Politics

A government minister has been unable to guarantee that rioters who are sent to prison won’t be released early under a controversial scheme to ease overcrowding. Jonathan Reynolds, the business secretary, said the government had delivered an “incredibly swift and publicly visible” response to the riots that gripped the UK last week, including by publicising

Children will be taught how to spot extremist content and fake news online under proposed changes to the school curriculum, the education secretary has said. Bridget Phillipson said she is launching a review of the curriculum in both primary and secondary schools to embed critical thinking across multiple subjects and arm children against “putrid conspiracy theories”.

Junior doctors will begin voting later this month on whether to accept the government’s pay offer. The new Labour government has offered the medics in England a 22.3% average pay rise, which the British Medical Association (BMA) union is recommending is accepted by members. If it does pass, it would signal an end to the

A former Labour councillor has been charged with encouraging violent disorder. Ricky Jones, 57, was filmed addressing a crowd at a London demonstration on Wednesday evening, the Crown Prosecution Service said. Jaswant Narwal, chief crown prosecutor for CPS London North, said: “Jones was filmed addressing a crowd… during which he appeared to make remarks and

Sir Keir Starmer has told police chiefs to remain “on high alert” after anticipation of more disorder largely failing to materialise on Wednesday. The prime minister is understood to have told an emergency COBRA meeting that the levels of policing and swift justice in response to the past week’s unrest has “undoubtedly” worked as a

Male Labour MPs should back a woman when the party chooses a successor to Sir Keir Starmer, Harriet Harman has said. The veteran politician, who stepped down at the general election after 40 years in parliament, said it is “embarrassing and sort of shameful” that Labour has never had a female at the helm. Speaking

A suspended Labour councillor has been arrested after allegedly telling a protest that fascists needed to have their throats cut. Metropolitan Police confirmed the arrest in a tweet which included the original video of Ricky Jones, a local councillor in Dartford in Kent, appearing to make the comments. The force said: “Officers have arrested a

The government’s policing minister has warned there is intelligence more protests could happen in the next few days after concerns about violence last night did not materialise. Dame Diana Johnson said: “I am cautious about what happened last night. “It’s good that we didn’t see the level of disorder and criminality on our streets that

A Tory leadership hopeful has accused his rival of being “unwise and insensitive” after saying those who shout Allahu Akbar should be “immediately arrested”. Mel Stride took aim at his fellow Tory Robert Jenrick over the comments, telling Sky News: “I think the suggestion of wholesale criminalisation of the words Allahu Akbar is unwise and

Billionaire media baron Elon Musk is engaged in a war of words with Sir Keir Starmer over the role social media has played in riots around the UK. The X owner began to retweet posts a few days after the Southport stabbings and after the prime minister fired a warning shot to social media companies

Elon Musk has ramped up his row with the UK as he questioned if it was “Britain or the Soviet Union” after a man was apparently arrested over comments he made on Facebook. The billionaire owner of X has been engaged in a war of words with Sir Keir Starmer over riots gripping the UK,

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer today announced a new “standing army” of specialist police officers to get a grip on the ongoing violence. This is nothing to do with the actual army – which ministers have insisted is not required, because there are enough police to tackle the outbreaks. Forces sending public order officers to

The Metropolitan Police has said its commissioner was “in a hurry” after he grabbed a Sky News journalist’s microphone and threw it to the ground. Sir Mark Rowley grabbed part of the microphone and discarded it as he walked off after Sky News journalist Rob Catherall asked if he was “going to end two-tier policing”.

The home secretary has said prison places “are ready” for the “thuggish minority of criminals” rioting across the UK, ahead of an emergency COBRA meeting today. Yvette Cooper will hold the emergency meeting this morning following nearly a week of rioting in cities and towns across the UK. More than 140 people have been arrested

The prime minister has vowed to do “whatever it takes to bring these thugs to justice” as he addressed the nation amid rioting in UK streets. “I guarantee you will regret taking part in this disorder, either directly or those whipping up this disorder online,” Sir Keir Starmer said in a televised address. UK rioting

Robert Jenrick has said the political system he was part of is broken as he claimed he is the person who can change that as Tory leader. The former minister told a leadership race rally in his Newark constituency he wants to “breathe new life into our party” and will ensure it becomes a “mass

The cost of putting homeless people in temporary accommodation has soared by 25% for London councils in the past year as landlords sell up or choose private tenants, Sky News can reveal. Some councils in the capital are facing potential bankruptcy as the growing demand for homelessness services alongside increasing accommodation costs has meant local

The culture secretary has said BBC newsreader Huw Edwards should return his salary after he admitted accessing indecent images of children. Edwards was paid £200,000 after he was arrested in November while he was suspended by the broadcaster up until he resigned in April on medical advice. On Wednesday, the 62-year-old BBC veteran pleaded guilty

A senior Labour politician who lost their seat in a shock result on election night has hinted at a future to return to parliament. Jonathan Ashworth, the former Labour MP for Leicester South who was defeated by an independent candidate, told Beth Rigby’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast that he was “still around” and “not going anywhere”.

Robert Jenrick thinks the Tories can win at the next election – but he added the party has a “mountain to climb” and must show “where we went wrong”. The former immigration minister will formally launch his campaign for the Conservative leadership on Friday. He will say the Tories need to undergo “serious changes” to