Politics

Asylum seekers on board the Bibby Stockholm were not told to stop showering or drinking water during their stay despite Legionella bacteria being discovered in the water supply, a source told Sky News. Stand Up to Racism, who have been in contact with migrants who have been moved from the barge, heard reports that the

The next general election is only 17 months away at most. It is already seen as a “change election” – meaning that, on the basis of opinion polls and recent political contests, the party in power is likely to switch. Conventional wisdom is that the Conservatives will most likely be out after 14 years continuously

The discovery of Legionella on board the Bibby Stockholm is the latest embarrassing setback in a plan beset with controversy and delay from the very start. Thankfully, no one on board has developed any symptoms of Legionnaires’ disease, a potentially serious form of pneumonia spread by infected water droplets. The Home Office insist the 39

The number of people who have crossed the English Channel in small boats in the past five years has now passed 100,000. The latest Home Office figures show 755 migrants were detected in the Channel on Thursday, the highest daily figure so far this year. As of Tuesday this week, government figures showed that 99,960

Doctors who have been working for the NHS for less than two weeks are among those downing tools this morning and going on strike. Junior doctors from the British Medical Association (BMA) are staging a four-day walkout from 7am in an ongoing dispute over pay. Concerns have been mounting over the impact of the strike

Thousands of patients stuck on NHS waiting lists could be offered treatment much sooner at another facility – as long as they are willing and able to travel. As part of government efforts to bring down record waiting lists for healthcare, the NHS is expanding its new online “matching” platform to offer more patients quicker

Diane Abbott has been accused of exploiting the deaths of 41 migrants in a shipwreck off Italy in a now-deleted tweet about the tragedy. The MP for Hackney North and Stoke Newington, who is currently suspended from the parliamentary Labour Party, tweeted a link to an article about the deaths earlier today, and wrote: “These

A government minister has called for “absentee” Tory MP Nadine Dorries to officially resign, saying her constituents are not being properly represented – while a Labour MP has said the Conservative is “taking voters for a ride”. Robert Jenrick said Downing Street will “consider” proposals to oust her from the Commons but she should “get

Lee Anderson has refused to apologise for saying asylum seekers who don’t want to be housed on barges should “f*** off back to France”. But the Conservative deputy chairman also said there was “no doubt” the government had failed to tackle illegal immigration. Tory MP Mr Anderson made the remark about asylum seekers after it

Downing Street has defended Tory deputy chairman Lee Anderson after he said asylum seekers who don’t want to be housed in barges should “f*** off back to France”. When asked if this view represented the government, Number 10 pointed to comments made by Justice Secretary Alex Chalk, who said the “indignation” of the Ashfield MP

Asylum seekers who did not get on the Bibby Stockholm today have until Tuesday to board the vessel or face having their government support cancelled, Sky News can reveal. While 15 people did board the barge docked in Portland, Devon, around 20 people did not take up the offer made on what the government has

Some of the first group of asylum seekers have boarded the Bibby Stockholm barge with more arrivals expected today, Sky News understands. Around 50 people were expected to move on to the vessel, docked in Portland Port in Dorset, on Monday following weeks of delays. The Bibby Stockholm is one of a number of alternative

Bosses who hire migrants who don’t have the right to work in the UK could face fines of up to £60,000 under new government plans to deter Channel crossings. The civil penalties for “unscrupulous” employers and landlords who help people live and work in the country illegally will be significantly increased, the Home Office has

Facebook, TikTok and Twitter will team up with UK law enforcement to crack down on posts by people smugglers encouraging migrants to cross the English Channel, the government says. Rishi Sunak, who has made cutting the number of small boats arriving on UK shores one of his “five pledges”, said the new partnerships with various social

Boris Johnson has vowed to do “whatever it takes” to protect newts that have threatened his plans to build an outdoor swimming pool at his Oxfordshire country manor. The former prime minister promised to build a “Newtopia”, consisting of “newt motels”, for the amphibians who have taken residence at the Grade II-listed Brightwell Manor he shares with

Eddie Izzard has launched a campaign to become Labour MP for Brighton Pavilion. The comedian is aiming to be selected as Labour’s candidate for the seat at the next general election, when the Green Party’s only MP Caroline Lucas is standing down. Izzard, who also goes by the name of Suzy, announced the move in

Rishi Sunak has been pictured on his summer holiday as his family enjoy a “really special” trip to California. The prime minister, his wife Akshata Murty, and two young daughters Krishna and Anoushka beamed while on the busy Santa Monica Pier where they played funfair games. The family will also head to Disneyland during their

Surprise scenes were witnessed in North Yorkshire today as protesters from Greenpeace climbed on to the roof of Rishi Sunak’s manor house to demonstrate against his oil and gas policies. The group knew the prime minister and his family were away, but as well as attracting a lot of media attention, the action has raised

Sir Keir Starmer has often defined his leadership of Labour against what came before him. Jeremy Corbyn has been kicked out and many of his supporters have left the party. At the same time, he has dismantled the 2019 manifesto, ditching commitments to large-scale nationalisation and public spending to display more fiscal conservatism. The left

Greenpeace activists have covered Rishi Sunak’s £2m mansion in oil-black fabric after climbing on to the roof of the property in Yorkshire. Two of the environmental campaign group’s activists also unfurled a banner with the words “Rishi Sunak – Oil Profits or Our Future?” across the grass in front of the manor house. The group