Markus Andrews

Boris Johnson has refused to deny using his personal email address to carry out government business amid concerns about the conduct of a sacked cabinet minister. Asked by reporters during a campaign visit to the town of Batley whether he had had also broken the rules, Mr Johnson said would not comment on the matter.It comes after Labour demanded an investigation into allegations that Matt Hancock and junior health minister Lord Bethell had used their personal accounts for official work.During the by-election campaign trail visit to Johnstone’s Paints Limited, the Prime Minister said: “I don’t comment on how I conduct Government business.”Justice Secretary Robert Buckland this morning admitted the practice of using personal email accounts was a threat to government security. Asked in a Monday morning interview whether Matt Hancock’s use of a personal email account was a “huge security issue” that could potentially see hackers gain access to government communications, Justice Secretary Robert Buckland told the BBC:”I agree, and that’s why I think it’s important that we use the systems that we are provided with.”Ministers are supposed to use their secure government emails and telephones for work to avoid hackers and foreign security services listening in on the inner workings of government.The approach also ensures official correspondence is logged and subject to data protection and freedom of information laws.Questions have been raised about whether Mr Hancock’s use of a personal email account will make it harder to scrutinise the process by which so many emergency Covid contracts came to be given to Conservative aquaintances and donors.But commenting on the admission about security by Mr Buckland, Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, said: “It’s staggering that a government minister has admitted that the Tory party could be putting national security at risk by carrying out government business on private emails but hasn’t said that ministers are going to do anything about it.”We already know that hostile actors target Ministers’ private email accounts to access sensitive information.”We need a full independent inquiry to get to the bottom of how wide this goes, whether Ministers have put our national security at risk and what steps will be taken to protect vital information and our country’s security.”Mr Johnson’s visit to Batley comes ahead of the Batley and Spen by election, scheduled for 1 July, where the Tories are hoping to win a seat off Labour.Speaking on Monday morning less than 48 hours after Mr Hancock’s resignation, Mr Buckland claimed that under the rules, “anything that is very sensitive, I can assure viewers, isn’t actually viewed on email”.On the question of an inquiry, he told Sky News: “We should use Government emails, I think that’s very clear.”I think the Cabinet Office, if they’re asked to look at this, they probably will be, will need to satisfy themselves that if that was the case then the material is available.”Mr Hancock quit on Saturday following revelations about his relationship with an aide and CCTV footage of them embracing and apparently breaking social distancing instructions in a government office. More

Sajid Javid has ruled out another Covid lockdown in first significant comments as health secretary, saying: “It’s going to be irreversible – there’s no going back.”Appearing to confirm he will be more hawkish about lifting restrictions than his disgraced predecessor, Matt Hancock, he said he wanted to move “as quickly as possible“.Boris Johnson has only spoken about his wish for the end of Covid rules – pencilled in for 19 July – to be irreversible, without promising they would be.Meanwhile, some scientists have warned of troubles ahead if the third wave apparently underway takes off and combines with a flu epidemic when the weather worsens in the autumn.But, during a visit to St Thomas’ Hospital in London, Mr Javid said: “I want to see the restrictions lifted and life going back to normal as quickly as possible.“Right here and now that is my absolute priority. I want to see those restrictions lifted as soon as we can, as quickly as possible.“In terms of the road map to that you’ll have to wait for my statement to Parliament later today.“It’s going to be irreversible, there’s no going back. That’s why we want to be careful during that process.”The comments may be seen as some as throwing doubt on the government’s commitment to be driven by “data not dates” in making decisions about what restrictions are needed.The new health secretary also revealed that the camera in the health secretary’s office – that brought down Mr Hancock, by filming him kissing his aide, Gina Coladangelo – has been disabled.“I haven’t disabled the camera that you are talking about, but it has been disabled by the department,” Mr Javid said.“For security it’s just common sense. I don’t think as a general rule there should be cameras in the secretary of state’s office.“I’ve never known that in the other five departments that I’ve run and I’m not really sure why there was one here but I’m sure there will be more to this as the whole incident is investigated.”Mr Javid was quickly appointed on Saturday evening, avoiding the need for a wider reshuffle by bringing in somebody on the Tory backbenches.As well as Covid, he has the task of bringing down a terrifying surge in NHS waiting lists, which stand at more than 5 million people, with staff burnout and shortages a major problem.He must also help to thrash out a solution to the social care crisis – promised by the autumn – after a decade of inaction by the government. More

A government investigation is under way after Ministry of Defence (MoD) documents containing details about a British warship’s controversial voyage off the Crimean coast were found at a bus stop in Kent.The 50-page file containing details of the Black Sea operation was discovered in a “soggy heap” behind a bus stop in Kent on Tuesday by a member of the public, according to the BBC.The MoD said it had been informed last week that “sensitive defence papers” has been recovered by a passer-by and shared with the public broadcaster. The ministry has now launched a probe.Russia has already seized upon the embarrassing blunder. Foreign ministry spokesperson Maria Zakharova mocked the government, saying: “007 (James Bond) is no longer the same.”“And now a riddle-like question for the British parliament, why do we need ‘Russian hackers’ if there are British bus stops?” she asked on social media platform Telegram.So what exactly is contained in the documents, and what does it reveal about the government’s strategy on dealing with Russia and its claims on the Crimean peninsula?Some of the emails and PowerPoint presentations in the papers relate to pre-operation plans for the British warship HMS Defender, which last week sailed through waters off the Crimea – a region Russia annexed from Ukraine in 2014 despite international condemnation.The documents shared with the BBC appear to show that last week’s mission – dubbed “Op Ditroite” – was carried out in the knowledge that Russia could respond aggressively.“What do we understand about the possible ‘welcome party’…?” one official had asked on the plan to head through Ukrainian waters just off the Crimea coast.A presentation document warned: “Following the transition from defence engagement activity to operational activity, it is highly likely that RFN (Russian navy) and VKS (Russian air force) interactions will become more frequent and assertive.”Three possible responses from Moscow to the HMS Defender’s voyage were assessed – from “safe and professional” to “neither safe nor professional”.The documents also reveal that military chiefs also considered a less risky route through Ukrainian waters, much further away from the contested waters.But presentation documents also warned that Russia would see the use of a less risky route as evidence of the UK “being scared” – allowing the Kremlin to claim that the UK now accepted its claim to the territorial waters around Crimea. More

Labour has branded Priti Patel’s plan to send asylum seekers to offshore immigration centres for processing as “unconscionable” and said it will oppose the policy.The Home Secretary has reportedly opened talks with Denmark, whose government has already passed legislation to pursue a similar policy and open a processing centre outside Europe.The Times newspaper reports that the UK and Denmark could potentially set up a shared centre in Rwanda, a landlocked country in central Africa.Describing the policy as “unconscionable”, shadow home secretary Nick Thomas-Symonds said on Sunday night Labour would oppose the proposals. The idea of processing applicants for refugee status offshore has been a perennial suggestion of Home Secretaries going back decades, and has also repeatedly been discussed at an EU level in various forms without agreement. The approach is attractive to ministers who want to circumvent the UK’s international obligations to refugees, and who would like to appear “tough” against people arriving in the UK. The Home office also claims the policy will deter people from travelling to the UK.However, previous attempts to make the policy work have always failed to get off the ground.The Nationality and Borders Bill, to be introduced to the Commons next week, will include a provision to create an offshore immigration processing centre.The approach requires the cooperation of a third country willing to host any offshore centre.A similar approach has been followed in Australia since 2012, with migrants arriving in the country sent to detention camps in Nauru and Papua New Guinea. Human rights groups say the policy is rife with rights violations. Domestic immigration detention facilities in the UK have also been rife with abuse and poor treatment and some campaigners say they should be closed.Labour’s Mr Thomas-Symonds said: “These same plans have been mooted before. They are unconscionable. Labour will stand against them.”A Home Office spokesperson said: “Our asylum system is broken and we cannot sit idly by while people die attempting to cross the Channel. Our New Plan for Immigration will welcome people through safe and legal routes, whilst preventing abuse of the system and the criminality associated with it.”People should claim asylum in the first safe country they arrive and we must ensure dangerous journeys are not incentivised.”We have been looking at what other countries do to deter illegal migration and this work continues. We will not rule out any option that could help reduce the illegal migration and relieve the pressure on the broken asylum system.” More

Matt Hancock’s conduct may have threatened the security of private government communications, the Justice Secretary has admitted.The former health secretary, who resigned over the weekend, is facing an investigation for allegedly using his private email account to conduct government business.Asked whether Mr Hancock’s actions were a “huge security issue” that could potentially see hackers gain access to government communications, Robert Buckland told the BBC:”I agree, and that’s why I think it’s important that we use the systems that we are provided with.” Ministers are supposed to use their secure government emails and telephones for work to avoid hackers and foreign security services listening in on the inner workings of government. The approach also ensures official correspondence is logged and subject to data protection and freedom of information laws.Questions have been raised about whether Mr Hancock’s use of a personal email account will make it harder to scrutinise the process by which so many emergency Covid contracts came to be given to Conservative aquaintances and donors.But commenting on the admission about security by Mr Buckland, Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, said: “It’s staggering that a government minister has admitted that the Tory party could be putting national security at risk by carrying out government business on private emails but hasn’t said that ministers are going to do anything about it.”We already know that hostile actors target Ministers’ private email accounts to access sensitive information.”We need a full independent inquiry to get to the bottom of how wide this goes, whether Ministers have put our national security at risk and what steps will be taken to protect vital information and our country’s security.”Speaking on Monday morning less than 48 hours after Mr Hancock’s resignation, Mr Buckland claimed that under the rules, “anything that is very sensitive, I can assure viewers, isn’t actually viewed on email”.On the question of an inquiry, he told Sky News: “We should use Government emails, I think that’s very clear.”I think the Cabinet Office, if they’re asked to look at this, they probably will be, will need to satisfy themselves that if that was the case then the material is available.”Mr Hancock quit on Saturday following revelations about his relationship with an aide and CCTV footage of them embracing and apparently breaking social distancing instructions in a government office. More

The senior-most commanders of the British armed forces are self-isolating since the weekend after General Sir Nick Carter, the head of Britain’s military, tested positive for coronavirus.The chief of the defence staff, who attended a meeting with other key leaders on Thursday, tested positive for Covid-19, the Ministry of Defence confirmed on Sunday night.The Ministry of Defence said: “The chief of the defence staff has tested positive during routine Covid-19 checks. Colleagues who were in a senior meeting with him last week, including the secretary of state, are self-isolating in line with government guidelines.”The NHS Test and Trace directed defence secretary Ben Wallace, heads of the Royal Navy, RAF and Strategic Command, to isolate for a period of 10 days after coming in “close contact” with General Carter at the meeting, reported The Telegraph.Gen Carter attended the meeting with Admiral Sir Tim Fraser, vice-chief of the defence staff; General Sir Mark Carleton-Smith, chief of the general staff; Admiral Sir Tony Radakin, First Sea Lord (head of navy); air chief marshal Sir Mike Wigston and General Sir Patrick Sanders, commander of strategic command.The head of the army and Gen Carter’s deputy, who attended the meeting but did not sit close and remained at a distance to the chief of defence staff, spent the weekend self-isolating as they awaited results of their Covid tests. They are expected to work remotely from Monday as a precautionary measure.The 62-year-old reportedly tested positive after attending the Chalke Valley history festival in Wiltshire last Friday as well as the meeting in Shrivenham in Oxfordshire on Thursday.Social distancing measures were followed during the meeting but some of those attending were still exposed to the risk of catching Covid after coming in close contact during one-on-one discussions.Sources told the newspaper tracing and diagnosis would mean that “there are going to be a lot of diaries disrupted” as many will be working remotely.This comes as Germany is reportedly seeking to ban British travellers from the EU as Angela Merkel, the German Chancellor, wants to classify Britain as a “country of concern” as the “more transmissible” Delta variant continues to grow.According to latest figures, 44 million people, which accounts for 84 per cent of adults have received their first jab and more than 32 million, 61 per cent, have had two shots of Covid vaccines. More

Labour Party activists were egged, pushed to the ground and kicked in the head while campaigning in Batley and Spen, according to the region’s mayor.Tracey Brabin, who was elected to the new role in West Yorkshire last month, said she witnessed the attack while leafletting on Sunday.Ms Brabin said the group were “followed, verbally abused and physically assaulted” by a group of young men in the Whitaker Street area of Batley.”The group I was with included young people and the elderly. I witnessed them being egged, pushed and forced to the ground and kicked in the head”.The alleged assault is now being investigated by West Yorkshire Police.It follows an incident on Friday when Jo Cox’s sister Lim Leadbeater, Labour’s by-election candidate in for the Batley and Spen seat, was confronted by a group of protesters.Video footage showed a man challenging her over the situation in Kashmir and the concerns of Muslim parents about LGBT+ education in schools.Ms Leadbeater later described feeling “intimidated” and accused fellow candidate George Galloway of laughing during the incident. She has previously suggested the former Labour MP was trying to “sow division” in the area to win votes from the Muslim community.Holly Lynch, Labour MP for Halifax and shadow crime reduction minister, said Mr Galloway’s campaign had “created a toxic environment that is suffocating democracy and drowning out the voices of local people.”She added: “There has been a series of increasingly serious and violent attacks in recent days and this is absolutely unacceptable.”Lawless thugs are seeking to intimidate and attack those involved in the proper democratic process.”Tensions were also high over the weekend after it was reported that Tommy Robinson – real name Stephen Yaxley-Lennon – would be joining far-right candidate Jayda Fransen for a rally in the area on Saturday.In the end Robinson did not turn up and West Yorkshire Police said a planned demonstration of around 400 people “passed off largely without incident”. Three people were arrested – two for public order offences and one for possession of an offensive weapon.Ms Brabin said: “We know why tensions are rising in our streets. Those who want to sow division are not welcome in our community.”The actions of these people do not represent the Batley and Spen I know. We are kinder than this.”Additional reporting by Press Association More

Labour is calling for a “full-scale” investigation into ministers’ use of private emails to conduct government business amid allegations the former health secretary Matt Hancock used his personal account.Despite dramatically resigning from cabinet over the weekend, the Labour Party added to mounting questions over Mr Hancock’s conduct in government, warning that vital information could be have been concealed due to use of a private Gmail account.According to reports, leaked minutes from a December meeting at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) showed that Mr Hancock had been using an unofficial account since the onset of the pandemic in March 2020.The Sunday Times said the minutes revealed that David Williams – then second permanent secretary at the department – warning that the former cabinet minister “only” dealt with his private office “via Gmail account”.The newspaper added that the senior civil servant said: “The SOS [secretary of state] does not have a DHSC inbox,” and also claimed that health minister Lord Bethell “routinely uses his private inbox”, but that official accounts had been provided afterwards.He said he “doesn’t believe there were inappropriate acts on behalf of ministers but can clearly see the optics suggest otherwise”.Cabinet Office guidelines say that if personal accounts are used for government business, either the sender or receiver must “take steps to ensure the relevant information is accessible (e.g. by copying it to a government email address)” for record-keeping purposes.In a statement on Sunday, a Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: “All DHSC ministers understand the rules around personal email usage and only conduct business through their department email address.”But calling for a wider probe into the issue, Angela Rayner, Labour’s deputy leader, insisted: “The buck doesn’t stop with Hancock and this matter is not closed. This government is rotten to its core.“We need to know how wide this goes and how much government business is being conducted in secret,” she added.“This shady practice has the potential to conceal vital information of public waste of taxpayers’ money that has been given to friends of Conservative ministers.”In a letter to the cabinet secretary, Simon Case – the most senior civil servant in government – Ms Rayner said the use of private emails would hinder scrutiny of ministerial decisions, citing both the impact on freedom of information requests and any future public inquiry.“There is also a clear security risk if ministers are using private email accounts to discuss government business, leading to the leaking of sensitive information, or the blackmail of ministers by hostile actors.”Ms Rayner asked the cabinet secretary to clarify whether the use of private emails could potentially be in breach of the Official Secrets Act, the Freedom of Information Act, the Data Protection Act or the Public Records Act.And she requested to know what steps were being taken by the government to secure Mr Hancock and health minister Lord Bethell’s emails so they can be used as evidence in the Covid public inquiry, which is expected to begin next spring.The deputy leader also urged the government to disclose whether any ministers had been using private email accounts in relation to the awarding of government contracts during the pandemic.A spokesperson for the Cabinet Office said: “We have received the letter and will respond in due course.”Elsewhere, the cabinet minister Brandon Lewis also announced the launch of an internal investigation at the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) into how footage was leaked of Mr Hancock embracing an aide in his private office.The Northern Ireland secretary told Sky News the government needed to “understand exactly how that was recorded and how it got out of the system”, stressing it was an issue “we need to get to the bottom of” due to the sensitive work of government departments. More