Politics

All of Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and notebooks that have been requested by the COVID inquiry have been handed to the Cabinet Office in “full and in unredacted form”, his spokesman has said. The spokesman said the former prime minister wanted the Cabinet Office to “urgently” disclose the material to the inquiry. A statement from

Families on benefits will be able to claim hundreds of pounds more in childcare payments from the end of June, the government has announced. People on Universal Credit will see their maximum childcare payments rise by nearly 50% from 28 June as the government tries to get more people back into work. Parents eligible for

Rishi Sunak has been accused of being “slippery” in the row over whether the government will hand over Boris Johnson’s WhatsApp messages and other documents to the COVID inquiry. Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said the prime minister should “comply with the inquiry and do it today”. Mr Streeting told broadcasters: “I think the

Boris Johnson and Rishi Sunak are preparing to launch a legal battle over COVID secrets, just hours before a deadline for handing over sensitive material to the official pandemic inquiry. Mr Johnson, prime minister during the pandemic, is battling to prevent the Cabinet Office releasing all his unedited WhatsApp messages and diaries to the inquiry’s

Immigration minister Robert Jenrick is visiting Mediterranean countries this week as part of a government focus on tackling illegal migration.  He will be visiting Algeria, Tunisia and Italy, before heading to France. The Times reports the Italian government is expecting 400,000 people to enter the country from North Africa this year – in forecasts prepared

A Tory minister and three other MPs claimed hundreds of pounds of driving fines on expenses – despite it being against the rules.  They are now being contacted and asked to repay the money. Amanda Solloway, a minister in the energy department who used to serve under Suella Braverman at the Home Office, was one

New oil and gas developments in the North Sea would be blocked under a Labour government, it has been reported. Granting new licenses for oil and gas in the North Sea “will do nothing to cut bills”, according to a Labour source. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is expected to announce the block in Scotland

The Home Office is launching an ad campaign in Albania aimed at deterring people from crossing the English Channel illegally. Posters bear the message that people “face being detained and removed” if they make the journey. The department would not say how much the publicity drive is expected to cost but announced it will also

The “doorstep”. It’s an often necessary but rarely tidy journalistic exercise – locating and asking pertinent questions of an unwilling participant who has gone to some effort to avoid them. Boris Johnson had been on a lengthy US trip, through Texas to Las Vegas in the west and Washington DC in the east. Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson has insisted the fresh claims he broke lockdown rules are “total nonsense” and that elements of his ministerial diary were “cherry picked and handed to police”. The former prime minister was confronted by Sky News about the allegations as he made his way through the Dulles International Airport in Washington following a brief

A union representing civil servants has suspended its ballot to strike to enter new talks with the government. The FDA – which represents members of the Civil Service up to the permanent secretary level – made the announcement today. The move could put pressure on other unions representing civil servants to return to the negotiating

Jeremy Hunt has told Sky News he is comfortable with Britain being plunged into recession if that’s what it takes to bring down inflation. The chancellor said that he would fully support the Bank of England raising interest rates higher, potentially towards 5.5%, as it battled higher-than-expected prices. Asked by Sky News whether he was

One person has been arrested after a car hit the main gates of Downing Street. Police said there were no injuries. Pictures broadcast on television showed cordons in place along Whitehall. Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player 1:08 Car that crashed into Downing Street gates “At around 4.20hrs a car collided

GPs will be required to give patients the option to travel further for healthcare or go to a private alternative under plans to cut NHS waiting times. Doctors will have to offer up to five healthcare providers when making referrals, allowing people to select their preference using the NHS app or website. The options will

Suella Braverman is to remain in her post as home secretary after the prime minister said “further investigation is not necessary” into her handling of a speeding offence. In his letter to the home secretary, the prime minister said he had consulted with his independent ethics adviser, Sir Laurie Magnus, who advised that “on this

Boris Johnson has been referred to the police by the Cabinet Office over new claims he broke COVID lockdown rules. The former prime minister’s ministerial diary has revealed visits by friends to Chequers during the pandemic. The visits to the grace-and-favour residence were highlighted during preparations for a public inquiry into COVID, according to The

International students who come to study in the UK will no longer be able to bring family with them except under specific circumstances in a government bid to bring immigration down. International students will no longer be able to bring dependants with them unless they are on postgraduate courses that are currently designated as research

Former justice secretary and deputy prime minister Dominic Raab will stand down at the next election, Sky News understands. It comes a month after he quit Rishi Sunak’s cabinet over claims he bullied civil servants. Mr Raab has been the Conservative MP for Esher and Walton in Surrey since 2010. He has “become increasingly concerned”

Suella Braverman has insisted “nothing untoward happened” as she faces questions over whether she asked civil servants to help her dodge a group speeding awareness course. The comments are the first made by the home secretary since The Sunday Times reported that she asked civil servants to arrange a private one-to-one speed awareness course for

Rishi Sunak will speak to his independent ethics adviser regarding Suella Braverman’s speeding fine, Sky News understands. The prime minister will consult his adviser upon returning to London from the G7 summit in Japan. Ms Braverman, 43, had been caught speeding last summer and opted to attend a driving awareness course rather than accept a

A Tory mayor has said there should be “no compromise” when it comes to standards in public life following accusations the home secretary may have breached the ministerial code over a speeding fine. Andy Street, the mayor of the West Midlands, said there “have to be standards in public life” as Rishi Sunak comes under