The government has been accused of producing a “rehashed document” in a bid to quell a Tory rebellion over its strengthened coronavirus tiers. Ministers have released an impact assessment of the new tiered system ahead of a Commons vote on Tuesday. Boris Johnson is battling to avoid a damaging Conservative revolt over the measures, with
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Two men have been convicted of killing 39 migrants who were found dead in a lorry container in Essex last year. Eamonn Harrison and Gheorghe Nica stood trial accused of the manslaughter of the Vietnamese nationals whose bodies were discovered at an industrial estate in Grays in October 2019. Temperatures in the unit had reached
Several police forces in England have said they have handed out multiple fines after breaking up a number of large-scale illegal parties over the weekend. Police were called to at least four locations, including a university hall of residence in Nottingham where up to 200 people were discovered at one gathering. Nottinghamshire Police said in
Another 12,155 COVID-19 cases and 215 deaths of people who have tested positive for the virus have been recorded in the UK in the past 24 hours. The number of cases is down from the 15,871 cases recorded on Saturday – and deaths are also down from 479. Live coronavirus updates from the UK and
Boris Johnson has said the new coronavirus tiers “have a sunset of 3 February” as he tries to fight off a backlash from Tory MPs. The prime minister has angered some of his party with a plan to impose stringent restrictions across much of England when the national lockdown ends on Wednesday. In a letter
Former gang member and convict Rosca Onya has released a tribute single to honour Jack Merritt on the anniversary of his death in the London Bridge terror attack. Jack’s father Dave Merritt told Sky News the single – ‘Jack’ – was a “bright spark” after what’s been a difficult year. “It’s really cheered us up,”
The relaxation of coronavirus restrictions over Christmas will increase infections “potentially by a large amount”, the government’s scientific advisers have warned. The Scientific Advisory Group for Emergencies (SAGE) said the prevalence of COVID-19 “could easily double” over the festive period with “substantial mixing” of people. The warning comes in a document called “notes on festive
Some parts of England could have their coronavirus restrictions eased before Christmas, a cabinet minister has told Sky News. Speaking to Kay Burley, Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick said there was “every reason” to believe some areas could be moved down the COVID-19 tier system when there is a review in the middle of December. Search
The premise was simple: An hour-long TV show to examine whether – after the killing of George Floyd, all those toppled statues and tensions on the streets of major cities – anything has really changed for black people in Britain over the last six months. The idea for a second Race And Revolution show actually
A former porter at Great Ormond Street Hospital has been charged with sex offences against children. Paul Farrell, 55, of Camden, north London, faces 84 charges including rape, attempted rape, sexual assault of a child under 13, and indecent assault on a male, police said. The charges relate to seven victims, with the alleged offences
The UK has recorded another 696 COVID-related deaths and a further 18,213 cases – the highest daily total for fatalities since 5 May. It is the second six-month high in consecutive days, after the country recorded 11,299 cases and 608 related deaths on Tuesday. The announcement brings the government’s official coronavirus death toll to 56,533.
Households across the UK will be able to form a “Christmas bubble” with two other households during a five-day window over the festive period, it has been announced. Between 23 to 27 December, people will be able to meet with those two other households in their bubble – but only in a private home, a
The Home Office broke equality law when it imposed its “hostile environment” immigration policies which contributed to the Windrush scandal, a report has found. Problems caused by the policies were “repeatedly ignored, dismissed or their severity disregarded” as they were being developed, according to the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) assessment. The Windrush scandal
The number of road rage crimes has risen sharply in the UK, with thousands of offences including attempted murders, assaults and racist abuse incidents reported in the last three years, Sky News has found. More than 3,500 road rage offences were recorded by police forces last year – an increase of more than a third
Travellers who arrive in England from countries with high infection rates will be able to shorten their quarantine from 14 days to five if they test negative for coronavirus on the fifth day, the Department of Transport has said. Passengers will have to pay for the tests themselves, and will need to book with one
Boris Johnson has suggested the “vast majority” of people most vulnerable to coronavirus could be vaccinated against the disease by Easter. The prime minister, speaking at a Downing Street news conference, said this “would make a very substantial change” to how the UK is able to manage COVID-19. With Oxford University’s vaccine shown to be