COVID has still got a “long, long way” to go and is “still very serious” despite some optimism the end is in sight in Europe, the World Health Organisation’s special envoy on the virus has told Sky News. Dr David Nabarro said “it’s as though we’re just passing the halfway mark on a marathon” and
UK
Nusrat Ghani made history in 2018. Standing at the famous Commons spot that has been occupied by generations of politicians, she became the first Muslim woman to speak as a minister from the despatch box. Colleagues cheered as the Kashmir-born MP got to her feet. For many, this was the most visual sign of a
Boris Johnson met Tory MP Nusrat Ghani in 2020 following her claim she was sacked over her “Muslimness” – and “invited” her to make a formal complaint, Number 10 has said. The prime minister’s official spokesman said Mr Johnson held a meeting with Ms Ghani after she claimed a Tory whip told her her faith
The chief whip has said an MP’s claims that she was sacked as a minister because of her Muslim faith are “completely false”. Nusrat Ghani, the 49-year-old MP for Wealden in East Sussex, was sacked as transport minister in a February 2020 re-shuffle. Ms Ghani said she was told by a whip, who she did
Police will meet with a Conservative MP who has alleged that government figures have been engaging in “intimidation” that amounts to “blackmail” against Tories who have questioned Boris Johnson’s position. A Scotland Yard detective will talk with William Wragg next week about his allegation, which comes as the prime minister is under pressure over a
The UK Health Security Agency has designated the Omicron variant sub-lineage, known as BA.2, as a variant under investigation – with current case rates very low. Just 53 sequences of the sub-lineage had been identified in the UK by 10 January, the HSA said. The health body said further analysis will be undertaken. BA.2 does
Babes in the Wood killer Russell Bishop has died at the age of 55, the Ministry of Justice has said. The murderer died in hospital from cancer after being rushed there from HMP Frankland in County Durham. He was found guilty of murdering two nine-year-old girls in a Brighton park in 1986. He was jailed
Bury South MP Christian Wakeford’s defection from the Conservative Party to Labour has left voters questioning whether there will now be a by-election in his constituency. The MP was elected in 2019 to the Greater Manchester constituency with a slim majority of 402 in a seat that had been Labour since 1997. His announcement that
The health secretary has said COVID could be with us forever but he hopes all restrictions can be lifted by March. Sajid Javid added that we “may well” need an annual coronavirus vaccination, the day after the government announced working from home advice had ended and Plan B restrictions would be lifted next Thursday. He
Work from home guidance, COVID passports and mandatory wearing of face-masks will be scrapped in England, as Boris Johnson announced the lifting of Plan B measures. The prime minister said people will no longer be told to work from home “from now on”, and from Thursday next week mandatory mask-wearing and COVID certification will end.
Inflation climbed to 5.4% last month, its highest rate since March 1992, as Britain’s cost of living squeeze intensified, official figures show. The consumer price index (CPI) measure of inflation, up from 5.1% in November, was higher than economists had expected. It comes a day after official data showed wage rises for UK workers are
Boris Johnson will face a confidence vote in his leadership of the Conservative Party after enough MPs submitted letters calling for a contest. It will take place between 6pm and 8pm this evening in the House of Commons and an announcement is expected about an hour after the vote closes. After months of speculation, it
Boris Johnson is set to announce an easing of Plan B coronavirus restrictions in England. The prime minister will go through the latest COVID-19 data on Wednesday morning with his ministers, before making a statement to MPs. Mr Johnson’s Commons announcement comes as pressure continues to mount over parties and gatherings held in Downing Street
Dominic Raab has said he does not recognise the “caricature” about Number 10 as he denied there was a drinking culture in Downing Street. The deputy prime minister told Sky News while he was running the country, as Boris Johnson was in hospital with COVID, the staff at Number 10 worked “phenomenally hard under gruelling
Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser has said the prime minister knew in advance about a Downing Street drinks party during the first coronavirus lockdown and agreed that it could go ahead. In an updated post on his Substack page, Dominic Cummings said he raised his concerns about the event in the Number 10 garden in
Amazon has announced that it will not stop accepting Visa credit cards for UK payments later this week as had been planned. In an email to customers, the online retailer said it was “working closely with Visa on a potential solution”. The move had been due to take effect on 19 January with Amazon blaming
Prince Andrew has been accused of “victim blaming” and “gaslighting” after his lawyers asked for Virginia Giuffre’s mental health records – including confidential notes from her counselling sessions. The Duke of York’s legal team want to question Ms Giuffre’s psychologist Dr Judith Lightfoot about her “alleged emotional and psychological harm and damages”. His lawyers have
Prince Harry has filed a claim for a judicial review over a Home Office decision to not to allow him to privately pay for police protection for himself and his family during a visit to the UK. A legal representative for Harry said he wants to bring his son Archie and seven-month-old baby daughter Lilibet
Young people aged 16 and 17 in England will able to get a COVID booster jab from Monday, it has been announced. Around 40,000 teenagers will be eligible for their third dose when the national booking service opens at the start of the week as part of the latest phase of the UK’s vaccine programme.
Sir Keir Starmer is turning up the heat on Boris Johnson on Downing Street drinking after new allegations of “wine time Fridays” in Number 10. In a major speech, the Labour leader will claim the partying allegations of the past few days reveal that the prime minister is guilty of “deceit and deception” and unable