UK

Health Secretary Steve Barclay has said there is a “good supply” of penicillin after a senior pharmacist warned “there’s no drugs”. Pharmacy director Zeshan Rehmani criticised the Department of Health for being “out of touch” after it mooted proposals to give antibiotics to children in schools to help fend off illnesses including Strep A –

A five-year-old girl who died after contracting a Strep A infection has been named by her school as Stella-Lily McCorkindale. The P2 pupil attended Black Mountain Primary School in Belfast, which sent a letter to parents on Friday, addressing the “tragic loss” and sending thoughts to the pupil’s family and friends. In a statement on

Antibiotics could be given to children at schools affected by Strep A to stop the spread of the infection, schools minister Nick Gibb has said. Mr Gibb told Sky News that the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) is “working closely with the schools involved and giving very specific advice to those schools which may

A young child has died after being diagnosed with Strep A – the eighth to have been killed by the bacterial infection in recent weeks. The latest victim was a pupil at Morelands Primary School in Waterlooville, Hampshire. An invasive form of the Strep A bacterial infection has spread across the UK in recent months,

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to abolish the House of Lords in his first term if he were to be elected prime minister. Speaking to Sky News, the Labour leader confirmed his party “do want to abolish the House of Lords“, adding that he does not think anybody could “defend” the institution. Sir Keir told

England cruised past Senegal 3-0 in their first World Cup knockout match, with a mouth-watering clash against holders France awaiting them in the last eight. Two quick-fire goals – the first from Jordan Henderson, the second from Harry Kane – put Gareth Southgate’s side in control going into the half-time break, after what had been

The government is considering deploying the army to help ease possible strike disruption over Christmas, Conservative Party Chairman Nadhim Zahawi has confirmed. Mr Zahawi told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday programme that military personnel could be “driving ambulances” and working on UK borders under the proposals. The Conservative Party chairman also suggested that pharmacists

A Year 8 pupil at a school in southeast London has died after contracting Strep A – as another bereaved family revealed the symptoms their son experienced in his final days. Colfe’s School wrote to parents on Thursday to inform them a student had died after developing the infection. Sky News understands that the pupil

Less mixing between children due to the pandemic could have caused a drop in immunity to infections such as Strep A, a leading expert has suggested. Six children have died in the UK after being found to have the bacterial infection and there have been more cases than normal this year. Most Strep A cases

There have been five recorded deaths within seven days of an invasive Strep A diagnosis in children under 10 in England this season, the UK Health Security Agency has said. A child under the age of 10 has also died in Wales after contracting the infection. Group A strep bacteria can cause many infections, ranging

A black domestic abuse campaigner who was repeatedly asked where she “really came from” by Prince William’s godmother said she felt abused, verbally attacked and “trapped”. Ngozi Fulani, founder of the charity Sistah Space, works as an advocate for survivors of domestic abuse and described the exchange as a “violation”. “I was not giving the

The Prince and Princess of Wales’ first overseas trip since the Queen’s death has been overshadowed by controversy at home. William and Kate arrived in Boston yesterday for a three-day visit before the Earthshot Prize, the prince’s environmental awards ceremony, on Friday. Hours earlier, the prince’s godmother resigned from her duties at Buckingham Palace after

Prince William’s godmother has resigned from her duties at Buckingham Palace after making “unacceptable” comments at a reception hosted by the Queen Consort. Lady Susan Hussey, 83, quit after asking Ngozi Fulani, chief executive of Sistah Space, where she “really came from” during a reception at the palace on Tuesday. A spokesperson for her godson

Labour has comfortably won the Chester by-election, the first public vote since Boris Johnson and Liz Truss were forced out of Number 10. Samantha Dixon retained the seat for her party with 17,309 votes, a 61% share and nearly 11,000 more than the Conservative candidate. Labour was expected to win, but the margin was bigger

Royal Mail workers, university lecturers and sixth-form college staff will walk out over pay disputes today as strikes continue across the country. Picket lines will be mounted outside universities, colleges and Royal Mail centres in one of the biggest walkouts on the same day. Royal Mail has warned that the postal strikes will “hold Christmas

England have qualified for the World Cup knockout stages after beating Wales 3-0 in Qatar. Unfortunately for Wales, the loss at the Ahmad bin Ali Stadium has brought their first World Cup appearance since 1958 to an end. The Three Lions now stand at the top of Group B, followed by the USA, who have

Rishi Sunak has said the “golden era” between the UK and China is over as he called for a new approach to the Chinese government. The prime minister, speaking at the Lord Mayor’s Banquet at London’s Guildhall, criticised China’s human rights abuses but said the UK “cannot simply ignore China’s significance in world affairs”. Mr

Fifty migrants who have arrived in the UK this year have been diagnosed with diphtheria, the immigration minister has revealed, with the vast majority being reported in the last two months. Robert Jenrick told MPs that the number has increased significantly since he first gave an update on 1 November. The latest UK Health Security

Three people have been arrested after the bodies of two babies were found at a house in South Wales, police have said. Two men aged 37 and 47, and a 29-year-old woman, were arrested on suspicion of concealing the birth of a child and they remain in custody, South Wales Police said. An investigation was

The murders of two 16-year-old boys who were stabbed to death just a mile apart in London are linked, according to police. The two victims have been named as Kearne Solanke and Charlie Bartolo. Investigators are trying to trace a dark-coloured SUV type vehicle “with distinctive silver roof bars”, seen in the area in the