Politics

Rishi Sunak, a devotee of Nigel Lawson, believes in a smaller state, curbing borrowing, lower taxes and combating inflation.  Yet again, he delivered a major fiscal announcement where he did the opposite. Today’s £15 billion spending splurge expanded the role of the state with the advent of one-off financial transfers, could stoke inflation, add to

Boris Johnson’s chief of staff has brushed off the suggestion that a new package of cost of living help is timed to deflect attention from Sue Gray’s partygate report. Steve Barclay said that the government did not control when the report – laying bare drunkenness and partying in Downing Street – was published and that

Boris Johnson has insisted the UK needs to move on from partygate after the Sue Gray report revealed a slew of lockdown-breaching events at Downing Street. The prime minister said he took “full responsibility” for the scandal but defied renewed calls to resign as he sought to play down his personal involvement in the gatherings.

London mayor Sadiq Khan has written to the Met Police asking for a “detailed explanation” of its partygate probe – after claiming photos showed the PM was “caught red-handed” at an event for which he was not fined. Mr Khan said he had written to the Metropolitan Police’s acting commissioner Sir Stephen House to ask

London mayor Sadiq Khan has asked police for an explanation after “smoking gun” pictures emerged of Boris Johnson drinking at an event during lockdown – for which he was not fined. Mr Khan, who oversees policing in the capital, told Sky News’ Kay Burley that the pictures from a Downing Street leaving do in November

Photos have emerged of the prime minister drinking at a gathering allegedly during the second lockdown. The photos, obtained by ITV News, show Boris Johnson holding a glass with at least six other people around a table with several empty wine bottles, biscuits and crisps. In the series of photos, the group appear to be

Boris Johnson has received Sue Gray’s updated report into lockdown-busting parties held in Downing Street and across Whitehall, Sky News understands. The release of the senior civil servant’s full report had been delayed until the Metropolitan Police finished their investigation into COVID rule-breaking events at the heart of government – named Operation Hillman. The conclusion

The long-awaited Sue Gray partygate report is finally set to be published this week – with the deadline for Downing Street officials to object to being named in it passed. Reports have suggested the document, expected to be published in the coming days, will feature photographs of illegal gatherings. It was also reported that top

Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi has said he does not know who requested a meeting between the prime minister and Sue Gray over her partygate report, but is confident there was “no way” she would allow herself to be influenced by anybody. Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme, the cabinet minister also insisted

The education secretary says an alleged bullying incident in which an 11-year-old boy lost a finger is “sickening” – as he spoke of his own bullying ordeal as a child. Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News he was determined to “stamp out” racism in schools after youngster Raheem Bailey had his finger amputated following an alleged

Suggestions a meeting with the prime minister had been initiated by Sue Gray to discuss her long-awaited report into lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street has been rejected by her spokesman. It comes after Sky News revealed Boris Johnson had met the senior civil servant to discuss the findings of her inquiry. Sources had suggested this

Sue Gray and Boris Johnson had a private meeting to discuss the handling of the partygate report, Sky News can reveal. The pair discussed where Ms Gray believed the Metropolitan Police were with the inquiry, and Whitehall’s understanding of where the police were on interviews. The revelation of an undisclosed meeting is likely to trigger

Top civil servants across Whitehall are to be asked to draw up plans for how they would deliver personnel cuts of up to 40% in each of their departments, Sky News understands. Two senior government sources have said the Cabinet Office is poised to write to all permanent secretaries asking them to model what would

For five long months, the prime minister and his Number 10 team have been beset by the partygate scandal. From the revelations of multiple rule-breaking events in Downing Street and Whitehall, to the public and political fury that prompted a Whitehall and then a police investigation – the PM will emerge from all of this

The investigation into lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street and around Whitehall has concluded, the Met Police has announced. In all, police have made 126 referrals for fines relating to the partygate scandal – not all of which have yet been issued. Boris Johnson, his wife Carrie and Chancellor Rishi Sunak are among those that have

Rishi Sunak has said the government’s response to the cost of living crisis will “evolve” as the situation does – but failed to outline any immediate action. Addressing the Confederation of British Industry (CBI) in London, the chancellor admitted once more that the “next few months will be tough” and that ministers “stand ready to

Boris Johnson’s legislative programme outlined in the Queen’s Speech has been passed by MPs – despite some suggesting it should have contained more measures to help the poorest households amid the cost of living crisis. The speech, which was read least week by the Prince of Wales, was passed by MPs in the Commons by

Liz Truss has brushed off a growing clamour for a windfall tax on energy companies even as she admitted the UK was in a “very very difficult economic situation”. The foreign secretary, speaking to Sky News’s Kay Burley shortly after new figures showed inflation hitting a four-decade high of 9%, admitted the surge in the

A Conservative MP has been arrested on suspicion of rape and sexual assault offences spanning a seven-year period. Scotland Yard confirmed in a statement that a man aged in his 50s has been arrested on suspicion of indecent assault, sexual assault, rape, abuse of position of trust and misconduct in public office. The individual remains

A Cabinet minister has said he was “somewhat surprised” to hear the Bank of England warn of “apocalyptic” food price rises. Northern Ireland secretary Brandon Lewis was quizzed by Sky News’ Kay Burley on the comments made by BoE governor Andrew Bailey in a select committee appearance on Monday. Mr Lewis said: “I was somewhat