Politics

MPs who lose their seat at the next general election will receive double the financial support following a ruling from parliament’s expenses watchdog. MPs who are forced out in an election defeat have previously been entitled to two months of financial assistance to help close their office and manage the departure of staff, but the Independent

Asylum seekers who were housed on the Bibby Stockholm barge have claimed the Home Office did not contact them even when some on board showed signs of suspected Legionnaires’ disease. In an open letter to the Home Office, seen by Sky News, one asylum seeker hit out at their treatment from the department, describing their

The backlog of asylum cases in the UK has hit a new record high, according to Home Office figures. A total of 175,457 people were waiting for an initial decision on an asylum application in the UK at the end of June 2023, up 44% at the end of June 2022 and the highest figure

Rishi Sunak “inadvertently” broke the code of conduct for MPs by not correctly declaring his wife’s financial interest in a childminding company set to benefit from government support. The parliamentary commissioner for standards, Daniel Greenberg, ruled that Mr Sunak “confused” declaring his interests as a minister with registering his interests as an MP. The inquiry

Health Secretary Steve Barclay has hinted at changing the status of the inquiry looking into the crimes of Lucy Letby, saying he wanted to ensure the families affected had “full confidence” in the probe. The government ordered an inquiry last week after Letby was found guilty of murdering seven babies and attempting to murder six

Kemi Badenoch heads to India this week in the hope of making progress on a trade deal, but government sources played down the prospect of an imminent breakthrough. A source told Sky News that “tricky” issues have not yet been resolved as the talks enter their twelfth round, almost a year after a deadline announced

Home Office plans to clamp down on illegal migration risk creating a “perma-backlog” of asylum seekers that could end up costing the taxpayer over £6bn a year, a think tank has said. Researchers at the Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) argue that measures in the Illegal Migration Act – which aims to detain and remove

Half of private renters in England are only “one paycheque away” from potentially losing their home, a new study by Shelter has found. Some 51% of private renters surveyed by the housing charity were at risk of not being able to pay a full month’s rent, while more than a third said they did not

Sadiq Khan’s deputy and a scientist the mayor’s office helps to fund have been accused of working together in an attempt to criticise research that questioned the effectiveness of London’s Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ). Emails obtained by the Conservative Party under the Freedom of Information Act showed Professor Frank Kelly of Imperial College London

A Tory MP has written to his local police force asking officers to “turn a blind eye” to pubs opening an hour early for the Women’s World Cup final this weekend. Pubs can choose when they open on Sundays, but the time from which they can start selling alcohol varies depending on each pub’s individual

Suella Braverman has been urged to “stand up” to France as reports emerged the country is intercepting fewer migrants in the Channel despite a £480m funding deal. The call from Conservative MP Jonathan Gullis came as The Telegraph claimed just 45.2% of migrants have been stopped by French patrols since January, down from 45.8% in

A Labour frontbencher has failed to deny claims the party has watered down its key commitment to strengthen workers’ rights. The Financial Times alleged leader Sir Keir Starmer has scaled back this commitment in an attempt to appease corporate backers, including by diluting his pledge to bolster the rights of gig workers. This would mean

There have been over 100 sewage leaks in government buildings across the UK in the past 12 months, data obtained by the Liberal Democrats reveals. Legionella was also discovered in water outlets in HMRC’s Liverpool offices, leading civil service unions to criticise the “unsafe and unsanitary environments” for civil servants. But the government says it

Calls from pubs and the Liberal Democrats for alcohol licensing laws to be relaxed for Sunday’s Women’s World Cup final have been rejected by ministers. Pubs can choose when they open on Sundays, but the time from which they can start selling alcohol varies depending on each pub’s individual licence. The British Beer and Pub

Education Secretary Gillian Keegan has been criticised for suggesting employers won’t ask pupils about their A-levels in a decade’s time. Ms Keegan said students “shouldn’t be disappointed” if their results were not what they had hoped for as top grades fell from last year – although they remain above pre-pandemic levels. Please use Chrome browser

The government has confirmed that two-thirds of NHS England cancer targets will be scrapped by the autumn as it aims to bring cancer care “into the modern era”. The new guidelines will see the 10 targets currently in place reduced to three – and the two-week wait target will be scrapped in favour of the

The Scottish government will go to court next month to challenge Westminster’s decision to block its much-debated gender reform bill. The hearing has been locked in to begin on 19 September after both parties told Scotland’s highest civil court they are ready to present their arguments. A procedural hearing was held at the Court of

Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to “say something” about the case of a man who spent 17 years in prison for a rape he did not commit before having his conviction overturned. Former justice secretary Robert Buckland has said the Labour leader – who was director of public prosecutions (DPP) and head of the

The government will have left households in Britain “worse off”, even if official data on Wednesday shows a slowdown in the rate of inflation, Labour has said. The Office for National Statistics (ONS) is expected to reveal the Consumer Prices Index (CPI) rate of inflation was down to 6.7% in July, from 7.9% the previous

Rishi Sunak has refused to say whether he was personally warned about potential health risks for asylum seekers on the Bibby Stockholm after bacteria was discovered on the barge. All 39 asylum seekers were removed from the vessel, which is currently docked in Portland, Dorset, on Friday after Legionella bacteria was found in the vessel’s