Politics

Terror group al Qaeda “will probably come back” in Afghanistan as the security situation continues to deteriorate, the defence secretary has told Sky News. Speaking to Kay Burley, Ben Wallace was highly critical of the US decision to withdraw troops from the country. It is almost 20 years since the invasion of Afghanistan was launched

More than 58,000 applications were made to the EU Settlement Scheme in the month after the deadline had passed, new Home Office figures reveal. EU citizens living in the UK had until 30 June to apply to stay in the country or lose their rights, under post-Brexit rules introduced by the government. This is due

GCSE results have hit record highs again this year. The proportion of UK pupils getting the top grades – that’s a 7 or higher, equivalent to at least an A – is 28.9%, an increase of 2.7% on last year. The overall pass rate also rose, with over three quarters – 77.1% – of pupils

Half a million teenagers are going to receive their GCSE results later today. Grades are going to be based on teacher assessments, and a report has warned that some parents may call for the exams to be scrapped permanently if more top grades are awarded. Education Secretary Gavin Williamson has congratulated “hard-working” students ahead of

More than three quarters of adults in the UK have now received both doses of a coronavirus vaccine, the government has announced. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said a total of 86,780,455 jabs have now been administered, with 89% of people having received a first dose and 75% two doses. Prime Minister

The education secretary has revealed he cannot remember what he got in his A-levels. Doing a round of media interviews on the day thousands of students got their results for this year, Gavin Williamson recalled the day he got his A-level grades 27 years ago. Live updates as students receive their A-level results But when

Universities that do not return to face-to-face teaching this coming academic year should not be charging full fees, the education secretary has told Sky News. Speaking to Kay Burley, Gavin Williamson said: “I think if universities are not delivering what students expect, then actually they shouldn’t be charging the full fees.” Live updates as students

The UK is “on track” to meet its “challenging” target of hitting net zero emissions by 2050, a minister has told Sky News. “I think it’s challenging, but I think we are on track, I think we’re doing quite well,” Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told Kay Burley about the goal. “If you look, since 1990

A minister has told Sky News he would like staff in his department to be coming into the office “at least” two or three days a week, after the government insisted it would follow a “cautious” approach to civil servants returning to their desks. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng was asked about his views on people

Hopes for a summer getaway are given a boost from today with a sizeable expansion of the government’s green travel list – and the return of holiday favourite France to the regular amber category. After a spell on the so-called “amber plus” list, France’s move back to amber means that fully vaccinated travellers returning from

Urgent action is needed to address climate change or the world will soon face “catastrophe”, the UK’s COP26 chief has warned. With just 85 days until the climate conference in Glasgow, minister Alok Sharma told the Observer that failing to act would have “catastrophic” consequences. “I don’t think there’s any other word for it,” said

People in England feel alienated from the “Westminster machine” because they feel they are “not being heard”, the Bishop of Burnley has told Sky News. Philip North, who has been bishop of the town since 2015, says Englishness is “in crisis” and has called for a strong local government. His comments come after the Archbishop

The prime minister is not expected to isolate after flying to Scotland this week with a member of his staff who has tested positive for COVID-19. Boris Johnson was on the same flight as the person but did not come within two metres of them, Sky News understands. A Number 10 spokesman said: “The prime

Boris Johnson has refused to apologise after he said Margaret Thatcher gave the UK a “big early start” in its battle against climate change when she closed coal mines in the 1980s. The PM’s official spokesperson told reporters Mr Johnson recognises the “huge impact and pain” caused by the closure of coal mines – but

Alok Sharma, climate minister and COP26 president, is under fire for flying to dozens of countries since the start of the year. Mr Sharma made 30 international trips in the last seven months, including to six countries which are on the government’s COVID-19 red list, the Daily Mail has reported. According to the newspaper, half

Contracts that have already been agreed for work in the North Sea “should not just be ripped up”, the prime minister has said. But Boris Johnson said there was a need to “transition as fast as we reasonably can” away from oil and gas. The prime minister was asked about whether plans for fossil fuel

People will be able to go on holiday “without looking over their shoulders the whole time”, Grant Shapps has said, as he promised that the next set of travel changes will not come “for another three weeks”. The transport secretary told Kay Burley on Sky News that while ministers must “always keep an eye on

Predictably, it was the JVT show. Wouldn’t we all want the reassuring, straight-talking and authoritative Jonathan Van-Tam as our GP? His bedside manner would make the sickliest patient feel better. No wonder he’s so popular on the Mumsnet forum! A veteran of Downing Street COVID news conferences now, England’s deputy chief medical officer is so

Some 1.4 million teenagers will be offered a coronavirus vaccine, with ministers expected to expand the programme. The vaccine is already available to children aged 12 and over if their health leaves them at higher risk, or if they live with an immunosuppressed person. Sky’s chief political correspondent Jon Craig said: “What is going to

Boris Johnson has declined Nicola Sturgeon’s invitation to meet for talks while he is in Scotland this week. The first minister had invited the prime minister to her official Edinburgh residence, Bute House, to discuss their plans for recovering from the COVID-19 pandemic. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world But in