Boris Johnson has been confronted over a new picture showing an open bottle of bubbly at a No 10 “virtual” Christmas quiz during lockdown.
During another tense PMQs, Labour MP Fabian Hamilton said the image of the PM flanked by three members of staff, one wearing tinsel and another a Santa hat, looked “very much like one of the Christmas parties” he denied took place.
The 15 December 2020 gathering is not one of the 12 being investigated by Metropolitan Police officers. However, in the Commons today, Mr Johnson was urged to “refer the matter to the police” and replied: “That’s precisely the point – it already has been submitted for investigation”.
Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson’s former chief adviser and now one of his most vocal critics, swiftly tweeted to say the there are “waaaaay better pics than that floating around, including in the flat”, likely referring to the PM’s Downing Street residence.
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Watch: PM pictured with bubbly and tinsel at No 10 Christmas quiz
Boris Johnson to discuss Ukraine crisis in visits to Nato HQ and Poland
Boris Johnson is to hold talks on the Ukraine crisis with Nato’s secretary general on Thursday before flying to Poland on a trip designed to reassure eastern European allies about the UK’s support in the face of Russian aggression.
Meanwhile Liz Truss will become the first British foreign secretary in more than four years to visit Russia, where she will tell counterpart Sergey Lavrov that it is time for Moscow to call off its build-up of troops near the border with Ukraine.
The Polish foreign ministry in Warsaw indicated that Mr Johnson will meet prime minister Mateusz Morawiecki and resident Andrzej Duda, and he is also expected to visit British troops in the country.
And Nato announced that the PM will hold talks with secretary general Jens Stoltenberg at its Brussels HQ ahead of a joint press conference early on Thursday morning. Labour said that leader Sir Keir Starmer will also meet Mr Stoltenberg in Brussels later in the day.
Boris Johnson has ‘full confidence’ in new comms chief, says No 10
Downing Street said Boris Johnson had “full confidence” in his new communications chief Guto Harri after a turbulent first few days in the role.
The Daily Mail earlier reported that Mr Harri was given “both barrels” over a Welsh-language interview in which he said the prime minister was “not a total clown” and revealed the pair sang I Will Survive.
Mr Harri has also come under scrutiny for his past lobbying work for firms including Huawei.
Asked if Mr Johnson had full confidence in Mr Harri, the prime minister’s official spokesman said: “Yes.”
The spokesman said Mr Harri had “resigned from his post providing advice to private companies, which is within the rules”.
In another potential strain on his relationship with his new boss, Mr Harri reportedly said that the prime minister regretted backing Brexit before the EU referendum was held.
Matt Kelly, editor-in-chief of The New European, said Mr Harri told him in 2018 that Mr Johnson knew he had “f***** up” by supporting Brexit.
Boris Johnson Christmas quiz: How Tory ministers defended ‘gathering with no alcohol’ before photo of booze emerged
Ministers defended Boris Johnson‘s lockdown quiz on the basis that it did not feature alcohol – before photos emerged of the prime minister with a bottle of bubbly.
New images of the PM were reported by the Daily Mirror on Wednesday showing a new angle on the banned social gathering.
The picture contradicts earlier claims by ministers in December about what happened at the event when it was first revealed.
At the time they took to the airwaves to downplay the gathering on the basis that no booze was being served or drunk.
However the latest photograph shows the prime minister with a bottle of what appears to be Prosecco and a half-eaten packets crisps.
Labour ‘concerned’ Boris Johnson gave ‘legitimacy’ to Jimmy Savile claims
Labour said there was “concern” that Boris Johnson gave “legitimacy” to far-right conspiracies that had possibly fuelled demonstrators to ambush Sir Keir Starmer outside Parliament.
The prime minister has refused to apologise for accusing the opposition leader of having failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile when he ran the Crown Prosecution Service, a baseless claim made popular in far-right circles online.
A spokesman for Sir Keir said: “You will have heard Labour spokespeople say in the last 24 hours that there has been concern at the prime minister giving legitimacy to these views that originated in the dark corners of the internet, in far-right conspiracies.
“And I think there is a question over whether these are ideas that the prime minister should give legitimacy to by raising them at the despatch box in the House of Commons.”
Labour said it would not be commenting on whether security arrangements would be being scaled up following the incident with Sir Keir on Monday.
Watch: Starmer says PM and ‘loan shark chancellor’ scamming taxpayers
Johnson says Labour want to ‘clobber’ oil and gas profits
Here’s Adam Forrest with a little more on Boris Johnson’s defence of fossil fuel giants, as laid out by him at PMQs (see posts from 12.15pm and 12.25pm).
The PM accused Labour of wanting to “clobber” oil and gas companies’ profits, as he again rejected a windfall tax. It came after Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Johnson of letting down hard-pressed families hit by a cost of living crisis – calling the £200 energy bill rebate a “scam” and a “con”.
“The government is insulting people’s intelligence by pretending it’s giving them a discount. But it’s not. It’s a con, a buy now pay later scheme. A dodgy loan, not a proper plan,” Sir Keir said, to which the PM said his government’s plan “faster, more efficient and more generous than anything [Labour] have set out”.
And that’s it for PMQs as dozens of MPs spill out of the Commons.
PM commits to publish Gray report in full once police inquiry over
Tory MP Mark Harper, after a groan by colleagues, asks the PM to promise that, when the police inquiry into Partygate is over, he will publish the full Sue Gray report in full.
Johnson says that once that inquiry is over he will immediately publish whatever Sue Gray hands over to him.
No 10 has made this pledge already, but this is the first time Johnson has made this promise from the despatch box, which Harper says was the reason he asked.
He has been one of the PM’s harshest critics over Partygate, hence people from his own benches collectively groaning when he stood up and announced he had a question related to the scandal.
PM suggests blaming him for Starmer Savile mob ‘lets thugs off hook’
Here’s more on Jones’ remarks and Johnson’s reply, from our policy correspondent Jon Stone:
