Politics

Sir John Major has accused Boris Johnson and his government of actions that are “damaging at home and to our reputation overseas”. Sir John, a former Conservative prime minister, was commenting on the government’s handling of Owen Paterson, who stood down as an MP last week. Mr Paterson, who had been an MP for 24

As the UN Climate Conference continues, thousands will take to the streets in Glasgow today, alongside millions more in other towns and cities across the world, in a Global Day of Action against climate change. In Glasgow, a crowd will march to the city for a rally in the afternoon where teenage climate activist Greta

Police officers were called to a local council meeting after a member, who brought a megaphone with him, repeatedly interjected the proceedings. The meeting of Maldon District Council, which took place on Thursday evening, was abandoned after several frustrated members walked out. After arriving at the scene, police deemed independent councillor Chrisy Morris to be

A cabinet minister has admitted it was “a mistake” for the government to attempt to overhaul parliament’s disciplinary processes in combination with saving a Conservative MP from immediate suspension. Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi told Sky News that ministers had reflected on the “conflation” of ripping up the current standards system with the case of Owen

Owen Paterson will resign as the MP for North Shropshire in order to escape “the cruel world of politics” following a furious row over his proposed ban from the House of Commons. The Conservative former cabinet minister has been at the centre of a scandal after it was recommended he be suspended for 30 days.

A cabinet minister has questioned the future of parliament’s sleaze investigator after her recommendation of a 30-day suspension for a Conservative MP was blocked by the prime minister and his Tory colleagues. Business Secretary Kwasi Kwarteng told Sky News that it was “difficult” to see a future for Kathryn Stone, the independent parliamentary commissioner for

Owen Paterson has said he “wouldn’t hesitate” to act in the same manner “tomorrow” after he was heavily criticised by a standards body for breaching lobbying rules. Speaking to Sky News, the former minister said he would “absolutely” do the same thing again after he was reprimanded by the Committee on Standards. He also admitted

Boris Johnson will back a bid to save a Conservative former minister from an immediate suspension as part of an overhaul of MPs’ standards rules, Sky News understands. Ex-cabinet minister Owen Paterson is facing a 30-day suspension from the House of Commons for breaching lobbying rules due to his paid consultancy work on behalf of

One of Britain’s top scientists has quit the government’s pandemic advisory body, warning the COVID crisis is “a long way from over” and that the situation in the UK is “concerning”. Sir Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, quit the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) at the end of October. Sky News can

The rollout of smart motorways should be suspended amid safety concerns, MPs and campaigners have said. Government plans to remove the hard shoulder from all future smart motorways and use the lane for live traffic are “premature”, a report from Commons Transport Select Committee (TSC) has said. Demonstrators carried 38 cardboard coffins to the Houses

Northern Ireland politicians have condemned the hijacking and torching of a bus in an incident linked to opposition to post-Brexit border arrangements. Around 6.30am on Monday, two masked and armed men boarded the bus in Newtownards, County Down, and poured fuel over the vehicle before setting it alight. According to police, the driver managed to

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has set a 48-hour deadline for a fishing dispute with France to be resolved before the UK moves ahead with legal action. Speaking to Sky News at the COP26 climate change summit in Glasgow, Ms Truss hit out at the French for behaving “unfairly” and accused them of operating outside the

COP26 President Alok Sharma has said he wants “more out of every country” and now is the time to deliver on limiting temperature rises to below 1.5C. Ahead of around 120 world leaders gathering at the event in Glasgow on Monday for a two-day summit, Mr Sharma urged them to do more to help the

This year’s UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow is “the world’s moment of truth” in the fight to tackle global warming, Boris Johnson has said on the eve of its opening. Speaking ahead of the COP26 climate summit which begins on Sunday, the prime minister described the event as a moment for “decisive action” from

Boris Johnson has not ruled out triggering the dispute mechanism against France as a row between the two countries over post-Brexit fishing rights escalates. On Friday, France seized a British scallop trawler and threatened to block ports and increase checks on boats and lorries over the UK denying some boats a licence to fish in

Boris Johnson on Friday warned that “team world” was “5-1” down at half-time in the fight to tackle global warming, as he implored world leaders to act now on the eve of two global gatherings of world leaders. Speaking to journalists en route to the G20 in Rome, the prime minister acknowledged the scale of

Boris Johnson has warned that “team world” was “5-1” down at half-time in the fight to tackle global warming, as he implored world leaders to act now on the eve of two global gatherings of world leaders. Speaking to journalists on Friday en route to the G20 in Rome, the prime minister acknowledged the scale

The environment minister has said “two can play at that game” after France made threats over fishing in UK waters – which he said were “unacceptable”. George Eustice told Sky News the UK has issued post-Brexit licences to 1,700 vessels, including 750 French fishing boats, which amounts to 98% of applicants. He said the remaining

The UK has summoned the French ambassador after a British scallop trawler was detained – as a row over fishing rights continues to escalate. A government spokesman condemned “unjustified” threats from France over further action amid the ongoing dispute. Brexit minister Lord Frost chaired a meeting on Thursday to consider London’s response. “The proposed French

Rishi Sunak has said his intent as chancellor is to “lower taxes for people” and insisted that was the fairest way of coming out of the pandemic. The chancellor also said those with “the broadest shoulders” will be paying the majority of taxes as he said the Universal Credit changes he announced yesterday would help