Politics

The Labour Party broke the law in its failure to handle antisemitism complaints and there were “serious failings” by its leadership, the equalities watchdog has concluded. An investigation into anti-Semitism in the party by the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) found it responsible for “unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination” and said there was

The government is in danger of leaving it “too late” for a short national lockdown to be effective in driving down the rate of coronavirus infections, a member of its scientific advisory group has warned. Professor Andrew Hayward, from UCL’s institute of epidemiology and a member of the Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE), told Sky News

The prime minister is under mounting pressure to bring in tougher coronavirus rules after UK deaths hit their highest level for five months. There were 367 deaths linked to the virus recorded on Tuesday, and nearly 23,000 more cases. Downing Street has not rebuffed an internal projection from its SAGE experts that this winter could

The Tory MP husband of embattled coronavirus Test and Trace boss Dido Harding has been condemned by Labour after criticising “chaotic parents” in the row over Marcus Rashford’s free school meals campaign. Former minister John Penrose, a millionaire publisher, made the comment in a letter to a constituent who asked him why he voted in

The government will “learn from” a summer holiday clubs programme as it seeks to steer a way through the free school meals row, a minister has told Sky News. A fresh campaign spearheaded by England footballer Marcus Rashford has heaped pressure on the government over the provision of school holiday meals for the children of

More than 50 Tory MPs from “red wall” seats are demanding a “roadmap out of lockdown” from Boris Johnson and a post-COVID economic recovery plan for the north of England. As Warrington and parts of Nottinghamshire became the latest areas to be placed under Tier 3 restrictions, the MPs have voiced their anger over the

Boris Johnson is facing a growing rebellion over a refusal to extend free school meals to all holidays – as protesters left dozens of empty plates outside the office of one MP. A number of senior Tories have gone public however, with one suggesting Number 10 has “misunderstood” the mood of the nation. Manchester United

A top Tory MP and leading Boris Johnson ally is calling for Dido Harding, the beleaguered boss of NHS Test and Trace, to be axed. Sir Bernard Jenkin, who chairs the powerful Liaison Committee of senior MPs, says Conservative peer Baroness Harding “should be given a well-earned break”, adding that “the immediate priority is to

Boris Johnson failed to reply to a “personal” letter sent by Marcus Rashford in which the footballer asked the prime minister to join a taskforce he created to help tackle child food poverty. Sky News understands that the letter was sent privately in September alongside a public letter that thanked the government for the voucher

Pressure is building on Boris Johnson to extend free school meals for vulnerable children. More than 2,000 paediatricians have signed a letter telling the prime minister that childhood hunger should “transcend politics”. The Labour Party has also threatened to bring the issue back to the House of Commons if Mr Johnson does not relent. Members

Labour is claiming emergency stocks of some vital COVID-related drugs are running out ahead of a second wave of the pandemic. Emily Thornberry, Labour‘s shadow international trade secretary, says the government’s own figures show many drug stockpiles are at zero. The shortages include bacterial antibiotics and high-strength painkillers, according to figures published in parliament by

Nicola Sturgeon has revealed the Scottish alternative to Boris Johnson’s tiered system of coronavirus restrictions. While England has three levels of measures, Scotland’s first minister has gone for five. She said individual regions could be placed under different ones, so “we don’t have to take a one-size-fits-all approach if that is not warranted”. They will

Just when you think you understand British politics, you relearn the lesson that you can’t write ground rules for how it operates in practice. There is not, I’m afraid, any algorithm that politics works to that doesn’t eventually fail. On Thursday, Chancellor Rishi Sunak did nothing short of a complete – shameless – U-turn on

Boris Johnson has confessed to “frustrations” at the test and trace system and admitted there is need to “improve” the programme. Latest figures show that less than 60% of close contacts of people who tested positive for coronavirus in England are being reached. Meanwhile, just 15% of people tested for COVID-19 in England at an

Trade talks between Britain and the European Union will resume later this week, Downing Street has said. “The prime minister and Michael Gove have both made clear in recent days that a fundamental change in approach was needed from the EU from that shown in recent weeks,” a Number 10 spokesperson said. “They made clear

Boris Johnson has faced calls to explain how regions can have their coronavirus alert level and restrictions lowered. He was urged by Sir Keir Starmer to set out exactly what areas need to do to be downgraded from Tier 3 to Tier 2, or Tier 2 to Tier 1. And a Conservative MP, whose constituency