Politics

The Conservative Party is a step closer to choosing a replacement for Rishi Sunak after picking a new leader of its backbench group. Bob Blackman has been chosen as the new chair of the 1922 Committee. “The 22”, as it is known, is the Conservative Party‘s backbench committee – meaning it organises things like leadership

Just days into his premiership, Sir Keir Starmer is heading to the US for a meeting with NATO leaders. We take a look at why he is taking the trip and what might happen when he is there. Why is the prime minister going to Washington? NATO – or the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation –

Sir Keir Starmer has said his government will have a “different way of doing politics” as he toured the UK’s nations in his first week as prime minister. The UK’s new leader said it is “very important” for him to “reset relations” with Scotland, Northern Ireland and Wales. He kicked off his tour of the

The Labour government has made a swathe of announcements as it enters its first full week in power, including plans to liberalise planning laws, boost dentist appointments and recruit more teachers. The Starmer administration is taking action on the economy, health and education today, while the prime minister continues his tour of the UK in

Defence Secretary John Healey has met with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, with the Labour government making a new pledge on sending arms to Ukraine. The Labour minister has already travelled to Ukraine, having been appointed on Friday to his new role. During his visit to Odesa, he met with President Zelenskyy and Ukraine’s defence minister

Sir Keir Starmer will begin his tour of the UK nations with a visit to Scotland today where he will meet the country’s first minister, John Swinney. The prime minister announced he would embark on a tour of the UK at his first news conference yesterday since his landslide victory on Thursday. Sir Keir, whose

The new prime minister has announced he will be visiting all four nations of the UK from tomorrow. Sir Keir Starmer confirmed he will travel to Scotland first before heading to Northern Ireland, Wales and back to England. During a news conference from Downing Street, he also said “mission delivery” boards will be established to

Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer is going to be busy from the get-go. From the cost of living crisis and small boats crossings to the drive for green energy and a war in Ukraine, the new Labour government has its work cut out for it. To get a sense of the challenge facing Sir Keir,

This is the greatest defeat in the Conservative Party’s history and it will not recover soon. Trying to do so will end up prolonging the pain.  This was not a defeat born of an election called too early, or with too thin a manifesto, or because of what happened at D-Day or with wayward bets

Labour are on course for a landslide victory on Thursday with a majority of 212 seats according to the final YouGov poll projection of the campaign. This will give Sir Keir Starmer the biggest majority for any single party since 1832 in a vote which YouGov’s last MRP suggests will break a series of electoral

Rishi Sunak has conceded defeat in the general election – putting Sir Keir Starmer on course to enter Downing Street as the country’s first Labour prime minister in 14 years. Speaking after winning his seat in Richmond, Yorkshire, the solemn-looking Conservative leader said: “The Labour Party has won this general election and I have called

A Conservative minister has said Labour will get “the largest majority this country has ever seen” if recent polls are correct. Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride not only appeared to concede the election to Labour a day before voting begins but said they would gain a record number of seats. He told Sky News:

Finally, after six long weeks, the final 24 hours of campaigning is upon us. Rishi Sunak and Sir Keir Starmer will be dashing around the country as they make their final pitch to voters. The prime minister, who may well be out of that job in less than 48 hours, will be sticking to Tory

Former DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson is facing further sex offence charges, bringing the total to 18. The Northern Ireland politician has been charged with seven more offences after the Public Prosecution Service (PPS) reviewed the police evidence, as is the normal practice. When he appeared in court in April, the ex-MP was accused of

The government is “urgently” investigating why some people have not yet received their postal ballots ahead of Thursday’s election. Conservative minister Maria Caulfield told Sky News she is aware of “a number of” constituencies where people have not yet received their postal votes. There are reports of thousands of postal ballots not being delivered in

Sky News’ deputy political editor Sam Coates and Politico’s Jack Blanchard are back with their guide to the election day ahead. This is day 40 of the campaign. Jack and Sam look at where the parties are now as the election approaches, with Labour’s attack ads and the Conservatives pushing back against Reform UK. Plus,

The Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) says there’s a conspiracy of silence this election – that all of the major political parties aren’t being honest enough about their fiscal plans this election. And they have a point. Most obviously (and this is the main thing the IFS is complaining about) none of the major manifestos

A Reform UK candidate has disowned the party and is backing the Conservatives amid a row over racism. Liam Booth-Isherwood, who was standing in the seat of Erewash, announced he was dropping out of the race and would instead be endorsing the Tory contender Maggie Throup to “stop Labour”. He said he had become “increasingly

Leaders and politicians of all parties are coming out swinging today as the general election campaign enters the final days. Rishi Sunak is today saying that Labour would cause “irreversible damage within just 100 days of coming to power”, while his top lieutenants warn of the “danger” of a government led by Sir Keir Starmer.

Was this the day the wheels began to come off for Nigel Farage’s Reform UK bandwagon? Quite possibly. It was a day that began with terrible newspaper headlines and ended with a clash about racism in his party with a hostile TV audience. Election latest: What do we know about Reform UK racism scandal? It