Politics

The defence secretary has said he “understands (the) threat very well” and would never disclose sensitive information on an insecure line after being targeted by a suspected Russian hoax, a colleague has said. Ben Wallace had “some pretty tough questions” for his department which arranged the video call with an imposter posing as Ukraine’s prime

The government is reviewing its contracts with P&O after the ferry company’s “wholly unacceptable” and “insensitive” sacking of 800 staff members, a minister has told MPs. Condemning the firm, maritime minister Robert Courts told the House of Commons he was “extremely concerned and frankly angry” at the treatment of workers by P&O. “These are hardworking,

Boris Johnson has vowed a further crackdown on oligarchs and the super-rich by promising to curb their abuse of the UK legal system to stifle public criticism. The prime minister has called for an end to the “chilling effect” of elites using the threat of legal action to silence critics. Ministers will take aim at

Boris Johnson has declined to say whether his trip to Saudi Arabia will result in a boost to the kingdom’s oil production – as he insisted his talks about its human rights record would be “kept private”. The prime minister visited both the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as he continues his

There is no guarantee sanctioned oligarch Roman Abramovich can return to the UK – and more sanctions will be imposed, the foreign secretary said. Chelsea FC owner Mr Abramovich was in Israel, where he has citizenship, and flew to Moscow via Istanbul on Tuesday after he was sanctioned by the UK last week. Liz Truss

Boris Johnson will hold talks with the leaders of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates as he bids to end the West’s “addiction” to Russian oil and gas. With Vladimir Putin’s increasingly barbaric assault on Ukraine set to enter a third week, the prime minister will visit the Gulf in a stepping-up of his

The UK government has placed an export ban on luxury goods to Russia and hiked up import tariffs from the country on iconic products such as vodka. British vehicles, high-end fashion and art are some of the luxury goods that will no longer be exported to Russia as the UK and other G7 leaders continue

Boris Johnson has called on Western nations to “take back control” of their energy supplies and end an “addiction” to Russian oil and gas that has left them subject to “blackmail” by Vladimir Putin. In an article for the Daily Telegraph, the prime minister insisted the West “cannot go on like this” and remain “economically

A government minister has defended the Saudi Arabian takeover of Newcastle United as MPs described the mass execution of 81 men as a “new low” for the kingdom and urged the prime minister to cancel a visit. Senior Conservative MP Crispin Blunt, a former chair of the House of Commons foreign affairs committee, asked an

There will be no limit to the number of Ukrainian refugees who can come to the UK as they face their “hour of greatest need”, Cabinet minister Michael Gove has told MPs. Announcing the details of a new sponsorship scheme for those fleeing Russia’s invasion, Mr Gove expressed his hope that many Britons would “open their

The UK has issued 4,000 visas under the Ukraine Family Scheme ahead of launching a further programme for Britons to house refugees. The Home Office said the latest number is as of 3pm on 13 March, after Communities Secretary Michael Gove told Sky News on Sunday “more than 3,000” visas had been issued. Under the

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab is visiting the International Criminal Court (ICC) today to offer the UK’s help in gathering evidence to prosecute Vladimir Putin for possible war crimes in Ukraine. Mr Raab will meet the court’s prosecutor, British lawyer Karim AA Khan, in The Hague to offer “technical support in bringing those responsible for war

Downing Street put the brakes on Home Office initiatives to allow a bigger share of Ukrainians fleeing their homeland to settle in the United Kingdom, Sky News understands. Home Secretary Priti Patel faced significant criticism this week from colleagues for failing to provide more routes for Ukrainians to reach the UK, prompting anger among Conservative

The UK has announced sanctions on 386 Russian politicians who supported Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine, the Foreign Office has said. The sanctions mean bans on travel to the UK and the freezing of assets for those who voted for the independence of separatist regions Luhansk and Donetsk. Fears Putin’s forces could use chemical weapons

When Boris Johnson was deep in the quagmire of the partygate scandal, his rival Sir Keir Starmer said the country needed “a serious leader for serious times” and called on the prime minister to go.  For weeks, Mr Johnson was hanging on by a thread, his future being openly discussed as the Metropolitan Police launched

Armed Forces minister James Heappey has warned serving British soldiers and veterans not to travel to fight in Ukraine. Mr Heappey told Sky News the government position is that if you are serving member of the armed forces and choose to join the conflict in Ukraine, you are considered to be breaking the law. “No