UK

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

An asylum seeker has died on board the Bibby Stockholm barge. Further details concerning the incident are yet to be confirmed, including the individual’s age and country of origin. The Bibby Stockholm, docked in Portland Port in Dorset, is one of a number of alternative sites the Home Office is using to house asylum seekers.

Prince Harry has been ordered to pay the Mail on Sunday more than £48,000 after he lost his attempt to strike out part of the paper’s defence in a libel case. The Duke of Sussex is suing the newspaper’s publishers, Associated Newspapers, over an article written about his fight with the Home Office concerning his

“At no point did anybody see this coming”. Colin Speight was just 47 when he took his own life in December 2021. The firefighter’s colleagues found his death difficult to accept. Their loss hit home when they returned to work to find his kit still on his peg and his locker still filled with belongings.

Rishi Sunak will be challenged at the COVID inquiry on claims that government scientists branded him “Dr Death” – and called his scheme to kickstart the economy “Eat Out to Help Out the Virus”. The inquiry has also been told that Dominic Cummings, Boris Johnson’s chief adviser in Downing Street at the time, claimed Mr

A woman has been charged with four counts of manslaughter following the deaths of four children in a fire in south London in 2021. The children, two sets of twin brothers aged four and three, died after a blaze ripped through a mid-terrace house in Sutton, south London. The boys – Leyton and Logan Hoath,

The Prince and Princess of Wales have chosen a black-and-white family photograph as their official Christmas card image. In the monochrome picture, a smiling William and Kate are stood with sons Prince George and Prince Louis around a chair where a beaming Princess Charlotte is sitting with her legs crossed. The five royals are dressed

Police are investigating a possible hate crime after a “terrified” Jewish woman was violently assaulted and robbed in north London. Footage of the attack has been circulated online after it was tweeted by the neighbourhood watch group Shomrim. The 20-year-old woman was walking along Rostrevor Avenue in Stamford Hill at about 4.30pm on Thursday when

The UK is braced for more winds and rain this weekend, with gusts of up to 70mph expected to hit the country. Weather warnings have been issued across the UK for the next few days, with downpours and strong gusts expected all weekend. Areas along the Irish Sea coast should prepare for the potential of

Scotland’s highest civil court has ruled that the UK government acted lawfully in blocking Holyrood’s controversial gender reform bill. Legislation making it easier for people to change their legally-recognised sex was passed by MSPs last December. It then became a constitutional dispute in January when the UK government took the unprecedented step of using a

Britain’s critical infrastructure will be more at risk from extreme weather if the world waivers on its commitment to net zero targets, according to exclusive analysis for Sky News. Power stations, transport networks and airports are all more likely to be damaged or disrupted as global average temperatures climb higher, data from risk assessors Climate

Benjamin Zephaniah, the British poet and writer, has died aged 65. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour eight weeks ago, a post on his Instagram page said, describing him as a “true pioneer and innovator” who “gave the world so much”. “Benjamin’s wife was by his side throughout and was with him when he

Homes have been evacuated as a bomb disposal squad investigates a “suspicious item” found in a house in north-west England. Cumbria Police declared a “major incident” after they discovered the item on Wednesday afternoon following concerns for the welfare of an individual in Steel Street, Ulverston. A 46-year-old man was arrested and is being held

Boris Johnson was interrupted as he apologised for the “suffering” caused by the COVID pandemic. Four people were subsequently removed from the hearing, where they had been in the public gallery holding up pictures. Mr Johnson had told the inquiry: “I am deeply sorry for the pain and loss and suffering.” One protester held up

Emergency services are responding to reports of a serious assault in Aberfan, South Wales Police have said. Armed officers are in the area, police said, and residents have been urged to avoid the area. The incident took place on Moy Road just before 9.10am this morning. Paramedics say a person has been taken to hospital.

A new five-point plan to reduce immigration has been announced by the government, which includes banning care workers from bringing over their families and increasing the minimum salary for a skilled worker visa. Home Secretary James Cleverly has come under pressure since taking office three weeks ago to show he is taking a hardline on

Boris Johnson will appear before the COVID inquiry this week to face scrutiny about the decisions he made during the pandemic. The former prime minister is expected to issue an apology on behalf of the government about the early handling of the crisis but insist he got the big calls right. He is expected to

Around 1,500 homes and businesses are still without power after heavy snow caused major power cuts in Cumbria. It came as much of the country was hit by cold and wet conditions over the weekend, including a low of -12.5C recorded in northern Scotland overnight. Freezing conditions are forecast to continue on Monday and the

Police say they are “concerned” about a woman who was seen being carried into a car after a disturbance in Dundee. Officers have appealed to the public for information to help find the woman who is said to be aged about 20. In a statement, Police Scotland said: “Around 11.50pm on Saturday… officers were made

A fresh amber snow warning is in place for parts of the North West region of England as the UK’s frosty start to December continues. The warning covers the coastal area of west Cumbria, and central and western parts of the Lake District and falls within a wider area already covered by a yellow warning