Scotland's first minister John Swinney has accepted an invitation to have dinner with Donald Trump in Aberdeenshire tonight, Sky News understands. The meal will take place ahead of separate, widely publicised one-on-one talks between the pair tomorrow. More: news.sky.com/story/politi...

The UK government will recognise a Palestinian state "in this parliament", Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds has told Sky News. "But don't forget, we can only do this once. If we do it in a way which is tokenistic, doesn't produce the end to this conflict, where do we go to next?" More below ⬇️

Apologies for my absence from this place. Hard to balance all the different platforms these days, but I’ve decided I want to participate on Bluesky. So for news on UK politics, the Middle East, the US, and more, please do follow and share. And get in touch with stories / goss 😉

Essex Police say claims by Nigel Farage that officers bussed in counter-demonstrators to migrant hotel protest are 'categorically wrong'

Essex Police say claims by Nigel Farage that officers bussed in counter-demonstrators to migrant hotel protest are 'categorically wrong'

Essex Police has strongly denied claims by Nigel Farage it "bussed" counter-demonstrators to a protest outside a migrant hotel in Epping.

news.sky.com

🚨 NEW: Reform UK is just one point off Labour in a new Sky News/The Times/YouGov poll. The Tories have tumbled to third. (Comparison with GE24) 🔴Labour 26% (35%) 🟤Reform UK 25% (15%) 🔵Conservatives 22% (24%) 🟡Lib Dem 14% (13%) 🟢Greens 8% (7%) More: news.sky.com/story/politi...

Foreign Sec David Lammy is in Israel, and has met with his counterpart, Gideon Sa’ar. Sa’ar said they “discussed a wide range of issues, including Syria, Lebanon and the Iranian threat”. On Iran - Middle East minister Hamish Falconer said today they will have “more to say in the coming weeks”.

Wes Streeting: “Without Rachel Reeves's leadership, we wouldn't have won the last general election. “She built Labour's economic credibility out of the ashes they were left in after the Corbyn leadership.” A strident defence of the chancellor from a top minister👇 news.sky.com/story/rachel...

Rachel Reeves facing 'pressure', but 'people should give her time', says Wes Streeting

Mr Streeting said the chancellor is "trying to break us out of what has been the status quo and the economic orthodoxy of more than a decade".

news.sky.com

Tonight’s vote in parliament lays bare a key issue in our political system. While some Labour MPs may want a national inquiry into the unimaginable scandal of grooming gangs across our country, voting for the Tory amendment would have meant a much broader bill was rejected. 🧵

Starmer: "I think we all had a smile on Sunday when [Mr Farage] said how cool it was to have the support of Musk, only for Musk to say he should be removed just a few hours later." Farage, Tice, and Anderson:

NEW: Safeguarding minister Jess Phillips has told Sky's @bethrigby.bsky.social that "nothing is off the table" when dealing with the grooming gangs scandal - including a new national inquiry if victims want one. Story: news.sky.com/story/jess-p...

Jess Phillips does not rule out new national inquiry into grooming gangs

A new victims panel is being set up by the government to hear about the abuse by grooming gangs.

news.sky.com

BREAKING: Controversial broadcaster Piers Morgan to leave Rupert Murdoch’s News UK. Sky's Mark Kleinman reports that he will focus on expanding his Uncensored YouTube channel in the US and other international markets.

The Tories' bid to force a national grooming gang inquiry won't result in a probe. If Labour MPs were to vote for the reasoned amendment, it would kill the govt's flagship Children's Wellbeing Bill, and not force a national inquiry. From Sky's Tim Baker 👇 news.sky.com/story/the-to...

The Tories' attempts to force a grooming gang inquiry won't result in a probe - here's why

The Conservatives are one of the groups calling for an inquiry into grooming gangs - and are proposing a plan to do so in the Commons - but even if it passes, a statutory inquiry will not be launched.

news.sky.com

Intriguing question in the Lords this afternoon re Elon Musk... "Baroness Chakrabarti to ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to restrict the impact of foreign-owned social media companies upon UK democratic politics and public order."

NEW: As Parliament kicks back into gear after Christmas, Kim Leadbeater’s assisted dying bill now enters a crucial stage of scrutiny. Today she’s announcing that the bill committee will hear three days of oral evidence on 28, 29, 30th Jan - that’s an extra day added to hear from expert witnesses.

“A line has been crossed”: PM Keir Starmer has responded after days of attacks from Elon Musk on himself and Jess Phillips. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Starmer speak in this way before - such so that it’s worth posting his comments in full. 🧵with the PM’s response to Sky’s @bethrigby.bsky.social.

🚨 In shocking news - Nigel Farage disagrees with Elon Musk that he “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead Reform UK.

Ben Bloch@realbenbloch.bsky.social · 2y ago

🚨 Elon Musk turns on Trump ally Nigel Farage. Elon Musk endorsed jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Nigel Farage said Robinson is not welcome in Reform UK, and noted he was in jail after admitting contempt of court. Musk says Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead the UK.

🚨 Elon Musk turns on Trump ally Nigel Farage. Elon Musk endorsed jailed far-right activist Tommy Robinson. Nigel Farage said Robinson is not welcome in Reform UK, and noted he was in jail after admitting contempt of court. Musk says Farage “doesn’t have what it takes” to lead the UK.

🚨 Nigel Farage has made clear tonight that Tommy Robinson (Stephen Yaxley-Lennon) is not welcome in Reform UK. Farage said: "My position’s perfectly clear on that. I never wanted Tommy Robinson to join UKIP, I don’t want him to join Reform UK, and he won’t be."

I'm back. For the same reason I moved in the first place. I often wonder if Jack Dorsey and co regret selling Twitter to Musk. They must hate what their work has become.

Kemi Badenoch's "first principles" refrain is the new "fixing the foundations"...

🚨 BREAKING: A DHL plane has crashed on approach to landing in Vilnius, Lithuania. One person has been found dead, and over a dozen more have been evacuated - including 12 from a house hit by the plane, according to local authorities via Reuters. Rescue operation still ongoing.

Have a read! Our work tracking the Chinese vessel in the Baltic Sea... news.sky.com/story/tracki...

Tracking shows Chinese vessel in area when Baltic Sea communication cables damaged

Investigations have been launched into the destruction of the two fibre-optic communications cables earlier this week. One linked Finland and Germany while the other connected Sweden and Lithuania.

news.sky.com

🚨 BREAKING: British-made Storm Shadow missiles have been fired into Russian territory by Ukraine for the first time, a source has told Sky News. Latest here: news.sky.com/story/ukrain...

Ukraine war latest: Sirens in Kyiv over 'missile hazard' - after US shuts embassy in face of 'attack' threat

The US is warning of a potential air strike on its embassy in Kyiv after a "specific" threat. Listen to the latest Daily podcast as you scroll.

news.sky.com

🚨 NEW: Donald Trump will visit Scotland next year for the opening of his new golf course, his son Eric told PA's Craig Meighan. Eric also criticised Scottish FM John Swinney, saying it was "nasty" of him to endorse Kamala Harris over his father. More: news.sky.com/story/politi...

PICTURED: Kemi Badenoch met with Jeremy Clarkson during the farmers' protest today. Image: Ed Massey / CCHQ

Steve Reed rules out U-turning on IHT changes for farmers. "The decision's been taken in this case," he told the EFRA committee. "The vast majority of estates will pay nothing, but they will all benefit from the repairing of our broken NHS." More: news.sky.com/story/politi...

Politics latest: Farmers seen laughing behind minister as Jeremy Clarkson joins thousands at tax protest

Jeremy Clarkson has joined opposition party leaders Kemi Badenoch, Ed Davey, and Nigel Farage for a huge protest in Westminster, rallying against the government's family farms tax plan - but ministers...

news.sky.com

🚨 NEW: A politician is among up to five people the Gambling Commission is potentially looking to prosecute following the probe into bets placed on the date of the general election. Scoop from Sky’s Jon Craig here: news.sky.com/story/politi...

Politics latest: Five potential prosecutions over election date betting scandal

Keir Starmer has met China's President Xi Jinping at the G20 summit in Brazil, but Ukraine has overshadowed proceedings. Meanwhile, Sky News can reveal the Gambling Commission is pursing up to five po...

news.sky.com

🚨 NEW: US President Biden authorises Ukraine to fire long-range missiles inside Russia. Via the NYT: www.nytimes.com/2024/11/17/u...

Biden Allows Ukraine to Strike Russia With Long-Range U.S. Missiles

With two months left in office, the president for the first time authorized the Ukrainian military to use the system known as ATACMS to help defend its forces in the Kursk region of Russia.

nytimes.com

🚨 NEW: Sir Keir Starmer says he has “no plans to speak to Putin”. Follows in Zelenskyy’s stinging criticism of Germany’s Scholz. “Doubling down” on ensuring support for Ukraine is “top” of the PM’s agenda at the G20 as Trump’s second term looms. More: news.sky.com/story/politi...

Despite the rain in Westminster, Ukrainian protesters have gathered outside the Houses of Parliament as Russian attacks intensify. The PM is on the plane to the G20 summit in Brazil where ensuring continued support for Ukraine is top of his agenda.