Politics

Grant Shapps and Mark Harper are the most trusted public faces of this government, according to new research for the Politics at Jack and Sam’s podcast. On this week’s edition of the Sky News and Politico podcast we reveal which members of the cabinet are put up for the daily breakfast round – appearing on

David Cameron has called for a “sustainable ceasefire” in the escalating Gaza conflict – adding to growing global pressure on Israel. The home secretary’s intervention saw him warn that “too many civilians have been killed”. It sees the UK follow Joe Biden’s White House in expressing unease about the failure of Benjamin Netanyahu’s administration to

Rishi Sunak has said illegal migration threatens to “overwhelm” Europe and hinted a change is needed in international law in order to tackle it. Speaking to Italian conservatives at an event in Rome, the prime minister said “enemies” could use immigration as a “weapon” by “deliberately driving people to our shores to try to destabilise

Former Tory MP Scott Benton has said he will appeal his recommended suspension from the House of Commons and intends to make a formal complaint over it. The Blackpool MP was suspended from the parliamentary Tory party in April after being caught in a sting by The Times suggesting he would be willing to break

Just Stop Oil protesters who gathered outside the home of Sir Keir Starmer to sing climate change-inspired Christmas carols have been told not to return to the area for three months after being dispersed by police. In footage shared on X, protesters were asked to leave the area surrounding the Labour leader’s house in north

A ban on social media use for under-16s has been branded “speculation” – but the government must “continue to look at” the need to protect children, a minister has said. Science minister Andrew Griffith dismissed as “speculation” reports that social media access could be curbed for some young people as part of a “potential consultation”

Rishi Sunak is facing another by-election after the Commons standards committee recommended MP Scott Benton be suspended from the chamber for 35 days. Mr Benton was suspended from the parliamentary Tory party in April after being caught by The Times suggesting he would be willing to break lobbying rules for money. In its ruling handed

Rishi Sunak has publicly disagreed with an Israeli ambassador, who told Sky News the country rejected the idea of a two-state solution. It is the long-standing position of the UK government that there should be an independent Palestinian state established alongside the existing one of Israel – giving both peoples their own territory. But asked

Less than 1% of people who have arrived in the UK on small boats since 2020 have been returned to their home country, new statistics reveal. The numbers showed that when Albanians were taken out of the figures – as the UK has signed a separate returns agreement with the country – just 408 people

The government is still hoping it will be able to start flying asylum seekers to Rwanda in the spring, according to the home secretary. James Cleverly confirmed his aims to Sky News the morning after the government managed to keep its Safety of Rwanda bill alive despite a rebellion of more than 20 backbench MPs.

Rishi Sunak has avoided a damaging Tory rebellion over his flagship Rwanda bill in a crunch vote in the Commons. The totemic legislation, which aims to revive the stalled £290m deportation scheme after the Supreme Court ruled it unlawful, has been backed by MPs at its second reading by 313 votes to 269, a majority

Conservative rebels are meeting later to decide how they will vote on Rishi Sunak’s Safety of Rwanda bill. The prime minister met with some of those threatening to shoot down the totemic legislation for breakfast in Downing Street on Tuesday morning. Mr Sunak was hoping to convince the group – including the likes of Jonathan

The One Nation group of centrist Tory MPs have recommended its members vote for the government’s Rwanda bill tomorrow. It comes after MPs on the right of the party earlier today suggested they may not support the legislation. The faction of about 100 One Nation MPs met this evening to discuss their concerns that the

After appearances from Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and a range of Downing Street advisers, it is now time for Rishi Sunak to be questioned at the official COVID inquiry. We take a look at what questions the prime minister – who served as chancellor throughout the pandemic – is likely to face. Please use Chrome

Rishi Sunak will be challenged at the COVID inquiry on claims that government scientists branded him “Dr Death” – and called his scheme to kickstart the economy “Eat Out to Help Out the Virus”. The inquiry has also been told that Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s chief adviser in Downing Street at the time, claimed Mr

The government is “not contemplating” an early general election because ministers are “confident” the Rwanda bill will be approved by MPs, Michael Gove has told Sky News. Speaking to the Sunday Morning with Trevor Phillips programme, the cabinet minister said the emergency legislation was “a tough but also proportionate measure”. The levelling up secretary also

Rishi Sunak has attacked Labour’s illegal migration policy as Sir Keir Starmer accused the Conservatives of “fighting like rats in a sack” over the Rwanda bill. The prime minister called on Labour to “rise above political games” and back the emergency legislation when it comes before the Commons on Tuesday, despite battling to convince his

Robert Jenrick has said the government’s Rwanda bill is too weak and will still mean a “merry-go-round” of legal challenges. The former immigration minister quit this week over the new law – designed to speed up deportations and deter people from crossing the Channel on small boats. Mr Jenrick, writing in The Daily Telegraph, said

The Home Office’s most senior civil servant has been summoned to give evidence to a committee of MPs on Monday after he revealed the cost of the government’s Rwanda plan had risen by £100m – despite no planes having taken off. Ministers signed the deal with the African nation in 2022, with the aim of

Two people have been arrested after Sir Keir Starmer was confronted by pro-Palestine activists in Glasgow. The Labour leader was met by activists holding Palestinian flags as he arrived at Glasgow Central Station on Thursday evening. Sir Keir has faced criticism over his stance on the Israel-Hamas war since voting against a ceasefire in Gaza