Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has intervened to warn Boris Johnson that his “words have consequences”, after a crowd surrounded Sir Keir Starmer outside parliament last night and heckled abuse, including slurs about Jimmy Savile.
Branding the mob’s behaviour “disgraceful”, Sir Lindsay reiterated his criticism of the PM, saying his remarks about Sir Keir’s failure to prosecute Savile last week were “inappropriate” and “only inflame opinions”. Senior Conservative MPs have since said Mr Johnson must apologise and withdraw the false accusations.
Updating MPs on Tuesday, Sir Lindsay also revealed he had requested a “situation report” from the Metropolitan Police over the incident, which saw officers rescue Sir Keir in a police car after protestors shouted “traitor” and accused him of “protecting paedophiles”.
Downing Street has responded to last night’s events by making clear the PM will not apologise, and announcing a “small” reshuffle of his ministers. Among the moves is Jacob Rees-Mogg, who will be the minister responsible for so-called “Brexit opportunities”.
Michael Ellis being made minister for the Cabinet Office
Michael Ellis is being made a minister for the Cabinet Office, in addition to his current role as paymaster general, as part of the mini-reshuffle.
Downing Street says lobbying by PM’s new communications director for Huawei was ‘within the rules’
Downing Street has insisted lobbying of No 10 by Boris Johnson’s new communications director in support of Chinese technology firm Huawei was within the rules, reports PA.
Guto Harri reportedly asked Sir Eddie Lister which ministers could receive a “nudge” for his client in 2020.
The communications chief was said to have been representing lobbying firm Hawthorn Advisors during the 25-minute video call including Huawei executives on 2 June that year.
The following month, telecoms firms were ordered to strip Huawei equipment from 5G networks by 2027 over security fears.
Downing Street confirmed a meeting took place, with the Prime Minister’s official spokesman saying it was “within the rules” and “obviously we met with a number of interested parties at that time while that discussion was taking place”.
In response to the leak, Downing Street said Mr Johnson had described himself as a “Sinophile” but the government had a “clear-eyed” approach to Beijing.
“It’s in the UK’s interest to have an effective relationship with China,” the prime minister’s official spokesman said.
“That needs to be clear eyed, as the Integrated Review (of foreign and defence policy) makes clear. We need to be able to address disagreements in a frank manner and address some of the challenges that China can pose. And that’s what the prime minister does.”
Former Tory minister says PM’s Savile slur ‘a mistake’
Ex-justice secretary Robert Buckland has criticised Boris Johnson over his discredited claim Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile.
“I think it was a mistake,” he said.
He told BBC Politics: “It’s a moment for all of us as responsible politicians to take stock, and look ourselves and say, ‘Are we really behaving in a way that sets the right example?’ I think all of us in public life, including the prime minister, need to say enough.”
Mr Buckland added: “I want to stop this. We live in times where there is a coarsening of the discourse. There is an angry mob out there.”
New chief whip and housing minister announced
Chris Heaton-Harris MP has been installed as the new chief whip, replacing Mark Spencer, who is replacing Jacob Rees-Mogg as Commons leader.
Meanwhile, Tory MP Stuart Andrew is to be the new housing minister in the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, replacing Chris Pincher.
Labour has dismissed the mini-reshuffle and changes at No 10 as “shuffling the deckchairs”.
Downing Street bought fridge for ‘meeting room’ with taxpayers’ money
Downing Street bought a fridge for a meeting room with taxpayers’ money around the time No 10 was hosting “wine time Fridays” and other parties, The Independent can reveal.
Boris Johnson was urged to “come clean” about how much public money had been spent on the lockdown bashes – a fact which is yet to have been established about the rule-breaking gatherings.
Here is the story from our policy correspondent, Jon Stone:
Johnson regretted backing Brexit, says new No 10 spin doctor
Boris Johnson regretted backing Brexit before the EU membership referendum, his new spin doctor Guto Harri told a senior journalist after the historic vote.
The new director of communications told the New European’s editor-in-chief Matt Kelly in 2018 that Mr Johnson knew he had “f***** up” by coming out in favour of the UK’s exit, according to the newspaper.
Mr Johnson submitted a column to the Daily Telegraph backing Brexit on the eve of the referedum. But he later admitted he had also written an anti-Brexit column saying Britain should “stay in” the EU.
Read the full story here:
Opinion: Tories are hoping voters will forget ‘Partygate’ – they won’t
What do Conservative MPs see in Boris Johnson, asks Marie Le Conte.
The question has been asked again and again – and again, and again – over a number of years, but never more so than in the past few weeks. Politically toxic, bad at governing and unable to tame his parliamentary party, the prime minister currently has few things going for him.
Read her full piece here:
Mark Spencer becomes Commons Leader
Mark Spencer has been moved from Chief Whip to Commons Leader as part of Boris Johnson’s reshuffle, No 10 said.
Jacob Rees-Mogg made minister for ‘Brexit opportunities’
Jacob Rees-Mogg will be the minister responsible for “Brexit opportunities” in the first move confirmed as part of Boris Johnson’s reshuffle.
The shake-up of the ministerial team follows the appointment of Stephen Barclay as the prime minister’s chief of staff and comes as Mr Johnson seeks to relaunch his administration following the partygate row.
Mr Rees-Mogg, previously the Leader of the House of Commons, will still sit at the Cabinet table in his new role as Minister for Brexit Opportunities and Government Efficiency.
‘Hideous’ mob serves as ‘urgent reminder what is said in parliament reverberates outside’, says ex-minister
Caroline Nokes, the former Tory immigration minister, has warned her parliamentary colleagues about the language they use after a mob harassed Sir Keir Starmer and David Lammy outside Portcullis House.
She tweeted that “language has consequences” and referred to yesterday’s incident as “hideous”, adding that it served “as an urgent reminder that what is said inside the building reverberates outside”.
