Politics

The House of Lords has voted to remove parts of the government’s Brexit legislation that ministers have admitted will allow them to break international law. In two votes, peers voted overwhelmingly (433 votes to 165, majority 268, and 407 votes to 148, majority 259) to strip out the controversial clauses in the UK Internal Market

Lord Kilclooney has been reported to the Commissioner for Standards and the Lords Speaker after referring to vice-president elect Kamala Harris as “the Indian” on Twitter. It is not the first time Lord Kilclooney, a cross-bench peer, has been accused of racism, after he previously described then-Irish prime minister Leo Varadkar as “a typical Indian”.

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted that a post-Brexit trade deal with the European Union is “there to be done”, as the end of the transition period looms. A deal would need to be agreed by mid-November to allow time for ratification but talks had stalled in recent months, with both sides struggling to reach

Boris Johnson has said America is the UK’s “closest and most important ally” – and that “won’t change” under a new president. Congratulating both Joe Biden and Kamala Harris on their US election victory, the prime minister said the two countries would work together to support democracy and combat issues such as tackling climate change.

European diplomats have been told that there are still “fundamental differences” in the hunt for a Brexit trade deal and that the UK has “blocked” progress in key areas while trying to run down the clock. The EU‘s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, briefed representatives from all 27 member states on Wednesday afternoon. The meeting

Boris Johnson and EU chief Ursula von der Leyen have agreed their negotiating teams will continue talks next week as both acknowledged “significant differences” remain. Downing Street said it would enable the two sides to “redouble efforts” to reach a deal as the end of the transition period looms. The talks will resume in London

Boris Johnson has said he has “every confidence in the checks and balances of the US constitution” as Donald Trump makes unsubstantiated claims of voter fraud in the country’s election. The US president has been an ally of Mr Johnson after backing him to become prime minister and supporting his position on Brexit. Asked if

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab is self-isolating after recently being in “close contact” with someone who tested positive for coronavirus. The cabinet minister will have to self-isolate for a period of 14 days, in line with government and NHS rules. Mr Raab will continue to work remotely, a spokesman said, during a time when the result

Four weeks of lockdown in England is “enough” to make a “real impact” on coronavirus infection rates, Boris Johnson has said. The prime minister spoke at a Downing Street news conference alongside NHS chief executive Sir Simon Stevens, which was held on the first day of England’s second national lockdown. Pubs, bars, restaurants and non-essential

Boris Johnson will hold a COVID-19 briefing later today after England entered lockdown for the second time. The prime minister will be joined at 5pm in Downing Street by Sir Simon Stevens, the chief executive of NHS England. No new measures are expected to be announced but the pair will reflect on the new restrictions

England will enter a fresh month-long lockdown from tomorrow after MPs approved the new shutdown. In a House of Commons vote on Wednesday, MPs supported the new coronavirus measures by 516 to 38, a majority of 478. It means that, from one minute past midnight, pubs, bars, restaurants and non-essential shops will close across England

In his cricketing heyday, when the larger-than-life all-rounder Ian “Beefy” Botham came out to bat at Lord’s, he emptied the bars. But in his debut at another Lords, for his maiden speech in parliament’s upper house, the newly-ennobled Baron Botham had to make do with a video-link. And to make matters worse for a cricketing

Nicola Sturgeon has called for clarity over whether the furlough scheme will be extended beyond 2 December in Scotland if needed. Scotland’s first minister made the call after Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick told Sky News’ Kay Burley it would be a decision for the chancellor to take after the nationwide lockdown in England ends at

Threat levels are designed to give a broad indication of the likelihood of a terrorist attack. There are five different threat levels, with the Joint Terrorism Analysis Centre (JTAC) responsible for deciding at which level the UK should sit. Image: JTAC is based at MI5’s headquarters in London The five terror threat levels are: Low

Boris Johnson is facing the wrath of religious leaders of all faiths over his decision to ban church services and other forms of worship during the national lockdown. In an angry and emotional letter to the prime minister and all MPs, nearly 1,200 church ministers of all Christian denominations say they are “baffled”, “dismayed” and

Senior cabinet ministers have sown confusion over the new lockdown rules for England, which are due to come into force on Thursday. Michael Gove, the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster, issued an apology for wrongly suggesting people in England might be able to continue playing tennis or golf. Downing Street has also been forced