Markus Andrews

Former attorney general Jeremy Wright has become the latest Conservative MP to call on Boris Johnson to resign.The ex-cabinet minister’s call came as a backbench MP first elected in 2019 revealed that he has submitted a letter of no-confidence in the prime minister.Carshalton and Wallington MP Elliot Colburn told a constituent that he had submitted a letter “some time ago” to 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady and had seen nothing in the Sue Gray report to persuade him to withdraw it. At least 20 MPs have so far handed in letters and Sir Graham must call a leadership contest if the figure reaches 54.In a statement on his website, Mr Wright said that if Mr Johnson remains in 10 Downing Street he would hinder the process of “restoring faith in good government”.And he said: “I have with regret concluded that for the good of this and future governments, the prime minister should resign.”Mr Wright is the latest of at least 25 Tory MPs to call on Mr Johnson to step down, with several coming forward in the wake of last week’s Sue Gray report into the Partygate scandal which found “failures of leadership” at No 10.The Kenilworth & Southam MP said he did not regard the issuing of a £50 fixed penalty notice to the PM over a birthday party at No 10 as proof that he misled the House of Commons when he claimed Covid lockdown rules were followed in Downing Street.But he added: “In my view there is clear evidence he has been negligent. “I believe he could and should have done more to satisfy himself that assurance he had been given, and that he was in turn giving to parliament, were indeed correct.”And he said that the “routine disregard” within 10 Downing Street for Covid rules “betrayed at best a casual and at worst a contemptuous attitude to the sacrifices made and distress felt for the many who observed rigorously both the spirit and letter of those rules”.Damningly, he added: “I find it impossible to accept that the prime minister does not bear some personal responsibility for that tone.”Mr Wright – who served as attorney general in David Cameron’s administration and culture secretary under Theresa May but was sacked by Mr Johnson when he took office in 2019 – said that the events uncovered by Ms Gray “have done real and lasting damage to the reputation not just of this government but to the institutions and authority of government more generally”.Evidence that people in Downing Street failed to follow the rules they imposed on other Britons made it “less likely” that the public will again obey instructions issued by government in a future emergency, he warned.“Many will say that if senior government officials don’t keep to the rules, why should I?” he said. “Putting that right matters hugely to the essence of government authority and to the effectiveness of government policy, and I cannot see that the moving on of civil servants or apologies, however heartfelt, will succeed in doing so.“Accountability and restoring faith in good government require something more, both to safeguard future public compliance with government instructions when it counts and to allow the present government to deliver the important legislation it has introduced, including vital changes to social care funding, energy security and online regulation.“It now seems to me that the prime inister remaining in office will hinder those crucial objectives. I have therefore, with regret, concluded that, for the good of this and future governments, the prime minister should resign.” More

Business chiefs have hit out at post-Brexit trading rules, with one describing life outside the EU as “the same nightmare week after week”.Mark Brearley, who runs Kaymet, which makes tea trolleys and other kitchen equipment, said both the cost and red tape involved in the exporting of goods to the EU has increased.He said that a large proportion of his time is spent with “things going wrong” and that the EU feels like “the hardest place in the world to ship things to sometimes.”His comments in an interview with The Guardian come as Brussels and London remain locked in a row over Brexit’s Northern Ireland protocol.Prime minister Boris Johnson has threatened to take unilateral action to change parts of the protocol that govern trade between Great Britain, Northern Ireland and Ireland.Brussels has said it could retaliate by placing tariffs on UK exports to the EU, potentially sparking a trade war between to the two.Mr Brearly said he is concerned by that prospect: “There’s a sense of, ‘Oh God, here we go again.”’Danny Hodgson, who runs Rivet & Hide, which sells quality men’s clothing from stories in London and Manchester, has also seen the business affected by Brexit.He said that the EU customers he had spent over a decade building sunk by some 50 per cent in the first month after the UK left the EU and have not recovered.“It’s really frustrating,” he told The Guardian. “I hear Johnson boasting about free trade and all the rest of it.”I don’t know how he’s got the brass neck to talk about us doing free trade when basically he’s the one who’s imposed sanctions on our business.” He added: “We were freely trading with the EU and now we’ve had tariffs imposed on us through our Brexit deals.”The government has previously said that the UK being out of the EU will allow it to sign more trade deals with countries around the rest of the world, boosting firms at home. More

Downing Street has failed to deny that Boris Johnson took part in a birthday gathering in his flat above No 11 during lockdown in 2020.Reports at the weekend suggested that Mr Johnson joined wife Carrie and friends in the flat to celebrate his 56th birthday at a time when indoor gatherings were banned.The alleged event – which supposedly took place just hours after a cake presentation in the cabinet room for which both Mr and Mrs Johnson were fined by police – was not mentioned in last week’s Partygate report by senior civil servant Sue Gray.Asked eight times at a regular Westminster media briefing on Monday whether the event took place as described, a senior No 10 spokesperson failed to deny it.Instead, he repeatedly referred to the terms of reference for the Gray inquiry, telling reporters: “That was clear that they were able to look into other gatherings that they received credible allegations for, and those would be covered in the general findings in her final report.“Downing Street staff were given clear guidance to retain any relevant information and co-operate fully with the investigation. And you’ve seen the result – Sue Gray published her final report last week and the Met Police have concluded their investigations also.”Mrs Johnson is alleged to have sent texts to a No10 aide that indicate she hosted a gathering with at least two male friends in the Downing Street flat on the evening of 19 June 2020. Covid rules at the time prohibited indoor gatherings of two or more people, except for work purposes.According to the Sunday Times, the aide sent Mrs Johnson a message saying her husband was on his way back to the Downing Street flat at 6.15pm. The Daily Telegraph reported that Mrs Johnson responded: “Great. I am already here with the gays,” an affectionate reference to close gay male friends.Downing Street had previously acknowledged two birthday events on 19 June – one in the cabinet room and another when Mr Johnson lawfully met with siblings outdoors in his garden. However, in January No10 dismissed the existence of a third event as “totally untrue”.It is understood that the Downing Street aide reported the existence of the messages to the Gray team in January, but it is unclear whether they were handed over for consideration by the inquiry.Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has called on the Commons Privileges Committee to investigate the allegations as part of its inquiry, expected to start next month, into whether Mr Johnson lied to parliament.Angela Rayner, Labour Deputy Leader and Shadow Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster responding to the refusal by the Prime Minister’s spokesperson to deny there was a social event in the PM’s Downing Street flat on the evening of his birthday on Friday 19 June 2020 said:She said: “It appears that Number 10 has now stopped denying that another lockdown-breaking secret gathering took place in the Downing Street flat.“Less than a week after the release of the Gray report, this raises serious questions about whether Downing Street has been caught lying yet again and why the event has not been investigated.”The prime minister must come clean with the British people.”Downing Street today confirmed that Mr Johnson will “engage” with the privileges committee inquiry, expected to be led by senior Labour MP Harriet Harman.Asked whether the PM was ready to give evidence to the inquiry, the No 10 spokesperson said: “We’ve said before that we will engage with the committee. It’s obviously for them to set out the process and the next steps.” More

Rishi Sunak says he will give his £400 energy rebate to charityFormer attorney general Jeremy Wright has become the latest of at least 25 Conservative MPs calling on Boris Johnson to resign, as the Partygate scandal rages on.The latest in a string of such calls came on Monday as Downing Street failed to deny that Mr Johnson had attended a birthday gathering during the first lockdown, after fresh reports claimed he had joined his wife Carrie and friends in their No 11 flat to celebrate his 56th birthday hours, just after being supposedly “ambushed by cake”. Asked eight times by reporters on Monday, a spokesperson failed to deny that Mr Johnson attended the alleged gathering, which was not mentioned in Sue Gray’s Partygate report.The Cabinet Office was forced to reject claims on Sunday that Ms Gray’s report had been tampered with, after it was claimed that senior members of Mr Johnson’s team sought to pressure her to omit certain details and names, with one source claiming “the entire machine fought her”.Show latest update

1653922225Another Tory MP reveals he has submitted letter of no confidence in Boris JohnsonCarshalton and Wallington MP Elliot Colburn has told a constituent that he had submitted a letter of no confidence in Boris Johnson “some time ago” to 1922 Committee chair Sir Graham Brady and had seen nothing in the Sue Gray report to persuade him to withdraw it. He is one of at least 26 Tory MPs who have called on Boris Johnson to resign.Andy Gregory30 May 2022 15:501653921685Imperial measurements could add ‘cost and confusion’ to business, warns trading bodyThe Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has voiced its concern that the government intends to bring back imperial measurements.The CTSI, which represents the trading standards profession, said the move seemed “counter-intuitive” and would require “significant investment” in training and education of the public.“At a time when consumers and businesses are already feeling the pinch from higher prices and inflation, it is really important that any proposed measures don’t bamboozle the public on value for money and the prices of everyday items, or add unnecessary costs and confusion to business,” said the group’s chief executive John Herriman.Andy Gregory30 May 2022 15:411653920878UK firms slam post-Brexit EU trade as they face ‘same nightmare week after week’Business chiefs have hit out at post-Brexit trading rules, with one describing life outside the EU as “the same nightmare week after week”, my colleague Matt Mathers reports.Mark Brearley, who runs Kaymet, which makes tea trolleys and other kitchen equipment, said both the cost and red tape involved in the exporting of goods to the EU has increased.He said that a large proportion of his time is spent with “things going wrong” and that the EU feels like “the hardest place in the world to ship things to sometimes.”Andy Gregory30 May 2022 15:271653919885Sinn Fein ‘not giving up’ on attempts to elect speaker at StormontSinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill has said her party will keep having the Stormont Assembly recalled until a new speaker is elected, after the DUP thwarted a second attempt to elect a speaker as part of its continued protest over the Northern Ireland Protocol.“Here we are 26 days after the public have spoken, they placed their votes, they have voted for politics to work, they have voted for parties to work together to start tackling the issues that are worrying everybody right now, cost of living crisis and the fact that our waiting list situation is completely out of hand,” Ms O’Neill said.“We had our second attempt today to try and get things up and running, but unfortunately the DUP stand-off continues. We will come back again, we will do this again because I’m not giving up. I believe in making this institution work.“I’m disappointed, the public deserve a functioning Executive and Assembly. The DUP are punishing the public, it is the public who are missing out, it is the public who are being held to ransom because of their actions.”Andy Gregory30 May 2022 15:111653918925Angela Rayner hauls up No 10 over ‘totally untrue’ flat gathering commentAngela Rayner is among those to point out that No 10 had previously said claims of a birthday gathering in Boris Johnson’s No 11 flat were “totally untrue”.After ITV News reported claims in January that Mr Johnson hosted family friends in his private residence on birthday in June 2020, a No 10 spokesperson said: “This is totally untrue. In line with the rules at the time the Prime Minister hosted a small number of family members outside that evening.”But asked again today in light of fresh reports, a Downing Street spokesperson repeatedly failed to deny that the PM attended such a gathering.Andy Gregory30 May 2022 14:551653917965Stormont fails again to elect new speaker as DUP Brexit protocol protest continuesThe Stormont Assembly has failed for the second time to elect a new speaker, after the DUP refused to back the bid in protest until the UK government takes action over the Northern Ireland Protocol.The two nominations for the role, the Ulster Unionists’ Mike Nesbitt and the SDLP’s Patsy McGlone, failed to secure the necessary cross-community support from MLAs, and the plenary session of the Assembly was suspended.Sinn Fein had brought a recall petition to elect a speaker, deputy speaker – and to appoint a first minister and deputy first minister, which the DUP are refusing to do.Sinn Fein vice president Michelle O’Neill told the chamber: “The people have spoken and they want action, not protest. They want the parties and every single MLA elected to this democratic institution to get their sleeves rolled up and to get down to business.”She added: “The DUP’s stand-off is with the public and not with the European Union. As I stand here today I am ready to work with others.”But the DUP’s Paul Givan described the recall as “hypocrisy” not a “serious attempt” to restore powersharing, calling it “another attempt at majority rule” which “has no credibility when it comes forward from the party that kept these institutions down for three years”.Andy Gregory30 May 2022 14:391653917005Ex-minister calling for PM’s resignation ‘not a usual suspect’With the new statement from Jeremy Wright, two of the government’s most prominent backbench lawyers are now calling on Boris Johnson to resign, BBC Newsnight’s policy editor points out.In an increasingly familiar observation over recent days, ITV’s Paul Brand notes that the former attorney general is “not one of the usual suspects” to be calling for Mr Johnson to step down.Andy Gregory30 May 2022 14:231653916214Enough letters to trigger no confidence vote may have already been met, former government adviser suggestsThe requisite number of letters needed to trigger a no confidence vote in Boris Johnson’s leadership could have been reached, but are being held back until parliament returns next week, a former government adviser has suggested.While only Sir Graham Brady knows how many letters he has received, Sam Freedman – a senior fellow at the Institute for Government and former Department for Education adviser – noted that, in the event that the threshold of 54 has been reached, the 1922 Committee chairman would likely notify Tory MPs who have submitted letters to ensure they stand by their position, increasing the potential for news of a looming announcement to leak.Our chief political commentator John Rentoul has this running tally of potential letter-writers:Andy Gregory30 May 2022 14:101653915565Tory MP says he is ‘very disappointed’ but not among those calling for PM’s resignationDespite being “very disapppointed” by the “very painful episode” of Partygate, Conservative MP Anthony Browne has confirmed he is not among those calling for Boris Johnson to resign.Speaking to BBC Radio 4, Mr Browne was asked about former attorney general Jeremy Wright, who a moment ago became the latest of at least 25 Tory MPs to call on the PM to step down.”Well, I came on to talk about economic growth,” Mr Browne said. “I mean, clearly, the whole parties in Number 10 has been a very painful episode“I’ve been very disappointed by it, as many other people but the government, the prime minister has got the big measures right in terms of the pandemic and in terms of the war in Ukraine, which is obviously a huge international crisis that is ongoing at the moment.”On whether he is therefore not going to be among those calling for the prime minister to resign, the MP for South Cambridgeshire said: “No, but I am happy to answer questions about growth.”Andy Gregory30 May 2022 13:591653914660MP’s missing statement on Boris Johnson resignation reappearsA Conservative former minister’s statement calling for Boris Johnson to resign returned to his official website after disappearing.Jeremy Wright’s statement, which said the prime minister should resign because of the “real and lasting damage” of Partygate, was replaced with a “page not found” message for several minutes.It has now reappeared.Andy Gregory30 May 2022 13:44 More

Ministers have been warned of potential power cuts to as many as six million households this winter, with the government reportedly drawing up plans for rationed electricity if supply issues deteriorate.Government modelling of a “reasonable” worst-case scenario predicts major gas shortages in winter if Russia cuts off more supplies to the EU over the Ukraine war, it is claimed. Limits could be imposed on industrial use of gas, including on gas-fired power stations, causing electricity shortages.As a result, six million homes could see their electricity rationed, primarily during morning and evening peaks, in curbs that may last more than a month, according to The Times. Threats to security of supply have prompted business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng to ask Britain’s coal-fired power stations to delay their planned closures.The business secretary is also considering whether Hinkley Point B nuclear plant “might continue beyond its planned end of life”, technology minister Chris Philp confirmed on Monday.Mr Philp told Sky News that the government was looking at “sensible precautionary measures to guard against the potential worst-case scenario”.“[Mr Kwarteng] asked I think the three remaining coal-fired power station operators to just keep their power stations available … and I think he is considering whether Hinkley B, the large nuclear power station, might continue beyond its planned end of life as well,” he said.Asked about the safety of extending the life of the nuclear facility, Mr Philp told Times Radio: “We have no intention at all of diluting those world leading and incredibly high safety standards.”Downing Street made clear that had been planning for the worst-case scenarios, and said the government did not expect power cuts this winter, nor did it expect the rationing of electricity.“I think you would expect government to look at a range of scenarios to ensure plans are robust, no matter how unlikely they are to pass,” said Boris Johnson’s official spokesman. “Neither the government or National Grid expect power cuts this winter.”A Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy spokesperson also said the UK “has no issues with either gas or electricity supply, and the government is fully prepared for any scenario, even those that are extreme and very unlikely to pass”.A government spokesperson also confirmed that the request for the coal power stations in Drax, Ratcliffe and West Burton, which were due to shut in September, to stay open was made “in light” of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.“It is only right that we explore a wide range of options to further bolster our energy security and domestic supply – bringing down costs in the long-term,” the spokesperson said.“While there is no shortage of supply, we may need to make our remaining coal-fired power stations available to provide additional back-up electricity this coming winter if needed. It remains our firm commitment to end the use of coal power by October 2024.”It comes as EU leaders gather Monday to discuss energy dependence, as divisions remain over whether to target Russian oil in a new series of sanctions.Hungary is leading a group of countries – along with Slovakia, the Czech Republic and Bulgaria – that rely on Russian oil and can’t afford to cut supply. Prime minister Viktor Orban has insisted that an oil embargo should not be discussed at the summit.Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who will address the 27 heads of state by video this evening, has repeatedly demanded that the EU deprives Moscow of billions of dollars each day in supply payments. More

A government push to boost the use imperial measurements after Brexit will bring British “culture” back into shops, a minister has claimed.Boris Johnson is expected to make an announcement this Friday to coincide with the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee to pave the way for greater use of pounds, ounces, feet and inches.Appearing to confirm the plan, technology minister Chris Philp told Sky News: “It’s allowing a bit of our national culture and heritage back onto the shop shelf.”The government has been accused of trying to “weaponise nostalgia” among Brexit voters at a time when the cost of living crisis hits hard-pressed families.Denying ministers were ignoring more important issues, Mr Philp said: “The government is throwing everything at this cost of living problem, as we rightly should.”The government is preparing to open a consultation into how to further incorporate imperial measurements after Brexit. No 10 hopes the move could shore up support in Leave-voting areas.Labour MP Angela Eagle said the measurement move was a “pathetic” attempt to “weaponise nostalgia”.Tory MP Alicia Kearns also criticised the move. She said “not one” of her constituents was calling for imperial measurements.“This isn’t a Brexit freedom. It’s a nonsense,” said Ms Kearns, who said she no longer has confidence in Mr Johnson in the wake of the Partygate scandal.Fellow Tory MP Tobias Ellwood – another critic of the PM – said bringing back imperial measurements as a desperate attempt to “shore up and chase a slice off the electorate”.The defence select committee chair said: “There will be some people in our party which will like this nostalgic policy in the hope that it’s enough to win the next election. But this is not the case. This is not one-nation Conservative thinking that is required to appeal beyond our base.” EU weights and measures directive came into force in 2000, with traders legally required to use metric units for sale-by-weight or the measure of fresh produce.It remains legal to price goods in pounds and ounces but they have to be displayed alongside the price in grammes and kilogrammes.The Independent understands has been told there will not be a move away from metric units but the consultation will look at where it makes sense to incorporate or switch to imperial measurements such as feet and yards, and pints and gallons.It is part of a wider effort in Whitehall to review what EU regulations remain on the UK’s statute books after Brexit.Mr Johnson is said to be planning a “bonfire” of EU regulations in a bid to shore up support among Brexit-backing MPs and voters. A list of rules set to be repealed will be announced alongside the Brexit Freedoms Bill, according to i news.Meanwhile, it emerged that a family of average earners will be around £800 worse off this year, even after the extra £15bn package of support announced by chancellor Rishi Sunak last week.Analysis from the Commons Library shows that two median full-time employees earning £33,790 each will pay an extra £220 this year. More

Sir Keir Starmer should stand for re-election if he is fined and forced to resign as Labour leader over the so-called Beergate saga, said the party’s former chief whip.The opposition leader has vowed to quit if he receives a fine from Durham Police over an April 2021 Labour event at which beer and curry was consumed.But senior Labour MP Nick Brown, chief whip under six party leaders, suggested that Starmer put himself forward in a leadership contest if he has to step down.The ex-minister told BBC Politics North: “I think he’s done the right thing. He is a man of absolute principle and integrity. I don’t believe for one moment that the police will find against him. But let’s just for the sake of the argument, say they did.”Mr Brown added: “If they did, Keir would do what he said he would do and would resign. And I would be the first person urging him to seek re-election and to lead us into the next general election.”Durham Police announced earlier this month that it would investigate potential breach of Covid laws by Starmer and Labour staff, despite initially deciding not to take action when images of the gathering first appeared.The Labour leader then announced that he would resign as leader if he is issued with a fixed penalty notice by the force. “I believe in honour, integrity and the principle that those who make the rules must follow them,” he said.His deputy, Angela Rayner, who was also at the event last spring, said she too would “do the decent thing and step down” if issued with a fixed penalty notice.But Sir Keir and Ms Rayner have continued to stress they believe no rules were broken, saying staff continued to work on local election campaign.“I simply had something to eat whilst working late in the evening, as any politician would do days before an election,” said the Labour leader. Ms Rayner added: “Eating during a long day’s work was not against the rules.”It comes as Boris Johnson faces a steady trickle of Tory MPs calling for his resignation following the damning report last week by top civil servant Sue Gray into lockdown parties.Under party rules Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the backbench 1922 Committee, will be obliged to order a confidence vote if 54 Tory MPs submit a letter calling for one.Some 25 MPs have now publicly said they have lost confidence in the PM. Though it is not clear whether all of them have written to Sir Graham, while others may have putting in a letter without declaring it – making the exact numbers hard to know.Senior Tory Tobias Ellwood said some colleagues are in denial about the losing the next general election and are suffering “Stockholm syndrome” when it comes to Mr Johnson remaining leader.“We still seem to be in denial,” the defence committee chair told Sky News. “We will lose the next election on current trajectory, as reflected in recent [local] elections.”Labour has demanded that the PM account for his “whereabouts” on his 56th birthday after reports emerged that he may have attended a second gathering that day.According to the Sunday Times, there is possible evidence of a second gathering taking place a few hours after the Cabinet room party, with Mrs Johnson said to have been in the Downing Street flat with “several friends”.Starmer’s party is also pushing for a vote on Mr Johnson’s decision to change the ministerial code in a move his critics say “waters down” rules on members of the Government’s front bench. More

Boris Johnson is the least popular member of cabinet among Conservative activists, according to a new survey.The monthly ConservativeHome survey of party members puts the prime minister’s ratings deep into negative territory, with 15 per cent more thinking he is doing a bad job than a good one.It is the first time Mr Johnson has come bottom of the satisfaction ratings in the regular survey since December, and appears to mark the end of a surge in popularity following his robust response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine which saw him reach a positive rating of +33 in early April.The ConHome survey is not a scientific poll, but its findings are widely regarded as a good guide to the views of the most committed Tory activists.With at least 20 letters of no-confidence in the PM submitted by Tory MPs, today’s results appear to reflect a growing concern among the party’s grassroots that the Partygate scandal has turned Mr Johnson into an electoral liability rather than an asset.Most popular cabinet minister in the rankings is defence secretary Ben Wallace on +85, followed by education secretary Nadhim Zahawi on +66 and trade secretary on +65. Foreign secretary Liz Truss, who led the table for much of last year and is seen as a leading contender to replace Mr Johnson if he is forced out, came in fourth with +60.One-time leadership favourite Rishi Sunak saw a rise in his ratings following last week’s £15bn package of cost-of-living support, edging up from -5 to +12 in overall satisfaction. But he remains at the bottom end of the popularity table, with only Cop26 chair Alok Sharma and Mr Johnson below him. More