UK

Prince Andrew has had all of his military titles and royal patronages taken away – and will no longer style himself “His Royal Highness”. In a statement, Buckingham Palace said: “With The Queen’s approval and agreement, The Duke of York’s military affiliations and Royal patronages have been returned to The Queen. Please use Chrome browser

Boris Johnson has cancelled a visit to Lancashire today because a family member has tested positive for COVID, Downing Street said. A Number 10 spokesman said the prime minister will “follow the guidance for vaccinated close contacts, including daily testing and limiting contact with others”. It is not known which member of his family has

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has said Boris Johnson’s position is “completely untenable” following allegations that he and his wife Carrie were among around 40 people present at a Downing Street garden drinks party at the height of the UK’s first national lockdown. Ms Rayner told Sky News the prime minister has “not only broke

Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has demanded Boris Johnson “just answer the question” about whether he attended a “bring your own booze” event in Downing Street during the first COVID lockdown. Speaking to Sky News, a “furious” Mr Ross called on the prime minister to “settle this right now” as to whether he was present

Boris Johnson is facing calls to come to the Commons to explain how he came to attend a lockdown-busting “bring your own booze” party in the Downing Street garden As well as a Whitehall inquiry into allegations of several Downing Street parties during lockdowns in England, the prime minister could now also face a police

The prime minister and his wife Carrie attended a “bring your own booze” event in the Downing Street garden during the UK’s first national COVID lockdown. More than 100 employees in Number 10 were invited to the drinks on 20 May 2020. In what has been described as evidence of “more rule breaking at the heart

A judge has rejected Prince Andrew’s attempt to have the sexual assault lawsuit against him thrown out. US judge Lewis Kaplan refused to dismiss the case after hearing arguments from lawyers representing the royal and his accuser Virginia Giuffre. It means the royal will face a civil sex case trial later this year. The Duke

Michael Gove has refused to deny that free lateral flow tests could be phased out in the coming weeks, less than 24 hours after another minister told Sky News the government would “absolutely not” charge for the devices. The housing secretary told Kay Burley that lateral flow tests will be free for “as long as

A cabinet minister has said he is in favour of reducing the coronavirus isolation period from seven days to five – provided the move is backed by officials. Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sunday, Nadhim Zahawi said the issue is something that the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is looking at. Live COVID updates from

The scale of loss to COVID-19 is so vast, barely a community in the country can have been spared. In north London, John and Ida Sullivan have been suffering the pain of that loss for nearly two years. Their daughter Susan was one of the first to die from the virus, which has now claimed

The UK has recorded more than 150,000 COVID-related deaths since the start of the pandemic after the latest daily figures showed 313 further fatalities. It brings the total number of deaths reported within 28 days of a positive coronavirus test to 150,057. A further 146,390 COVID cases have also been reported, according to the latest

COVID booster jabs provide 90% protection against hospitalisation in the over-65s for at least three months, UK scientists have said. It means there is “no immediate need” for a fourth jab to be administered to vulnerable people, the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) said. Older adults who have not had a booster suffer a significant

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has been directly challenged by an unvaccinated hospital consultant over the government’s policy of compulsory COVID jabs for NHS staff. During a visit to King’s College Hospital in south London, Mr Javid asked staff members on the intensive care unit about their thoughts on new rules requiring vaccination for NHS workers.

Some 200 Armed Forces personnel are being deployed to support the NHS in London as hospitals grapple with staff shortages. Military medics will assist NHS doctors and nurses with patient care, while general duty personnel will help fill gaps caused by other absences. The Royal College of Nursing has said the deployment means the government

The epicentre of the current COVID outbreak has moved from London to the North West of England and more older people are being admitted to hospital, new data reveals. The UK Health Security Agency’s (UKHSA) latest surveillance report also shows that the uptake of booster jabs is slowing in every age group. Rates in the

Pre-departure coronavirus testing for people returning to England has been scrapped because it has “outlived its usefulness” amid the rapid spread of Omicron in the UK and around the world, the transport secretary has told Sky News. “Omicron is global, it is worldwide, everybody has it now, the proportion that comes in overseas is completely

The NHS is under pressure from COVID-19 hospitalisations, acute staff shortages and the normal strain from winter illnesses. Data from NHS England shows that this crisis in the health service is being exacerbated by the number of patients catching the virus after being admitted for a different reason. The percentage of patients in hospital with

“Around a million people” are currently isolating as a result of coronavirus, a minister has said, as Sky News understands an announcement on the relaxation of testing rules will be announced today. “We don’t actually collect that data on a daily basis, but it’s obvious if you look at how many people tested positive yesterday,

Key workers across several industries that keep the country running will be required to take COVID tests daily, the prime minister has announced. Boris Johnson said 100,000 workers “from food processing to transport to Border Force” will have to test every day they are in work from 10 January. The government will send lateral flow

Multiple hospitals have declared critical incidents amid warnings the NHS is “in a state of crisis” in the face of staff shortages caused by coronavirus and rising pressures. In a letter to Health Secretary Sajid Javid, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) said the NHS can “ill afford” the current level of absences as it