Politics

People in government tell me they think the governor of the Bank of England is failing in his job, but cannot do anything about it.  That Andrew Bailey is under pressure is not in doubt. Today’s 8.7% year-on-year inflation rise is a painfully long way from the governor’s 2% target – meaning tomorrow, the Bank

Another of Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s five key priorities for 2023 is in doubt as national debt reached 100% of GDP. The third of the government’s five targets is to reduce the national debt but official figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) showed it increased in May to the highest in more than

Rishi Sunak is facing a by-election triple threat after the Somerton and Frome vote was scheduled for 20 July. The announcement comes after David Warburton formally left the House of Commons on Monday. The election will take place on the same day as Boris Johnson’s vacated Uxbridge and South Ruislip seat, and Nigel Adams’ Selby

To the very end, Boris Johnson and his dwindling band of supporters – and Rishi Sunak and the Tory high command – were outwitted by the Labour Party in the parliamentary battle over partygate. At the beginning of the Privileges Committee process, back in April 2022, the Tories failed to spot the trap being laid

David Cameron was heckled with shouts of “shame on you” as he left the COVID inquiry after giving evidence. The former prime minister was questioned for more than two hours on Monday on how prepared the government was for a pandemic during his time in office. But as he left the hearing in London and

Sir Keir Starmer has said Boris Johnson should be banned from parliament over the partygate scandal, as he challenged the prime minister to “show leadership” on the matter. The Labour leader said it’s “important to know” where Rishi Sunak stands ahead of a vote on the report of the Commons’ Privileges Committee, which last week

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove has called a new leaked partygate video “terrible” – and says the fact the event went ahead is “indefensible”. The footage appears to show Tory staff drinking, dancing and joking about “bending” COVID lockdown rules in December 2020. On this week’s Sophy Ridge On Sunday podcast, hear Mr Gove’s reaction

A Conservative MP embroiled in a scandal has announced he will stand down – triggering a by-election in his Somerton and Frome constituency. David Warburton was suspended from the party in April 2022 pending the outcome of an Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS) investigation into allegations of harassment and drug abuse. Speaking to the

Conservative Party staff were filmed celebrating at their London headquarters during the height of the COVID lockdown. New footage, obtained by The Mirror, shows Tory Party staff at a Christmas party dancing, drinking and joking about Covid restrictions while lockdown rules were in place in December 2020. Two of those at the party were among

Boris Johnson has dramatically made a double retreat from all-out verbal war with Rishi Sunak over the damning report which concluded he lied to MPs over partygate. First, he has ordered his closest allies in the Commons not to vote against the privileges committee report that proposed a 90-day suspension if he had still been

Rishi Sunak is facing a potentially acrimonious vote on the Boris Johnson partygate report at the start of next week. A debate and vote on the report, published by the House of Commons Privileges Committee on Thursday, will take place on Monday – Mr Johnson‘s 59th birthday. But it will not be a gathering Mr

Boris Johnson lied to parliament over partygate allegations, according to a report from MPs. The House of Commons privileges committee recommended a 90-day suspension, but as the former prime minister has already resigned as an MP, the Commons could now vote for his right to enter the parliamentary estate to be revoked. Mr Johnson has

In the end, it was excoriating, damning and unanimous: Boris Johnson was found not only to have deliberately misled the House of Commons over events in Number 10 during COVID lockdowns, but had attacked the fabric of our democracy itself by seeking to undermine the committee and investigation. The conclusion of the 14-month privileges committee

The privileges committee has reported – and its conclusions exceed even the more damning expectations. The MPs find Boris Johnson misled the House not just once, but multiple times: • On 1 December 2021 when reports first surfaced about lockdown-busting parties and he said all rules and guidance were followed in No 10,• the following

Boris Johnson has been accused of using a “distraction tactic” after calling for an MP on the Privileges Committee to resign over allegations of lockdown rule-breaking. A fresh row erupted on the eve of a long-awaited report that is poised to find the former prime minister misled parliament over partygate. Politics Live: Tories ‘arguing about

Boris Johnson has made eleventh-hour representations to the privileges committee before it publishes a report which is expected to find that he deliberately misled parliament. A spokesman for the inquiry said it was “dealing with” further submissions received from the former prime minister at 11.57pm on Monday. It came as the panel of MPs examining

Rishi Sunak has cancelled plans to hold a second round of Boris Johnson’s £3.6bn towns fund in a move that could anger Tory MPs. Sky News can reveal that the £300m set aside for a further competition will instead be transferred to the levelling up fund, which has been criticised for slow delivery. The towns

A defiant Boris Johnson vowed “I’ll be back” as he called on the Tories to deliver on Brexit and the promises of the 2019 manifesto. The former prime minister hinted at a political comeback on the day he formally resigned as an MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip. In a message in the Daily Express

Rishi Sunak has launched a broadside at Boris Johnson after the former prime minister resigned from the House of Commons last week. Mr Johnson was left furious after some of his political allies – Nadine Dorries, Alok Sharma and Nigel Adams – were not given the places in the House of Lords he nominated them

Sky News political correspondent Rob Powell and chief political correspondent Jon Craig discuss the fallout from Boris Johnson’s decision to step down as an MP. He’s forced one of three by-elections after close Conservative colleagues Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams also decided to leave the Commons immediately. Rob and Jon consider how Rishi Sunak and