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Human rights expert explains what stopped the first Rwanda flight
Boris Johnson is facing calls to release Lord Christopher Geidt’s full resignation letter after the ethics chief quit his post.
The UK government has so far only released a short statement from the adviser, who said he was stepping down “with regret” but felt it was the “right thing to do”.
A former holder of the post and Labour MPs have urged the PM to make the resignation letter public.
Earlier this week, Lord Geidt told MPs it was “reasonable” to suggest the PM broke the ministerial code by breaching lockdown laws in the Partygate scandal.
He also said he was “frustrated” by Mr Johnson’s response to the Sue Gray report into parties at No 10 during Covid restrictions.
“Resignation is one of the rather blunt but few tools available to the adviser,” he also told the Commons committee.
A No 10 source told PA news agency Mr Johnson was “surprised” by Lord Geidt’s departure announced on Wednesday.
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Key Points Pressure growing on PM to release Lord Geidt resignation letter Lord Geidt resigns over Partygate disagreement We will press ahead with Rwanda aslyum policy, Patel insists Johnson considering withdrawal from human rights treaty
Show latest update 1655370058 ‘We’ve had a difficult patch,’ Raab says
Dominic Raab has also been asked about the two ethics advisers going in quick succession and whether that reflects badly on Boris Johnson.
“We’ve had a difficult patch but we’re getting on with the job,” he said.
Zoe Tidman 16 June 2022 10:00
1655368978 Second ethics advisor to go this month
Lord Geidt’s resignation comes just a week after another the PM’s anti-corruption tsar quit his post.
John Penrose said it was “pretty clear” Boris Johnson had broken the ministerial code over the Partygate scandal when he left.
More on Independent TV:
Boris Johnson’s anti-corruption tsar resigns ahead of no-confidence vote Boris Johnson’s anti-corruption tsar has resigned his position, claiming it is “pretty clear” the prime minister broke the ministerial code over the Partygate scandal.John Penrose also insisted Mr Johnson should step down from his position just hours before the Conservative Party holds a vote of no confidence in his leadership.“It’s pretty clear that he has broken the ministerial code in a very material way and I’m afraid that’s normally a resignation matter for the minister concerned,” Mr Penrose said.“Clearly I, as the anti-corruption tsar, cannot carry on in that role.”Click here to sign up for our newsletters.
Zoe Tidman 16 June 2022 09:42
1655367958 Raab insists government operates ‘ethically'
Dominic Raab has insisted the UK government operates “ethically” 100 per cent of the time in his Sky News interview.
He went on use the vaccine rollout and ”getting the economy back up and running” as examples.
“Do we make mistakes? Look, it happens. We’re human. We’re faillable,” he added.
Watch here:
Zoe Tidman 16 June 2022 09:25
1655366818 Raab says there will be ‘update from No 10 later’ on Lord Geidt resignation
Dominic Raab, the deputy prime minister, has been asked on Sky News why a second ministerial interests adviser has resigned.
“First of all, he’d been engaged with the prime minister in No 10 this week and discussing staying on for six months. My understanding was that he was committed to the role,” he said.
“I think he had a pretty rough grilling by MPs this week, I think sometimes we in the media and as politicians maybe underestimate how civil servants feel with that kind of scrutiny.
“And thirdly there was a particular issue, a commercially sensitive matter in the national interest, which he was asked to look at.”
Mr Raab added: “I don’t know which aspect of this - there will be an update from Number 10 later.”
Zoe Tidman 16 June 2022 09:06
1655365798 Pressure growing on PM to release Lord Geidt resignation letter
Rob Merrick, our deputy political editor, has the full story on this - and it is not just Labour MPs calling for it.
Pressure is growing on Boris Johnson to release a resignation letter penned by his ethics adviser to reveal why he has quit suddenly, he writes.
A former holder of the post warned the public will “draw their own conclusions” if the prime minister keeps secret what is thought to be a strongly worded exit note sent by Christopher Geidt.
Read more here:
PM told to release ethics adviser’s resignation letter to reveal why he quit Former holder of post warns public will ‘draw their own conclusions’ if letter is kept secret
Zoe Tidman 16 June 2022 08:49
1655364718 Calls for resignation letter to be made public
Labour MPs want to see his resignation letter in full.
They are caling for the government to publish it:
Zoe Tidman 16 June 2022 08:31
1655363647 Lord Geidt resignation statement
The government announced the resignation last night.
It shared a statement from Lord Geidt, which simply said: “With regret, I feel that it is right that I am resigning from my post as Independent Adviser on Ministers’ Interests.”
Zoe Tidman 16 June 2022 08:14
1655362090 Lord Geidt resigns over Partygate disagreement
Boris Johnson’s independent ethics adviser Christopher Geidt has quit following disagreements over Partygate, Andrew Woodcock reports.
The shock resignation thrusts the prime minister back into crisis, after he last week won a vote of confidence in his position among Tory MPs.
Full story:
New crisis for Boris Johnson as ethics adviser quits Calls for prime minister to quit after second custodian of ministerial code stands down
Zoe Tidman 16 June 2022 07:48
1655359044 Reaction to cancellation of first Rwanda deportation flight features on the front pages.
The nation’s papers are led by the sudden resignation of the prime minister’s ethics adviser Lord Geidt and reactions on the cancellation of the first Rwanda deportation flight.
The Independent carries first-hand accounts from some of those who were aboard the cancelled flight.
The Times, The Guardian and The Daily Telegraph report Mr Geidt had been “frustrated” with Boris Johnson’s response to the partygate investigations, and described resignation as a “last resort” that “sends a critical signal into the public domain”.
Check out more front pages here:
What the papers say – June 16 Further reaction to the cancellation of the first Rwanda deportation flight features on the front pages.
Stuti Mishra 16 June 2022 06:57
1655355237 ICYMI: UK rescued 444 migrants from the English Channel crossing as Rwanda deportation flight cancelled
More than 440 people were found trying to cross the English Channel on the same day as the UK’s first scheduled deportation flight to Rwanda.
This was the highest number to make an attempt on the same day in two months.
It came as the UK attempted to start deporting asylum seekers arriving in the UK on unofficial routes - such as on small boats across the Channel - to Rwanda.
Zoe Tidman has more:
UK rescued 444 migrants from Channel crossing as Rwanda deportation flight cancelled It is the highest number since mid-April
Stuti Mishra 16 June 2022 05:53
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