Politics

A record number of prisoners were released in error last year, as violence and self-harm rose in increasingly overcrowded prisons, new statistics reveal. In the 12 months to March 2024, 87 prisoners were released by mistake – 23% more in England and Wales than the previous year – making it the highest number ever recorded,

Robert Jenrick will join the race to run for Conservative Party leader this morning. The former minister is the third Tory to throw their hat into the ring to replace Rishi Sunak as leader of the party after he stepped down following a devastating loss at the general election three weeks ago. Mr Jenrick served

Sir Keir Starmer has insisted his government will “do difficult things” to tackle violence against women and girls following a Sky News report about sexual harassment in the ambulance service. At his first PMQs in his role as prime minister, Sir Keir was asked by Labour MP Charlotte Nichols how his government plans to tackle

Has Sir Keir Starmer overreacted by suspending seven Labour MPs who rebelled and voted to scrap the two-child benefit cap? Not according to the Labour leader’s inner circle, obviously. But many Labour MPs – and not just the left-wing “usual suspects” – were stunned at his response. In a recent interview with Sky News political

Seven Labour MPs have been suspended from the parliamentary party after voting against the government to call for the scrapping of the two-child benefit cap. Richard Burgon, John McDonnell, Imran Hussain, Apsana Begum, Zarah Sultana, Rebecca Long-Bailey and Ian Byrne have all had the whip suspended for six months, at which point the decision will

Rishi Sunak’s replacement as Conservative leader will be announced on 2 November, the Tory party has confirmed. The party said the former prime minister, who led the Conservatives to their worst-ever defeat on 4 July, will remain acting leader until that date. Nominations to succeed Mr Sunak will open on Wednesday at 7pm and will

The previous government was set to spend £10bn on the now-scrapped Rwanda scheme, the home secretary has revealed. Giving a statement in the Commons, Yvette Cooper said £700m of taxpayers’ money had already been spent on the scheme, which the Conservatives brought in to act as a deterrent to those travelling in small boats across

Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico’s Jack Blanchard are here with their guide to the day ahead in politics. On the morning after Joe Biden announced he would withdraw from the US presidential race, Jack and Sam talk about all the developments across the pond. And with about a week and a

A Treasury minister has said there is a cost to not striking a deal on public sector pay in the face of reported proposals for inflation-busting wage hikes costing billions of pounds. But speaking on Sky News’ Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips, James Murray insisted the Labour government’s fiscal rules were “non-negotiable” as he refused

Nail bars and car washes will be targeted by immigration officers as they step up enforcement action over the summer, the home secretary has announced. Yvette Cooper said 1,000 civil servants working on the now-abandoned Rwanda scheme will staff a new “returns and enforcement programme”. Writing in the Sun on Sunday, she said the programme

Independent pay review bodies have reportedly told ministers millions of public sector workers should be given a 5.5% increase in pay. The proposed above-inflation increase for teachers and around 1.3 million NHS staff, reported by The Times, is well above the figure the government is thought to have been preparing for. Sir Keir Starmer’s government

Labour’s Emily Thornberry, who was snubbed for a cabinet role by Sir Keir Starmer, is running to be chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, she has told Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast. Ms Thornberry, who served as shadow attorney general when Labour was in opposition, told political editor Beth Rigby she was “very sad” and

The suspension of UK funding for a UN relief agency working in Gaza has been overturned by the government. In January, the Foreign Office paused any future funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) after allegations surfaced that some members of staff had been involved in the 7 October attacks in Israel

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy will visit Number 10 on Friday as the UK government promises to lead a “crackdown” on Russian oil vessels. The Ukrainian leader, who has been in the country for the European Political Community (EPC) summit, will meet the whole of the new cabinet in Downing Street to brief them on the ongoing

The prime minister has announced £84m of new funding for African and Middle Eastern countries in an attempt to tackle the migration crisis “at source”. Speaking in a press conference at Blenheim Palace, where a raft of leaders have been meeting for a European Political Community (EPC) summit, Sir Keir Starmer said the new money

How do you stay up for 33 hours straight to cover a general election live on TV?  Sky’s political editor Beth Rigby says she got up as normal at 7am on Thursday, 4 July and survived until 2.30pm the next day with the help of Diet Coke, sushi, and her lucky red lipstick. Here she

Sir Keir Starmer has pledged to “get Britain building” in the King’s Speech. The prime minister vowed to accelerate the delivery of more housing and infrastructure projects by changing existing planning laws – something that featured heavily in Labour’s general election campaign. The King said: “My ministers will get Britain building, including through planning reform,

Wednesday will be the first time in 14 years that Labour has set the agenda for government. So, for Sir Keir Starmer’s new administration, this moment is rich in symbolism and in substance. It is the chance for his government to exercise its power and show momentum. Politics live: Wales’ first minister resigns The King’s

Vaughan Gething has announced he is quitting as Welsh First Minister after four members of his government resigned and demanded he left office. In a statement on Tuesday morning, Mr Gething said he had “taken the difficult decision to begin the process of stepping down”, and will now discuss a timetable for the election of

Sir Keir Starmer will today launch a “root and branch” review of the UK’s Armed Forces. It comes after the prime minister promised to “make sure our hollowed out armed forces are bolstered and respected”. The review will be led by former NATO general secretary Lord Robertson – who carried out a previous strategic defence