Politics

The Home Office is launching an ad campaign in Albania aimed at deterring people from crossing the English Channel illegally. Posters bear the message that people “face being detained and removed” if they make the journey. The department would not say how much the publicity drive is expected to cost but announced it will also

MPs have voted to suspend COVID rulebreaker Margaret Ferrier from the House of Commons for 30 days. The suspension could now lead to a by-election in the politician’s Rutherglen and Hamilton West constituency. Ms Ferrier was ruled to have damaged the reputation of the Commons and put people at risk after taking part in a

Boris Johnson has been referred to the police by the Cabinet Office over new claims he broke COVID lockdown rules. The former prime minister’s ministerial diary has revealed visits by friends to Chequers during the pandemic. The visits to the grace-and-favour residence were highlighted during preparations for a public inquiry into COVID, according to The

International students who come to study in the UK will no longer be able to bring family with them except under specific circumstances in a government bid to bring immigration down. International students will no longer be able to bring dependants with them unless they are on postgraduate courses that are currently designated as research

Britain is no longer expected to suffer a recession this year, nor will it have the weakest economic growth in the group of seven leading industrialised economies, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) said today. Unveiling a dramatic upgrade to its outlook for Britain, the Fund, which previously predicted Britain would face the worst 2023 of

MP Margaret Ferrier has lost her appeal against a proposed 30-day ban from the House of Commons over breaching COVID rules. The suspension could now trigger a by-election in her constituency. The Rutherglen and Hamilton West MP was found to have damaged the reputation of the Commons and put people at risk after taking part

China poses “the biggest challenge” to global security, Rishi Sunak has said at the end of a G7 summit. The Prime Minister added: “China poses the biggest challenge of our age to global security and prosperity, they are increasingly authoritarian at home and assertive abroad.” “This is all about de-risking, not de-coupling.” Advertisement

Tony Blair, Labour’s most successful election-winning prime minister, had no doubt that being in government was better than being in opposition. The fundamental difference, he would say, is that in opposition politicians can only talk; in government they can actually do things. As the Conservative Party struggles to improve the state of Britain after their

Rishi Sunak has confidently backed himself to remain prime minister for another term as he insisted the Conservatives were on track to win the next general election, despite an absolute drubbing in the local elections. Asked whether he would still be prime minister after the next general election, Mr Sunak replied: “Yes. I’m working really

The Welsh parliament has voted to set up a COVID-19 inquiry committee – but campaigners say it does not go far enough. There have been calls to establish a COVID-19 public inquiry to focus specifically on the decisions taken by the Welsh government, which often acted at different time and on different advice to the

For all its seaside delights, Margate in Kent is one of the most deprived parts of the UK. Amid the cost of living crisis, many families are struggling to make ends meet. Falling ill can become a headlong plunge into poverty – as Kyra Lloyd, a 25-year-old shop assistant, discovered when she began experiencing agonising

Boris Johnson considered sending Rishi Sunak a foul-mouthed video after he resigned and triggered his downfall, the former PM’s former director of communications has claimed. Guto Harri, who advised Mr Johnson from February to September last year, said Mr Johnson believed Mr Sunak’s decision to resign last summer was “the great betrayal of all time”,

Scotland’s National Care Service plans are “starting to look like another Humza Yousaf disaster”, Douglas Ross quipped during a heated First Minister’s Questions. The Scottish government has spent almost £14m over two years on the delayed proposals. This includes more than £2m on consultancy fees. In a barbed exchange during FMQs on Thursday, the Scottish

Nurses will vote on whether to hold England-wide strike action later this month after rejecting the government’s 5% pay rise. Royal College of Nursing (RCN) members have held a series of strikes over the past six months and while 14 health unions last week agreed to a 5% pay rise, the nurses union rejected the

Lawyers in Aberdeen will join a boycott of plans to pilot juryless rape trials in Scotland. Aberdeen Bar Association branded the proposals “a danger” and accused the Scottish government of “political meddling”. Lawyers in Glasgow and Edinburgh have already confirmed they will refuse to take part in the pilot, which was proposed last month as

Nurses could keep holding strikes “up until Christmas” if the current dispute is not resolved, the leader of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has told Sky News. Pat Cullen, the head of the RCN union, was speaking as her members picket today – although the period of action is truncated after judges ruled the

National exemptions are in place to provide critical care during strike action by nurses, a union leader has insisted, telling Sky News staff would never leave patients unsafe or create more risk. Royal College of Nursing (RCN) general secretary Pat Cullen was speaking to Sophy Ridge On Sunday ahead of a 28-hour walkout by members

The home secretary will be able to exercise her “discretion” when weighing up whether to follow European court orders on deportations, a government minister has confirmed. Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden said amendments to the government’s Illegal Migration Bill would give Suella Braverman the ability to consider the “timeliness” of interventions from the European Court

Nurses are being “treated as criminals” for going on strike, a union leader has claimed. Pat Cullen, the head of the Royal College of Nurses (RCN), described health secretary Steve Barclay’s decision to “pursue legal action” over the union’s upcoming strike as “cruel” and “unacceptable”. Members of the (RCN) working for the NHS in England

A council where the Home Office plans to turn an RAF base into asylum seeker accommodation says the “irrational” move will put at risk a £300m regeneration project for the site. A new local plan, with proposals to re-develop RAF Scampton in Lincolnshire, was formally adopted on Thursday as part of requirements for councils to