UK

Kemi Badenoch has said her remarks about maternity pay have been “misrepresented”, as she called for an “honest campaign” for the Tory leadership. The first day of the Conservative Party conference saw a row erupt over comments made by the shadow housing secretary, where she appeared to call the current level of the benefit “excessive”.

Robert Jenrick has defended being handed a £75,000 donation from a company which had received money from a firm registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), despite criticising Labour over the freebies row. The Tory leadership contender told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that the firm “as I understand it… is a fitness company that

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield has resigned from the Labour Party. The 53-year-old MP is the first to jump ship since the general election and in her resignation letter criticised the prime minister for accepting thousands of pounds worth of gifts. She told Sir Keir the reason for leaving now is “the programme of policies you

The King has paid tribute to Scotland as a “uniquely special place” for the Royal Family as he marked the 25th anniversary of the Scottish parliament. At the ceremony to commemorate a quarter of a century since parliament opened at Holyrood, the King said: “Speaking from a personal perspective, Scotland has always had a uniquely

When 19-year-old Shawn Seesahai was beaten and hacked to death in a savage machete attack in a Wolverhampton park, detectives were shocked to discover his killers were just 12 years old. Days earlier, in another part of the country, Alfie Lewis, 15, was stabbed to death by a 14-year-old boy outside a primary school in

Mohamed al Fayed’s son Omar says he is “horrified” about the allegations against his late father, saying it has “thrown into question the loving memory I had of him”. A string of allegations against the billionaire former Harrods and Fulham FC owner, who died last year aged 94, have emerged in recent days following an

The Princess of Wales described a visit to a ballet performance as “moving and inspiring”, as she continues her recovery from cancer. Kate attended the English National Ballet’s matinee show of Giselle at Sadler’s Wells Theatre in north London on Thursday. In a message on X, she paid tribute to the company and the production,

Two women who allege they were sexually assaulted by Mohamed al Fayed have said a doctor who they claim carried out intrusive medical examinations on his employees has “massive questions to answer”. Speaking on The UK Tonight With Sarah-Jane Mee, Catherine and Natacha, who were both 19 when they started working at Harrods in 1989,

Sir Keir Starmer accepted a £20,000 donation for the use of a flat during the election after promising his family he would protect them. The prime minister‘s register of interests shows a declaration for accommodation provided by Lord Waheed Alli to the value of £20,437.28 from 29 May to 13 July this year. The election

“Brave” and “funny” with a “weird sense of humour” is how Shana Seesahai describes her older brother Shawn.  Growing up on the small Caribbean Island of Anguilla, the two siblings developed an extremely close bond. Shawn was very protective of his little sister, five years his junior. “Almost every day I wake up and think

Eighty days into government after a landslide election win, Sir Keir Starmer came to Liverpool as the first Labour prime minister in 15 years to address conference. It should have been a joyous victory lap, but instead this is a PM already stumbling, wrong-footed by a row over the amount of freebies he took as

British police investigating the death of a woman believed to have fallen from a hotel balcony in Ibiza have arrested a man from London on suspicion of murder. The family of Robyn Eve Maines, from Wallasey, in Wirral, is appealing for witnesses two years after the “beautiful” 24-year-old was found dead at around 8.30am on

A mother and daughter who took part in disorder that broke out in Middlesbrough while they were walking the family dog have been jailed. Amanda Walton, 51, was caught on CCTV throwing a missile, damaging a car wing mirror and rummaging through a bin, Teesside Crown Court heard. Megan Davison, 24, was seen jumping up

Parts of the UK were struck by flash flooding after some areas saw more than a month’s worth of rain in 24 hours. Heavy rain left parts of Northamptonshire, Bedfordshire and London submerged, flooding properties and causing widespread travel disruption. At least 45 houses flooded across Hertfordshire, Bedfordshire, Kent and the Home Counties, according to

“I’m deeply concerned about the winter,” 81-year-old Kevin McGrath tells me when I meet him at his home in Corby, Northamptonshire. He is recovering from a major eye operation when we sit down to chat, but he cannot contain his frustration. The former Roman Catholic monk turned social worker said he has spent all of

A former Harrods director told Sky News he does not see how security at the department store “wouldn’t have known” about Mohamed al Fayed’s behaviour towards women. Five women have alleged they were raped by Fayed, who died last year at the age of 94, with several others alleging sexual misconduct. A legal team representing

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has acknowledged it had twice failed to bring charges against Mohamed al Fayed for sexual abuse. The former Harrods owner, who died last year at the age of 94, was described as a “monster” earlier this week by lawyers representing alleged sexual abuse victims. Women say he raped and sexually

The former head of royal protection says he warned the Royal Family about Mohamed al Fayed’s reputation before Princess Diana took her sons on holiday with him. The former Harrods owner, who died last year at the age of 94, was described as a “monster” earlier this week by lawyers representing 37 alleged sexual abuse

Fewer police officers are working on unsolved murder cases amid warnings the Metropolitan Police is dangerously stretched. Five officers from the force are moving from a specialist cold case department investigating the 30-year-old murder of Atek Hussain to instead bolster basic command units. Mr Hussain, 32, was stabbed in the heart as he returned from

A former member of the Harrods management team has told how Mohamed al Fayed would “cherry pick” women from the shop floor. Speaking to Sky News anonymously, the woman described the billionaire, who died last year aged 94, as “demonic” and said he “controlled everything with fear”. Lawyers representing 37 alleged victims of sexual abuse