Politics

Boris Johnson has said he is “determined” to fulfil his Conservative Party’s winning 2019 mandate in his final few weeks as leader – as he refuses to back any one leadership contender. Speaking to broadcasters for the first time since his resignation last week, Mr Johnson said he will continue to “oversee the process” before

The number of Conservative MPs who can run to replace Boris Johnson could be narrowed down after changes to the party’s leadership contest rules. The new regulations mean MPs who put themselves forward to become leader of the Conservative Party will now need the backing of 20 other Tory MPs to get on to the

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has officially joined the race for the Tory leadership, with Home Secretary Priti Patel potentially set to announce her candidacy. A surprise entry has also been made by Foreign Office minister Rehman Chishti, meaning 11 Conservatives are now fighting to replace Boris Johnson as prime minister. Writing in the Telegraph newspaper,

Nadhim Zahawi has said he is “clearly being smeared” after questions were reportedly raised about his personal finances before his appointment as chancellor. The former education secretary and vaccines minister, who is vying to take over from Boris Johnson, told Sky News he had “always” paid his taxes and had “declared” them in the UK.

Four more Conservative MPs have joined the Tory leadership race, widening the field to eight. Nadhim Zahawi, the newly appointed chancellor, Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, and the ex-health secretaries Jeremy Hunt and Sajid Javid all announced their bids on Saturday. Earlier in the day Ben Wallace, who was the bookies’ favourite to succeed Mr

Grant Shapps, the transport secretary, has become the latest Conservative to announce a bid to become the next prime minister. Mr Shapps pledged to end “tactical government by an often distracted centre”. He joins a leadership race that includes the former chancellor Rishi Sunak, who announced his bid on Friday, vowing to “restore trust, rebuild

The first candidates have entered the contest to replace Boris Johnson with more hopefuls expected to throw their hats into the ring over the weekend. Last night, Rishi Sunak announced his bid on social media, promising to “restore trust, rebuild the economy and reunite the country”. The former chancellor, who spectacularly resigned on Tuesday evening

Rishi Sunak has announced he is standing to be the next prime minister after Boris Johnson’s resignation yesterday. Announcing his bid, Mr Sunak said the country faces “huge challenges”. “Let’s restore trust, rebuild the economy and reunite the country,” he posted on social media. The former chancellor resigned from his ministerial post on Tuesday evening,

Replacing Boris Johnson as prime minister needs to be done “properly and professionally, but quickly”, Education Secretary James Cleverly has told Sky News. But the cabinet minister ruled himself out as a candidate to become prime minister after Mr Johnson’s resignation effectively fired the starting gun on the Conservative Party leadership race. He also disagreed

Boris Johnson has announced his resignation as prime minister after less than three years in Number 10, saying: “No one in politics is remotely indispensable.” Speaking from Downing Street, he thanked the millions of people who voted Conservative at the last election, and said the reason he fought so long to remain in office was

Brandon Lewis has resigned as Northern Ireland secretary following Boris Johnson’s refusal to stand down, despite calls from some of his own cabinet ministers to do so. He tweeted this morning: “A decent and responsible government relies on honesty, integrity and mutual respect – it is a matter of profound personal regret that I must

Cabinet ministers – including the new chancellor Nadhim Zahawi – have sent the chief whip to Number 10 to tell Boris Johnson to resign, Sky News understands. The delegation of senior politicians, which also includes Transport Secretary Grant Shapps and Welsh Secretary Simon Hart, have told Chris Heaton-Harris than the PM’s position is untenable and

New Chancellor Nadhim Zahawi says it is “easy to walk away, but it is much tougher to deliver for the country” as he replaces Rishi Sunak in the Treasury. Speaking to Sky News’ Kay Burley on his first full day in the job, he said he backed Boris Johnson and that “the team in government

Boris Johnson has apologised for appointing Chris Pincher deputy chief whip, saying it “was a mistake” and “in hindsight the wrong thing to do”. The prime minister said sorry to “everybody who has been badly affected” adding, “I just want to make absolutely clear that there is no place in this government for anybody who

Sir Keir Starmer has ruled out rejoining the European Union as he laid out Labour’s plan to tackle issues caused by Brexit. Presenting a five-point plan to deal with Brexit, the Labour leader said his party has been “claiming the centre ground of British politics once again” while the Conservatives are “flailing around”. He said

Carrie Johnson openly questioned Chris Pincher’s suitability as a government whip as far back as 2017, Sky News understands. While communications director at CCHQ in 2017, Mrs Johnson (then Ms Symonds) questioned how Mr Pincher had ever ended up in the whips’ office in correspondence seen by Sky News. The exchanges followed Mr Pincher’s resignation