UK News

Former prime minister Boris Johnson is due to give evidence to the Covid inquiry next week (Victoria Jones/PA)

Johnson to reportedly admit mistakes in pandemic handling during Covid evidence

People in the snow in Gateshead (PA)

Low of minus 11C predicted after ‘very cold night’ as some sporting events axed

The Bank of England and the Treasury are exploring the potential of a central bank digital currency (Aaron Chown/PA)

Benefits of ‘digital pound’ unclear but Government should keep exploring – MPs

Sir Ed Davey’s Liberal Democrats have put sewage at the heart of their bid to snap up votes in traditionally Tory seats in southern England (Joe Giddens/PA)

Lib Dems: Swimmers who fall ill from sewage-hit waters should get compensation

Housing Secretary Michael Gove is to review the decision to reject planning permission for the MSG Sphere in east London (The Madison Square Garden Company/PA)

Gove to review Khan’s decision to reject permission for Las Vegas-style venue

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Phones4u billionaire John Caudwell said Labour’s Sir Keir Starmer is ‘receptive’ to his ideas for improving Britain (Dominic Lipinski/PA)

Starmer more receptive to my ideas than Sunak’s party, says Tory donor

A Palestinian girl wounded in Israeli bombardment of the Gaza Strip is brought to a hospital in Khan Younis (Fatima Shbair/AP)

Israel urges civilians to leave homes in Gaza as war with Hamas resumes

Derek Chauvin was stabbed by another inmate (Court TV via AP/Pool)

Inmate charged with attempted murder after Derek Chauvin stabbed 22 times

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(Brian Lawless/PA)

London Irish Centre lit up green in tribute to Shane MacGowan

Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? star Brigit Forsyth dies age 83 (Yui Mok/PA)

Whatever Happened To The Likely Lads? star Brigit Forsyth dies aged 83

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty, at the switching on of the Downing Street Christmas tree lights in London (Eddie Mulholland/DailyTelegraph/PA)

I’m a massive fan of Christmas music, Sunak says

Ravel Morrison playing for Derby (Martin Rickett/PA)

Ravel Morrison ‘convicted after using dead person’s blue badge to park’

Former prime minister Boris Johnson pictured with his ex-chief adviser Dominic Cummings (Victoria Jones/PA)

Boris Johnson apologised for hiring Dominic Cummings, says Matt Hancock

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Paul Nthenge Mackenzie appeared at the Malindi court under tight security (Gideon Maundu/AP)

Kenyan cult leader sentenced to 18 months for film violations

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People at a rally in Trafalgar Square, London, during Stop the War coalition’s call for a Palestine ceasefire (Victoria Jones/PA)

Met has ‘locally led’ London policing plan for expected pro-Palestine protests

Michael Russell has resigned as president of the SNP after three years in post and almost 50 years of involvement with the party (Jane Barlow/PA)

Michael Russell resigns as SNP president for role with Scottish Land Commission

The Vivienne attends the British Soap Awards 2023 at The Lowry Theatre in Salford (Danny Lawson/PA)

Assault on drag star The Vivienne was homophobic attack, court finds

Former health secretary Matt Hancock leaving Dorland House in London where he has been giving evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry (Jordan Pettitt/PA)

Matt Hancock: Some regional leaders put ‘politics ahead of public health’

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The King, wearing a tie bearing a motif of the Greek flag, speaks to Prime Minister Rishi Sunak as they attend the opening ceremony of the World Climate Action Summit at Cop28 in Dubai (Chris Jackson/PA)

Charles sports tie decorated with Greek flag for meeting with Prime Minister

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Lawrence Jones, former head of tech firm UKFast, has been jailed for two rapes and a sexual assault (PA)

Tech entrepreneur Lawrence Jones jailed for 15 years for three sex attacks

The inquest heard that following the Ofsted inspection, Ms Perry contacted her local GP, as well as local mental health services (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Ruth Perry’s GP tells inquest Ofsted inspection contributed to her death

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Renewed efforts are being made to get the ‘nitty-gritty’ Christmas song Fairytale Of New York to top the music charts after Shane MacGowan’s death (Brian Lawless/PA)

Efforts redoubled for Fairytale Of New York to top charts after MacGowan’s death

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Prime Minister Rishi Sunak speaking to the media during a press conference at the Cop28 summit (PA)

Sunak wraps up 11-hour Cop28 trip with new deal for UK wind farm

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All of the UK’s top six warmest autumns have occurred this century (Victoria Jones/PA)

Past three autumns all among warmest on record in UK

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Laurence Fox is being sued by former Stonewall trustee Simon Blake and drag artist Crystal, also known as Colin Seymour. Mr Fox is countersuing the pair and actress Nicola Thorp (Lucy North/PA)

Laurence Fox ‘paedophile’ comment did not cause reputational harm, court hears

The union took strike action in the summer (PA)

Lighthouse staff agree pay rise of up to 15% after strike action

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Former health secretary Matt Hancock and Gina Coladangelo (Lucy North/PA)

Matt Hancock acknowledges his affair with aide damaged public confidence

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Police have released a reconstructed image of what the man may have looked like (Hampshire Police/PA)

Fresh appeal over man found dead in Hampshire barn six years ago

Hollie Dance has offered her support to the parents of Indi Gregory (Joe Giddens/PA)

Mother of Archie Battersbee ‘heartbroken’ at death of Indi Gregory

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The funeral cortege of baby Indi Gregory arrives at St Barnabus Cathedral, Nottingham, for her funeral service (Joe Giddens/PA)

‘Beautiful warrior’ Indi Gregory’s funeral held in Nottingham

Former health secretary Matt Hancock began giving evidence to the UK Covid-19 Inquiry (UK Covid-19 Inquiry/PA)

Sick pay in the UK is ‘far too low’, Matt Hancock tells Covid inquiry

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Wilko returns to high street months after chain’s dramatic collapse

Passengers are being urged to avoid one of the UK’s busiest rail routes next week during emergency work to repair a landslip (Network Rail/PA)

Emergency landslip repair work to disrupt train journeys on major route

Court artist sketch of Sir James Dyson appearing at the Royal Courts Of Justice, central London, for his libel trial against Mirror Group Newspapers (Elizabeth Cook/PA)

Sir James Dyson loses libel claim against Mirror publisher at High Court

The UK’s manufacturing downturn eased further in November (Ian Forsyth/PA)

UK factory slump eases but ‘little festive cheer’ for under-pressure firms

John Byrne has died aged 83 (Jane Barlow/PA)

Artist and playwright John Byrne dies aged 83

Same-sex couple Surendra Pandey, right, and Maya Gurung pose for a photograph with their marriage certificate (Niranjan Shrestha/AP)

Nepalese couple vow to continue campaigning after same-sex marriage recognised

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Decarbonising industries such as steel will be a major part of reaching net zero (Andrew Matthews/PA)

Decarbonising industry can’t wait for ‘technologies of tomorrow’, says Tory MP

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Andry Rajoelina has been re-elected as President of Madagascar (Alexander Joe/AP)

Madagascar’s top court ratifies presidential election result after boycott

Mohammed Ghalayini experienced a bittersweet moment when he went to the beach in Gaza (Mohammed Ghalayini/PA)

Briton in Gaza refuses to be ‘driven out of homeland’ as Israeli strikes resume

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Alistair Darling and Gordon Brown also worked in Better Together’s campaign to keep Scotland in the Union (Danny Lawson/PA).

Gordon Brown says briefings against Alistair Darling were ‘completely unfair’

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Mark Gillen suffered life-changing injuries in the boat yard accident (The Health and Safety Executive/PA)

Yacht builder fined £600,000 over accident which left worker seriously injured

Services that are running will start later and finish much earlier than usual (Danny Lawson/PA)

Fresh disruption for rail travellers as train drivers strike again

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Air strikes have resumed in Gaza (Adel Hana/AP)

Israeli jets hit Gaza targets after week-long truce expires

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The Prince and Princess of Wales at the Royal Variety Performance at the Royal Albert Hall (Aaron Chown, PA)

Prince and Princess of Wales appear ‘relaxed’ at Royal Variety Performance

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Police attempt to put out flares that have been thrown towards them outside the stadium before the UEFA Europa Conference League Group E match at Villa Park, Birmingham (David Davies/PA)

Four police officers injured in ‘disgusting scenes’ at Aston Villa match

A helicopter carrying Israeli hostages released by Hamas lands at the Sheba Medical Centre in Ramat Gan, Israel (Leo Correa/ AP)

Israel resumes strikes in Gaza Strip as truce with Hamas expires

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Mia Schem was released after 55 days in captivity in Gaza (AP)

Israeli military confirms release of six more hostages in Gaza Strip

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What the papers say (PA)

What the papers say – December 1

The King and Prime Minister Rishi Sunak are attending the Cop28 climate summit in Dubai (Daniel Leal/PA)

King and Sunak to attend Cop28 as leaders assess bids to tackle climate change

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Greater Manchester Police Chief Constable Stephen Watson replaced Ian Hopkins in May 2021 (James Speakman/PA)

Significant improvements by Greater Manchester Police, inspection finds

Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer walks with shadow secretary of state for energy security and net zero Ed Miliband at Cop28 (Chris Jackson/PA)

Keir Starmer details ‘clean power alliance’ at Cop28

Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald speaking to the media outside Leinster House (PA)

McDonald defends sharing picture of person sitting ‘near scene of knife attack’

Jussie Smollett was accused of staging a racist, homophobic attack against himself (Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP)

Appeal court affirms actor Jussie Smollett’s convictions and jail sentence

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