Politics

Polling in the summer suggested Liz Truss had the backing of around 66% of Conservative Party members – a similar margin to that which saw Boris Johnson beat Jeremy Hunt in 2019. But the final result saw Ms Truss secure a lower proportion of the vote than some had expected – 81,326 votes, which equates

On a prime minister’s first day in office, they are taken into a top secret meeting and asked to make a plan in case of nuclear attack. Kate Fall, David Cameron’s ‘gatekeeper’ and deputy chief of staff, remembers that moment because she was firmly ushered out of the PM’s den: “I was told categorically: ‘No.

Get ready for backbench Boris. After more than three years as prime minister, Mr Johnson heads for the backbenches, where he is expected to be defiant, stir up trouble and plot a Trump-style comeback. He claims he will be loyal to his successor – and yet he’s refusing to rule out a return. “Mission largely

A close ally of Boris Johnson has said he should not be written off as he hinted at a potential return to frontline politics for the PM in the future. Lord Edward Lister was asked on Sky News’ Sophy Ridge on Sunday about reports some MPs were experiencing “seller’s remorse” over Mr Johnson’s departure and

Liz Truss has said she is ready to take “tough decisions” and “immediate action” on energy bills during her first week in office, if she becomes prime minister. There have been ever-louder calls in recent weeks for the government to intervene to support the most vulnerable, with energy bills set to rise to around £3,500

Thousands of beds in shelters and new supported living accommodation in England will be provided as part of a strategy to end rough sleeping. An extra 14,000 emergency beds for rough sleepers and 3,000 support staff roles will be created this year as part of a three-year £500m plan, according to the Department for Levelling

A probe into whether Boris Johnson lied to parliament over the partygate scandal would be found “unlawful” by a court, a top barrister has said. In a published legal opinion commissioned by the government, Lord Pannick – a crossbench peer who sits in the House of Lords – described the Privileges Committee’s approach to its

Whether it is Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak who becomes Conservative leader on Monday, they will be the third in six years to become UK prime minister by the grace and favour of the Tory party membership and without the other 99% of the electorate giving their endorsement at a general election. Liz Truss, and

The prime minister’s official jet was used for a “boozy jolly” by civil servants, according to a report. Sky News understands a number of officials joined the 91-minute journey over the UK – and that it took place with “usual catering for a flight”. The Sun newspaper claims that during the 700-mile trip – which

Boris Johnson has given the green light to the Sizewell C nuclear power plant in Suffolk, promising £700m of government funding for the project. He confirmed the move during a speech from the site in one of his final acts as prime minister – and amid the rising cost of living crisis – saying he

Liz Truss has pledged that there would be no energy rationing if she were to become prime minister next week – while rival Rishi Sunak warned “we shouldn’t rule anything out”. Speaking at the 12th and final leadership hustings at Wembley Arena in London, the frontrunner of the contest also promised no new taxes and

After Tory MPs sprinted through five rounds of voting for a new party leader in just a week, the battle for the votes of party members has already been a six-week marathon. For Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak it’s almost the end of the road as they prepare for the 12th and final Conservative Party

Boris Johnson will join new police officers on the frontline tomorrow as he marks his final few days as prime minister. The victor of the Conservative leadership contest and Mr Johnson’s successor – either Liz Truss or Rishi Sunak – will be announced on 5 September. With less than a week to go in the

The government’s target to bring gigabit broadband to “every home and business across the UK” by 2025 seems to have been scaled back to reach 85% of the country instead. Boris Johnson made the initial pledge as part of his 2019 manifesto, with £5bn of funding behind the scheme. However, in a press release published

Liz Truss has cancelled a scheduled interview on the BBC with just a week to go before the next Conservative Party leader is announced. A BBC spokesperson said: “Liz Truss has cancelled her BBC One interview with Nick Robinson which was due to air this Tuesday evening (30 August) at 7pm. “Ms Truss’s team say

Boris Johnson could attempt to make a political comeback like “Berlusconi or Trump”, according to a former Tory minister. Rory Stewart, an ex-Conservative MP who ran for the leadership in 2019, accused the outgoing prime minister of having “an extraordinary ego” and believing he was “badly treated” when ousted from Downing Street. He told the

People relying on the state pension could be left with less than £11 a day to live on from next April because of the soaring cost of energy, according to Sky News analysis. A leading charity working with older people said it is “seriously worried” and called on the government to step in urgently. According

Unions are threatening to hold co-ordinated strikes in the coming months as they attempt to secure inflation-matching pay rises for workers struggling with the cost of living crisis. According to the Observer, a series of motions will be tabled at the Trades Union Congress (TUC) in September, calling for unions to work together to increase

The government’s new plan to crack down on sewage discharge by 2050 has been branded a “cruel joke” and “licence to pump sewage on to our beaches”. The Department for the Environment (DEFRA) said on Friday that water companies will have to deliver £56bn of capital investment over the next 25 years to stop untreated

Pressure is mounting on the government to put forward detailed proposals to curb rocketing gas and electricity prices after energy regulator Ofgem announced the price cap for an average household will rise to £3,549 a year in October. The figure is £800 more than the forecast figure that was provided to Rishi Sunak in May