Politics

Sajid Javid has urged the British public to “play your part” and get a COVID booster vaccine – warning that the UK is “once again in a race between the vaccine and the virus”. The heath secretary told Kay Burley that cases of Omicron are growing at a “phenomenal rate”, which is why the government

Everyone aged 18 and over in England will have the chance to get their booster vaccine before the end of the year to combat the threat of rising Omicron variant cases, Boris Johnson has announced. The prime minister said he was launching the “Omicron Emergency Booster National Mission” to encourage everyone who is eligible to

The Conservative Party is drifting into authoritarianism, a senior Tory MP has warned, as he confirmed he would oppose new coronavirus restrictions. Former Brexit minister Steve Baker told Sky News he believed at least 60 of his party colleagues at Westminster would join him in voting against the imposition of further COVID-19 measures by Boris

Boris Johnson has been accused of presiding over a “culture of disregard for the rules” after a picture emerged of him hosting a virtual quiz flanked by two colleagues in Downing Street last Christmas. The image, obtained by the Sunday Mirror, shows the PM on screen in his office reading out questions for Number 10

Some staff at the Treasury had office drinks while England was in lockdown last year. The Times reported that around two dozen civil servants were present for the drinks on 25 November, 2020. The group had been working on the Autumn Spending Review, the Treasury said. UK could see one million infections – COVID latest

The government has been “presented with some very challenging new information” about the Omicron variant and will keep restrictions “under review”, Michael Gove has said after he chaired a meeting of the COBRA emergency committee. Mr Gove headed the talks with first ministers and deputy first ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to discuss

There are pictures from parties in Downing Street during strict COVID restrictions that will “inevitably get out”, the prime minister’s former chief adviser has said – as two polls showed the Tories being overtaken by Labour. Dominic Cummings, who left Number 10 last November, made the claim about the images on his Twitter account. Downing

Boris Johnson’s most senior communications adviser addressed staff and handed out awards on the night of the alleged Downing Street party, it is understood. Jack Doyle, the director of communications in Number 10, thanked staff working there “like he does every week”. Downing Street Christmas parties: How many events are now under investigation and when

The Prime Minister and his wife Carrie Johnson have announced the birth of their second child, a baby girl. In a statement, a spokeswoman for the couple said: “The prime minister and Mrs Johnson are delighted to announce the birth of a healthy baby girl at a London hospital earlier today. “Both mother and daughter

Boris Johnson is facing mounting pressure from senior backbenchers over an alleged lockdown Downing Street Christmas party and the move to “Plan B” COVID restrictions. Conservative former chief whip Mark Harper led the criticism against the government as Health Secretary Sajid Javid told the Commons further measures were being brought in from Friday, including vaccine

Boris Johnson has apologised after footage emerged of senior Number 10 officials joking and laughing about a Downing Street Christmas party last year during a time of strict COVID restrictions. Facing MPs for the first time since the video emerged, the prime minister said he was “furious” and has asked the Cabinet Secretary to investigate.

Labour has accused Number 10 staff of “laughing” at the British public after footage emerged of Downing Street officials joking about a Christmas party during a time of strict COVID restrictions. In a video recording of what ITV News reported was a rehearsal for a TV media briefing, senior Number 10 aides were filmed talking

Boris Johnson has dismissed claims that the government prioritised animals over people during the Afghanistan evacuation as “complete nonsense”. The prime minister said Operation Pitting, which saw 15,000 Afghans taken out of the country amid the Taliban takeover, was “one of the outstanding military achievements of the last 50 years or more”. Mr Johnson’s comments

Damning claims from a whistleblower about failures during Britain’s evacuation from Afghanistan will be presented to MPs today. The government is accused of being unprepared for a huge number of cries for help from Afghans at risk because of their links with the UK. Some of those Afghans have since been murdered, it is alleged.

The FDA union has lost a High Court challenge over Boris Johnson’s decision to back Priti Patel following accusations that she bullied staff. The prime minister decided last year that the home secretary did not breach the ministerial code by bullying members of her team. This was despite an investigation by the then independent adviser

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has told Sky News he is to call in police after claims that drug abuse is rife in the Houses of Parliament. Sir Lindsay is demanding a drugs crackdown – including sniffer dogs prowling the corridors – amid growing evidence of cannabis and cocaine being used openly. Allegations include a

Scotland Yard is “considering” complaints from two Labour MPs about Christmas parties held in Downing Street last year that allegedly broke coronavirus regulations. The Metropolitan Police said that while it does not routinely look into “retrospective breaches of the COVID-19 regulations”, it would “consider the correspondence received”. Backbenchers Neil Coyle and Barry Gardiner have asked

The speeding up of COVID booster jabs in England will happen no later than 13 December, NHS bosses have said. From that date, or earlier, the online booking system for coronavirus vaccines will be updated in order to allow people to book their booster jab three months after their second dose. It comes after Prime

The Metropolitan Police has not received any complaints about an alleged party in Downing Street last year when indoor socialising was banned under COVID restrictions, the force’s commissioner has said. It has been reported this week that a large party was held on 18 December last year where around “40 or 50” people were crammed

Britons have been urged to “keep calm and carry on with your Christmas plans” despite fears over the Omicron variant of COVID-19. Conservative Party chairman Oliver Dowden told Sky News that people should continue to go to the pub and dine at restaurants during the festive season, as he said the government had taken “sufficient”