Category: News Story

STORY

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, has called on the international community to support Ukraine against the illegal occupation of the country by Russia. Speaking at the Summit on Peace, Sunak rejected the peace terms suggested by the Russian President Vladimir Putin, saying:

“I recall my first visit to Kyiv where I saw the explosive devices that departing Russian soldiers had placed in children’s toys and footballs.

There can be no justification for that.

There can be no justification for escalating nuclear rhetoric.

There can be no justification for disrupting food supplies to tens of millions of vulnerable people.

Now there will be of course a diversity of views round this table, but I commend and thank everyone for their participation here today, demonstrating that you all seek a genuine peace to this conflict.

Because Putin has no interest in genuine peace.”

Volodymyr Zelenskyy said in a statement after the summit:

“We are responding to Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine not only with a full-scale defense of human life, but also with full-scale diplomacy. These days united one hundred and one countries and international organizations, – big success for Ukraine and for all partners, – and our fair objective is to get all countries of the world to join this noble cause.

Previous political generations have left us the UN Charter as a basis for the cooperation of peoples. We will pass to the next generations an effective mechanism to implement the UN Charter. And the communiqué adopted at the Summit these days fully reflects our intention, and remains open for accession by everyone who respects the UN Charter.

It’s important that all participants of the Summit supported Ukraine’s territorial integrity because there will be no lasting peace without territorial integrity.”

RESOURCES

Rishi Sunak’s Statement at the Summit on Peace

STORY

The Guardian newspaper has alleged that Rishi Sunak, the current Prime Minister, assisted Innova Medical to secure £4 billion of contracts during Covid, whilst rejecting other companies who could have supplied similar medical items.

The Guardian noted:

“In a storm of claims and counter-claims, Innova’s boss, Charles Huang, is accused by former associates of “squandering” or moving $1bn of those profits, spending lavishly on luxury aircraft, an $18m house in Los Angeles and “homes for his mistresses”. The previously little-known Chinese-American businessman’s fortune was transformed by the British taxpayer through 11 government contracts worth approximately £4.3bn for lateral flow tests (LFTs) made in China and sold by Innova. The government fast-tracked the company after its British representatives sent a direct email to Dominic Cummings, the chief adviser to the then prime minister, Boris Johnson, in July 2020. And, a Guardian investigation has found, the fast-tracking of Innova was supported by the then chancellor Rishi Sunak’s team at the Treasury.”

Innova Medical Group is a global health innovator specialising in rapid diagnostic tests and medical devices. They gained recognition for their significant contribution to COVID-19 testing, delivering millions of rapid antigen test kits worldwide. Innova is committed to advancing global health outcomes through innovative solutions in screening, testing, and diagnostics for a wide range of health conditions. The company is headquartered in Pasadena, California, and has operations in multiple countries. Dr. Charles Huang is the founder and chairman of Pasaca Capital Inc., the parent company of Innova Medical Group. A controversial figure, he’s a global entrepreneur and philanthropist who was noted for his leadership in developing rapid COVID-19 tests during the pandemic.

When asked about the allegations, Downing Street said in a statement:

“We have always said there are lessons to be learned from the pandemic and we are committed to learning from the Covid inquiry’s findings which will play a key role in informing the government’s planning and preparations for the future. While the inquiry is ongoing, it would not be appropriate to comment.”

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Guardian News Story

STORY

South Wales Police have confirmed that there is to be an investigation into the expenses of Laura Anne Jones, a Conservative Senedd member for South Wales East, following allegations of financial impropriety. A spokesperson for the Welsh Conservatives said in a statement that “we will not be commenting while this matter is being considered by the relevant authorities”, whilst Jones denied the allegations. A WhatsApp message released into the public domain said:

“When doing petrol thing – always make more than I did – add in stuff please ok”

An investigation into the conduct of Jones is also underway by the Standards Commissioner Douglas Bain. Jones said in a statement via her lawyers:

“Ms Jones’s belief is that these complaints being lodged with the standards commissioner are without foundation. As these matters are the subject of ongoing inquiries, it would be inappropriate for Ms Jones to make any further comment. Ms Jones has no issue with the BBC or its sources putting these allegations to the police and/or the standards commissioner, which will provide her the opportunity to respond in a formal manner as part of the inquiry should the authorities require it.”

Jones has been a member of the Senedd since 2020 and also previously held the role between 2003 and 2007. Downing Street has yet to comment on the allegations.

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

BBC News Story

STORY

Serious allegations have been made about Craig Williams, the Conservative candidate for Montgomeryshire and Glyndwr, who placed a bet of £100 on the timing of the General Election. The bet, which transpired to be accurate, won £500 and has now led to an investigation by the Gambling Commission. Williams, who is the Private Secretary to the Prime Minister, has apologised and said that it was “a huge error of judgement”. Rishi Sunak, answering questions from journalists, refused to say whether he was involved in the bet or whether Williams knew the date of the General Election before placing the bet.

STORY

Chris Philp, the Policing Minister, has criticised the conduct of Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, saying that he was “surprised and disappointed” by his decision to leave the D-Day commemorations early. He added that the Prime Minister should though be credited with his apology the following morning and added that he felt he had “a good track record with the services”. Philp also said:

“I’m sure he regrets deeply not having attended that event, which is why obviously he rightly apologised. It was a mistake, but he’s recognised that. He’s apologised, and I think we’ll see him bouncing around the campaign trail this week. And I’m sure he’ll be talking to journalists.”

STORY

Douglas Ross has resigned as the Leader of the Scottish Conservatives and will also resign as an MSP if he is elected to Westminster at the General Election. Amidst controversy in the manner in which he replaced David Duguid as the Conservative candidate for Aberdeenshire North and Moray East, Ross said in a statement:

“Should I be given the honour to represent the people and communities of this new seat, they should know being their MP would receive my complete focus and attention. I will therefore stand down as leader following the election on 4 July, once a successor is elected. Should I win the seat, I will also stand down as an MSP to make way for another Scottish Conservative representative in Holyrood.”

STORY

Richard Holden, the Chair of the Conservative Party, has refused to answer questions from Sky News’s Jon Craig as to the process of how he was selected as the party’s candidate in Basildon and Billericay. Holden was previously the MP for North West Durham in a constituency that was abolished following boundary changes, but he had pledged his loyalty to the north west. Holden refused to deny whether he was imposed upon the constituency, stating that he had already answered the question in another interview. A Labour spokesperson said about Holden’s interaction that:

“The Conservatives have spent another day in total chaos, running and ducking from scrutiny. They know their desperate, scattergun plans don’t stack up and think they can take the public for fools”.

STORY

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, had admitted that he did leave a D-Day event for a pre-recorded party political interview and issued an apology for his actions. Sunak said in a statement:

“After the conclusion of the British event in Normandy, I returned back to the UK. On reflection, it was a mistake not to stay in France longer – and I apologise.”

Sunak missed part of the D-Day event including a photo-call of world leaders on Omaha beach. Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, said in a statement that the Prime Minister was guilty of a “dereliction of duty”.

RESOURCES

Text of Rishi Sunak Statement

STORY

Vaughan Gething, the First Minister of Wales, has refused to stand down despite losing a vote of no confidence in the Senedd by 29 votes to 27 votes. Gething has been linked to a series of scandals in recent weeks, including accepting donations by a man convicted of environmental offences as well as allegedly encouraging others to delete Covid WhatsApp messages. Gething defended himself in the Senedd, saying:

“Diolch, Llywydd. I regret that the Conservatives have brought forward this motion today. I do not regret it because I think I’m above criticism. I do not regret it because I think I have made and will continue to make mistakes. I am human, I am fallible. I do not even regret it because of the issues it raises, because I have nothing to hide. I regret the motion because it is designed to question my integrity. Like so many of you in this Chamber, I have dedicated my adult life to public service and to Wales. Even in the midst of an election campaign, it does hurt deeply when my intentions are questioned. I have never, ever made a decision in more than a decade as a Minister for personal or financial gain—never. I do not doubt the sincerity behind some of the questions that the motion touches on today, even if the motion is transparently designed for another purpose. I hope the people in this Chamber and beyond will take a moment to reflect on the sincerity with which I have answered and continue to answer these questions. I will not shy away from scrutiny and challenge. I have reflected on donations and, as Members know, I’ve instigated a review into how that is handled in the future in my party, and I’ve asked the cross-party Standards of Conduct Committee to look at Senedd rules for all of us.”

Andrew Davies, the Leader of the Opposition in Wales, questioned the integrity of Gething in the debate and why he had accepted the donation. He added:

“Then we move to transparency. We learned through the press that, in August 2020, iMessages that were in a ministerial chat group were considerable, there was considerable conversation going on in that ministerial chat group, and, at the end of that chat group, there was a message from the First Minister, who was then the Minister for health, saying that the messages could be captured by the Freedom of Information Act 2000, and that, therefore, he would be deleting those messages. That shows the train of thought that was being undertaken at the time, about trying to circumnavigate the Freedom of Information Act. It also runs roughshod over the advice given by the chief ethics officer of the Welsh Government in 2019 that any electronic communication should be captured and retained for future reference, should any inquiries demand that information.”

STORY

Darren Rodwell, the Labour leader of Barking Council, has been deselected as the Labour candidate for the Barking constituency following allegations of misconduct which have been made against him including misusing his power to find the address of an individual. Rodwell and the Labour Party have so far refused to comment on the decision, but it’s expected that the new Labour candidate will be announced within the next 48 hours.