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Tour du Rwanda 2019

2018 winner   mugisha samuel .

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British Youngster Blackmore Wins Tour du Rwanda 2024

Stage 7: israeli itamar wins his second stage of tour du rwanda, stage 6: blackmore wins it on his birthday.

Stage 4: Lecerf wins it in Rubavu, teammate Reinderink retains Yellow Jersey

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Pepijn REINDERINK

Yoel HABTEAB

Aklilu AREFAYNE

British Youngster Blackmore Wins Tour du Rwanda 2024 Israel Premier Tech’s star rider, Peter Joseph Blackmore, exuded pure elation following his triumph in the Tour du (...) 25 February 2024 at 20:00

Stage 7: Israeli Itamar wins his second stage of Tour du Rwanda Itamar Einhorn, representing Israel Premier Tech, etched his name in the annals of Tour du Rwanda history by (...) 24 February 2024 at 18:30

Stage 6: Blackmore wins it on his birthday! British cyclist Peter Joseph Blackmore, from Israel Premier Tech, pedaled his way to victory in Stage 6 of the (...) 23 February 2024 at 18:30

STAGE 5: Frenchman Pierre Latour of Team TotalEnergies wins ITT Frenchman Pierre Latour of Team TotalEnergies clinched Stage Five’s Individual Time Trial from Musanze town to (...) 22 February 2024 at 17:32

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KOM Sprint (2) Côte de Nyamagabe (24.8 km)

Kom sprint (3) côte de kigeme (30.4 km), kom sprint (2) côte de kaganza (39.3 km), kom sprint (2) côte de gashwati (47.6 km), kom sprint (3) côte de nyungwe (59.7 km), kom sprint (3) côte de pindura (67.1 km), kom sprint (2) côte de bumazi (126.8 km), youth day classification, team day classification, race information.

• Date: 20 February 2024
• Start time: 11:05 (10:05 CET)
• Avg. speed winner: 37.136 km/h
• Race category: ME - Men Elite
• Distance: 140.3 km
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• ProfileScore: 187
• Vert. meters: 3385
• Departure: Huye
• Arrival: Rusizi
• Race ranking: 190
• Startlist quality score: 35
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• Avg. temperature: 25 °C

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Tour du Rwanda 2022 stages

• Stage 3 - Tour du Rwanda: Laurance moves into race lead | Kigali - Gicumbi 2022-02-23 124.3km
• Stage 4 | Muhanga - Musanze 2022-02-24 124.7km

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Rwanda Bill LIVE: Parliament showdown begins as Rishi Sunak says first flights to leave in 10 to 12 weeks

LIVE – Updated at 07:15

Rishi Sunak has said the first flights carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda will leave in 10 to 12 weeks, and the government will ensure they leave “come what may”.

The Prime Minister used a press conference on Monday to outline a “robust” operational plan ahead of the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill's final showdown in Parliament.

He put further pressure on the Lords to end resistance to the scheme, as he said commercial flights have been put on standby, and promised there will be a “regular rhythm of multiple flights [to Rwanda] every month...until the boats are stopped” .

The scheme had initially been due to start in Spring, but Mr Sunak blamed Labour opposition to the scheme for the delays, vowing: “We will start the flights and we will stop the boats.

Peers have repeatedly blocked the legislation with a series of amendments, stretching debate on the "emergency legislation" over more than four months and delaying flights taking asylum seekers to Rwanda.

MPs rejected the Lords amendments on Monday afternoon, sending the legislation bac to peers. The parliamentary back-and-forth is set to go on late into the night.

Downing Street is hostile to the idea of making concessions to secure the passage of the Bill, leading to a deadlock with the upper chamber.

For the latest updates please scroll down.

Rwanda debate

What do the lords want, afghans who helped uk forces will not be deported, says minister, two tories back amendments, rwanda bill heads back to the lords, opposition lords do not press afghan amendment after 'concession'.

Opposition Lords did not push demands for the Rwanda Bill to include an exemption from removal for Afghan nationals who assisted British troops following what opponents hailed as a government “concession”.

It comes after Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson said those who are eligible under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) will not be deported to the African nation.

Peers did in heels

Peers have again dug in their heels over Rishi Sunak's Rwanda deportation plan and demanded MPs debate the scheme for a fifth time.

The House of Lords backed by 240 votes to 211, a requirement that the African country could not be treated as safe until the Secretary of State, having consulted an independent monitoring body, has made a statement to Parliament.

It means a continuation of the parliamentary deadlock over the Bill.

Labour would repeal Rwanda Bill if it wins next election

Labour's Lord Coaker says his party would repeal the Rwanda Bill if it wins the next election.

But he insists Labour Lords are not seeking to block the legislation.

"We all agree that we need to stop the boats, the dispute in this place is to exactly the right way to go about that," he says.

But the bill is "inconsistent with the principles and traditions of our country", he adds.

Lords begin debate

The House of Lords has started debating the Rwanda Bill and could again insist on amendments.

Home Office minister Lord Sharpe of Epsom says the Lords must “accept the will of the elected house”.

“The government is satisfied that Rwanda is safe,” he adds.

“I cannot of course predict what will happen in the future but we have established the right mechanisms so should the situation ever arise the government will respond as necessary.”

MPs voted to reject both of the Lords amendment.

The legislation is sent back to peers for debate.

Two Tory MPs voted against the government and backed Lords amendments.

Both Sir Jeremy Wright, the former attorney general, and Sir Robert Buckland, the former justice secretary, supported amendment 3G, which stated that Rwanda would not be treated as safe until a monitoring committee ruled it as such.

Sir Robert was the only Tory MP to vote against the government on the amendment which would protect Afghan interpreters from deportation.

MPs reject peer amendment on Afghan interpreters

The government won the second vote by 305 votes to 234.

It means an amendment to protect Afghan interpreters, and others who have served British forces abroad, from deportation to Rwanda is rejected.

Tories 'stringing out' Rwanda Bill, suggests Labour

Conservative ministers deliberately extended the process of the Rwanda Bill to "make some grubby political capital", shadow immigration minister Stephen Kinnock suggests.

"You could be forgiven for concluding that the truth of the matter is that ministers have been deliberately stringing this out, for two reasons,” he says.

"Firstly, because they thought that they could make some grubby political capital from the delay and secondly, because they've been scrambling to get a flight organised and all the other logistics that are not in place.

"Indeed the Prime Minister admitted this in his somewhat whinging and buck-passing press conference this morning, that the first flight to Rwanda won't take off until, checks notes, July.

“I mean July, really, today is April 22, we were initially told that this was emergency legislation, and yet we're now being told there'll be a 10 to 12 week delay in getting the first flight off the ground."

Second vote begins...

MPs are now voting on the second Lords amendment.

It is the one that states people who worked with UK forces, including Afghan interpreters, should be protected from deportation to Rwanda.

MPs reject first amendment

MPs reject the first Lords amendment by 306 votes to 229.

MPs begin voting

MPs are now having the first of two votes on the amendments the House of Lords is pushing.

The first vote is on amendment 3G, which states that Rwanda will not be treated as safe until the independent monitoring committee says it is safe.

The government will not send those who are eligible to stay in Britain under the Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) to Rwanda, Home Office minister Michael Tomlinson tells the Commons.

"Once this review of ARAP decisions for those with credible links to Afghan specialist units has concluded, the Government will not remove to Rwanda those who received a positive eligibility decision as a result of this review where they are already in the United Kingdom,” he says.

Intervening Labour MP for Walthamstow Stella Creasy says a constituent of hers is not eligible for ARAP because he is a British citizen and his family are unable to join him in the UK.

She said: "If (Mr Tomlinson) takes five minutes just to read the story of my constituent who gave so much of his life to support our forces in Afghanistan, he will understand why when he stands at that despatch box and says that there are legal safe routes for those who are eminently eligible, it is simply not sustainable as an argument to make."

Mr Tomlinson said the Lords’ amendment is "unnecessary" adding: "There is already existing legislation, including but not limited to the Illegal Migration Act."

PM drinks party 'heartless and despicable', say SNP

SNP home affairs spokeswoman Alison Thewliss tells the Commons that it is “heartless and despicable” that the Tories are planning drinks in Rishi Sunak’s office tonight.

Tory Whip Simon Hart has invited Conservative MPs for drinks in the PM’s office at 9:30pm on what is expected to be a “long and historic night”.

'Beggars belief' UK would deport military allies, says Labour

Labour MP Stephen Kinnock says it "beggars belief" that the government is still considering deporting Afghans who worked with British forces in Afghanistan.

"What a disgrace," the shadow Home Office minister tells the Commons.

"Ministers should hang their heads in shame."

Agreeing the amendment which would protect people who had worked with British forces from removal would show the UK is not a country "that deports its military allies", he adds.

Peers have refused to pass the Rwanda Bill and have dug their heels in on two issues.

1. Ensuring that Rwanda is not declared safe until an independent monitoring committee at work in the country confirms it is

2. Exempting people who have served and helped British forces abroad. They are particularly concerned about protecting Afghan interpreters who make their way to the UK from deportation Peers have submitted amendments on both points.

Opening today’s debate in the Commons, minister for illegal migration Michael Tomlinson asked MPs to reject the changes.

Rwanda debate begins

MPs have begun debating the amendments to the Rwanda Bill submitted by the Lords last week.

The Commons is expected to reject the changes requested by peers and the legislation will “ping pong” between the two houses.

Some MPs are estimating the debates will go on until the early hours of the morning.

Immigration lawyers criticise scheme

Antonia Torr, Immigration Partner at City law firm, Fladgate, says there “is no evidence that the Rwanda scheme will deter small boat crossings”.

“It is clear from the Prime Minister’s conference earlier on today that the Government believes that the Rwanda Bill will break criminal gangs profiting from illegal migration and act as a deterrent for small boat crossings,” she says.

“There is no evidence that the Rwanda scheme would deter small boat crossings at all and the Government know this – their own impact assessment says as much.

“The Prime Minister states that channel crossings are fundamentally wrong as ‘people are jumping the queue’.

“There are no legal routes for refugees to come to the UK so there is no queue.

“A better use of tax payers money would be to process the backlog of asylum applications so that those with legitimate claims could start a fresh in the United Kingdom and contribute as opposed to being left in limbo.”

United Nations warning to airlines

United Nations experts have warned airlines involved in the Rwanda deportation scheme they could be held responsible for any violations of international human rights rules.

Siobhan Mullally, Gehad Madi and Alice Jill Edwards, the special rapporteurs on human trafficking, migrants' human rights and torture, said airlines and regulators could be "complicit" in breaching the rules by facilitating removals to the African nation.

Rishi Sunak this morning used a Downing Street press conference to say that the Government had booked commercial charter plans and had an airfield on standby for the first Rwanda flight, which would take place in 10-12 weeks.

But the UN experts said: "Even if the UK-Rwanda agreement and the Safety of Rwanda Bill are approved, airlines and aviation regulators could be complicit in violating internationally protected human rights and court orders by facilitating removals to Rwanda."

The legislation, which is set to clear Parliament later, is aimed at making the plan to send asylum seekers on a one-way trip to Kigali legally watertight.

But the UN experts added: "If airlines and aviation authorities give effect to state decisions that violate human rights, they must be held responsible for their conduct.

"As the UN guiding principles on business and human rights underline, aviation regulators, international organisations and business actors are required to respect human rights."

Former Tory minister prepared for long night in Commons

A Conservative former minister has said he has a sleeping bag ready for the possibility Parliament could sit through the night to pass the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill.

Asked if he was prepared for an all-night sitting, Tim Loughton told BBC Radio 4’s World At One programme: “Absolutely, I have got the sleeping bag ready.”

The East Worthing and Shoreham MP also told the programme: “I am frustrated, I have no problem with sitting through the night to get this legislation through.

“There is a hard core led by Labour in the House of Lords who are trying to frustrate this whole legislation without any credible alternative that would deal with those people coming here without any credible asylum claim who cannot be returned to their home country.

“It is incumbent on them to say what they would do and they haven’t, so let the legislation through and let’s see how it works.”

Labour would focus on boosting border security and targeting criminal gangs, says Yvette Cooper

Asked if a Labour government would scrap the Rwanda scheme even if it was working, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: “This is an extortionate scheme that has failed just like the previous two laws that the Conservatives have passed on this, and it is why neither the current Home Secretary nor the former home secretary think this is going to work.

“That is why Labour is calling for this money to be put into boosting our border security with a new cross-border police and new counter-terror-style powers to go after the criminal gangs instead.”

Labour's Yvette Cooper criticises 'extortionate' Rwanda plan

Rishi Sunak could have passed the Rwanda plan through Parliament much sooner, but “always looks for someone else to blame”, Labour has said.

Asked if Labour was blocking the Bill, shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The Government has an overall majority in Parliament and could have passed this Bill a month ago if they had scheduled it then, but as we know Rishi Sunak always looks for someone else to blame.

“This is costing the taxpayer half-a-billion pounds for a scheme that will only cover 1% of asylum seekers.

“This is an extortionate scheme. They should be putting that money into boosting our border security instead. That is what Labour would do.”

Rwanda plan likely to make asylum system chaos worse, says Refugee Council

The government’s Rwanda plan is unlikely to work as a deterrent, the Refugee Council has said, describing it as something which will “only compound the chaos within our asylum system, all at an exorbitant cost to taxpayers”.

Enver Solomon, the council’s chief executive, said: “Even if, as the Prime Minister asserts, there is to be ‘a regular rhythm of multiple flights every month’, this will still only correspond to at most a few thousand people a year out of tens of thousands.

“Instead of giving these people a fair hearing on UK soil to determine if they have a protection need, the Government will have to look after them indefinitely, at considerable cost.

“Despite the Prime Minister’s renewed claims about deterrence, we know from the Home Office’s own research, as well as our own, that policies such as the Rwanda plan don’t actually work as a deterrent, and people seeking asylum have said they won’t stop coming to the UK to find safety.

“Refugee flows are driven by global events and geopolitical factors such as armed conflicts and political instability, and the reasons people come to the UK are often to do with family connections, community links and language.

“The Government must stop wasting time and resources on futile endeavours and focus instead on the vital task of processing asylum claims promptly and fairly.”

Lim Dem leader slams Rwanda plan as a 'colossal failure'

The Rwanda plan is a “colossal failure” and Rishi Sunak should call an election, Sir Ed Davey has said.

The Liberal Democrat leader said: “No amount of soundbites or spin can change the fact that the Conservatives’ Rwanda scheme is a colossal failure.

“Millions of pounds and years of Government attention have already been wasted, with absolutely nothing to show for it.

“It’s time for Rishi Sunak to get a grip, get to the Palace and give this country the election it is crying out for.”

Rwandan president 'completely committed to plan', says Sunak

Rishi Sunak says Rwandan president Paul Kagame is “completely committed” to the UK’s plan, amid reports homes marked for migrants in Rwanda had been sold off.

Asked about the sale, the Prime Minister said: “Paul is completely committed to making this partnership work.

“Whenever we have needed something from them or we have had to address concerns that have been raised by our courts, they have been willing to work with us. We have done it constructively and collaboratively.”

UK 'can't keep playing whack-a-mole' with illegal migrants, says PM

Mr Sunak described the UK’s current tactic of dealing with illegal migrants as a “whack-a-mole strategy”.

He says there has been an increase this year in people illegally migrating to the UK from Vietnam, following a surge in illegal migrants from Albania in recent years.

“We dealt with the Albanians, we will deal with illegal migrants from Vietnam,” he said.

“But we can’t keep playing this whack-a-mole strategy, dealing with it in a piecemeal fashion.

“You need a systematic deterrent. That’s why the Rwanda scheme is so important.”

'Scheme is radical but that's what is needed," PM says

“If you’re prepared...to be bold when it comes to solutions like Rwanda, you can get a grip on [illegal migration],” Mr Sunak has told reporters.

“Yes it’s novel, I get that,” he said.

“Yes, it’s radical, but that’s what the situation demands.”

'I'm not going to let a foreign court block us', says Sunak

Asked if the UK will have to leave the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR) in order to push through the Rwanda plans, Mr Sunak said: “I’m confident that we’re acting in a way that is completely compliant with all our international obligation.

“We’re a reasonable people trying to do a reasonable thing,” he said.

But he added that his patience has “worn pretty thin”, and added: “Now’s the time for the flights to go.

“I’m not going to let a foreign court block us from...getting the flights up and running.”

PM refuses to specify number likely to be flown to Rwanda, but stresses 'multiple flights' will leave monthly

Asked by a reporter about Prime Minister has declined to go into details about the exact numbers of migrants who are expected to be deported to Rwanda.

He instead stressed the “enormous amount of prep work” that has gone into the scheme, including booking planes for the first flights to Rwanda.

But he added: “This is not just about one flight. This is about...multiple flights every month through the summer and beyond, because that’s how you build a sustainable deterrent.

“It’s about putting a system in place...until the boats have stopped. That’s what our plans will deliver.”

'Systematic deterrent' needed to crack down on people smuggling, says PM

Mr Sunak says “a systematic deterrent” is needed to clamp down on criminal gangs behind the “deplorable” trade of people smuggling.

“The only way to stop the boats is to eliminate the incentive to come, by making it clear that if you arrive here illegally you will not be able to stay,” he said.

Sunak says there will be 'regular rhythm' of flights to Rwanda 'until the boats are stopped

The Prime Minister says that beginning in 10 to 12 weeks’ time, there will be a “regular rhythm of multiple flights [to Rwanda] every month...until the boats are stopped”.

'No foreign government will stop us from getting flights off', says Sunak

The Prime Minister says the first flight to Rwanda “will leave in 10 to 12 weeks”.

“We’ve put an airfield on standby, booked commercial charter planes...and we have 500 highly trained individuals ready to escort illegal migrants all the way to Rwanda with 300 more trained in the coming weeks,” he said.

He described it as “one of the most complex operational endeavours the Home Office has carried out”.

“These flights will go come what may,” he said.

“No foreign court will stop us from getting flights off.”

'Enough is enough' says Sunak as press conference begins

Rishi Sunak has begun his press conference.

He says after opponents have “used every trick in the book” to block the Rwanda bill and flights, “enough is enough”.

Rwanda is a 'safe country', Sunak tells illegal migration operations committee

Rishi Sunak told a meeting of the Government’s illegal migration operations committee this morning that the Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill sends a “clear message” illegal migrants will not be able to stay in the UK.

He told the committee said there must be “no more delay”.

He added Rwanda is a “safe country”, and said his “landmark legislation” comes after “months and months of hard work and planning”.

“This bill sends a clear message; if you come here illegally, you won’t be able to stay,” he said.

Deputy Prime Minister Oliver Dowden, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps and Home Secretary James Cleverly were also present at the meeting.

Press conference pushed back slightly

The Prime Minister is now due to give his press conference around 10.35am.

Sunak pictured meeting with Illegal Migration Operations Committee at Downing Street

Rishi Sunak has met with members of the Illegal Migration Operations Committee at Downing Street this morning, ahead of his imminent press conference and tonight’s attempt to get the Rwanda bill through Parliament.

PM's press conference comes ahead of crucial night in Parliament for Rwanda bill

Weeks of parliamentary back-and-forth are set to come to a head tonight.

The Government has vowed to keep Parliament sitting late into the night, if necessary, to pass the Rwanda bill, which it sees as vital to the Prime Minister’s pledge to “stop the boats”.

Peers have repeatedly blocked the legislation with a series of amendments, stretching debate on the “emergency legislation” over more than four months and delaying flights taking asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Downing Street is hostile to the idea of making concessions to secure the passage of the Bill, leading to a deadlock with the Lords.

The Bill is intended to overcome the objections of the Supreme Court, by forcing judges to treat Rwanda as a safe country for asylum seekers and allowing ministers to ignore emergency injunctions from the European Court of Human Rights.

Last week saw peers amend the Bill yet again to include an exemption for Afghan nationals who assisted British troops and a provision meaning Rwanda could not be treated as safe unless it was deemed so by an independent monitoring body.

This evening, MPs are expected to vote to overturn those changes before sending the Bill back to the House of Lords, where some peers may attempt to insist on their amendments again.

If so, the Bill would return to the Commons late tonight for a further vote and then return once again to the Lords in a process known as “ping pong”, which could last well past the Commons’ usual 10.30pm finish.

Rishi Sunak to give press conference as Rwanda bill returns to Parliament

Rishi Sunak is to hold a press conference at 10.30am, where he will set out plans for getting flights carrying asylum seekers to Rwanda off the ground.

Deputy Foreign Secretary Andrew Mitchell told ITV’s Good Morning Britain the Prime Minister will give details of the “operational plan”.

Mr Mitchell said the Government’s illegal migration operations committee is meeting at No 10 this morning.

“Then the Prime Minister will be holding a press conference to set out the operational plan, but I can assure you that the operational plans are robust, sensible and should work,” he said.

We’ll be bringing you all you need to know as the Prime Minister’s delivers his announcement on the controversial scheme.

Politics latest: MSP who could decide Humza Yousaf's fate appears to reveal price for her support

Scotland's first minister says he will fight a vote in his leadership and is "very confident" of winning. Listen to this week's episode of the Electoral Dysfunction podcast while you scroll through the latest updates.

Friday 26 April 2024 18:00, UK

• Yousaf tells Sky News he'll 'fight' vote of no-confidence and is optimistic of winning
• MSP who could decide his fate seems to have named price for her support
• Connor Gillies:  First minister must reset relations with very people he's burned bridges with
• Explained: How did we get here - and what happens next?
• Coming up on Sunday: PM sits down with Trevor Phillips
• Tap here to follow Electoral Dysfunction
• Sam Coates explains why the local elections matter
• Live reporting by Charlotte Chelsom-Pill

Rishi Sunak  sits down this Sunday with Trevor Phillips for a wide-ranging interview ahead of the local elections.

With the Rwanda bill becoming law this week and the PM announcing a commitment to increase defence spending, there's been plenty to talk about.

You can watch it in full from 8.30am on Sunday .

Trevor will also be joined by Labour's shadow health secretary Wes Streeting .

Embattled Humza Yousaf has told Sky News he will not resign as Scotland's first minister.

Pressure has been building on  the SNP leader  after he tore up the power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens - prompting a no-confidence motion in his leadership and a threatened knife-edge vote.

However, Mr Yousaf, on a visit to Dundee that was arranged at short notice after he pulled out of a speech in Glasgow, insisted he was getting on with the job and accused the opposition of "playing games".

He said he would be writing to the leaders of all Scottish political parties to seek talks on making a minority government work.

He told Sky's Scotland correspondent Connor Gillies : "I intend absolutely to fight that vote of no confidence, I've got every intention of winning that vote of no confidence.

"And let me say to the opposition for minority government to work in the interest of the people of Scotland also requires the opposition to act in good faith."

Humza Yousaf's future as first minister is hanging in the balance ahead of a motion of no confidence next week.

Now, as leader of a minority government, his fate may be hanging on just one vote - that of a former SNP leadership rival. 

We take a look at how:

The numbers

In the Scottish parliament, the SNP has 63 seats out of 129 , two short of an outright majority;

The Conservatives have  31;

Labour has 22;

The Greens have  seven;

The Liberal Democrats have four;

The Alba Party has one ;

There is also one presiding officer Alison Johnstone, who is both an MSP and Scotland's equivalent of the Commons speaker.

How the numbers are expected to fall

The motion of no confidence was brought by the Scottish Conservatives.

The Greens, Labour and the Lib Dems have all said they are backing the motion.

That would translate into 64 votes against the first minister versus 63 SNP votes.

So the one Alba vote is expected to be key.

How it may all come down to one ... Ash Regan

Once an SNP leadership rival to Mr Yousaf, Ash Regan defected to Alex Salmond's Alba Party last October. 

If she backs Mr Yousaf then that would mean both sides have 64 votes.

Ms Johnstone would then be expected to vote in favour of the status quo, so the first minister would survive.

But if Ms Regan votes against Mr Yousaf, then the opposition parties will have 65 votes against the SNP's 63, and the first minister would lose.

He wouldn't be compelled to resign in this situation, but he'd be under huge pressure to step aside.

More to come

And remember, Scottish Labour have lodged a separate motion of no confidence in the Scottish government. 

Alba have said it won't back that motion.

Scotland's First Minister Humza Yousaf is battling to save his job as he faces a knife-edge no-confidence vote.

The SNP leader triggered a crisis at Holyrood after he dramatically brought the power-sharing deal with the Scottish Greens to an end.

The backlash has plunged Mr Yousaf's future into doubt, although party colleagues insist he will not resign.

How did we get here?

The Bute House Agreement - signed back in 2021 and named after the first minister's official residence in Edinburgh - brought the Green Party into government for the first time anywhere in the UK.

It gave the SNP a majority at Holyrood when the votes of its MSPs were combined with those of the seven Green members, and also made Green co-leaders Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater junior ministers.

Without it, the SNP would need to have operated as a minority administration at Holyrood.

What caused the relationship to sour?

There had been mounting tensions between the largest party at Holyrood and their junior partners in government.

The Greens were angered at the SNP-led administration's recent decision to ditch a key climate change target.

That, combined with the decision to pause the prescription of new puberty blockers to under-18s at at Scotland's only gender clinic, resulted in the Greens announcing they would have a vote on the future of the power-sharing deal. 

Read more here:

The 2 May local elections will see more than 2,600 seats at stake across 107 English councils.

Labour's Sadiq Khan and Andy Burnham are among the 10 mayors up for re-election.  

Those in Blackpool South will also be voting for their next MP after ex-Tory Scott Benton broke Commons lobbying rules, triggering a by-election.  

With the Conservatives lagging behind Labour in the polls, the outcome will offer some insight on how voters in England and Wales feel ahead of the general election.

On the Sky News Daily, Niall Paterson is joined by deputy political editor Sam Coates to discuss why the elections are so important for the prime minister's future and where the key political backgrounds are.

By Daniel Dunford , senior data journalist

There might not be a general election just yet, but there are important votes that will define how the areas around us are run for the next four years. 

See what's happening where you are here:

With the local elections less than a week away, deputy political editor Sam Coates explains why they matter and what they might tell us about the upcoming general election.

Ash Regan - the MSP who could decide the future of Humza Yousaf - has appeared to name her price for her support in next week's no-confidence vote.

She has said, in a letter to Alba Party members, that investment in the Grangemouth refinery will be a key condition of her backing the first minister.

The refinery is currently due to shut as early as next year and move to being an import and export terminal.

Alba has launched a a campaign to sustain jobs at the refinery.

"A sign of good faith would be a significant government investment, reinforcing the campaign to save the Grangemouth refinery from closure," she says in her letter.

"I am requesting the undertaking to produce such an initiative in the early course.

"I am hopeful that the first minister will commit to such an initiative in the near future as a sign of our shared dedication to Scotland's welfare."

Ms Regan was once part of the SNP and ran in the contest to succeed Nicola Sturgeon as leader last year, the contest Mr Yousaf won.

She defected to Alex Salmond's Alba Party in October. 

The battle for a town that no one there wants.

Sky News is reporting from Grimsby in the run-up to the general election as one of its Target Towns - a key constituency prized by both Conservatives and Labour - Great Grimsby and Cleethorpes.

But it turns out that Grimsby doesn't really want them.

It hasn't always been a town doused in apathy. 

In 2016, 70% of people here voted to leave the EU - one of the highest results in the country - and in the 2019 election, the constituency turned Tory for the first time since the Second World War.

But five years on, polling by Sky News found that since then, the number of people saying they "almost never" trust the British government to place the needs of the nation above the interests of their own party has nearly doubled - from 26% to 49%.

It's a stark but bleak view. Voters described both leaders as uninspiring and uninteresting.

When asked what they make of the current prime minister, words like "weak" and "performative" were used. 

Voters couldn't make their minds up about the Labour leader, saying they were unsure about him or his policies.

The lack of a clear dividing line between the two parties could be a problem in the general election, especially as both parties have been trying to show a bit more leg this week ahead of a fully-fledged election campaign.

Labour has shown a hint of more radical policies, with their announcement on aiming to nationalise railways within five years. 

But have they waited a bit too long to impress the people of Grimsby?

The Conservatives ratified their Rwanda policy into law, but voters here weren't hugely enthused by that either, with one member of the audience tonight proclaiming they care much more about housing and the environment. 

They asked - why is the centre of political debate about Rwanda and a policy we don't really care about?

Apathy might override this election.

By  Jennifer Scott , political reporter

Voters in Grimsby - one of Sky News's election Target Towns - have been offering their views on politics, politicians and "broken promises".

The electoral battle in Grimsby and Cleethorpes,  the Target Towns , will be fierce. Labour will need an 11.7 point swing to win this newly-merged constituency back from the Conservatives.

In 2019, residents in Grimsby voted Tory for the first time since the end of the Second World War. The old Cleethorpes constituency was always more of a bellwether, having voted Conservative since 2010.

However, it has shed some of its rural, Conservative-voting residents in the merger.

Speaking on the  Politics Hub With Sophy Ridge , small business owner Shannon said she might not vote in the next general election later this year as she "just can't trust anything anybody says".

She said she has felt this way since Brexit - something Grimsby was overwhelmingly in support of - because "we were promised 'x' and 'y' and it hasn't happened, so I'm just totally disengaged from it".

Asked whether local MPs on the panel - Conservative Lia Nici and Labour's Melanie Onn - could change her mind, Shannon said "possibly", but reiterated how let down local people feel.

"We're promised a lot, but it's never delivered," she said. "Talk of things happening... and then it doesn't happen and people are just fed up... have been told this is what we're going to get, but it doesn't actually happen. And that's why people have just lost faith."

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Tour du Rwanda - Road race Men - Stage 7

• Overall standings

General Standing

Previous stage, current stage.

LIVE: Rukomo - Kayonza

Tour du Rwanda - February 24th, 2024

Follow the Tour du Rwanda Rukomo - Kayonza stage live with Eurosport. Rukomo - Kayonza starts at 9:00 AM on February 24th, 2024.

Catch the latest cycling news and find Tour du Rwanda results , standings and routes. After Rukomo - Kayonza is done, be sure to check out the full schedule of stages and get live updates for the next stage. You can also find a list of previous winners .

Follow Rui Costa, Mathieu van der Poel, Mark Cavendish and other key riders to see who is dominating this season. See the hottest cycling teams in action - Bora-Hansgrohe, Ineos Grenadiers and Cofidis to name a few.

Cycling fans can read breaking Tour du Rwanda news headlines, interviews, expert commentary, replays & highlights. Keep up with all of this season’s top events, including the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and Vuelta a España.

Make Eurosport your go-to source for sports online from cycling to football, tennis, snooker and more. Enjoy live updates from the biggest sports competitions.

Tour de Romandie 2024: live stream cycling online

The 77th Tour de Romandie packs in 11,000m of climbing across six stages in Switzerland

• FREE live streams
• Watch from anywhere
• Route & stages

Last year's winner Adam Yates and third-placed Damiano Caruso both return to this six day-stage race in Romandie, the French speaking area of west Switzerland to battle again in the region's beautiful mountain scenery.

Read on and we'll show you how to watch the Tour de Romandie 2024 live streams from anywhere with a VPN , and potentially for FREE .

Tour de Romandie 2024 live streams take place between Tuesday, April 23 and Sunday, April 28. Start times vary. • FREE STREAMS —   Watch on SRF (Switzerland) •   U.S. — Watch on FloBikes •   U.K. — Watch on Discovery+ • Watch anywhere — Try NordVPN

Starting with a minuscule 2.3km prologue in the town of Payerne, the 77th Tour de Romandie will cover a total of 657km and pack in over 11,000m of climbing with a time trial on stage three and summit finishes on both stages two and four at Les Marécottes and Leysin.

Favourite to repeat his victory of last year will be Adam Yates (UAE Team Emirates) who will be backed up by a strong team including Pavel Sivakov, Felix Großschartner and Juan Ayuso. Leading the challenge will be the ever improving Egan Bernal (INEOS Grenadiers) winner of the recent Giro d’Abruzzo Alexey Lutsenko (Astana Qazaqstan Team) and young French star Lenny Martinez (Groupama - FDJ).

The course isn’t just for the climbers though as with a prologue and a mid-race time trial many TT specialists are on the start sheet too including Josh Tarling and Ethan Hayter from (INEOS Grenadiers) and Rémi Cavagna (Movistar Team).

Stage four, the Queen stage of the race lived up to all the hype providing a pulsating finale on the finishing climb. The win and race lead were both up for grabs and it was Richard Carapaz (EF Education–EasyPost) who took the stage, but only just from the fast approaching Florian Lipowitz (Bora-Hansgrohe).

Behind the race for the overall was just as exciting as overnight leader Juan Ayuso (UAE Team Emirates) cracked opening the door for another young Spaniard Carlos Rodríguez (INEOS Grenadiers) to pull on the yellow jersey.

The final stage, stage five sees the race cover 150km around the town of Vernier so read on to find out where to watch the Tour de Romandie 2024 cycling action live, wherever you are in the world.

FREE Tour de Romandie 2024 live streams

If you live in Switzerland then you can look forward to a FREE Tour de Romandie live stream in 2024. 

Switzerland's SRF is set to serve up a free stream of this six-stage stage race.

But what if you're based in Switzerland but aren't at home to catch that free Tour de Romandie coverage? Maybe you're on holiday and don't want to spend money on pay TV in another country, when you'd usually be able to watch for free at home?

Don't worry — you can watch via a VPN instead. We'll show you how to do that below.

Tour de Romandie 2024 live streams around the world

Away from home at the moment and blocked from watching the cycling on your usual subscription?

You can still watch the Tour de Romandie 2024 live thanks to the wonders of a VPN (Virtual Private Network). The software allows your devices to appear to be back in your home country regardless of where in the world you are. So ideal for viewers away on vacation or on business. Our favorite is NordVPN . It's the best on the market:

There's a good reason you've heard of NordVPN. We specialize in testing and reviewing VPN services and NordVPN is the one we rate best. It's outstanding at unblocking streaming services, it's fast and it has top-level security features too. With over 5,000 servers, across 60 countries, and at a great price too, it's easy to recommend.

Get 60% off NordVPN with this deal

Using a VPN is incredibly simple.

1. Install the VPN of your choice . As we've said, NordVPN is our favorite.

2. Choose the location you wish to connect to in the VPN app. For instance if you're in the U.S. and want to view a Swiss service, you'd select Switzerland from the list.

3. Sit back and enjoy the action. Head to SRF or another streaming service and watch the action.

How to watch 2024 Tour de Romandie live streams in the U.S.

Cycling fans in the U.S. can watch the 2024 Tour de Romandie on  FloBikes . A subscription will set you back US$149.99 for the year or US$29.99 on a monthly basis.

And if you're currently out of the U.S. but still want to watch the race, then don't forget to explore  NordVPN  set out above.

How to watch Tour de Romandie 2024 live streams in the U.K.

Live coverage of the 2024 Tour de Romandie will be broadcast on Eurosport and Discovery+.

A 'standard' subscription to Discovery+ which includes Eurosport's cycling coverage will set you back £6.99 per month or £59.99 per year. The package includes year-round cycling streams as well as other live sports including snooker, tennis, motorsports, the Paris Olympic Games, and more.

A premium subscription, which includes all that plus TNT Sports ( Premier League , Champions League and Europa League football plus rugby, wrestling, UFC, and MotoGP) costs an additional £29.99 per month.

If you're currently traveling overseas, don't worry, as you can use NordVPN to watch from abroad.

How to watch Tour de Romandie live streams in Canada

Cycling fans in the Canada can watch the 2024 Tour de Romandie on  FloBikes . A subscription will set you back CAN$150 for the year or CAN$29.99 on a monthly basis.

Not at home right now? Use NordVPN or another VPN service to trick your device into thinking you're still in Canada.

Tour de Romandie 2024 stages

The race starts with a very short 2.3km prologue which will be contested by the overall favorites, keen to install a pecking order early on, and the short TT specialists looking for a chance to gain a leaders jersey in a big stage race. 

Stage one follows the next day and it’s a lumpy 165.7km from Château d’Oex to Fribourg which will likely end in a sprint finish, although there are very view big name sprinters on the start sheet.

Stage two is where the GC action will really kick off with two huge mountains and a summit finish at Salvan/Les Marécottes. This 10km final ascent, averaging 7.3%, has slopes maxing out at 14% so will be a proper test for the climbers.

Those same climbers will the next day have to take on the 15.5km continuously undulating time trial around Oron and utilise another skill needed to win a stage race.

Stage four from Saillon to Leysin is 151.7km and takes the riders into higher territory with five classified climbs including the 10km summit finish at the end.

After this the GC battle should be stitched up with just the laps around Vernier to contend with on the final stage which will likely end in a sprint.

Prologue | Tuesday April 23, | Payerne - Payerne. 2.3km

Stage 1 | Wednesday April 24, Château d’Oex - Fribourg. 165.7km

Stage 2 | Thursday April 25, Fribourg - Salvan/Les Marécottes. 171km

Stage 3 | Friday April 26, Oron - Oron. 15.5km

Stage 4 | Saturday April 27, Sailion - Leysin. 151.7km

Stage 5 | Sunday April 28, Vernier - Vernier. 150.8km

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Simon Warren has been obsessed with cycling since the summer of 1989 after watching Greg Lemond battle Laurent Fignon in the Tour de France. Although not having what it took to beat the best, he found his forte was racing up hills and so began his fascination with steep roads. This resulted in his 2010’s best-selling  100 Greatest Cycling Climbs , followed to date by 14 more guides to vertical pain. Covering the British Isles, Belgium, France, Italy and Spain he has been riding and racing up hills and mountains for over 30 years now. He hosts talks, guides rides, has written columns for magazines and in 2020 released his first book of cycling routes,  RIDE BRITAIN . Simon splits his time between working as a graphic designer and running  his 100 Climbs brand  and lives in Sheffield on the edge of the Peak District with his wife and two children.

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