Politics

When Boris Johnson was deep in the quagmire of the partygate scandal, his rival Sir Keir Starmer said the country needed “a serious leader for serious times” and called on the prime minister to go.  For weeks, Mr Johnson was hanging on by a thread, his future being openly discussed as the Metropolitan Police launched

Armed Forces minister James Heappey has warned serving British soldiers and veterans not to travel to fight in Ukraine. Mr Heappey told Sky News the government position is that if you are serving member of the armed forces and choose to join the conflict in Ukraine, you are considered to be breaking the law. “No

Liz Truss will warn the West must “never again” allow aggression like Vladimir Putin’s “to grow unchecked” – as the Ukraine invasion enters its third week. The foreign secretary will use a speech at the Atlantic Council think tank in Washington DC on Thursday – the 15th day of the Ukraine invasion – to call

A visa centre being set up in northern France to assist Ukrainian refugees will not offer appointments or walk-in access, and its exact location will not be made public, the Home Office has confirmed. Earlier, a Downing Street spokesman told reporters the centre in Lille would “start accepting appointments” from Thursday, but that has been

The Ukrainian ambassador to the UK has said he does not believe a huge number of refugees fleeing the country will come to Britain as many want to stay in bordering nations “closer to their roots”. Appearing in front of the Home Affairs Commons Committee, Vadym Prystaiko told MPs that Ukrainian refugees want to get

Defence Secretary Ben Wallace has said he would support Poland in supplying jets to assist Ukraine if they chose to do so. Mr Wallace told Sky News he would support a decision by the fellow NATO member to supply MiG-29 jets to Ukraine – but that it would have to be their choice. It comes

A new Economic Crime Bill to bolster the government’s ability to target Russian oligarchs has been pushed through the Commons. The Economic Crime (Transparency and Enforcement) Bill received an unopposed third reading on Monday evening and will now go to the House of Lords for further scrutiny. It was rushed through the Commons in the

One number is raising a lot of questions this morning: 50. That’s how many visas, approximately, have so far been granted for refugees hoping to come to the UK via the Ukraine Family Scheme. The government insists that will change, and that tens if not hundreds of thousands of Ukrainians will be welcomed here, but

The world must prepare for “even darker days ahead” over Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, Boris Johnson has said. Writing in the New York Times, the prime minister said Western nations have “failed to learn the lessons of Russian behaviour” that led to Vladimir Putin launching his assault last month. Live updates on Russia’s invasion of

Ensuring Vladimir Putin’s invasion of Ukraine fails could take “months, if not years”, the deputy prime minister has told Sky News. Speaking to Trevor Phillips on Sunday, Dominic Raab said Ukrainian forces have “proved a far tougher prospect than Putin expected”. Ukraine-Russia latest news: Powerful bombs dropped on city; China warns against ‘adding fuel to

Boris Johnson has said it appears Vladimir Putin sees no way out of the Ukraine invasion “except to continue with the destruction”. “It feels to me as though Vladimir Putin has decided to – and it’s clear from what’s happening – that he’s decided to double down,” he told European papers La Repubblica, Die Welt

A Ukrainian-born Tory donor has begged Boris Johnson to impose a no-fly zone over Ukraine – as he labelled Vladimir Putin “insane”. Alexander Temerko has asked the prime minister to reconsider his objections to a no-fly zone, arguing it could save the lives of millions of people. The veteran Tory donor, who gained British citizenship

Former prime minister Gordon Brown has called for the creation of a special tribunal to punish Vladimir Putin for Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The former Labour leader is urging Western countries to set up the tribunal to prosecute the Russian president and his accomplices. Live updates as nuclear plant seized by Russian troops Speaking alongside

The shelling of a nuclear power plant in Ukraine by Russian troops is “a threat to European security and stability”, Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has said. Speaking in Brussels, where ministers from across the West are gathering today to discuss how to respond to Russian aggression, Ms Truss told broadcasters that those responsible for the

Labour has held Birmingham Erdington in the by-election triggered by the sudden death of frontbencher Jack Dromey. Former nurse and mother-of-five Paulette Hamilton, 59, won with a majority of 3,266 but the by-election failed to inspire voters, with a turnout of just 27%. She picked up 9,413 votes, ahead of Conservative candidate Robert Alden with 6,147.

Voters are going to the polls today in Birmingham Erdington in a parliamentary by-election triggered by the sudden death of Labour Party and trade union stalwart Jack Dromey. Mr Dromey, who was married to the former Labour cabinet minister and interim party leader Harriet Harman, held the seat with a majority of 3,601 in the