UK

The US and its allies will “respond decisively” if Russia invades Ukraine, President Joe Biden has told Vladimir Putin in a phone call. Mr Biden told his counterpart the US remains prepared to engage in diplomacy despite the build up of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine, but was “equally prepared for other scenarios”.

A black ex-Met Police officer whose colleagues painted his face white so he would “fit in” has urged Cressida Dick’s successor to fix the force’s “canteen culture”. Gamal Turawa, who was the Met Police’s first openly gay black officer, told Sky News that racist remarks were dismissed as “banter” when he worked for the force

Boris Johnson has been contacted by the Metropolitan Police as part of the probe into lockdown-busting parties held in Downing Street and across Whitehall. A questionnaire on the partygate scandal has been sent to the prime minister from Scotland Yard. It is understood to have been received late on Friday evening. A Number 10 spokesperson

The Home Secretary and Mayor of London have clashed over the sudden departure of Dame Cressida Dick as Metropolitan Police Commissioner last night. Dame Cressida dramatically quit her position on Thursday evening after losing the support of the mayor over her plan to reform the Met following numerous scandals. Mr Khan put the Met Police

Dame Cressida Dick is leaving her role as head of the Met Police, the Mayor of London has confirmed. Sadiq Khan had put the Metropolitan Commissioner “on notice” last week after the police watchdog published messages sent by officers that used sexist, racist and homophobic language. He said his entire trust in the Met hinged

Boris Johnson has warned “the stakes are very high” amid ongoing fears of a Russian invasion of Ukraine, and warned that the next few days are probably the “most dangerous moment”. Holding a news briefing with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, the prime minister said it was “time to de-escalate” adding: “We must resist, we

Boris Johnson has issued a warning to Russia that NATO member states will “draw lines in the snow” over the Ukraine crisis. The prime minister will fly to Belgium and Poland on Thursday as part of diplomatic efforts in the face of Russia’s build-up of thousands of troops on the border with its neighbour. In

Health minister Gillian Keegan has apologised for continuing with an in-person meeting despite being told a lateral flow COVID test had come back positive. Posting a thread on Twitter, Ms Keegan said she took a precautionary lateral flow test ahead of a planned visit and was told she had recorded a positive result while she

A mother accused of murdering her three-year-old son has claimed she initially believed he died of an illness. Appearing at Birmingham Crown Court, Alicia Watson said she never harmed Kemarni Watson Darby and told jurors she took him to see a nurse just hours before his death. The 30-year-old defendant said she “genuinely thought he

Boris Johnson’s discredited claim that Sir Keir Starmer personally failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile is “certainly not to blame” for the mob intimidation of the Labour leader, a minister has told Sky News. Technology minister Chris Philp told Kay Burley Mr Johnson’s words in Parliament last week “did not prompt the terrible harassment and intimidation”

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer has been bundled into the back of a police car after being confronted by protesters shouting “traitor” and “Jimmy Savile” at him. In video footage posted on social media, the Labour leader was seen walking near to parliament surrounded by police officers while being mobbed by a group. At one

A teenager has admitted killing his younger sister at a holiday park last summer. Matthew Selby, 19, pleaded guilty to the manslaughter of 15-year-old Amanda Selby. She died after police were called to reports of a “domestic disturbance” at the Ty Mawr Holiday Park in Towyn, near Abergele, North Wales, on 31 July. Selby, of

Prince Charles has said he is “deeply conscious of the honour represented by my mother’s wish” for his “darling” wife to be known as Queen Camilla. It comes after the long-serving monarch used the historic milestone of her Platinum Jubilee to express her “sincere wish” that the Duchess of Cornwall will be known as queen

Serial killer Levi Bellfield has confessed to the notorious hammer murders of mother and daughter Lin and Megan Russell 26 years ago, a lawyer has told Sky News. Bellfield, who is serving life for killing schoolgirl Millie Dowler and two others, has revealed chilling details of the Russell murders it’s thought only the killer would

The Queen has used her Platinum Jubilee message to the nation to back the Duchess of Cornwall as Queen Camilla. In a message to the nation to mark Accession Day, and the start of her Jubilee year, Her Majesty has unexpectedly expressed her “sincere wish” that Camilla will be known as Queen Consort when the

Nadine Dorries has insisted that 97% of Tory MPs are behind Boris Johnson as the prime minister was hit with a further call to resign. The culture secretary also told Sky News her cabinet colleague Sajid Javid was 100% behind the prime minister, after the health secretary sought to distance himself from Mr Johnson’s claim

Another Conservative MP has submitted a letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson. Aaron Bell, MP for Newcastle-under-Lyme, said the partygate allegations and the prime minister‘s subsequent handling of the fallout has made his position “untenable”. Politics live: Resignation of Downing Street official ‘will be terminal’ for PM – as Tory MP says public has

Another aide has reportedly left Number 10, taking the total number of departures in less than 24 hours to five. Number Ten Policy Unit member Elena Narozanski is the latest aide to leave Boris Johnson’s Downing Street operation amid the continuing fallout from the partygate allegations, Conservative Home reports. Her departure comes after Number 10

Two more senior officials are leaving Number 10 in an apparent mass exodus from Downing Street amid the fallout from the partygate scandal. Number 10 revealed on Thursday night that both Dan Rosenfield, the prime minister’s chief of staff, and Martin Reynolds, Mr Johnson’s principal private secretary, are leaving their roles. It came just hours

A 23-year-old man has been charged with murder after a Canadian teenager died in a house in Essex. Police have provisionally named the victim as Ashley Wadsworth, 19, from Vernon in British Columbia. Jack Sepple, who lives in Tennyson Road, Chelmsford, has been charged with murder and is due to appear at Colchester Magistrates’ Court