Teachers and head teachers handed a petition to the government on Thursday, calling for Ofsted to be replaced.
The petition was started before head teacher Ruth Perry took her own life while waiting for an Ofsted report.
Ms Perry's family have blamed her death on the "intolerable pressure" of the inspection, which downgraded her primary school to "inadequate".
The Department for Education says inspections are "hugely important" and "a legal requirement".
The National Education Union wants Ofsted, England's schools' watchdog, replaced with a "supportive, effective and fair" accountability system.
The petition, signed by 52,000 people, also calls on the government to work with teachers and leaders to look at how these work in other high-performing education nations.
Estyn, which looks after inspections in Wales, has replaced a single overall grade with an overview of findings focusing on a school's strengths and areas for development and a separate report summary for parents.
And James Denny, a parent from Reading who works with schools to help children experience more arts and culture, is organising a vigil outside Ofsted's offices in London, on Thursday.
He remembers as a child in the 1990s the fear an Ofsted inspection brought schools but "things have got so much worse since then".
He was not campaigning against Ofsted inspectors, Mr Denny said, but the way the watchdog worked "is no longer fit for purpose".
The Department for Education said inspections held schools to account for their educational standards and "parents greatly rely on the ratings to give them confidence in choosing the right school for their child".
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Boris Johnson’s attempt at a political comeback is “finished”, according senior Tory Caroline Nokes after his torrid grilling by MPs at the televised Partygate inquiry hearing.
And a Tory polling guru said the former prime minister would lose his Uxbridge and Ruislip seat if he is punished severely by the cross-party committee and forced to face a by-election in the months ahead.
Lord Hayward told The Independent: “Although the position for the Conservatives is improving, under current circumstances the Tories would lose a by-election in Uxbridge. There’s no question the party would face defeat to Labour.”
The Tory polling expert said it was “difficult to judge” whether Mr Johnson’s own appeal could defy the grim national polling for the Tories. “If the Lib Dems choose to compete hard against Labour, it might just make it possible it could be saved,” he said.
The former prime minister is struggling to revive his political career after the cross-party committee investigating his Partygate denials denounced the “flimsy” assurances they were based on.
Mr Nokes said Mr Johnson’s unlikely comeback hopes were “finished”, as the committee suggested he had failed to correctly interpret his own Covid guidance or seek proper advice.
Asked if Mr Johnson is finished if he is punished by the privileges committee for misleading the Commons, Ms Nokes told ITV’s Peston: “I think that Boris Johnson is finished anyway.”
“I think there was a very clear message from his own ministers back in the summer that they didn’t want him to carry on,” said the equalities select committee chair. “As far as I’m concerned, Boris Johnson is not coming back as prime minister.”
In a short-tempered testimony lasting more than three hours, Mr Johnson insisted there was not a “shred of evidence” to show he lied to MPs and said it have been “utterly insane” for him to have done so.
But senior Tory Sir Bernard Jenkin questioned why Mr Johnson failed to take “proper advice” on Covid guidance before claiming in parliament it had been followed “completely”.
And it emerged the then-PM had been warned against making his infamous remarks in the Commons by his principle private secretary Martin Reynolds.
Boris leaves his London home day after Partygate hearing
If a suspension of at least 10 days is voted through by MPs, a by-election in Mr Johnson’s seat could be triggered. But many Tory MPs believe the committee may stop short of a 10-day suspension – even though they expect him to be found guilty of “recklessly” misleading the Commons.
Jacob Rees-Mogg – one of the few voices in a dwindling band of loyalists who still support Mr Johnson – claimed his old boss had “won” public support with his defences – despite them being met with exasperation by the cross-party panel of MPs.
The senior Tory MP told Channel 4 News: “Boris Johnson today has won in the court of public opinion.”
Boris Johnson ‘won in court of public opinion’, claims Jacob Rees-Mogg
He added: “I think that if Boris Johnson went to a by-election he would win it comfortably. Because I think he’s winning in the court of public opinion, who see this as a kangaroo court.”
The former Brexit minister said the Johnson evidence was “very convincing” and claimed it was “perfectly reasonable” for the ex-PM to think No 10 leaving dos were in the remit of Covid regulations.
Mr Rees-Mogg’s remarkable claim about the “court of public opinion” comes as the latest YouGov poll shows 72 per cent of the public think Mr Johnson is dishonest (while only 13 per cent believe he is honest).
Boris Johnson endured torrid time at Partygate hearing
Mr Johnson also indicated he may refuse to accept the inquiry’s verdict if it finds he committed a contempt of parliament by deliberately misleading the Commons – saying he would “wait to see”.
The remark was echoed by Conservative chairman Greg Hands when asked if the committee was being fair to Mr Johnson. “We’ll have to wait and see,” he told Peston. “I think it’s impossible to judge that until we see the report.”
Offering his verdict on Thursday’s hearing, Will Walden, Mr Johnson’s former communication chief, said: “He’ll be wanting to tell himself it’s all alright – but I don’t think it is, really. It was a bit of mess. He was churlish, frustrated, disbelieving, stroppy, shameless.”
Mr Walden added: “A man with an elastic relationship with the truth, swearing on a bible to tell the truth about whether in the past he told the truth or not – I mean you literally couldn’t make it up.”
Labour MP Chris Bryant, who recused himself from leading the inquiry, said: “I got the impression [Mr Johnson] knows perfectly well the rules weren’t followed.”
“He’s always known the rule weren’t perfectly – and he’s always sort of tried to cover it up ... His mind is very, very muddled. I think he knows deep in his heart he’s got this wrong from the very beginning but he can’t own up to it.”
A three-hour grilling by the Privileges Committee yesterday saw Mr Johnson lose his cool and accuse the panel of “complete nonsense” after Tory veteran Sir Bernard Jenkin suggested his former boss did not seek "proper" advice before telling MPs that no parties took place in Downing Street during the pandemic.
Mr Johnson argued that it was “completely wrong” to say he partied in lockdown, and accused committee chair Harriet Harman of being “prejudicial”.
After expressing concern that the former prime minister had relied on “flimsy assurances” that he was not intentionally misleading parliament, the seven member committee will now consider all the evidence. If they find against him he could face a suspension that may force a by-election.
Senior Tory MP Caroline Nokes said Boris Johnson’s comeback hopes were “finished” after the Partygate inquiry committee suggested he had failed to correctly interpret his own Covid guidance or seek proper assurances.
Asked if Mr Johnson is finished if he is punished by the committee, Ms Nokes told ITV’s Peston: “I think that Boris Johnson is finished anyway. I think there was a very clear message from his own ministers back in the summer that they didn’t want him to carry on.”
“He didn’t choose to stand against Rishi Sunak back in the autumn when we had the second leadership challenge. As far as I’m concerned, Boris Johnson is not coming back as prime minister.”
Boris performance was ‘bit of a mess’, says former comms chief
Offering his verdict on Thursday’s hearing, Will Walden, Mr Johnson’s former communication chief, told LBC: “He’ll be wanting to tell himself it’s all alright – but I don’t think it is, really.
“It was a bit of mess. He managed to last to the end of the first proper question before he got angry. At times he was churlish, frustrated, disbelieving, stroppy, shameless.”
Mr Walden added: “A man with an elastic relationship with the truth, swearing on a bible to tell the truth about whether in the past he told the truth or not – I mean you literally couldn’t make it up!”
Boris Johnson claimed No 10 drinks party was for official who didn’t leave until month later
Boris Johnson has been urged to correct his Partygate inquiry testimony after he was found to have claimed a No 10 party marked the exit of the top civil servant who did not resign until a month later.
The former Tory prime minister claimed the notorious “bring your own booze” garden party on 20 May 2020 had been aimed at motivating staff because cabinet secretary Mark Sedwill had quit.
But Mr Sedwill did not resign until 29 June 2020 – more than a month later – revealing he would step down from his top Downing Street role in September.
Adam Forrest looks at the former prime minister’s evidence:
Gallagher says Boris Johnson got his ‘ass handed to him’
Liam Gallagher was among those chastising Boris Johnson as the former prime minister addressed the Privileges Committee over the Partygate scandal yesterday.
“Boris Johnson getting his fat ass handed to him on a plate who’s says the nowt on TV these days marvellous [sic],” the former Oasis frontman tweeted during the broadcasted hearing.
Gallagher has made a number of political statements in the past, last year dedicating his NME award for Music Moment of the Year to NHS workers and “all the people that give a s*** in general”.
ICYMI | Boris Johnson was warned against claiming all Covid guidance followed new Partygate evidence reveals
Britain’s most senior civil servant has said he did not give Boris Johnson any assurances that Covid rules were followed at all times in No 10 during lockdown.
Cabinet secretary Simon Case said he offered no assurances in written evidence given to the cross-party privileges committee due to grill Mr Johnson later on whether he misled MPs over the Partygate scandal.
It has also emerged that Mr Johnson was warned by his principle private secretary Martyn Reynolds against claiming that all Covid guidance had been followed – but went ahead and made a denial in the Commons.
Boris Johnson shouts ‘complete nonsense’ during grilling
Boris Johnson lost his cool and shouted “complete nonsense” during his three-hour grilling by the Privileges Committee yesterday.
He was livid after Tory veteran Sir Bernard Jenkin suggested that the former prime minister did not seek “proper” advice before telling MPs that no parties took place in Downing Street during Covid lockdown.
“This is complete nonsense, I mean, complete nonsense,” he said. “I asked the relevant people. They were senior people. They had been working very hard. Jack Doyle gave me a clear account of what had happened.”
Mary Lou McDonald says Boris government was ‘not upfront’ with unionism
Mary Lou McDonald has said that Boris Johnson’s government had not been “upfront” with unionism, and had been determined to act “in a unilateral fashion”.
The Sinn Fein president added that she had found Mr Johnson’s tenure as British prime minister difficult and frustrating, saying that there was a tendency to act “outside of good faith”.
Ms McDonald was speaking in a pre-recorded interview for ITV show Peston as the former Tory leader voted against a key element of the latest EU-UK deal on the protocol.
What were the Covid rules and guidance when Boris Johnson attended parties?
Boris Johnson has endured a tense showdown with MPs who are investigating whether he intentionally misled Parliament over parties held at Downing Street during the Covid lockdown.
Mr Johnson, who was prime minister at the time, this week admitted that he did mislead MPs, but has denied doing so “intentionally or recklessly”, saying he relied on advice from aides during the events at No 10 that took place between May 2020 and April 2021.
As Covid-19 swept the UK, the government laid out rules for everyone to follow, which were passed into law, in an attempt to curb its spread and reduce pressures on the NHS. But it also published guidance, including for employers, on working arrangements to reduce the risk of employees spreading the virus.
Boris Johnson was dealt two humiliating blows in parliament yesterday as he was forced to plead “hand on heart” that he had not lied to MPs over Partygate while he also failed to lead a Commons revolt against Rishi Sunak.
During an occasionally bad-tempered three-hour grilling, the former prime minister defended the decision to hold parties inside No 10 during the pandemic – including one attended by his wife and his interior designer – saying they had been “necessary” for work purposes.
It also emerged that Mr Johnson had been explicitly warned against claiming that all Covid guidance had been followed – but did so anyway.
Meanwhile, his efforts to undermine Mr Sunak’s post-Brexit agreement with the EU ended in abject failure as a vote on the Windsor Framework passed the Commons by a mammoth majority of 486.
A man has been charged with two counts of attempted murder after two men were set alight in Birmingham and London after leaving mosques, West Midlands police said.
Mohammed Abbkr, 28, was charged on Thursday morning, police said.
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A huge ship has blown over in high winds in Edinburgh, leaving dozens of people injured in the “terrifying” incident.
Emergency services, including an air ambulance, have been called to the incident after the vessel dislodged from its holding at Imperial Dock, Leith at around 8.35am on Wednesday.
The Scottish Ambulance Service said 21 people were taken to hospital following the incident in Leith, Edinburgh, while a further 12 were treated and discharged at the scene on Wednesday morning.
If you saw what happened, email tara.cobham@independent.co.uk
RV Petrel was previously owned by the estate of Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen
(Tomafc83)
RV Petrel has blown over in high winds in Edinburgh
(Tomafc83)
The ambulance service said 15 patients were taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary, four to Western General Hospital and two to Victoria Hospital.
The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh is urging the public to avoid attending A&E where possible, Jacquie Campbell, Chief Officer of Acute Services at NHS Lothian, said earlier.
The 76m (250ft) Petrel, a research vessel, was previously bought and outfitted by the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who died in 2018, but it is no longer owned by his estate as it was sold last year.
A wind speed of 38mph was recorded in Edinburgh at 8am on Wednesday, while a 44mph gust was recorded at 9am, according to Met Office data.
The estate of the late Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, who died in 2018, sold RV Vetrel last year
Pictures posted on social media show the vessel leaning at a sharp angle. Leith councillor Adam McVey described the incident as “major” and “terrifying” for those on board in a tweet.
A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: “Officers and emergency service colleagues are responding to an incident at Imperial Dock in Leith, Edinburgh, whereby a ship on dry dock has become dislodged from its holding.
RV Petrel dislodged from its holding at Imperial Dock
(Tomafc83)
“Police were called to attend at around 8.35am on Wednesday and officers remain at the scene. The public are asked to avoid the area to allow emergency service access.”
Leith councillor Adam McVey said the ship became dislodged in strong winds.
A huge ship has blown over in high winds in Leith
He tweeted: “Emergency services are responding to a major incident at Leith docks – a ship has been dislodged from its holding in strong winds.
“Terrifying for those on board, my thoughts are with those who’ve been injured & hope everyone recovers quickly. Please avoid area.”
A spokesman for the ambulance service said: “We received a call at 8.29am today to attend an incident in Leith.
The vessel can be seen leaning at a 45-degree angle
“We have dispatched five ambulances, an air ambulance, three trauma teams, our special operations team, three paramedic response units and one patient transport vehicle.
“We transported 15 patients to hospital; 11 to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary and four to Western General Hospital. A further 10 patients were treated and discharged at the scene.”
A Scottish Fire and Rescue Service spokesman said: “We were alerted at 8.43am on Wednesday to reports of an incident at Imperial Dock, Leith, Edinburgh.
“Operations control mobilised four appliances and a number of specialist resources.
Emergency services at the scene in Leith
“Crews currently remain in attendance.”
The coastguard also sent teams to the scene.
A spokesman said: “HM Coastguard is currently assisting Police Scotland in responding to a major incident at Imperial Dry Dock in Edinburgh.
“At around 9.30am, Coastguard rescue teams from Fisherrow, South Queensferry and Kinghorn were sent to the scene.
The incident at Imperial Dock has been described as “major”
“This is a multi-agency response, with the Scottish Ambulance Service and Scottish Fire and Rescue also in attendance.”
Dales Marine Services, which runs the dry dock, said it had no comment.
Edinburgh City Council has confirmed that emergency services are still on site. It said: “The emergency response is continuing at Imperial Dock in Leith. Please continue to avoid the area to allow the emergency services to do their job.”
Jackie Campbell, NHS Lothian acute services chief officer, said: “We’re on standby to receive a number of patients at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh’s A&E department following a major incident at Imperial Dock in Leith.
“We have been reviewing the current capacity at the RIE, with support from other sites, to accommodate these patients.
“Given the expected pressure on the site, we urge people not to attend A&E at the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh unless it is an emergency.”
People seeking urgent care are asked to contact their GP or NHS 24.
Earlier on Wednesday, the Met Office warned of heavy downpours and gales set to hit parts of the UK.
A total of 25 people were injured and 15 are in hospital after the RV Petrel blew over in high winds
(Tomafc83)
High-speed gusts were predicted to reach 75mph in parts of western Scotland, with spray and large waves expected along some of the western coasts.
It came as a yellow weather warning for wind had been issued from 4am until 1pm on Wednesday for most of Scotland.
Rishi Sunak's new Brexit deal sailed through the House of Commons despite fears that the prime minister would face a major Tory revolt.
MPs voted overwhelmingly in favour of the Windsor Framework as it was backed by 515 to 29, a majority of 486.
Three former Tory leaders voted against Rishi Sunak’s Brexit deal as they joined Eurosceptics who warned it is not the right solution for Northern Ireland.
Here, The Telegraph takes a look at each of the 22 Conservative MPs who have opposed the Stormont Brake in a vote in Parliament.
Adam Afriyie
Adam Afriyie, one of the original ‘Spartans’ voted against the agreement despite having welcomed it as the “last major Brexit hurdle” that “secures our United Kingdom”.
Jake Berry
The former Tory party chairman had not declared his intentions ahead of the vote, but is well known as a loyalist to both Boris Johnson and Liz Truss who opposed the deal.
Peter Bone
The former deputy Commons leader said that he was “pretty miffed” about the Government’s handling of the debate and vote on the Brexit deal.
Bill Cash
Sir Bill Cash drew up the European Research Group’s legal analysis of the deal which was damning of the its key provisions, describing the Stormont Brake as “likely useless in practice”.
Christopher Chope
Sir Christopher Chope, another veteran eurosceptic and member of the Spartans, also voted against the agreement.
Simon Clarke
Simon Clarke, a former levelling up secretary, said the Windsor agreement risked “cementing the imperfections” of the original Protocol and meant Northern Ireland was “still not being placed on a truly equal footing to Great Britain”.
Richard Drax
Richard Drax, a senior Brexiteer, delivered a speech to the Commons praising the agreement when it was struck for achieving “what many said could not be done” but ended up voting against it.
James Duddridge
Sir James Duddridge, a former trade minister, described the deal as a "betrayal of Brexit" and said the Government could not “polish a little brown thing”.
Iain Duncan Smith
Sir Iain Duncan Smith, a former Tory leader, was another senior member of the party to cast their ballot against ratifying the agreement.
Mark Francois
The chairman of the European Research Group said the deal did not stack up in reality and “I’m afraid the Government have completely oversold it”.
Jonathan Gullis
Jonathan Gullis, a former education minister, had attended an ERG gathering the morning before the vote at which members had agreed to vote against the deal.
Adam Holloway
Adam Holloway, the MP for Gravesham, told The Telegraph upon leaving an ERG meeting on Wednesday that he would be voting against the Government.
Andrea Jenkyns
The MP for Morley and Outwood said she would be “right behind” Boris Johnson after he announced he would vote against the deal, slamming it as a “capitulation to the EU”.
Boris Johnson
The former prime minister described the deal as “unacceptable” telling the Telegraph it “would mean that the whole of the UK was unable properly to diverge and take advantage of Brexit”.
David Jones
David Jones, the deputy chairman of the European Research Group (ERG), said the agreement created “a situation where the United Kingdom could be subject to all the obligations of EU membership, without any benefits”
Danny Kruger
Danny Kruger, the MP for Devizes, is another longstanding Brexiteer who also joined the rebellion against the Government.
Craig Mackinlay
Craig Mackinley, the MP for Thanet, described the agreement as "rather short" of what was required and added: "This has been rushed, it’s been oversold and I’m a little disappointed.”
Matthew Offord
Dr Matthew Offord, the MP for Hendon, voted against the agreement.
Priti Patel
Priti Patel, a former home secretary, told The Telegraph: "I will not be buying shares on the Government's smoke and mirrors on Windsor."
John Redwood
Sir John Redwood, a veteran eurosceptic, described the deal as "an invitation to the EU to push and push, to control more and more things, and for the UK to get angry about it just as we did when we were a member”.
Jacob Rees-Mogg
The former business secretary had said he could not support the deal, adding: “The Windsor Framework expects us to trust the EU. History tells us not to.”
Liz Truss
Liz Truss, another former prime minister, also voted against the deal arguing it “does not satisfactorily resolve the issues thrown up by the Protocol and almost fatally impinges on the UK’s ability to diverge from EU rules and regulations”.
oris Johnson told the Privileges Committee that “hand on heart I did not lie to the House” over partygate as MPs probe whether he deliberately misled Parliament.
It comes after a 110-page dossier of evidence was relased, with claims from an unnamed No10 official that Mr Johnson “had the opportunity to shut down" lockdown gatherings in Downing Street but “allowed the culture to continue”.
In his appearance before the committee the former prime minister is expected to argue the evidence shows he did not intentionally mislead Parliament - saying he told Parliament Covid rules were followed at all times in No10 in “good faith”.
It comes as Rishi Sunak faces a potentially embarassing vote in the Commons on his Windsor Framework, with senior Tories, including former prime ministers Liz Truss and Boris Johnson, saying they will vote against it.
The vote is subject to a three-line whip so Mr Johnson will need to leave the committee to vote before returning.
Boris Johnson said he accepts that “perfect social distancing” was not always taking place in No 10, but this was not in breach of guidance.
“I accept that not everybody is perfectly socially distanced in that picture”, he told Committee member Bernard Jenkin, but he said people “were making a huge effort to follow the guidance”.
“I struggle to see how I could have run No 10...without having brief farewell events of a kind... that did not fall foul of the rules.”
Staff tried their best within confines of No 10, Johnson argues
Comittee member Bernard Jenkin argued that people at the gathering were not socially distanced by two metres.
Boris Johnson claimed that guidance at the time was for everyone to abide by a one metre socially distant rule.
“You can’t expect human beings in an environment like No 10 to have an invisible electrified fence around them, they will occassionally enter another person’s orbit,” Mr Johnson said.
‘Guidance to be implemented where possible,’ Johnson says
Tory MP Bernard Jenkin pointed out how Boris Johnson “regularly repeated” Covid guidance at press conferences, proving there is “no doubt” he knew the guidance and what they were intended to achieve.
Boris Johnson accepted this. Photographs have been shown of Mr Johnson with at least 6-8 others standing in close proximity.
Mr Jenkin asked if Mr Johnson accepts that people were not socially distanced at the gathering.
He said “at all stages the guidance was intended to be implemented where possible”.
The Privileges Committee is now asking Boris Johnson questions.
On December 21, 2021 and onwards, Mr Johnson told the House that Covid rules and guidance were followed “at all times”, Committee chair Harriet Harman said.
Committee member and Tory MP Bernard Jenkin is asking the first question.
“I trust that the Committee will be fair to me...and conclude I did not unwittingly mislead the Commons...and that no contempt has been committed,” Boris Johnson said in ending his opening statement.
Johnson: Gathering on December 18, 2020 was ‘within the rules’
Referring to the gathering on December 18 in 2020, in the press room in No 10, Boris Johnson said he was not there but believed the gathering “was within the rules”.
He said he was inclined to believe the event “must be in line with the rules and guidance”.
Social distancing was not ‘complied with perfectly’, Johnson said
Boris Johnson said when he claimed that rules and guidance were not broken at No 10, he was not trying to “conceal” the truth, but said “in good faith” what he believed at the time.
“That did not mean that I believed that social distancing was complied with perfectly,” he said, but rather it was “not possible” to have social distancing at No 10.
Boris Johnson is continuing his opening statement.
He said most important of all, if it was obvious he was breaking rules, it must have been “equally obvious” to senior lawmakers and the current Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, who was Chancellor at the time.
“You are not only accusing me of lying, but all those civil servants,” he said, adding that the Privileges Committee is not giving anyone else an opportunity to defend themselves.
He said officials believed rules and guidance were being adhered to.
