Breaking news
Dominic Raab is now the UK’s de facto prime minister after Boris Johnson was hospitalised, with the running of the country placed in the hands of a man who has just one year of Cabinet experience. Mr Johnson has asked the Foreign Secretary and First Secretary of State to deputise for him while he fights … Read more
Keir Starmer, Leader of the Opposition Angela Rayner, deputy Leader and chairwoman of the Labour Party Anneliese Dodds, shadow chancellor of the exchequer Lisa Nandy, shadow foreign secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds, shadow home secretary Rachel Reeves, shadow chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster David Lammy, shadow justice secretary John Healey, shadow defence secretary Ed Miliband, shadow … Read more
Coronavirus lockdown could start being eased ‘within weeks’, a Cabinet minister said today – amid claims the Treasury wants the crippling economic shutdown ended by June. Housing Secretary Robert Jenrick suggested the current lockdown measures could be gradually eased after Easter – he stressed a full exit strategy will require much more testing. There were signs … Read more
Lord Armstrong of Ilminster, long-serving cabinet secretary in Margaret Thatcher’s government and confidant of three Prime Ministers dies aged 93 Lord Armstrong served as Cabinet Secretary under Margaret Thatcher The adviser was best known for being ‘economical with the truth’ He used the phrase during his questioning in the infamous Spycatcher trial By Jack Newman … Read more
Boris Johnson’s virtual Cabinet: PM chairs the first EVER top UK political meeting where NO ministers are in the same room as each other as he continues to self-isolate in Downing Street due to coronavirus Meeting of the UK’s top ministers was expected to be held entirely via videolink PM and Health Secretary Matt Hancock … Read more
Virtual Cabinet: Boris Johnson and Matt Hancock are the ONLY ministers to attend coronavirus crisis meeting as rest of the PM’s team ‘dial in’ to obey new distancing rules It came after Prime Minister’s decision last night to place the UK in lockdown The rest of his top team used the Zoom conferencing app to … Read more
Ministers will ‘dial in’ to Cabinet meeting tomorrow to minimise coronavirus risk – as No10 confirms Dominic Raab would fill in if the PM goes down with disease Many ministers expected to take part in Cabinet meeting tomorrow remotely Government is keen to show it is obeying ‘social distancing’ guidelines No10 has confirmed that Dominic … Read more
Boris Johnson faces the threat of a Tory revolt unless he imposed Italy-style movement controls to stop the spread of coronavirus as early as today. After a weekend in which crowds flocked to parks and landmarks to take advantage of sunshine, the PM effectively put the nation on its final warning last night, saying there … Read more
‘Designated survivor’ Cabinet row as senior ministers ‘squabble over who gets to stand in for Boris Johnson’ if he contracts coronavirus Plan sets out who takes over if Mr Johnson becomes ill from coronavirus Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary, will reportedly take on the top job But other ministers are said to be unhappy at the … Read more
As the coronavirus tightened its grip a fortnight ago, a Department of Health official told me: ‘We have to conduct the battle on two fronts – the battle against the disease and the battle for public confidence.’ This morning the battle against the disease is hard fought and ongoing. But the battle for public confidence is … Read more