UK

Liz Truss has ruled out launching an energy-saving public information campaign amid warnings planned three-hour power blackouts could be imposed in some areas. Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg is believed to have backed a £15m campaign this winter, with The Times reporting the idea was blocked by No 10. It said the campaign was seen as

The country has been put on notice that the chances of gas shortages this winter have risen markedly, prompting a contingency plan to prioritise heating. National Grid’s Electricity System Operator (ESO) warned that planned three-hour power blackouts could be imposed in some areas, in the “unlikely” event supplies of gas fall short of demand. It

The National Grid’s electricity system operator and gas system operator will release one of their regular winter outlook reports later. They are designed to set out supply and demand scenarios as the weather gets colder and energy consumption tends to peak. Amid an energy security and price crisis, this year’s outlook report has taken on

Three British rockets streaked into the sky towards Russian forces under attack in a key frontline town in eastern Ukraine. The target was a mobile Russian command post. A Ukrainian artillery officer said it would have been hit because his soldiers never miss. Sky News is the first to be granted permission to film a

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has urged his ministerial colleagues to keep their views on government policy “around the Cabinet table” as Liz Truss faces an open split within her top team over the 45p tax rate U-turn. The senior Cabinet member warned his peers that it is “always better to feed straight into the boss”

Liz Truss says she had “absolutely no shame” in performing a dramatic U-turn on the government’s plan to scrap the 45p higher rate of tax. The prime minister told Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby she “took the decision very rapidly” to axe the policy, which was “becoming a distraction” from the rest of the

Liz Truss is facing a fresh battle with Conservative MPs over a potential benefits squeeze and cuts to public spending, after already being forced into making a policy U-turn. The prime minister is under pressure to set out whether benefit payments will be uprated in line with inflation, or if they will face a real-term

The energy regulator has warned the UK is facing a “significant risk” of gas shortages this winter. The information, which was revealed in a letter sent from Ofgem last week and first revealed by The Times, spoke of the possibility of “gas supply emergency” measures to help preserve stocks due to the impact of Russia’s

Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng has confirmed that the government is axing plans to give the wealthiest 1% a tax cut following a bitter backlash from Tory MPs. Mr Kwarteng said in a tweet that the measure had become a “distraction” from his objection to grow the economy. He said: “We get it, we have listened.” Politics

Liz Truss has admitted that she “should have laid the ground better” for the government’s tax-cutting mini-budget after the pound slumped to a record low. The prime minister said she has “learnt from that” and “will make sure in future we will do a better job of laying the ground”. Ms Truss also doubled down

Buckingham Palace has released the first official photograph of the King and the Queen Consort standing alongside the new Prince and Princess of Wales. The picture was taken at the palace as the monarch and his wife were joined by William and Kate for a reception for Heads of State and official overseas guests. With

A man has been charged with the murder of nine-year-old Olivia Pratt-Korbel who was shot dead in her home in Liverpool. The Crown Prosecution Service said 34-year-old Thomas Cashman has been charged with the girl’s murder and the attempted murder of her mother Cheryl. Cashman has also been charged with the attempted murder of convicted

Prince William has called for improved online safety for children after a coroner ruled social media contributed to the death of 14-year-old Molly Russell. The Prince of Wales said: “No parent should ever have to endure what Ian Russell and his family have been through. They have been so incredibly brave. Online safety for our

Consumers are being warned they may be targeted by scammers as the government’s energy price guarantee comes into effect. Messages asking for people to provide personal or financial details to receive support should be treated as fraudulent activity, as no applications are required, the business secretary has said. The £400 Energy Bill Support Scheme will

Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng will meet the head of the UK’s independent fiscal watchdog today. The talks with the Office for Budget Responsibility come after a week of economic turmoil following last Friday’s mini-budget. It is highly unusual for a PM to attend an OBR meeting – but the Treasury has denied that this

Liz Truss has insisted “decisive action” by the government over its economic policies will help the UK going forward. Speaking to reporters, the prime minister said: “We have to look at what situation this country would be in if we hadn’t acted – people were facing fuel bills of up to £6,000, we had very

Prime Minister Liz Truss’s external adviser on the economy has told Sky News that the chancellor had “taken his eye off the ball” and “overstepped the mark” with his mini-budget. Gerard Lyons, who is often referred to as Ms Truss’s favourite economist, said Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng failed to adequately prepare the financial markets ahead of

Liz Truss is a “danger” to the economy and has “lost control” after the fallout from the government’s mini-budget, Sir Keir Starmer has told Sky News. Speaking to political editor Beth Rigby, the Labour leader stopped short of calling for the PM and her chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, to quit, saying it was a “secondary” issue.

Shoppers are paying a record 10.6% more for food than they were a year ago, figures show. Overall shop price inflation accelerated to 5.7% in September, up from 5.1% in August, in another record since the British Retail Consortium-Nielson IQ index began in 2005. Food price inflation rocketed past last month’s 9.3% to 10.6%, driven

Bank of England’s plain speaking will likely calm some of the volatility of the British economy Ian King Business presenter @iankingsky Central bankers are often accused of speaking in code or of making Delphic pronouncements. But the words today from Huw Pill, the Bank’s chief economist, could not be more clear. Mr Pill, who voted