UK

Labour has accused Number 10 staff of “laughing” at the British public after footage emerged of Downing Street officials joking about a Christmas party during a time of strict COVID restrictions. In a video recording of what ITV News reported was a rehearsal for a TV media briefing, senior Number 10 aides were filmed talking

People arriving in the UK from overseas now have to take a COVID-19 test before they travel, under new rules designed to slow the spread of the Omicron variant. The changes, which came into effect at 4am on Tuesday, will mean: • Anyone travelling from countries that are not on the red list must take

Cases of the Omicron variant in people without any travel history have been confirmed in the UK meaning it is now being transmitted within the community, Health Secretary Sajid Javid said. Mr Javid said there are now 261 Omicron variant cases in England, 71 in Scotland and four in Wales – a total of 336.

The grandfather of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes has said that the couple behind his death “must never see the light of day again”. Arthur, a six-year-old from Solihull, West Midlands, was poisoned, starved and beaten by his father’s girlfriend Emma Tustin, 32, and his father Thomas Hughes, 29, in a prolonged campaign of “evil abuse”. Tustin was

A further 86 cases of the new Omicron COVID variant have been reported in the UK, taking the total to 246. This compares with a total of 160 yesterday – an increase of more than 50%. The UK Health Security Agency, which publishes the figures, says 18 of the cases are in Scotland, taking its

The NHS is planning to roll out a “game-changing” anti-viral pill that people who have tested positive for coronavirus can take at home. Molnupiravir, sometimes known as Lagevrio, could be offered to the most vulnerable patients by Christmas, according to the Sunday Telegraph. Health Secretary Sajid Javid is reportedly preparing to announce the start of

All international arrivals to the UK will again be required to take pre-departure COVID-19 tests to tackle the spread of the new Omicron variant, the health secretary has announced. The rule applies to all travellers visiting the UK or returning from a holiday, regardless of vaccination status, and will come into force from 4am on

More than half the confirmed cases of the new Omicron variant in the UK have occurred following at least two vaccination doses, health officials have said. A new technical briefing from the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) says 12 of the 22 known cases up to 30 November had been fully vaccinated. Another two people

The Pfizer and Moderna vaccines being used in the UK as boosters prompt the best overall response, according to a UK trial. The study, published in the Lancet, involved almost 3,000 people aged 30 and over, and it found that the mRNA vaccines gave the best boost to antibodies and T-cells, particularly after two initial

Around 500 leaseholders from across the UK have told Sky News about the extreme mental health impact and financial toll of having to live in an unsafe building.  Our research has exposed the devastating consequences the national building safety crisis is having on flat owners who can’t afford to fix the problems with their homes.

The UK has recorded 53,945 new cases of coronavirus – the highest daily figure since mid-July following the European football championship. The last time more cases were reported was on 17 July, when 54,674 new COVID-19 cases were recorded, six days after the tournament’s final at Wembley. Public Health England previously said that England’s deep

A family of four is gearing up for a second Christmas shielding at home after the father was told he had a brain tumour. Greg Priddy was diagnosed with cancer at the end of November last year, after his strange behaviour and sudden weakness on his left side prompted his wife to make him seek

Some Omicron cases are reportedly experiencing “mild” symptoms and experts should have more information about the transmission of the new COVID variant within days, an epidemiologist at the World Health Organisation has said. Speaking at a news conference, Maria van Kerkhove said one of the possible scenarios is that Omicron may become more transmissible than

The government plans to offer booster vaccines to everyone over the age of 18 by the end of January, Boris Johnson has said. Speaking at a Downing Street news briefing on Tuesday, the PM said the rollout of booster programme will go in age order, and that there will be more than 1,500 community pharmacy

Survivors of the Channel tragedy have claimed French and British authorities didn’t respond to calls for help and disagreed about who was responsible  - Sky News has been analysing marine data to see how the emergency response unfolded. Twenty-seven people died when the boat capsized and two survivors have said the group waited hours in

Today fresh measures designed to deal with the emergence of the new COVID-19 variant Omicron have come into force in England. They were announced by Prime Minster Boris Johnson at the weekend amid concern the new variant could be less responsive to vaccines and more infectious. Mask wearing in England is now compulsory in shops,