Politics

Independent pay review bodies have reportedly told ministers millions of public sector workers should be given a 5.5% increase in pay. The proposed above-inflation increase for teachers and around 1.3 million NHS staff, reported by The Times, is well above the figure the government is thought to have been preparing for. Sir Keir Starmer’s government

Labour’s Emily Thornberry, who was snubbed for a cabinet role by Sir Keir Starmer, is running to be chair of the Foreign Affairs Select Committee, she has told Sky’s Electoral Dysfunction podcast. Ms Thornberry, who served as shadow attorney general when Labour was in opposition, told political editor Beth Rigby she was “very sad” and

The suspension of UK funding for a UN relief agency working in Gaza has been overturned by the government. In January, the Foreign Office paused any future funding for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) after allegations surfaced that some members of staff had been involved in the 7 October attacks in Israel

The number of people arriving in the UK via small boat Channel crossings this year has now passed 15,000, the government has confirmed. A total of 317 people made the dangerous journey across six boats on Thursday, bringing 2024’s total so far to 15,076. Politics live: Demand for Cobra meeting over global IT outages The

The prime minister has announced £84m of new funding for African and Middle Eastern countries in an attempt to tackle the migration crisis “at source”. Speaking in a press conference at Blenheim Palace, where a raft of leaders have been meeting for a European Political Community (EPC) summit, Sir Keir Starmer said the new money

More than 192,000 children in England and Wales have parents serving a sentence in prison, new figures have revealed. It is the first time the government has shown the scale of young people impacted – an estimated 192,912 – who, without support, often follow their parents into crime, studies show. But charities say releasing the

Sir Keir Starmer will pledge to “fire the starting gun” on a closer relationship with Europe as he hosts a major summit, set to focus on Ukraine and migration.  The prime minister will welcome at least 45 European leaders to Blenheim Palace in Oxfordshire for a meeting of the European Political Community (EPC), which was

Wednesday will be the first time in 14 years that Labour has set the agenda for government. So, for Sir Keir Starmer’s new administration, this moment is rich in symbolism and in substance. It is the chance for his government to exercise its power and show momentum. Politics live: Wales’ first minister resigns The King’s

Vaughan Gething has announced he is quitting as Welsh First Minister after four members of his government resigned and demanded he left office. In a statement on Tuesday morning, Mr Gething said he had “taken the difficult decision to begin the process of stepping down”, and will now discuss a timetable for the election of

Four ministers have resigned from the Welsh government, saying First Minister Vaughan Gething must leave office. Mick Antoniw, Julie James, Lesley Griffiths and Jeremy Miles have all quit their government positions, citing a lack of confidence in their leader. It comes a month after Mr Gething lost a vote of no confidence – but dismissed

The Conservative Party received a £50,000 donation from a firm linked to convicted billionaire businessman Prakash Hinduja, new figures show. The Electoral Commission has revealed the Tories gained £225,587 from private donors in the last week of the general election campaign, bringing their total to £1.8m. But the biggest single donation came from a firm

What are the lessons for UK politicians from the assassination attempt on Donald Trump? Are our ministers and MPs safe? Just hours before the Trump shooting, Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle declared that his biggest concern is the safety of MPs and their staff. “Security is the thing that keeps me awake at night,” he

The new Labour government will unveil more than 35 bills during the first King’s Speech of its tenure, Downing Street has said. Trailing the significant moment on Wednesday, which will see the King announce the party’s plans for power in a ceremony full of pomp, ministers promised to focus on economic growth and to ensure

Is Sir Keir Starmer turning into Harold Wilson with his high-profile public support for Gareth Southgate’s boys in the final of the Euros? “Have you ever noticed,” the wily Mr Wilson declared after Alf Ramsey’s heroes triumphed in 1966, “how we only win the World Cup under a Labour government?” Barely a week after becoming

Home Office minister Jess Phillips has shared the story of how she was appointed to her new role – and why it means she can no longer appear on the Electoral Dysfunction podcast. Speaking to Sky News’ political editor Beth Rigby and Conservative peer Ruth Davidson, it was revealed this episode would be the Labour

The last government left “a mountain of mess” that was like “a Downing Street party”, according to Sir Keir Starmer. Writing in The Guardian, the Labour prime minister attacked the Conservative government that preceded him and the state they left the economy. Sir Keir said: “Like a Downing Street party, they’ve left a mountain of

Prisoners who have served 40% of their sentence will be released to help alleviate overcrowding, the government has announced. Justice Secretary Shabana Mahmood said failing to act now risks “the collapse of the criminal justice system and a total breakdown of law and order”, including looting and rioting in the streets. Prisoners in England and

There are fears that prison overcrowding could lead to a breakdown in law and order and even looting if further action to alleviate capacity problems in jails across England and Wales is not taken.  Justice Secretary Shabanah Mahmood will today warn the justice system is on “the brink of total collapse”, which is “putting the

Sir Keir Starmer has said Joe Biden was “on good form” after a meeting with the US president at the White House during the NATO summit. The prime minister dismissed concerns the US president’s cognitive ability is not up to scratch as Mr Biden faces calls to step down as the Democratic candidate ahead of

The special relationship between the US and UK is forged on shared history, common values, and diplomatic ties that are far deeper and enduring that any one president or prime minister. But there was no doubt that President Joe Biden seemed particularly pleased to welcome the new British Prime Minister Keir Starmer to the Oval