Tories boris johnson

Boris Johnson is set to reveal this week whether Plan B Covid restrictions in England will be scrapped – as the rules are due to expire next Wednesday, January 26. Downing Street said today that it was keeping a ‘very close eye’ on the data with ‘encouraging signs’ infections are falling across the country. But the decision will be weighed up based on the NHS, which remains ‘under significant pressure’. The ‘maximum amount of time possible’ will be given to prepare for any rule changes, the PM’s spokesman said. ‘In terms of the data, there are some encouraging signs that infections are falling across the country. ‘Obviously we want to see that mirrored in the latest ONS data as well. ‘There are also some signs of falls – or at least plateauing – in admissions and occupancy in hospital, which is good to see. ‘But it still remains the case that our NHS is under significant pressure, there are over 16,000 Covid patients in hospital in England alone. ‘So we are … [Read more...] about Boris Johnson could announce update on Plan B Covid rules this week

The newly introduced five-day isolation period is being followed up with plans to scrap all legal penalties for Covid rule breaches, it has been reported. A rules update on Monday means people can now stop self-quarantining after five full days, so long as they test negative on the fifth and sixth days. It comes a day after a Cabinet minister said ‘signs are encouraging’ for the lifting of further restrictions by the end of the month. Citing ‘very promising data’ on infections and hospital admissions, Oliver Dowden, the Tory party chairman and Cabinet Office minister, said a review expected on January 26 could see several ‘plan B’ measures scrapped. These include work-from-home guidance, which ministers want scrapped as a priority for economic reasons, and vaccine passport requirements, which fuelled a revolt by a large minority of Tory backbenchers last month. Mask requirements are seen as more likely to remain in force, at least on public transport. Boris … [Read more...] about Boris ‘plans to scrap fines for Covid breaches’ as five-day isolation introduced

A Tory MP’s office has been vandalised as anger grows over alleged rule-breaking in Downing Street. Pictures of Robert Largan’s constituency office in Whaley Bridge, Derbyshire, have emerged showing the word ‘lies’ was repeatedly sprayed on the side of the building, apparently by someone angry at the latest revelations of parties in No 10. A photograph of the politician which adorned the office was also covered in orange graffiti, as were the words ‘I’m here to help’. The building was trashed despite Mr Largan’s criticism of recent controversies surrounding parties held in the heart of Westminster, when everyone else was expected to remain at home. Several other MPs have spoken out about the angry messages filling their inboxes as more and more revelations are revealed. Mr Largan, who represents the marginal seat of High Peak, is one of a new generation of MPs elected in 2019. He was previously critical of government ‘sleaze’ last year after MPs overturned the … [Read more...] about ‘Lies lies lies’ sprayed on office of Tory MP as anger grows over partygate

Sir Keir Starmer has revealed Gary Neville told him off for not being ‘strong enough’ standing up to Boris Johnson . The football pundit joined the Labour Party last week but Sir Keir admitted they’ve disagreed on a few issues in the past. The Labour leader said he preferred ‘robust conversations’ to the ‘warm bath’ of speaking with people who agree with him, adding he believes the Manchester United legend could go ‘as far as he wants’ in politics . During an interview on the BBC’s Political Thinking podcast, Neville, 46, said Labour’s opposition ‘should have been a lot stronger’ at the end of 2020. He said: ‘I think Labour had them at that point. I would be open with Keir about this, I don’t think that he was strong enough at that point. Now I think he realises he needs to take the gloves off.’ Sir Keir later confirmed the pair have had a ‘number of conversations’ and disagreed on Labour’s support for the tier system. ‘When he says, “I’ve been open with … [Read more...] about Gary Neville confronted Keir Starmer and told him ‘you’re not strong enough’

The military is to be put in charge of stemming the surge in illegal migrants crossing the Channel and could take charge of controversial “pushback” tactics to turn away boats at sea . Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, is expected to announce the move within weeks as part of Boris Johnson’s attempted fightback. Dubbed Operation Red Meat, it is aimed at wooing back voters with populist policies after the “partygate” scandal . The Armed Forces will be able to deploy Naval ships, boats and sophisticated surveillance technology to bolster Border Force, which is limited to just five cutters. The Navy will step in if Border Force officers go on strike or refuse to deploy the pushback tactics, where jet skis block and redirect migrants’ boats back towards France. It is designed to combat record numbers of migrants crossing the Channel in small boats, but has not yet been used - despite being legally signed off by government lawyers in September. Strike action threat over … [Read more...] about Military set to tackle Channel migrant crisis as Priti Patel orders ‘pushback’ of boats to France

The government has been accused of attacking the BBC to distract from the "partygate" scandal ahead of an expected licence fee freeze announcement. As part of "Operation Red Meat", designed to quell angry Tory backbenchers and voters, the government is expected to announce the licence fee could be replaced when the current deal ends in 2027. Culture Secretary Nadine Dorries is also expected to confirm the annual payment will be frozen at £159 until 2024. Follow live 'partygate' updates This licence fee announcement will be the last. The days of the elderly being threatened with prison sentences and bailiffs knocking on doors, are over. https://t.co/sXtK25q27H — Nadine Dorries (@NadineDorries) January 16, 2022 Ms Dorries, reacting to the claims, tweeted on Sunday the next review of the BBC's funding model, in 2027, "will be the last". Advertisement It has angered Labour politicians and the National Union of Journalists (NUJ), who both … [Read more...] about Government accused of attacking BBC to distract from ‘partygate’ ahead of expected licence fee freeze

LABOUR leader Sir Keir Starmer refused to apologise for downing beers with colleagues indoors during Covid restrictions - calling it a work event just like Boris Sir Keir was angrily branded a “hypocrite” by a caller on LBC this morning but he hit back saying No10 was running a campaign “to drag everyone into the gutter with them." He insisted he didn’t break any rules while he had a takeaway in a constituency office while working on the election campaign in 2021 - saying it was a break during a work event. His excuse echoes the PM who said his 25 minutes stint at a Downing Street party was within the rules as it was a for work. The Labour leader has demanded Boris Johnson resign over the dozens of Downing Street parties held during various Covid lockdowns. But he insisted the clip of him was totally different in the tense radio exchange. He said: "The picture of me was in a constituency office up in the North East, it was I think, three or four days before the May … [Read more...] about Labour leader Keir Starmer refuses to apologise after being pictured drinking beer during lockdown

A CHINESE "spy" target MP who took £500,000 from Christine Lee claims he found out she was a suspected communist agent TODAY. Labour MP Barry Gardiner said he only found out she was a suspected spy this morning when he had a meeting with MI5 agents - after taking half a million pounds from her in donations. Chinese national Lee is accused of trying to influence Labour MP and Jeremy Corbyn ally Mr Gardiner, as well as a host of others. But he said he had spoken to MI5 for years about her money and their relationship had been cleared to continue. He told Sky News that "she got no political advantage from me," adding that he had spoken to her as recently as this week. The MP said: "I had been cautious because I knew she was a solicitor who acted for a number of Chinese businesses in the UK over a very long period of time. "For that reason I had spoken openly and frankly with our security services for a number of years about the engagement I had with her. "And I made … [Read more...] about Chinese ‘spy’ target MP who took £500k from Christine Lee claims he found out she was a communist agent TODAY

The UK has recorded another 70,924 cases of Covid but it appears the country has past the worst of the Omicron wave. New infections reported on Sunday took the week’s total to 754,054, a 38% on the previous seven days when well over a million new cases were detected. However no cases from Scotland were included due to an IT problem. A further 88 deaths were also reported among people who tested positive for Covid within 28 days. It means in the last week alone, there have been 1,834 deaths – the highest since last winter – but it is hoped this figure will also soon start to fall in line with the decreasing number of cases. The daily release of figures showed 25,880 received their first dose of a vaccine on Saturday, 39,709 had a second dose and 92,623 were given their third jab. Omicron took hold in the UK just before Christmas and rapidly spread around the country, resulting in record numbers of infections. But experts predicted the country could follow South … [Read more...] about UK Covid cases continue to plummet with 38% drop in one week