Markus Andrews

It is “impossible” for the public inquiry into the government’s response to the Covid pandemic to begin on time after Boris Johnson delayed preparations for it, experts are warning.The prime minister is accused of appearing to shunt the investigation – which he pledged would begin in “spring 2022” – to the bottom of his “to do list”, after dragging his heels on agreeing its scope.No hearings will now be possible before the summer at the earliest, say groups who have studied previous inquiries, after hold-ups appointing a chair and agreeing crucial terms of reference.There are fears of further delays with the government “in paralysis” because of the Partygate scandal, one source saying a promised consultation on draft terms is not expected imminently.A former head of the Civil Service, Bob Kerslake, has told The Independent he will demand answers from the government, saying: “I am concerned if the inquiry is going to be delayed.”The Institute for Government warned it was now “very hard to see how the inquiry can begin until the end of May or June, based on previous inquiries such as Grenfell”.The King’s Fund echoed the criticism, saying it is now “impossible for the inquiry to now start its work in earnest in the spring”.“The public inquiry is too important to be shunted yet again to the bottom of the government’s to do list,” Sally Warren, the independent think-tank’s director of policy, told The Independent.The fresh delay has angered the families of Covid victims, after Mr Johnson rejected repeated pleas to start the inquiry sooner – instead waiting until two years after the pandemic struck.He has been accused of stalling in order to prevent likely damning conclusions coming out before a general election in spring 2024, with public inquiries typically taking two years, at least.Lobby Akinnola, spokesperson for Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, said: “Once the inquiry is officially set up, it becomes an offence to tamper with or destroy evidence.“But, until that happens there’s a risk of key evidence, being lost. After the attempts to cover up ‘Partygate’, that is especially worrying.”Mr Johnson finally announced the inquiry last May, but failed to appoint a chair – the former Court of Appeal judge Heather Hallett – until just before Christmas.He said draft terms of reference would be released “in the new year” but they have yet to be published – with only the devolved governments consulted by Baroness Hallett so far.In the Grenfell Inquiry, it took two-and-a-half months between publication and hearings getting underway, but the Institute for Government (IfG) warned the Covid inquiry will be “far more complicated”.The range of controversies is vast, including the timing of lockdown decisions, the scientific advice sought, testing and PPE, the discharge of infected patients into care homes, the initial decision not to close borders, and much more.Many key decisions were devolved, which means a need to delve into the handling of the response in Edinburgh, Cardiff and Belfast – just as much as in Whitehall.“Engaging the public and other parties in a consultation on those terms of reference is likely to be more complicated than the Grenfell consultation, because of the sheer scale of people and organisations who will want to be involved,” said Emma Norris, the IfG’s director of research.“It was always clear that this would be a complex inquiry to set up, so it was important to begin in earnest as soon as possible – so the government should have started earlier.”Mr Johnson defended his stalling on the grounds it would “weigh down” scientific advisers and take up “huge amounts of officials’ time” if the pandemic flared up again.In the Commons last week, he appeared to pre-judge the inquiry, when he boasted to MPs: “We have the fastest-growing economy in the G7 and we have got all the big calls right.”But an inquiry last year, by two Tory-led Commons committees, was damning, calling his response “one of the most important public health failures the United Kingdom has ever experienced”.Delaying lockdown in March 2020 – as a “herd immunity” strategy was explored – and failing to protect elderly and vulnerable people in care caused thousands of avoidable deaths, it said.Lord Kerslake, the head of the civil service under David Cameron, will now ask questions in the House of Lords, saying: “There doesn’t seem to be a lot of pace behind this.”The Cabinet Office declined to discuss the reasons for the delay in publishing draft terms of reference, when panel members will be selected, or whether office space for the inquiry has been secured.A spokesperson said: “As the prime minister has previously stated, the Covid inquiry is set to begin its work in spring 2022.” More

A politician’s troubles are a humorist’s treasures.The scandal-prone British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has given cartoonists and meme-makers unimaginable riches for years, and with his hold on power now in jeopardy, their fortunes are only growing.Johnson and his staff are facing civil and criminal investigations into social gatherings they hosted last year while the rest of the U.K. was hunkering down under coronavirus restrictions. The episode raises serious questions about Johnson’s leadership and political accountability.But what gives it extra bite — and gives humorists much to chew on — are the often ludicrous details: political aides hauling suitcases of wine into the prime minister’s residence, or drunkenly breaking a swing set belonging to Johnson’s toddler son.One recent newspaper cartoon captured the collision of tragedy and farce by depicting Johnson as the betrayed Roman ruler Julius Caesar stabbed in the back with corkscrews.Martin Rowson, a political cartoonist for The Guardian newspaper, says mockery is one of the trade-offs in democratic societies between government and governed: “They have power and we have the right to laugh at them.”Britain has a long and proud tradition of political satire. In the 18th century, cartoonists such as James Gillray lampooned British politicians and royalty with an irreverence — even viciousness — that shocked many European visitors.British TV shows like “Spitting Image,” with its latex puppet politicians, carried on the tradition in the late 20th century. These days, internet videos and memes have joined the fun.When Johnson became prime minister in 2019, some feared he would be hard to satirize because he was already a cartoonish figure, with his thatch of blonde hair, rumpled clothes and blustering manner.Steve Marchant, learning coordinator at the Cartoon Museum in London says they needn’t have worried: Johnson is a gift for humorists.“All you need to draw is an egg with some straw on top and you’ve got Boris before you even attempt to draw the face,” Marchant said. “And he is so — gaffe-prone is probably the polite term I should use. Every week something happens with Boris. No cartoonist is going to die poor thanks to the antics of Boris Johnson.”This, after all, is the erratic politician who once mused about being “reincarnated as an olive,” who has offended everyone from the people of Papua New Guinea to the citizens of Liverpool and who once got stuck midair on a zipline while waving two Union Jacks.Rowson says Johnson’s cartoonish persona is deliberately crafted. He’s the latest in a long line of politicians who have “played to being caricatures” to keep themselves in the public eye.“Even though we ridicule them at the same time, it’s a price worth paying for them,” Rowson said.Even so, not all publicity is good news for politicians.Much of the humor around “partygate” has an undercurrent of anger. One of Rowson’s recent cartoons depicted Queen Elizabeth II wearing a gas mask to protect herself from the rotten smell of Johnson and his Conservative government floundering in a swamp behind her. It was inspired by photographs of the monarch sitting alone wearing a black face mask at her husband Prince Philip’s funeral in April 2021, the day after one of the party’s held by Johnson’s staff.One of the most popular parodies of the “partygate” scandal is a video by the protest group Led By Donkeys that inserted Johnson into the hit TV detective show “Line of Duty.” Through digital cut-and-paste, Johnson became a suspect being grilled by the show’s anti-corruption police unit for holding illegal parties during lockdown.“You must think we were born yesterday, fella!” the show’s no-nonsense senior police officer Ted Hastings, played by Adrian Dunbar, thundered in the video, which has been viewed millions of times on social media.Led By Donkeys has been blending humor and activism since 2019, when a group of friends got together to blast what they saw as the lies of politicians who took Britain out of the European Union. Named after the description of British soldiers in World War I as “lions led by donkeys,” the group erected billboards exposing hypocritical statements by the Brexit campaign.It has gone on to lambast the government’s response to the pandemic, recently parking a video screen playing testimony from bereaved families outside Conservative Party headquarters. Oliver Knowles, one of the group’s founders, said the “Line of Duty” video struck a chord because it tapped the anger that many people feel.“If you didn’t make your own sacrifices during lockdown, then you know somebody who did,” he said. “I don’t think it is hyperbole to say the nation is hurting.“And I think in that context these parties — plural — of Johnson’s are very, very damaging. Actually, I think it is going to be hard for him to come back from this. I think we are now in the place where he is the prime minister who partied while the rest of us followed the rules.”It’s doubtful mockery alone can trigger political change. But Rowson said political humor serves an essential purpose.“We use laughter very much as a survival tool,” he said. “If we didn’t, we’d go mad with existentialist terror.” More

The prime minister is considering increasing the number of British troops being deployed to bolster Europe’s borders over the Ukraine crisis. Boris Johnson said the new offer to Nato that is now under consideration – which could see double the amount of military personnel sent to the region – would “send a clear message to the Kremlin” that “we will not tolerate their destabilising activity”.It comes as No 10 signalled the extra support from the UK could also involve sending weapons to Estonia. Fast jets, warships and military specialists could all be sent to protect Nato allies, it is understood, with Downing Street saying the presence of extra troops would “reinforce Nato’s defences and underpin the UK’s support for Nordic and Baltic partners”.Mr Johnson, who previously said the invasion of Ukraine by Russia would be a “tragedy”, is due to call Russian president Vladimir Putin in the coming days and reiterate the need for the nation to “engage diplomatically” and “step back”, No 10 has said.He is also scheduled to visit eastern Europe early this week as part of the UK’s efforts to help resolve the unfolding crisis.As well as Mr Johnson, Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, and Ben Wallace, the defence secretary, have been told to fly to Moscow for talks with their counterparts. They will be asked to improve relationships with the Russian government and encourage de-escalation, No 10 said of the various visits. Mr Wallace is then expected to meet with allies in Hungary, Slovenia and Croatia on the PM’s behalf as he continues to deal with the fallout of the Partygate scandal still cutting through Westminster.Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has asked the chief of defence staff, Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, to attend the government’s weekly cabinet meeting on Tuesday to brief ministers on the situation in Ukraine.The UK already has more than 100 troops providing training in Ukraine as part of Operation Orbital. There are also 900 British military personnel based in Estonia, and a Light Cavalry Squadron of around 150 people in Poland, according to Downing Street. Speaking about the possibility of sending more troops to the troubled region, the prime minister said in a statement: “We will not tolerate their destabilising activity, and we will always stand with our Nato allies in the face of Russian hostility.“If President Putin chooses a path of bloodshed and destruction, it will be a tragedy for Europe. Ukraine must be free to choose its own future.”He added: “I have ordered our armed forces to prepare to deploy across Europe next week, ensuring we are able to support our Nato allies on land, at sea and in the air.”Kyiv has urged the prime minister, and other western allies, to remain “vigilant and firm” in their talks with Russia amid concerns after Mr Putin’s forces placed around 100,000 troops, tanks, artillery and missiles near Ukraine’s border.However, the Russian president continues to deny he has plans to invade the former Soviet republic, which borders both Russia and the EU.Following “hours-long talks” between Russia and France, an aide for French president Emmanuel Macron reportedly told The Guardian Mr Putin had “no offensive plans”.Despite this, leaders including US president Joe Biden remain convinced Russia will move in. His administration told the media in recent days that it knows of Russian plans to boost its forces near Ukraine “on very short notice”.Mr Johnson has since said the UK could, and would, deploy troops to protect Nato allies if necessary. Ukraine is not part of Nato and Russia has asked for assurances from the west that it will never be allowed to join the military alliance, seeing it as a direct threat to its security. However, the US publicly rejected such a demand this week, saying the alliance would continue to stick to its “open-door policy”. Nato’s 30 members include the US, UK, and several former Soviet republics, some of which border Russia. All agree to come to another’s aid in the event of an armed attack.The Foreign Office is expected to announce tougher sanctions on Monday, meaning the UK will be able to target Russia’s strategic and financial interests. Asked what these sanctions could look like earlier this week, Ms Truss told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme they “would target individuals”.“They would target financial institutions and they would be coordinated with all of our allies across Europe, the United States and others,” she said. The foreign secretary also revealed the UK had not ruled out support for personal sanctions against Mr Putin should he go back on his word and power ahead with an incursion. Additional reporting by agencies More

Met Police denies delaying publication of Sue Gray reportRishi Sunak is finalising plans for his leadership campaign after telling allies he believes Partygate could be “unsurvivable” for Boris Johnson, The Independent has learnt.The chancellor is understood to be preparing a PR-led campaign, with a draft version of a campaign website already built.He and his close circle are also believed to have tried to gauge his chances of victory by speaking to former No 10 staffers and MPs about the recent scrutiny of Downing Street in the wake of revelations of lockdown parties. Sue Gray’s report into the parties is expected to be delivered to the prime minister as soon as this weekend.The Metropolitan Police said it had received the material requested from the Cabinet Office to support their separate investigation, adding that it had not delayed publication of Ms Gray’s report.References to parties under police investigation will be removed from the report on the Met’s orders. There are no plans to public an unredacted version.Tobias Ellwood, Tory chair of chair of the Commons defence committee, said public “fury” over the No 10 parties would not be satisfied if the most serious aspects of the report remain private.Show latest update

1643465428Ex-attorney general ‘dismayed’ over police’s hesitancy over PartygateThe Metropolitan Police have been “vacillating” about alleged Downing Street lockdown parties in the face of major public concern, Lord Morris of Aberavon said.The former attorney general commented after Scotland Yard limited the Sue Gray inquiry report into the alleged gatherings over concerns that its contents may impact the police investigation into possible lockdown breaches.The Met have admitted to asking Ms Gray, a senior civil servant, to make only “minimal reference” to No 10 events which are subject to a criminal investigation.Lord Morris told the PA news agency: “I am dismayed with the vacillation of the Metropolitan Police.“Surely it is in the public interest that major concerns over events in Downing Street be investigated and reported on.“Any prejudice that might result in fines would be a disproportionate concern.”Lamiat Sabin29 January 2022 14:101643463947Boris Johnson will face a reckoning soon enough – the odds are against his survival | VoicesFrom John Rentoul, chief political commentator:[Boris Johnson] cannot have foreseen how the farce of police incompetence would have bought him time this week, although he may have a sense of the deeper rhythm of politics and know that he who waits is sometimes rewarded by the turning up of the unexpected.The question now is whether the sacrifice of an assortment of victims around him, some innocent, some less so, will be enough to assuage the public anger enough to persuade Conservative plotters to hold back. Johnson has an interest in confusing matters as much as possible.Read the full piece from The Independent’s Voices section here:Liam James29 January 2022 13:451643462442Rishi Sunak puts final touches on leadership bid and says Partygate could be ‘unsurvivable’ for Boris JohnsonRishi Sunak is putting the finishing touches on a PR-led leadership campaign after telling allies he believes Partygate could be “unsurvivable” for Boris Johnson, The Independent has learnt (Anna Isaac reports).The chancellor is understood to have built a draft version of a campaign website, taking inspiration from his weekly No 11 newsletter, and developed a marketing strategy.He and his close circle are also believed to have had informal conversations with former No 10 staffers and MPs about the recent scrutiny of Downing Street, in order to gauge his chance of winning a leadership contest, sources said.Liam James29 January 2022 13:201643461803Tories would lose more than 100 seats in general election, poll suggestsThe Conservative Party would lose 133 seats – taking away its majority – if a general election were held today, a new poll suggests.Labour would be on 318, a few seats short of the 326 needed for a majority.All six of the Conservatives seats in Scotland would go to the SNP.Liam James29 January 2022 13:101643460642Boris Johnson discusses his ‘brilliant strategy’ for confusing media in 2006 resurfaced clip‘Make so many gaffes that no one knows which to concentrate on’Liam James29 January 2022 12:501643459680‘Furious’ public will not accept ‘cover-up’ of Partygate scandal, senior Tory MP warnsA furious public will not accept a “cover-up” of the Partygate scandal, a senior Tory MP is warning – amid a growing belief that crucial parts of Sue Gray’s inquiry will never be revealed (Rob Merrick writes).There are no plans to publish an unredacted version of the report, once the police have finished their investigation, which means the most serious aspects may never see the light of day.Tobias Ellwood, the Tory chair of the Commons defence committee, said such an outcome would not satisfy the “deluge of fury” about the lockdown-busting gatherings in No 10, nor Conservative MPs.“We must not forget this is all happening under the gaze of the nation and they’re looking for evidence that we are going to change, that we want to rebuild trust, that we’re fit to govern,” he said.“So this discussion, this talk, this suggestion, that somehow the Sue Gray report – which we’ve waited for for so long – might be redacted, or somehow watered down, will not go down well with colleagues.“There remains a deluge of fury with the British public, appalled by what’s happened, and they want to see that we’re on the road to change – that the command, the discipline, the cultural changes, will actually be introduced to No 10.”Liam James29 January 2022 12:341643458236Quick round-up of what Tories said today on Partygate so far:Tobias Ellwood MP says it would be “simply wrong” for the Sue Gray report to be redacted on the police’s request Tom Tugendhat MP first to throw his hat in the leadership ring as Boris Johnson’s reputation continues to crumbleAdam Holloway MP defended the PM, saying “I believed him when he said he didn’t know it was a party”Lamiat Sabin29 January 2022 12:101643454044Sue Gray should ‘ignore police and publish report in full’ – Tory MPThe idea that some of Sue Gray’s report into Downing Street lockdown gatherings will be redacted due to an investigation by Metropolitan Police is “simply wrong,” Tory MP Tobias Ellwood said.The chair of the Defence Select Committee chair was asked by LBC radio whether Ms Gray should “publish her report and ignore the Metropolitan Police are saying [about redacting it]?”Mr Ellwood replied: “A hundred percent.”He suggested that failure to publish all the details would hinder any progress for “the culture of change that needs to come into effect”.Lamiat Sabin29 January 2022 11:001643452844Peer who quit government ‘very angry’ over handling of fraudA minister who quit last Monday over the “schoolboy” handling of fraudulent Covid-19 business loans said: “I didn’t want to blow my top, but I was very angry.”Lord Agnew of Oulton resigned as the Tories’ anti-fraud minister during a speech at the despatch box in the House of Lords.He told peers he was quitting his Cabinet Office and Treasury posts because of the government’s “egregious” failure in its handling of bounce-back loans.Today, he told The Times that ahead of his speech, he “was nearly sick going into the chamber”.“This isn’t natural for me, I took no pleasure from it but the failure of Government to tackle fraud felt so egregious, and the need for remedy so urgent, that I felt my only option left was to smash some crockery to get people to take notice,” Lord Agnew added.“In life one should try to stay inside the tent to win the arguments but ultimately there comes a breaking point.”More here by Rob MerrickLamiat Sabin29 January 2022 10:401643451644More Holyrood powers would be Starmer’s ‘early priority’ as PMLabour leader Sir Keir Starmer wants more devolved powers for Holyrood “quickly” if he becomes Prime Minister.Sir Keir has asked former Labour PM Gordon Brown to recommend improvements to devolution across the UK to counter nationalist support for independence.Speaking to the Daily Record, Sir Keir said giving the Scottish Parliament more powers would be an early priority for him, were he to become Prime Minister.He said: “We need change without a referendum, but we need change quickly.”With Labour consistently polling ahead of the Conservatives, who are embroiled in sleaze scandals and the so-called partygate affair, Sir Keir has accused Boris Johnson’s Government of being “paralysed”.Reflecting on his visit to Glasgow’s Forge Market on Friday, the Labour leader said: “We’ve been in the market, we’ve been walking around the streets.“Every single person who has come up to me has said ‘you’ve got to get Johnson out’. Every single person.“People recognise that we are now in a position to form a Labour government.”Lamiat Sabin29 January 2022 10:20 More

Rishi Sunak is putting the finishing touches on a PR-led leadership campaign after telling allies he believes Partygate could be “unsurvivable” for Boris Johnson, The Independent has learnt.The chancellor is understood to have built a draft version of a campaign website, taking inspiration from his weekly No 11 newsletter, and developed a marketing strategy.He and his close circle are also believed to have had informal conversations with former No 10 staffers and MPs about the recent scrutiny of Downing Street, in order to gauge his chance of winning a leadership contest, sources said.The imminent publication of the Sue Gray report into parties at No 10 is expected to have less impact after the Metropolitan Police asked that it contain “minimal references” to the parties they are investigating, for fear that its release could prejudice their own criminal investigation. Police involvement may put the brakes on Mr Sunak’s plans, said a source, though they added that “there’s no question that Rishi and his team have got everything in place”. They noted that there is a clear communications plan, and that copy for a website has been drafted and is ready to set live.Cass Horowitz, a special adviser to Mr Sunak, is widely credited with building the chancellor’s online brand, through canny use of social media, building up his Instagram following, and overseeing his newsletter.A former No 10 staffer told The Independent that Mr Horowitz was regarded as a “boy genius” by many in the Conservative Party, having revamped its use of social media before moving to work for Mr Sunak. “He’s built a data dashboard from the newsletter. Every click and share will be informing the wider leadership campaign. He’s got form on watching for any online grassroot sentiment to tap into,” they said.The No 11 newsletter takes an informal, upbeat tone. It features “uplifting” statistics in “Stats Corner” – a choice cut of the official releases from the past week that paint Mr Sunak’s efforts in the best possible light.The ex-staffer said that a Twitter account called “Ready for Rishi” (@ForRishi) – which describes itself as “grass-roots” – set hares running at No 10 when it first appeared in September 2020. Its latest tweet, posted on 27 January and pinned to the top of its profile, reads: “Time for a leader who doesn’t break the rules #readyforrishi”.“If I were Cass, I’d be tapping that sentiment,” said the former staffer. In recent conversations, Mr Sunak is understood to have suggested that Partygate would ultimately prove “unsurvivable” for the prime minister, sources claim.One discussion is said to have focused on the idea that it would not be possible for Mr Johnson to continue in the long term, as the scandal had permanently damaged his brand.But a source close to Mr Sunak said that these claims, along with those relating to the chancellor having prepared a leadership campaign, were “totally false”.Attention has been drawn to Mr Sunak’s political posturing in recent weeks, which has not gone unnoticed in Downing Street, sources said.This includes his absence during PMQs when Mr Johnson first apologised for attending the May 2020 party in No 10, and the amount of time it took for Mr Sunak to publicly back the PM on Twitter, eventually delivering what was considered by some to be a lukewarm display of support.As the wait for Ms Gray’s report drags on, Tory MPs said conversations in the corridors and tearooms at Westminster are increasingly revolving around the identity of Mr Johnson’s successor.One senior Tory MP, who said they were backing the prime minister, said they were “surprised” that foreign secretary Liz Truss had attracted more criticism for photo ops than Mr Sunak had for the use of his personal branding in regard to policies such as Eat Out to Help Out.Alongside Mr Sunak and Ms Truss, speculation has revolved around possible bids by levelling up secretary Michael Gove, former health secretary Jeremy Hunt, and education secretary Nadhim Zahawi.Other possible contenders being discussed include Mark Harper, whose role as the chair of the Covid Recovery Group has made him a figurehead for lockdown-sceptic MPs, and Foreign Affairs Committee chair Tom Tugendhat, who may win the backing of “One Nation” MPs linked to the more liberal Tory Reform Group.One MP told The Independent that preferences for the succession were the topic of conversation “whenever two or three are gathered together”. More

A furious public will not accept a “cover-up” of the Partygate scandal, a senior Tory MP is warning – amid a growing belief that crucial parts of Sue Gray’s inquiry will never be revealed.A heavily-redacted draft of the civil servant’s report will be released within days, but with references to parties that the police are investigating stripped out after the Met demanded it.There are no plans to publish an unredacted version, once the police have finished their investigation, which means the most serious aspects may never see the light of day.Tobias Ellwood, the Tory chair of the Commons defence committee, said such an outcome would not satisfy the “deluge of fury” about the lockdown-busting gatherings in No 10, nor Conservative MPs.“We must not forget this is all happening under the gaze of the nation and they’re looking for evidence that we are going to change, that we want to rebuild trust, that we’re fit to govern,” he said.“So this discussion, this talk, this suggestion, that somehow the Sue Gray report – which we’ve waited for for so long – might be redacted, or somehow watered down, will not go down well with colleagues.“There remains a deluge of fury with the British public, appalled by what’s happened, and they want to see that we’re on the road to change – that the command, the discipline, the cultural changes, will actually be introduced to No 10.”There must not be “any form of cover up”, but “genuine reform that can actually take our country forward”, Mr Ellwood told Sky News.Late on Friday, the tussle over whether Ms Gray’s report would be shelved altogether, or handed over in redacted form, was settled in favour of the latter.The extraordinary twist came after the Met police’s bombshell request for “minimal references” to parties it is investigating – thought to be about eight of the 17 documented gatherings.The demand triggered a torrent of criticism from legal experts because any offences committed will not be heard by a jury, which means they are not sub-judice.No 10 has pledged to release whatever findings it receives from Ms Gray, as early as Monday, but said the Met should be given “time and space” to complete “its independent work”.A partial report – without evidence about the most serious allegations – will give Mr Johnson crucial breathing space, in his battle for survival.Tory MPs who are wavering over whether to submit demands for a no-confidence vote in his leadership, while they “waited for Sue Gray”, are likely to continue to sit on their hands.Some report that the anger of their constituents is lessening – but No 10 is at the mercy of further revelations of parties, which Dominic Cummings has said will come. More

The minister who quit dramatically over the Rishi Sunak’s failure to tackle massive fraud in Covid business loan schemes has warned he has no plan to recover the lost billions.Theodore Agnew stepped up his criticism – after the chancellor denied he had written up £4.3bn of taxpayer’s money – saying: “Not a zippo have we heard about how he will do it.”Lord Agnew’s despatch box resignation has fuelled criticism that Mr Sunak has written off the money, which is “now in the hand of criminals and gangs”, Labour said.He astonished fellow peers by accusing the Treasury of “arrogance, indolence and ignorance”, branding oversight of the loans “nothing less than woeful”.In response, Mr Sunak defended his approach, tweeting: “I’m not ignoring it, and I’m definitely not ‘writing it off.“Clearly criminals have sought to exploit our support schemes. We’re going to do everything we can to get that money back and go after those who took advantage of the pandemic.”In an interview with The Times, Lord Agnew said he was “nearly sick” ahead of announcing his resignation, but added: “I didn’t want to blow my top, but I was very angry.”“The failure of government to tackle fraud felt so egregious, and the need for remedy so urgent, that I felt my only option left was to smash some crockery to get people to take notice.“In life one should try to stay inside the tent to win the arguments but ultimately there comes a breaking point.”On Mr Sunak’s response, the peer said: “I felt then that I’ve achieved something, my resignation was worth it. But not a zippo have we heard about how he will do it.”During Covid lockdowns, loans to companies from high street banks and other commercial lenders were given state-backed guarantees against default.But many were claimed by fraudulent shell companies that were suddenly registered in the UK.Lord Agnew added: “The Treasury kept saying ‘it’s up to the banks’, but when it’s billions of pounds of taxpayers’ money it is to do with them.“If we are going to attribute blame, 70 per cent goes to the Treasury mandarins. I pushed for more money to counter the fraud but was told it would have to wait another seven months until the spending review.”The former minister also warned about the damage to trust in politicians, saying: “It’s a huge problem.“My own personal view is that politicians would do much better being honest with voters and straight when things go wrong – rather than pretending everything is wonderful.”Asked about Boris Johnson’s position, Lord Agnew said: “For everyone’s sake and sanity we have to draw a line under ‘partygate’.“I don’t know the PM personally. I’ve never met him in person, only on Zoom or in a crowded room so I don’t want to feed the frenzy.” More

Tom Tugendhat has revealed he will run for the Conservative leadership if Boris Johnson is forced out of No 10, the first MP to put his name forward.The chair of the Commons foreign affairs committee – and veteran of the Iraq and Afghan wars – said he will “go for it”, if fellow Tories give him their backing to join the race.No other candidate has stepped forward, with the favourites Rishi Sunak and Liz Truss bound by cabinet collective responsibility – while Jeremy Hunt said it would “take a lot” to persuade him to challenge again.But Mr Tugendhat, a Tory centrist and fierce critic of Mr Johnson, said: “It’s one of those questions that I know some of my colleagues are coy about and I don’t understand why.“I don’t think you should be embarrassed to want to serve your country, I was very proud to serve my country. Of course I want to have an influence that helps to shape the country for the best.”Speaking to Times Radio, the MP for Tonbridge and Malling since 2015, said: “I think that it’s up to all of us to put ourselves forward.“And it’s up to the electorate – in the first case, parliamentary colleagues, and in the second case, the party – to choose.“Of course you should offer yourself if you think you can do it. You should talk to colleagues and see if you can get a group together. And if you can get a group together, you should go for it.”The comments come as the prime minister’s fate remains in the balance, although he has been given breathing space by the Met’s controversial decision to demand redactions of the partygate report.Mr Tugendhat made clear “there isn’t a vacancy at the moment”, adding: “I haven’t been canvassing support. I don’t know if I’d ever be able to get it. But, if you could, of course, you should have a go.”The MP is little-known outside Westminster, and has no ministerial experience, but is likely to present himself as a clean slate candidate, with cabinet ministers tainted by the Johnson scandals.He has frequently clashed with Mr Johnson in committee hearings, neither doing much to conceal their mutual dislike.“I’ve had ding dongs with Boris Johnson. Yeah, that’s true. The point about parliament is we’re here to challenge. Challenge is central to a good government,” Mr Tugendhat added.However, he has refused to join moderate Tories publicly calling for the prime minister to resign, arguing instead that “the fair thing to do is to wait and listen” to Sue Gray’s report.Asked if he is among MPs who have written letters demanding a no-confidence vote in Mr Johnson’s leadership, he declined to give a direct answer, saying: “Some people have decided to do that.” More