UK politics live: Boris Johnson claims he considered raid into Holland to recover ‘kidnapped’ Covid vaccines
Boris Johnson promises ‘the unfiltered truth about Brexit, Covid and the Conservative Party’ in his new book, Unleashed
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Boris Johnson has claimed he considered sending the British Army on a daring raid to snatch Covid-19 vaccines from an EU warehouse, although he rejected the idea, saying: “The whole thing was nuts.”
The former prime minister demanded of senior military leaders whether he could launch a mission to a warehouse where the EU had stowed five million doses of the AstraZeneca vaccine, with global supplies dwindling in the height of lockdown.
Mr Johnson Johnson’s book, Unleashed, is being serialised in the Daily Mail and as well as defending his actions during “Partygate” and writing about his experiences in hospital with Covid, he discusses his wranglings with the EU after his post-Brexit deal was put in place.
He wrote: “I was angry enough to contemplate this clandestine operation, because after two months of futile negotiation I had come to the conclusion that the EU was treating us with malice and with spite; not because we had done anything wrong – we had not, far from it; but because we were vaccinating our population much faster than they were, and the European electorate had long since noticed.”
Unite union says it welcomes government move to borrow to invest in UK infrastructure
Unite, the UK’s biggest union, has said it welcomes reports that the treasury is set to change its fiscal rules in order to allow the government to borrow.
The change is set to be announced in next month’s budget.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “It seems that the government has listened and will now reform its fiscal rules to allow borrowing to invest. This is a move we have been calling on Labour to make for a long time.
“If this government is going to achieve its aim of making the UK a fairer society that delivers for workers and their communities then it needs make serious investment in infrastructure and new job creating industries.”
Defence Secretary watching Israeli ground invasion rumours ‘really carefully’
Defence Secretary John Healey is looking at a rumoured Israeli ground invasion into Lebanon “really carefully”.
Mr Healey said on Friday airstrikes and rocket fire exchanged between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah present a “risk that this escalates into something that is much wider and much more serious”.
Defence Secretary John Healey is looking at a rumoured Israeli ground invasion into Lebanon “really carefully”.
Mr Healey said on Friday airstrikes and rocket fire exchanged between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah present a “risk that this escalates into something that is much wider and much more serious”.
Asked about the rumoured ground invasion, Mr Healey replied: “We’re watching this really carefully. That will be a matter for the Israelis.
“At the moment, it’s airstrikes. At the moment, there are missiles from the Lebanese Hezbollah directed at Israel. This conflict serves no one.”
Defence chiefs acquire chips factory after closure fears
UK defence chiefs have taken on a semiconductor factory near Darlington after fears its closure could leave projects in the lurch.
Defence Secretary John Healey visited the site on Friday, which the Ministry of Defence has said is the only secure facility with the capability to produce gallium arsenide chips, used in electronic devices.
“Semiconductors are at the forefront of the technology we rely upon today, and will be crucial in securing our military’s capabilities for tomorrow,” Mr Healey said.
“This acquisition is a clear signal that our Government will back British defence production.
“We’ll protect and grow our UK Defence supply chain, supporting North East jobs, safeguarding crucial tech for our Armed Forces and boosting our national security.”
The Ministry of Defence has confirmed it would name the factory, at Newton Aycliffe in County Durham, Octric Semiconductors UK, and that the acquisition would secure up to 100 roles.
Exclusive: Starmer saved by Tory leadership chaos in Labour poll slide over freebies row
Starmer saved by Tory leadership chaos in Labour poll slide over freebies row
Exclusive: Despite being beset by criticism over freebies and gifts, Keir Starmer and Labour appear to be holding firm in the polls with the leaderless Tories struggling to make in-roads
Scottish Conservatives must come together after a bruising period, says new party leader
The Scottish Conservatives must come together after a bruising period, the party’s new leader Russell Findlay has said.
Speaking immediately after his win was announced, Mr Findlay said: “Everyone must come together as one united team.
“Let us start the hard work right now to win back public trust.
“I want to deliver the message to people across Scotland who do not feel that anyone represents them, who are scunnered by the divisiveness and fringe obsessions of the Scottish Parliament who feel let down and failed by politicians of every single party, including ours, who think politicians are all the same.
“I feel that way – I get it, but I’m not the same.”
Revealed: Starmer’s ‘three pillar’ blueprint to rebuild EU ties with youth mobility a negotiating chip
Read the full report from our political editor David Maddox:
Youth mobility a negotiating chip as Starmer’s Brexit reset strategy is revealed
Exclusive: Keir Starmer and Ursula von der Leyen have announced they will meet next week in Brussels and The Independent can reveal the government’s plan to reset the UK’s relationship after Brexit
Boris Johnson tried to persuade Harry to stay in UK with ‘manly pep talk’
Boris Johnson had a “manly pep talk” with the Duke of Sussex to try to persuade him not to leave the UK and move to the United States.
According to the then-prime minister, Downing Street and Buckingham Palace asked him to talk to Harry in January 2020, hours after his speech announcing that he and his wife Meghan planned to step away from royal life.
Mr Johnson writes in his forthcoming memoir that there was “a ridiculous business … when they made me try to persuade Harry to stay. Kind of manly pep talk. Totally hopeless”, The Daily Mail reported, ahead of a serialisation of the book.
The men met for 20 minutes on the sidelines of a UK-Africa investment summit in London’s Docklands, according to the newspaper.
Rachel Reeves could scrap non-dom tax raid, reports suggest
Read the full report below:
Rachel Reeves could scrap non-dom tax raid, reports suggest
Ms Reeves had hoped to raise about £1bn a year by cracking down on the tax perk available to super-rich
Cleverly hits back at Baroness Warsi comments
James Cleverly has hit back at Baroness Warsi after the party had launched an investigation into the peer as a result of tweets about a court case where a protester had held a sign using derogatory languages about Rishi Sunak and Suella Braverman, suggesting they were “coconuts”.
For context, the former cabinet minister Sayeeda Warsi resigned the Conservative whip last night, saying the party had moved too far to the right from when she was in government.
In a post on X, Mr Cleverly said: ”You’re not properly black if you’re a Tory’ is a particularly pernicious attack.
“I’ve been called a coconut too many times to laugh it off. It hasn’t held me back or brought me down, but a Conservative peer not recognising the abuse of other black colleagues is unacceptable.”
Russell Findlay elected as leader of the Scottish Conservatives
Russell Findlay has been elected as the new leader of the Scottish Conservatives, beating Murdo Fraser and Meghan Gallacher.
The new leader won 2,565 votes, the party’s returning officer Leonard Wallace announced on Friday, with Murdo Fraser coming second with 1,187 votes and Meghan Gallacher in third with 403 votes.
The turnout was 60%, with Mr Wallace announcing the party has just shy of 7,000 members, 4,155 of whom voted in the leadership contest.
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