Category: News Story

STORY

The Privileges Committee, a cross-party group of MPs investigating whether the former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson misled Parliament over lockdown gatherings, has announced that evidence strongly suggests that Johnson breached the pandemic rules and potentially misled Parliament. The committee also confirmed that Johnson will give evidence to them later on this month. The report into lockdown-flouting parties at 10 Downing Street is being treated as crucial evidence by the committee.

This investigation stems from allegations that Johnson attended gatherings at Downing Street during lockdowns that were not in compliance with pandemic restrictions which his Government had introduced. The committee is investigating whether Johnson misled Parliament in his responses to questions about these gatherings. The investigation into Johnson’s actions has been ongoing for several months and this report is likely to further fuel criticism of Johnson and calls for him to be held accountable for his actions. As a former Prime Minister, his actions and the integrity of his statements to Parliament are of significant public interest.

Overall, the findings of the Privileges Committee report into Boris Johnson’s alleged breaches of pandemic rules and potential misleading of Parliament are eagerly anticipated and may have significant and serious implications for the former Prime Minister and his reputation.

RESOURCES

Text of Privileges Committee Report

STORY

The leaking of over 100,000 WhatsApp messages sent by the former Health Secretary, Matt Hancock, during the COVID pandemic has caused controversy in the UK. Journalist Isabel Oakeshott who was working with Hancock on a book provided The Daily Telegraph with the messages which allegedly show that Hancock rejected testing advice on care homes and expressed concern that testing could get in the way of meeting his targets. The messages have also led to a war of words between Hancock and Oakeshott, with the former describing the leak as a “massive betrayal and breach of trust” and the journalist saying that she had received menacing messages from the former Health Secretary. The information watchdog has today also warned of the risks of ministers using platforms like WhatsApp.

Hancock said in a statement:

“There is absolutely no public interest case for this huge breach. All the materials for the book have already been made available to the inquiry, which is the right, and only, place for everything to be considered properly and the right lessons to be learned. As we have seen, releasing them in this way gives a partial, biased account to suit an anti-lockdown agenda”.

Oakeshott said:

“I’m a working journalist. They did not pay me for the messages, I’ve been helping the Daily Telegraph with the investigation, you’ll see that I’ve been writing stories for the Daily Telegraph”.

RESOURCES

Matt Hancock’s Statement on Leak

EXTERNAL LINKS

Daily Telegraph

STORY

Betty Boothroyd, the first female Speaker of the House of Commons, has died at the age of 93. Boothroyd served as the Speaker of the House of Commons between 1992 and 2000 and was the Labour MP for the constituency of West Bromwich, later West Bromwich West, between 1973 until 2000. Lindsay Hoyle, the current Speaker of the House, said in a statement:

“She stuck by the rules, had a no-nonsense style, but any reprimands she did issue were done with good humour and charm. Betty was one of a kind. A sharp, witty and formidable woman – and I will miss her.”

RESOURCES

Lindsay Hoyle’s Statement

Keir Starmer’s Statement

STORY

Fern Horine has been confirmed as the UK’s next Ambassador to Moldova, succeeding Steven Fisher who is taking up another role within the Diplomatic Service. Horine currently works as the Deputy Head of the Transformation and Operations at the Foreign Office and will take up her new role in Moldova in October 2023.

RESOURCES

Government Press Release

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Blog Posts by Fern Horine on Foreign Office Web-Site

Fern Horine’s Twitter Account

STORY

Rishi Sunak, the Prime Minister, has met with Kamala Harris, the Vice-President of the United States, at the Munich Security Conference. They spoke on a number of matters, but a spokesperson for the Prime Minister said that it was on Ukraine where the discussions were focused, adding:

“They agreed that Putin’s war in Ukraine is a global war, both in terms of its impact on food and energy security and in terms of its implications for internationally accepted norms like sovereignty. The Prime Minister and Vice President Harris condemned those countries who have supported Putin’s efforts politically and militarily”.

RESOURCES

Government Press Release

White House Press Release

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Reuters News Story

STORY

Nicola Sturgeon, the Scottish First Minister, is expected to confirm her resignation at a press conference being held in Edinburgh today. She has held the role since November 2014 since she followed Alex Salmond following the independence referendum where the Scottish people voted to remain in the union. The SNP leader is yet to confirm a timetable for her standing down.

RESOURCES

Nicola Sturgeon’s Statement

STORY

Keir Starmer, the Leader of the Opposition, has confirmed that Jeremy Corbyn will not be a candidate for the Labour Party at the next General Election. Corbyn was suspended from the party and from the Parliamentary Labour Party for downplaying a critical report into anti-semitism in the Labour Party and although his party membership was returned he hasn’t been able to sit as a Labour MP. Starmer said “what I said about the party changing, I meant, and we are not going back, and that is why Jeremy Corbyn will not stand as a Labour candidate at the next general election”. Jeremy Corbyn has yet to confirm whether he will contest the seat of Islington North which he has represented since 1983 as an independent candidate.

RESOURCES

Comments Made by Keir Starmer on Jeremy Corbyn

Statement Made by Jeremy Corbyn on the Decision

Comments Made by Bridget Phillipson on Jeremy Corbyn

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Guardian News Story

Labour Party

STORY

Jonathan Dimbleby, a veteran broadcaster, has called for BBC Chairman Richard Sharp’s resignation due to Sharp’s role in facilitating an £800,000 loan for then-Prime Minister Boris Johnson while he was applying for the BBC job. Along with Baroness Wheatcroft and other voices, Dimbleby has criticised Sharp saying that he “should fall on his sword”, and the controversy has led to growing calls for him to step down. Sharp’s involvement in the loan has potentially risked causing significant damage to the BBC, according to Dimbleby, and his actions have caused a “cronyism row” that has put his position as BBC Chairman under intense scrutiny.

Despite a cross-party select committee report by MPs that found Sharp had made significant errors of judgment in facilitating the loan, the Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has continued to support him. The situation has now become increasingly tense and the controversy has raised concerns about the impartiality of the BBC and its structure of governance. The report concluded:

“Mr Sharp recognised the need to be open and transparent over facilitating an introduction of the then Prime Minister to Mr Blyth regarding the £800,000 loan guarantee and brought this to the attention of the Cabinet Secretary. However, he failed to apply the same standards of openness and candour in his decision not to divulge this information during the interview process or to this committee during the pre-appointment hearing”.

RESOURCES

Culture Select Committee Report into Appointment of Richard Sharp

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

BBC News Story

STORY

Douglas Alexander, the former Transport Secretary and Scottish Secretary, has announced a return to politics following his selection as the Labour candidate for the constituency of East Lothian at the next General Election. The SNP gained the constituency from Labour at the 2019 General Election with Paul McLennan winning with a majority of 1,179. Following his selection, Alexander said on Twitter that “I am humbled and grateful to be overwhelmingly selected today by local party members as Scottish Labour’s candidate for East Lothian”.

RESOURCES

Comments made by Douglas Alexander

East Lothian Constituency

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

Douglas Alexander’s Twitter Account

Scottish Labour’s Twitter Account

STORY

Bridget Phillipson, the Shadow Education Secretary, has said on The News Agents Podcast that Jeremy Corbyn, the former Labour leader, has shown “a staggering lack of self reflection”. When asked if he might be allowed to rejoin the Parliamentary Labour Party she added:

“I don’t think Jeremy Corbyn has ever fully acknowledged what happened or his responsibilities. He isn’t reflecting on what took place. He again is looking to blame others or to make excuses and I don’t think that’s good enough”.

Keir Starmer, the Labour leader, said in 2020 on Corbyn’s response to a critical EHRC report on the level of anti-semitism in the Labour party that “I was very disappointed in Jeremy Corbyn’s statement and appropriate action has been taken, which I fully support”.

RESOURCES

Bridget Phillipson’s Comments

EXTERNAL NEWS LINKS

The News Agents Podcast

EHRC Report into Anti-Semitism in the Labour Party

BBC News Story – Jeremy Corbyn Suspended