Politics latest: COBRA meetings held over widespread IT outages; Zelenskyy makes historic visit to No 10 (2024)

We've now had a statement from Wes Streeting, the health secretary.

There has been widespread reports of difficulties with GP services across the country.

Mr Streeting said: "This is having a particular impact on GP appointments and electronic prescribing.

"Please bear with your local GPs if they're grappling with this on top of normal pressures.

"My department is working closely with colleagues across government."

Earlier today, we reported on the news that the UK had restarted funding for UNRWA, the UN body which provides aid to Palestinians.

Aid was suspended in January following claims members of the body had participated in the 7 October attacks.

Speaking to Sky News, Israel government spokesperson David Mencer said: "UNRWA we know has just been funnelling money.

That's the long and the short of it.

"They've been funnelling money and supporting Hamas.

"We've provided all this evidence, internationally, to the government of the UK as well.

"It's a big mistake."

A UN investigation into UNRWA is yet to report, and the UK is not the first country to restore funding with the body.

We've been hearing a bit more about President Volodymyr Zelenskyy's historic meeting with the UK cabinet.

He used it to ask the UK government and Sir Keir Starmer to "show your leadership" and allow Ukraine to target sites in Russia using UK weapons.

"We are still missing the main answer to this question," Mr Zelenskyy told the meeting.

"I ask you to show your leadership in this and please convince other partners to remove the limits."

Ukraine has said lifting restrictions on Western weapons – including British Storm Shadow missiles – to strike deep into Russian territory is key to its efforts in the war.

The UK has avoided backing such a move, saying it is a matter for Kyiv how it chooses to deploy its resources, as long as international law is upheld.

Speaking after the visit, Downing Street said there was "no change to our position" on weapons.

Former foreign secretary Lord David Cameron previously said it was Ukraine's decision on how to use the supplied equipment, and Kyiv "absolutely has the right" to strike back.

By Deborah Haynes, security and defence editor

A multibillion-pound programme to build the UK's future flagship fighter jet in partnership with Japan and Italy could be at risk in a sweeping review of defence.

Luke Pollard, the armed forces minister, called the project "really important" but said it would not be right for him to prejudice the outcome of the Strategic Defence Review (SDR) by setting out in a speech which pieces of military kit are required to fight future wars.

It left open the possibility that the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) - a vital piece of work for British defence industry giant BAE Systems - could be vulnerable should the review decide that committing limited funds to a project that will only deliver new aircraft in the next decade is not the best way to deter a more immediate threat of war with Russia.

At the same time, though, the architects of the review will need to balance countering current threats against the importance of investing in sovereign aircraft manufacturing skills as well as the economic benefits of the GCAP programme, which already supports thousands of jobs.

The lack of a guarantee by the minister that the future of the UK-Japan-Italy warplane venture is secure came despite the project being strongly endorsed in the previous government's "refreshed" defence review, which was published only last year.

The UK's planned GCAP fast jet - known as Tempest - is set to be a sixth-generation stealth aircraft, equipped with advanced weapons and radars, with the ability to fly at supersonic speeds in a step up from the F-35 warplane.

As we reported earlier, there was an emergency COBRA meeting this morning about the tech outages around the world.

We now know the meeting included civil servants, but not ministers.

And a Downing Street spokesperson said they were not aware of any plans for democratically elected representatives to have a meeting at COBRA on the subject.

Asked why the prime minister did not attend the meeting, they said: "The prime minister had bilaterals with President Zelenskyy and cabinet this morning, but all ministers including the prime minister are being kept informed with the latest."

By Jennifer Scott, political reporter

The number of people arriving in the UK via small boat Channel crossings this year has now passed 15,000, the government has confirmed.

A total of 317 people made the dangerous journey across six boats on Thursday, bringing 2024's total so far to 15,076.

The number is higher than the figure for the same date in 2023, where the total had reached 14,071.

But it is still lower than the record-breaking year of 2022, where it had reached 15,314 by this date.

It comes after another person died overnight when their boat, crowded with 86 people, got into trouble in the Channel.

And it also follows fresh commitments from the new government on how it plans to tackle illegal migration.

Read the full story here:

Earlier, the Liberal Democrats were calling for a COBRA meeting.

This stands for Cabinet Office Briefing Room A - a set of rooms where government meets during emergencies.

Sky News understands such meetings have taken place - but only insofar as them being in one of the COBRA rooms.

Meetings were at an official level - it is not clear if ministers were present.

Following the huge amount of disruption due to the ongoing global IT outages, the UK government has issued a statement through X.

Sky News has contacted government departments to ask whether systems like the NHS and Universal Credit are working, but has not received a response outside posts on social media.

Pat McFadden, the chief secretary to the Treasury, said: "Many people are being affected by today's IT outages impacting services across the country and globally.

"Ministers are working with their sectors and respective industries on the issue.

"I am in close contact with teams coordinating our response through the COBRA response system."

COBRA refers to Cabinet Office Briefing Rooms - and refers to the meeting rooms used to manage crises.

Transport Secretary Louise Haigh said on social media: "We are aware of IT failures impacting several transport operators and terminals today, and we're working at pace with industry and across government on the issue.

"There are no known security issues at present.

"If you're planning to travel today, please follow operator advice and check ahead before leaving.

"Manual check-in may be required at airports and there may be train cancellations and delays."

David Lammy, the foreign secretary, has been speaking in the House of Commons in the past few moments.

Making a statement on the situation in Gaza, he announces that the UK will restore funding to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East - also known as UNRWA.

The money was cut off in January, following allegations staff members were involved in the 7 October attacks.

A number of staff members were sacked.

An ongoing UN investigation in the allegations has not concluded.

Mr Lammy said: "I can confirm to the House that we are overturning the suspension of UNRWA funding."

He added that £21m in new funds will be provided.

Ukraine's president, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, has now left Downing Street.

He gave a thumbs up after departing Number 10.