Politics

Further COVID restrictions in England are not expected this week thanks to people testing and getting their boosters, a cabinet minister has suggested. His confidence comes despite warnings from NHS leaders about an intensifying ‘health emergency’ as COVID admissions rise. Cabinet Office minister Stephen Barclay said there has been a “significant behaviour change” by the

Twenty Conservative politicians have urged Boris Johnson to scrap energy taxes as bills continue to rocket. The MPs and peers have written a letter in the Sunday Telegraph to ask the prime minister and Chancellor Rishi Sunak to help consumers facing “fuel poverty”. Energy prices in the UK are being forced up faster than any

Secondary school students in England are again being asked to wear masks in classrooms to help tackle the rise in Omicron coronavirus cases. The recommendation comes as the government pledges to keep face-to-face education going despite surging COVID-19 infections in England, with a record 162,572 new cases reported on Saturday. Masks will “maximise the number

New post-Brexit customs rules for goods arriving in Britain from the European Union have come into effect, changes that a leading food industry body has warned could cause disruption and potentially lead to food shortages. Importers must now make full customs declarations on goods entering the UK from the EU and other countries. Traders can

The medical chiefs leading the UK’s battle against coronavirus have been recognised with top awards in the New Year Honours list. England’s chief medical officer Professor Chris Whitty and his deputy Professor Jonathan Van-Tam have been given knighthoods, along with the chief medical officers for Wales, Dr Frank Atherton, and Scotland, Dr Gregor Smith. There

Boris Johnson has used his New Year’s message to claim that the UK finds itself in an “incomparably better” position than this time last year when it comes to coronavirus. In a message that will be posted on social media on Friday, the prime minister will say the country has met its target of offering

Newly-released files from the National Archives have revealed George W Bush’s worries over his experience, negotiations over Diana’s funeral, and mooted plans to redesign the House of Commons. Here are some of the key revelations from the release of Cabinet Office and Number 10 files from the first years of Tony Blair’s premiership between 1997

Boris Johnson has praised the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine for saving “many millions of lives” as the UK marks becoming the first country to approve the COVID vaccine exactly one year ago. On 30 December 2020, the Oxford/AstraZeneca shot became the second coronavirus jab approved by the UK’s independent medicines regulator – after Pfizer/BioNTech. To date, almost

Nicola Sturgeon has said it is her “expectation” that new COVID restrictions in Scotland will be in place until 17 January, as she urged people to “stay at home right now more than normal”. Since 27 December, nightclubs in Scotland have been forced to close unless they operate as a pub with table service and

Priti Patel has ordered a review of the laws surrounding crossbow ownership. Under current legislation, people over 18 can legally purchase or possess a crossbow without needing a licence or any checks. It is an offence for anyone under 18 to buy or keep a crossbow or for anyone to sell a crossbow to someone

The Commons Speaker has said he is in favour of allowing MPs to bring their babies into the chamber for debates as long as they don’t disrupt proceedings. Under the current rules, MPs can bring their young children with them when voting but not when participating in debates. But Sir Lindsay Hoyle has now said

Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng is to hold meetings with energy bosses today to address rapidly rising gas and electricity prices. Mr Kwarteng will meet with the bosses of major energy suppliers who are likely to ask the government for tax cuts and the relaxation of green levies. Last week, the industry’s trade body Energy UK

Jackie Weaver has revealed how her time in the spotlight this year “continues to feel like something that will not be here tomorrow” after going viral with a council meeting video. The 63-year-old became one of the most popular social media memes of the year after Handforth Parish Council’s infamous Zoom meeting went viral in

New restrictions are coming into force today in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland in a bid to curb rising coronavirus cases. Further rules have not been announced in England, with Boris Johnson saying before Christmas that the data is being monitored but as yet does not justify stricter measures. It is understood school closures are

The government will “look at all the data we have available” on Monday before making a decision on post-Christmas coronavirus restrictions in England, a senior government adviser has said. Dr Jenny Harries said any move on COVID rules next week will not be based on “simply what the epidemiology is saying”, but also “how it’s

Boris Johnson and Sir Keir Starmer have each issued a solemn Christmas message to the nation expressing sorrow at the heartbreak of families who have lost a loved one to COVID this year. The prime minister, who says a coronavirus booster jab would be a “wonderful” Christmas gift, has called for thanks for those looking

In the final episode of the All Out Politics podcast, Adam Boulton and guests review the political year of 2021. It was a 12 months dominated once again by the coronavirus pandemic but punctuated by Brexit, allegations of sleaze and questions about leadership. Joining Adam are The Times columnist and former Conservative MP Matthew Parris,

The police watchdog has decided not to investigate a complaint about how Scotland Yard handled allegations of a Downing Street Christmas party. The Metropolitan Police referred itself to the Independent Office for Police Conduct (IOPC) after Green Party peer, Baroness Jones of Moulsecoomb, raised concerns over the force’s response to the event. The alleged party,

David Cameron has suggested Prime Minister Boris Johnson may have hired his own team of professional photographers in an attempt to “bypass the media”. Speaking to Sky News presenter Adam Boulton for his new documentary Feral Beasts, the former Conservative prime minister said it is “important” for the country’s leaders to make themselves “always available”

Football fans won’t be allowed in stadiums and Hogmanay events will be cancelled as Nicola Sturgeon imposes new restrictions in Scotland from Boxing Day. Making a statement in the Scottish Parliament, the first minister said crowds at outdoor public events will be capped at 500 from Boxing Day for at least three weeks, while numbers