UK Politics

Rebel Conservative MPs are panicking about the timing of a push to remove Boris Johnson, with some expressing doubt that next week is the right moment to trigger a no-confidence vote.Around 30 backbenchers have publicly called for the prime minister to resign, and backbenchers believe they are close to reaching the threshold of 54 no-confidence letters needed for a leadership ballot.But one Tory MP keen to see Mr Johnson replaced has urged colleagues to withdraw their no-confidence letters to prevent a vote happening “by accident” at the start of next week, according to The Guardian.Anxious anti-Johnson backbenchers are said to fear that potential leadership candidates have not had enough time to mobilise and encourage wavering MPs to look beyond Mr Johnson.Some believe the period after two by-elections in June would present the best chance of defeating the PM in a confidence vote.Rebels have previously told The Independent that they fear a confidence vote could be triggered too soon “accidentally” – allowing Mr Johnson a good chance of staying in power for another 12 months.Tory rules mean that a majority of the party’s MPs – 180 – would have to vote against Mr Johnson in order to spark a leadership contest to find his replacement. If the PM survives, he is protected from facing another vote for a year.Some of Mr Johnson’s allies are said to be keen on a no-confidence vote in the period before the 23 June by-elections in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton.Conservative polling guru Lord Hayward told Sky News: “If I was a plotter, I’d probably want it to go on for a while because it allows the conversations to take place longer. The byelections on 23 June … will be key.”The Tory peer added: “If I was a Boris fan, I’d probably want it as quickly as possible to get it out of the way because 54 is relatively easy. 180, which is the number on a vote of confidence, is a different matter.”Andrew Bridgen – the Tory MP who recently resubmitted his letter after withdrawing it at the outbreak of the Ukraine war – reportedly predicted in a Tory WhatsApp group that Downing Street would be told on Monday that 54 letters had already gone in.Tory MP Mark Francois, who has not called for Mr Johnson to go, suggested the prime minister still had work to do to next week to convince wavering backbenchers that things will change after Partygate.“We will come back on Monday and colleagues will ask, ‘Who is going to take responsibility for this?’” he told Times Radio on Friday. “Having spoken to colleagues in past few days, they mood is, they want to know, ‘Who is going to carry the can?’”It comes as the head of the Grassroots Conservatives activist group called on Mr Johnson to resign over the Partygate scandal – saying the PM would “put off voters” at the next general election.Ed Costelloe told The Telegraph that Mr Johnson had not been “wholly honest” about the law-breaking gatherings in Downing Street. “If he had any sense he would resign before he was pushed.”Lesley Bambridge, the Tory mayor of West Norfolk, said she feared Mr Johnson had now “lost his grip” on No 10. “I think it is time for him to seriously reflect and decide whether he is the right man for the job at the moment.” More

More than a dozen asylum seekers being housed at an immigration removal centre near Gatwick airport reportedly went on hunger strike after the Home Office threatened them with deportation to Rwanda. Seventeen people from Syria, Egypt and Sudan are said to have taken part in the protest after they were told they would be sent to the central African nation as part of the UK government’s new agreement to “offshore” the asylum process. The group, some of whom said they had begun to self-harm as a result of their imminent removal, were reportedly warned that taking part in the hunger strike could lead to them being “prioritised” for a flight to Rwanda. Home Secretary Priti Patel has said she is “absolutely determined” that the UK will send migrants to Rwanda despite the prospect of legal challenges being mounted by human rights groups.Earlier this month the Home Office started issuing “notices of intent”, informing some individuals they were “in scope for relocation”.The removal directions confirm to people they are being sent to Rwanda, and when, with the first flight expected to depart on 14 June.But those among the group of 17, who ended their five-day hunger strike on Wednesday, said they would rather “die” than be placed on deportation flights.A Syrian man wanted for military service told the BBC that when he heard he was due to be flown to Rwanda he started hitting himself. He said he was “ready to die, but not be moved to Rwanda”. More

Mumsnet user asks why public should believe ‘habitual liar’ Boris JohnsonBoris Johnson today denied he was a “habitual liar” when asked why the public should believe anything he says.In an interview with the prime minister, Justine Roberts, founder of Mumsnet, said users of the online forum asked about his “trust and integrity”.One user asked: “Why should we believe anything you say when it’s been proven you’re a habitual liar?”Mr Johnson said he did not accept the description or the premise of the question. “People throw all sorts of accusations at me about all sorts of things … you’ve just got to look at the record of what I deliver,” he said. The prime minister went on to be asked if he would resign over the Partygate scandal. “I cannot see how it would be responsible right now, with everything that’s going on, simply to abandon … the project on which I embarked,” he said.Earlier, Dominic Raab dismissed the idea that his boss could face a confidence vote as early as next week – describing the speculation as “Westminster froth”.Show latest update

1654061398‘Brexit could spark potato shortage in Ireland’Brexit could lead to a significant shortage of potatoes for Irish consumers by 2023, experts have warned.Prior to the UK’s departure from the EU, the majority of potato seed used by Irish farmers for varieties such as Kerr Pinks, Golden Wonders and British Queens had been imported from Scotland.But under post-Brexit rules and following the UK’s departure from the single market, exports of seed potatoes – those not consumed but used to plant other potatoes – from Scotland to Ireland are no longer allowed.Andy Gregory reports: Namita Singh1 June 2022 06:291654062318Starmer and Rayner receive police questionnaire over BeergateLabour leader Sir Keir Starmer and his deputy Angela Rayner have both received police questionnaires about the so-called “Beergate” event at a party office in Durham last year.The party confirmed that both senior figures had been asked by Durham Constabulary to explain their attendance at the 30 April gathering, at which beer and curry was consumed.The Durham force announced earlier this month that it would investigate potential breaches of Covid laws by Starmer and his staff, despite initially deciding against action when images of the meeting first appeared.My colleague Adam Forrest reporting the detail: Namita Singh1 June 2022 06:451654062993Minister unable to convert ‘universally understood’ imperial measurementsA government minister on Tuesday struggled to convert from metric measures into what Downing Street has called “universally understood” imperial units.Appearing on Sky News, the arts minister was first asked how many ounces are in a pound – to which he incorrectly said 14.
Host Kay Burley continued: “If you are ordering a pound of sausages, approximately how many grams of sausages are you getting? 250, 350, 450, or 550?”Cambridge University-educated Lord Parkinson hesitantly chose the first answer – again, incorrect.The moment came amid reports that the UK may switch back to imperial units, reports Zaina Alibhai:Namita Singh1 June 2022 06:561654064882Raab on Lord GeidtDominic Raab has said he was “not privy to the conversation” following reports that Lord Geidt was about to resign.“He’s made clear a number of concerns but the prime minister has addressed them in his response and in particular made clear the explanation that he didn’t believe he’d broken the ministerial code,” he told Times Radio.“In relation to the single fixed penalty notice, it had been an unintentional breach of the law and inadvertent in the sense that he turned up to the gathering without having realised it would be in breach of the relevant regulations.“Of course, more broadly… No 10 have been working with Lord Geidt over a number of months now to strengthen and reinforce the independent office and I’m glad that those changes have been agreed. It’s an important role.”Zoe Tidman1 June 2022 07:281654065633‘She hasn’t put a letter in as far as I understand,’ Raab on LeadsomDominic Raab has said he does not believe former Cabinet minister Dame Andrea Leadsom has submitted a letter to the 1922 Committee.Outlining his thoughts on her letter to her constituents shared on social media, which criticised prime minister Boris Johnson following the Sue Gray report, the deputy PM told Times Radio: “I’ve known Andrea a long time, we came in as MPs, I hold her in high esteem.“I think it’s clear that she’s expressing her frustration, she hasn’t put a letter in as far as I understand, she hasn’t said that.“The most important thing is the fact that the Prime Minister has addressed all of these points [and] overhauled the No 10 operation.”Zoe Tidman1 June 2022 07:401654067070Sir Graham Brady letters ‘pretty far off’ threshold, Raab saysThe deputy prime minister has said he believes the number of letters which have been submitted to Sir Graham Brady is “pretty far off” the required amount needed to trigger a confidence vote. Dominic Raab told Times Radio: “First of all, you said that there were 30 MPs who have been public [in their criticism of the prime minister]. There’s of course well over 350-odd Conservative MPs.”Presenter Aasmah Mir responded: “Well you need to get to 54, so it’s not that far off, is it?”Mr Raab said: “Well, if you’re at 30, which is what you’ve just said, I think you’re pretty far off, but my point is even then, in terms of the support for the PM, the overwhelming majority have not been public about these kind of criticisms.“Although in fairness, I want to say I understand the frustrations and the concerns.”MPs being publicly vocal in their criticism of Boris Johnson does not mean they have submitted a letter.Zoe Tidman1 June 2022 08:041654068745Boris Johnson will not face any leadership vote, Dominic Raab saysDominic Raab has dismissed the idea that Boris Johnson could face a confidence vote as early as next week – dismissing the speculation as “Westminster froth”.The deputy prime minister said the mood at the top of government was “fine” despite a growing number of Conservative MPs calling on the PM to resign, Adam Forrest reports:Zoe Tidman1 June 2022 08:321654069368Tories need to consider which ‘crimes’ PM has committed, says 1922 committee treasurerThe treasurer of the 1922 Committee has warned Tory MPs that ousting Mr Johnson would mean a leadership vacuum during a “really serious situation”.Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown claimed a leadership contest would take at least eight weeks because of the lack of an obvious successor.“I think at the moment for me, we should leave matters as they are,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.He also said Conservative MPs need to consider which “crimes” Mr Johnson has “actually committed” before launching a leadership coup.Zoe Tidman1 June 2022 08:421654070412‘It’s not that simple’Dominic Raab has been out defending Boris Johson this morning after the prime minister was criticised by his own ethics advisor over Partyagte.In his annual report published yesterday, Lord Geidt said that the fact Boris Johnson had been fined by the police could constitute a breach of the ministerial code in itself.But Raab, the justice secretary and deputy PM, said he thinks it is “not that simple”.”There have been examples in the past where similarly, I think Baroness Scotland, I think in 2009, she was a minister (and was fined),” he told Sky News.”The point was, she hadn’t acted deliberately or intentionally, and therefore Gordon Brown took the view that the code hadn’t been broken.”He added: “So I’m just saying there are precedents for this… I think it’s clear from the circumstances of this particular gathering, where he turned up, was there for 10 minutes, was unaware that it was a surprise birthday cake for him, that wasn’t a deliberate breach of the rules, and that’s the key point.”He also claimed there won’t be a no confidence vote in Johnson next week. More comments from Raab below: Matt Mathers1 June 2022 09:001654071736‘The numbers are definitely rising’The number of no confidence letters going in to the 1922 Committee is “definitely rising”, a Tory peer has said.Lord Hayward said he knew of at least one MP who had been in touch with Sir Graham Brady, chair of the Committee, but had not gone public.He suggested a vote would take place but said it was hard to say when the line would be crossed.Matt Mathers1 June 2022 09:22 More

Scottish Green party MSPs were accused of “petty student politics” after walking out en masse of a parliamentary debate celebrating the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee.The Scottish Conservatives condemned the boycott after all seven Green representatives left the Holyrood chamber as first minister Nicola Sturgeon led tributes to Her Majesty.But Republican campaigners praised the move – arguing that it reflected the anti-monarchist views of many young people in Scotland. More

Boris Johnson’s post-Brexit plan to bring back imperial measurements is “complete and utter nonsense”, according to Asda chair Stuart Rose.In a scathing attack, the Conservative peer said the push to boost the use of pounds, ounces and other outmoded weights and measures would only “add cost” and confusion to businesses.“I’ve never heard such nonsense in my life,” Lord Rose told Times Radio on Thursday, branding it a “backwards” step aimed at pleasing nostalgic voters.“I mean, we have got serious problems in the world and we’re now saying let’s go backwards. Does anybody in this country below the age of about 40 know how many ounces there are in a pound?” the Asda chief asked.Lord Rose said the government was pushing ahead with the plan “just to actually please a small minority of people who hark for the past. It’s complete and utter nonsense and it will add cost to those people who have to put it into place.”The former boss of Marks & Spencer added: “I am shocked. It’s one thing having a crown on your pint glass, which is a bit of fun and a bit of nostalgia. It’s quite another having a whole dual system of weights and measures.”The government is set to consult industry on how to reintroduce imperial units in Britain after quitting the EU, with ministers expected to officially announce the move today to coincide with the Queen’s platinum jubilee.The idea has already faced criticism from the Tory backbenches, with Rutland and Melton MP Alicia Kearns branding it “a nonsense”. Labour has accused Mr Johnson of trying to “weaponise nostalgia”.Last week, Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis claimed voters and businesses would be “pleased” that the government was set to open the door to greater use of imperial units.But the British Retail Consortium (BRC), the umbrella body representing the big supermarkets, has warned that the move could be “distracting” and costly at a time when food chiefs were trying to tackle inflationary pressures during the cost of living crisis.Ministers have argued that it would give the likes of greengrocers and pub landlords greater choice over running their businesses, as well as bringing “national culture” back into shops.Mr Lewis said that, while the policy was “light-hearted”, there were many people who “want to go back” to using pounds and ounces, and measures such as yards and miles.The 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 grams and kilograms.The consultation, which is being coordinated by the department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy (BEIS), could change those stipulations, allowing traders to choose how they price fresh items.The Independent understands that 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.A Tory minister struggled to convert imperial measurements during an interview on Sky News earlier this week, despite Downing Street claiming the system is “universally understood”.Arts minister Stephen Parkinson gave incorrect answers when Kay Burley asked him to convert ounces and grams into pounds. More

A senior Conservative MP has called for Boris Johnson’s government to take the UK back into the EU single market to help ease the cost of living crisis.Tobias Ellwood, the defence select committee chair, said Brexit had left British business “strangled” by red tape – insisting that it was time to “think outside the box”.The leading Tory MP urged the government to look again at forging a Norway-style relationship with the EU, allowing access to the single market through the European Economic Area (EEA).Writing in The House magazine, Mr Ellwood claimed that the move would see post-Brexit paperwork costing firms £7bn removed and help ease inflationary pressures on hard-pressed families.“Sector after sector is being strangled by the red tape we were supposed to escape from,” said the Tory MP – arguing that Brexit has not turned to be what “most people imagined”.Speaking about his proposal on Times Radio on Thursday, Mr Ellwood said: “I’m daring to think outside the box … that’s what we need to do at the moment, given the economic situation we face.”He added: “It would strengthen our economy because it would remove so much red tape, it would ease the cost of living crisis, and it would actually settle the difficult Irish question on the Northern Ireland Protocol.”But David Frost – No 10’s former Brexit negotiator – denounced Mr Ellwood’s surprise call. The hardliner said Mr Ellwood’s intervention “shows Brexit really is not safe in his hands or his allies”.Senior Tory backbencher Mark Harper also rejected the idea, tweeting: “No. The UK voted to leave the EU. That meant leaving the single market and putting an end to freedom of movement. The end.”Labour has been keen to avoid talking about Brexit, given the subject has caused significant electoral problems for the party in large parts of the country.But backbencher MP Stella Creasy – chair of the Labour Movement for Europe – praised Mr Ellwood’s for “speaking out”, adding: “For sake of jobs, peace and equality, UK must discuss our future with Europe.” Treasury minister Simon Clarke said he was “pleased to reassure” Mr Ellwood that Britain would not be rejoining the single market – claiming the move would “extinguish half the freedoms that make Brexit so important”.Mr Ellwood acknowledged that being in the single market would mean signing up to freedom of movement – something many Tory MPs were determined to avoid in the years running about to the final Brexit deal.But the senior Tory pointed out that being part of the EU’s Dublin convention could lead to better co-operation with other near neighbours when it comes to asylum seekers.Mr Ellwood also argued that re-joining the single market would boost the UK’s “European credentials” at a time of greater threat from Russia, as well as bringing Britain closer to the US.He asked: “Would it not be churlish for us not to think would our heads, do the maths and ask ourselves if this economically is in the nation’s interests?”James Withers, head of Scotland Food and Drink, said Mr Ellwood’s intervention was a “timely, welcome reminder from that Brexit is doable without shooting ourselves in both feet”.But he said the fuss caused by his proposal “is a sign of how much we have lost in the battle between ideology and sensible governing”.Meanwhile, Mr Ellwood called for “civility” in the Tory party as it wrestles with the leadership question, as he confirmed he had sent a letter of no-confidence in Mr Johnson months ago.Asked about briefings by the PM’s allies against rebel backbenchers, he told Times Radio: “I’m worried about the language now being used. I do worry about where [the debate] is descending. The party itself must work together, whatever happens.”He added: “But you can’t get away from the fact that there are genuine concerns [about Johnson’s leadership]. It’s reflected the polling, local elections and no doubt in the by-elections as well. And those issues do need to be addressed.” More

Brexit has led to a decline in crops and fewer home-grown products on the shelves of Britain’s supermarkets, farming chiefs have warned.Farmers in Kent told a visiting group of MPs that it has become easier to import some fruits than harvest them because of strict limits on the seasonal workers from the EU.Winterwood Farms, an agricultural giant based in the county, said its UK farms had been forced to leave 8 per cent of their fruit crop unharvested and would be planting less in future.Stephen Taylor, managing director of Winterwood in Maidstone, said the government’s advice to replace lost EU labour with British workers and robots shows how “out of touch” ministers have become.“The flow of people coming from Europe to work for the summer has declined every year since Brexit, particularly the last two summers, and as a direct result we are now growing less and importing more,” he said.Calling for more flexible seasonal work visas, he added: “The government could still allow the same people to carry out the harvest – but it has inexplicably decided to choke the industry instead.”Labour MP Hilary Benn led a delegation MPs and industry chiefs to visit Winterwood’s farms in Kent to see the difficulties they are facing with labour shortages.They were told the problem had hit the whole farming sector – resulting in less fresh, more expensive imported fruit in British supermarkets to cover the shortfall.The UK Trade and Business Commission delegation, which is examining the impact of Brexit, also heard that British farmers’ off-season trade has also been badly hit.Farmers could previously sell any surplus from overseas operations to EU markets, but new Brexit red tape means they must now pay to dispose of this fruit.Mr Benn, co-convenor of the commission, said the government’s immigration and trade policies were “raising questions over our food security”.The senior Labour MP added: “It is essential that ministers urgently consider the introduction of more flexible visas for seasonal workers and negotiate better trading terms on fresh produce with our European neighbours.” More

The benefit cap should be reconsidered to prevent some of the UK’s poorest families missing out on a huge boost to their income, one of its Tory architects has suggested. Iain Duncan Smith, the former Conservative party leader who was the work and pensions secretary when it was introduced, said he would be in favour of looking again at the limit. Benefits payments are set to soar by up to 10 per cent from next April, to keep up with the rate of inflation, the chancellor has confirmed. But more than 120,000 households will not see a penny extra, despite the cost of living crisis, because of the cap, which acts as a ceiling on how much they can receieve from the state. Asked if the cap should now rise, Mr Duncan Smith said: “I would certainly be in favour of looking at it.” More