Downing Street

Ireland’s foreign affairs minister has said the EU is negotiating with a partner it “simply cannot trust” after the UK’s latest Brexit move. Simon Coveney described the UK’s government’s unilateral decision to continue Irish Sea border grace periods until October as “very frustrating”. Speaking on RTE Radio 1, Coveney said Downing Street is breaking the […]

The Commons speaker has lashed out at Rishi Sunak’s pre-Budget PR drive, telling the chancellor policies should be announced to MPs first. Sir Lindsay Hoyle said it was important the chancellor follow “tradition” after it emerged journalists had been pre-briefed on the Budget by the Treasury. Sir Lindsay said that “at one time the Budget was never […]

Downing Street has refused to deny reports that Boris Johnson is considering setting up a charity to pay for the refurbishment of his official flat. The Daily Mail reported that the scheme – based on one used by the White House – could be funded by wealthy Tory benefactors. The move comes amid reported concerns […]

Boris Johnson is reportedly planning to set up a charity to bankroll Carrie Symonds’ make-over of their Downing Street flat. The fund would allow private donors to hand over cash for the upkeep of No 11 and other staterooms. Critics argue this sets up back-door access to the prime minister. According to reports in the […]

Downing Street has rejected claims that Boris Johnson is running a “populist” government and lacks the appetite to be unpopular by doing the right thing. Responding to remarks from former chancellor Philip Hammond, who said he was not being honest with the public about the budget, press secretary Allegra Stratton, said: “The prime minister has spoken […]

Former chancellor Philip Hammond has urged Boris Johnson to tell the public “some difficult home truths” ahead of next week’s Budget. The ex-occupant of Number 11, who was a close ally of Theresa May, also said the government should ditch “very extravagant” promises from its manifesto. Lord Hammond of Runnymede told the BBC he broadly […]

Ministers are being urged to accept a rebel amendment to protect leaseholders in England from the costs of carrying out emergency fire safety work on their flats. More than 30 Tory MPs have signed the amendment to the Fire Safety Bill – intended to strengthen regulation in the wake of the Grenfell Tower disaster – […]

The SNP has warned Downing Street against implementing “tit-for-tat” trade barriers following reports that ministers may restrict imports on certain goods from the EU in retaliation for its ban on shellfish. The Sunday Telegraph reported No 10 was exploring ways to end a number of agreements to export mineral water and seed potatoes to the EU […]

Downing Street has dismissed “incorrect” claims from a right-wing think tank that Boris Johnson’s fiancee Carrie Symonds is helping to run the country. The Bow Group has said an inquiry should look at Symonds’ “possible influence” in government hiring and appointments. Ben Harris-Quinney, chairman of the group, said Symonds “currently holds no official role in […]

Former Tory leader William Hague has claimed “you can smell” the improvement in the government since the departure of Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain. Hague said Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser and spin doctor, who left Downing Street last year, were “brilliant people” but that “maybe running governments wasn’t their greatest skill”. The Tory peer said […]

Boris Johnson had to ask German leader Angela Merkel to put herself on mute after she inadvertently interrupted his remarks to a virtual meeting of G7 leaders. As with many video conferences throughout lockdown, the prime minister’s address from 10 Downing Street did not get off to a smooth start. While French president Emmanuel Macron […]

The number of companies moving to the Netherlands because of Brexit remained consistent in 2020, despite foreign investment falling by a quarter due to the coronavirus pandemic. Amsterdam topped the list of favoured Dutch cities by companies looking to relocate, after it overtook London as the largest trading hub in Europe last month. The Dutch capital has lured […]

Boris Johnson has denied that he once claimed devolution was a “disaster” to Tory MPs. The prime minister said he had benefited from devolution himself by equating his experience as mayor of London to that of the administrations governing Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Johnson was speaking from a mass coronavirus vaccination centre at Cwmbran […]

Prime minister Boris Johnson is preparing to ditch the government’s “stay at home” messaging as reports suggest he will relax England’s lockdown restrictions next month. Officials are looking to drop the “stay at home, protect the NHS, save lives” messaging as the country moves away from lockdown restrictions. Despite telling the public to take reports […]

Britain’s chief mouser is celebrating 10 years prowling the corridors of political power at Number 10 Downing Street. This week marks 10 years since Larry the cat left Battersea rescue centre for a new home with the prime minister. He was the first cat to hold the rat-catching portfolio since stalwart ratter Humphrey was retired […]

Michel Barnier has accused Downing Street of not correctly explaining the consequences of Brexit to British businesses as a row surrounding the Northern Ireland Protocol continues to heat up. The EU’s former Brexit negotiator hit out at No 10, insisting scenes of empty supermarket shelves in Northern Ireland were not the result of new checks in […]

Labour MP Stella Creasy is considering pursuing the government in court if it changes the law to allow only ministers to take paid time off after having a baby. The Ministerial and Other Maternity Allowances Bill, which seeks to update the treatment of pregnant cabinet ministers, was announced on February 4 and comes three months […]

No 10 has defended the use of taxpayers’ funds to pay photographers to capture Boris Johnson’s dog frolicking around in the snow. Downing Street defended the use of three “vanity photographers” to stage Instagram-style photoshoots of Dilyn, the canine Johnson shares with fiancee Carrie Symonds. The photographers – two civil servants and a special adviser – take […]

Downing Street has refused to publish an impact assessment on its Brexit deal with the EU, despite producing similar reviews of other trade deals. The prime minister’s spokesperson dismissed calls to publish the analysis, saying it had already set out the details of the deal “and the opportunities and benefits it provides the U.K.” “We’ve been […]

Labour’s shadow education minister has called on Tory peer James Wharton to resign his party’s whip after being appointed chair of the universities watchdog. Kate Green said Wharton’s appointment to the Office for Students (OfS) was the latest in a “growing catalogue of cronyism” committed by the government. The Tory peer was confirmed as chair on Tuesday afternoon, despite the Commons […]

Current and former editors of Britain’s newspapers have joined forces to call for an investigation into the government’s handling of Freedom of Information (FOI) requests. In an open letter, they asked for a probe into a Cabinet Office unit named the Clearing House after it was alleged to have profiled journalists and blocked FOI requests. No […]

Forcing an employee to have a coronavirus vaccine in order to keep their job would be “discriminatory”, Downing Street has said. Some care home staff are reportedly refusing to have a Covid jab – with some providers said to be considering not hiring staff who have refused the vaccination on non-medical grounds. And Charlie Mullins, […]

Number 10’s adviser on ethnic minorities considered resigning over fears the Conservative Party was pursuing a “politics steeped in division”. Samuel Kasumu reportedly retracted his resignation letter – in which he said tensions in government were at times “unbearable” – on Thursday after talks with vaccines minister Nadhim Zahawi. The BBC said he wrote: “I […]

Ministers have been accused of being too slow to act after it was disclosed new coronavirus quarantine hotels will not come into force until mid-February. The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) said that, from February 15, travellers returning to the UK from “red list” countries will have to quarantine in a government-approved facility […]

Tory lockdown-sceptics have expressed worry that the government is shifting the goalposts on reopening society as they called for complete removal of restrictions by the end of May. The prime minister told a Downing Street briefing that the level of coronavirus infections in the country was still “forbiddingly high” and that it was too soon […]

A Brexiteer official will take over the duty of advising Boris Johnson on the state of the union after his former aide quit. Oliver Lewis will take over a “beefed-up union unit” which advises Johnson on ways to counter calls for Scottish independence after Luke Graham quit following a furious dispute with Downing Street, the FT […]

Boris Johnson still believes Brexit is “done”, despite the government’s call for a two-year extension of the grace periods in the Northern Ireland Protocol. The prime minister’s official spokesman said “there are some issues that we need to resolve as part of the protocol” and “we will continue to work to address those issues” with […]

No 10 has begun distancing itself from a government minister who attacked a reporter for asking a question. Equalities minister Kemi Badenoch has come under mounting criticism after publishing the private correspondence she had with HuffPost UK reporter Nadine White about her absence from a government coronavirus advert targeted at the BAME community. Badenoch accused […]