Politics

Boris Johnson was left “bamboozled” by the science around COVID, according to the government’s then chief scientific adviser. Extracts from Sir Patrick Vallance’s diaries were shown to the official inquiry into the handling of the pandemic on Monday, with several references to the prime minister’s difficulty in getting to grips with the data he was

Nigel Farage made his debut on I’m A Celebrity… Get Me Out Of Here! by sticking his head through the window of a campervan filled with snakes and rummaging around in gunk. The former UKIP and Brexit Party leader was taunted about Brexit before he was chosen by the public to take part in the

An MP found guilty of racial abuse has announced he will stand down at the next election. Bob Stewart, who has represented the London constituency of Beckenham since 2010, revealed his decision in a brief statement on X, formerly Twitter, which made no reference to the recent court case. Following his conviction, the 74-year-old surrendered

The chancellor has warned “difficult decisions” need to be made to “reform the welfare state” as he mulls introducing controversial tax cuts in next week’s autumn statement. Jeremy Hunt said there is “no easy way to reduce the tax burden” following reports he’s looking to slash inheritance tax and levies on businesses. Tax levels are

A Labour MP and member of Sir Keir Starmer’s shadow cabinet says she has been left “shocked”, “angry” and “frightened” after her constituency office was vandalised. Shadow Welsh secretary and Cardiff Central MP Jo Stevens’ office was sprayed with the word “murderer” and covered with posters saying she had “blood” on her hands, following a

Rishi Sunak has vowed to “take on” anyone who is “standing in our way” regarding the government’s plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda. The prime minister struck a combative tone following the Supreme Court’s ruling on Wednesday, which found the policy – a key tenet of Mr Sunak’s pledge to stop small boat crossings

Public sector borrowing reached the second highest level for any October since records began, according to official figures, casting doubt on the prime minister’s pledge to cut debt and the chancellor’s capacity to cut taxes. Public sector net borrowing was £14.9bn last month, £4.4bn more than the same point last year and the second highest

A group of Tory MPs plans to write a letter to Rishi Sunak demanding his “emergency legislation” to revive the Rwanda deportation scheme overrides human rights laws. Sky News understands the New Conservatives group – a cohort of predominantly red wall MPs on the right of the party – will demand the legislation be “over-engineered”

One of the most quoted pieces of folk wisdom is that “voters don’t like divided parties”. The implication is that a political party which can’t keep its own house in order is unlikely to be trusted to run the country. This month epic disunity has been on display in both the government and the opposition.

Jeremy Hunt has said there is “no guarantee” deportation flights to Rwanda will take off next year – in an apparent climbdown on the government’s position. On Wednesday Rishi Sunak said three times the flights would take off by spring, despite the Supreme Court’s ruling that the asylum scheme is unlawful. Follow live: James Cleverly

The blocked Rwanda deportation scheme is “already having an effect” in deterring people smugglers, according to Home Secretary James Cleverly. Speaking to Sky News, Mr Cleverly did not seem deterred by yesterday’s ruling by the Supreme Court that the plan to send asylum seekers to the central African nation was unlawful. Politics live: Eight Labour

Rishi Sunak has said he will introduce emergency legislation to make sure his Rwanda plan is not blocked again – and insisted “flights will be heading off in the spring as planned”. After the Supreme Court ruled the flagship asylum policy is unlawful, the prime minister said he had been working on a new international

Suella Braverman has accused Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of having “manifestly and repeatedly failed to deliver” on key policies in a scathing letter after being sacked as home secretary. In an explosive attack, she said she only accepted the job in September last year because she was given “firm assurances” he would prioritise issues like

The government’s flagship immigration policy, known as the Rwanda plan, is hanging in the balance this morning as ministers wait for the judgement of the highest court in the land. But what is the scheme? Why is it so controversial? And how has it ended up in the judicial system? The Rwanda plan was first

Rishi Sunak will meet with his new cabinet today after a dramatic shakeup of his top team saw David Cameron make an unexpected return to frontline politics. In a major gamble to revive his faltering premiership, the prime minister gave the former Tory leader a peerage in order to make him foreign secretary. It means

David Cameron has been appointed as foreign secretary as a cabinet reshuffle kicks off in Downing Street. The former prime minister was seen entering Number 10 this morning, shortly after Rishi Sunak began changing his top team. Follow live for updates and analysis on reshuffle Mr Cameron is no longer an elected politician as he

Pressure is mounting on Rishi Sunak to sack Suella Braverman after she was accused of stoking tensions ahead of Armistice Day violence. The home secretary’s current job hangs in the balance with speculation rife in Westminster that Mr Sunak could carry out a ministerial reshuffle as soon as this week. It comes as reports suggest

A veteran cabinet minister has refused to say whether Suella Braverman will still be home secretary in a week’s time. Asked about Ms Ms Braverman on Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps said that a “week is a long time in politics” – and that he would not be making any predictions.

Suella Braverman has been accused of emboldening far-right protesters who clashed with police in London on Armistice Day. It follows calls for the home secretary to be sacked after branding pro-Palestinian demonstrations, including one planned for Saturday in central London, “hate marches” and accusing the police of “double standards” in the way they handle protests.

Deepfake audio of Sadiq Khan that has circulated on social media “does not constitute a criminal offence”, the Metropolitan Police has said. The digitally generated audio, using the London mayor’s voice and mannerisms, purports to be a recording of him playing down the importance of Remembrance weekend commemorations. A spokesman for the mayor said the