UK

Northern Ireland’s agriculture minister says he has issued an order to halt Brexit agri-food checks at the nation’s ports, citing legal advice. The checks are required under the terms of the Northern Ireland Protocol. Edwin Poots says he will seek an agreement from the power-sharing government on a way forward in the near future. Speaking

A two-year-old girl has been found dead in a back garden after being reported missing. The toddler was found unresponsive in Reede Road, Dagenham, east London, shortly before 5pm on Saturday. Paramedics tried to save her but she was pronounced dead at the scene. The Metropolitan Police said officers went to the home at around

Marks and Spencer and Aldi have reached a settlement in a copyright dispute over the design of their caterpillar cakes. M&S launched legal action against the German discount store in April 2021, accusing its rival of copying the design of its Colin the Caterpillar cake in a bid to force Aldi to take its Cuthbert

MPs have warned of an “alarming” growth in fraud in the UK and suggested online giants including Facebook and Google should pay compensation to people duped by scammers operating on their sites. A report by the Treasury Committee said the government was failing to do enough to stop “pernicious scammers” ripping off innocent consumers with

Downing Street has refused to comment on reports that reveal details of lockdown parties Boris Johnson is alleged to have attended. In new allegations this evening, two newspapers detail claims the PM attended a party in his flat and also went to two separate leaving dos. In the pared-back report released by Sue Gray on

It sounds like a money-making scheme that Del Boy Trotter would come up with himself. The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee is imminent and there is money to be made from souvenirs. But, like many of the ideas devised by Peckham’s finest, a vital detail scuppers the deal. A Chinese manufacturer made 10,800 tea cups, mugs and

Manchester United footballer Mason Greenwood has been further arrested on suspicion of sexual assault and threats to kill. On Sunday he was detained on suspicion of rape and assault after a woman alleging incidents of violence posted pictures and videos on social media. The 20-year-old was suspended from playing or training with the club following

The GCSE system should be overhauled and pupils should have the chance to demonstrate their skills up to the age of 19 rather than at a fixed point in time at the age of 16, a new review has said. The Independent Assessment Commission (IAC) is calling for “fundamental changes” to England’s exam system, including

A retail lobby group has warned it will be “impossible” for the sector to shield shoppers from rising costs in the months ahead as till prices hit their highest level for almost 10 years. The British Retail Consortium (BRC) said there was no let-up in sight for the price pressures facing the industry which, it

The government says its 12 “levelling up missions” to spread opportunity more equally across the country will see “a complete system change of how government works”. Michael Gove will unveil the government’s Levelling Up White Paper later which officials say will set out a blueprint to bring prosperity “to all parts” of the UK. In

New analysis shared exclusively with Sky News concludes that the government’s efforts to level up the most deprived parts of the UK will fail without a shift in focus. Today, the government will release its detailed plan for levelling up the “left behind” parts of the UK. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “It is a

Boris Johnson is reportedly considering a U-turn on plans to raise national insurance as the wait goes on for the publication of Sue Gray’s inquiry into partygate allegations. The prime minister is facing pressure from some Tory MPs to scrap the controversial tax hike in order to win back support to save his job. The

Boris Johnson has dismissed claims he approved the airlift of animals out of Afghanistan, saying they are “total rhubarb”, as Sky News obtained more emails which call into question the government’s account. Leaked messages appear to show that the prime minister‘s top parliamentary aide, Trudy Harrison, told Virgin Atlantic her efforts to secure a plane

Prince Andrew has asked for a jury trial and denied all the allegations against him as he officially responded to Virginia Giuffre’s sexual assault lawsuit. Court documents filed in New York show he “hereby demands a trial by jury on all causes of action asserted in the complaint”. Ms Giuffre accuses the Duke of York

Whistleblower emails have raised further questions over Boris Johnson’s insistence that he did not intervene to assist animal charities during the evacuation of Afghanistan. Last December the prime minister dismissed claims made by a former Foreign Office official that the government prioritised animals over people as “complete nonsense”. But new emails released by the Foreign

The return to school is driving up Omicron infections in children and could lead to another surge in adults, scientists have warned. The latest results from the REACT-1 study, which is based on around 100,000 random tests across England, show that the infection rate in primary school-age children was 7.8% – and rising – during

Boris Johnson is meeting his Cabinet amid the growing threat of war with President Putin in eastern Europe and more humiliating Downing Street party allegations at home. After a lengthy council of war with President Biden and other European leaders, the prime minister is expected to step up diplomatic efforts to prevent a Russian invasion

Dominic Cummings has revealed he has provided written evidence to the investigation into Downing Street parties during lockdown – and claims “other damaging stories” will emerge until Boris Johnson is out of office. Sue Gray is looking into parties and gatherings in Number 10 and other government departments during COVID-19 restrictions in 2020 and 2021.

The Liverpool terror attacker’s asylum claim was dismissed six years before he tried to carry out his strike, court documents show. Emad al Swealmeen died after his homemade bomb detonated inside a taxi outside Liverpool Women’s Hospital on Remembrance Sunday last year. He came to the UK legally in May 2014, with a Jordanian passport.

Boris Johnson met Tory MP Nusrat Ghani in 2020 following her claim she was sacked over her “Muslimness” – and “invited” her to make a formal complaint, Number 10 has said. The prime minister’s official spokesman said Mr Johnson held a meeting with Ms Ghani after she claimed a Tory whip told her her faith