Boris Johnson seen for first time since Partygate defence dossier published
Boris Johnson would fail to hold on to his constituency if he faces a by-election over his Partygate comments, a Tory polling guru has predicted.
The ex-prime minister’s political star is seen to be waning after his humiliating appearance before MPs investigating whether he intentionally misled the House of Commons over his understanding of parties in Downing Street during Covid lockdowns.
Senior Tory MP said Mr Johnson was “finished”, while Lord Hayward, a Conservative pollster, told The Independent there was “no question the party would face defeat to Labour” if the Tories’ former leader was forced to fight for his Uxbridge constituency in the event that he were suspended.
After yesterday’s thre-hour grilling of Mr Johnson, the seven member Privileges Committee is now considering whether he deserves punishment.
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said his former rival had proved he did not care about the “national sacrifice” made during the pandemic and condemned “the circus of the last few days.”
Mr Johnson suffered a separate political embarassment yesterday as his attempted Commons revolt against Rishi Sunak’s new Brexit deal failed to garner significant support.
Boris Johnson would lose constituency in by-election, says Tory pollster
A Tory polling guru said the former prime minister would lose his Uxbridge and Ruislip seat if he is punished severely by the cross-party committee and forced to face a by-election in the months ahead.
Lord Hayward told The Independent: “Although the position for the Conservatives is improving, under current circumstances the Tories would lose a by-election in Uxbridge. There’s no question the party would face defeat to Labour.”
The Tory polling expert said it was “difficult to judge” whether Mr Johnson’s own appeal could defy the grim national polling for the Tories. “If the Lib Dems choose to compete hard against Labour, it might just make it possible it could be saved,” he said.
Fund food banks with plastic bag charge, says Labour MP
Money raised from plastic bag charges in supermarkets should be used to fund food banks, ministers have been told.
Labour MP Barry Sheerman made the suggestion after warning “the food bank network is crumbling”.
He was speaking in the Commons during an urgent question on food price inflation, and urged environment minister Mark Spencer to address demand on food banks.
The single-use plastic carrier bag charge in England was introduced in supermarkets in 2015 and increased from 5p to 10p in 2021.
Nicola Sturgeon in emotional goodbye
Nicola Sturgeon held back tears as she delivered a final thank you to the people of Scotland in her final First Minister’s Questions.
She said: “Whether you voted for me or not … thank you so much for placing your trust in me.
“Words will never adequately convey the gratitude and the awe I hold in my heart for the opportunity I have had to serve as your First Minister. It truly has been the privilege of my lifetime.”
Ms Sturgeon last month announced her intention to resign, citing exhaustion.
Sturgeon at her final FMQs in Holyrood
” height=”2077″ width=”3115″ layout=”responsive” class=”i-amphtml-layout-responsive i-amphtml-layout-size-defined” i-amphtml-layout=”responsive”> Sturgeon at her final FMQs in Holyrood
Boris Johnson is ‘finished’, says senior Tory after Partygate hearing
Boris Johnson’s attempt at a political comeback is “finished”, according to senior Tory figure after his torrid grilling by MPs at the televised Partygate inquiry hearing (Adam Forrest writes).
The former prime minister is struggling to revive his political career after the cross-party committee investigating his Partygate denials denounced the “flimsy” assurances they were based on.
Ex-cabinet minister Caroline Nokes said Mr Johnson’s unlikely comeback hopes were “finished”, as the committee suggested he had failed to correctly interpret his own Covid guidance or seek proper advice.
Boris Johnson ‘acted outside of good faith’ with Sinn Fein
Sinn Fein leader Mary Lou McDonald said that Boris Johnson‘s government was not “upfront” with unionism, and was determined to act “in a unilateral fashion”.
Ms McDonald, leader of Ireland’s opposition, also said she had found Mr Johnson‘s tenure as prime minister difficult and frustrating, adding that there was a tendency to act “outside of good faith”.
She was speaking as the former Tory leader voted against a key element of the latest EU-UK deal on the protocol.
The Windsor Framework unveiled by Rishi Sunak last month was hailed as a significant breakthrough in outstanding problems with post-Brexit trade in Northern Ireland.
On Wednesday, Mr Johnson staged a failed rebellion against the deal. Members of Northern Ireland’s Democratic Unionist Party were among the 29 MPs to vote against the Stormont brake aspect of the deal, with 515 voting in favour of it.
Rishi Sunak’s £4.7m earnings ‘positive’, says Tory chair as tax campaigners call for change
Rishi Sunak’s huge earnings are “a positive” because wealthy people pay a lot of tax, Conservative chairman Greg Hands has said (Adam Forrest writes).
Mr Hands described Mr Sunak’s earnings and tax bill as a “positive”, saying “we want to have, in this country, wealthy people paying a lot of tax”.
He told ITV’s Peston: “I think we should be proud of the fact that people are paying tax in this country and proud of the fact they’re financing our excellent public services.”
Boris Johnson shows no respect for ‘national sacrifice’ – Starmer
Labour’s leader said the “circus of the last few days” around Boris Johnson’s Privileges Committee hearing was a reminder of the former prime minister’s “total disrespect for a national sacrifice”.
Sir Keir Starmer said: “That’s why I found the pandemic parties in Downing Street under Boris Johnson so reprehensible.
“The circus of the last few days – a reminder of his total disrespect for a national sacrifice.
“That’s why I said I’d resign, if I’d broken those same rules. I just couldn’t have looked the British people in the eye and asked for their trust.”
Rishi Sunak ‘glad’ to have published his tax returns
The prime minister said he was “glad” to have published his tax returns “in the interests of transparency”.
Sunak ‘married well’, says Tory pollster
Asked if Rishi Sunak’s tax return, showing the PM made more than £4.7m in three years, Tory peer and pollster Lord Hayward told Sky News: “Everybody knows he is a rich man.”
He added: “He married well. He has got a big income but he has disclosed it. People have to judge it on that basis. But it doesn’t come as a surprise that he is a rich man.”
Boris shedding support in Tory ranks?
Boris Johnson’s disastrous Wednesday will have more than halved his number of supporters in the Tory party, a former minister estimate.
Speaking to The Guardian, the unnamed Conservative said: “Before today, I thought there was a rump of 60-70 supporters in the party who could resurrect Boris. Now I’d put that number at about 25.”
