UK

Two million eligible people will be invited to receive a COVID-19 booster jab from the NHS this week, as the government seeks to see off a sharp rise in cases without introducing Plan B measures. Calls for the reintroduction of masks, social distancing and working from home continued over the weekend, but ministers have so

Insulate Britain has pledged to restart its road-blocking protests despite legal injunctions which mean its members risk being fined or jailed. Earlier this month the organisation announced it was temporarily suspending its “campaign of civil resistance” which had caused chaos by blocking major roads around London. But a spokesman said that “there are things happening”

Health leaders have urged the government to introduce “some kind of Plan B” with emergency departments in a “terrible place” amid rising levels of coronavirus infections. Dr Katherine Henderson, president of the Royal College of Emergency Medicine, warned ministers that hospitals are “already struggling to cope” and that medical professionals are worried about the winter

Boris Johnson has repeated his call for those eligible to get their COVID-19 booster jabs over the coming weeks, insisting vaccines are the UK’s “way through” the pandemic. The prime minister has resisted calls from health leaders to implement the government’s Plan B for managing rising infection rates this winter, which would see tighter restrictions

The nation is “dilly-dallying into lockdown” and action should be taken now to avoid much tougher COVID restrictions later, a government scientific adviser has warned. Professor Stephen Reicher told Sky News that vaccines are “not quite enough” on their own and “other protections” are needed now to tackle coronavirus. His concerns have been echoed by

Boris Johnson has said there is “absolutely nothing to indicate” the country will enter a new lockdown this winter, although he added the government would “do whatever we have to do to protect the public”. On a visit to a vaccination centre in west London on Friday, the prime minister repeated his call for those

Five police officers from four different forces are facing disciplinary action over messages about Wayne Couzens. Couzens received a whole-life prison sentence last month after admitting to the kidnap, rape and murder of Sarah Everard. Now, two officers from the Metropolitan Police, and one from each force in Sussex, Dorset and Avon and Somerset are

The Queen spent a night in hospital after cancelling a visit to Northern Ireland, Buckingham Palace has said. A spokesman added: “Following medical advice to rest for a few days, the Queen attended hospital on Wednesday afternoon for some preliminary investigations, returning to Windsor Castle at lunchtime today (Thursday), and remains in good spirits.” It

The UK has recorded another 49,139 new COVID cases and 179 virus-related deaths, the latest figures show. The cases figure is the highest since 17 July, when there were 54,674 cases. A total of 320,594 cases have been recorded in the last week – an increase of 17.2%. The figures show there were another 42,902

The Queen has “reluctantly accepted medical advice to rest for the next few days” and will not be travelling to Northern Ireland today, Buckingham Palace has said. “Her Majesty is in good spirits and is disappointed that she will no longer be able to visit Northern Ireland, where she had been due to undertake a

The UK has recorded 223 COVID-19 deaths within 28 days of a positive test in the biggest daily jump since early March. A further 43,738 coronavirus cases were also recorded. It is the biggest jump in daily deaths from COVID-19 since 9 March, when 231 people died within 28 days of a positive test. Please

Rising COVID-19 cases heading into winter “suggest this peak could be as serious as the last”, the UK’s former chief scientific adviser has warned. Sir David King was speaking to Sky News a day after 49,156 cases were reported – the highest since mid-July. Cases have been regularly over 40,000 in the last week –

Sky News has obtained CCTV footage showing a man understood to be Ali Harbi Ali walking along a north London street just hours before the killing of Conservative MP Sir David Amess. The 25-year-old man, who has been arrested on suspicion of the murder of Sir David Amess, is seen walking slowly along the pavement

A 25-year-old man has been charged with the murder of Conservative MP Sir David Amess. Ali Harbi Ali has also been charged with the preparation of terrorist acts after the MP died from “serious injuries” at the Essex church he was holding a routine constituency surgery at last Friday, Met Police assistant commissioner for special

The deputy prime minister has said online hate is “out of control” but a wedge should not be put in between MPs and their constituents after the murder of Sir David Amess. Dominic Raab called for the vilification of MPs to stop as he paid tribute to the “big-hearted” Sir David, who was stabbed to

The family of Sir David Amess has said they are “absolutely broken, but we will survive” following the murder of the MP on Friday. They have also urged people to support the causes Sir David championed, as well as ask everyone to set their differences aside and show “kindness and love” to one another following