UK

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

Boris Johnson can expect a torrid time today as he faces both Prime Minister’s Questions and the parliamentary Liaison Committee less than 24 hours after Rishi Sunak and Sajid Javid dramatically resigned as members of his cabinet. On Tuesday evening, his chancellor Mr Sunak and health secretary Mr Javid quit the government, leading to a

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

A Premier League footballer has been arrested on suspicion of rape. The footballer, who cannot be named for legal reasons, was arrested in north London. The Metropolitan Police confirmed an allegation of rape of a woman in her 20s was reported to police. The force said the alleged rape reportedly happened in June 2022. In

One person has died after an “inferno” at a block of flats in Bedford following a suspected gas explosion. Authorities fear more people may have lost their lives in the blaze on Redwood Grove. Earlier it was announced three people, including a firefighter, had been injured. Two of them suffered smoke inhalation and were taken

Motorists could face “serious disruption throughout the day,” police have warned, as protesters are expected to target motorways in a demonstration over high fuel prices. Roads across the country could see traffic jams as protesters call for a cut in fuel duty. They will target mostly three-lane motorways and result in slow-downs on two lanes,

Boris John made the “choice he thought was best” in appointing Chris Pincher to government and was “not aware of specific claims” about the Tory MP, a cabinet minister has insisted. Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey also rejected the idea there was a “problem with

Security tests for new airport workers are being completed in record time, ministers claim, despite travel disruption continuing to dog holiday plans. The time taken to vet new employees has been raised as one of the reasons for shortages in airport staff, contributing to thousands of flight cancellations, delays and missing luggage. Airports across the

Chris Pincher, who lost the Conservative whip after being accused of groping two men, said he is seeking “professional medical support” as he hopes to return to his duties as an MP “as soon as possible”. In a statement by the Tamworth MP, Mr Pincher said he “respected” the prime minister’s decision to suspend the

Frustrated travellers face more flight cancellations over the coming weeks, as airlines rush to re-work their schedules. The upheaval comes in response to last month’s announcement that an amnesty will allow airlines to cancel flights while still retaining take-off and landing slots next year. Airlines buy slots to operate their schedules but can lose them

A Tory MP accused of drunkenly groping two men has been suspended by the party. Chris Pincher has had the Conservative whip withdrawn at Westminster over the claims, forcing him to sit as an independent without the support of the parliamentary group. The 52-year-old resigned from his role as deputy chief whip and apologised after

People in some parts of England could be offered blood pressure checks in betting shops under the biggest shake-up of the NHS for a decade. Some 42 integrated care systems (ICSs) come into force today, bringing together GPs, hospitals, care services, and other local groups. Clinical commissioning groups, which previously controlled local health budgets, will

A 14-year-old sentenced to life in prison for murdering five-year-old Logan Mwangi has been named as Craig Mulligan. It is common for children in criminal cases not to be named, but a judge at Cardiff Crown Court has decided to lift an anonymity order in this instance. Earlier, Mulligan, along with Logan’s mother and stepfather,

Buckingham Palace is facing questions about why it won’t reveal more about the findings of an investigation into bullying allegations made against the Duchess of Sussex. The palace has confirmed a private investigation into complaints that Meghan had bullied members of staff had concluded, claims she has always denied. It confirmed the review had looked

The Prince of Wales accepting bags of cash for his charity “would not happen again”, a senior palace source has said. For the first time, one of Prince Charles’s senior aides has responded in detail to the reports that emerged at the weekend that between 2011 and 2015 the prince was handed €3m in cash

Nicola Sturgeon has set the date for a proposed “consultative referendum” next year on Scottish independence. To cheers and applause in the devolved parliament in Holyrood, the first minister said legislation will lay out plans for a vote to take place on 19 October 2023. It will ask the question: “Should Scotland be an independent