Politics

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps has warned that a national rail strike could give a “heart attack” to a network already on life support. Mr Shapps also confirmed to Sky News’s Kay Burley that freight traffic would be prioritised ahead of passenger trains, to ensure that shelves are kept stocked, should the industrial action go ahead.

The “serious systemic failures” of the Afghanistan evacuation by the Foreign Office lowered the UK’s global standing, a cross-party group of MPs has said. A damning report from the Foreign Affairs Committee said Afghan allies and British soldiers were “utterly let down by deep failures of leadership” in the government during the August 2021 evacuation

A government minister has condemned anonymous briefing against Sue Gray, the senior civil servant preparing to publish her long-awaited report into Downing Street parties. Simon Clarke, chief secretary to the Treasury, was asked by Sky News’s Kay Burley to respond after the Daily Mail quoted an insider saying that she was “playing politics” and “enjoying

Civil Service job cuts of up to 40% are being examined as part of cost-saving plans at the Department for Education, Nadhim Zahawi has confirmed. The education secretary told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme that modelling across a range of scenarios was being carried out with a view to rein in spending, while

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

Former Conservative leader Sir Iain Duncan Smith has called for benefits to be immediately increased in line with inflation to help the poorest cope with the cost of living. The senior Tory MP also called for tax cuts for those in work to help “the squeezed middle”. “During the course of this spike, we should

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

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 Met Police’s investigation into lockdown breaching events at Downing Street and Whitehall has now concluded. They have issued, or will issue, 126 fixed penalty notices (FPNs) to 83 people, with some people getting up to five fines each. Having completed the investigation, the Met Police has now revealed details of how it was carried

The Liberal Democrat leader has claimed that Boris Johnson bears responsibility for a rotten political culture and that Tories are “dragging their feet” over rape claims against an MP. Sir Ed Davey told Sky News’s Kay Burley that the arrest of an unnamed Conservative over a series of allegations was “utterly shocking”. He said some

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

Ministers plan to introduce legislation to change Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trade arrangements in coming weeks as it faces a “very grave and serious situation”, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has announced. The government argues that without resolving problems caused by the Northern Ireland Protocol it will not be able to re-establish the Stormont power sharing executive

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

Boris Johnson has said the UK needs to “proceed with a legislative solution” to the Northern Ireland Protocol as an “insurance” in case a deal is not reached with Brussels. Speaking on an official visit to Northern Ireland, the prime minister said he would “love” for tensions over the arrangement to be ironed out “in

A government minister has suggested that people struggling with the cost of living should take on more hours or move to a better-paid job. Rachel Maclean, the safeguarding minister, told Sky News’ Kay Burley that those were some of the ways households could “protect themselves” as prices soar. She said that every minister was looking

The government is planning to publish legislation to override the Northern Ireland Protocol, but Sky News understands the cabinet has still not agreed the wording. The Democratic Unionist Party (DUP) are demanding the trade border in the Irish Sea, created by the treaty, be removed before they restore power sharing at Stormont. Sources close to

Business Secretary Kwarsi Kwarteng has said it is “absolutely right” the government is ready to tear up parts of post-Brexit trading arrangements in Northern Ireland. The cabinet minister also accused Brussels of being “unreasonable” in its approach towards the Northern Ireland Protocol. But Ireland’s foreign minister Simon Coveney said his country was also “frustrated” dealing

The first group of illegal migrants have been told they will be sent to Rwanda within a fortnight under the government’s controversial new immigration plans. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said 50 “illegal entrants into this country” have been served notice and will be relocated as part of a deal new signed by Home Secretary Priti