UK

Britain’s power system operator has, for the first time ever, ordered two of five emergency coal-fired generators to produce electricity to help prevent the lights going out. National Grid ESO made the announcement hours after it activated contingency plans as a precaution over fears supplies may struggle to keep up with demand during the current

The government is stepping up its bid to stop migrants crossing the Channel in small boats with a new set of legislation. This week the Illegal Migration Bill will be presented in the House of Commons – and will reportedly include a ban on asylum claims for anyone who arrives in the UK illegally. Refugee

Police in Wales searching for five people who went missing after a night out say they have found three bodies. Gwent Police also say two people have been taken to hospital with serious injuries. It comes after the force released an appeal for information on the whereabouts of Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21, and

Police are appealing for help in finding five people who disappeared following a night out. Sophie Russon, 20, Eve Smith, 21, and Darcy Ross, 21, were last seen in the early hours of Saturday having travelled to the Welsh capital from the town of Porthcawl, South Wales. The three women, all from Newport, South Wales,

A cold weather alert has been issued for all of England as much of the country braces for snow and icy conditions. The Met Office has already issued a yellow warning for snow and ice which is set to come into force tonight for Midlands, much of Wales and the southeast, including London. Warnings are

Manchester United bidders are due to meet with the club in the next two weeks and gain access to accounts – enabling offers to end the ownership of the Glazers. Sky News understands the two declared bids are now progressing two weeks after the deadline to declare interest – from Qatari hopeful Sheikh Jassim bin

Controversy over Boris Johnson’s involvement in partygate and COVID-19 rule-breaking has been dismissed as “soggy sandwiches and a slice of birthday cake” by an ally of the former prime minister. Tory MP Paul Bristow told Sky News the fine handed to Mr Johnson by Scotland Yard over a lockdown-busting gathering in Downing Street was “ridiculous”.

Dozens of people in and around Leicester have reported hearing an explosion or a sonic boom overhead. There are suggestions it was heard as far away as Oxford. The loud bang led to a swift reaction on social media as people speculated about the cause, including whether it was a jet breaking the sound barrier.

The holy oil, chrism, which will be used to anoint King Charles III during his coronation on 6 May has been consecrated at a ceremony in the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem on Friday. It was created using olives which had been harvested from groves on the Mount of Olives, a mountain ridge

Support for energy bills from the government is expected to continue for three months from April, protecting consumers from an average increase of £500. Sky News understands the chancellor will cancel a reduction in support that would have seen typical annual bills rise from £2,500 to £3,000. In recent days, the government has asked energy

Boris Johnson says he believed “implicitly” that he was following COVID rules after a committee of MPs said it would have been “obvious” they were being broken around him at Downing Street gatherings. He also suggested that Sue Gray, who led an earlier civil service report into parties and has just been appointed Sir Keir Starmer’s

The King will make his first overseas visits as monarch to France and Germany at the end of March. Buckingham Palace has confirmed the King and Queen Consort will travel to Paris before visiting Berlin and Hamburg on their six-day trip starting on 26 March. The King will address the Bundestag in Berlin, making him

This is the moment a driver behind the wheel of a loaded car transporter is seen using his elbow to steer while on a motorway.  The video shows the driver with both hands off the steering wheel, instead using his elbow to keep it in place. It was filmed on the M40 near Gaydon in

Police say a body found in the search for the missing sister-in-law of actor Mackenzie Crook is that of Laurel Aldridge. The 62-year-old was reported missing from her home in the village of Walberton, near Arundel in West Sussex, on 14 February. Crook, who is known for roles in The Office, Pirates Of The Caribbean

Sue Gray has been appointed by Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer to serve as his chief of staff. The senior civil servant became a household name during the partygate scandal, authoring the report which found “a failure of leadership and judgement” in Number 10 during Boris Johnson’s premiership. Conservative MPs and former cabinet ministers have

Police questioning Constance Marten and Mark Gordon believe the baby whose remains were found in Brighton “may have been dead for several weeks” and have been unable to confirm its gender. The Metropolitan Police said it was “too early” to provide a specific date as to when the baby died, adding that a post-mortem examination

Sir Gavin Williamson accused teachers of looking for an “excuse” not to work during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to leaked messages from Matt Hancock published by The Daily Telegraph. In May 2020, as teachers prepared for classrooms to reopen, the then education secretary had messaged Mr Hancock asking for help in securing personal protective equipment

England has had its driest February in 30 years prompting a warning of the potential for a drought. The nation saw its eighth driest second month since 1836 with an average of just 15.3mm of rainfall. The south and east of England faced particularly dry conditions. Essex was the most affected county with only 3.5mm

An urgent search for the baby of aristocrat Constance Marten and her partner Mark Gordon has entered its second day amid growing fears for the child’s safety. Marten and Gordon were arrested in Brighton on Monday on suspicion of child neglect after being spotted by a member of the public at about 9.30pm. They were

Household bills could rise if the government further delays its plan to rid the power network of polluting fossil fuels by 2035, the National Audit Office (NAO) has warned. Energy officials committed to the target almost 18 months ago, but their plan to deliver it was delayed by the energy crisis as they focussed instead