Boris

The final version of Sue Gray’s long-awaited report felt a bit like being presented with a birthday cake only to find some of it had already been eaten. Six months on from reports of partygate first surfacing – and coming after the senior civil servant had already published her interim findings in January – it seemed as stale as a week-old sponge. A leak ensured that we had already seen the best photograph, showing Boris Johnson toasting staff at Lee Cain’s leaving do, while the key finding that there were “failures of leadership” at the heart of Number 10 and that those who broke the rules they’d set should have known better rang as familiar as the tune to Happy Birthday. Some of the events should never have taken place; staff should never have been so drunk at “ Wine Time Friday ” that they vomited; “There is significant learning to be drawn from these events which must be addressed immediately across Government”. It was nothing that we didn’t know already. Just as … [Read more...] about Sue Gray report seemed stale as a week-old sponge, leaving Boris Johnson to fight another day

Boris Johnson raises a glass of wine and toasts the departure of his director of communications. The glass of fizz (possibly champagne) is gripped in his right hand, a smile on the Prime Minister’s face as he and at least seven members of his Downing Street press team say their farewells to Lee Cain, his departing official spokesman who had fallen out with Mr Johnson’s young fiancee Carrie Symonds (now his wife). Yet eight days before this incriminating photograph was taken on November 13 2020, the Prime Minister had plunged England into a second national lockdown. Pubs were shut, travel banned and socialising indoors or even in back gardens prohibited. On the table in the photograph’s foreground appears prima facie evidence of what could only best be described as a party. There are two bottles of bubbly, four bottles of wine (two red and two white) and half a bottle of gin. Most of the booze has been drunk bar one bottle of unopened fizz, visible at the very edge of the picture. … [Read more...] about The incriminating new images of Boris Johnson that could put the fizz back into partygate

Boris Johnson has opened the door for Heathrow to build its third runway as ministers commit to support necessary airport expansion. Mr Johnson once pledged to “lie down in front of the bulldozers” to prevent construction going ahead. missed a Commons vote on Heathrow’s expansion in 2018 that rubber-stamped the project. Last year Robert Jenrick, the then housing secretary, backed London Mayor Sadiq Khan ’s building plan for the capital that opposed expansion at Heathrow airport. Taking aviation back to the skies By Robert Courts MP, aviation minister For over 100 years, aviation has been at the very centre of British life, from the famous military aircraft which helped us win two world wars, to commercial flight connecting us with the rest of the world. Today, we are explaining how this vital industry will move into the future; a future which is greener, but a future that is one of flying nonetheless With every take-off, every world leading airport or … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson revives hopes for Heathrow’s third runway

A Tory MP has called on Boris Johnson to quit over revelations about partygate. Julian Sturdy said it was ‘in the public interest’ for the prime minister to quit following the publication of the Sue Gray report. While some Conservatives have called on Mr Johnson to quit over the scandal previously, Mr Sturdy is the first do so since the report was published. His intervention will make government whips nervous it could be the first of several, although it remains unclear whether enough formal letters of no confidence will be submitted to trigger a leadership election. The York Outer MP publicly withdrew his support while the PM was meeting with backbenchers. Mr Johnson was greeted by the banging of tables as he entered the meeting room of the 1922 Committee to continue efforts to see off any potential leadership bid. It comes after two snap polls found a clear majority of voters think the PM should quit over the affair. In a statement, Mr Sturdy said: … [Read more...] about Tory MP calls on Boris Johnson to quit over partygate sham

Boris Johnson on Thursday hailed the Queen as “Elizabeth the Great” as he praised her “profound knowledge” of politics and world affairs and said no monarch had served their country so long or so well. The Prime Minister expressed hope that the nation would next week come together in celebration of her Platinum Jubilee to reciprocate the “love, devotion and leadership” she had shown the country over the past 70 years. Mr Johnson was speaking to the House of Commons in a “humble address” to the Queen, scheduled to allow politicians to pay tribute to Her Majesty ahead of next week’s Jubilee celebrations . “No monarch, by her efforts and dedication and achievement, better deserves the attribute of greatness,” he said. “And for me, she is already Elizabeth the Great.” Mr Johnson acknowledged that for the Queen, the four-day bank holiday weekend would be “tinged with sadness” without the Duke of Edinburgh by her side. He added: “I hope in the coming days that we can together … [Read more...] about ‘Elizabeth the Great’: Boris Johnson hails the Queen ahead of Platinum Jubilee

The acting Metropolitan Police Commissioner has indicated that Boris Johnson escaped a fine for attending his former director of communications’ leaving party because police considered it a work event. Sir Stephen House said he had personally been involved in decisions over the partygate investigation and did not believe the Prime Minister breached the law numerous times. Appearing before the London Assembly police and crime committee, Sir Stephen insisted he was confident of the integrity of the investigation . Scotland Yard came under intense pressure to explain why Mr Johnson was not given a fixed penalty notice when photographs emerged showing him raising a toast at a gathering to mark the departure of Lee Cain, his former director of communications, on Nov 13 2020. The Metropolitan Police was also accused of lacking consistency over its decision to fine Mr Johnson for attending his surprise birthday party, but not for the five other gatherings he was at. At … [Read more...] about Met Police chief reveals why Boris Johnson avoided partygate fine for raising a toast in No 10

Boris Johnson: Nandy asks 'how can we trust anything he says?' 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 Pressure grew on Prime Minister Boris Johnson to resign, after new pictures emerged of him raising a glass, at a lockdown party in Downing Street. Fresh accusations that he misled Parliament also increased after the publication of Sue Gray’s report into such events, on Wednesday. The Partygate scandal has engulfed the Conservative Party in recent months. Now new modelling has revealed how it’s affected its support with the British people. Related articles Rejoiner alliance threat: Boris warned Brexit could be REVERSED Energy crisis … [Read more...] about Boris on the brink: What a general election result would look like right now

Boris Johnson has faced mounting pressure from the public and politicians over the partygate scandal. Since news first emerged of Covid-breaking events at Downing Street and Whitehall, calls were made from across the political spectrum for him to stand down. Mr Johnson received one fine attending his own birthday party where he was infamously ‘ambushed with a cake.’ There was fresh scrutiny on the partygate scandal yesterday with the much-anticipated publication of the Sue Gray report. Yesterday Mr Johnson said: ‘I full responsibility for everything that took place on my watch.’ Metro.co.uk have compiled a list of the Tory rebels who have spoken out and called for their leader’s resignation. Stephen Hammond: MP for Wimbledon The Tory MP turned on Mr Johnson and submitted a letter of no confidence to 1922 committee today. Stephen Hammond, the veteran MP for Wimbledon, said he refuses to ‘defend the indefensible’. In a statement, he wrote: ‘The Sue … [Read more...] about Full list of Tories who have called for Boris Johnson to quit over Partygate

Five more Conservative MPs are preparing to submit letters of no confidence in Boris Johnson , according to reports. A member of the government could even join the plotters after the publication of Sue Gray’s ‘update’ on Downing Street parties failed to quell discontent within the Conservative Party . On Wednesday, three more Tory MPs confirmed publicly that they had written to 1922 Committee chairman Sir Graham Brady, who needs to receive 54 letters before a vote is triggered. It now means that 13 backbenchers have told the PM to go due to his handling of ‘partygate’, that has provoked such anger among the electorate. They could be about to be joined by five more rebel MPs as early as today, The Times reported. The latest plan to oust the PM has been dubbed by some as the ‘cream tea coup’ as two of the MPs to speak out – Anthony Mangnall and Sir Gary Streeter – represent seats in Devon. Mr Johnson himself however has rejected calls to resign and said he … [Read more...] about ‘Cream tea coup’ could see five more MPs call for Boris Johnson to resign today

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made a Brexit Day speech hailing the UK’s departure from the European Union as “astonishing moment of hope” that is “not an end but a beginning.” In a message recorded by government officials and emailed to media in the final hours before Brexit, he described it as “potentially a moment of real national renewal and change.” “This is the moment when the dawn breaks and the curtain goes up on a new act in our great national drama,” he said. He said that, “for all its strengths and for all its admirable qualities, the EU has evolved over 50 years in a direction that no longer suits this country,” adding: “That is a judgment that you, the people, have now confirmed at the polls. Not once, but twice.” The tone and message were markedly different from those of French President Emmanuel Macron, who offered words of reassurance for British citizens living in France and gave a rallying message for the European Union. “We have … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson calls Brexit ‘an astonishing moment of hope’