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       Rishi Sunak says he will give his ￡400 energy rebate to charity

       The Cabinet Office has appeared to reject claims that Sue Gray’s Partygate report was tampered with prior to publication, with details of an alleged party at Boris Johnson’s Downing Street flat supposedly removed.

       Senior members of Mr Johnson’s team are also alleged to have put pressure on the civil servant to remove certain details and names from her report into coronavirus rule-breaking, according to the Sunday Times, which quoted a source as saying that “the entire machine fought her” once she made clear an intention to publish emails and WhatsApp messages.

       But the Cabinet Office insisted on Sunday that Ms Gray’s report “was impartially conducted and its contents represent the findings and conclusions of the investigation team alone”.

       Earlier, a No 10 source had denied the allegations, saying: “It is untrue that anyone on the political side saw anything in advance or sought to influence it.”

       The claims come as the prime minister fends off increasing pressure over the report, with 24 of his own MPs now publicly calling for his resignation.

       Recommended Boris Johnson faces new questions over Partygate scandal amid drip-feed of resignation calls Every Tory MP that has called for Boris Johnson to quit over Partygate Britons face more holiday chaos as Tory cuts could see 8,000 fewer passports processed every day Why energy bills are increasing

       Key Points Cabinet Office rejects claims Sue Gray report was tampered with Two dozen Tory MPs now want Johnson to go PM in ‘yellow card territory’ after Sue Gray report, minister says More than 120,000 of Britain’s poorest families set to miss out on help due to benefits cap Rishi Sunak denies using cost of living help as Partygate distraction Ministers no longer expected to resign if they break Code

       Show latest update 1653891158 Every Tory MP that has called for Boris Johnson to quit

       Boris Johnson is facing renewed calls to quit after more Tory MPs submitted letters of no confidence following the publication of Sue Gray’s report into the partygate scandal.

       A total of 25 Conservative backbenchers are now publicly demanding his removal, but behind the scenes others have privately said he should step down.

       Here’s the full list of Tory MPs calling for the prime minister to stand down:

       Every Tory MP that has called for Boris Johnson to quit over Partygate Pressure mounting on prime minister to resign following publication of Sue Gray’s damning report

       Stuti Mishra 30 May 2022 07:12

       1653889226 Johnson faces renewed pressure over Partygate scandal

       Boris Johnson is facing renewed pressure over the Partygate scandal amid suggestions of a second gathering in the No 10 flat and a drip-feed of Tory MPs calling for his resignation, writes Ashley Cowburn.

       Despite his attempts to “move on” from the rule-busting events that have rocked his premiership, allegations also emerged over the weekend that officials had attempted to dilute Sue Gray’s report.

       But Labour said Mr Johnson still had questions to answer.

       Read more:

       Boris Johnson faces new questions over Partygate scandal Labour has demanded an investigation into suggestions of a second gathering in the No 10 flat

       Stuti Mishra 30 May 2022 06:40

       1653887726 PM’s critics have spread misinformation about ministerial code changes, says Lewis

       Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis has called the opposition’s accusations on the prime minister of watering down ministerial code rules “misinformation”.

       Mr Lewis said Mr Johnson, in issuing the changes, was following recommendations made by an independent standards body and his own ethics adviser, Lord Geidt.

       However, Labour said Mr Johnson had cherry-picked which recommendations to follow, having refused to accept advice on writing the ministerial code into legislation and failing to grant stronger powers requested by Lord Geidt to commission his own probes.

       Read more:

       Lewis: PM’s critics have spread misinformation about ministerial code changes The update means ministers found to have committed minor breaches of the standards rules will no longer have to resign.

       Stuti Mishra 30 May 2022 06:15

       1653886226 Johnson’s ‘bonfire of EU laws’, power cut warnings and more in today’s newspaper front pages

       In a bid to secure support among Tories after Partygate scandal, Boris Johnson is set to scrap a plethora of EU laws

       (Screengrab/The I)

       The Times newspaper leads with the power crisis triggered by the Ukraine war

       (Screengrab/The Times)

       A record 12m people are set to share Jubilee lunch with Queen

       (Screengrab/Daily Mail)

       UK opens doors to world’s top graduates as Biden pays respect at Texas school shooting site

       (Screengrab/The Telegraph)

       Check out more front pages:

       What the papers say – May 30 Reported modelling predicting major power shortages in winter is featured among Monday’s front pages.

       Stuti Mishra 30 May 2022 05:50

       1653884126 ICYMI: Labour demands publication of messages suggesting second No 10 flat gathering

       Labour’s Angela Rayner has demanded an investigation into text messages suggesting a second gathering took place in the No 10 flat on Boris Johnson’s birthday.

       According to The Sunday Times, messages sent by the prime minister’s wife, Carrie Johnson, appear to show that she was in the flat with several friends on the evening of 19 June, 2020.

       The alleged event is not mentioned in the senior civil servant Sue Gray’s report into lockdown-busting events that was published on Wednesday following the conclusion of the Metropolitan Police investigation.

       It is also separate to a birthday celebration held for Mr Johnson in the Cabinet Room earlier the same day — an event which the couple have both been issued with fixed penalty notices for.

       Under Covid regulations, indoor socialising was banned, but exemptions were available for work purposes.

       Read the full story from Ashley Cowburn here:

       Labour demands probe into suggestions of second No 10 flat gathering ‘There are new questions the prime minister must answer for his involvement,’ Angela Rayner says

       Stuti Mishra 30 May 2022 05:15

       1653883032 Russian ambassador accuses Liz Truss of ‘instigating the conflict’ in Ukraine

       Liz Truss has been accused by Russia’s ambassador to the UK of being “very belligerent” and wanting to “prolong” the conflict in Ukraine.

       Andrei Kelin said the foreign secretary wanted to “instigate the conflict” by pushing for the west to continue supplying Kyiv in a position he argued would be “no good for Ukraine”.

       Ms Truss, during a visit to the Czech Republic on Friday, told western allies they needed to be “ready for the long haul” when it came to supporting Ukraine’s resistance, with “no talk of ceasefires or appeasing Putin”.

       She said: “We need to make sure that Ukraine wins and that Russia withdraws and that we never see this type of Russian aggression again.”

       Mr Kelin said Ms Truss’s stance showed that London was not interested in bringing about an end to the conflict, which Moscow started in February when it ordered an invasion of its neighbour.

       Read more:

       Truss belligerence will prolong conflict in Ukraine – Russian ambassador to UK Andrei Kelin said the UK’s decision to supply Kyiv with weapons would delay peace in Europe.

       Stuti Mishra 30 May 2022 04:57

       1653881195 Johnson looking to appease Tories as no confidence threat looms

       Prime minister Boris Johnson is reportedly looking for ways to appease possible Conservative rebels as the Partygate affair threatened to reignite over new rule-breaking claims.

       More Tories in recent days have publicly announced they want a confidence vote in the future of Mr Johnson’s leadership in response to his handling of the revelations about No 10 lockdown parties.

       The number to have confirmed they have submitted a letter of no confidence has almost reached half the amount needed to trigger a vote, although the actual figure could be higher given MPs do not have to declare if they have handed in a letter.

       Read more:

       PM looking to shore up support as partygate controversy refuses to subside More Tories in recent days have publicly announced they want a confidence vote in the future of Boris Johnson’s leadership.

       Stuti Mishra 30 May 2022 04:26

       1653876023 Partygate fallout piles pressure on Johnson

       Our front page looks at the renewed pressure facing Boris Johnson over Partygate:

       Rory Sullivan 30 May 2022 03:00

       1653872400 Millions of Britons could face power cuts in winter, warn ministers

       Six million households in the UK could face power cuts later this year as a result of the Ukraine war, ministers have warned.

       Under the government’s “reasonable” worst-case scenario, there could be widespread blackouts if Russia decides to reduce its energy supplies to the EU, according to the Times.

       Rory Sullivan 30 May 2022 02:00

       1653867900 Government opens new visa scheme to attract overseas graduates

       The government has launched a new visa scheme to attract graduates from the top 50 non-British universities to live in the UK.

       Ministers said the “high potential individual” route, which opens on Monday 30 May, will allow the “brightest and best” to work in Britain.

       Applicants can receive a two-year work visa for most degrees and a three-year one for those doing PhDs.

       Rory Sullivan 30 May 2022 00:45

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