British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves from 10 Downing Street in central London on 23 February 2022 to take part in the weekly session of Prime Minister’s Questions
" src="https://static.independent.co.uk/2022/02/24/03/GettyImages-1238701448.jpg?quality=75&width=982&height=726&auto=webp" srcset="https://static.independent.co.uk/2022/02/24/03/GettyImages-1238701448.jpg?quality=75&width=320&auto=webp&crop=982:726,smart 320w, https://static.independent.co.uk/2022/02/24/03/GettyImages-1238701448.jpg?quality=75&width=640&auto=webp&crop=982:726,smart 640w">
British Prime Minister Boris Johnson leaves from 10 Downing Street in central London on 23 February 2022 to take part in the weekly session of Prime Minister’s Questions
(AFP via Getty Images)
Boris Johnson today condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, slamming Vladimir Putin for choosing “a path of bloodshed and destruction”.
“I am appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to President Zelensky to discuss next steps,” Mr Johnson tweeted. He said the UK and its allies would respond “decisively” as London warned that Moscow would “incur severe costs’’ of its actions on Ukraine.
“President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine,” he said. “The UK and our allies will respond decisively.”
British Foreign secretary Liz Truss also condemned Russia’s “appalling, unprovoked attack”, as she voiced the country’s support for Ukraine.
“We stand with Ukraine and we will work with our international partners to respond to this terrible act of (aggression),” she said.
The statement came as Mr Putin declared war on Ukraine. In a televised address at around 6 am Moscow time, the Russian leader announced what he termed a “special military operation” in Ukraine, as he warned of the consequences over any foreign interference.
Key points Russia choosing a ‘path of bloodshed and destruction’ UK and allies working to avoid division over sanctions against Russia Johnson mulling a ‘revenge reshuffle’ Labour MP cut off by Speaker Sunak to risk rift within Tory party over tax cuts
Show latest update 1645685107 ‘Appalling, unprovoked attack’
British foreign secretary Liz Truss condemned the “appalling, unprovoked attack” on Ukraine.
Issuing a statement, she said: “I strongly condemn the appalling, unprovoked attack President Putin has launched on the people of Ukraine.
“We stand with Ukraine and we will work with our international partners to respond to this terrible act of aggression.”
Namita Singh 24 February 2022 06:45
1645684697 Russia choosing a ‘path of bloodshed and destruction’
Boris Johnson joined world leaders to condemn Russia’s invasion on Ukraine, saying Vladimir Putin has “chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction”.
“I am appalled by the horrific events in Ukraine and I have spoken to President Zelensky to discuss next steps,” Mr Johnson tweeted.
“President Putin has chosen a path of bloodshed and destruction by launching this unprovoked attack on Ukraine. The UK and our allies will respond decisively.”
Namita Singh 24 February 2022 06:38
1645680768 ‘Oil and gas drilling in North Sea must end’
Ministers must end the expansion of oil and gas exploration across Britain with a “presumption” against new projects in the North Sea, the government’s own climate advisers have said.
In a letter to business secretary Kwasi Kwarteng, the Committee on Climate Change (CCC) said it was time for Britain to “send a clear signal” about the climate emergency at home and abroad.
Green groups said the advice should lead to a “paradigm shift” and welcomed it as “a clear blow for the fossil fuel industry”.
Read the details in the report by Jon Stone:
Oil and gas drilling in North Sea must end, ministers told Committee on Climate Change says drilling won’t drive down household bills
Namita Singh 24 February 2022 05:32
1645679866 UK and allies working to avoid division over sanctions against Russia
Boris Johnson told MPs on Wednesday that the first round of sanctions against Russia would hurt, adding: “It is vital that, after this first barrage, we work in lockstep with friends and allies around the world to squeeze him simultaneously in London, Paris and New York.”
So far, western allies are moving at broadly the same speed even if they opt for different measures. Downing Street said: “We are sanctioning financial institutions in the UK that the EU is not.” It insisted that people should look at the “whole package” coordinated by Nato allies.
Intense talks are being held to try to avoid handing Vladimir Putin what he craves and has often exploited in the past– divisions among his enemies. But inevitably there are tensions behind the scenes.
Read the report by Andrew Grice:
Will the UK and allies avoid divisions over sanctions against Russia? Talks are being held to avoid giving Putin the gift of divisions among his enemies as Andrew Grice explains
Namita Singh 24 February 2022 05:17
1645679354 ‘Student finance overhaul will punish poorer graduates’
A shake-up of university finance will punish poorer students while top-earning graduates pay less, ministers are being warned – as a call to bring back maintenance grants is rejected.
The long-delayed response to a review ordered by Theresa May also throws out a recommendation to slash annual tuition fees from ￡9,250 to ￡7,500, made because of fears that high debt deters disadvantaged teenagers.
Instead, fees will be frozen, while graduates will feel the pain of a cut in the threshold to start repayments from ￡27,295 a year to ￡25,000, to “make the system fairer for the taxpayer”, ministers say.
Reports deputy political editor Rob Merrick:
Student finance overhaul to ‘hit poorer graduates’ while top-earners pay less Calls to cut fees and restore maintenance grants thrown out – while most students will pay more, to cut cost for taxpayers
Namita Singh 24 February 2022 05:09
1645678501 Sunak to risk rift within Tory party over tax cuts
Rishi Sunak is to risk a fresh rift within the Tory party over tax by sending out a signal that he will take a cautious approach to cuts ahead of the next general election.
In a speech to the Bayes Business School, the chancellor will say that any tax cuts must be “sustainable”. And he will pour scorn on low-tax advocates who argue that reductions in the state take always pay for themselves by fuelling growth.
Mr Sunak’s speech comes just weeks after the MP appointed to head Boris Johnson’s Policy Unit, Andrew Griffith, said his priority in the role was to “return rapidly to the point when we can cut taxes to let everyone keep more of their own money”.
Read this report from Andrew Woodcock:
Rishi Sunak risks Tory rift with message of caution over tax cuts Chancellor scorns argument that cuts ‘pay for themselves’ by fuelling growth
Namita Singh 24 February 2022 04:55
1645677738 Keir Starmer to evoke Harold Wilson memory with promise to use the ‘white heat of technology’
Keir Starmer is to evoke the memory of Labour’s 1960s prime minister Harold Wilson with a promise to use the “white heat of technology” to deliver an economy that works for all.
In a speech in the four-time election-winner’s home town, Huddersfield, Sir Keir will quote his predecessor’s famous dictum in the latest step of his drive to reposition Labour as the party of business and growth.
In his strongest effort yet to woo the private sector, he will say that no political party can succeed without a strong plan to help businesses thrive.
“Britain cannot rise to the great challenges of the day without the innovation of business,” he will say. “A political party without a clear plan for making sure businesses are successful and growing, which doesn’t want them to do well and make a profit, has no hope of being a successful government.”
Reports Andrew Woodcock:
Starmer woos business with promise to use ‘white heat of technology’ to drive growth Labour leader risks alienating companies with promise to take advantage of ‘opportunities of Brexit’
Namita Singh 24 February 2022 04:42
1645676467 Labour MP cut off by Speaker
Labour MP Imran Hussain was cut off by Commons Speaker Lindsay Hoyle as he was criticising prime minister Boris Johnson’s comments about Muslims.
Mr Johnson was “no stranger to derogatory remarks about Muslim women” said Mr Hussian on Wednesday.
Sir Lindsay said: “This is not the appropriate place to be raising that”, and moved onto another MP without asking Mr Johnson to answer the question or allowing Mr Hussain to continue.
Mr Johnson has previously in 2018 described Muslim women as looking like “bank robbers” and “letterboxes”.
In 2019 Tell MAMA, an organisation which documents instances of racism against Muslims, reported a 375 per cent increase in attacks in the week following after Mr Johnson’s comments, some “directly referenced Boris Johnson and/or the language used in his column”.
Speaker tells MP not to raise Boris Johnson comments about Muslims in parliament Labour MP Imran Hussain was cut off by Speaker and the prime minister spared answering the question
Namita Singh 24 February 2022 04:21
1645676314 Johnson mulling a ‘revenge reshuffle’
Boris Johnson loyalists believe he is lining up a revenge reshuffle in July if he escapes unscathed from the Partygate inquiries and May’s perilous local elections. Emboldened by the delay in publishing the final report into alleged lockdown-breaking gatherings at No 10, supporters of the prime minister believe he will survive a confidence vote by MPs.
There was little to nurture loyalist hopes of a Johnson recovery in an exclusive Savanta Comres survey for The Independent, which showed Conservatives trailing the opposition on 33 per cent compared to Labour’s 40 – a single point up on the low of 32 recorded in the pollster’s political tracker index.
Little more than a third (35 per cent) of Conservative supporters viewed the prime minister as their top choice for leader.
Read the details in this report by Independent’s political editor Andrew Woodcock:
Boris Johnson ‘lining up revenge reshuffle’ if he survives Partygate Exclusive: Poll shows PM is backed by just a third of Tories – but no clear rival emerging
Namita Singh 24 February 2022 04:18
1645674218
Welcome to The Independent’s live blog covering UK politics for Thursday, 24 February 2022.
Namita Singh 24 February 2022 03:43