Politics

It may seem pretty standard nowadays for chaos to follow wherever politics goes. But there were a number of unexpected political moments this year that left even the most seasoned Westminster watcher open-mouthed. We take a look at some of the most surprising incidents from the past 12 months. Glitter bombing Please use Chrome browser

Rishi Sunak is facing another by-election after the Commons standards committee recommended MP Scott Benton be suspended from the chamber for 35 days. Mr Benton was suspended from the parliamentary Tory party in April after being caught by The Times suggesting he would be willing to break lobbying rules for money. In its ruling handed

Rishi Sunak has publicly disagreed with an Israeli ambassador, who told Sky News the country rejected the idea of a two-state solution. It is the long-standing position of the UK government that there should be an independent Palestinian state established alongside the existing one of Israel – giving both peoples their own territory. But asked

Levels of homelessness in England this Christmas are likely to be 14% higher than last year, according to analysis by Shelter. The charity has blamed the figures on a housing emergency it said is out of control. It estimated that on any given night in 2023 there were 309,550 people in some form of homelessness,

Welsh First Minister Mark Drakeford has announced his resignation. Mr Drakeford made the announcement in the Senedd on Wednesday morning five years to the day since he was first elected as leader of Welsh Labour. He had already indicated he would step aside during the current Senedd term and that he would not be standing

Rishi Sunak’s Rwanda bill has passed a crucial Commons vote with a majority of 44. The second reading of the legislation passed with 313 MPs voting in favour and 269 against. It comes after right-wing Tory MPs said they could not support the bill, while One Nation Conservative moderates said they would back the proposals

Conservative rebels are meeting later to decide how they will vote on Rishi Sunak’s Safety of Rwanda bill. The prime minister met with some of those threatening to shoot down the totemic legislation for breakfast in Downing Street on Tuesday morning. Mr Sunak was hoping to convince the group – including the likes of Jonathan

The One Nation group of centrist Tory MPs have recommended its members vote for the government’s Rwanda bill tomorrow. It comes after MPs on the right of the party earlier today suggested they may not support the legislation. The faction of about 100 One Nation MPs met this evening to discuss their concerns that the

After appearances from Boris Johnson, Matt Hancock and a range of Downing Street advisers, it is now time for Rishi Sunak to be questioned at the official COVID inquiry. We take a look at what questions the prime minister – who served as chancellor throughout the pandemic – is likely to face. Please use Chrome

Rishi Sunak is waiting to see the size of revolt over his immigration plans from both wings of his party as he enters a crunch week for his premiership.  Two major meetings on Monday – one with One Nation MPs and one with the Tory right – will determine the size of the rebellion on

Michael Gove has defended as a “salty intervention” a Conservative Party social media post that attacked Labour using an image of a BBC News presenter making a rude sign on camera. The levelling up and communities secretary said it was “a powerful contribution to a very lively debate”, which pointed out the opposition had “nothing

Rishi Sunak has attacked Labour’s illegal migration policy as Sir Keir Starmer accused the Conservatives of “fighting like rats in a sack” over the Rwanda bill. The prime minister called on Labour to “rise above political games” and back the emergency legislation when it comes before the Commons on Tuesday, despite battling to convince his

Robert Jenrick has said the government’s Rwanda bill is too weak and will still mean a “merry-go-round” of legal challenges. The former immigration minister quit this week over the new law – designed to speed up deportations and deter people from crossing the Channel on small boats. Mr Jenrick, writing in The Daily Telegraph, said

The Home Office’s most senior civil servant has been summoned to give evidence to a committee of MPs on Monday after he revealed the cost of the government’s Rwanda plan had risen by £100m – despite no planes having taken off. Ministers signed the deal with the African nation in 2022, with the aim of

Two people have been arrested after Sir Keir Starmer was confronted by pro-Palestine activists in Glasgow. The Labour leader was met by activists holding Palestinian flags as he arrived at Glasgow Central Station on Thursday evening. Sir Keir has faced criticism over his stance on the Israel-Hamas war since voting against a ceasefire in Gaza

Rishi Sunak has dodged questions over whether he will call a general election if he loses a crunch vote on his Rwanda bill – which he insisted was not a vote of confidence in his leadership. The prime minister repeatedly defended the bill from its critics at a press conference on Thursday as questions mount

Suella Braverman has said she “very much hopes the prime minister changes course” with his efforts to tackle illegal migration after his plan to send asylum seekers to Rwanda was dealt a blow with the resignation of Robert Jenrick. The former home secretary, who was sacked by Rishi Sunak last month, said she wanted the

Robert Jenrick has resigned from his post as immigration minister over the government’s Rwanda plan. Home Secretary James Cleverly confirmed his colleague’s departure after repeated questioning in the Commons. Speculation mounted after Mr Jenrick was missing from the frontbench as Mr Cleverly gave a statement on the government’s bid to rescue the deal to fly

Rishi Sunak will aim for a middle ground in the emergency legislation to get the Rwanda scheme off the ground as he remains under severe pressure to stop small boat crossings. A senior government source has told Sky News that the prime minister is not planning to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR)

Rwanda has not received any additional funding for the new treaty it has signed to revive the UK government’s asylum plan, the home secretary has said. James Cleverly told a press conference in the Rwandan capital of Kigali: “Let me make it clear. The Rwandan government has not asked for and we have not provided