Politics

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

Lord Cameron says he wants Ukraine’s allies to “do more” to help defeat Russia and that together they “outmatch” President Vladimir Putin’s regime. Speaking to Sky News at a security conference in Munich, the foreign secretary said Ukraine’s partners outmatched Russia “25 to one” and that they’ve “got to make that difference count”. Lord Cameron

HMRC has been accused of using “dangerous and sinister” new tactics in a tax crackdown that has already been linked to 10 suicides. The government has recently come under pressure over the “Loan Charge” – controversial legislation which made tens of thousands of contractors who were paid their salaries through loans retrospectively liable for tax

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

Chancellor Jeremy Hunt is looking at cutting planned public sector spending in order to lower taxes, Sky News understands. The government has been hinting at further tax reductions in recent weeks ahead of the budget on 6 March – and as it seeks to make an attractive offer to voters before the next general election.

Sir Keir Starmer has been urged to suspend any Labour member who was present at a meeting of activists where antisemitic comments were allegedly made. Mike Katz, the national chair of the Jewish Labour Movement (JLM), which is formally affiliated to the Labour Party, criticised those who were present at a community meeting that has

Labour has taken Kingswood from the Conservatives, in another by-election victory for Sir Keir Starmer’s party. Damian Egan won 11,176 votes, while Tory candidate Sam Bromiley polled 8,675 votes, giving Labour a majority of 2,501. The seat in Gloucestershire had been held by Tory MP Chris Skidmore since 2010, but he quit in January in

Another Labour politician attended a meeting of activists that has become the centre of an antisemitism row within the party, Sky News understands. Hyndburn councillor Munsif Dad is thought to have attended the gathering where two parliamentary candidates are alleged to have made antisemitic remarks. On Monday, Labour withdrew support from and suspended Azhar Ali,

The Labour Party has suspended one its election candidates who allegedly referred to “f***ing Israel” at a meeting of activists, Sky News understands. Graham Jones has been administratively suspended from the party pending investigation and was called in for an interview this evening after his comments were revealed by the website Guido Fawkes. Mr Jones, the

Sir Keir Starmer has claimed he took “decisive action” in withdrawing support from Labour’s candidate for the Rochdale by-election, after it was alleged Azhar Ali had made antisemitic remarks at a party meeting. Shadow ministers initially stood by the councillor after his comments were published by the Daily Mail – saying Israel had deliberately allowed

The Labour Party has withdrawn support for its candidate in the Rochdale by-election after receiving an official complaint over his “antisemitic” remarks. It is understood that Azhar Ali has also been suspended from the party pending an investigation. A Labour Party spokesperson said: “Following new information about further comments made by Azhar Ali coming to

Israel should “stop and think” before taking any further action in Rafah, Foreign Secretary Lord Cameron has said – as the UK sanctioned settlers in the West Bank. The former prime minister said the UK was “very concerned” about the situation on the Gaza-Egypt border. Local health officials have said 37 people were killed in

A different week for Sky News’ Sam Coates and Politico’s Jack Blanchard as they preview and predict the biggest moments for British politics in the week ahead.  As it’s Westminster recess, they’re not together as they record the podcast – Sam is in a sauna in Finland and Jack is in his mum’s spare room

The Ministry of Defence has been accused of taking its diversity policy to increase recruits from ethnic minorities too far. As Sky News has reported previously, the RAF admitted to discriminating against white male candidates in a hiring policy aimed at increasing diversity. And now a leaked MoD document, seen by The Sunday Telegraph, reveals

Fujitsu is set to have received more than £3.4bn through contracts from Treasury-linked organisations since 2019, despite its role in the Post Office scandal, MPs have found. The international tech firm, which is under intense scrutiny, was awarded around £1.4bn worth of deals since a 2019 High Court ruling concluding there had been numerous bugs

Rishi Sunak has promised to reward hard work with tax cuts as he struck an optimistic note over the UK’s economic prospects. Official figures next week may show the UK slipped into a technical recession at the end of last year, while the prime minister is facing a heavy opinion poll deficit against Labour and

Rishi Sunak has published his personal tax return, showing he paid more than half a million pounds in UK tax last year. The document shows he paid a tax bill of £508,308 in the financial year 2022-23. His income included £1.8m in capital gains, as well as his £150,000 prime minister’s salary. The prime minister

Rishi Sunak has again refused to apologise for comments he made about transgender people in parliament this week, despite calls from Brianna Ghey’s father to do so. Mr Sunak rejected suggestions he made a joke during Prime Minister’s Questions when Brianna’s mother, Esther Ghey, was in parliament. “That is not what I did, it is