Politics

Boris Johnson’s most senior communications adviser addressed staff and handed out awards on the night of the alleged Downing Street party, it is understood. Jack Doyle, the director of communications in Number 10, thanked staff working there “like he does every week”. Downing Street Christmas parties: How many events are now under investigation and when

The Prime Minister and his wife Carrie Johnson have announced the birth of their second child, a baby girl. In a statement, a spokeswoman for the couple said: “The prime minister and Mrs Johnson are delighted to announce the birth of a healthy baby girl at a London hospital earlier today. “Both mother and daughter

Boris Johnson is facing mounting pressure from senior backbenchers over an alleged lockdown Downing Street Christmas party and the move to “Plan B” COVID restrictions. Conservative former chief whip Mark Harper led the criticism against the government as Health Secretary Sajid Javid told the Commons further measures were being brought in from Friday, including vaccine

Boris Johnson has apologised after footage emerged of senior Number 10 officials joking and laughing about a Downing Street Christmas party last year during a time of strict COVID restrictions. Facing MPs for the first time since the video emerged, the prime minister said he was “furious” and has asked the Cabinet Secretary to investigate.

Labour has accused Number 10 staff of “laughing” at the British public after footage emerged of Downing Street officials joking about a Christmas party during a time of strict COVID restrictions. In a video recording of what ITV News reported was a rehearsal for a TV media briefing, senior Number 10 aides were filmed talking

The early indications are that the Omicron variant of coronavirus is more transmissible than Delta, the prime minister has said. Boris Johnson made the comment as he updated his team of ministers on the latest COVID-19 situation at a cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning. Live COVID updates from the UK and around the world “The

Damning claims from a whistleblower about failures during Britain’s evacuation from Afghanistan will be presented to MPs today. The government is accused of being unprepared for a huge number of cries for help from Afghans at risk because of their links with the UK. Some of those Afghans have since been murdered, it is alleged.

The FDA union has lost a High Court challenge over Boris Johnson’s decision to back Priti Patel following accusations that she bullied staff. The prime minister decided last year that the home secretary did not breach the ministerial code by bullying members of her team. This was despite an investigation by the then independent adviser

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has told Sky News he is to call in police after claims that drug abuse is rife in the Houses of Parliament. Sir Lindsay is demanding a drugs crackdown – including sniffer dogs prowling the corridors – amid growing evidence of cannabis and cocaine being used openly. Allegations include a

All international arrivals to the UK will again be required to take pre-departure COVID-19 tests to tackle the spread of the new Omicron variant, the health secretary has announced. The rule applies to all travellers visiting the UK or returning from a holiday, regardless of vaccination status, and will come into force from 4am on

Scotland Yard is “considering” complaints from two Labour MPs about Christmas parties held in Downing Street last year that allegedly broke coronavirus regulations. The Metropolitan Police said that while it does not routinely look into “retrospective breaches of the COVID-19 regulations”, it would “consider the correspondence received”. Backbenchers Neil Coyle and Barry Gardiner have asked

The Metropolitan Police has not received any complaints about an alleged party in Downing Street last year when indoor socialising was banned under COVID restrictions, the force’s commissioner has said. It has been reported this week that a large party was held on 18 December last year where around “40 or 50” people were crammed

Britons have been urged to “keep calm and carry on with your Christmas plans” despite fears over the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden told Sky News that people should continue to go to the pub and dine at restaurants during the festive season, as he said the government had taken “sufficient”

Downing Street have confirmed “in-person events” such as parties will be held in the lead up to the festive period as a Cabinet minister urged Britons to “keep calm and carry on with your Christmas plans”. A Number 10 spokesperson told Sky News celebrations will be held across Whitehall in the run up to Christmas

France has rejected the idea of a joint British-French patrol in the English Channel to deal with the rising number of migrant crossing – but said Paris officials are “ready to pursue our operational cooperation” with the UK. Writing to Boris Johnson, French Prime Minister Jean Castex told his British counterpart that his country “cannot

Former cabinet ministers who remain in parliament earn an average of £162,000 on top of their MP salary from the private sector in their first year after leaving government, Sky News research has found. The figure, arrived at by analysing data from the register of members’ interests between 2015 and 2021, excludes earnings from media

MPs have given up second jobs worth more than £250,000 per year in the wake of Westminster’s sleaze row. Fresh scrutiny of MPs’ outside earnings in recent weeks appears to have prompted some to end their other employment away from the House of Commons. A recent update to the register of financial interests reveals Julian

A number of social gatherings were held in Downing Street in the run-up to Christmas last year while indoor mixing was banned in London under COVID restrictions, Sky News understands. Following reports that a large party was held in late December, it has also emerged that Number 10 staff gathered after work and drank alcohol

Boris Johnson has said “all guidance was followed completely” as the prime minister was accused by Sir Keir Starmer of hosting a “boozy party” in Downing Street last Christmas despite COVID rules that were in place at the time. The Labour leader said Mr Johnson was “taking the British public for fools” as the pair

The government plans to offer booster vaccines to everyone over the age of 18 by the end of January, Boris Johnson has said. Speaking at a Downing Street news briefing on Tuesday, the PM said the rollout of booster programme will go in age order, and that there will be more than 1,500 community pharmacy