Politics

Boris Johnson has announced his resignation as prime minister after less than three years in Number 10, saying: “No one in politics is remotely indispensable.” Speaking from Downing Street, he thanked the millions of people who voted Conservative at the last election, and said the reason he fought so long to remain in office was

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has been sacked by Boris Johnson. It is understood Mr Gove was one of the first serving cabinet ministers to indicate he was unhappy with the prime minister staying in his post. The prime minister vowed to “keep going” on Wednesday despite the raft of departures, including the exit of

Boris Johnson has pledged to “keep going” as prime minister despite 18 MPs resigning from his government. Asked at Prime Minister’s Questions by fellow Conservative Tim Loughton if there were “any circumstances in which he should resign”, Mr Johnson said he would if he “felt it was impossible.. to go on” as a government. But

Boris Johnson has apologised for appointing Chris Pincher deputy chief whip, saying it “was a mistake” and “in hindsight the wrong thing to do”. The prime minister said sorry to “everybody who has been badly affected” adding, “I just want to make absolutely clear that there is no place in this government for anybody who

Boris Johnson was told about an investigation into Chris Pincher’s inappropriate behaviour in 2019, despite days of Number 10 saying the prime minister was unaware of specific allegations against his former deputy chief whip. Mr Pincher resigned his post last week after he was accused of groping two men in a private members club, but

Carrie Johnson openly questioned Chris Pincher’s suitability as a government whip as far back as 2017, Sky News understands. While communications director at CCHQ in 2017, Mrs Johnson (then Ms Symonds) questioned how Mr Pincher had ever ended up in the whips’ office in correspondence seen by Sky News. The exchanges followed Mr Pincher’s resignation

Boris Johnson was “aware of media reports… of inappropriate behaviour” by disgraced MP Chris Pincher and sought advice before appointing him to be his deputy chief whip, Downing Street has confirmed. Speaking to reporters on Monday, the prime minister’s official spokesman said Mr Johnson was “not aware of any specific allegations being looked at” and

A shake-up of childcare rules will be announced this week, aiming to save money for hundreds of thousands of families by allowing staff to look after more children. The government plans to increase the number of two-year-olds who can be cared for by one adult in a nursery from four to five, billed as helping

Boris John made the “choice he thought was best” in appointing Chris Pincher to government and was “not aware of specific claims” about the Tory MP, a cabinet minister has insisted. Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme, Work and Pensions Secretary Therese Coffey also rejected the idea there was a “problem with

Chris Pincher, who lost the Conservative whip after being accused of groping two men, said he is seeking “professional medical support” as he hopes to return to his duties as an MP “as soon as possible”. In a statement by the Tamworth MP, Mr Pincher said he “respected” the prime minister’s decision to suspend the

A shadow minister has claimed that Parliament is “not a safe place to work” amid controversy surrounding the resignation of the deputy chief whip over groping allegations. Shadow armed forces minister Luke Pollard told Sky News that “wholesale change” is needed as he called for “higher standards” in politics. The prime minister has been criticised

A Tory MP accused of drunkenly groping two men has been suspended by the party. Chris Pincher has had the Conservative whip withdrawn at Westminster over the claims, forcing him to sit as an independent without the support of the parliamentary group. The 52-year-old resigned from his role as deputy chief whip and apologised after

A cabinet minister has refused to be drawn on the future of a Tory MP who allegedly groped two men, as Labour demands he is kicked out the party. Wales Secretary Simon Hart told Sky News he was “very sad” about the situation, but insisted it was for the Conservative chief whip to make a

Boris Johnson’s deputy chief whip has resigned over an allegation of “groping”, Sky News understands. Chris Pincher said he had drunk “far too much” and “embarrassing myself and other people” on a night out. The Conservative MP for Tamworth wrote to the prime minister to explain his decision to stand down. He said in his

Gordon Brown has claimed that Britain is “at war with America over Ireland” – amid opposition from US politicians over plans to tear up the Northern Ireland Protocol. The former prime minister told Sky News’s Beth Rigby Interviews that there was no chance of the UK signing a trade deal with the world’s biggest economy

European Commission vice president Maros Sefcovic said it was “high time we got Brexit done” as he fired the latest salvo against Boris Johnson’s government over the Northern Ireland Protocol. Mr Sefcovic told an audience in London that UK legislation designed to tear up parts of the protocol, which governs Northern Ireland’s post-Brexit trading arrangements,

Nicola Sturgeon has said she is doing “the responsible thing” as she pursues a second referendum on Scottish independence – and has contested whether the right to call a vote lies with the UK’s Supreme Court. Scotland’s first minister has also accused Boris Johnson of disrespecting democracy and not following the rule of law. She

Nicola Sturgeon has set the date for a proposed “consultative referendum” next year on Scottish independence. To cheers and applause in the devolved parliament in Holyrood, the first minister said legislation will lay out plans for a vote to take place on 19 October 2023. It will ask the question: “Should Scotland be an independent

Mandatory life sentences for those who kill emergency workers are among criminal justice reforms designed to “make our streets safer” coming into force today. The changes also toughen sentences for those guilty of pre-meditated child murder. In such cases a whole-life tariff – where offenders are told they will never be released – will be

Boris Johnson’s legislation to scrap parts of the Northern Ireland Protocol has cleared its first Commons hurdle. The bill passed by 295 votes to 221 despite attracting fierce criticism from a number of MPs on the Tory benches as well as the opposition. Critics, who include former prime minister Theresa May, say the plan is