Politics

The UK is “working urgently” to verify details following unconfirmed reports of a Russian chemical attack in a besieged city in Ukraine, the foreign secretary has said. Liz Truss said any confirmed use of chemical weapons in Mariupol would be a “callous escalation” of the war. Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Ukraine’s president, used his nightly video address

A “bloodthirsty” and “fanatical” terrorist has been found guilty of the murder of MP Sir David Amess. The veteran Conservative politician was stabbed to death during a constituency surgery meeting in Leigh-on-Sea, Essex, in October last year. Sir David, who was the MP for Southend West, suffered more than 20 stab wounds in a “vicious

The chancellor has written to the prime minister asking him to refer him to the Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests to determine whether all his interests were “properly declared”. In a tweet, Rishi Sunak said he had “always followed the rules” and that he hoped the review would “provide further clarity”. In the letter Mr

Rishi Sunak and his wife have recognised her tax “situation” was “not favourable”, says a government minister – as the chancellor launched an inquiry into the leaking of details about her non-dom status. After the disclosure that Akshata Murty was “non-domiciled” in Britain for tax purposes sparked a political storm, policing minister Kit Malthouse told

A Whitehall inquiry has been launched into the leak of Rishi Sunak’s wife’s tax status after a week in which the chancellor’s approval ratings have taken a significant hit. Akshata Murty dramatically announced on Friday that she would pay UK taxes on her global income, adding in a statement that she didn’t want the issue

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has travelled to Kyiv to meet Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskyy in a “show of solidarity”. “Right now a visit of Boris Johnson in Kyiv started from one-on-one meeting with President Zelenskiy,” Andriy Sybiha,deputy head of Ukraine’s president office, said on Facebook. A Downing Street spokesperson said the PM was making the

Rishi Sunak has admitted holding a US green card while chancellor but his spokesman has insisted all rules have been followed. It follows Sky News reporting earlier that the chancellor and his wife held US green cards – permitting him residence in the country – until more than a year into his time at 11

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has been forced to defend his wife’s tax affairs amid criticism her multi-millionaire status puts him out of touch with the current cost of living crisis. Mr Sunak married Akshata, the daughter of the so-called ‘Bill Gates of India’ – Narayana Murty, in 2009 after they met at Stanford University. Her 0.91%

Rishi Sunak has dramatically broken his silence in the row over his wife’s tax affairs, declaring: “To smear my wife to get at me is awful.” In an interview with The Sun, hitting back at attacks by opposition MPs on his multi-millionaire wife, he said: “She loves her country like I love mine.” Mr Sunak

Britain is to step up its development of nuclear power under plans to boost the country’s long term energy security while delivering thousands of jobs and cheaper bills. The government said up to eight reactors could be delivered by 2030 – accelerating the pace from one a decade to one a year – as the

Boris Johnson has said there is a “limit to the amount of taxpayers’ money” that can be used to address rising bills ahead of launching a long-awaited energy strategy. The government will publish its Energy Security Strategy on Thursday to help tackle soaring energy prices and reduce reliance on Russian oil and gas. But Mr

Millions of workers will begin paying higher National Insurance contributions from today as part of a plan to raise billions for the NHS and social care. The 1.25 percentage point increase, first announced last autumn, is being introduced despite pressure for it to be put off given wider cost of living pressures – with energy,

Rishi Sunak has donated more than £100,000 to Winchester College – one of the most expensive private schools in the country, Sky News can reveal.  Mr Sunak has continued to give money to the school, where he was head boy, since becoming chancellor. The money funds bursaries for children whose parents would otherwise not be

A new strategy for how the UK will produce more of its own energy is to be announced this week after several delays. The government has confirmed it will publish the “Energy Security Strategy” on Thursday to help tackle soaring energy prices and reduce reliance on Russian oil and gas. Boris Johnson promised the plan

Cancer survival rates in England risk going into reverse as the health service faces specialist staff shortages and the prolonged impact of the pandemic, MPs have warned. A report by the health and social care committee pointed to staff having to ration treatment and said factors including reluctance of patients to come forward and late

The government’s former ethics chief has apologised for an “error of judgement” after being fined by the Met Police for going to a lockdown-breaking party in Westminster. Helen MacNamara said she has paid the fine she was handed in connection with a leaving party held in the Cabinet Office on June 18 2020 to mark