Josh Gafson

Westminster

Specialist Producer, Sky News Politics at Sky News

Politics Producer, @SkyNews | DMs open | Story? - [email protected] | All views mine

Articles

Small boat crossings pass 10,000 at earliest point in year since records began, Sky News understands

2 weeks ago | news.sky.com | Josh Gafson |Tim Baker

Small boat crossings have passed 10,000 in 2025 at the earliest point in a year since records began, Sky News understands. Analysis of previous Home Office numbers and footage of people arriving today show the number of people crossing the Channel continuing to rise. The issue has become a lodestone for political parties across the spectrum, with Rishi Sunak's pledge to "Stop The Boats" falling well short.
Migrant crossings: Why are more people crossing the Channel on the weekend?

Feb 2, 2025 | news.sky.com | Ali Fortescue |Josh Gafson

More people are crossing the English Channel in small boats on the weekend. Our data analysis shows last year 40% of the total number of arrivals happened on a Saturday or Sunday. We have been looking into possible reasons why many more people are arriving in small boats on the weekend, and the explanation might not be quite what you expect.
Labour MP hosted man charged with being part of banned PKK group in parliament

Dec 10, 2024 | news.sky.com | Liz Bates |Josh Gafson

A Labour MP hosted a man at the centre of a terror group probe in parliament just weeks before his arrest, Sky News can reveal. The Kurdistan Workers' Party, known as the PKK, has been a proscribed organisation since 2001 for its advocation of Kurdish self-rule through both political and armed struggle.
Holocaust Memorial Day: 'Unprecedented rise' in antisemitic incidents, charity finds

Jan 26, 2024 | news.sky.com | Josh Gafson |Sabah Choudhry

Antisemitic incidents referencing the Holocaust have increased by 104% across the UK in 2023, new figures obtained by Sky News show. The Community Security Trust (CST), a charity that protects British Jews from antisemitism, last year received 955 reports of Holocaust-related antisemitism, defined as incidents containing some kind of reference to the Holocaust, Nazis, Hitler or swastikas. That number is more than double the 469 incidents reported in 2022.
Libya floods: Journalists ordered out of flood-hit Derna after protests

Sep 19, 2023 | news.sky.com | Josh Gafson

Libyan authorities have ordered some journalists to leave the flood-hit city of Derna, according to a government minister. Hichem Abu Chkiouat, minister of civil aviation, told Reuters News Agency some reporters had been required to stay away from rescue operations, but he denied this was related to security or politics. "It is an attempt to create better conditions for the rescue teams to carry out the work more smoothly and effectively," he said.
Women less likely to be given CPR in public than men

Sep 18, 2023 | mkfm.com | Josh Gafson

A team of Canadian researchers examined 39,000 cardiac arrests that took place outside a hospital from 2005-2015 in Canada and the US. They found that only 54% of people who suffered a cardiac arrest in a public place were given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and women were 28% less likely to receive CPR compared to men. However, in homes and other private places gender did not appear to be linked to whether or not a person received CPR.
Extinction Rebellion protesters target Labour HQ with fake oil and smoke grenades

Sep 18, 2023 | news.sky.com | Josh Gafson

Extinction Rebellion protesters have poured fake oil over the steps of Labour's headquarters, calling on the party to take "urgent action" to cancel fossil fuel licences. Activists climbed on to the London building's entrance and set off smoke grenades, while another chained himself to a handrail. Other protesters held up banners which said: "Labour, cut the ties to fossil fuels".
Women less likely to be given CPR in public than men

Sep 17, 2023 | news.sky.com | Josh Gafson

Women are less likely to be given CPR if they have a cardiac arrest in public than men, according to new study. A team of Canadian researchers examined 39,000 cardiac arrests that took place outside a hospital from 2005-2015 in Canada and the US. They found that only 54% of people who suffered a cardiac arrest in a public place were given cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), and women were 28% less likely to receive CPR compared to men.
Labour reshuffle: Who would become cabinet ministers if Sir Keir Starmer secured victory at the next election?

Sep 4, 2023 | news.sky.com | Josh Gafson

With a general election expected before the end of 2024, Sir Keir Starmer has appointed the team he wants to take into government. The Labour leader said his latest reshuffle meant the party had "a strong team on the pitch that is ready to deliver the change our country desperately needs". So who are the key figures that could be sitting around the cabinet table as ministers if Labour takes power?