UK Politics

Scotland Yard is considering a call to investigate Boris Johnson under anti-bribery laws, after he appeared to back a “Great Exhibition” plan put forward by the Tory donor who funded his luxury flat redecorations.Labour’s lawyers wrote to the Metropolitan Police to call for the probe following the release, last month, of WhatsApp messages the prime minister exchanged with Lord Brownlow.They revealed Mr Johnson told the donor he was “on the great exhibition plan”, as he described his Downing Street rooms as “a bit of a tip” – and pleaded for more money for the £142,000 refurbishmentTwo months later, Lord Brownlow joined a meeting with the culture secretary “to discuss plans for Great Exhibition 2.0”, a showcase of British innovation later renamed “Festival UK”,Lawyers, from the firm Edwards Duthie Shamash, argued the Met is “duty-bound” to begin a formal investigation into whether Mr Johnson has broken the Bribery Act.They said the prime minister may have acted improperly by having “linked” a request for funds to cover the refurbishment works with a promise to “promote a project” backed by the benefactor.A Met spokesperson said: “A letter was received and acknowledged on Friday 4 February. It is being considered by officers from the Met’s central specialist crime [unit]. No investigation has been opened.”The link was exposed after Mr Johnson’s ethics adviser demanded to know why WhatsApp exchanges were kept secret in his probe into the controversial flat refit.In January, Christopher Geidt attacked the failure to pass on the messages – blamed on a change of mobile phone – as “extraordinary”, warning public faith in government had been dented.He continued to conclude there was no breach of the ministerial code, but did not fully exonerate Mr Johnson.Labour said investigations by Lord Geidt and the Electoral Commission had not looked at potential corruption or bribery by the prime minister.An inquiry was needed into whether further messages were exchanged between the pair and what action Mr Johnson took when he promised to “revert” in relation to the great exhibition idea.Gerald Shamash, from the law firm, argued in the letter to the Met, there was “reasonable suspicion that, were the suspect anyone other than the prime minister, the Metropolitan police would rightly consider itself duty-bound to investigate”“Indeed, if anything, the fact that the suspicion arises in relation to someone in such a high office makes it more, not less, important in the public interest that these matters are investigated,” he wrote.A No 10 spokesperson said: “These allegations are categorically untrue and a clear misrepresentation of the facts.“Lord Brownlow, separate to his work for the emerging Downing Street Trust, put proposals from the Royal Albert Hall, the national institution and charity, to the prime minister.“This was passed to the lead department, DCMS [the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport]. It is a matter of public record that no project was taken forward by the government.” More

Detectives investigating lockdown parties in Downing Street are to send out questionnaires to people believed to have taken part, Scotland Yard has said.Before the end of the week, officers from what has been named Operation Hillman will begin contacting more than 50 people thought to have been involved in events which are the subject of police inquiries.The announcement came after the MetropolitanPolice said they would be widening their inquiries to cover a quiz night in No 10 on December 2020 after a photograph emerged of Boris Johnson and colleagues near an open bottle of sparkling wine.In a statement the Met said the questionnaire would ask for “an account and explanation of the recipient’s participation” in an event which is the subject of police inquiries.Recipients will be advised that the questionnaire has “formal legal status” and that their response is required within seven days. In most cases the contact will be by email.“It should be noted that being contacted does not mean a fixed penalty notice will necessarily be issued to that person,” the statement said.“Nevertheless, if following an investigation, officers believe it is appropriate because the Covid regulations have been breached without a reasonable excuse, a fixed penalty notice will normally be issued.“We understand the interest in and impact of this case, and are progressing the investigation at pace. We are committed to completing our investigations proportionately, fairly and impartially.” More

Corruption experts have said said they have concerns about Jacob Rees-Mogg’s appointment as Minister for Brexit Opportunities because of potentially “serious” conflicts of interests.Boris Johnson on Tuesday appointed the Tory MP to the new role with a remit to slash EU regulations and turn Britain’s trade policy towards emerging markets – but there are worries that he could “stand to benefit personally” from his portfolio. The MP is a major shareholder and founder of Somerset Capital, an $8 billion (£5.91 billion) investment fund which could benefit financially from Brexit trade deals. The investment firm specialises in “emerging markets” and major economies outside Europe, which the government’s Brexit trade deals are focused on and which Mr Rees-Mogg will be steering policy around.The concern comes after as series of sleaze and corruption scandals related to lobbying and business access to ministers have rocked the Tory government – including the Greensill Capital and Owen Paterson scandals.“Rees-Mogg’s vast investment portfolio in dozens of sectors across several continents could pose a serious conflict of interest with his reported intention of axing a thousand regulations when he could stand to benefit personally from the process,” Susan Hawley, executive director of Spotlight on Corruption, told the website openDemocracy.“Worryingly, the government’s hurried announcement of his new ministerial role fails to even spell out his specific responsibilities, and so the public will be left in the dark as to what exactly Rees-Mogg will be doing on taxpayers’ time, and whether he will stand to benefit personally from any recommendations he makes.”Meanwhile Steve Goodrich, of Transparency International, told the same outlet: “It’s risky business when ministers hold briefs relating to their personal financial affairs, and even more so when there’s a lot of money at stake.“In theory, there are rules in place to stop them blurring the lines between their public roles and private interests, yet in practice these have proven to be no more than just words on paper.”Mr Rees-Mogg, who is thought to be worth “well over £100 million”, is said to draw a six-figure dividend from the company and remains a major shareholder.According to ministerial code “ministers must ensure that no conflict arises, or appears to arise, between their public duties and their private interests”.But the code is ultimately enforced by the prime minister, and Boris Johnson has so far shown little interest in sanctioning ministers for their behaviour – including when his ethics advisors say they should be.Former advisor Alex Allan quit in 2020 after Mr Johnson ignored his advice that the home secretary’s conduct “amounted to behaviour that can be described as bullying” and that she had therefore broken the code.Experts at the University of Sussex Centre of the Study of Corruption warned last month that Boris Johnson’s administration was more corrupt “than any UK government since the Second World War”.A Cabinet Office spokesperson said: “Policy related to the financial services sector is the sole responsibility of the Treasury, and as Brexit opportunities minister Jacob Rees-Mogg will not be involved in decision-making in respect of financial services.“The Ministerial Code sets out the process by which, following appointment, ministers should declare their interests, and take advice from their permanent secretary and the independent adviser on ministers’ interests, on any necessary steps to avoid or mitigate a conflict of interest.“That process will take place as with any other ministerial appointment.”Oliver Crawley, a Partner at Somerset Capital Management LLP, said: “Jacob Rees-Mogg no longer works at Somerset Capital and has had no role in any of the firm’s investment decisions for over a decade. “Any partnership interest in Somerset is held in abeyance, in accordance with the Ministerial Code. Somerset Capital’s funds, including the Somerset Asia Income Fund and Somerset Emerging Markets Dividend Growth Fund, are solely mandated to invest in Asian and Emerging Markets equities.” More

Pupils should not be criticising Boris Johnson as part of their coursework, the education secretary has said.Tories reacted with anger on Wednesday after it emerged that children at a school in Nottingham had been writing letters critical of the PM’s behaviour as part of an exercise. The students had written to their local MP criticising Mr Johnson’s rule-breaking during lockdown.The school says pupils were shown an edition of children’s television programme Newsround covering the Partygate affair – and then asked to present their opinion in letter form.But the outcome of the simple exercise provoked anger among sensitive Conservatives, who accused the school of political bias. Furious Tory MP Brendan Clarke-Smith, a former teacher, told his local newspaper the Nottingham Post that “it looks like they have done some sort of lesson about the PM breaking rules”.He said it was “very, overtly political” and “very, very one-sided” to explain the PM’s rule-breaking to the children in this way.The education secretary Nadhim Zahawi told the Daily Mail that the exercise and others like it should be off-limits.“While there is a clear need for schools to address political issues in the classroom from time to time, this must not be done in a partisan way,” he said. “No school should be encouraging young people to pin their colours to a political mast.”Welbeck Primary School was rated outstanding by Ofsted at its last inspection. Following the news article and the minister’s intervention, the school closed down its social media account – citing abusive responses.Rebecca Gittins, the headteacher of the school, said in a statement: “As part of a democracy topic, the Year Six class has been looking closely at national politics, our leaders and decision-makers, while discussing fact and opinions.“There is no ‘teaching’ of politics. We explain processes and structure, with the children encouraged to express their thoughts.“Year Six pupils watched recent coverage on Newsround about Downing Street and some of them asked to write to their local MP to share their views. “This lesson was linked to the English curriculum where children constructed letters using their skills to form arguments, assess evidence and develop their critical thinking.“A tweet displaying the work received five abusive responses, which was really disappointing. The decision was quickly taken to remove it before these were seen by the pupils.” More

Boris Johnson has told MPs he should not be blamed for helping to incite an attack on opposition leader Keir Starmer because it would let the “thugs” who carried it out “off the hook”.The prime minister was branded “disgraceful” in the House of Commons on Wednesday for repeating claims linking Sir Keir to a decision not to prosecute the notorious sex offender.He was widely criticised, including by his own Tory MPs, after the Labour leader was days later accosted by a mob in Westminster shouting about Savile’s crimes.But urged to “reconsider his words, repent and resign” today by Labour backbencher Ruth Jones, he said: “I don’t think she should … let the thugs and yobs who bullied and harassed the honourable gentleman off the hook, because they are culpable.”At least 12 Tory MPs – including David Davis, Sir Roger Gale, Stephen Hammond, Tobias Ellwood and Julian Smith – have now tweeted criticism of the prime minister or spoken publicly condemning his remarks.His long-standing ally Munira Mirza quit as head of policy at No 10 last week in protest at his refusal to withdraw what she called a “scurrilous accusation”.Although Sir Keir was head of the Crown Prosecution Service in 2009 when a decision was taken not to prosecute Savile, he had no personal involvement in the deliberations.However, supporters of the prime minister argue that they are entitled to hold him to account for the failings of the organisation. More

Boris Johnson has announced the government wants to end all domestic Covid-19 restrictions in England, including the legal requirement to self-isolate, a month earlier than planned.The prime minister told MPs: “Provided the current encouraging trends in the data continue, it is my expectation that we will be able to end the last domestic restrictions – including the legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive – a full month early.”He said he would present the government’s “Living With Covid” strategy when the Commons returns from its recess on 21 February. Aides said remaining restrictions are expected to be lifted by February 24 at the latest.The move will make England the first major nation to stand down all of its domestic coronavirus rules, as Downing Street said that the country was “entering the stage of endemicity” of the disease, thanks to a successful vaccine and booster programme. Mr Johnson’s remarks, however, came as Office for National Statistics figures showed Covid-19 infection levels have risen in most parts of the UK, with only Wales showing a clear week-on-week figures.In England around one in 19 people in private households were estimated to have had the virus in the week to February 5, or 2.8 million people – up from one in 20, or 2.6 million people, in the week to January 29, though the ONS described the trend as “uncertain”.As well as ending the legal requirement to isolate, legal powers for councils to shut down premises linked to outbreaks will be removed. But no changes are expected to international travel restrictions, and the supply of testing kits free of charge will continue, said Mr Johnson’s official spokesperson.Guidance will remain in place to stay home after a positive Covid test – as with any infectious disease – but it will not be legally enforceable. No 10 declined to say whether the £500 support payment for those isolating will be withdrawn.“It is my intention to return on the first day after the half-term recess to present our strategy for living with Covid,” the prime minister said.Under the current Covid rules, individuals who test positive for the virus are ordered to self-isolate for at least five days and can face considerable fines for non-compliance.Regulations mandating people to wear face masks in certain settings and guidance to work from home to contain the spread of the virus, however, ended in January.Mr Johnson’s spokesperson told reporters that the publication of the plan will be dependent on last-minute approval by cabinet.“This would mean us moving faster than other large European countries and it’s right we do it at the right time,” he said. “The success of our vaccination programme means that we are able to move faster.“But we’ve always moved with an element of caution, as is right when there is still a global pandemic.”Devolved nations will make their own decisions on whether to move at the same time as England, and cities like London which still require face-coverings on public transport will be permitted to continue to do so.Last month, Mr Johnson told the Commons that the government would replace legal requirements with advice and guidance, saying he expected “not to renew” the self-isolation rules after they expire on March 24.The move to bring forward the date by a month will inevitably be viewed as an attempt to bolster his support among Conservative MPs, and was immediately welcomed by the former Brexit secretary Lord David Frost.“The PM’s plan to end all Covid restrictions a month early is the right thing do & is extremely welcome. I hope the government will also make clear we will not go down the road of coercive lockdowns ever again”.But Lobby Akinnola, spokesperson for Covid-19 bereaved families for justice campaign group, said: “Whilst the Prime Minister is bragging about lifting restrictions a month early, we’re struggling to keep up with the number of hearts that need to be drawn on the Covid Memorial Wall. “314 people have died in the last 24 hours from Covid-19, and there are nearly 2000 people dying each week.“The prime minister might wish that this disease was no more dangerous than the flu, but the reality is that he is throwing the most vulnerable in our society to the wolves.”According to the latest daily figures, 66,183 cases of Covid-19 were reported in the UK on Tuesday. A further 314 people died within 28 days of testing positive for the virus — bringing the total government’s official figure to 158,677. More