The Conservatives have held on to the southeast London seat of Old Bexley and Sidcup after a by-election prompted by the death of MP James Brokenshire in October. Mr Brokenshire, who represented the area since 2010 until his death from lung cancer, had held the seat with a majority of almost 19,000. Thursday’s by-election, however,
Politics
Number 10 has stressed that Christmas parties should not be cancelled and there are no rules limiting their size after conflicting comments from ministers and officials in recent days. The discovery of the Omicron variant of coronavirus has prompted speculation about how Britons should be approaching festive celebrations this year. As scientists work to assess
A number of social gatherings were held in Downing Street in the run-up to Christmas last year while indoor mixing was banned in London under COVID restrictions, Sky News understands. Following reports that a large party was held in late December, it has also emerged that Number 10 staff gathered after work and drank alcohol
Boris Johnson has said “all guidance was followed completely” as the prime minister was accused by Sir Keir Starmer of hosting a “boozy party” in Downing Street last Christmas despite COVID rules that were in place at the time. The Labour leader said Mr Johnson was “taking the British public for fools” as the pair
Downing Street has denied claims that Boris Johnson broke coronavirus rules with parties at No 10 last Christmas. The Mirror claims the PM made a speech at a leaving do on 13 November – when the country was in the second lockdown – and allowed a festive party to proceed on 18 December when London
CNN’s Anderson Cooper talks with 17-year-old Aiden Page, who was at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan where three students were fatally shot and several others were injured. #CNN #News
This is the difference between four coronavirus variants the CDC has at one point described as “Variants of Concern.”#CNN #News
CNN’s Wolf Blitzer talks with former New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie about the importances of vaccination against Covid-19, the tensions between Republican Rep. Lauren Boebert of Colorado and Democratic Rep. Ilhan Omar of Minnesota, and the 2024 presidential election. #CNN #News
France’s interior minister has suggested talks with the UK over Channel crossings could resume as Paris proposed ideas to tackle the crisis. Gerald Darmanin said Prime Minister Jean Castex will write to Boris Johnson on Tuesday with proposals for a “balanced agreement” between the UK and the EU. He said discussions could take place “very
Yvette Cooper is elevated to shadow home secretary while Lisa Nandy will move from shadow foreign secretary to the levelling up brief as Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reshuffles his cabinet. Ms Cooper, who held the home affairs brief previously from 2011 to 2015 under former Labour leader Ed Miliband, will depart her current role
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer is carrying out a reshuffle of his shadow cabinet, with the first departure from his top team confirmed. A Labour source has told Sky News: “It’s all happening – big names being moved.” The reshuffle comes six months after Sir Keir‘s last refresh of his shadow cabinet, in the wake
Have the last few weeks seen a turning point in Boris Johnson’s premiership? Dozens of Tories have refused to follow the prime minister’s orders in the voting lobbies on issues as diverse as sleaze and social care. Meanwhile a handful of Tory MPs have gone public with demands for change, with many more complaining in
The health secretary has said it is going to be a “great Christmas” as he defended not imposing stricter restrictions to combat the new COVID variant. Sajid Javid told Trevor Phillips On Sunday it would be “irresponsible to make guarantees” but the measures announced this week in reaction to the Omicron variant will “buy us
A government minister has defended Stanley Johnson, calling him “a gentleman” after a fellow Conservative Party MP accused the prime minister’s father of inappropriately touching her. Nadine Dorries, the culture secretary, said she “didn’t believe” what Caroline Nokes had accused the former MEP of. In response to the remarks, Ms Nokes said she was “sorry”
David Frum, a former speechwriter for George W. Bush, argues that non-supporters of former President Trump are using his “Russia hoax” lie to their own advantage. #CNN #News
Dr. Peter Hotez discusses the Omicron variant and when we’ll know if vaccines are effective against it. #CNN #News
Dr. Amesh Adalja, an infectious disease specialist, explains why he thinks the Omicron variant of the Covid-19 virus is likely in the US at a lower level than the Delta variant. #Smerconish #CNN #News
Prime Minister Boris Johnson outlines next steps after the first cases of the highly-contagious Omicron variant of Covid-19 were confirmed in the United Kingdom. #BorisJohnson #CNN #News
There is limited evidence that Rishi Sunak’s £2bn jobs programme for young people is working, according to a new report. The National Audit Office (NAO) watchdog warned that the government has “limited assurance” over whether the Kickstart scheme, aimed at 16 to 24-year-olds, is having any positive effect or creating high quality jobs. The government
No cases of the new COVID variant have been detected in the UK, but it is highly likely it has now spread beyond southern Africa, the health secretary has said. Sajid Javid warned the new strain could be more transmissible than the Delta variant and there is a “possibility it might have a different impact