Boris johnson succeeds foreign secretary

The civil servant who runs Boris Johnson’s private office arranged a garden party in May 2020 which is accused of breaking lockdown rules , it emerged on Friday. Martin Reynolds, the Prime Minister’s Principal Private Secretary, issued an email invitation for the Downing Street garden gathering, three sources have told The Telegraph. Dominic Cummings, the former No 10 senior adviser, revealed the existence of the gathering in a blog post on Friday but did not name the organiser. Mr Cummings suggested the invite talked about “socially distanced drinks”. He also claimed he thought at the time that the gathering broke lockdown rules and should not have gone ahead. On the day of the gathering in question, May 20 2020, a cabinet minister urged the public to only meet one other person outdoors while adhering to social distancing rules. The official probe into the Government lockdown parties scandal expanded on Friday, with two Downing Street garden gatherings now being … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson’s private secretary accused of hosting another ‘lockdown breaking’ garden party

The civil servant who runs Boris Johnson’s private office is facing claims of involvement in another boozy gathering in Downing Street that may have broken lockdown rules. Martin Reynolds, the principal private secretary to the Prime Minister, attended a gathering on the evening of December 18 2020, where aides stayed late and alcohol was consumed. The event took place in the Downing Street private offices, where Mr Johnson's inner circle of civil servants sit, on the same day as a controversial party of Number 10 press advisers . Three Government sources told The Telegraph of the gathering. Some said wine was served and expressed surprise it had gone unreported, given the focus on the other event that day. Lord Lister, then Mr Johnson’s chief of staff, who sat in the private office, also said alcohol was consumed at times there in the run-up to Christmas, while denying rules were broken. At the time, the Government’s Covid rules forbade Christmas parties being held at … [Read more...] about Pressure grows on Boris Johnson’s private secretary amid claims of another boozy lockdown gathering

COVID has led to an increase of staff shortages and now teachers have been told to combine classes in a bid to deal with it as ministers continue to mull over a return to homeschooling. The Department of Education warned schools to begin preparing for a chaotic return on Sunday night ahead of students returning this week. Tory MP's have also fired back at plans to once again make secondary school pupils wear masks in the classroom. It comes as a string of hugely positive studies show Omicron IS milder than other strains, with the first official UK report revealing the risk of hospitalisation is 50 to 70 per cent lower than with Delta . Covid booster jabs protect against Omicron and offer the best chance to get through the pandemic, health officials have repeatedly said - and The Sun's Jabs Army campaign is helping get the vital extra vaccines in Brits' arms. And new data has revealed that coronavirus infections are slowing , amid a spread in Omicron cases in older age … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson announcement: Jabs rollout SLOWS Omicron as teachers told to combine classes & kids may have to wear masks

Boris Johnson Covid press conference: Follow live Vaccines minister 'not sure' how many self-isolating I'm not in favour of drug reform, confirms Starmer Sturgeon urged to lift Scotland’s Covid curbs Ruth Davidson: Tories must calm down over mid-term wobbles S ir Keir Starmer accused Boris Johnson of thinking "politics is a branch of the entertainment industry" on Tuesday, as he warned that the Government's "incompetence" was becoming clear. Setting out the Labour Party's vision for the New Year in a speech in Birmingham, the Labour leader said Britain has entered a "new phase" in which the Government had "revealed itself to be unworthy of your trust" amid the cost of living crisis, tax rises and sleaze scandals. "I'm afraid at the moment we are going backwards. We have a Prime Minister who thinks the rules apply to anyone but him," he said. "Just when trust in Government has become a matter of life and death, for this Prime Minister it has become a … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson treats politics like a ‘branch of the entertainment industry’, suggests Keir Starmer

Coronavirus latest news: 'Hundreds' demand Covid tests after 10 cases linked to pub outbreak Travel latest: Germans flock to Spain after Britons banned Julia Hartley-Brewer: The holiday fiasco proves we are being fed a diet of junk Jeremy Warner: Whisper it, but here comes a 1920s-style, post-pandemic boom Stephen Pollard: It will take more than a boycott to fix Twitter's anti-Semitism blindspot Subscrib e to The Telegraph, free for one month There is currently "no viable alternative to the 14-day quarantine", a Cabinet minister has said, amid growing pressure for the Government to introduce passenger testing instead. Oliver Dowden, the Culture Secretary told BBC Radio 4's Today programme that if ministers "could avoid imposing quarantine in a way that it was safe to do so, of course, we would do that", adding solutions were "under review". But he said: We are not at the point where there is a viable alternative to the 14-day quarantine. There … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson under pressure as minister admits there is ‘no viable alternative’ to quarantine

Boris Johnson faced a barrage of criticism from his own MPs on Wednesday over his attendance at a Downing Street garden party at the height of lockdown last year. Speaking in the Commons, Mr Johnson acknowledged the public's "rage" over the party on May 20 2020, but insisted that he thought the event could technically have been within the rules. He told MPs he went to the gathering for around 25 minutes to "thank groups of staff", adding that he "believed implicitly that this was a work event". However, his apology appears to have done little to quell mounting anger among Tory politicians over the incident, and a number of MPs and MSPs across the nation have called on him to resign. The prominent call for his resignation came from Douglass Ross , the leader of the Scottish Tories , who said that the Prime Minister's position was "no longer tenable". A host of MSPs followed Mr Ross's lead in calling for Mr Johnson to go. But a number of Cabinet ministers also rallied … [Read more...] about Full list of Tories calling for Boris Johnson to resign – and those still backing the PM

Front runners Rishi Sunak Chancellors always assume they will inherit the crown - and often for good reason. Rishi Sunak has had a good “Covid war” and is undoubtedly popular in the country – something which ought to be important for Tory MPs and members when they choose a leader. His colleagues, though, remain wary. They ask: what kind of Conservative is he? They see a smooth sales and marketing director, but they question his ability to make tough decisions and stick to them. Does he have what it takes to be the chief executive? His challenge is to articulate what “Sunakism” actually means. Most Likely to Say: “Where’s my Hoodie?” Least Likely to Say: “No you can’t” Odds: 6/1 Liz Truss Liz Truss is incredibly adept at polishing her image on social media. Her Instagram photos are legendary, but beyond a desire to be seen as the reincarnation of Margaret Thatcher, what does she stand for? She regularly tops the ConservativeHome monthly poll … [Read more...] about Iain Dale’s picks for who could replace Boris Johnson as Prime Minister

Boris Johnson has always been prone to making huge errors of judgment but has so far bounced back. (Image: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images) Sign up for FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info Back in 2016, Mr Johnson knocked off a limerick in which he implied Turkish president Recep Tayyip Erdogan enjoyed carnal relations with a goat. Such lampooning of the leader of an important Nato ally might have wrecked the career of a normal MP, but just a few months later Theresa May appointed him foreign secretary. Related articles Brexit Britain roars back as economist hails ‘positive momentum’ End of Covid! All restrictions in England to be scrapped within DAYS He has spent … [Read more...] about The tsunami of scandals Boris Johnson has already survived

Rishi Sunak grilled on ‘more constructive ways to help’ Sign up for FREE now and never miss the top politics stories again SUBSCRIBE Invalid email We use your sign-up to provide content in ways you've consented to and to improve our understanding of you. This may include adverts from us and 3rd parties based on our understanding. You can unsubscribe at any time. More info While it was pointed out Rishi Sunak ’s tweet last night to back the Prime Minister was not as “fulsome” as it could have been after Boris Johnson apologised on Wednesday for attending a "bring your own booze" party in the Downing Street garden in May 2020, when the rest of the country was in lockdown. Camilla Tominey, Daily Telegraph associate editor, said he was “already setting himself apart as a first among equals”. Related articles Polling guru Sir John Curtice issues Boris brutal warning Sunak mocked for lukewarm Boris endorsement … [Read more...] about PM in waiting! Rishi Sunak drops major hint he is gearing up to REPLACE Boris Johnson

Boris Johnson , 55, became the new Tory leader and Prime Minister after Theresa May stepped down in July 2019. Later Queen Elizabeth II appointed Johnson as the 14th Prime Minister of the country during her reign. The Conservative leader and former Foreign Secretary beat Jeremy Hunt with 92,153 votes to his rival's 46,656. Taking on one of the most important jobs in the country, he has a massive responsibility on his shoulders, especially as he leads the UK through the coronavirus pandemic. He also had to lead the country through Brexit . Boris has a political career spanning over 20 years, and has held several senior positions in Government and the media. But how much is his net worth ? And how much is the salary for his new job as PM? Boris Johnson net worth: Boris Johnson’s net worth is an estimated £3.25million, according to the website Celebrity Net Worth. Boris, whose full name is Alexander Boris de Pfeffel Johnson, has been a Member of Parliament … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson net worth: Tory Prime Minister’s wealth and salary examined