Politics

A growing divide is predicted at this week’s local elections, with Labour on course to make gains in cities in England but struggling to breakthrough in former industrial heartlands. Experts say there are “two elections” at play, predicting big urban areas could swing to Labour due to the cost of living squeeze and the partygate

Angela Rayner has written to Boris Johnson demanding answers over reports that a ‘Sexist of the Year’ award was handed out at a lockdown-busting Christmas party in Number 10. Labour’s deputy leader has called on the prime minister to confirm whether or not the award was presented at a gathering in Downing Street in December

Closing parliament’s bars in a bid to tackle a culture of sexual misconduct on the estate would be “excessively puritanical”, Kwasi Kwarteng has said. Speaking on Sky News’ Ridge on Sunday programme, the business secretary said that despite concerns regarding excessive drinking taking place on the parliamentary estate, the bars should not be closed. “No,

A former MP who was jailed for sexually assaulting two women told a court he is looking at supermarket shelf stacking and building site work to pay back his prosecution costs. Charlie Elphicke, the former Conservative Dover MP, presented Universal Credit and bank statements during an appearance at Uxbridge Magistrates’ Court on Friday to prove

An MP under investigation for allegedly watching pornography in the Commons said he opened a file by mistake but would step down if he is found guilty. Conservative MP Neil Parish referred himself to the Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards on Friday, days after two female Tory MPs said they witnessed him watching pornography on his

An MP under investigation for allegedly watching pornography in the Commons should be kicked out of the Tory party if he is found guilty, a minister has said. Neil Parish, who had the Conservative whip suspended on Friday, said he opened a file by mistake but would only step down if he is found guilty.

All women in parliament have been subjected to “wandering hands”, a female cabinet minister has said as she told male MPs “to keep your hands in your pockets”. International Trade Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan made her comments to Sky News, amid renewed accusations of misogyny and sexual misconduct in parliament, including claims a Tory MP watched

Health Secretary Sajid Javid has described sexist behaviour in Parliament as “shameful” and said “the culture of Westminster needs to change”. Mr Javid made the comments on Twitter after an allegation surfaced that an unnamed Conservative MP was spotted watching pornography on his phone in the House of Commons. He becomes the latest cabinet minister

A Conservative MP who allegedly watched pornography on his phone in the Commons should be kicked “out of parliament, out of the party”, a Home Office minister has said. Speaking on The Take with Sophy Ridge on Sky News, Rachel Maclean, the safeguarding minister, said she wanted to see the MP in question removed from