Prime minister pictured socialising during lockdown flanked by colleagues draped in tinsel

PM also facing Tory revolt over Covid restrictions, and a nailbiting by-election

Ed Davey tells Boris Johnson ‘the party is over’ as Lib Dem activists flood seat

Bank of England policymakers will have to weigh up the threat of the new variant against soaring inflation in Thursday’s interest rate vote.

Geminids are very bright, moderately fast, and are unusual in being multi-coloured.

Several ministers planning to ‘resist’ the introduction of potential harsher measures, according to reports

Boosters for under 40s, jabs for children and a Tory revolt all make headlines.

Dozens of staff reportedly took part in event in No 10

Lead in Opinium survey is Labour’s largest in nearly eight years

Fraudsters claim to be offering variant-specific PCR test before requesting bank details

Arlo Breslin died after suffering a ‘catastrophic head injury’ in June 2018

Armed officers were called after reports of a gunman entering a bank and bookmakers

Javid says booster programme ‘accelerating’ as study finds omicron hospitalisation wave could dwarf last winter’s

The Scottish Government has pledged to pay adult care workers costs to get vaccinated in working time so they do not lose money or annual leave.

The Foreign Secretary said the commitment would help save lives and ‘support stability in the region’.

Scottish Labour has attacked the SNP’s handling of interlinked fire alarm funding.

The shadow health secretary has urged ministers ‘pull out all the stops’ to meet the aim of offering boosters to all adults by the end of January.

The department stressed there was ‘no party atmosphere’ and that Therese Coffey’s staff were working at the time.

Liz Truss and US secretary of state Antony Blinken said they were ‘deeply concerned’ Moscow had amassed troops on border

The incident happened in Kensington on Saturday afternoon.

UK denies ditching key demand in protocol negotiations

‘We’re becoming really concerned for her,’ detective chief inspector says

A large wave of infections is projected for January.

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Most pessimistic scenarios could see between 25,000 and 75,000 deaths over next five months without action

The candidate, Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst, apparently “laughed it off”

Four people, including two infants, were killed in the blast that went off without warning on the Shankill Road, on December 11, 1971.

Traditional blue voters consider shifting as sense grows party is taking area for granted. By Colin Drury in North Shropshire

Nicola Sturgeon is due to give a statement in the Scottish Parliament on Tuesday.

Exclusive: Campaigners say judges must declare plans unlawful to ‘recognise the sanctity of life’

A host of former Cabinet ministers have criticised the introduction of further restrictions.

The fatal stabbing of Sir David Amess deprived the constituency of its long-standing MP.

NHS Fife is carrying out contact tracing after a cluster of Covid-19 cases, expected to feature the new Omicron variant, found after an evening party.

The European Commission had set a Friday midnight deadline for London and Paris to reach an agreement.

‘I’m heartbroken, my children are not sleeping at night and they are terrified of it happening to another of our pets,’ says owner

Greater Manchester Police say it believes attack was ‘targeted’

The dress has a name similar to the 1955 novel Lolita, which deals with child sex abuse.

Annie Farmer is the only accuser to give evidence under her full name.

Shops in Bristol were selling shirts for £25 plus VAT in aid of four people facing trial over criminal damage to the Edward Colston statue.

One fishing boss said the trilateral agreement does not resolve issues around accessing Norwegian waters.

Frances-Rose Thomas took her own life in 2018.

Aslef wants more input in decision-making at the new holding company Scottish Rail Holdings.

Police have appealed for witnesses.

Aaron Webb, from the Greater Lisburn area, was killed in a collision involving a van while he was walking on the Lisburn Road, outside Glenavy.