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Boris Johnson’s sister has said she believes it was right for her brother to pull out of the Tory leadership race – but says she feels “sad” for him.

Rachel Johnson was hosting her LBC show on Sunday evening when the announcement came through that Mr Johnson was ending his bid to make a quick return to Downing Street.

The former prime minister had the public backing of 59 Tory MPs – far short of the 100 required to be included on the ballot – but decided “this is simply not the right time”.

Giving her reaction, Ms Johnson told her listeners: “My first feeling is as a sister, I’m afraid, not as a much, you know, despairing member of this country.

“I feel sad for him because clearly that was a hard note to write and he clearly wanted to feel that he could unite the party, and he could be a successful prime minister again.

“That is evidence that he does not think this is the right time.

“I will tell you that I also thought this was not his time. There may come a moment again when it is his time, but I felt three months after he left office, it was too soon.

“It felt too soon. I think the country feels that, too. The party – and the country – is as split as everyone else.”

She added she was “glad he’s taken this decision” and it suggests he thought the party was “too divided” and he was “not the person to unite it”.

Boris was ‘so cross’ when she beat him at ping pong

Speaking about her brother being someone who loves to win, Ms Johnson revealed how he once reacted when she beat him at ping pong.

“When I say he’s a man that likes winning – I was once playing ping pong with him,” she said.

“When I beat him in just one rally, he was so cross he kicked the garage door and broke a toe.”

Mr Johnson’s withdrawal from the race leaves the path open for Rishi Sunak.

The former chancellor has more than 150 backers, a significant lead over Penny Mordaunt, who has 25.

Read more:
Who are Tory MPs backing to be the next PM?

If both of them secure support from at least 100 MPs by this afternoon, Conservative Party members will have the chance to vote for their preferred candidate.

If Mr Sunak is the only one to reach this threshold, he will automatically become the UK’s third prime minister since the beginning of September.

Sky News will bring you all the latest from Westminster – follow it here to see who will get the keys to Number 10.

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North Yorkshire: Man’s body recovered from area of flooding in Beal

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North Yorkshire: Man's body recovered from area of flooding in Beal

A man’s body has been recovered from an area of flooding in North Yorkshire, police have said, as major incidents have been declared in two counties.

The body was found near Intake Lane in Beal, close to Eggborough and Knottingley.

Police believe the man may have entered the water in the last 24 to 48 hours.

Follow the latest on the weather

North Yorkshire Police said: “Despite extensive enquiries, including with our colleagues in Humberside and West Yorkshire Police, we have been unable to identify him.

“He was found without any identification or personal belongings.”

The man was also described as white, in his early 50s to 60s, with light brown short hair and stubble.

He was wearing brown walking boots, blue denim jeans, a multicoloured knitted jumper and possibly a dark green waterproof coat, police added.

It comes after Leicestershire and Lincolnshire both declared a major incident in response to the extreme weather hitting the UK and Ireland.

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Leicestershire Fire and Rescue was the first emergency service in England to declare an incident and said it had received more than 200 calls since Monday morning over widespread flooding.

Crews had found cars stuck in floodwater and evacuated residents from flooded homes and rising waters, with some 17 people rescued as of 1.45pm.

The Lincolnshire Resilience Forum declared a major incident shortly after, and noted that emergency services had rescued children who were stranded at a school in Edenham.

Meanwhile, the Met Office has three yellow weather warnings – each for snow and ice – in effect throughout Monday evening and Tuesday morning.

Met Office yellow weather warnings for snow and ice on Monday 6 and Tuesday 7 of January. Pic: Met Office
Image:
Pic: Met Office

A warning covering the west and north coast of Scotland – reaching into Inverness and Aberdeen – will last until midday, while an alert in effect for all of Northern Ireland will last until 11am.

The Met Office has also issued a warning covering Wales and parts of northwest England on Monday evening, moving into southwest England, the Midlands and parts of southern England in the early hours of Tuesday.

On Wednesday, a yellow weather warning for snow is in effect across the south of England – stretching from just above Truro in Cornwall to Canterbury in Kent – from 9am to midnight.

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Man charged following reports of threats towards Jess Phillips, Sky News understands

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Man charged following reports of threats towards Jess Phillips, Sky News understands

A man has been charged following reports of threats towards Labour safeguarding minister Jess Phillips, Sky News understands.

Jack Bennett, 39, has been charged with three counts of malicious communications, Devon and Cornwall Police said.

The messages were sent between April 2024 and January 2025 involving three victims, including the Birmingham Yardley MP.

It is understood the accused, from Seaton, east Devon, was charged over the weekend.

He has been bailed to appear before Exeter Magistrates’ Court on 18 February 2025.

Earlier on Monday, Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer spoke about a “line being crossed” regarding comments towards Ms Phillips and said that she had been receiving threats.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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HMP Wandsworth prison officer filmed having sex with inmate sentenced to 15 months

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HMP Wandsworth prison officer filmed having sex with inmate sentenced to 15 months

A prison officer who was filmed having sex with an inmate has been sentenced to 15 months in jail.

Linda De Sousa Abreu, 31, was on duty at HMP Wandsworth in London when she entered the prisoner’s cell and had sex with him on 27 June.

The encounter was filmed by another inmate and lasted for almost five minutes.

She was identified by HMP Wandsworth staff and arrested by the Metropolitan Police at Heathrow Airport after the footage went viral on social media.

The prison officer was planning to fly to Madrid and telephoned the prison as she fled to the airport to say that she was not returning to work.

De Sousa Abreu then pleaded guilty to misconduct in a public office on 29 July last year.

The charge said the 31-year-old “wilfully and without reasonable excuse or justification misconducted yourself in a way which amounted to an abuse of the public’s trust in the office holder by engaging in a sexual act with a prisoner in a prison cell”.

Tetteh Turkson, of the Crown Prosecution Service, added last year that the incident was “a shocking breach of the public’s trust,” and that De Sousa Abreu “was clearly an enthusiastic participant who wrongly thought she would avoid responsibility”.

“The CPS recognises there is no excuse for any prison officer who conducts themselves in such a manner, and we will never hesitate to prosecute those who abuse their position of power,” she added.

“After working closely with the Metropolitan Police to build the strongest possible case, De Sousa had no option but accept she was guilty. She will now rightly face the consequences of her actions.”

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

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