t be achievable”. His

The government is in danger of leaving it “too late” for a short national lockdown to be effective in driving down the rate of coronavirus infections, a member of its scientific advisory group has warned. Professor Andrew Hayward, from UCL’s institute of epidemiology and a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), told Sky News