Boris Johnson news – live: ‘Millions left out’ in mini budget, as Shapps admits fuel prices still ‘crazy high’
Former Labour PM warns ‘this is an emergency’ as parents choose between turning up heating or feeding children amid rising cost of living
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Your support makes all the difference.Gordon Brown has said the chancellor’s Spring Statement “missed out millions of people facing real hardship”.
The former Labour prime minister warned “the problem is only going to get worse” as he described parents having to choose between paying to turn the heating up or feeding their children amid the rising cost of living.
He told BBC Breakfast: “There was a blank page in his budget statement this week and it missed out millions of people who are facing real hardship.”
His comments came as transport secretary Grant Shapps admitted fuel prices were still “crazy high”.
Speaking about the benefits of electric vehicles on BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, Mr Shapps said: “For the time being, there is a big advantage in – and particularly with the crazy high fuel prices even after the chancellor’s generosity with the 5p off, we’re still seeing prices of £1.66, £1.70 at the pump during March and we want to see people relieved from the cost of living and going electric is one of the ways that that can start to happen.”
Ukraine should be allowed World Cup entry despite Scotland playoff, says Boris
Boris Johnson has said that Ukraine should be allowed to bypass qualifiers to get an automatic spot in the World Cup despite the team’s scheduled playoff with Scotland.
Speaking in Brussels at the Nato headquarters, Mr Johnson said football was not his “area of expertise”, reported The Herald.
He added that the suggestion of allowing Ukraine an automatic spot sounded like “a good idea”.
“But I’m out of area here. I’ve got to admit that’s not my strong subject....I don’t see why not.”
When reporters at the press conference informed the prime minister that Ukraine was due to play Scotland in the playoff, Mr Johnson swiftly moved on to other questions.
“I’m not going to comment on that,” he said.
Uk will not stand by while Putin 'vents his fury' on Ukraine, says Boris
Boris Johnson has said that Ukraine is “not alone” in fighting Russia as the invasion completes a month.
Speaking in Brussels, Mr Johnson said that the UK will not stand by as Russian president Vladimir Putin “vents his fury on Ukraine”.
The prime minister also defended his decision to send a new military package of 6,000 more missiles and an extra £25m in aid to help Ukraine’s military.
He said at a news conference following the summit that the package would be provided to Ukraine to defend against “its bullying neighbour”.
Macron says aim not to 'wage war' in Russia as UK promises more missiles
French president Emmanuel Macron has said that his responsibility is not to deliver tanks and warplanes to Ukraine that would lead to war with Russia.
Instead he said that he would continue Nato’s existing military support that he did not aim to “wage war” but focus on a ceasefire and negotiations, reported Reuters.
Mr Macron’s comments came on Wednesday on the sidelines of the Nato emergency summit in Brussels to discuss the latest situation a month on from the start of the Russian invasion.
His remarks come as prime minister Boris Johnson has pledged a new military support package for Ukraine including 6,000 new defensive missiles and £25m in financial backing for Ukraine’s military.
Anoosheh Ashoori accuses Boris Johnson of 'opportunism'
Anoosheh Ashoori has said that he felt let down by prime minister Boris Johnson in assisting his family to secure his release from Iran.
Mr Ashoori, 68, a retired civil engineer, was arrested in August 2017 while visiting his elderly mother in Tehran, and held in Evin prison.
He arrived back in the UK last week on the same flight as Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, another British-Iranian who spent six years in detention in Iran.
In an interview with Sky News, Mr Ashoori said that his pleas for help did not get any response from the prime minister.
“Unfortunately he [Mr Johnson] did not expend even five minutes to give a telephone call to my family.”
Referring to the invitation extended by the prime minister to meet him, Mr Ashoori said: “Now he’s eager to see us. How would you interpret that?
“I think that there’s a bit of opportunism involved in it.”
He added that he is “not sure” about whether he would meet with the prime minister.
Boris says he 'welcomes' questions over partygate
Boris Johnson has said that he welcomes questions about the “partygate” scandal, relating to several events held across Whitehall while Covid restrictions were in place.
In an interview with Sky News’ Beth Rigby, the prime minister was asked if he would welcome “tough questions” on the scandal.
“Yes, of course. That is what it’s all about. Seriously,” he said.
He added that Russian president Vladimir Putin would not have invaded Ukraine if he lived in a democracy where questions were asked.
“I think what people understand is that if Vladimir Putin lived in a democracy, and if Vladimir Putin had Newsnight on his case, and people asking him really penetrating questions about what he really thought he was doing in Ukraine and whether he really understood what kind of people the Ukrainians were, and if he’d really thought it through, I don’t think he would have made the catastrophic mistake that he’s made.”
Johnson hints at more help to ease cost-of-living crisis
Boris Johnson promised more help for families struggling with rising prices and bills as Chancellor Rishi Sunak’s spring statement was criticised for failing to go far enough to protect living standards.
Read more in this full report:
Johnson hints at more help to ease cost-of-living crisis
The PM said the squeeze on household finances is the single biggest problem the Government has to fix.
Sunak says he 'can't do everything' amid criticism of Spring statement
Amid criticism of the Spring Statement, Rishi Sunak has said that he goes to bed at night knowing that he cannot do everything that people want him to.
In an interview with Sky News’ Beth Rigby, the chancellor said: “On a daily basis, I’m confronted with the fact that I can’t ever in this job do all the things that people would like me to do - and I have to deal with that every single day.
“I have to, every single day, know that I can’t solve all the problems that people want me to, no matter how many hours, and I put in quite a lot.“And no matter how many I put in, I can’t solve all those problems.”
He added that people should judge him by his actions and measures he took during the pandemic.
I'm not optimistic that Putin wants peace, Boris says
Prime minister Boris Johnson has said that he is not optimistic that Russian president Vladimir Putin wants peace in Ukraine, a month after the invasion.
In an interview with BBC Newsnight Mr Johnson said: “Everybody wants peace including the United Kingdom. If this thing could be solved it would be fantastic. I’ve got to tell you that I am not optimistic that Vladimir Putin wants that.
“I think he’s decided to double down and try to Groznify the great cities of Ukraine in the way that he has always tried to do.”
Mr Johnson added that the only thing Western countries can do in such a scenario is toughen sanctions against Russia and send more missiles to help Ukraine to make things difficult for Russian troops.
Rishi Sunak borrowed a car from a Sainsbury’s worker – and had his photo taken – to prove he’s one of us
“The New Cross shop assistant who lent Sunak his Kia Rio can count himself lucky – he, at least, got as much as a third of a tank of free petrol out of the chancellor,” writes Tom Peck.
Read his full piece here:
Sunak failed to prove he’s one of us in spectacular fashion | Tom Peck
The New Cross shop assistant who lent Sunak his Kia Rio can count himself lucky – he, at least, got as much as a third of a tank of free petrol out of the chancellor
Who are the latest entities and individuals to be targeted?
The UK has pledged dozens of new sanctions against entities and individuals deemed to be “fuelling (Vladimir) Putin’s war machine”.
The exact number hit with punitive measures on Thursday was unclear – as a notice from the Treasury said 59 entries had been added to the list, while Foreign Secretary Liz Truss said 65 new sanctions had been announced.
Amy Gibbons reports:
Russia sanctions: Who are the latest entities and individuals to be targeted?
A notice from the Treasury said 59 entries were added to the UK’s list on Thursday.
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