Boris Johnson – latest: More Partygate shame as ‘Jingle and Mingle’ lockdown party probed by police

The Metropolitan Police has launched a new investigation into alleged breaches of Covid laws at Downing Street, Chequers, inside parliament and the Conservative Party headquarters.

The probe includes more gatherings attended by Boris Johnson while he was prime minister, and a Christmas party where Tory staffers were invited to “jingle and mingle”.

Lizzie Dearden has the story:

Boris Johnson loyalist Brendan Clarke-Smith said he was staying away from parliament today so as not to give the former PM’s enemies “the satisfaction” of a vote – saying he would be watching the cricket instead, Adam Forrest reports.

“I am 100% against today’s appalling recommendations. I fully intended to vote against, but I will be standing with my colleagues and not giving others the satisfaction of taking part in their silly games with a division,” he tweeted.

Senior Labour MP Chris Bryant fired back: “Not doing your job yet again.”

The privileges committee vote is now widely expected to go through “on the nod”. Opposition MPs are set to shout “aye” to approve the report, but if few Johnson allies shouts “no” then there won’t be a division to record votes.

Senior Labour MP Sir Chris Bryant, chairman of parliament’s committee on standards and privileges, said the “chickens are coming home to roost” for the Conservatives, Archie Mitchell reports.

Responding to the Met’s decision to launch a further investigation to events at Downing Street, Chequers and Tory HQ, Mr Bryant told The Independent: “It feels like justice takes a long time to turn the bend. Finally, chickens are coming home to roost.”

And the emergence of the “jingle and mingle” invite led to fresh calls for those implicated to give up their honours.

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said bereaved families across the country would be “appalled to see the latest evidence” of rule-breaking by the Conservatives.

“While the Conservatives ‘jingled and mingled’, the British public followed the rules and did the right thing,” she said.

She added: “Sunak should personally intervene and urge those implicated to give up their honours.”

Prime minister Rishi Sunak has been accused of “demonising” the transgender community after a video emerged in which he said that women “clearly” had penises.

He reportedly made the comments while attending a gathering of the 1922 Committee of Conservative Party back-benchers on 5 June this year.

Mr Sunak also criticised Ed Davey, the Liberal Democrat leader, for supporting trans rights in a clip leaked to Pink News.

Full report:

Rishi Sunak has urged the banks to offer “bespoke support” for those struggling with their mortgages – but ruled out any extra government extra help for homeowners facing soaring costs.

The Sunak government was urged to “end this mortgage horror show” as the average two-year fixed-rate deal topped 6 per cent for the first time this year – levels last seen in the aftermath of Liz Truss’s disastrous mini-Budget.

Adam Forrest and Archie Mitchell report:

Climate change campaigners have cautiously welcomed Keir Starmer’s plan for clean energy, saying Labour would be on the “right path” if it sticks to its commitments.

Mr Starmer delivered a speech in Leith, Scotland earlier where he set out Labour’s green energy strategy.

Mike Childs, head of science, policy and research at Friends of the Earth, said: “A fully funded green prosperity plan is needed, with urgent investment in a street-by-street insulation programme, alongside a swift and fair transition to renewables.”

Ami McCarthy, Greenpeace UK’s political campaigner, said: “Ensuring clean power by 2030 whilst protecting workers, creating over a million new jobs, giving people warm homes, as well as ending new north sea oil and gas licenses are policies we desperately need.

“If Labour makes good on these commitments, it would be on the right path towards demonstrating real climate leadership, in stark contrast to the current government.”

On top of his other problems, Rishi Sunak is struggling to meet a series of his own pledges on migration, writes Lizzie Dearden.

The prime minister has made “stopping the boats” one of his key five promises to voters, and two weeks ago hailed a 20% year-on-year drop in Channel crossings as proof his approach was “working”.

But following the arrival of calm weather, more than 2,800 people have arrived in little over a week, and the gap is now just 9% and closing fast.

In the same address on 5 June, Mr Sunak announced the procurement of two further barges to house asylum seekers and said: “The first will arrive in Portland in the next fortnight.”

But The Independent understands the Bibby Stockholm is still undergoing refitting and checks in Falmouth, and will not make the journey to Dorset for weeks.

It may have to undergo further checks after arriving in Portland, meaning the first asylum seekers cannot be housed there until late July or August at the earliest.

The prime minister’s pledge to clear a backlog of “legacy” asylum decisions by the end of this year is also on course to fail, according to a watchdog report released last week.

More on Channel crossings below:

An appearance in the House of Commons is not in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s schedule for Monday, Downing Street said, as MPs prepare to debate the Privileges Committee’s partygate sanction for Boris Johnson.

The Prime Minister’s official spokesman said: “I don’t think we know yet whether there will be a vote on this issue.

“The Prime Minister is hosting the prime minister of Sweden. He has a series of meetings (and) an evening commitment.”

Asked whether he planned to attend the Commons if there was a vote, the No 10 official said: “It depends on the timings of the day.

“He has commitments that he can’t move, but obviously it will depend on how the timings in Parliament play out.”

Pressed again on whether Mr Sunak could appear in the Commons, the spokesman said: “Currently you’ve got his schedule for today which doesn’t include attending Parliament, but obviously we will see how the timings play out.”

Rishi Sunak and European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen also spoke about AI (artificial intelligence).

A Downing Street spokesman said: “Following his visit to the US last week, the Prime Minister updated on the UK’s work on artificial intelligence and the leaders discussed the challenges and opportunities of this burgeoning technology.”

“President Von Der Leyen welcomed plans for a UK-hosted global summit on AI later this year and highlighted EU initiatives in this area, and they agreed to cooperate on a shared approach.

“The Prime Minister also noted opportunities for the UK and EU to further develop our joint work on science and technology, including to meet our shared green ambitions.

“He hoped to see progress in discussions on the UK’s possible participation in the Horizon Europe programme, and for the UK and EU to reach a pragmatic agreement on electric vehicle battery manufacturing to support car makers across the continent.”

Rishi Sunak and European Commission president Ursula Von Der Leyen spoke on Monday, No 10 said, to discuss Ukraine and the Greek migrant boat shipwreck.

A Downing Street spokesman said: “The Prime Minister spoke to the president of the European Commission, Ursula Von Der Leyen, this morning.

“He looked forward to welcoming President Von Der Leyen to London for the Ukraine Recovery Conference this week, and they discussed efforts to galvanise international support for Ukraine and drive long-term public and private investment.

“The leaders also reflected on the tragic shipwreck in Greece last week and the brutal business model of people-smuggling gangs.

“They reiterated their commitment to continue working closely together to break the criminal enterprises driving illegal migration, including UK cooperation with the EU border agency Frontex.”