Politics

2022 has been a tough year, in which the UK has often been hit harder than its peer countries in the G7 – the club of the world’s wealthiest democracies. Russia’s bloody attack on Ukraine led to dramatic spikes in energy costs. A global cost of living crisis has been driven by soaring inflation and

Rishi Sunak has hired the Spectator’s political editor, James Forsyth, as his political secretary. The move comes as the PM continues bolster his top team in Downing Street in the hope of overturning recent negative polling results for the Conservative Party. It is understood that Mr Forsyth’s role will be to act as a link

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has branded Rishi Sunak’s visit to a shelter “excruciating” after he asked a homeless man if he works in business. Mr Sunak visited the homeless shelter in London run by The Passage on Friday and praised the “fantastic” work that the institution is carrying out during the festive period. The

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has sent Christmas wishes to the UK and thanked Rishi Sunak’s government and the public for their support as Ukraine’s war against Russia continues. In an earlier message, the prime minister had posted a short video on social media with the message: “This Christmas, we’re with you Ukraine.” Responding, Mr Zelenskyy posted:

Rishi Sunak has said he is “sad and disappointed” that strikes are threatening to disrupt Christmas getaways. The prime minister admitted setting public sector pay was a “difficult question” but insisted that “the government has acted fairly and reasonably in accepting all the recommendations of the independent public sector pay review bodies”. However, he did

Rishi Sunak has appointed a new ethics adviser after a six-month vacancy – but the prime minister is facing criticism for maintaining the power to veto any investigation into ministers. Mr Sunak was under pressure to fill the role after promising to bring “integrity, professionalism and accountability” to government when he entered Downing Street. The

People aged 16 will be able to apply to change their gender in Scotland, while the time required for someone to live in their acquired gender is to be slashed to three months after a controversial bill was passed. After two long days of debate in the Scottish Parliament, the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill

Rishi Sunak has warned the Taliban the “world is watching” after it banned women in Afghanistan from attending university. Taliban security forces in Kabul have been blocking women from entering universities after the group instructed public and private universities across the country on Tuesday to immediately suspend access to female students until further notice. The

The government’s Brexit scheme that means EU citizens must reapply for the right to live and work in the UK is unlawful, the High Court has ruled. The EU Settlement Scheme opened in March 2019 and meant all EU citizens who wanted to remain in the UK after the Brexit transition period ended on 31

Thousands of ambulance workers in England and Wales are going on strike today – with NHS leaders warning that they cannot guarantee the safety of patients. Speaking to Sky News, Health Secretary Steve Barclay said the system would be “under severe pressure” due to the strike, and urged Britons to use “common sense in terms

Rishi Sunak has repeatedly refused to say whether the UK would have to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) to deliver his government’s plan for removing asylum seekers who arrive illegally. Making his debut appearance at the Commons Liaison Committee, the prime minister was asked by the SNP’s Joanna Cheery whether the UK

Conservative MP Bob Stewart has said he made “a mistake” after he was caught on video telling a human rights activist to “go back to Bahrain”. In video footage obtained by Sky News, Sayed Alwadaei, the director of the Bahrain Institute for Rights and Democracy (Bird), confronts the veteran Tory MP outside a reception hosted

Suella Braverman has defended the government’s plan to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda after the High Court ruled earlier today that the scheme is lawful. Making a statement in the Commons, the home secretary said the Rwanda policy is a “humane” and “practical alternative” for those who come to the UK through “dangerous, illegal and

Health Secretary Steve Barclay is understood to be writing to the unions to request fresh talks over strike action – but sources say he still won’t discuss increasing their wages. Both nurses and ambulance workers are set to stage walkouts this week amid ongoing anger over pay and working conditions. The chief of the Royal

The government’s outgoing adviser on violence against women has accused the home secretary of “normalising hate” that black people get on Twitter with her rhetoric on immigration. Nimco Ali, who announced she was leaving her role as an independent adviser at the Home Office earlier this month, accused Suella Braverman of “normalising hateful rhetoric”. Asked

Union bosses have criticised plans to deploy 1,200 troops to cover strikes, but the prime minister has hit back by calling them “Grinches” who “want to steal Christmas”. Union chiefs claim the military are not “sufficiently trained” to guard the country’s borders or drive ambulances, and that they should not be put in such an