Politics

Labour’s Angela Rayner has rejected accusations of hypocrisy after she personally benefitted from a housing policy developed by Margaret Thatcher that she has since criticised. The party’s deputy leader and shadow levelling up secretary insisted she was not “ashamed” to have brought her council house at a discounted rate in 2007 under the late former prime

A scheme to allow prisoners to be released early because of a lack of space has been extended indefinitely, Sky News can reveal. Ministers have also expanded the number of jails letting out prisoners before the end of their sentence, according to leaked documents. Originally, the early release scheme – known as the End of

Conservative MP Lee Anderson has been criticised for making “divisive and dangerous” comments about London mayor Sadiq Khan – with calls for him to be kicked out of the party. Labour’s shadow health secretary Wes Streeting said the former Tory deputy chairman had engaged in “outright racism and Islamophobia”, while ex-Tory MP Gavin Barwell said

New research has revealed a huge lead for Labour in coastal towns and communities. Exclusive polling from the Fabian Society shows that in 108 constituencies in England and Wales that contain at least one coastal town, Labour leads with 52% of the vote. Coastal towns and communities – dubbed the ‘sea wall’ – will be

For weeks – months even – we’ve been watching a beauty parade on the Conservative benches preparing for life after Rishi Sunak as various MPs hook up with various groupings of Conservative backbenchers hoping to garner support for the moment when the ball comes out of the scrum. On the right, we have seen the

The Speaker changing the “usual ways in which parliament works” was “very concerning”, according to the prime minister – who did not say whether he accepted Sir Lindsay Hoyle’s apology. Sir Lindsay’s role has been thrown into jeopardy after he allowed both Labour and government amendments to be voted on, on an SNP debate –

An emotional Sir Lindsay Hoyle said he never wants to pick up the phone “to find a friend has been murdered” – as he defended his actions in the Commons on Wednesday. The Commons Speaker is facing a backlash for allowing a vote on a Labour amendment to an SNP motion calling for an immediate

Sir Keir Starmer started the day facing the prospect of a very sizeable rebellion and possibly even a shadow cabinet resignation or two as dozens of MPs warned that they wouldn’t be able to vote against the SNP motion calling for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza. And yet he ended it becoming the first political

Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle is facing a backlash from Tory MPs over his decision to select both the Labour and government amendments to the SNP’s Gaza ceasefire motion. It is highly unusual to allow an opposition party – in this case Labour – to amend a motion from another opposition party. Usually, only a

Three people have been charged with criminal damage after a Greenpeace protest at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s home. A statement from North Yorkshire Police said the man and two women facing the charges were Mathieu Soete, 38, Amy Rugg-Easey, 33, and Alexandra Wilson, 32. It comes after the climate change group carried out a demonstration

Labour has called for an “immediate ceasefire” in Gaza for the first time, saying the situation there is “intolerable”. The party leadership has been under pressure to back an immediate end to the fighting in the strip, with Sir Keir Starmer previously only calling for a “sustainable ceasefire” or “humanitarian pauses”. Shadow foreign secretary David

Kemi Badenoch has said former Post Office chair Henry Staunton was being investigated over bullying allegations before his dismissal – as she accused him of seeking “revenge” against the government. The business secretary told the Commons that allegations regarding Mr Staunton’s conduct, including “serious matters such as bullying”, were being examined and concerns had also

Ofcom has launched an investigation into Rishi Sunak’s recent appearance on GB News. The prime minister answered questions on a range of topics from an audience on the show, but complainants alleged that no alternative view was offered. In a statement, the UK’s communications and broadcast regulator said: “We have received around 500 complaints about

Ministers have urged police forces to use “robust” measures to tackle protesters who “intimidate and harass” MPs over their stance on the Israel-Gaza conflict. In a letter to chief constables, seen by Sky News, security minister Tom Tugendhat and policing minister Chris Philp said the demonstration outside the home of Conservative MP Tobias Ellwood was

Sir Keir Starmer called for a “ceasefire that lasts” in Gaza – ahead of a vote in the Commons which risks re-opening Labour divisions on the issue. The Labour leader, fresh from an appearance at a gathering of top politicians in Germany, said every conversation there had focused on what could be done to end

Scottish Labour has unanimously backed an immediate ceasefire in Gaza, with MSPs calling for “unequivocal” support and putting pressure on the rest of the party. All delegates backed Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar’s calls for an immediate end to the Israel-Hamas war at the party conference in Glasgow. Politics latest: Backbench Tories deliver message to

It has been a stonking night for Labour – winning two more by-elections in safe Conservative seats on substantial swings. The momentum of last year’s gains in Tamworth, Selby and Ainsty, and Mid Bedfordshire, which some in the party had feared would stall, has continued to accelerate in the first tests of the general election

Losing both the Kingswood and Wellingborough by-elections means the Conservatives have established a new record – the largest number of defeats it has suffered in a single parliament. A net loss of nine seats is one more than the eight defeats in the mid-1990s as John Major led the party to one of its heaviest

Rishi Sunak has suffered a double-blow after losing two by-elections to Labour, overturning significant majorities in both. Both Kingswood and Wellingborough turned from blue to red, meaning this government has seen the most by-election losses of any Conservative administration since the Second World War. By-election results live: Labour secures double victory The losses do not

Labour has gained Wellingborough from the Conservatives, another big by-election victory for Sir Keir Starmer’s party. Labour’s Gen Kitchen won 13,844 votes, while Tory candidate Helen Harrison polled 7,408, giving her a majority of 6,436. Labour wins by-election double header – live updates Ms Harrison is the partner of ousted MP Peter Bone, who had