Politics

Theresa May has said she is “angry” at the partygate revelations engulfing Boris Johnson, her successor in Number 10. Mrs May, who was in Downing Street from 2016 to 2019, made her intervention regarding the scandal in a letter seen by her local newspaper. She told constituents that “nobody is above the law”, the Maidenhead

Boris Johnson is reportedly considering a U-turn on plans to raise national insurance as the wait goes on for the publication of Sue Gray’s inquiry into partygate allegations. The prime minister is facing pressure from some Tory MPs to scrap the controversial tax hike in order to win back support to save his job. The

Boris Johnson has dismissed claims he approved the airlift of animals out of Afghanistan, saying they are “total rhubarb”, as Sky News obtained more emails which call into question the government’s account. “I can tell you that the military always prioritised human beings and that was quite right,” Mr Johnson said. “I think we should

The wait for Sue Gray’s report into lockdown parties in Downing Street and Whitehall to be published has rolled into another day – with Boris Johnson still yet to receive the findings. Sky News understands the report – which is being compiled by the senior civil servant – is still yet to have been sent

Downing Street has yet to receive a report into lockdown parties in Downing Street and across Whitehall, the foreign secretary has confirmed to Sky News. Speaking to Kay Burley, Liz Truss said the government would release the “findings” from the Cabinet Office inquiry, which is being led by senior civil servant Sue Gray. PM braces

One of the odder claims doing the rounds in Westminster is that the announcement that the Metropolitan Police is investigating potentially illegal pandemic parties in Downing Street somehow diffuses Boris Johnson’s political troubles and relieves the pressure on him.  This counterintuitive argument is being pushed by Mr Johnson’s inner circle, who say that since the

Downing Street has disputed a report suggesting Boris Johnson held a birthday party inside Number 10 attended by up to 30 people during the first lockdown. ITV News understands the prime minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, helped to arrange the event which was held just after 2pm the afternoon of 19 June – Mr Johnson’s birthday.

A Cabinet Office investigation has been launched into claims from a Conservative MP that she was sacked as a minister because of her Muslim faith. Nusrat Ghani was sacked as transport minister in a February 2020 reshuffle. Downing Street police officers ‘interviewed about partygate’ as PM faces crunch week – politics latest Ms Ghani said

Dominic Cummings is set to be interviewed by Sue Gray on Monday as part of her investigation into alleged Downing Street parties during lockdown. The prime minister’s former top adviser will be one of the final people to be interviewed by Ms Gray, the highly experienced civil servant tasked with finding out whether the events

The UK will stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine but it is “extremely unlikely” British troops will be sent to the Russian border, Dominic Raab has said. The deputy prime minister said the UK and other nations will enforce economic and financial sanctions on Moscow if Russia invades Ukraine – as troops mount at the

Wales’ first minister has claimed that Boris Johnson’s “history” is “catching up with him”. In a highly-charged intervention in the partygate row, Mark Drakeford said he is not surprised the prime minister has become embroiled in controversy over Downing Street parties during COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021. “If I’m truthful about it, the prime

Two-thirds of anti-vaccination propaganda posted online is created by just 12 so-called influencers, research has found. Different to those who describe themselves vaccine hesitant, anti-vaxxers tend to employ aggressive methods to persuade others not to get injections designed to help prevent disease. The list was compiled by the Centre for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) and

Fears are growing inside 10 Downing Street that former pub landlady Sue Gray could call time on Boris Johnson in her Whitehall report on partygate. Sky News understands there is nervousness in Number 10 over what the top civil servant’s report on the Downing Street Parties – which some MPs believe could be published as

For all of the turbulence and the tempestuous events of the last 48 hours, the key drivers which will determine the prime minister’s future remain broadly the same. A large number of MPs, possibly a majority, are unhappy with Boris Johnson‘s premiership. However they are unsure when to defenestrate him, how to do so, and

A former Conservative MP who defected and joined Labour has claimed he was threatened with the loss of a school in his constituency if he did not vote the way party bosses wanted him to. Christian Wakeford, who represents Bury South, switched parties on Wednesday. Live updates as Downing Street denies blackmail claims Please use

Conservative MPs are considering a rule change that would mean Boris Johnson could face a second confidence vote later this year, Sky News has learnt. Under the current rules, the prime minister would be immune from another challenge for a year if he wins such a vote. Follow live updates as confidence vote speculation continues

The threat to Boris Johnson’s leadership has ramped up today as more Conservative MPs said they have submitted letters of no confidence in the PM. Around 12 letters were handed in this morning, according to Sky News political correspondents Sam Coates and Joe Pike. They were from MPs who were part of a group of

Boris Johnson is preparing to face MPs in the Commons amid claims that support among Tory MPs is “haemorrhaging away” and he is on the brink of being removed from office. After a potentially brutal Prime Minister’s Questions, Mr Johnson will attempt to launch a fightback by announcing he is ripping up Plan B COVID

At Prime Minister’s Questions tomorrow, Labour’s grenade has already been prepared by Dominic Cummings. Who is telling the truth about the “socially distanced drinks” in May 2020, to which dozens of people were invited by Boris Johnson’s aide Martin Reynolds in an email? This is now shaping up as the key question in the “Partygate”

No 10 policy bosses have explored the use of powerful sonic weapons to force migrants to turn around in the English Channel, amid a growing row over how to handle the situation. The Long-Range Acoustic Devices (LRAD) are already installed on two Border Force vessels but are used to issue voice commands. They were purchased