Politics

The Indian tech firm in which Rishi Sunak’s wife owns shares believed to be worth hundreds of millions of pounds is closing its office in Russia, Sky News understands. The chancellor’s wife Akshata Murthy has a 0.91% stake in Infosys, a company founded by her father, which had continued to operate in Russia since the

Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is “right to ask for answers”, a leading MP said as he launched a select committee inquiry into the government’s handling of her six-year Iran hostage ordeal. Ms Zaghari-Ratcliffe, 43, and fellow British-Iranian national Anoosheh Ashoori, 67, were released last month after the UK agreed to settle a £400m debt with Tehran dating

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has urged Rishi Sunak to “come clean” over whether his wife benefits from investments in Russia. The chancellor has come under pressure over his wife, Akshata Murthy, having a 0.91% stake in Infosys, a company founded by her father, which continues to operate in Russia. Mr Sunak has described the

Sir Keir Starmer called for voters to send a message to Boris Johnson over his “pathetic” response to the cost of living crisis – as he launched Labour’s local election campaign. The party is focusing on the crunch facing UK households – which it says it would partly mitigate through a plan to take £600

A second Cabinet minister has admitted that lockdown laws were broken during the partygate scandal – even after Boris Johnson refused to do so. International trade secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan conceded that people who have been referred for fines by police investigating events in Downing Street and Whitehall had “broken the regulations”. Ms Trevelyan’s comments on

Boris Johnson has refused to admit to criminality in Downing Street as he was grilled by MPs after fines were issued over the police’s partygate investigation. The prime minister came under pressure, during questions from the Commons liaison committee, to concede that this week’s announcement of 20 fixed penalty notices by the Met Police meant

Dominic Raab has defended Downing Street staff who were under “incredible pressure” after police investigating the partygate scandal began to announce fines for lockdown breaches. The deputy prime minister admitted that “there were clearly things that were got wrong” but said the prime minister had since overhauled the Number 10 operation. Mr Raab’s comments come

Russian-born newspaper mogul Evgeny Lebedev has said he supports Labour’s call for information on the decision to give him a peerage to be made public as he has “nothing to hide”. Boris Johnson has denied that advice was overruled to award the Russian businessman and owner of the Independent and Evening Standard newspapers a seat

Twenty fines could be issued to 20 people in the coming hours over events held in Downing Street and Whitehall during lockdown, Sky News understands. The fines will be issued by detectives investigating the “partygate” scandal. It is believed these punishments are only the first, and more are expected as more than 100 people were

Rishi Sunak has been forced to defend his spring statement over claims that it failed to help the poorest in a testy appearance before MPs. The chancellor was questioned about his decision not to match benefits, due to rise by just 3.1% in April, to the surge in inflation to an expected 8% this spring.

Pupils falling behind in English and maths will be given extra support under new plans set out by the education secretary – but the move was criticised as a “damp squib” by a teachers’ union. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News that the strategy would help those who did not have the “wherewithal” to

The government plans to take a 20% stake in a new nuclear plant in Suffolk in a move to bolster the country’s energy security against a backdrop of global instability and a cost of living crisis. The French power giant EDF is also to take a 20% share in the delayed £20bn Sizewell C project.

Vladimir Putin and his henchmen face a “day of reckoning” with evidence of war crimes having been committed in Ukraine, a cabinet minister has said. It was also “absolutely right” that strict sanctions against Russia should remain in place until the Kremlin withdraws its forces following the “illegal invasion”, Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News. Russia

The High Court has found that the Home Office acted unlawfully in a programme known as Project Sunshine in which data was extracted from mobile phones seized off migrants who arrived on small boats. Immigration officers practiced a “secret and blanket policy” of seizing the phones, which was unlawfully carried out using immigration powers, the

P&O chief executive Peter Hebblethwaite has denied the company broke criminal law when sacking 800 workers and told remaining staff they should not fear the same fate as their former colleagues. In a message sent to all remaining staff this morning seen by Sky News, Mr Hebblethwaite sought to reassure employees their jobs are not

Transport Secretary Grant Shapps is preparing to welcome a family of Ukrainian refugees into his home – along with their pet dog. The cabinet minister has said he wanted to “make a meaningful difference” by taking in the household, forced to flee the country’s war-torn capital Kyiv, following the invasion by Russia. The family includes

Rishi Sunak has said he is “just trying to stay at the crease” and “not get out” when asked by Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby about his leadership ambitions. It was put to the chancellor that Boris Johnson once said, referring to his leadership intentions, that if a ball came loose from the back

Anoosheh Ashoori has revealed Boris Johnson did not respond to any appeals from his family while he was detained, but since his release the prime minister has asked to meet with him.   The 67-year-old British-Iranian was held for five years in Tehran’s notorious Evin prison. He was brought back to the UK last week,

For all the eye-catching measures from Rishi Sunak in his mini-budget on Wednesday, what most stood out was the strength of the economic headwinds coming our way. For millions of families already feeling the cost of living squeeze, the news was unrelentingly grim. Inflation is set to hit a 40-year high of 8.7% later in

Boris Johnson is set to announce a new military support package for Ukraine on Thursday as he meets with NATO and G7 leaders and urges them to “step up” in response to Russian aggression. Calling on the UK’s allies to ensure Ukrainian’s have the means to continue to protect themselves against Russian President Vladimir Putin’s