This Is Why

He may have described himself as a ‘fighter not a quitter’, but even Peter Mandelson couldn’t survive new and lurid revelations about his relationship with convicted paedophile, Jeffrey Epstein.  The ultimate political animal, Mandelson was no stranger to scandal – having twice been forced to resign from Tony Blair’s Cabinet. But brought back into the Labour fold by Gordon Brown after a successful...

More small boats, more asylum claims, more flags flying in town centres – the debate over immigration has never felt more polarised.     Sky News invited a live studio audience to put their questions and concerns to politicians from four of the main Westminster parties. So, what did they ask and are we any closer to a consensus on what anyone would do about both legal and illegal migration?     Ni...

Lachlan Murdoch has finally secured his place as his father Rupert’s successor, following a long sibling battle for control over one of the highest-profile media groups in the world.    Under the deal, some of Rupert's other children – James Murdoch, Elisabeth Murdoch and Prudence MacLeod – will sell their personal holdings in Fox and News Corp, with each expected to receive about $1.1bn (£810m)....

A group of scientists think they can geoengineer the Arctic’s melting ice, thickening it by pumping freezing seawater onto the surface during the winter.    Geoengineering is the large-scale – and often experimental – manipulation of the environment in an attempt to slow down climate change. The question is, is it mad science? Or our last hope?      Science correspondent Thomas Moore has visited t...

Her disappearance remains unsolved, but several theories about what happened to Madeleine McCann still need to be explained. Now, Sky News has tracked down the woman at the centre of investigation into a potential hit-and-run. This was just before Christian B emerged as the prime suspect over the three-year-old British girl's disappearance in 2007. Crime correspondent Martin Brunt joins Niall to e...

Zack Polanski is the fresh face of the Green Party. He already sits on the London Assembly – the capital's elected body that scrutinises the activities of the Mayor. But he's got his eyes set on the Commons – with ambitions to join the four Green MPs already there. Polanski wants to offer a different approach to politics with policies that include a wealth tax on billionaires and renationalising w...

We give an insight into the UK's immigration system, following an Indian family who dreamed of a better life. They came to the UK on student and dependent visas – which the family say were obtained using fake documents. Niall Paterson is joined by communities correspondent Lisa Holland who has spoken to the family, to explore the serious questions about the checks and balances in place by the Home...

The chances are your child has a smartphone. But whether they're allowed to use them in school or not could have a huge impact on not only their academic success but also mental health issues and wider threats to their wellbeing. Brianna Ghey was 16 when she was stabbed to death by two 15-year-olds after being lured into a park in Warrington. Her mother, Esther, says she lost her daughter twice -...

Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch wants to end Labour's ban on new oil and gas licences and make North Sea oil and gas a "cornerstone" of the economy.     But what would that mean for net-zero targets?       Kamali Melbourne is joined by our business correspondent Paul Kelso, who breaks down the economic impact it could have, while industry expert Professor Paul de Leeuw tells us how the sector ha...

A few years ago, the number of asylum seekers in the Warwickshire market town of Nuneaton was in single digits. But it has become another community facing anti-migrant unrest.     Our Midlands correspondent Shamaan Freeman-Powell visited Nuneaton, as it's a key battleground for the migrant crisis conversation, visiting the homes where migrants are placed, and witnessing community tensions in the h...

With Parliament back in action in a few days, Sam and Anne look ahead to the packed autumn schedule in Westminster.    In the last episode of the Summer Box Set, both spill the beans on all the latest news and gossip around Westminster, Whitehall and beyond as MPs prepare to come back to the House of Commons.     They’ll mark the important dates in the calendar, break down the fortunes of the key...

Is Donald Trump increasingly acting like a dictator as he power grabs and overreaches on independent institutions? Plus - he’s firing people again. Why? Mark Stone reflects on seeing an immigration raid in DC - and what this means for a community with the army on the streets. And, we reflect on the mass shooting in Minneapolis, Minnesota, which claimed the lives of two children and injured 18 othe...

It feels like we're having to pay more and more for the basics every month. New figures released this week showed food inflation has reached an 18-month high of 4.2% - pushed up by household favourites like chocolate, eggs and butter. The energy price cap is also rising, again. So, when will we start to feel a bit better off?     Why is the hangover of the cost of living crisis still lingering? An...

The total fertility rate for England and Wales - defined as the number of children a woman can expect to have over her lifetime - has fallen to another record low.     It's the third year in a row the rate has fallen, and the biggest decline in fertility is among those aged between 25 and 29, increasing the average age of parents to 31 for mothers and 33.9 for fathers. So, why aren't people in Bri...

Reform UK has outlined its plan to tackle the small boats crisis, which would include detaining and deporting all illegal migrants arriving in the UK.  Leader Nigel Farage says his party is willing to leave the European Convention on Human Rights, repeal the Human Rights Act and disapply the 1951 UN Refugee Convention for five years to remove barriers to deportations.  On today's Sky News Daily, S...

This week, Finnish President Alexander Stubb found himself at the seat of world leaders at the White House, discussing the best route to peace in Ukraine.    How? He mastered the art of befriending Trump.    Tamara Cohen chats to former political adviser in the Finnish government, Joel Linnainmäki, and former diplomat at the Danish embassy in Washington during Trump's first term, Jonas Parello-Ple...

Russian oil used to flow into Europe. Now, it's going to India and China instead.    So, could Donald Trump's latest tariff threat against those countries put a squeeze on Russia's economic pipeline and help bring an end to the war in Ukraine?    Despite the warm words and strong handshakes at their Alaskan summit, the Trump White House seems prepared to try new ways to hit Vladimir Putin in the p...

Islamic State is on the rise, once more a threat to the international community. Driven from its strongholds in Syria and Iraq, the terror group has been building a new base in the mountains of Somalia.      Sky’s special correspondent Alex Crawford has visited the cave network where Somali authorities believe the ISIS resurgence began - funded by crime and cryptocurrency in a sophisticated twist...

Children’s exposure to online porn is higher than ever before. Will new laws designed to keep them safe finally make a difference or end up making matters worse?    Campaigner Ian Russell – whose daughter, Molly, took her own life at the age of 14 after being exposed to harmful content on social media – has criticised sites for still allowing a “tsunami” of inappropriate content to flood the feeds...

Russia and Ukraine have been fighting for control of the Donbas for years, and it has seen some of the most intensive fighting during the conflict.   But why is this eastern region of Ukraine, which borders Russia, so important to President Putin?     Tamara Cohen speaks to our security and defence analyst Professor Michael Clarke and our international affairs editor Dominic Waghorn, who's in Kyiv...

Brooklyn Beckham renewed his vows earlier this month to his American heiress wife Nicola Peltz - her family was there but not his.    It added to speculation that there is a deep rift in the Beckhams' relationship with their eldest child, after Brooklyn did not appear at any of the celebrations for his father David’s 50th birthday.    Joining Niall Paterson to discuss whether this alleged rift cou...

Ukrainians are into their fourth year of fighting to defend their country from Russia, they have suffered huge casualties and are exhausted from the war effort.     But does that mean they are willing to compromise to achieve a peace deal? And after President Zelenskyy’s treatment in the Oval Office, do they think Donald Trump is the right man to negotiate their future?    Niall Paterson speaks to...

It’s results time for 700,000 A-level and T-level students. It’ll mean final decisions about their future – and whether university is the best option for their finances and their career.    With the huge cost of a three or four-year course, squeezed graduate incomes and fast changes to the job market due to AI, is a degree worth it?    Niall Paterson speaks to business and economics correspondent...

Who are the Israeli settlers forcing Palestinians from their homes?     Chief correspondent Stuart Ramsay has been in the West Bank, witnessing the Israeli settlers who are forcing Palestinians from their homes. He also sees how the Israel Defence Forces (IDF) is protecting the growing number of Israelis claiming this land is theirs.     Stuart meets one Palestinian man who left for work and when...

Anas Al-Sharif was one of five journalists among seven people killed in an Israeli air strike on Gaza City. The five worked for the broadcaster Al Jazeera.   Israel says Sharif was the head of a Hamas cell but has only produced limited evidence about its claims.   Al Jazeera rejected the accusations and said the strike was a "blatant" attack on press freedom.   On this episode, Niall Paterson and...