Boris Johnson resignation - latest: Top Tory MP accuses former prime minister of ‘orchestrating a mutiny’

A Tory MP has accused Boris Johnson of “orchestrating a mutiny” and said he should not be allowed to stand as an MP again until he shows “commitment” to the party.

Tobias Ellwood, who chairs the defence select committee, told The Independent that adulation for Mr Johnson had been replaced by “total indignation” after his actions triggered three by-elections.

Mr Johnson dramatically resigned as MP on Friday over the outcome of the Partygate inquiry, with two of his allies – Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams – also quitting with immediate effect.

It comes as senior Cabinet minister Grant Shapps said “the world has moved on” and that Tories did not miss the drama of a Johnson administration. One senior MP, who is close to Mr Sunak, told The Independent: “Good riddance.”

Senior Tories accused the former PM and his allies of a “coordinated attempt to damage the Sunak government”.

But Sunak loyalists have attempted to play down the row, insisting the PM will be relieved at having a chance to draw a line under the “Boris madness”.

Key Points

• Tory MP accuses Johnson of ‘orchestrating mutiny’

• Tories 'don't miss the drama' of Boris Johnson, says Grant Shapps

• Boris Johnson resigns: statement in full

Rishi Sunak: ‘Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn’t prepared to do’

09:48 , Eleanor Noyce

Rishi Sunak said Boris Johnson asked him to “do something I wasn’t prepared to do”, when asked about whether anyone in No 10 had intervened in the former prime minister’s resignation honours list.

Taking questions at the London Tech week conference, Mr Sunak said: “Boris Johnson asked me to do something that I wasn’t prepared to do, because I didn’t think it was right.”

“That was to either overrule the Holac (House of Lords Appointments Commission) committee or to make promises to people.

“Now, I wasn’t prepared to do that. I didn’t think it was right and if people don’t like that, then tough.”

‘When I got this job I said I was going to do things differently’ - Sunak

10:14 , Eleanor Noyce

“When I got this job I said I was going to do things differently because I wanted to change politics and that’s what I’m doing”, Rishi Sunak added when asked about whether anyone in No 10 had intervened in the former prime minister’s resignation honours list.

“And I’m also keen to make sure that we change how our country works and that’s what I’m here talking about today: making sure that we can grow our economy, that we can maintain our leadership in the innovative industries of the future.”

Former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, ex-minister Nigel Adams and Cop26 president Sir Alok Sharma were reportedly put forward by Mr Johnson for peerages.

Ms Dorries and Mr Adams have resigned as MPs since being omitted, giving Mr Sunak the headache of three separate by-elections, with Mr Johnson also quitting over complaints about a Commons partygate inquiry.

Voices: Boris’s resignation honours are the latest in more than 100 years of corruption and cronyism

10:05 , Eleanor Noyce

Somewhat charmingly, the Cabinet Office has a website in which it invites people to “nominate someone amazing for a national honour”. The honours system, the site tells us, “Celebrates the people who go above and beyond to change the world around them for the better”. These are people, the Cabinet Office claims, who have “gained the respect of their peers” and “displayed moral and physical courage”.

You do not have to be immensely cynical to find it hard to reconcile the stated purpose of the honours system with how it works in reality. Take, for example, the honours list of Boris Johnson, who resigned on Friday in a manner that can described as considerably less than “honourable”, let alone “amazing”. Like the former PM himself, whose departure along with two of his allies has already triggered three by-elections and created an enormous headache for his party, it is difficult when looking at his list to find the “respect”, “morality”, and certainly “courage”.

The honours system is as broken as just about every other system in this country, and has been for more than a century, writes Guy Walters:

Boris Johnson’s resignation list is far from honourable | Guy Walters

Keir Starmer tells Rishi Sunak to ‘find a backbone’ and call snap election

09:45 , Eleanor Noyce

Keir Starmer has told Rishi Sunak to “find a backbone” and call a snap general election – after three quick-fire MP resignations left the prime minister facing by-election battles on multiple fronts.

Boris Johnson, Nadine Dorries, and Nigel Adams all walked out within 24 hour of each other, leaving the Conservative facing a slate of unwelcome election tests.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey also echoed Labour’s call – with both opposition parties hoping to capitalise on Tory woes and capture seats at the by-elections.

Mr Adams and Ms Dorries had been tipped for peerages in Mr Johnson’s resignation honours but neither featured in the published list.

Meanwhile Mr Johnson announced his exit on Friday by launching a scathing attack on a Commons Privileges Committee investigation into his conduct during the pandemic.

Jon Stone has the full story:

Keir Starmer tells Rishi Sunak to ‘find a backbone’ and call snap election

Watch: UK should be ‘grateful’ for what Boris Johnson did as prime minister, says Michael Gove

09:25 , Eleanor Noyce

Michael Gove paid tribute to Boris Johnson as he steps down as an MP, praising the former prime minister for his record on Covid and Ukraine.

Speaking to BBC Breakfast, the cabinet minister suggested the UK should be “grateful” to Mr Johnson.

“All of us will want to be grateful for what he did during the Covid pandemic, when he initiated the vaccine task force... and was responsible for the fastest vaccine rollout in Europe,” Mr Gove said.

“We should be grateful for that, grateful also for the staunch support that he gave to Ukraine.”

Watch here:

UK should be ‘grateful’ for what Boris Johnson did as PM, says Michael Gove

Johnson brought ‘colour and panache’ to politics, says Gove

09:15 , Eleanor Noyce

Michael Gove said “I do think there is a loss when someone like Boris (Johnson) departs the stage” but “none of us are indispensable”.

The Cabinet minister told ITV’s Good Morning Britain: “There are big figures in politics who depart the scene. And then there is a new generation that takes things forward.”

He said that while Mr Johnson brought “colour and panache” to British politics, Rishi Sunak is a better prime minister.

“Rishi is bringing a professionalism and focus to government.

“Today the prime minister is outlining proposals to ensure that we get more investment in the technology sector, one of the fastest-growing parts of our economy, and the focus that he’s bringing to that, the intellect that he brings to bear, the hard work, the sheer dedication to public service mark Rishi out as a great prime minister.”

‘Wait until report is published’ before ‘debating conclusions’, says Gove

09:12 , Eleanor Noyce

Michael Gove offered his support to the Privileges Committee in the face of attacks from Boris Johnson loyalists.

“It is not my job or role to censor or police anyone’s views in a matter of public debate,” he told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme.

“But I can speak for myself and I can say two things.

“The first is this is a properly constituted committee in the House of Commons. The people who served on that committee were asked by the House of Commons collectively to do a particular job.

“It’s a job that has required careful work on their part and no little effort to make a series of significant judgments.

“So I have respect for the work that they have done. And I think that we need to respect again the integrity of the process, and wait until the report is published before then debating its conclusions and the consequences.

“The second thing that I want to say is that I do deprecate the fact that they are now in a position where, as reported, they have to seek or have been granted additional security.

“As someone who’s been through that position myself in the past then I extend my sympathy to them and their families at this point.”

‘Shut up and go away’, Tory MP says of Boris Johnson

09:08 , Eleanor Noyce

Boris Johnson and his “mob” of supporters have been told by senior Tories to “shut up and go away” as the Conservative Party seeks to draw a line under his resignation.

MPs on the Parliament’s Privileges committee are today meeting to conclude their inquiry into whether Mr Johnson misled Parliament over No 10 lockdown parties. They will finalise a report into Mr Johnson, which is expected to be damning.

In his resignation statement on Friday, he described the committee as a “kangaroo court”. Mr Johnson’s supporters have also attacked the Privileges Committee - which has a Conservative majority - as biassed against the former PM.

But Tory MP Tim Loughton called for Mr Johnson to “shut up and go away” and “let us get on with the business of running the country”.

Mr Loughton told Times Radio: “Boris is no longer the prime minister. He hasn’t been prime minister for some time. His sad demise was brought about entirely at his own doing, frankly. And he’s now decided unilaterally to leave parliament before the report on him has actually been published and voted on and now appears to be blaming the prime minister for some sort of plot.

“I’m a Conservative member of parliament. I’m not a member of the Boris party on which I was elected. And frankly, the mob - the mates of Boris - need to remember they are Conservative MPs, that we will have a shared endeavour to try and get the Conservative government re-elected.”

And former minister Tobias Ellwood told The Independent Mr Johnson should not be allowed to stand as an MP again until he has proved his “commitment” to the party.

Resignation honours the ‘gift of any prime minister who stands down’, says Gove

09:02 , Eleanor Noyce

Michael Gove was asked on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme why Boris Johnson‘s resignation honours list was put through given the likely critical verdict of the Privileges Committee on partygate.

The Levelling Up Secretary replied: “The appropriate procedure was followed.”

Asked whether the Commons committee’s report was irrelevant to the honours process, Mr Gove said it was “important to separate the two things”.

“The resignation honours are in the gift of any prime minister who stands down.”

He repeatedly stressed the importance of following “precedent”, telling the programme: “When you think about British Constitution, you have to think about the appropriate separation of different roles.”

He added: “I’m grateful to the committee for discharging their responsibilities. It can’t be easy for them. And I do in particular sympathise with the security challenges that have arisen.”

Stop Boris Johnson standing as MP, top Tories urge as they seek end to party turmoil

08:30 , Eleanor Noyce

Senior Tories have called for Boris Johnson to be blocked from standing again as an MP as the party attempts to draw a line under a weekend of mayhem triggered by his resignation.

Former minister Tobias Ellwood said Mr Johnson should not be allowed to stand again until he has shown “commitment” to the party, after a tumultuous few days which left it in turmoil.

Mr Johnson quit in dramatic fashion on Friday but used his 1,000-word exit statement to leave open the door open for a return to Westminster. His resignation, along with two allies, has prompted three by-elections as part of what some claimed was a coordinated attempt to sabotage the Sunak administration.

Mr Ellwood, who chairs the defence select committee, told The Independent: “He’s directly responsible for orchestrating a mutiny and triggering multiple by-elections. So close to the election it’s clear his intentions will not change.

“It would be for the party machine to determine any conditions but he should not be allowed to stand in any election until a time when his commitment to the party can be reviewed.”

Read more:

Stop Boris standing as MP, top Tories urge as they seek end to party turmoil

Judicial review against Covid inquiry wasting ‘public time and money’, says Johnson

08:18 , Eleanor Noyce

Boris Johnson has accused the Cabinet Office of dragging its feet with an attempt to stop his unredacted WhatsApp messages being released to the Covid inquiry.

The former prime minister said the government’s judicial review against the inquiry is wasting “public time and money” and “frustrating the inquiry’s work”.

The Cabinet Office has launched a High Court challenge against inquiry chairwoman Baroness Hallett’s request for the wholesale handover of Mr Johnson’s messages and notebooks from the pandemic.

The Cabinet Office says some of the information requested by the inquiry does not relate to the government’s handling of coronavirus and is “unambiguously irrelevant”.

But Baroness Hallett, a former judge, has said she should be able to decide what is relevant.

Mr Johnson has offered to bypass the Cabinet Office and give information straight to Baroness Hallett to review.

And, in his first intervention since quitting as an MP on Friday, Mr Johnson told The Times: “The Cabinet Office has blocked me from directly sharing unredacted material with the inquiry — despite my repeated attempts to do so.

“The government wants the whole matter to be decided by the courts, even though government ministers are on record saying that litigation is pointless because the government will not win.

“The Cabinet Office’s foot-dragging approach to the inquiry is costing public time and money.”

A Cabinet Office insider said: “He may not care about officials having to give family information mixed up in WhatsApps, but we still think this is a legal point that needs clarity. It’s just three weeks until the judicial review.”

Gove says he ‘continues to respect Boris and all he has achieved'

08:15 , Eleanor Noyce

Michael Gove declined to criticise Tory colleagues Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams, following their resignations as MPs.

The Levelling Up Secretary told LBC radio: “I don’t know what the motivations were, but again, I worked with Nadine, I worked with Nigel. I respect them.

“Anyone who devotes, as both of them did, years to public service deserves our gratitude.”

Asked if his current relations with Boris Johnson were “warm”, Mr Gove said: “I continue to respect Boris and all he has achieved.”

He pointed to recent “cordial and constructive” relations between the pair on the floor of the House of Commons.

Pressed on the relationship between Rishi Sunak and his predecessor, Mr Gove said: “The respect that one prime minister gives to a predecessor - I think that the key thing about anyone who takes on that role is that they respect anyone else who has that role.”

Recap: Tories facing triple by-election test as third Johnson loyalist quits

08:00 , Namita Singh

Rishi Sunak is facing a third by-election as fresh turmoil engulfed the Tories after another close Boris Johnson ally resigned from the Commons in an apparent revenge attack aimed at creating “chaos” for the prime minister.

Capping a tumultuous 24 hours, Mr Johnson’s friend Nigel Adams announced on Saturday that he was following the ex-PM and the former culture secretary Nadine Dorries in quitting parliament with “immediate effect”.

Senior Tories told The Independent that Mr Johnson and his “bitter” associates are “lashing out” in an attempt to damage the Sunak administration, as some speculated that they could coordinate a string of by-elections this summer.

Report:

Tories in turmoil as Boris allies force third by-election in ‘revenge’ attack

Gove praises Johnson

07:42 , Sam Rkaina

Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove praised the achievements of Boris Johnson as prime minister, but suggested that the Government now wanted to move on from the row of honours and the Privileges Committee.

He acknowledged that the former prime minister was now a “free agent”, when pressed on whether Mr Johnson would met Rishi Sunak.

Mr Gove, speaking to Times Radio on Monday morning, said: “I’ve been a colleague of Boris’s for many years, and I’m sad that it’s come to this but I want to remember with admiration those things that he achieved while in office.

“But I also think now that Boris has made the decision to stand down it’s important that everyone recognises that the Government is getting on with the most important things.

“I will always think of Boris with affection,” he said.

“And Boris will always want to argue his case, as he has done through his political career with individual flair and pungency. But he’s now standing down as a member of Parliament.

“He’s a free agent and, again, he will continue, I’m sure, to contribute in his own way.”

How would the partygate inquiry impact Johnson?

07:00 , Namita Singh

The Privileges Committee will continue their investigation after Boris Johnson quit as an MP last week.

While the former Tory leader would no longer be impacted by a decision to suspend him, given he has stood down from the green benches, the committee could possibly choose to apply other sanctions.

Former Commons speaker John Bercow was banned last year from being permitted a pass to gain entry to the parliamentary estate after being found guilty of bullying by Westminster’s Independent Expert Panel.

Meanwhile, Mr Johnson has warned that the UK Covid-19 Inquiry could be “frustrated” following a legal submission to Baroness Hallett’s investigation.

The pandemic-era prime minister has offered to hand unredacted WhatsApp messages and notebooks to the inquiry, bypassing the Cabinet Office and its judicial review.

Ministers have begun a High Court challenge to stop the chairwoman being given what they regard as “unambiguously irrelevant” materials.

A letter sent to the inquiry on Friday by government lawyers noted that Mr Johnson took “a different position” and suggested officials would not give him back materials if “he intended simply to provide it, without protection, on to the inquiry”.

MPs to conclude partygate inquiry in the aftermath of Johnson’s resignation

06:00 , Namita Singh

MPs will meet in the wake of Boris Johnson’s dramatic Commons exit to conclude their inquiry into whether the former prime minister misled Parliament over No 10 lockdown parties.

The Privileges Committee has pledged to continue the investigation process after Mr Johnson stepped down as an MP and launched a scathing attack on the probe, branding it a “witch hunt”.

The panel is set to meet in Westminster on Monday with a view to deciding when to publish its report.

There has been speculation the seven-person committee, which is chaired by veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman but has a Conservative majority, could release its findings as soon as Wednesday.

Commons aides on Sunday would only repeat the committee’s commitment, made in the wake of Mr Johnson’s resignation, to publish its conclusion “promptly”.

The probe is thought to have ruled that Mr Johnson lied to Parliament when he told MPs that Covid rules were followed in Downing Street despite boozy parties taking place while social distancing restrictions were in place.

Reports suggest the panel was set to recommend at least a 10-day suspension, reaching the threshold for a by-election to be potentially triggered in his Uxbridge and South Ruislip constituency.

Mr Johnson has accused the committee of “bias” and likened it to a “kangaroo court”.

The Privileges Committee, in response, said Mr Johnson had “impugned the integrity of the House” with his attack.

ICYMI: Shapps says politics has ‘moved on’ from Johnson

05:00 , Namita Singh

Politics has “moved on” from the “drama” of the Boris Johnson era, according to a cabinet minister who played down speculation about the former prime minister making a swift return to Westminster.

Energy secretary Grant Shapps, who served in Mr Johnson’s cabinet, said he does not think the former Tory leader is in the “mindset” to fight the next general election.

It comes after Mr Johnson ally Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg said the ex-incumbent of No 10, who quit the Commons on Friday in protest against an MPs’ inquiry into Partygate, could contest the next election for the Conservative Party and would be in “pole position” during a future leadership contest.

Report:

Shapps says politics has ‘moved on’ from Johnson as he plays down talk of return

Tory MP accuses Johnson of ‘orchestrating mutiny’

04:04 , Namita Singh

Senior Tories have called for Boris Johnson to be blocked from standing again as an MP as the party attempts to draw a line under a weekend of mayhem triggered by his resignation.

Former minister Tobias Ellwood said Mr Johnson should not be allowed to stand again until he has shown “commitment” to the party, after a tumultuous few days which left it in turmoil.

Mr Johnson quit in dramatic fashion on Friday but used his 1,000-word exit statement to leave the door open for a return to Westminster. His resignation, along with two allies, has prompted three by-elections as part of what some claimed was a coordinated attempt to sabotage the Sunak administration.

Mr Ellwood, who chairs the defence select committee, told The Independent: “He’s directly responsible for orchestrating a mutiny and triggering multiple by-elections.”

More in this report:

Stop Boris standing as MP, top Tories urge as they seek end to party turmoil

Tories 'don't miss the drama' of Boris Johnson, says Grant Shapps

04:00 , Joe Middleton

Stop Boris Johnson standing as MP, top Tories urge as they seek end to party turmoil

03:00 , Joe Middleton

Senior Tories have called for Boris Johnson to be blocked from standing again as an MP as the party attempts to draw a line under a weekend of mayhem triggered by his resignation.

Former minister Tobias Ellwood said Mr Johnson should not be allowed to stand again until he has shown “commitment” to the party, after a tumultuous few days which left it in turmoil.

Mr Johnson quit in dramatic fashion on Friday but used his 1,000-word exit statement to leave open the door open for a return to Westminster. His resignation, along with two allies, has prompted three by-elections as part of what some claimed was a coordinated attempt to sabotage the Sunak administration.

Stop Boris standing as MP, top Tories urge as they seek end to party turmoil

ICYMI: Nicola Sturgeon passes driving theory test

02:00 , Joe Middleton

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon has passed her driving theory test.

Ms Sturgeon began learning to drive in March following her resignation as first minister and previously described the move as being “part and parcel of the next stage of life”.

Ms Sturgeon passed the test comfortably and received full marks of 50 out of 50 on the multiple choice part of the test and 56 out of 75 on hazard perceptions.

Nicola Sturgeon passes driving theory test

Keir Starmer tells Rishi Sunak to ‘find a backbone’ and call snap election

01:00 , Joe Middleton

Keir Starmer has told Rishi Sunak to “find a backbone” and call a snap general election – after three quick-fire MP resignations left the prime minister facing by-election battles on multiple fronts.

Boris Johnson, Nadine Dorries, and Nigel Adams all walked out within 24 hour of each other, leaving the Conservative facing a slate of unwelcome election tests.

Liberal Democrat leader Ed Davey also echoed Labour’s call – with both opposition parties hoping to capitalise on Tory woes and capture seats at the by-elections.

Keir Starmer tells Rishi Sunak to ‘find a backbone’ and call snap election

DUP bid to sort protocol issues will not be derailed by Tory ‘psychodrama’

Sunday 11 June 2023 23:15 , Joe Middleton

The DUP will not allow Westminster psychodrama to distract from work to secure further Government assurances on post-Brexit trade, its deputy leader has said.

Gavin Robinson insisted the fall-out from the resignation of Boris Johnson and other Tory MPs was a matter for the Conservative Party as he warned the turmoil should not be a reason to delay delivery of legislation addressing DUP concerns over sovereignty and trade friction.

The DUP has been blocking devolution at Stormont for over a year in protest at Brexit’s Northern Ireland Protocol – a set of trading arrangements that have created economic barriers between the region and the rest of the UK.

DUP bid to sort protocol issues will not be derailed by Tory ‘psychodrama’

Boris Johnson out: Who else has resigned?

Sunday 11 June 2023 22:15 , Joe Middleton

Sturgeon: I know beyond doubt that I am innocent of any wrongdoing

Sunday 11 June 2023 22:00 , Joe Middleton

Former first minister Nicola Sturgeon insisted “beyond doubt” she was “innocent of any wrongdoing” following her arrest in connection with an ongoing probe into the SNP’s finances on Sunday.

Ms Sturgeon was questioned for around seven hours on Sunday before she was released at about 5.25pm as part of the police investigation which began in July 2021.

She was the third, high-profile SNP politician to be arrested in connection with alleged irregularities in the party’s finances after complaints were raised almost two years ago.

Sturgeon: I know beyond doubt that I am innocent of any wrongdoing

Johnson ‘taken charge’ by resigning, says ex-PM’s former communications director

Sunday 11 June 2023 21:15 , Joe Middleton

Boris Johnson’s resignation shows he has “taken charge,” the former prime minister’s ex-director of communications has said.

Speaking on Sky News, Guto Harri said Mr Johnson had stepped down as an MP on his own terms rather than “being dragged kicking and screaming.”

Mr Johnson resigned on Friday, 9 June, after launching a scathing attack on the Commons Privileges Committee investigation into whether he misled MPs with his assurances over the Partygate scandal.

Longtime allies of the former PM, Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams, announced their resignations shortly afterwards.

Johnson ‘taken charge’ by resigning, says ex-PM’s former communications director

I’m going to be around’: Jeremy Corbyn hints at standing as independent at next election

Sunday 11 June 2023 20:15 , Joe Middleton

Jeremy Corbyn has once again hinted that he will stand as an independent candidate in his current Islington North constituency.

The former party leader has been blocked from standing for Labour at the next election, despite winning the backing of local party members.

In an interview, writer and journalist Gary Younge asks Mr Corbyn: “Do you plan to stand”. The MP responds that “I’ll be around”.

Nigel Adams will do ‘utmost’ to help Sunak win election despite quitting as MP

Sunday 11 June 2023 19:15 , Joe Middleton

A Boris Johnson ally who quit the Commons in a reported row over a peerage has insisted that he will do his “utmost” to help Rishi Sunak win the next general election.

Conservative Nigel Adams announced on Saturday that he was stepping down as Selby and Ainsty MP with “immediate effect”, becoming the third Tory to quit Westminster in the space of 24 hours.

In a fuller statement released on Sunday, the ex-minister said he wanted to “make clear” that he remained “committed” to the governing party despite following Mr Johnson’s lead in announcing his resignation.

In a post on LinkedIn, he said: “Further to my announcement to stand down from Parliament with immediate effect, I want to make clear that I remain committed to the Conservative Party and support this Government in its work to continue delivering on the issues that matter most to the British people.

“I have left Parliament to return to my private sector career but I will continue to make the case for Conservative values.

“It is essential that the Conservatives under Rishi Sunak win the next election and I will do my utmost to ensure that happens.

“I am also looking forward to helping our excellent new candidate, Michael Naughton, in the by-election and at the general election.

“He knows the area and was born in Selby. He has served our country well and I know he will serve our part of North Yorkshire well.”

IYCMI: Tories 'don't miss the drama' of Boris Johnson, says Grant Shapps

Sunday 11 June 2023 19:00 , Joe Middleton

Stop Boris Johnson standing as MP, top Tories urge as they seek end to party turmoil

Sunday 11 June 2023 18:26 , Joe Middleton

Senior Tories have called for Boris Johnson to be blocked from standing again as an MP as the party attempts to draw a line under a weekend of mayhem triggered by his resignation.

Former minister Tobias Ellwood said Mr Johnson should not be allowed to stand again until he has shown “commitment” to the party, after a tumultous few days which left it in turmoil.

Johnson quit in dramatic fashion on Friday but used his 1,000-word exit statement to leave open the door open for a return to Westminster. His resignation, along with two allies, has prompted three by-elections as part of what some claimed was a co-ordinated attempt to sabotage the Sunak administration.

Jon Stone reports.

Stop Boris standing as MP, top Tories urge as they seek end to party turmoil

Nicola Sturgeon released without charge, say police

Sunday 11 June 2023 18:05 , Joe Middleton

Nicola Sturgeon has been released without charge pending further investigation after being arrested as part of a police probe into the funding and finances of the SNP, Police Scotland said.

The force said in a statement: “A 52-year-old woman who was arrested earlier today, Sunday, 11 June, 2023, as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party, has been released without charge pending further investigation.

“The woman was questioned by Police Scotland detectives after she was arrested at 10.09am. She was released from custody at 5.24pm.

“A report will be sent to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.

“The matter remains active for the purposes of the Contempt of Court Act 1981 and the public are therefore advised to exercise caution if discussing it on social media.

“As the investigation is ongoing we are unable to comment further.”

Paul Scully fails to make Tory London Mayor shortlist

Sunday 11 June 2023 17:40 , Joe Middleton

Ross Lydall, City Hall Editor at the Evening Standard, is reporting the Minister for London Paul Scully has not made the Tory shortlist for London Mayor.

Nicola Sturgeon: Why was the former Scottish first minister arrested?

Sunday 11 June 2023 17:36 , Joe Middleton

Nicola Sturgeon: The former First Minister whose independence dreams were never realised

Sunday 11 June 2023 17:03 , Joe Middleton

Nicola Sturgeon‘s resignation was a surprise to many in politics - but the events that have unfolded since she left office have come as even more of a shock.

Four months after her resignation, which she insisted was “not a reaction to short-term pressures”, the former first minister has been arrested as part of an investigation into SNP funding and finances.

Police Scotland said on Sunday that she is in custody and being quizzed by detectives.

The former First Minister whose independence dreams were never realised

Labour candidate begins campaign for Boris Johnson's seat after ex-PM resigns as MP

Sunday 11 June 2023 16:33 , Joe Middleton

VOICES: Guy Walters - Boris’s resignation honours are the latest in more than 100 years of corruption and cronyism

Sunday 11 June 2023 16:14 , Joe Middleton

The honours system is as broken as just about every other system in this country, and has been for over a century, writes Guy Walters.

Boris Johnson’s resignation list is far from honourable | Guy Walters

SNP reacts to Sturgeon’s arrest

Sunday 11 June 2023 15:55 , Joe Middleton

An SNP spokesperson said: “These issues are subject to a live police investigation.

“The SNP have been co-operating fully with this investigation and will continue to do so, however it is not appropriate to publicly address any issues while that investigation is ongoing.”

Why is the SNP under investigation over its party finances?

Sunday 11 June 2023 15:44 , Joe Middleton

Police Scotland’s investigation into alleged financial irregularities within the Scottish National Party (SNP), known as Operation Branchform, has taken a further twist after Nicola Sturgeon was arrested.

Police Scotland said the former SNP leader, who quit in February, is in custody and is being questioned by detectives.

A spokesman for Ms Sturgeon said she attended an interview “by arrangement with Police Scotland, where she was to be arrested and questioned in relation to Operation Branchform”.

Why is the SNP under investigation over its party finances?

Peerages committee says it did not support eight of Boris Johnson’s nominations

Sunday 11 June 2023 15:33 , Holly Bancroft

The House of Lords Appointments Commission said it would “not comment on individuals” as it confirmed it had not supported eight peerage nominees submitted in former prime minister Boris Johnson’s resignation honours.

A spokesman for the independent commission said in a statement: “The House of Lords Appointments Commission (Holac) considered the nominations proposed by the Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP in line with its usual processes.

“All nominations made by Mr Johnson were received and processed by Holac.

“Eight nominees were not supported by the commission.

“The commission is advisory to the Prime Minister and is not involved in the appointment processes after providing advice.

“The commission does not comment on individuals.”

The SNP leader said this just hours before Nicola Sturgeon’s arrest...

Sunday 11 June 2023 15:16 , Joe Middleton

What has Nicola Sturgeon said in response to her arrest?

Sunday 11 June 2023 15:08 , Joe Middleton

A spokesperson for Nicola Sturgeon said the former SNP leader voluntarily attended an interview with Police Scotland and that she would co-operate with the investigation.

Breaking: Nicola Sturgeon arrested in connection with SNP finances probe

Sunday 11 June 2023 14:40 , Matt Mathers

Nicola Sturgeon has been arrested in connection with the investigation into the SNP’s finances.

Police Scotland said she is in custody and is being questioned by detectives.

The force said: "A 52-year-old woman has today, Sunday, June 11, been arrested as a suspect in connection with the ongoing investigation into the funding and finances of the Scottish National Party."

The former first minister’s arrest comes after her husband Peter Murrell was arrested in April.

Mr Murrell and MSP Colin Beattie, who was SNP treasurer at the time, were both released without charge pending further inquiry.

As well as the arrests, searches were carried out at a number of properties, including Mr Murrell and Ms Sturgeon’s home - where a police tent was erected in the garden - and SNP headquarters in Edinburgh.

Why Eurostar trains built to link Manchester to Paris permanently hit the buffers

Sunday 11 June 2023 14:20 , Matt Mathers

Trains were constructed and new track even laid to link cities across the North, Scotland, and Wales to the Channel Tunnel, writes Jon Stone. But the plans fell at the last hurdle.

Read Jon’s full long read below:

How Eurostar trains were built to link Manchester to Paris – and why they never ran

Comment: The ghost of Boris Johnson will continue to haunt the Tories for a long time

Sunday 11 June 2023 14:00 , Matt Mathers

He will continue to grab headlines whenever he chooses, distracting attention from the PM’s painstaking work to drag the Tories back into the game, writes Andrew Grice.

Read the full piece here:

The ghost of Johnson will continue to haunt the Tories for a long time | Andrew Grice

ICYMI: Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list in full

Sunday 11 June 2023 13:40 , Matt Mathers

Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list has finally been confirmed by the government, after months of wrangling.

Below is the full list of gongs handed out to those favoured by the prime minister:

Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list in full

Top Sunak aide secretly removed names from honours list - Johnson allies

Sunday 11 June 2023 13:20 , Matt Mathers

One of Rishi Sunak’s top aides secretly removed names from Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list before it was submitted to a committee for approval, it is claimed.

Allies of Boris Johnson say James Forsyth, Mr Sunak’s political secretary, was responsible for the move, which he and No 10 deny, Isabel Oakeshott reports.

She wrote on Twitter: “As I revealed on @TalkTV and @bbclaurak this morning, Boris believes Sunak’s best friend and political Secretary James Forsyth secretly removed 5 names from his honours nomination list *before* it was submitted to the honours committee.

“This broke a long standing convention that sitting PMs don’t meddle with their predecessors’ honours lists. Boris allies claim no10 “lied and lied” about what they did. That is emphatically denied by Downing St and James Forsyth today. But the suspicion -right or wrong - is what triggered Friday night’s resignations.”

E-bikes need number plates and insurance - MPs and industry

Sunday 11 June 2023 13:00 , Matt Mathers

Electric bikes must have number plates and insurance in order for pedestrians to be safe, Conservative MPs and the industry have said.

They want them to be regulated in the same way as other vehicles given the damage they can do if they hit someone.

E-bikes can weigh twice as much as a conventional bicycle and, while most cannot travel faster than 15.5mph by law, some have been modified to go much faster.

Children are allowed to ride them from the age of 14.

Ian Stewart, chairman of the Commons Transport Select Committee, told the Mail on Sunday: "There is a case for looking at insurance arrangements.

"I don’t think the regulations are a good fit for new technologies.

"It’s not just e-bikes, there are issues with e-scooters and driver-assist/self-driving technology increasingly embedded in cars."

Johnson ‘taken charge’ by resigning, says ex-PM’s former communications director

Sunday 11 June 2023 12:45 , Matt Mathers

Boris Johnson’s resignation shows he has “taken charge,” the former prime minister’s ex-director of communications has said. Holly Patrick reports:

Speaking on Sky News, Guto Harri said Mr Johnson had stepped down as an MP on his own terms rather than “being dragged kicking and screaming.”

Mr Johnson resigned on Friday, 9 June, after launching a scathing attack on the Commons Privileges Committee investigation into whether he misled MPs with his assurances over the Partygate scandal.

Longtime allies of the former PM, Nadine Dorries and Nigel Adams, announced their resignations shortly afterwards.

CCHQ declines to say if it will block Johnson in Mid Bed by-election

Sunday 11 June 2023 12:30 , Matt Mathers

Conservative Party HQ has declined to say if it would block Boris Johnson from standing as a candidate in the Mid Befordshire, according to a report.

“Up to three candidates will be put to the association members”, a spokesperson told the Mirror.

A source close to Mr Johnson said “there’s a lot of ideas under discussion,” the paper added.

Farage claims 10 Tories willing to join new party

Sunday 11 June 2023 12:10 , Matt Mathers

Nigel Farage said he believes "it’s the end of Boris Johnson in the Conservative Party" as he suggested more than 10 Tory MPs could be willing to join a new party.

The prominent Leave campaigner, appearing on the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show, added that the "gap for another insurgency is actually bigger than it was 10 years ago".

Mr Farage said: "I think it’s the end of Boris Johnson in the Conservative Party. I think all this talk of ‘oh, he’ll go for this seat or that seat’, well, hang on, he’s virtually just gifted Uxbridge to the Labour Party, there’s no way he’s going to be given a seat, if he really wants to be in politics he is going to have to be part of some sort of centre-right realignment.

"It’s been talked about years ago, the referendum stopped it, now the Ukip insurgency was getting to such a level that there was real talk about this happening, and is Johnson somebody who would want to be part of a new attempt to break the mould of British politics, or would he rather be on the after-dinner speaking circuit?

"I look at reform and, you know, I’m not actively involved in it at the moment, but I think the gap for another insurgency is actually bigger than it was 10 years ago."

Rees-Mogg and Patel shouldn’t have been given honours - Lammy

Sunday 11 June 2023 11:55 , Matt Mathers

Former Cabinet ministers Jacob Rees-Mogg and Priti Patel should not be rewarded with honours, a senior Labour politician has said.

Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said comments made by Mr Rees-Mogg in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire make him unfit for a knighthood.

Mr Rees-Mogg is tipped for the title in Boris Johnson’s resignation honours list alongside Ms Patel, who will receive a damehood.

Asked about Mr Johnson’s list, Mr Lammy told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg: "After Grenfell Tower, where I lost a friend, Jacob Rees-Mogg said that the residents of that tower lacked common sense.

"I don’t believe he is someone who should have been rewarded.

"Priti Patel was found to be bullying in her department. I don’t believe she should be rewarded.

"I don’t believe that if a Government sets rules for everybody else during a pandemic, it is right that those who encouraged parties in No 10 should be rewarded."

Johnson acting like a ‘baby-man'

Sunday 11 June 2023 11:25 , Matt Mathers

Labour has accused Boris Johnson of acting like a "baby-man" and blaming his mistakes on everyone else, Jon Stone reports.

Pat McFadden, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, told Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme that the ex PM hadn’t been forced out of parliament by the committee.

"It just triggers a recall petition where he could face the voters," he said.

"But the truth is he didn’t want to face any of the verdicts because he can never accept responsibility for his own actions.

"That’s true of all these right-wing populist leaders. They are like baby-men. Whenever anything goes wrong, it is everybody else’s fault."

Labour repeats call for general election

Sunday 11 June 2023 11:10 , Matt Mathers

Pat McFadden, Labour’s shadow chief secretary to the Treasury, said a general election was the only way to prevent Conservative "chaos".

Speaking to Sky News’ Sophy Ridge On Sunday programme about Sir Keir Starmer’s call for a snap election, the Opposition politician said: "I don’t think there’s any cure for this chaos under the current government."

Mr McFadden added: "They are the party of government, and if this goes on, the chaos will continue.

"You’ve got Jacob Rees-Mogg, one of Boris Johnson’s principal allies, writing in one of the Sunday newspapers today that not only should Boris come back, but that he would be a good candidate in a future leadership election.

"So, it is quite clear. This is going to continue in the Conservative Party and they cannot fix it themselves. The only way to fix this is to have a general election and a change of government.

"Otherwise, the country is going to be bedevilled by this chaos and instability, and it is having a real effect on the governance and the economy of the country."

Recycling deposit scheme row shows devolution not working - Yousaf

Sunday 11 June 2023 10:55 , Matt Mathers

Humza Yousaf has said the deposit return scheme - the recycling initiative which has now been delayed to at least 2025 - was an example of how "devolution is becoming unworkable".

He told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show that the UK Government had sought to "sabotage" the scheme at the 11th hour.

He was asked if the Scottish Government would pay compensation to businesses which had paid millions to prepare for a scheme which is now not going to happen.

Mr Yousaf said: "We don’t believe there’s a case for the Scottish Government to need to compensate because the action we’ve had to take is because of that 11th hour, last-minute intervention from the UK Government, which has meant that a Scottish scheme, unfortunately, isn’t viable."

Scottish independence will be ‘front and centre’ of SNP election campaign - Yousaf

Sunday 11 June 2023 10:44 , Matt Mathers

Humza Yousaf has said Scottish independence will be "front and centre" of the SNP’s general elections campaign.

He told the BBC’s Sunday with Laura Kuenssberg show that at the next general election "very simply a vote for the SNP is going to be a vote for independence".

Discussing polling on independence, he said different polls showed support above or below 50 per cent.

The first minister said: "I don’t want to be there or thereabouts, I want independence to be the consistent, settled will.

"At the moment, for example, it’s pretty obvious that independence is not the consistent, settled will of the Scottish people."

Asked if it is realistic that Scotland would not be independent within five years, he said: "Not if I’ve got anything to do with it."

Uxbridge by-election ‘acid test’ for Labour majority

Sunday 11 June 2023 10:12 , Matt Mathers

The by-election in Boris Johnson’s old seat will be an “acid test” as to whether Labour can win a general election, the chief executive of Ipsos Mori has claimed.

Speaking on Sky News, Ben Page said: “If Starmer is going to win a general election convincingly, this ought to be in many ways a breeze for Labour.

“That really is going to be an acid test.

“If they breeze through that, then all the polls showing an average 16-point lead for Labour, people will bake it in.

“If they don’t, or it’s only very narrow, then I think there will be a lot more uncertainty.”

Former prime minister Mr Johnson resigned as MP for Uxbridge and South Ruislip on Friday.