UK Politics

Sir Lindsay Hoyle issued a warning to MPs before Prime Minister’s Questions on Wednesday, 29 November, not to visit each other’s constituencies on official business without giving notice.Without naming any specific MPs, the Speaker warned “colleagues in Lancashire” to “think about when they are going to others and just to let people know when you are going there. I believe this did not happen.”The House of Commons Members and Constituency Etiquette states that MPs intending to visit another constituency, other than on a purely private or personal matter, should inform the relevant colleague – failing to do so is “regarded as very discourteous.” More

Dominic Cummings acted as prime minister in “all but name” during his time as Boris Johnson’s chief adviser, Sajid Javid has told the UK Covid-19 Inquiry.Mr Javid said he resigned as chancellor in February 2020 because Mr Cummings made “many key decisions” on behalf of the former prime minister.“I felt that the elected prime minister was not in charge of what was happening in his name and was largely content with Mr Cummings running the government,” he told the inquiry on Wednesday 29 November.The inquiry was also shown a diary entry by former chief scientific adviser, Sir Patrick Vallance, in which he accused Mr Javid – the former health secretary – of “making policy on the hoof”. More

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Rishi Sunak of “losing his marbles” in a Greek artifact jibe during Prime Minister’s Questions.In his opening remarks, Starmer joked:” In an effort to hide from his failures, the Prime Minister spent this week arguing about an ancient relic that only a tiny minority of the British public have any interest in – Mr Speaker, that’s enough about the Tory Party.”Starmer added: “Never mind the British Museum – it’s the prime minister who has obviously lost his marbles”. A diplomatic row over the sculptures was triggered when Prime Minister Rishi Sunak cancelled Tuesday’s planned meeting with Greek counterpart Kyriakos Mitsotakis. More