File. Boris Johnson
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File. Boris Johnson
(PA Wire)
A former Conservative cabinet minister, Rory Stewart, has said that the entire Downing Street operation is now focused solely on trying to keep “monstrous ego” Boris Johnson in power.
He warned of the erosion of trust in British politics and compared the current leadership to that of convicted fraudster and former Italian prime minister Silvio Berlusconi.
Meanwhile, the security guards and cleaners who work in government offices are going to protest against Whitehall’s “culture of disrespect” towards cleaning and security staff outside of Downing Street on Friday.
According to the United Voices of the World (UVW) union, the protest is meant to put more pressure on Mr Johnson to resign.
The chair of parliament’s privileges committee has already said it is “absolutely certain” that the prime minister will be forced to resign if the cross-party panel finds he has misled the Commons.
Recommended Is the cabinet fully behind Boris Johnson on the Sue Gray report? Sunak denies using ￡21bn support package to deflect from No 10 lockdown parties Downing Street solely focused on keeping ‘monstrous ego’ Boris Johnson in power, says Rory Stewart International media asks if Partygate will ‘be enough’ to make the British public angry? ‘I was a cleaner — Downing Street’s contempt for service workers is deeply rooted in office culture’
Key Points Downing Street focused on keeping ‘monstrous ego’ prime minister in power, says Rory Stewart ‘Impossible’ for alarm response police officer to know No 10 party was illegal, says acting Met chief Sunak offers oil and gas firms tax cuts for drilling Three more Tory MPs put pressure on Boris Johnson to quit
Show latest update 1653631216 British MP loses appeal against harassment conviction
Claudia Webbe, MP for Leicester East has lost an appeal against her conviction for harassing a woman who was having a sexual relationship with her then partner.
The British MP was given a suspended prison sentence for harassing Michelle Merritt between September 2018 and April 2020.
The court dismissed her appeal at Southwark Crown Court on Thursday.
Maroosha Muzaffar 27 May 2022 07:00
1653630316 Jacob Rees-Mogg warns Rishi Sunak that no tax is 'economically cost-free'
Jacob Rees-Mogg has warned Rishi Sunak that a windfall tax on oil and gas companies will “not be economically cost-free”.
In an interview with Sky News, the minister for Brexit opportunities and government efficiency said that all taxation has an economic consequence.
Chancellor Rishi Sunak announced a windfall tax as part of a ￡21bn support package aimed at helping people cope with the rising cost of living.
Mr Rees-Mogg said: “People need to understand that there is not a tax that you can take that is economically cost-free.”
Maroosha Muzaffar 27 May 2022 06:45
1653628516 Three more Tory MPs put pressure on Boris Johnson to quit
Three more Tory MPs have asked Boris Johnson to resign in the wake of the damning revelations in the Sue Gray report.
David Simmonds, MP for Ruislip, Northwood and Pinner in London, on Thursday called for the prime minister to “step down” so a new leader could be appointed to take forward the “important work of the government”.
John Baron, another MP said that the prime minister’s denials in Parliament that no rule-breaking in No10 were “simply not credible” and so he “no longer enjoys my support.”
Rebels say they could “easily” get 54 MPs to send in letters to Sir Graham Brady — chairman of the 1922 Committee of backbench Tory MPs. This would trigger a no-confidence vote in Mr Johnson’s leadership.
Maroosha Muzaffar 27 May 2022 06:15
1653627016 Sunak offers oil and gas firms tax cuts for drilling
Rishi Sunak was criticised on Thursday for risking the UK’s reputation as a climate leader by announcing tax relief measures that will encourage energy firms to invest in fossil fuel extraction during a climate emergency.
“It’s bone-headedly stupid, even by this government’s low standards, not only to allow but in fact to incentivise the production of new climate-wrecking fossil fuels, rather than keeping them firmly in the ground where they belong,” Green MP Caroline Lucas told The Independent.
Read the full story by Saphora Smith and Anna Isaac here:
Rishi Sunak announces incentives to extract fossil fuels amid climate crisis Chancellor’s plan ‘makes us an embarrassment on the world stage’ says Caroline Lucas
Maroosha Muzaffar 27 May 2022 05:50
1653625816 ‘Impossible’ for alarm response police officer to know No 10 party was illegal, says acting Met chief
It was “impossible to expect” the police officer who witnessed Downing Street’s notorious Christmas party to realise Covid laws were being broken, the acting head of the Metropolitan Police has claimed.
Sir Stephen House told the London Assembly’s police and crime committee that the role of officers was to ensure the security and safety of those in No 10, adding: “They’re not there to police what goes on inside the building.”
Read the full story here:
‘Impossible’ for police to know No10 party was illegal, says Met chief Lawyers say officers had no difficulty deciding when general public had broken Covid rules
Maroosha Muzaffar 27 May 2022 05:30
1653624003 Downing Street focused on keeping ‘monstrous ego’ prime minister in power, says Rory Stewart
Rory Stewart has said the entire Downing Street operation is now focused solely on trying to keep “monstrous ego” Boris Johnson in power.
The former Conservative minister said that “they won’t make basic decisions, they won’t cut, for example, VAT on fuel, which is crucial to people’s lives. And the reason they can’t make decisions is they are fighting, day by day, these headlines.
“The whole of Downing Street is just about one thing, which is the survival of the prime minister. They are sacrificing everything, the country, the party, their careers, to try to keep this monstrous ego floating around in Downing Street,” he said.
Read the full story here:
No 10 solely focused on keeping ‘monstrous ego’ Johnson in power, says Rory Stewart No 10 ‘is just about one thing, which is survival of prime minister,’ says former minister
Maroosha Muzaffar 27 May 2022 05:00