UK politics live: Boris Johnson dismissed Barnard Castle row as ‘lefty journalists angry over Brexit’
Boris Johnson reveals blazing row with former adviser Dominic Cummings in new autobiography
Your support helps us to tell the story
My recent work focusing on Latino voters in Arizona has shown me how crucial independent journalism is in giving voice to underrepresented communities.
Your support is what allows us to tell these stories, bringing attention to the issues that are often overlooked. Without your contributions, these voices might not be heard.
Every dollar you give helps us continue to shine a light on these critical issues in the run up to the election and beyond
Eric Garcia
Washington Bureau Chief
Boris Johnson has revealed how he dismissed warnings over Dominic Cummings and the Barnard Castle row as “lefty journalists angry over Brexit”.
In his new book ‘Unleashed’, the former prime minister explained why he refused to sack his then political adviser despite his infamous trip during the peak of the pandemic.
When a friend advised him to sack his then chief of staff, Johnson wrote he retorted: “The whole thing is a put up job. It’s just a load of lefty journalists who want payback for Brexit.”
He claimed Cummings then showed a lack of gratitude for his efforts to defend him over potentially breaking lockdown rules with the trip to Barnard Castle in 2020, which led him using Partygate as a form of revenge.
Mr Johnson also branded Mr Cummings “weird” and compared him to a “homicidal robot”.
The revelations come as Mr Johnson had his prime-time interview with the BBC cancelled after presenter Laura Kuenssberg accidentally sent the former PM her briefing notes.
Meanwhile, the Labour government has agreed a deal to hand over the Chagos Islands to Mauritius to secure the future of a secretive military base in the Pacific Ocean.
Sadiq Khan vows to lobby Labour ministers for new transport links in London
Sadiq Khan will pledge to lobby Labour ministers for investment in new transport projects in London costing billions of pounds.
The capital’s mayor will make the commitment in a speech on Wednesday night, in which he will declare that “when London builds, Britain benefits”.
Mr Khan wants to secure funding to extend the Bakerloo Tube line from Elephant & Castle to Lewisham.
A Transport for London document published in February stated that the estimated cost of the project would be between £5 billion and £8 billion.
The mayor will seek investment for a new rail service named the West London Orbital on existing lines in west London.
The most recent published capital cost estimate of the scheme was £273 million in 2017/18 prices.
Mr Khan wants funding for extending the Docklands Light Railway from Gallions Reach to Thamesmead, which has previously been expected to cost around £1.7 billion.
He will also attempt to secure a long-term funding packages for TfL, after the previous Conservative government only issued short-term deals.
Watch: Starmer quizzed on timing of gifts repayment
Starmer defends repaying £6,000 of gifts
Sir Keir Starmer said it was right for him to repay £6,000 of donations and repeated pledges to create rules around donations.
“Because until now, politicians have used their best individual judgment,” the prime minister said.
In Brussels after meeting Ursula von der Leyen, he said: “We came in as a government of change.
“We are now going to bring forward principles for donations, because, until now, politicians have used their best individual judgment on a case-by-case basis. I think we need some principles of general application.
“So, I took the position that until the principles are in place it was right for me to make those repayments.”
Sir Keir has paid back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality he received since the election, No 10 revealed earlier.
Starmer repays £6,000 worth of gifts after freebies row
Sir Keir Starmer has paid back more than £6,000 worth of gifts and hospitality he received since entering No 10 after a row over ministerial donations, it’s been revealed.
The prime minister is covering the cost of six Taylor Swift tickets, four to the races and a clothing rental agreement with a high-end designer favoured by his wife, Lady Victoria Starmer.
Sir Keir and other cabinet members – who vowed to “clean up” British politics – have faced weeks of criticism for accepting tens of thousands of pounds worth of freebies from wealthy donors.
The prime minister has committed to overhauling hospitality rules for ministers to ensure better transparency about what is provided following the backlash.
On Wednesday, a Downing Street spokesperson said: “The prime minister has commissioned a new set of principles on gifts and hospitality to be published as part of the updated ministerial code.
“Ahead of the publication of the new code, the Prime Minister has paid for several entries on his own register. This will appear in the next register of members’ interests.”
Who is Lord Waheed Alli? The Labour donor embroiled in Starmer gifts row
Labour’s biggest donor Lord Waheed Alli has found himself at the centre of a political row over the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by senior MPs in the party.
In the first controversy to hit Sir Keir Starmer’s new government, questions have been raised over Lord Alli – the business executive who has donated some £700,000 to the party over the past two decades – being handed a Downing Street pass.
Here’s everything you need to know:
Who is Lord Waheed Alli? The Labour donor embroiled in Starmer gifts row
Lord Alli was first appointed to Lords by Tony Blair in 1998 and fought to repeal Thatcher’s notorious Section 28 laws
Breaking: Lord Alli under investigation over ‘alleged non-registration of interests'
Labour peer Lord Alli is under investigation over “alleged non-registration of interests” leading to a possible breach of the members’ code of conduct.
The fashion mogul, who has been at the centre of a row over donations accepted by Sir Keir Starmer, is being probed by the Lord’s commissioners.
In the first controversy to hit Sir Keir’s new government, questions have been raised over Lord Alli – the business executive who has donated some £700,000 to the party over the past two decades – being handed a Downing Street pass.
According to an update published on Parliament’s website on Wednesday, Lord Alli is being investigated by the Lords’ commissioner for “alleged non-registration of interests leading to potential breaches of paragraphs 14(a) and 17 of the thirteenth edition of the code of conduct”.
These rules relate to making clear what the interests are that might be reasonably thought to influence a member’s parliamentary actions and ensuring entries are up to date.
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments