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       Iain Duncan Smith warns challengers to ‘temper ambition’ against Boris Johnson

       It is now “inevitable” that Conservative MPs will remove Boris Johnson from No 10 over the Partygate scandal, former 1922 Committee vice-chair Sir Charles Walker has said – as a Tory peer warned there was “not a chance in hell” the PM would resign of his own accord.

       As veteran backbencher Sir Roger Gale urged his colleagues to “get on with it” in submitting no confidence letters, Mr Johnson announced two new appointments to Downing Street in an attempt to fill the void that had been left by five resignations in the space of 24 hours.

       But No 10 insiders warned that the increasingly isolated PM was becoming “unpredictable and erratic”, as his Cabinet appeared to fall into squabbles with reports that multiple ministers had accused Rishi Sunak of being “on manoeuvres” for the leadership – and called on Mr Johnson to sack his chancellor.

       Warning against “internecine warfare” in his party, former Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith urged cabinet ministers and any “individuals who think they have a right to have a claim” on the title of prime minister to “temper” their ambition.

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       Key Points Boris Johnson’s fall an ‘inevitable tragedy’, Tory grandee says Questions over how new chief of staff will manage ‘three jobs’ at once PM becoming ‘unpredictable and erratic’, No 10 insiders say Ex-minister Nick Gibb becomes 15th Tory MP to urge PM to resign PM quotes Lion King to No 10 staff, saying ‘change is good’ Scottish Tory MPs told to ‘show some backbone’ against PM Guto Harri posts snap with ‘Malcolm Tucker’ to confirm No 10 job Boris Johnson ‘evicted from Clowning Street’ by circus troupe

       Show latest update 1644212509 Carrie Johnson says PM’s enemies targeting her in ‘brutal campaign’

       Carrie Johnson has said that she “plays no role in government” and has been subjected to a “brutal briefing campaign” by Boris Johnson’s “enemies”.

       Ms Johnson issued a rare statement via her spokesperson at a time her husband’s future as the prime minister has been plunged in doubt. A cabinet minister had said Ms Johnson was coming “under scrutiny in a way that perhaps other prime minister’s spouses weren’t in the past”.

       “Yet again Mrs Johnson has been targeted by a brutal briefing campaign against her by enemies of her husband,” the statement from her spokesperson read.

       “This is just the latest attempt by bitter ex-officials to discredit her. She is a private individual who plays no role in government,” it added.

       Geraldine Scott has the full story here

       Arpan Rai 7 February 2022 05:41

       1644207696 PM starts new week with fresh staff after scandal

       After making key changes to his No 10 crew over the weekend, Boris Johnson is marking a fresh start this week, easing the concerns flagged by backbenchers who were wavering about his future.

       Mr Johnson appointed Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Steve Barclay as his new chief of staff and journalist Guto Harri as his head of communications. Mr Harri has been the prime minister’s long-term ally.

       The return of Dame Emily Lawson as the new permanent secretary this week is also on the cards, according to a report.

       Geraldine Scott brings all details in this report.

       Arpan Rai 7 February 2022 04:21

       1644206238 Boris ‘fighting losing battle’ to recover from Partygate says polling guru

       In a bid to recover from the Partygate scandal, Boris Johnson is “fighting a losing battle”, one of the country’s top polling experts has said.

       The public opinion against the prime minister has hardened in the recent weeks in a way that was “very difficult to reverse”, Sir John Curtice told The Independent, citing Mr Johnson’s visible face-saving efforts to win back support from Tory MPs as he suggested changes within No 10.

       Sir Curtice said that a high proportion of Conservative cotes “do not believe what he is saying”, revealing his own analysis.

       Recent surveys show that 41 per cent of Tory voters had agreed that Ms Johnson should resign.

       Adam Forrest has the full report here.

       Arpan Rai 7 February 2022 03:57

       1644181212 Dorries in Saudi Arabia to ‘strengthen shared relationship’

       Culture secretary Nadine Dorries has landed in Saudi Arabia, she announced on Twitter.

       She said: “Delighted to have landed in Saudi Arabia.

       “I’m here to discuss how we can use culture, tourism and sports to strengthen our shared relationship.

       “Looking forward to an exciting visit”.

       Lamiat Sabin 6 February 2022 21:00

       1644179412 Anti-animal testing petition with 110k signatures to be debated

       An e-petition against animal testing will be heard in Parliament after tens of thousands of people signed it.

       It will be debated in Westminster Hall after 110,276 people signed the petition that calls for alternatives to testing on live animals.

       It calls on the government to “change the law so laboratory animals are included in the Animal Welfare Act”.

       It adds: “Laboratory animals are currently not protected by the Act and are therefore victims of ‘unnecessary suffering’.”

       Tim Phillips, vice-president of the National Anti-Vivisection Society, told The Mirror: “Animal researchers are permitted to do things to animals that would otherwise see the person responsible prosecuted for cruelty.”

       The Royal Society – which says it is the “world’s oldest independent scientific academy dedicated to promoting scientific excellence” at 361-years-old – backs animal testing with safeguards.

       It said that “at present, the use of animals remains the only way for some areas of research to progress.”

       Lamiat Sabin 6 February 2022 20:30

       1644175512 Boris Johnson ‘evicted from Clowning Street’ by circus troupe

       Niko Omilana has posted a video in which he serves PM Boris Johnson an eviction notice from “Clowning Street”.

       The former independent candidate for Mayor of London – who calls himself the “people’s Mayor of London” – has rocked up to Downing Street with a circus troupe.

       It’s time for you to leave 10 Downing Street. You are officially evicted.

       “You and your criminal colleagues have made a joke of this country – so I have decided to replace you with people more serious.”

       The circus gang – clowns, jugglers, and cheers.

       He continues: “You’ve been running this country like a circus. So we might as well make it official – yeah?”

       Lamiat Sabin 6 February 2022 19:25

       1644171912 Guto Harri posts snap with ‘Malcolm Tucker’ to confirm No 10 job

       Former BBC journalist Guto Harri has confirmed that he accepted the job of Boris Johnson’s director of communications.

       He posted a photo of himself with his “distinguished predecessor” Peter Capaldi – the actor who plays Malcolm Tucker, the Downing Street director of communications in political satire The Thick of It.

       Mr Harri wrote: “Joining a formidable team to focus on the things that matter and deliver what [Mr Johnson] promised to the people.”

       Lamiat Sabin 6 February 2022 18:25

       1644168012 Scottish Tory MPs told to ‘show some backbone’ against PM

       The SNP have challenged Scottish Tory MPs to “come out of hiding” and submit letters of no confidence in Boris Johnson’s leadership over Partygate.

       The prime minister could face a confidence vote as soon as this week.

       Douglas Ross, leader of the Scottish Conservatives, has already called on him to quit.

       Kirsten Oswald, SNP Westminster deputy leader, urged Scottish Tory MPs to submit their letters of no confidence to the 1922 Committee of backbench MPs.

       She said, TheCourier newspaper reported: “They are snubbing Douglas Ross and undermining his position, by siding with Boris Johnson.

       “Despite being repeatedly overlooked for promotion, humiliated by the prime minister, and their Scottish Tory leader being dismissed as a ‘lightweight’ by their Westminster bosses, it seems they are still clinging to the hope of being given a ministerial job if they remain loyal.

       “It’s time they showed some backbone and stood up for their constituents, instead of always putting their own careerist ambitions first.”

       Three quarters of people in Scotland believe that Mr Johnson should quit over Downing Street’s breach of lockdown rules, according to a new Panelbase poll for The Sunday Times.

       Lamiat Sabin 6 February 2022 17:20

       1644166505 Minister accused of ‘downplaying the impact of crime’ in defence of PM

       Kwasi Kwarteng’s suggestion that voters don’t think fraud counts as a crime affecting their “day-to-day lives” has been criticised by a former chief prosecutor.

       Nazir Afzal accused the Cabinet minister of “downplaying the impact of crime on ordinary citizens whilst trying to defend his lying” prime minister.

       The business secretary made the comments while seeking to defend Boris Johnson’s claim in the Commons this week – later branded “misleading” by the statistics watchdog – that crime had fallen 14 per cent under his leadership, which according to the Office for National Statistics is only true when excluding fraud and computer misuse.

       In fact, data published by the ONS last week stated that overall crime levels had actually risen by 14 per cent.

       Adam Forrest has more details here:

       Boris Johnson right to claim crime has fallen, minister suggests Kwasi Kwarteng said PM was talking about crime ‘in relation to individuals’

       Andy Gregory 6 February 2022 16:55

       1644165605

       Felicity Cornelius-Mercer has issued this update today after tweeting an image of her husband, the MP for Plymouth, asleep on the sofa, writing that he had got “so p****d” while watching sports yesterday afternoon that he couldn’t remember what he’d said with the prime minister, who called him last night.

       “We appreciated Boris’ call,” Ms Cornelius Mercer wrote.

       Here’s the tweet which sparked the “hysteria”:

       Andy Gregory 6 February 2022 16:40

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