Sky News Daily

The UK's first female prime minister undoubtedly transformed the country as she achieved electoral success her Conservative successors could only dream of.Evidence of her enduring influence is the fact that it's not just Tories who claim a debt to her but also opposing politicians, with Rachel Reeves recently branding herself the "iron chancellor".She was also a very divisive figure, with lasting anger over her handling of the miners' strike and the controversial poll tax.So, what is Baroness Thatcher's legacy to both her party and the country? What would she have made of Brexit and the rise of Reform UK? Will she still be talked about in another 100 years?Niall Paterson is joined by Sky's chief political correspondent Jon Craig.Producers: Tom Gillespie and Soila Apparicio ​​​​​​​Editor: Wendy Parker

A ceasefire may be in place, but violence continues to plague Gaza. As Hamas attempts to keep some control, a rival group has told Sky News they plan to fight to the end. With internal fighting and power struggles ongoing, can peace hold within Gaza for the Palestinians hoping to begin rebuilding their lives? Dominic Waghorn, our international affairs editor, and digital investigations journalist Ben van der Merwe join Niall to explain who these groups are and what role they are playing. Producer: Soila Apparicio Editor: Mike Bovill 

Dishonesty, discrimination, and misconduct – just some of the reasons why more than 730 police officers were sacked and barred from service last year. Of those, 21 were struck off for child sexual offences. But can our police forces recover from falling public trust and reputational damage?  Martin Brunt, our crime correspondent, joins Niall to explain what’s gone wrong – and assess whether ‘bad apples’ in the police are an institutional issue.  Plus, Jamie Klingler – co-founder of Reclaim These Streets and campaigner for women’s safety and police reform in the UK – discusses what needs to change.  Producer: Emily HulmeEditor: Mike Bovill

Members of minority religious groups say they feel less safe in the UK than ever before.A summer of protests outside asylum seeker hotels and a renewed debate about immigration have led to concerns British society is becoming increasingly fragmented.And last week, figures released by the Home Office showed that religious hate crime recorded by police in England and Wales had reached a record high.Some members of the Sikh community in the West Midlands have been escorting elderly people to their local gurdwara due to concerns about physical and verbal abuse.What are the causes behind this rise in hate crime? How are minority groups responding, and what can be done to rebuild fragile communities?Niall is joined by Rabbi Josh Levy, the co-lead of Progressive Judaism, and Sky's communities correspondent Lisa Holland.Producer: Tom GillespieEditor: Mike Bovill

All 20 remaining living Israeli hostages have been released by Hamas – after more than two years in captivity.  Now the slow process of recovery and rehabilitation begins. For each of them, that journey will be different. What kind of support will they receive? And will the trauma ever truly be over?  Niall discusses the needs of the released hostages with Stephen Regel – a former senior psychosocial practitioner with the British Red Cross and founder of the Centre for Trauma Resilience and Growth.   Producer: Tom Gillespie Editor: Mike Bovill 

Can you put a price on freedom of speech? Comedy royalty including Dave Chapelle and Jimmy Carr, famous for defending their right to say whatever they want, have been paid big money by the Saudi government to appear at the inaugural Riyadh Comedy Festival. But there's a catch.... they're not allowed to say anything that could cause "embarrassment" to Saudi Arabia, its royal family or any religion. The outcry has given you a new phrase to learn - "comedy washing". What is comedy washing and what evidence is there Saudi Arabia is trying to carry it out? Why have comedians agreed to perform at the festival and how can they defend their decision? Niall is joined by stand-up comedian and host of the Pod Save The UK podcast Nish Kumar. Producers: Tom Gillespie, Soila Apparicio Editor: Mike Bovill 

Donald Trump has claimed the credit for ending seven wars and with the developments in Gaza it could soon be eight - surely then he's a dead cert for this year's Nobel Peace Prize?Unsurprisingly, with this bombastic US president, it's not quite that simple... no matter how much he insists that he deserves it.As the world prepares to find out who has won this year's prize, the self-styled peacemaker-in-chief is likely to be among those paying the closest attention.What is the Nobel Peace Prize and why does Trump want to win it so much? How is the winner decided, who else is nominated and what are the US president's chances?Niall is joined by Jay Nordlinger, author of Peace, They Say: A History of the Nobel Peace Prize, the Most Famous and Controversial Prize in the World.Producer: Soila ApparicioEditor: Mike Bovill

The prime minister’s been asked to ‘explain himself’ after the UK’s top prosecutor blamed the collapse of a China spy trial on the government - for not labelling China a risk to national security.  But Sir Keir Starmer blames the previous Tory government.  A parliamentary researcher and his associate were accused of passing on “politically sensitive” information to a member of China’s ruling politburo – so why won’t it go to court?    Niall is joined by political correspondent Mhari Aurora and the former head of MI6 Richard Dearlove.    Producers: Tom Gillespie & Emily Hulme Editor: Mike Bovill

In September, former England rugby captain Lewis Moody received a devastating diagnosis that changed his life forever.  The 47-year-old Rugby World Cup winner is the latest retired professional player to be told he has the fatal muscle-wasting condition motor neurone disease.  What do we know about the possible causes of MND? Is there a link between extreme exercise and developing the disease? And are we any closer to a cure?  Niall is joined by Moody’s World Cup-winning team-mate Will Greenwood and Dr Mike Rogers, director of research and innovation at the MND Association.  Producer: Tom Gillespie and Emily Hulme  Editor: Mike Bovill   

It's the morning of Monday 6 October 2025 and Russia has launched a missile strike against the UK. That was the scenario of The Wargame - a gripping five-part Sky News podcast that brought together former government ministers, military chiefs, and top defence experts to explore how the UK might respond to a modern-day crisis.  On the real 6 October, we speak to some of the makers of the series to get a sense of whether our leaders are taking the threat of Russia seriously enough. Would the United States come to the UK's aid if bombings began on British soil? And what do we need to do to improve our defence capabilities?   Niall Paterson is joined by The Wargame's co-creators - Sky’s security and defence editor Deborah Haynes, and Rob Johnson, head of Oxford University's Changing Character of War Centre - as well as Keir Giles, a leading expert on the Russian military who portrays the Russian president in the simulation.  You can listen to The Wargame here: https://open.spotify.com/show/4lHtW6x1D6R0E1QmGLkBK1  Producers: Tom Gillespie & Emily Hulme Editor: Mike Bovill

Could the historic appointment of a first female Archbishop of Canterbury cause a split within the Anglican Church?Dame Sarah Mullally has been chosen for the role while the Church is arguably in a state of crisis - but also at a time when there has been a surge in attendance among young people.She's the first woman to lead the Church of England in its almost 500-year history - the question now is, what impact she will have on its future.Who is Dame Sarah and why was she chosen? How big a moment is this for the Church? What challenges will the new archbishop face and what qualities will she need to address them?Niall is joined by Ruth Gledhill, religious affairs commentator and assistant editor of The Tablet.Producer: Emily HulmeEditor: Mike Bovill

Communities in Manchester are once again reeling following a terror attack - this time on a synagogue in Crumpsall during Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar. The prime minister has announced extra security for synagogues, but there had been previous warnings of a rise in religious hatred across the UK.   Niall speaks to Sky's home editor, Jason Farrell, about the attack and the wider state of national security. Warning: This episode contains audio of the moment leading up to police shooting the suspected attacker. Producer: Emily Hulme Editor: Mike Bovill

The senior police officer in charge of preventing violence against women and girls has warned the political discourse around asylum seekers risks being a distraction from the "real threat" to women's safety. Met Police deputy assistant commissioner Helen Millichap made the remarks after a summer of protests outside hotels housing migrants across the country.Will the row undermine the government's ambitious target to halve violence against women and girls within a decade? And where should the real focus be when it comes to protecting communities?Niall is joined by the former victim's commissioner Dame Vera Baird KC and Sky correspondent Mollie Malone.Producers: Emily Hulme and Tom Gillespie  Editor: Mike BovillAnyone feeling emotionally distressed or suicidal can call Samaritans for help on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org in the UK.Alternatively, you can call Mind's support line on 0300 102 1234, or NHS on 111.If you suspect you are being abused and need to speak to someone, there are people who can help you.The National Domestic Violence Helpline: 0808 2000 247Women's AidRespect, the helpline for male domestic abuse victims: 0808 8010 327Galop, the LGBT+ anti-violence charity: 0800 999 5428

The government has continued to grapple with the subject of immigration during the Labour Party conference - where a desire to fight Reform UK's rhetoric has come up against the political reality of public opinion.Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer has openly called Reform UK's policies "racist" - at the same time as his new home secretary, Shabana Mahmood, has highlighted the need to review the rules over indefinite leave to remain.Nowhere is this paradox more acute than in Glasgow, where an apparent rise in anti-immigrant sentiment is as much a worry for the SNP as it is for the Westminster government - with both struggling to counter the rise of Nigel Farage's party.Many are now more comfortable voicing legitimate concerns over housing and other social pressures, but are some people using the current debate as an excuse to stoke racial stereotypes and hatred?Niall is joined by Sky News' Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies in Glasgow - while political correspondent Rob Powell also speaks to the podcast from the Labour conference in Liverpool.Producers: Araminta Parker and Tom Gillespie Editor: Mike Bovill     

Chancellor Rachel Reeves has delivered her keynote speech to the Labour Party annual conference in Liverpool.   In an address where there were multiple standing ovations in the hall, she explained she won’t take risks with the public finances and warned the UK will "face further tests, with the choices to come made all the harder by harsh global headwinds".   But were there any significant policy announcements? And does the speech signal the choices she will make in November, when her autumn budget is widely expected to include tax rises.   Niall Paterson is joined by Sky’s economics editor Ed Conway to discuss the most important points from the address and what it can tell us about the economy's direction of travel.  Producer: Araminta Parker & Natalie Ktena Editor: Philly Beaumont

Just as they were for her ex-husband, revelations about her relationship with convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein have proved highly embarrassing for Sarah, Duchess of York. Several charities have now dropped her as a patron after it emerged she had emailed Epstein to apologise for publicly disavowing him following his conviction. In messages dating back to 2011, the duchess described the late financier as a "steadfast, generous and supreme friend", and said sorry for criticising him in public. However, it's far from the first time the former wife of Prince Andrew has given the Royal Family a headache. Andrew Lownie, historian and author of Entitled: The Rise and Fall Of The House of York, joins Niall in remembering the key moments in the duchess's public life. Audio credit: @sarahferguson15 on Instagram Producers: Soila Apparicio, Tom GillespieEditor: Mike Bovill

Despite Jaguar Land Rover announcing some of its systems are back online, not a single car has rolled off the production line since the end of August. And there's still no date set for the factories to reopen. All because of a cyber attack, costing hundreds of millions of pounds and threatening thousands of jobs.JLR is just the latest British company harassed by hackers – with Marks & Spencer, Harrods and Co-op all suffering major (and expensive) outages in recent months. Airports and national institutions have also been attacked.It all raises serious questions about the UK's vulnerability to cyber terrorists. Who has been targeting these companies and why? What can companies do to defend themselves? Are we heading for a cyber attack pandemic? And what can your business do to prepare for the inevitable?Niall is joined by James Hatch, chief digital officer at BAE Systems, and Sky's business correspondent Paul Kelso.Producer: Soila Apparicio Editor: Mike Bovill

 A woman left with an incurable brain disease following a NHS operation says she feels like she's "living with a death sentence". Natalie Bralee-Brett was born with the birth defect spina bifida - but doctors told her mother about a new procedure that could improve and prolong her life. Instead, medical experts now say that operation - which implanted a graft made from a membrane taken from a dead body into her spine - left Natalie with a rare brain condition called iatrogenic cerebral amyloid angiopathy (ICAA). How did the NHS end up introducing this procedure and how many others are affected by ICAA? Are they entitled to compensation and could something similar happen again? Niall is joined by Sky's health correspondent Ashish Joshi following his investigation into Natalie's plight. There is more information from Great Ormond Street Hospital here: https://www.gosh.nhs.uk/news/statement-regarding-recent-media-coverage-september-2025/  Producer: Araminta Parker Editor: Mike Bovill 

The scientific community has condemned comments made by Donald Trump and his health secretary, Robert F Kennedy Jr, linking autism to the use of everyday painkillers during pregnancy.  The claim has been refuted by medical experts in both the US and UK - with some saying his comments are dangerous. Is there any evidence linking paracetamol with autism? What damage could be done by the spread of misinformation? And has this set back the campaign for a better understanding of neurodiversity? Niall is joined by Jessie Hewitson, a mother of two autistic children who is also the author of “Autism: How to Raise a Happy Autistic Child”, and Sky's science editor Tom Clarke. For more on what Donald Trump said in the White House, listen to Trump 100: https://open.spotify.com/episode/2p6KWPOkUpGvrCPRQwbISb?si=20bcf885d0574ed1If you have any questions or concerns about autism, more information is available here:https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/autism/Producers: Emily Hulme & Tom Gillespie  Editor: Mike Bovill

Nearly two years on from the October 7 attacks by Hamas and subsequent Israeli invasion of Gaza, Sir Keir Starmer has joined other world leaders in recognising a Palestinian state. The UK prime minister made the decision after months of pressure from dozens of his own MPs – but will it be enough to appease those in Labour who want to go even further? What does he hope the move will achieve and could it lead to the UK banning arms sales to Israel? Niall is joined by Sky's security and defence analyst Michael Clarke and former Labour adviser Scarlett MccGwire. Producer:  Emily Hulme and Tom Gillespie  Editor: Mike Bovill