UK Politics

A photograph has emerged showing Carrie Johnson flouting social distancing rules despite the public being warned at the time that they should keep their distance from anyone they do not live with.In the photo, the prime minister’s wife can be seen embracing old school friend Anna Pinder at a private members’ club in Covent Garden, where they were celebrating the latter’s engagement.In the picture, published by The Telegraph, Ms Johnson is seen hugging her friend while they sat side-by-side on a sofa on the roof terrace of The Conduit. Ms Johnson has one of her legs draped over her friend and an arm around her shoulder as they posed for the snap, which was reportedly posted on Ms Pinder’s Instagram account.The image was taken on 17 September 2020. Days earlier, on 9 September, Mr Johnson told the British public: “If we are to beat the virus then everyone, at all times, should limit social contact as much as possible and minimise interactions with other households. “It is safer to meet outdoors and you should keep your distance from anyone you don’t live with, even if they are close friends or family.”He added that it was “crucial” to stay at least two metres apart, or one metre apart outdoors. At the time, Covid rules prevented people gathering in groups of more than six, with only a handful of exemptions including at weddings and funerals. A spokesperson for Ms Johnson told The Telegraph that she was “one of a group of six seated outside celebrating a friend’s engagement” and that she “regrets the momentary lapse in judgement in briefly hugging her friend for a photograph”.The emergence of the photograph comes during an ongoing scandal over the number of parties that were held at Downing Street during the pandemic.Senior civil servant Sue Gray has been tasked with investigating the parties held by staff at No 10.People who have had to deal with grief and hardships while having to comply with the government’s rules during the lockdowns are particularly outraged by the revelations of the drink events by those in power.Downing Street this week apologised to Buckingham Palace over two “deeply regrettable” parties held on the eve of Prince Philip’s funeral, where the Queen had to sit on her own to comply with the Covid laws.Amid the party scandal, Mr Johnson is reportedly planning to give a number of his Downing Street staff the boot to salvage his premiership as part of a plot dubbed “Operation Save Big Dog”, The Independent reported earlier this week. Now, it has emerged that in another plan known as “Operation Red Meat”, Mr Johnson is planning to announce a series of policies in a desperate bid to shore up some support and save his tattered reputation.The policies are expected to include a workplace “booze ban” within No 10, a BBC licence fee freeze for two years, and a plan to task the military with stopping migrants crossing the English Channel in small illegal boats, The Sunday Times reports.Mr Johnson has been blaming “everyone but himself for the crisis,” a senior government source told the paper, adding that Mr Johnson had complained to his aides: “How has all this been allowed to happen? How has it come to this? How haven’t you sorted this out?”A number of Tory MPs have called on Mr Johnson to resign, with some sending letters of no confidence to the influential 1922 Committee of backbench Conservatives in the hope of triggering a leadership contest.Former minister Tim Loughton last night became the latest Tory MP to call for Mr Johnson to quit.The East Worthing and Shoreham MP, in a post on Facebook, said Mr Johnson’s “resignation is the only way to bring this whole unfortunate episode to an end”.He added: “I am working with colleagues to impress that view on Number 10.“I am deeply sorry for the great hurt that has been caused to many people who have made substantial sacrifices during lockdown, ultimately in some cases not being able to share precious final moments with loved ones.“Whatever our view on how disproportionate or impractical some of the lockdown measures may have been, it is entirely appropriate that we should all expect everyone to follow the rules equally, not least those responsible for implementing them.” More

A majority of Conservative voters support a new windfall tax on oil and gas companies, a new poll has found.Seventy-five per cent of Tory voters told Savanta ComRes they would support the levy to fund households struggling to afford rising energy prices. And 71 per cent of the general population supports the move too.Opposition parties are pushing for the policy, but the government has so far rejected the idea.Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey said action was needed immediately to provide financial relief as people grapple with their winter bills.“The government needs to get a grip on this crisis before it’s too late,” he said. “Every day sees thousands more energy bills arrive through letterboxes, bringing real despair and anguish to families struggling to make ends meet.”“We need action now to stop people being left with the devastating choice between heating or eating,” he added. “A Robin Hood tax on the super-profits of oil and gas firms would fund a substantial package of support now for struggling to get by, along with an ambitious roll-out of home insulation.”The Lib Dems say the levy would raise £5bn to help families cope with soaring energy costs, with proposed measures including doubling and expanding the government’s warm homes discount. This would take £300 off the heating bills of around 7.5 million low-income households.Labour has also called for a windfall tax on oil and gas firms, in the form of a £1.2bn temporary increase in corporation tax, but the government has rejected both plans. “A windfall tax on oil and gas companies that are already struggling in the North Sea is never going to cut it,” cabinet minister Nadhim Zahawi said this week.The refusal to intervene in the market may cost the government support. Sixty-nine per cent of voters say ministers are to blame for rising energy prices, ahead of household energy providers (65 per cent) and the regulator Ofgem (58 per cent). Only oil and gas companies themselves, the windfall tax targets, are seen as more blameworthy, with 78 per cent of voters saying they bear responsibility for the energy crisis. More

Boris Johnson was facing mounting fury from within his own party on Saturday as anger grew over the partygate scandal engulfing his premiership.Former allies were among those calling on the prime minister to stand down as MPs’ inboxes filled with angry correspondence from constituents.As Mr Johnson bunkered down in No 10 after another damaging week of revelations, ex-minister Tobias Ellwood was among those floating the prospect of a change at the top, saying Mr Johnson should “lead or step aside”. “We need leadership,” Mr Ellwood, the chair of the Commons defence committee, told the BBC.The prime minister and his allies have called on disgruntled Tory MPs to wait for an inquiry by civil servant Sue Gray to report on the matter, hoping that it will exonerate him.But Andrew Bridgen, a staunch Brexiteer who backed Mr Johnson in the 2019 leadership election, said he did “not need to see what Sue Gray says to know that, for me, Boris Johnson has lost the moral authority to lead the country”.Asked about new reports that Downing Street staff regularly held “wine time Friday” with the PM’s knowledge, the MP said: “It doesn’t matter, quite honestly, if the prime minister was present or not present.”Ultimately, he is responsible for what goes on in government, he is responsible for the culture in No 10, and what we’re seeing is a culture where it is one rule for them and the rest of us do as we’re told, and that’s just not acceptable.”I’m not sure that any apology is going to put that right.”Former children’s minister Tim Loughton became the latest Tory MP to call for Mr Johnson to resign on Saturday night, saying that his position is “now untenable”. The East Worthing and Shoreham MP, in a post on social media, said: “His resignation is the only way to bring this whole unfortunate episode to an end and I am working with colleagues to impress that view on Number 10.“Obfuscation, prevarication and evasion have been the order of the day when clarity, honesty and contrition was what was needed and what the British people deserve.”After The Independent revealed earlier this week that Mr Johnson was drawing up a list of officials to offer resignations to salvage his premiership, it has now been reported he is planning a series of populist announcements as part of ‘Operation Red Meat’. Among the proposals, Mr Johnson will announce a workplace “booze ban” within No 10, freeze the BBC licence fee for two years and give the military control of the effort to stop illegal Channel crossings, the Sunday Times reports. A slew of polls in recent days have put the Tories at least 10 points behind Labour – with the latest Opinium poll on Saturday putting Labour ahead at 41 per cent – and Conservative MPs have reported being deluged with angry correspondence from constituents demanding Mr Johnson step down or be removed in light of the revelations.But the prime minister has cancelled public appearances after a family member apparently tested positive for Covid, and has not been seen outside Downing Street in recent days.The mechanism for removing Tory leaders means disgruntled MPs must reach a critical mass in the party. Under Tory rules, 15 per cent of all MPs must decide to write anonymous letters calling for a leadership contest – a threshold that has not yet been reached. The letters are always anonymous so there is no solid way to tell how many have been sent to the committee’s chair. 54 are needed because there are 360 MPs in the current Tory parliamentary party, but just three MPs are confirmed to have written so far. Some estimates suggest there could privately be around a dozen letters with the committee.The opposition also seized on the latest claims about lockdown social events in No 10, with Labour leader Keir Starmer using a speech in London on Saturday to blast the prime minister.Speaking at the Fabian society conference, opposition leader Sir Keir told his audience: “We are witnessing the broken spectacle of a prime minister mired in deceit and deception, unable to lead.”He said that while “the Tories bicker and fight each other on WhatsApp, I want to look to the future”.The opposition chief added: “The moral authority matters of course in relation to Covid, but we’ve got other massive challenges facing this country.”We’ve got a prime minister who is absent – he is literally in hiding at the moment and unable to lead, so that’s why I’ve concluded that he has got to go.”And of course there is a party vantage in him going but actually it is now in the national interest that he goes, so it is very important now that the Tory Party does what it needs to do and gets rid of him.”And about the allegations of “wine-time-Friday”, Sir Keir added: “It doesn’t matter whether the prime minister was present or not present – ultimately, he is responsible for what goes on in the government, he’s responsible for the culture in No 10 and what we’re seeing is a culture where there’s one rule for them and the rest of us do what we’re told.” More

Boris Johnson is unfit to run the country and must resign “in the national interest,” Keir Starmer has said as he ramped up the pressure of the prime minister over allegations of illlegal Downing Street parties.In a speech on Saturday the Labour leader said the prime minister was “mired in deceit” and was “literally in hiding” from the public after cancelling public appearances.Some Tory MPs have called for the PM to quit as the constant stream of revelations about lockdown parties at No10 shows no sign of letting up.But Mr Johnson is reportedly said to be in the “last chance saloon” with his own party despite most polls now showing the Tory vote share in wholesale collapse.Speaking at the Fabian society conference in London opposition leader Sir Keir told his audience: “We are witnessing the broken spectacle of a prime minister mired in deceit and deception, unable to lead.”He said that while “the Tories bicker and fight each other on WhatsaApp, I want to look to the future”.The opposition chief added: “The moral authority matters of course in relation to Covid, but we’ve got other massive challenges facing this country.”We’ve got a prime minister who is absent – he is literally in hiding at the moment and unable to lead, so that’s why I’ve concluded that he has got to go.”And of course there is a party vantage in him going but actually it is now in the national interest that he goes, so it is very important now that the Tory Party does what it needs to do and gets rid of him.”Asked about the allegations of “wine-time-Friday”, Sir Keir added: “It doesn’t matter whether the prime minster was present or not present – ultimately, he is responsible for what goes on in the government, he’s responsible for the culture in No 10 and what we’re seeing is a culture where there’s one rule for them and the rest of us do what we’re told.”Most polls now show Sir Keir’s party with a leader of around 10 points over Mr Johnson’s, mostly due to a radical collapse in the governing Tories’ vote share in the wake of the ‘partygate’ revelations. The prime minister has cancelled public appearances after a family member apparently tested positive for Covid, and has not been seen outside Downing Street in recent days. More

No 10 apologises to Queen for parties on eve of Prince Philip’s funeralCabinet secretary Simon Case should provide “urgent” answers about “unprecedented” allegations that No 10 staff were pressured to delete evidence of illegal parties in Downing Street, Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner has said.Her letter to the top civil servant comes after after two sources told The Independent they had been advised by a senior staff member to “clean up” their phones of anything that could “look like a party”, and follows a series of fresh revelations this week.No 10 was forced to apologise to Buckingham Palace on Friday after reports of two parties held on the eve of Prince Philip’s socially-distanced funeral, while a further report alleged that regular “wine time Friday” gatherings continued in Downing Street despite coronavirus restrictions.In a bid to save his premiership, in the face of exclusive polling indicating that 70 per cent of voters believe he should resign, the prime minister has launched “Operation Save Big Dog” – drawing up a list of officials who could offer their resignation after Sue Gray publishes the findings of her inquiry into the matter, The Independent understands.Show latest update

1642258097Tory MP accuses BBC of ‘coup attempt’ on Boris Johnson for reporting on No 10 partiesMichael Fabricant has claimed that the BBC has launched a “coup attempt” against Boris Johnson, after hearing a news bulletin featuring criticism of the prime minister over lockdown parties at Downing Street.One ex-Tory MP said his claims of a coup were “laughable” and “dangerous” while opposition figures accused him of being “upset” at hearing facts.Our policy correspondent Jon Stone has the details here:Andy Gregory15 January 2022 14:481642257453Majority of Tory Party members want Boris Johnson to go, poll suggestsSome 53 per cent of Tory Party members want Boris Johnson to resign, according to a poll by the ConservativeHome website.Just under 43 per cent of the more than 1,000 people surveyed believe he should not resign now, while less than four per cent said they didn’t know.Andy Gregory15 January 2022 14:371642255814Exclusive: Labour asks top civil servant to probe claims No 10 staff pressured to delete party evidenceLabour has called for “urgent” answers about “unprecedented” allegations that No 10 staff were told to delete evidence of illegal parties in Downing Street, our economics editor Anna Isaac reports.The party’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, has written to the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, asking him to confirm no records related to the Partygate investigation, including electronic messages, have been destroyed.Her letter, seen by The Independent, also asks Mr Case to confirm if any request to remove evidence has been made by senior officials or special advisers of junior officials.It follows a report in The Independent in which two sources claimed a senior member of staff told them to “clean up” their phones of anything that could “look like a party” after early reports of gatherings while Covid restrictions were in place in December last year.You can read the full exclusive report here:Andy Gregory15 January 2022 14:101642254320Partygate ‘rage’ will be ‘nothing’ compared to cost-of-living crisis backlash, TUC chief warnsThe public “rage” over the Partygate scandal will pale in comparison to that felt over the intensifying cost-of-living crisis, the general secretary of the Trades Union Congress has told the Fabian Society, LabourList’s editor reports.Andy Gregory15 January 2022 13:451642253240Telegraph editorial suggests end of Boris Johnson’s premiership could be nearAn editorial in The Telegraph today – which, according to Dominic Cummings, is considered by Boris Johnson to be his “real boss” – points to a not-too-distant future in which Mr Johnson may no longer be in charge.Citing an interview with recently resigned Brexit negotiator Lord Frost, the editorial states: “If the Conservatives are to come through, whoever is in charge, they must reaffirm and champion the principles of growth and, above all, liberty.”Warning of “sensible Conservative instincts being jettisoned” it added: “Doing so comes at a very real cost, as the prime minister may be about to find out. “It is clear he instinctively felt outside Downing Street parties were perfectly sensible. Ironically, he may now be punished not because he was wrong, but because he was right, but still imposed the wrong path on the rest of the country.”Andy Gregory15 January 2022 13:271642252220NHS chief hits out at ‘club Downing Street’Stories of parties at No 10 during lockdown resemble “club Downing Street”, an NHS chief has suggested.NHS Confederation chairman and crossbench peer, Victor Adebowale said: “At the end of the day, you know the NHS is something that we all protect, we all think it’s the jewel in the crown of public services, and to find that what appears to have been going on is something along the lines of club Downing Street while we’ve all been protecting our loved ones is a huge shock.”He told Times Radio: “Leadership in the time of crisis needs to be clear and it needs to lead by example and we haven’t had that.”He also suggested that comparing breaches of Covid rules by people who make the rules and by the general public was like “comparing apples with lemons”, adding: “I’m sure there were there were around the country, small breaches, many of whom actually got fined, and people were being fined – but this is very different from the people in No 10, the very seat of our government.”Andy Gregory15 January 2022 13:101642251260No 10 party revelations adding to mental health stress, Starmer claimsThe Partygate scandal has “added to mental health stress”, Sir Keir Starmer has suggested.He said: “I think, by the way, the scandal of partygate, for want of a better word … what’s happened in recent weeks, where it has become obvious that while the vast majority of the British public were obeying the laws the government made, the government and the prime minister were partying in Downing Street.“I think that has added to mental health stress because so many people are now asking themselves, ‘Why on earth did I do that then, while they were doing what they were doing?’.“So I think that, before the pandemic, we had mental health issues which have got worse during the pandemic in greater ways than we’ve really understood, particularly in young people. And I think the last few weeks in relation to partygate has just made the situation worse.”Our policy correspondent Jon Stone has more details on the Labour leader’s speech to the Fabian Society conference today:Andy Gregory15 January 2022 12:541642250240Opinion | The Met is only investigating a Black politician’s lockdown party – why?Writing for Independent Voices, our race correspondent Nadine White points out that while more than a dozen rule-breaking parties have now been alleged to have taken place across Whitehall, the only one currently being investigated by the Metropolitan Police Service is that of Black politician Shaun Bailey.She writes: “The point is that the Met cannot afford to erode the confidence of Black people – more than it already has – at a time when trust in policing is extremely low.”Read her thinking in full here:Andy Gregory15 January 2022 12:371642249373Amid calls for his resignation, one voter has given a less than favourable suggestion for the necessary course of action facing the prime minister.Woman says Boris Johnson ‘needs a kick up the a**e’ on Channel 4 newsAndy Gregory15 January 2022 12:221642248958Boris Johnson could still mount comeback, Tory MP suggestsIf anyone can turn a situation around, Boris Johnson can, a Tory MP has suggested.Asked whether the PM is best-placed to lead the Tories into the next election, Colonel Bob Stewart said: “Right at the moment he is, because I can’t see anyone else doing it. The one thing about Boris Johnson is, if anyone can turn a situation around, he can, and he’s proved that in the past.”Pressed on that assertion, he said constituents of varying political persuasions he had spoken to this morning had made a similar point, adding: “Look, we dropped – apparently – 10 or 11 points in the polls within the last week.“The polls and public opinion is very volatile. It can swing the other way too. The question is, which I believe is possible, can Boris Johnson do it as prime minister? And I believe he quite possibly could change the polls back again. But what I think now is there must be no more mistakes. No more mistakes.”Andy Gregory15 January 2022 12:15 More

Labour has called for “urgent” answers about “unprecedented” allegations that No 10 staff were told to delete evidence of illegal parties in Downing Street.The party’s deputy leader, Angela Rayner, has written to the cabinet secretary, Simon Case, asking him to confirm no records related to the Partygate investigation, including electronic messages, have been destroyed. Her letter, seen by The Independent, also asks Mr Case to confirm if any request to remove evidence has been made by senior officials or special advisers of junior officials.It follows a report in The Independent in which two sources claimed a senior member of staff told them to “clean up” their phones of anything that could “look like a party” after early reports of gatherings while Covid restrictions were in place in December last year.The alleged verbal guidance, which a Downing Street spokesperson said they did “not recognise”, is at odds with a written request to staff to keep any records pertinent to the internal investigation being conducted by senior official Sue Gray.Ms Rayner said: “Aside from the illegality of messages being deleted, there is a real question of fairness and leadership. Senior figures with power over junior officials could be seen to be bullying them into taking action to protect their own skin.” She added: “It is deeply worrying that staff were reportedly pressured to do something wrong in order to cover up decisions by those at the top.”On Friday, The Times reported that Ms Gray’s investigation had been “blindsided” by reports of parties at Downing Street the day before Prince Philip’s funeral. The investigating official is said to be concerned that Downing Street staff are withholding information about parties from the probe.Labour’s deputy leader also asked Mr Case whether he will ensure that disciplinary process will be applied fairly and appropriately to “all those involved” including himself. Mr Case, as head of the civil service, has the final say on any decision regarding disciplinary action involving officials. Unless other arrangements are made, he will determine what steps to take following Ms Gray’s report, unless they involve ministers or political appointees, in which case that will fall to the prime minister, Boris Johnson. Labour’s intervention also comes after a warning from the Information Commissioner’s Office in response to the report. “Erasing, destroying or concealing information within scope of a Freedom of Information request, with the intention of preventing its disclosure is a criminal offence under section 77 of the Freedom of Information Act,” an ICO spokesperson said.Ms Rayner has formally asked Mr Case to confirm whether the Cabinet Office and Downing Street have referred themselves to the ICO. She added: “The British Civil Service is known around the world for upholding the highest standards and, as you are of course aware, the Civil Service Code is designed to ensure that officials can conduct their work without fear or favour. “I am concerned that in order to move on from this raft of scandals that junior staff may lose their jobs in order to protect politicians or their appointees.”The intervention also follows reports of a plan to save the Johnson premiership which includes officials losing their roles as part of a fightback.Sources told The Independent Boris Johnson and others in Downing Street had taken to using the informal name “Operation Save Big Dog” for the plan to save the PM.A spokesperson for Number 10 said they “absolutely do not recognise” the phrase. More

A Conservative MP has been criticised after claiming the BBC had launched a “coup attempt” against Boris Johnson.Michael Fabricant hit out at the public broadcaster after hearing a news bulletin featuring criticism of the prime minister over lockdown parties at Downing Street.One ex-Tory MP said his claims of a coup were “laughable” and “dangerous” while opposition figures accused him of being “upset” at hearing facts.The yellow-haired Conservative MP for Lichfield said on Saturday: “BBC Radio 4 Bulletin leads this morning with a manufactured story of what some MPs have said to the BBC.”This is not news reporting an event. This relentless news creation is a coup attempt against the prime minister.”Layla Moran, a top Liberal Democrats MP, said: “People died alone whilst No 10 partied it up, this is a fact. Yet, Tory MPs seem more upset with the truth coming out than they do with this endless tide of rule-breaking parties.”If Michael Fabricant doesn’t like these stories dominating the media, then he should submit his letter of no confidence and tell Boris Johnson to resign.”And Lord Barwell, who served as Theresa May’s Downing Street chief of staff, said of Mr Fabricant’s comments: “If it wasn’t so dangerous it would be laughable.” Rejecting warnings from other MPs that their email inboxes were full of criticism of Mr Johnson, Mr Fabricant said he had only “had 31 identical emails from different people calling for Boris to resign” and “about 20 more from constituents with the same call but in their own words”. This was “far fewer than most campaigns” who wrote to their representatives, he said.Polls of the general public suggest the prime minister is more unpopular than ever before, with his party at least 10 points behind in the polls.A number of other Conservative MPs, including the leader of the Scottish Tories, have called on Mr Johnson to step down following successive revelations about the party culture at No.10 during the height of the coronavirus lockdown.Tory backbencher Andrew Bridgen on Saturday morning said the prime minister has “lost the moral authority to lead” after presiding over a culture in No 10 of “one rule for them and the rest of us do as we’re told”.The North West Leicestershire MP told BBC Breakfast: “[This is] not about one isolated incident, what we are seeing with these continued revelations coming out about what’s been going on at No 10 is a pattern of behaviour, and ultimately the buck stops with Boris Johnson.” More

An investigation into lockdown parties at Downing Street has reportedly been “blindsided” by new revelations of rule-breaking.Sue Gray, a senior civil servant, is investigating claims of illegal gatherings at No10 on the orders of the prime minister.But questions have been raised about whether her inquiry is getting the full story after The Times newspaper said her probe had been taken off guard by new claims.The Independent reported this week that some officials have been asked to delete evidence of parties from their phones – a revelation which raised questions about the level of staff cooperation with the probe.The investigating official is said to be concerned that Downing Street staff are withholding information about parties from her after.It comes after it was claimed on Friday that staff gathered after work for two events on April 16 2021 – the eve of the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral.Staff filled a suitcase with bottles alcohol and danced in the basement of No10, with one special advisor DJing, it was alleged.There were also further claims on Friday evening by the Daily Mirror newspaper that No10 regularly practiced “wine time Fridays” during the pandemic and even purchased a specialist fridge to store bottles. Boris Johnson is reported to have regularly witnessed the gatherings and even encouraged staff to let their hair down.Other claims include the fact that Boris Johnson was so unwilling to follow Covid-19 rules that a chair had to be propped against the door of his room to ensure he would self-isolate.”He kept coming out so we put two chairs across the door like some kind of puppygate,” one figure told The Times.The newspaper claims ministers believe Mr Johnson is in a “last-chance saloon” with the Conservative party – as the Tories tank in the polls. Unless he resigns of his own accord the prime minister would have to be removed by his own party, with letters written to the chair of its backbench 1922 committee to trigger a leadership contest.A No 10 spokesperson said: “There is an ongoing investigation to establish the facts around the nature of gatherings, including attendance, setting and the purpose with reference to adherence to the guidance at the time.”The findings will be made public in due course.” More