Markus Andrews

The education secretary has thrown his weight behind our Skill Up Step Up campaign saying he is living proof that there is no single route to a great career.Nadhim Zahawi likened himself to the “phenomenal young people” highlighted in our Christmas appeal, who are being given a chance to realise their potential and step into sustainable jobs or apprenticeships.As a child, Mr Zahawi was forced to flee his home country of Iraq with his family. He grew up in Sussex and his mother insisted he went to university and reportedly pawned her jewellery so he would not have to worry about finances.Responding to the The Independent’s joint campaign with the Evening Standard, he said: “Like the phenomenal young people highlighted in your Christmas appeal, I am living proof that there is no such thing as a linear education journey. I started school in Iraq and if it hadn’t been for Saddam Hussein, I would no doubt have happily stayed there. But under Saddam, I would have either ended up in one of his prisons or fighting in the war with Iran.“So instead, I came to this country with my family at the age of 11 without knowing a word of English. And I’m now in Her Majesty’s Government, the MP for Shakespeare’s county and the secretary of state for Education. There really is no one, single route to a great career or dream job.”He added that as education secretary he wants to make sure that all young people have the same chance to realise their potential.Our £1m Skill Up Step Up initiative, in partnership with Barclays LifeSkills, will support charities that help unemployed and disadvantaged young Londoners to be “work ready”.A special investigation by this newspaper found that youth unemployment in the capital has soared by 55 per cent since the start of the pandemic to 105,000 with 21 per cent of young people seeking work jobless. At the same time there is a record 1.17million job vacancies nationwide, especially in hospitality. Among young black Londoners the jobless rate rises to 37 per cent.Our Christmas appeal is urging unemployed young people to sign up for free employability training from one of the two charity partners we have announced so far – Springboard and City Gateway. We are also calling on employers to step up to the plate and offer these young people a job or an apprenticeship, and for readers to donate so we can support even more disadvantaged youth into jobs.Mr Zahawi said: “I strongly believe that every young person should have the best start in life so they can progress and secure a rewarding, well-paid job. That’s why we have put tackling the skills gap at the heart of our reforms to education and training.”He added: “But there is still more to do. So it is brilliant that the Evening Standard and Independent is championing young people across London getting the necessary skills to get good apprenticeships or jobs. We are committed to opening doors, offering high-quality options for young people to consider after the age of 16, to help them reach their career goals.” More

An investigation into a Christmas party held in Downing Street in December will be widened to examine reports of a separate gathering hosted in No 10 in November and a festive event at the Department for Education.It comes after Boris Johnson announced the probe in response to a leaked video showing government officials joking about a festive party in No 10 in December last year during severe Covid restrictions.Updating MPs, Michael Ellis, a Cabinet Office minister, said the cabinet secretary Simon Case will be tasked with establishing “swiftly a general understanding of the nature of the gatherings, including attendance, the setting and the purpose”.“If required, the investigation will establish whether individual disciplinary action is warranted,” he insisted, adding that all ministers, special advisers and civil servants will be expected to cooperate.He added: “I can confirm to the House that the Cabinet Secretary’s investigation will establish the facts surrounding the following: allegations made of a gathering at 10 Downing Street on November 27 2020; a gathering at the Department for Education on December 10 2020; and allegations made of a gathering at 10 Downing Street on December 18 2020.However, there was no reference to an allegation made by Dominic Cummings, the prime minister’s former senior adviser, of a separate party held in the Downing Street flat on 13 December.Posting on social media on Wednesday, the former No 10 adviser Mr Cummings said: “Will the CABSEC [cabinet secretary] also be asked to investigate the *flat* party on Fri 13 Nov, the other flat parties, & the flat’s ‘bubble’ policy…”.The date identified by Mr Cummings was also the same day he left Downing Street with immediate effect after losing a power struggle and just eight days after the prime minister imposed England’s second national lockdown in response to surging Covid rates.Elsewhere, Mr Ellis confirmed that if any evidence emerges of behaviour that is a potential criminal offence, “the matter will be referred to the police and the Cabinet Office’s work may be paused.He said: “I must emphasise that the matters relating to adherence to the law are properly for the police to investigate and the Cabinet Office will liaise with the police as appropriate”Speaking about the investigation, Labour shadow Cabinet Office minister, Fleur Anderson, said: “I don’t think we need to call them alleged parties, they are the parties”.She added: “I welcome the prime minister’s announcement that he’s asked the Cabinet Secretary to conduct this investigation.“I have asked for this urgent question as there are further urgent questions to be asked about the investigation, and I don’t think we need to call them alleged parties, they are the parties, held in the government department or by government ministers elsewhere. Are there more parties that we need to hear about?” More

Boris Johnson is facing the prospect of a major backbench rebellion over his decision to implement the government’s “plan B” strategy with the introduction of Covid passports for large venues and guidance for the public to work from home.Within hours of the prime minister’s announcement, several Conservative MPs had already made clear they would not vote for the proposals when the measures are debated next Tuesday — just days before the parliamentary Christmas recess.It comes amid weeks of Tory unease over the government’s handling of sleaze allegations, social care reforms, rail infrastructure, and the prime minister’s response to reports of multiple parties in Downing Street as the country faced severe restrictions last year.While the government’s “plan B” proposals — unveiled last night — are likely to pass the Commons with support from the opposition parties, the Tory former minister Steve Baker said it was “vital the maximum number of Conservative MPs vote against plan B”.The key point of contention is the prime minister’s decision to press ahead with Covid passports for large venues such as nightclubs and unseated indoor events with more than 500 people, which critics have labelled “discriminatory”.Mark Harper, the chair of the Covid Recovery Group of Conservative MPs, said vaccine passports were “pointless and damaging”, adding: “The events of the past few weeks – from the Paterson case to the Christmas party video — have seriously damaged the credibility of those at the very top.“Why should people listen to the prime minister’s instructions to follow the rules when people inside Number 10 Downing Street don’t do so?”In a sign of the anger on the Tory benches, MP Marcus Fysh described plans to bring in Covid certificates as “really draconian” and an “utter disgrace”, telling BBC Radio 4’s Today programme they were a “massive imposition on our liberties”.Dehenna Davison — one of the 2019 so-called “Red Wall” intake of Tory MPs — said: “I have long opposed vaccine passports, and so will vote against their introduction next week.“To me, the evidence we have been presented with does not justify further restrictions on liberties. ‘Just in case’ simply doesn’t cut it.”Ben Bradley, the Conservative MP for Mansfield, posted on social media: “I said I would not vote for vaccine passports, which I believe are ineffective & discriminatory… I don’t believe the evidence supports plan B and I will not vote for it”.Mr Bradley’s colleague, Brendan Clarke-Smith, the MP for Bassetlaw, shared the post, insisting: “I fully agree with this. I do not and will not support these proposals”.The MP for East Devon, Simon Jupp, described vaccine passports as “divisive” and “discriminatory”, warning: “Plan B will cost jobs in many sectors, including hospitality. Working from home won’t help our social or economic recovery. I won’t for for these measures.”And the Tory MP Gary Sambrook told the Birmingham Mail he would not vote for the new restrictions, saying: “There is no sufficient data or evidence to suggest these new measures are necessary or will work”.Speaking on Sky News, Sajid Javid, the health secretary, defended the sudden shift in the government’s approach to tackling the virus and while he acknowledged the decisions will have a “real impact on our liberties”, he insisted that taking action now was the only way to avoid having to impose tougher measures later.With a doubling rate of two-and-a-half to three days for the omicron varian, Mr Javid warned: “It would mean, at that rate, by the end of this month we could hit about one million infections in the community throughout the UK.“We’ve always been clear that should the data change and should it move in the wrong direction and it looked like the NHS might come under unsustainable pressure – remember what that would mean, we wouldn’t be able to get the emergency care not just for Covid but for a car accident, or anything like that – we would act and implement Plan B.“I don’t enjoy doing that, no-one does – it is a very difficult thing for many people, asking them to work from home or wearing face masks and things, it is a real impact on our liberties. But I hope that people will understand that by taking decisive action now, we can potentially avoid action later.” More

Cabinet minister Sajid Javid has dismissed the prospect of mandatory vaccination for the public as ethically wrong and impractical, saying: “I’ve got no interest”.The health secretary’s comments come just hours after Boris Johnson introduced new restrictions in an attempt to control the spread of the omicron variant, urging the public to work from home and introducing Covid passports.Despite the prime minister insistence that he did not “want us to have a society where we force people to get vaccinated”, he appeared to hint at a “national conversation” over the draconian measure of mandatory jabs that some European are already planning for.He told the No 10 press conference: “I think that there is going to come a point, if we can show that the vaccines are capable of holding Omicron – and that is the key thing we need to test – I do think we need to have a national conversation about ways in which we deal with this pandemic.“I don’t think we can keep going indefinitely with non-pharmaceutical interventions, I mean restrictions on people’s way of life, just because a substantial proportion of the population still sadly has not got vaccinated.”However, asked whether the government was considering mandatory vaccination, the health secretary told Sky News on Thursday morning: “No — I’ve got no interest in mandatory vaccination.“Apart from the high risk settings of the NHS and social care which we’ve already set out we will legislate for,” Mr Javid said.“Other than that, if you’re talking about universal mandatory vaccination, I think ethically its wrong, but also at a very practical level it just wouldn’t work. Getting vaccinated has to be a positive decision”.Mr Javid’s appearance on Thursday also followed his decision on the previous day to pull out of morning media interviews as the government faced intense pressure over a leaked recording of No 10 officials laughing about a Christmas party held at Downing Street.“I didn’t appear because I saw that video – it upset me, it upset a lot of people across the country, it upset the prime minister,” the cabinet minister insisted.Asked whether he “refused” to go onto the airwaves following the emergence of the footage, Mr Javid added: “No, it wasn’t about refusing – I spoke to my colleagues in No 10 and we actually agreed it is best to take some time to respond to the video in the way that the prime minister has now, by ordering an investigation by the cabinet secretary (Simon Case).“And so the idea was to give some space to react but I’m pleased the prime minister has asked for an investigation, and I can see also why so many people would have been upset by that video.” More

The Conservative Party has admitted that a party took place at its Westminster headquarters during coronavirus restrictions last December.Tory staff danced and drank wine late into the night at a “raucous” party held in the basement of the office, The Times reported.During the event on 14 December, London was under Tier 2 Covid restrictions – which meant that indoor socialising between households was banned. Matt Hancock had given a press conference just hours earlier saying the capital would soon move into Tier 3. The newspaper also reported that senior advisers and officials working in Downing Street also held a Christmas quiz.The details emerged as Labour urged police to open an investigation into allegations staff broke coronavirus rules at a party in No 10 on 18 December, saying it was “implausible” for Scotland Yard to suggest there is insufficient evidence to investigate.Following the report in The Times, a Tory spokesperson admitted that an “unauthorised” party was held at Conservative Party HQ during the campaign of London mayoral candidate Shaun Bailey and that disciplinary action was taken. The spokesperson said: “Senior CCHQ (Conservative Campaign Headquarters) staff became aware of an unauthorised social gathering in the basement of Matthew Parker Street organised by the Bailey campaign on the evening of December 14.“Formal disciplinary action was taken against the four CCHQ staff who were seconded to the Bailey campaign.”Meanwhile, Downing Street did not comment on a separate report that Dan Rosenfield, then Boris Johnson’s incoming chief of staff, took part in the separate alleged party on 18 December. Allegra Stratton, a former press secretary for the prime minister, became the first casualty of the affair on Wednesday after a leaked video showed her laughing after being asked about the Downing Street party. She and her colleague Ed Oldfield joked during a mock press conference at 9 Downing Street that it was just “cheese and wine”.Ms Stratton stepped down in a tearful video in which she said she would regret her remarks for the “rest of my days”. Now Mr Johnson is expected to face more questions over the Conservatives and government throwing parties at a time when the nation was under Covid social distancing rules.The Department for Education only yesterday admitted it held a Christmas “gathering” last December while under Tier 2 rules. It said the party took place in its office building, at a time when social mixing between households was banned and the number of people in one indoor space was limited to six by law.Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Police acknowledged it had received “a significant amount of correspondence” relating to the alleged breaches in No 10 in the run-up to Christmas last year but said they do not “provide evidence of a breach” of Covid rules.“Based on the absence of evidence and in line with our policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of such regulations, the Met will not commence an investigation at this time,” it added.But the force did leave open the possibility of further inquiries by saying it would consider “any evidence” that emerges in the case inquiry. More

Staff have been advised to work from home as part of a Covid “plan B” to combat the growing threat of the omicron variant – but can attend Christmas parties.Boris Johnson brought forward new restrictions in England – including Covid passes to enter crowded venues and mask-wearing in cinemas and theatres – amid a warning that omicron infections could reach a million by the end of the month.But the prime minister sweetened the pill by announcing a negative Covid test will be allowed for venues, as well as proof of vaccination, and by lifting isolation rules for contacts of omicron cases, who can take daily tests instead.Denying the package had been rushed out to distract attention from the furore over last year’s No 10 parties, Mr Johnson also held out the hope that the curbs could be lifted early in the new year.There is “a strong possibility” the scientists will soon discover that a booster jab is “capable of holding omicron in equilibrium in the way that we want”, he argued.“And then, as I said, we will be able to move forward,” the prime minister told a Downing Street press conference.Nevertheless, to move to plan B sparked an angry backlash from some Conservative MPs, one of whom heckled the health secretary, Sajid Javid, as he delivered a Commons statement.Greg Clark, the former cabinet minister, accused Mr Javid of going back on a pledge that he would not resort to further restrictions simply because of a leap in cases, when the level of hospital admissions is the key.“That data is not available yet. So why has the secretary of state reversed his position and jumped the gun in this way?” Mr Clark demanded to know.Another former cabinet minister, David Davis, asked: “Where is the evidence that vaccine passports actually work? France introduced them in the summer, they now have more cases than they had in the last peak.”The Scottish Tory leader, Douglas Ross – who is still an MP – ridiculed the effectiveness of Covid passes, saying: “I didn’t vote for them at Holyrood and I won’t be voting for them at Westminster.”The Night Time Industries Association described the move to Covid passes – from one week’s time – as “devastating news” for nightclubs and other venues which attract large crowds.The passes will be required in unseated indoor venues with more than 500 people, unseated outdoor venues with more than 4,000 people and any venue with more than 10,000 people.Mr Johnson said he was acting – one week before a review of existing Covid restrictions was due – because of “worrying” evidence that omicron cases are doubling in the UK every 2-3 days, adding: “We must be humble in the face of this virus.”But, asked whether that meant Christmas parties and nativity plays should be cancelled, he replied: “No, in my view they should not.“They should follow the guidance, of course, but we are not saying we want kids to be taken out of school before the end of term – not that there is very long to go now – and we don’t want nativity plays to be cancelled.“We think that it is okay currently, on what we can see, to keep going with Christmas parties.”His aim was for restrictions to be in place “no later than early January and possibly before” if new data could justify it.Alongside the prime minister, England’s chief medical officer Chris Whitty urged the public to stay upbeat because vaccines mean the country is “immeasurably better off” than at the start of the pandemic.“It will be much quicker getting over this than it would have been if the same situation had hit us a year ago,” Professor Whitty said.“I can see why people feel deflated, but this is a setback – this is not a situation where we are back to square one.”Mr Johnson again dismissed the prospect of mandatory vaccinations at the press conference but admitted there would need to be “a national conversation” about how to protect the public.“I said right at the beginning of this pandemic… I didn’t want us to have a society and a culture where we forced people to get vaccinated. I don’t think that’s ever been the way we do things in this country,” he told the press conference.But he added: “I want to be absolutely clear, I don’t believe we can keep going indefinitely with non-pharmaceutical interventions. I mean, restrictions on people’s way of life just because a substantial proportion of the population still sadly, has not got vaccinated.“I think we do need to have a national conversation about the way forward.” More

Boris Johnson was tonight facing pressure from within his own party over his bungled handling of allegations of a lockdown-breaching party at 10 Downing Street, as the crisis gripping his government forced the resignation of a top aide.In a bid to draw a line under the debacle, the prime minister ordered an inquiry by his most senior civil servant into the events of 18 December, when up to 50 aides are reported to have enjoyed alcohol, food and a secret Santa at a time when London was under strict Tier 3 controls barring most indoor gatherings.Senior Tories warned that the blow to public trust in the government from the scandal could hit compliance with new Plan B coronavirus restrictions being imposed in response to the rapid rise of the omicron variant of the disease in the UK.The leader of Conservatives in Scotland, Douglas Ross, suggested that Mr Johnson may have to quit as prime minister if it is proved that he misled parliament over what he knew about the event.Chief medical officer Chris Whitty made clear his concern at the prospect of waning public respect for the rules, telling a Downing Street press conference: “We all know people get very angry, including colleagues and friends, when they feel that it’s unfair.” But he said people must “separate” their anger from the question of what actions need to be taken  to fight off the threat from omicron.After a week of brushing aside questions with a denial that rules had been breached, Mr Johnson was forced into a public apology on Wednesday for a video showing No 10 aides joking about the party four days after it is believed to have taken place.Within hours of the PM saying he was “sickened and furious” about the footage – which went viral on social media after being broadcast by ITV and was quickly lampooned by Ant and Dec on ITV’s I’m a Celebrity – his former press secretary Allegra Stratton became the first victim of the row by quitting her job as Cop26 climate change spokesperson.A tearful Ms Stratton told TV cameras outside her London home that she wanted to offer her “profound apologies” for comments which appeared to make light of rules that people across the country were obeying.“That was never my intention,” she said. “I will regret those remarks for the rest of my days… To all of you who lost loved ones, who endured intolerable loneliness and who struggled with your businesses, I’m truly sorry.”In the Commons, Mr Johnson was barracked by Labour MPs as he apologised “unreservedly” for the clip, but refused to confirm whether or not a party had taken place.“I have been repeatedly assured since these allegations emerged that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken,” said the PM.“I have asked the cabinet secretary (Simon Case) to establish all the facts and to report back as soon as possible and it goes without saying that if those rules were broken then there will be disciplinary action for all those involved.”But Sir Keir Starmer said an inquiry was unnecessary. “It is obvious was happened,” he told MPs. “Ant and Dec are ahead of the prime minister on this. The prime minister has been caught red-handed. Why doesn’t he end the investigation right now by just admitting it?”The Labour leader – who contrasted scenes at Downing Street with the leadership shown by the Queen mourning the Duke of Edinburgh alone – secured a pledge from the PM that any information unearthed by Mr Case would be passed on to police. But Scotland Yard later announced it would not be launching an inquiry, because of “absence of evidence” and in line with its policy not to conduct retrospective investigations of historical Covid regulation breaches. Meanwhile, questions were asked over Mr Johnson’s decision to order the cabinet secretary to look into the events of 18 December only, and not to consider reports of earlier gatherings at No 10 on 13 and 27 November which the PM is alleged to have attended.The civil service head of the Department for Education said she expected Mr Case to consider a Christmas party hosted for staff by then education secretary Gavin Williamson last December, suggesting that the probe may be wider than indicated by the PM. And under intense questioning in a Downing Street press conference, Mr Johnson eventually conceded that Mr Case would “get to the bottom of what he thinks is appropriate and right”.No deadline has been set for the mandarin’s report, though Mr Johnson said he hoped it would be published “as soon as possible”.The scale of Tory anger at Westminster about the PM’s failure over a week to kill off the story was reflected in backbencher William Wragg’s accusation that Mr Johnson’s announcement of new coronavirus restrictions would now be viewed by voters as a “diversionary tactic”.Tory MP Philip Davies asked health secretary Sajid Javid for “any reason at all why I shouldn’t tell my constituents to treat these rules in exactly the same way that No 10 Downing Street treated last year’s rules?”Waveney MP Peter Aldous said the video “gives the impression there is one rule for them and another for the rest of us”, in what appeared like a “rerun of the Dominic Cummings saga” which would probably make it impossible to enforce new Covid restrictions.Former minister Stephen Hammond said it did not appear that Ms Stratton was “the only person culpable” in the scandal.Mr Ross told BBC News he still has confidence in the PM, but said it would be “completely unacceptable” if he was found to have misled parliament on the issue.“If the prime minister knew about this party last December, knew about this party last week, and was still denying it, then that is the most serious allegation,” he said.“No one should continue in their post if they mislead parliament in that way.”His predecessor as Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson dismissed Mr Johnson’s announcement of an inquiry as “pathetic”.“None of this is remotely defensible,” she said. “Not having busy, boozy not-parties while others were sticking to the rules, unable to visit ill or dying loved ones. Nor flat-out denying things that are easily provable. Not taking the public for fools.“As a Tory, I was brought up to believe in playing with a straight bat. Believe me, colleagues are furious at this, too.”An opinion poll by Savanta ComRes found that 54 per cent of voters – including 33 per cent who backed Tories in the 2019 election – think Mr Johnson should quit over the affair.Campaign group Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice said that Ms Stratton’s resignation should not be the end of the matter.“We must not lose sight of the fact that what came out last night happened in the prime minister’s house and it is part of a culture he is responsible for,” the group said in a statement.“The buck stops with him.” More

Boris Johnson’s former press secretary Allegra Stratton has quit her government role after being filmed laughing about a Downing Street Christmas party.Ms Stratton announced that she was quitting as the prime minister’s spokesperson on the Cop26 climate change summit a day after the footage – filmed in December last year – was broadcast by ITV and just hours after Mr Johnson ordered an inquiry into the alleged gathering.Speaking to TV cameras outside her home in London, a tearful Ms Stratton offered her “profound apologies” for her remarks, but did not comment on whether the party took place.Referring to the film, which was recorded as she practised for her planned role as No 10’s TV spokesperson, she said: “My remarks seemed to make light of rules, rules that people were doing everything to obey. That was never my intention.”She added: “I will regret those remarks for the rest of my days, and I offer my profound apologies to all of you at home for them. “Working in government is an immense privilege. I tried to do right by you all, to behave with civility and decency and act to the high standards you rightly expect of No 10. “I will always be proud of what was achieved at Cop26 in Glasgow, and the progress that was made on coal, cars, cash and trees. “This country’s and the prime minister’s leadership on climate change and on nature will make a lasting difference to the whole world. It has been an honour to play a part in that. “I understand the anger and frustration that people feel. To all of you who lost loved ones, who endured intolerable loneliness and who struggled with your businesses, I’m truly sorry. “And this afternoon I am offering my resignation to the prime minister.”Ms Stratton, 41, a former journalist, joined the government as director of strategic communications for Rishi Sunak in 2020.She moved to No 10 in October last year to take up the post of press secretary, with the intention that she would become the first-ever TV spokesperson for the prime minister. But plans for daily televised briefings were dropped following the departure of director of communications Lee Cain, who reportedly opposed her appointment, and she instead became a spokesperson for the UK’s Cop26 presidency.The comments that led to her resignation came in a practice session for the TV briefings, recorded shortly after the alleged 18 December party.Playing the part of a reporter asking a tough question, No 10 special adviser Ed Oldfield asked her to comment on reports of a party four days earlier.Laughing, she replied: “I went home.”She asked fellow Downing Street staffers “What’s the answer?” before adding: “Is cheese and wine alright? It was a business meeting … This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced.”Speaking at Prime Minister’s Questions in the House of Commons on Wednesday, Mr Johnson said he was “sickened and furious” about the video, telling MPs: “I apologise for the impression that has been given that staff in Downing Street take this less than seriously.”But Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said that Mr Johsnon’s apology “raises more questions than answers”.“Millions of people now think the Prime Minister was taking them for fools, that they were lied to. They are right aren’t they?” he said. More