UK

A Metropolitan Police officer has been charged over the death of a woman who was hit by a motorcycle escorting the Duchess of Edinburgh through London. The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said it had authorised a charge of causing death by careless driving against 67-year-old Christopher Harrison. Helen Holland, 81, suffered serious injuries in the

Tech tycoon Mike Lynch died by drowning after the Bayesian superyacht sunk off the coast of Sicily, an inquest has heard. The 59-year-old billionaire, who founded software giant Autonomy in 1996, was one of seven people who died in the disaster off the coast of Sicily in August. An inquest into his death, as well

Laura Kuenssberg has explained more about why a planned BBC interview with Boris Johnson could not go ahead – and revealed the “brighter side” after she said she accidentally sent the former prime minister her briefing notes. In her weekly newsletter, Kuenssberg, who presents the broadcaster’s Sunday politics show, addressed her recent “embarrassing mistake”, saying

The UK will hand over sovereignty of the remote Chagos Islands to Mauritius after a decades-long dispute. The deal to transfer the Indian Ocean archipelago to Mauritius includes the tropical atoll of Diego Garcia, home to a military base used by the UK and the US that plays a crucial role in the region’s stability

Six people have been arrested after a newborn baby died and a mother was left with serious injuries in a hit-and-run. Lancashire Police said a pregnant woman, aged in her 30s, was walking along a pedestrian crossing in the village of Bamber Bridge on Sunday when she was struck by a car. She was admitted

One of the UK’s most wanted men has been jailed for 20 years after masterminding a plot to smuggle nearly a tonne of cocaine from South America to Scotland hidden in a cargo of bananas. Jamie Stevenson, known as “Iceman”, pleaded guilty to directing the importation of the drug, which was seized by Border Force

Sir Keir Starmer has said Britain stands with Israel and warned he is “deeply concerned” that the Middle East “is on the brink”. In a televised address from Downing Street, the prime minister condemned an attack by Iran which saw around 200 missiles launched into Israel. Sir Keir, who was on the phone to the

“If it gets much colder, I am thinking of doing something, just to go back to prison,” says Leon Lear, 43, as he sits next to the remnants of his failed fire on the edge of a playground in Bridgend, South Wales. The wood was too damp to burn; the only ash is from cardboard

Foreign Secretary David Lammy has urged British nationals to heed the government’s advice and leave Lebanon immediately. He said the situation on the ground is “fast moving” and ministers can’t guarantee being able to help “if things escalate in a major way over the coming hours and days”. There are concerns about rising violence in

A 96-year-old has been given a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to causing the death of a woman by dangerous driving. June Mills, from Ainsdale on Merseyside was handed an 18-month suspended sentence at Liverpool Crown Court on Monday. She pleaded guilty to causing the death of Brenda Joyce, 76, in Formby in August

Former deputy prime minister Sir Oliver Dowden has become the most senior ally of Rishi Sunak to be interviewed in the official investigation into betting on the date of the general election, Sky News understands. He follows Mr Sunak’s former parliamentary aide Craig Williams and former Downing Street chief of staff Liam Booth-Smith in being

Robert Jenrick has defended being handed a £75,000 donation from a company which had received money from a firm registered in the British Virgin Islands (BVI), despite criticising Labour over the freebies row. The Tory leadership contender told Sunday Morning With Trevor Phillips that the firm “as I understand it… is a fitness company that

Canterbury MP Rosie Duffield has resigned from the Labour Party. The 53-year-old MP is the first to jump ship since the general election and in her resignation letter criticised the prime minister for accepting thousands of pounds worth of gifts. She told Sir Keir the reason for leaving now is “the programme of policies you

Boris Johnson claims he considered authorising a raid on a warehouse in the Netherlands during the pandemic to retrieve COVID-19 vaccines. In his upcoming memoir, he described meeting senior military officials in March 2021 to discuss the plans, which he admitted were “nuts”. Another extract from his upcoming book, released by the Daily Mail, describes

Maggie Smith, known for her roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, has died at the age of 89, her sons have said. The actress died in hospital, her children Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens said. In a statement, they said: “An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She

Two boys believed to be the UK’s youngest knife murderers have both been detained for a minimum term of eight years and six months. The pair were both aged 12 when they killed 19-year-old Shawn Seesahai in a machete attack in a Wolverhampton park on 13 November last year. They are thought to be the

Sir Keir Starmer has called for Israel and Hezbollah to agree to a ceasefire, saying “escalation serves no one”. Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly, the prime minister implored the two sides to “step back from the brink”. It comes after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his nation’s troops would keep “fighting at

An amber warning for heavy rain has been issued by the Met Office – warning of further flooding and travel disruption across large swathes of the UK. The new weather alert covers central England from 6pm on Thursday until 6am on Friday. Nearly three inches of rain could fall over several hours in the worst-affected

Sir Keir Starmer accepted a £20,000 donation for the use of a flat during the election after promising his family he would protect them. The prime minister‘s register of interests shows a declaration for accommodation provided by Lord Waheed Alli to the value of £20,437.28 from 29 May to 13 July this year. The election

A new weather warning for heavy rain has been issued by the Met Office which could cause further widespread flooding and travel disruption. The yellow warning has been issued for much of England and Wales, apart from North Wales, parts of the West Midlands and the North West, between 5pm on Thursday and 10am on