Politics

Boris Johnson is facing a showdown with Conservative backbench COVID-19 lockdown rebels in the second Commons recall of the Christmas recess. A day which begins with a 90-minute interrogation for the prime minister by COVID critics is likely to end with a Tory rebellion in a vote on the latest lockdown in England. In between,

It was the only thing that could pause a country binge-watching boxsets in 2020; a teatime appointment-to-view event that interrupted whatever we were doing and gripped a nation. The Downing Street coronavirus updates gave us 121 episodes last year, launching on Monday 16 March and ending on Wednesday 30 December. Analysing those briefings gives an

A nationwide lockdown will be introduced in Scotland from midnight tonight, Nicola Sturgeon has announced. The first minister told the Scottish Parliament there will be a legal requirement for people to stay at home for the rest of January, with schools remaining closed to most pupils until the start of February at the earliest. “It

Tougher measures are coming in a bid to control the spread of coronavirus, the prime minister has said. Boris Johnson said there were “tough, tough” weeks ahead in the UK’s fight against COVID-19. He added: “If you look at the numbers there’s no question we will have to take tougher measures and we will be

The prime minister knew, walking into his first broadcast interview of 2021, that he would face some difficult questions. In the last 24 hours alone, teaching unions have warned their members not to take classes face-to-face because of fears over the rate at which COVID-19 is spreading, a record number of new cases has been

Boris Johnson has said “there is no doubt in my mind that schools are safe” in areas where they are open – as he warned of tighter restrictions in the coming weeks. As pressure mounted on the prime minister to keep all of England’s schools closed when the new term starts, Mr Johnson insisted education

Labour’s shadow culture secretary Jo Stevens is being treated in hospital for COVID-19, her team has said. A statement on the 54-year-old MP’s Twitter account said: “Jo has asked us to let you know that she is being treated in hospital for Covid. “Thanks for all your good wishes we will give an update when

The smooth start to post-Brexit border operations may be the “calm before the storm”, industry bosses have warned. The first day of January marked the first day of a new trading relationship between the UK and the EU. There had been fears it would create chaotic scenes at ports, with outbound lorries now subject to

Staff at schools have a legal right not to return to classrooms due to the spread of COVID, a leading union has said – while another has started legal proceedings against the Department for Education. The National Education Union (NEU) has said all primary schools should remain closed for at least two weeks following the

As the Pride of Kent eased its way towards the port in Calais, it was making history. The first ferry to have crossed the English Channel in 2021; the first to carry lorries that were travelling under the umbrella of new rules and regulations. What happened next was exactly as you might have predicted. Image:

The UK has begun a new relationship with the European Union with the Brexit transition period coming to an end. Despite leaving the EU on 31 January last year, the UK has remained subject to the bloc’s rules as a member of the single market and customs union. However, this ended at 11pm and the

The education secretary has told Sky News he is “absolutely confident” that secondary schools will be able to carry out mass testing with an extra week to prepare. Defending the decision to push back the return of pupils to secondary schools and colleges, Gavin Williamson told Sky News the move was about “rooting out coronavirus

Boris Johnson has said the UK’s destiny “now resides firmly in our hands” as his Brexit trade deal cleared Parliament and entered into law. It comes after MPs overwhelmingly approved the deal to pave the way for the UK-EU agreement to come into force at 11pm today, when the current Brexit transition period – during

Boris Johnson has hailed the “astonishing speed” with which the UK-EU trade deal was agreed and says the agreement “demonstrates how Britain can be at once European and sovereign”. It comes as MPs debate the deal ahead of a vote which could see the agreement ratified by parliament by the end of the day. If approved,

Boris Johnson will claim the Brexit trade deal agreed on Christmas Eve represents “not a rupture but a resolution” of relations between the UK and Europe, as he urges MPs to back the legislation that will put it into law. The government intends to pass the EU Future Relationship Bill through parliament at break-neck speed

The post-Brexit trade deal between the EU and UK has brought “a little stability” but there are still some elements of the bloc’s future relationship with Britain to determine, Brussels’ chief negotiator has said. Michel Barnier, who led trade negotiations with the UK on behalf of the EU, told French radio on Tuesday his team