Boris Johnson has apologised after his ministerial standards adviser condemned his failure to disclose messages he exchanged with a Tory peer over the funding of the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat.
In a letter, the prime minister said he was “sorry that the Office of Independent Adviser has been put in this position” and that he could “only repeat the humble and sincere apology” he had already offered Lord Geidt.
Mr Johnson said he did not have access to his previous mobile phone, from which the messages had been sent, and “did not recall the message exchange”.
But he said: “A fuller explanation of the circumstances should have been provided at the time of your investigation. I am sorry we did not do so.”
Ministerial interests adviser Lord Geidt criticised the failing, saying it exposed “a signal deficiency in the standards upon which the independent adviser and, by extension, the prime minister have an absolute right to rely in establishing the truth in such matters”.
Johnson condemned by watchdog
Boris Johnson’s own adviser has condemned the prime minister’s failure to check for missing WhatsApp messages crucial to the investigation into his lavish Downing Street flat refurbishment.
Christopher Geidt has attacked the failure to take up an offer by Tory donor Lord Brownlow to provide the Cabinet Office “with all the material” behind the controversy.
In a letter to the prime minister – released alongside the apology from Mr Johnson – Lord Geidt describes the omission as “extraordinary”.
Lord Geidt expressed his “grave concern” that the missing messages were not provided to him initially or when Boris Johnson’s old phone was accessed in June last year “for another purpose”.
I’m sorry a full explanation was not given, says Johnson
In a letter just released, the prime minister apologised for failing to reveal messages about his flat makeover, saying he was “sorry that the Office of Independent Adviser has been put in this position” and that he can “only repeat the humble and sincere apology” he had already offered Lord Geidt.
Mr Johnson said he did not have access to his previous mobile phone, from which the messages had been sent, and “did not recall the message exchange”.
But he said: “A fuller explanation of the circumstances should have been provided at the time of your investigation. I am sorry we did not do so.”
I’m sorry a full explanation was not given, says Johnson
In a letter just released, the prime minister apologised for failing to reveal messages about his flat makeover, saying he was “sorry that the Office of Independent Adviser has been put in this position” and that he can “only repeat the humble and sincere apology” he had already offered Lord Geidt.
Mr Johnson said he did not have access to his previous mobile phone, from which the messages had been sent, and “did not recall the message exchange”.
But he said: “A fuller explanation of the circumstances should have been provided at the time of your investigation. I am sorry we did not do so.”
PM makes ‘humble and sincere apology’ over failure to reveal messages
Breaking news: Boris Johnson has offered a “humble and sincere apology’’ over the failure to disclose messages relating to the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat, in a letter to ministerial standards adviser Lord Geidt.
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PM: ‘It’s not true’ NHS does not have staff to cope
Boris Johnson has said it is “not true” that the NHS does not have enough staff to cope with the pressures it is facing.
On a visit to a vaccination centre in Northampton, the prime minister said: “I appreciate that the NHS is under huge pressure and yes, you’re quite right in what you say about the way it’s been continuous over the last 18 months – we’ve had wave after wave of Covid and our NHS has responded magnificently and they’ve kept going.
“And of course I understand how frustrating it is to see another wave coming in, and I thank doctors, nurses, all health staff, everybody, for what they’re doing to keep going.”
But he said staff numbers had been increased, and that combined with the calling back of retired staff and volunteers would ease the strain.
Some 24 hospitals in England have declared critical incidents due to increasing numbers of staff being forced to isolate, and a cross-party group of MPs has warned of the consequences of Mr Johnson’s decision to “ride out” the Omicron wave without further restrictions, saying the backlog of almost 6 million patients on waiting lists in England would grow.
No 10 also refuses to axe national insurance rise
As well as the chancellor, Downing Street is also resisting calls to scrap the national insurance hike despite the Cabinet rift over concerns it will heap further pressure on households struggling with the soaring cost of living.
No 10 insisted on Thursday there were no plans to backtrack on the increase of 1.25 percentage points scheduled for April despite Jacob Rees-Mogg arguing to the Cabinet it should be axed.
Sunak vows to press on with ‘responsible’ tax rise despite Rees-Mogg revolt
Chancellor Rishi Sunak has vowed to press ahead with a planned national insurance rise, despite opposition to the tax hike from his senior cabinet colleague Jacob Rees-Mogg, writes Adam Forrest.
Mr Sunak said today that ditching the 1.25 per cent tax rise – planned to help meet the cost of social care reforms and growing NHS backlog – would be irresponsible.
But he said he was “always listening” for ways the Treasury can support consumers through cost of living rises, particularly when it comes to increasing energy prices.
Rishi Sunak said he understood people’s anxiety and concern about energy bills, adding: “We’ve got something called the warm homes discount, which discounts energy bills by £140, we’ve got something called the warm homes for pensioners, we have got the cold weather payments as well, winter fuel discounts, hundreds of pounds worth of help.
“So there is support there for people but of course we’re always listening, making sure the policy we’ve got will support people in the way we want it to, and that’s what our track record over the last year or two shows.”
Angela Rayner criticises Johnson over flat refurbishment messages
Deputy leader of the Labour party, Angela Rayner, has poked fun at Boris Johnson’s explanation for failing to disclose his messages to Tory donor.
Ms Rayner wrote: “Ah the old “changed phone” trick! An oldie but a goodie.
“The PM learning from his ministers on how to hide your dogdy Whatsapps.”
She called for the letters between Lord Geidt, the peer investigating the Number 10 flat refurbishment, and Boris Johnson to be released immediately.
