Politics

Rishi Sunak has announced that more than £2bn will be invested in over 100 projects across the UK through the levelling up fund – with £19m going to his own constituency. Reinforcing his commitment to levelling up the country, the prime minister promised the latest round of funding would “build a future of optimism” by

The inevitable Commons row over Rishi Sunak blocking the Scottish Gender Recognition Reform Bill quickly descended into a pantomime. And not just because the SNP’s Westminster leader, Stephen Flynn, and his MPs repeatedly mocked the Scotland secretary, calling him “Baron Jack”. That’s a reference to widely reported claims that Alister Jack is on his way

Thousands of nurses will go on strike today as a bitter pay dispute with the government continues. Nursing staff from more than 55 NHS trusts will take part in industrial action on Wednesday and Thursday following two days of action in December. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has announced that two further, bigger strikes

The education secretary has criticised a teaching union for planning to go on strike, telling Sky News: “Our children don’t deserve it.” Speaking to Kay Burley, Gillian Keegan said she was “very disappointed” after members of the National Education Union (NEU) voted in favour of industrial action, with thousands of staff set to walkout next

A controversial anti-strike bill has moved a step closer to becoming law – hours after teachers and nurses announced fresh walkouts. Under the government’s draft Strikes (Minimum Service Levels) Bill, the right to strike would be restricted by imposing minimum service levels and bosses would be legally able to fire employees who ignore a “work

The High Court has granted an appeal against its own ruling last month that the government’s scheme to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda is lawful. The controversial policy was introduced under Boris Johnson, but has been pushed forward by his successors as part of their plans to tackle small boats crossings in the Channel. Campaigners

Rishi Sunak plans to give wider powers to the police to tackle “highly disruptive and dangerous protests”. In an announcement on Monday, the prime minister will pledge to amend the already controversial Public Order Bill to “broaden the legal definition of serious disruption”. A government statement said it would give officers “greater flexibility and clarity

The health secretary claims the disparate level of emergency cover during recent ambulance strikes could not be “relied upon to ensure patient and public safety”. In a letter to the GMB union sent ahead of further strikes this month, and seen by Sky News, Steve Barclay accepted all areas that staged walkouts ensured the most

More nurses strikes that would see twice as many workers take action will be announced for February if talks with the government do not progress soon, union bosses have warned. The Royal College of Nursing (RCN) union said that new walkouts would be announced should negotiations over pay remain stalled by the end of January.

Ambulance workers have written to Rishi Sunak accusing his government of “demonising” them in order to justify new anti-strike legislation. The letter from paramedics and other members of the GMB union said they were “appalled” at some of the statements from ministers in recent days and that “targeting ambulance workers for a deliberate attack is

Rishi Sunak is preparing to block laws in Scotland that make it easier for people to change gender, Sky News understands. The move would be an unprecedented intervention in 25 years of devolution and is likely to spark a new constitutional row with Holyrood. The Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill was passed by a majority

Scotland is to gain two new freeports in Cromarty Firth and the Forth, which Downing Street says will help to create over 75,000 new, high-skilled jobs. The UK and Scottish governments have jointly confirmed that Inverness and Cromarty Firth Green Freeport and Forth Green Freeport have been successful in their bids to establish new green

Boris Johnson has become the number one most donated to MP this parliament after receiving a single donation of one million pounds. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer had previously been the most donated to MP with £740,000 in multiple donations, Sky News’ Westminster Accounts tool showed. But the money from Brexiteer and crypto investor Christopher

Two dozen MPs since 2016 have been paid for second jobs through personal service companies they have set up, a Sky News investigation has found. It means these MPs can exploit the fact that tax rates on companies differ from those on employment, enabling them to reduce their tax bills on second jobs. This practice

The “scandal” of MPs’ earnings from second jobs and donations exposed by Sky News’ Westminster Accounts project “needs to end” through “root-and-branch” reform, the SNP has said. The party’s Westminster leader Stephen Flynn told Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates that the findings of the investigation should “ring alarm bells for everyone” and demonstrate

Prominent backbencher Andrew Bridgen is no longer a Conservative MP after he compared the COVID vaccine to the Holocaust. Mr Bridgen claimed COVID vaccines “are causing serious harms” and said the programme was “the biggest crime against humanity since the Holocaust”. Tory Chief Whip Simon Hart said: “Andrew Bridgen has crossed a line, causing great