Brexit minister David Frost has resigned from Boris Johnson’s cabinet in protest at “the direction of travel,” triggering a fresh crisis inside Downing Street after an already turbulent week for the prime minister.
Lord Frost – one of the most popular members of the cabinet among the Conservative faithful – handed in his resignation a week ago and had been persuaded to stay in his post until January but last night said he would step down “with immediate effect.”
His resignation represents a major political blow for the prime minister who is already facing a series of crises over “gatherings” in No 10 during Covid restrictions, growing discontent on the Tory backbenches over his leadership and this week’s historic loss in the North Shropshire by-election.
Meanwhile, Senior Tory MP Tobias Ellwood has said the departure of Lord Frost could bring an opportunity to “press the reset button with the EU”.
Former minister Mr Ellwood said: “We’re still not out of the woods with the Northern Ireland Protocol and we have some rather larger decisions and challenges, which actually unite both the EU, Europe and Britain.”
He said: “As much as I think this is going to be seen as a hit for the Government, he was a critical character that’s been with Boris Johnson from the very start when it comes to Brexit, this is a chance for us to actually to sort of move forward on our relationship with the EU.”
Sue Gray has ‘freedom’ to investigate own boss during No 10 Christmas party investigation
The senior civil servant newly tasked with leading the inquiry into the alleged Downing St parties which took place while the rest of the country endured Covid-19 restrictions will be able to “go wherever she wants.”
Sue Gray has been chosen as the replacement for Cabinet Secretary Simon Case in running the investigation after he was found to have been aware of a gathering in his own department when restrictions were in place.
On Sunday the Health Secretary, Sajid Javid, said she would have complete freedom in what she investigated in relation to the reports of gatherings.
Speaking on the BBC’s Andrew Marr Show, Mr Javid said: “She will be able to investigate what she wants. If she wants to investigate one particular individual, whatever…”
Asked if she would be allowed to investigate Mr Case, who as head of the civil service is her boss, Mr Javid said: “She has the freedom as I understand to go wherever she wants with this investigation.
“That’s the way it should be because people want to know the facts and that this is the best way to establish them.”
Cobra meeting scheduled to take place this afternoon amid omicron fears
Cabinet Office minister Steve Barclay will chair a meeting between the government’s emergency committee, Cobra, and the leaders of the devolved nations at 5pm today.
Confirmation of the meeting comes shortly after the Health Security Agency announced that 12,133 additional cases of the Omicron variant had been reported across the UK.
This brings the total of confirmed Omicron cases in the UK to 37,101.
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Britain records additional 12,000 omicron cases
Lib Dem leader says Tories in ‘real trouble’ following North Shropshire by-election defeat
Sir Ed Davey has warned the Conservatives are in “real trouble” following their by-election defeat in North Shropshire after the Liberal Democrats took the seat by almost 6,000 votes on Thursday.
The Lib Dem leader said there was a “real chance” of getting the Prime Minister out of office in the next election.
He told Trevor Phillips On Sunday on Sky News: “We’ve proven that the Conservatives can be beaten anywhere, and I think we’ve confirmed the reality that if we’re going to get Johnson and the Tories out of office, it’s going to take the Liberal Democrats beating Conservative MPs in their blue wall seats.”
Sir Ed went on to accuse the Conservatives of “letting people down”.
He said: “They have taken people for granted, that is why the Liberal Democrats won in North Shropshire, why indeed we won in Chesham and Amersham, and why I’m so excited about the prospects ahead of us.
“I think there’s a real chance of getting Boris Johnson and the Conservatives out of power in the next election and I think the Liberal Democrats have shown the way.”
“I do have a smile on my face, I do think there’s new hope for our country and I do think the Conservatives are in real trouble.”
Sajid Javid says he may not hug his mother as much over Christmas
Health Secretary Sajid Javid said he would be cutting down on hugs from his mother if he visits her over Christmas as he urged caution due to the fast-spreading Omicron variant.
He told The Andrew Marr Show on BBC One: “If I’m going to see my mum, for example, who’s elderly, like most very old people, she’s more vulnerable than younger people.
“You know, I will take a test and you know, I might, you know, just have not the usual amount of hugs I get from my mum.
“You just take a little bit of caution. I think that’s a sensible response.”
Sophie Wingate reports:
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Piers Corbyn arrested after video online shows him telling people to ‘burn down’ MPs offices
Anti-vaxxer Piers Corbyn has been arrested on suspicion of encouraging people to “burn down MP’s offices”, the Met Police have confirmed.
He was arrested in Southwark, south London, in the early hours of Sunday.
The video shared on social media shows the brother of former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn criticising politicians who voted for Covid restrictions.
Corbyn refers to his brother voting against the Goverment’s Plan B in the video, suggesting it was shot on December 15, the day after they were passed by a majority in the Commons.
In the video, he says: “We have got to get a bit more physical. It means we have to take down these lying vaccinators and we got to take down these lying MPs and things.
“We got to support and welcome all of those who have rebelled or voted against Boris, ie rebelled from the Tories or my brother and his mates – they voted against the measures yesterday, which is a step forward.
“We have got to support all those and we’ve got to hammer to death those scum, those scum who have decided to go ahead with introducing new fascism.
“You’ve got to get a list of them … and if your MP is one of them, go to their offices and, well, I would recommend burning them down, OK. But I can’t say that on air. I hope we’re not on air.”
The comments have been widely condemned, with Mayor of London Sadiq Khan calling them “despicable and dangerous”, and Home Secretary Priti Patel describing the video as “sickening”.
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Andrew Marr signs off from BBC with Anchorman quote
Andrew Marr has signed off from his long-running BBC politics show with a line from his “mentor” – Anchorman character Ron Burgundy.
The veteran broadcaster is leaving the BBC after more than two decades, including 16 years at the helm of his own Sunday morning show.
Bringing his final programme to a close, he said: “That it is, all over, I have been so lucky and so privileged to share so many Sunday mornings with you.”
Referring to the catchphrase of the fictional news anchor played by Will Ferrell in the 2004 hit comedy, he added: “I have been wondering how to close this final show, but I can’t do better than quoting my great mentor: “You stay classy, San Diego ”
Laura Harding has the full story:
