Politics

Rishi Sunak has defended the Conservatives after two by-election losses overnight, claiming mid-term polls are “always difficult” and “local factors” were at play. The party lost their seats in both Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire in the early hours of Friday morning, as Labour overturned two huge Conservative majorities to deal a double blow to the

Labour has taken Tamworth from the Conservatives in a historic by-election victory for Sir Keir Starmer’s party. The seat in Staffordshire has been held by the Tories since 2010, with the last election seeing the party secure a majority of almost 20,000. But it was left vacant by former deputy chief whip Chris Pincher, who

Asylum seekers have reboarded the Bibby Stockholm barge after they were evacuated when Legionella bacteria was discovered two months ago. The vessel – docked at Portland Port in Dorset – is part of the government’s plans to deal with illegal migration into the UK. The Home Office says using the ship – with a capacity

Rishi Sunak will arrive in Israel on Thursday, commencing a two-day trip to the wider region amid growing concerns the conflict with Hamas could escalate. The prime minister will hold a meeting with Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog on Thursday morning, before travelling to a number of other regional capitals in

Rishi Sunak has failed to endorse cross-party calls for a cessation of hostilities between Israel and Hamas. In response to a question from the SNP Westminster leader Stephen Flynn, the prime minster said Israel has a “right to defend itself, to protect its people and to act against terrorism and ensure that the awful attack

Former Tory minister Peter Bone has been kicked out the parliamentary party after a report found he committed acts of bullying and sexual misconduct. Mr Bone has lost the Conservative whip – meaning he will have to sit as an independent MP. A spokesperson for Chief Whip Simon Hart said: “Following a report by the

Rishi Sunak is set to visit Israel, possibly as soon as Thursday, Sky News understands. The trip could be part of a broader visit to the region, which may include stops in Jordan and Egypt. It follows visits from Germany’s chancellor Olaf Scholz today and US president Joe Biden on Wednesday. And it comes amid

Andrew Bridgen has demanded an apology from a fellow MP after he allegedly slapped him on the back of the head and called him a “b******”. Mr Bridgen, who joined the Reclaim Party after being kicked out of the Conservatives, reported former Tory minister, Crispin Blunt, to parliamentary authorities and, on Monday, demanded he say

Rishi Sunak has confirmed that six British citizens have been killed and 10 are missing after Hamas attacks on Israel. The prime minister read out the figures as he gave a statement in the House of Commons on the conflict. Israel-Gaza latest: ‘There’s no humanitarian crisis in Gaza,’ says Israeli ambassador He said: “The terrible

Rishi Sunak is set to reiterate the UK’s total condemnation of Hamas’s attack on Israel during an address to MPs later. Before making a statement in the Commons, the prime minister is expected to make a visit this morning to demonstrate the government’s continued support for the Jewish community and zero-tolerance for antisemitic abuse. It

Foreign Secretary James Cleverly has insisted the UK will maintain support for Britons trapped in Gaza, as he said it was proving “incredibly difficult” to open the Rafah border crossing into Egypt. Speaking to Sky News’ Trevor Phillips On Sunday Morning programme, the cabinet minister also said that 10 was “not an unreasonable estimate” for

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has condemned Hamas’s “evil” attack on Israel one week on from the group’s surprise raids. In an unprecedented incursion, Hamas took hostages and killed civilians last weekend. In the week since, Israel has retaliated by bombing Gaza, from where the militants launched the attack. Civilians have been caught up in the

An MP who defected from the Scottish National Party to join the Conservatives this week has said she and her family have been forced into hiding after receiving a barrage of threatening messages. Dr Lisa Cameron said she was told “I hope you burn” and “I hope someone throws a brick at you in the

The mother-in-law of Scotland’s first minister Humza Yousaf has asked “where is people’s humanity?” – in a tearful appeal on social media from Gaza, adding: “This will be my last video.” Elizabeth El Nakla – the mother of Mr Yousaf’s wife Nadia – visited Gaza last week with her husband Maged, when Hamas launched a

Britons are “highly likely” to be among those held by Hamas in Gaza, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has told Sky News. The cabinet minister revealed the UK had also sent additional intelligence personnel to the region as part of efforts to release those captured or assist citizens trapped in the besieged enclave. His comments came

The UK will send RAF aircraft and Royal Navy ships to carry out surveillance over Israel in a show of support following the Hamas incursion over the weekend. RAF aircraft will begin patrols in the next 24 hours while two ships will be sent to the eastern Mediterranean. A Royal Navy task group will be

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s recent delay to key climate targets will actually cost households more, rather than saving them money as he claimed, his own climate advisers have concluded. In September, Mr Sunak pushed back the end of new petrol and diesel car sales from 2030 to 2035, and scrapped a plan to make landlords

Convicted criminals could avoid jail from next week because prisons are full, according to reports. The Times reported that Lord Edis, the senior presiding judge for England and Wales, has said that from next week the sentencing of criminals who are on bail should be delayed. Some prisoners may also be released early under proposals

Sir Keir Starmer called the protester who threw glitter over him during a speech an “idiot” but admitted the security breach “could have been a lot worse”. The Labour leader said a lot of people have asked him what was going through his mind when the man stormed the stage ahead of his keynote address