Boris Johnson has been warned by cabinet ministers that he is in the “last chance saloon” after Downing Street was forced to apologise to the Queen over new allegations of lockdown parties.
Dozens of aides and officials were at two drunken parties in No 10 the night before the Duke of Edinburgh’s funeral in April last year, when the Queen was forced to sit alone.
The Times has been told that Sue Gray, a senior civil servant who is overseeing an investigation into the parties, felt “completely blindsided” by the revelations. She is concerned that Downing Street staff are deliberately concealing information about parties held at No 10.
Cabinet ministers who publicly backed Johnson after his apology on Wednesday said that it was
Boris Johnson is facing calls to resign after admitting attending a drinks party at Downing Street during lockdown. What do people think in Harlow, Essex - the county seen by many as a political barometer?
The prime minister has been under political pressure ever since revelations of parties during lockdown first emerged last month, but it intensified this week after it emerged Mr Johnson had himself attended a gathering in the Downing Street garden, prompting him to apologise in the House of Commons.
Further revelations that two staff parties took place at No 10 the night before Prince Philip's funeral have sparked a further apology, this time to the Queen.
Essex has long been seen as a good indicator of the political temperature, dating back to the 1980s when so-called "Essex Man" was considered a key factor in the success of Margaret Thatcher's Conservatives.
The seat of Harlow is a bellwether, and has been held by the Tories' Robert Halfon since 2010. What do people there make of the storm engulfing Mr Johnson?
Zoie O'Brien/BBC
Mother-of-five Sakeena, 35, says: "I think it's disgusting, at the end of the day. We're being told we can't do this or we can't do that and we can't take our kids out, and then he can have social gatherings with whoever he wants, whenever he wants. I really don't think that's fair."
Zoie O'Brien/BBC
Prit Pal Singh, 43, a small business owner from London, says: "People were dying in the UK, people losing their loved ones, and he was allowing the parties to happen at Downing Street, No 10. Being the leader of the country, he should have had more control of his colleagues who were working with him."
Zoie O'Brien/BBC
John Chittock, 86, of Harlow, says it "hard to say" whether Mr Johnson should resign. "I don't know," he says.
"Whatever they do, it's up to them. If they want to get Covid, I get it, but it is bad on people who suffered."
Zoie O'Brien/BBC
Barry, also from the town, says there appeared to be social distancing at the event in the garden, at least.
But he is sceptical of the prime minister's claim that he believed it to be a work event.
The 73-year-old says: "I don't believe it - that he said 'it's business'. But it is his place of work and if he wants to call all of his people in... On television it looked like there was social distancing. They were far apart."
Zoie O'Brien/BBC
Sophie Butterly, 26, from Hertford, says: "I don't think it's right that he has different rules to what we have. We should all have the same rules."
Zoie O'Brien/BBC
Jowad Sharief, 43, from Harlow, says: "He's a plonker. He's in charge of everybody, he is responsible - you've got to take responsibility for your actions."
Archie Cohen, 17, a student in Debden, says: "I think it's unacceptable. He is setting the rules, he's breaking them himself, he needs to resign. I don't think he should be the prime minister anymore."
Zoie O'Brien/BBC
Janice Fox, from Hertford, also thinks Mr Johnson should resign.
"I don't think it's right. When we're in lockdown he shouldn't be doing things like that. He should be exactly the same as us; how were were, indoors, in lockdown," she says.
Find BBC News: East of England on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. If you have a story suggestion email eastofenglandnews@bbc.co.uk
MI5 has warned that a Chinese government agent has been working in parliament "to subvert the processes", MPs have been told.
A letter was sent to MPs by Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle who said MI5 warned him a woman called Christine Lee has been "engaged in political interference activities on behalf of the Chinese Communist Party, engaging with members here at parliament".
MI5 sent out an "interference alert" warning Ms Lee has "facilitated financial donations to serving and aspiring parliamentarians on behalf of foreign nationals based in Hong Kong and China...done covertly to mask the origins of the payments".
Labour frontbencher and former minister Barry Gardiner has been named as an MP who accepted large donations from the Chinese woman, and he confirmed her son was working for him but resigned today.
Image:Labour MP Barry Gardiner accepted donations from the woman, and her son was working for him
Christine Lee 'involved in political interference in UK'
Advertisement
The security service said Ms Lee, a lawyer, has been involved with MPs and hopeful MPs as well as members of the now-disbanded all-party parliamentary group, Chinese in Britain.
In the alert, it said: "Lee has acted covertly in coordination with the United Front Work Department of the Chinese Communist Party (UFWD) and is judged to be involved in political interference activities in the UK."
More on China
Related Topics:
Sir Lindsay told MPs if they have been approached by Ms Lee they should contact parliament's director of security.
Ms Lee has been pictured over the years with former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, talking to David Cameron in 2015 and was given a prize by Theresa May for "promoting engagement, understanding and cooperation between the Chinese community and wider UK society".
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
1:57
Chinese 'agent' found in Parliament
Donations to Labour MP
The MPs' register of interests shows Ms Lee has made more than £700,000 in donations to parliamentarians, much of that to Mr Gardiner.
He told Sky News he has been liaising with MI5 "for a number of years" about Ms Lee "and they have always known, and been made fully aware by me, of her engagement with my office and the donations she made to fund researchers in my office".
Mr Gardiner added: "Steps were taken to ensure she had no role in either the appointment or management of those researchers.
"They are also aware that I have not benefitted personally from those donations in any way. She ceased funding any workers in my office in June 2020."
He said MI5 has assured him funding Ms Lee provided to him was not through "improper" means.
Mr Gardiner added that her son had been working for him as a diary manager but he resigned earlier on Thursday and MI5 said they "have no intelligence that shows he was aware of, or complicit in, his mother's illegal activity".
China-sanctioned Tory raises concerns over safety of activists
Leading Tory Iain Duncan Smith, who is among several MPs China has placed sanctions on for speaking up against its treatment of the Uyghurs, told Sky News Ms Lee should be made to leave the UK and said he was concerned for people he is helping flee the Chinese regime.
He said: "I think this is clearly a form of spying, I hear they're not going to be kicked out.
"Why in heaven's name is such an agent allowed in the country?"
Mr Duncan Smith said his offices may have been targeted for information of people he was helping escape China.
"I don't want to be the source of information about them that goes back to the Chinese government for them to be arrested or their families to be abused. This is a serious, serious issue and has massive repercussions."
Home secretary reassures public
Home Secretary Priti Patel said she knew people will be "deeply concerned" about a Chinese agent targeting MPs but said this was only identified because of the "strong structures the United Kingdom has in place to identify foreign interference or any potential threats to our democracy".
She added: "Proportionate action is always taken to mitigate these threats, thanks to our world-leading intelligence and security agencies".
Covid isolation will be cut to five full days to help businesses and public services deal with staff shortages.
Sajid Javid, the health secretary, concluded it was safe to release people earlier now the Omicron wave appears to have peaked.
The change, which comes into effect in England on Monday, shaves a day off the present policy as people will be required to isolate for five full days and test negative on days five and six to be released from isolation.
This brings the length of the isolation period in line with that of the US, though the latter does not have the requirement for negative tests, which Javid insisted were “critical” to his change.
Covid passes are also likely to be dropped on January
A judge has rejected Prince Andrew's attempt to have the sexual assault lawsuit against him thrown out.
US judge Lewis Kaplan refused to dismiss the case after hearing arguments from lawyers representing the royal and his accuser Virginia Giuffre.
It means the royal will face a civil sex case trial later this year.
The Duke of York is being sued by Ms Giuffre, formerly known as Virginia Roberts, who claims he "committed sexual assault and battery" upon her when she was a teenager.
The 2009 document said Ms Giuffre had agreed to "release, acquit, satisfy, and forever discharge" Epstein and "any other person or entity who could have been included as a potential defendant".
At a court hearing, Andrew Brettler, representing Andrew, said it was "unquestionable" that the royal could have been sued in the 2009 case, and would therefore be considered a "potential defendant".
The duke's lawyer told Judge Kaplan that Ms Giuffre's lawsuit "should absolutely be dismissed", arguing it was "unfair" and "unjust".
But Ms Giuffre's lawyer David Boies said Andrew would not be a "potential defendant" as referred to in the settlement, as the 2009 lawsuit made no allegation that the duke had trafficked individuals for illegal sexual activity.
Image:Virginia Giuffre agreed an $500,000 settlement with Jeffrey Epstein
Mr Boies told the hearing: "He was somebody to whom the girls were trafficked, that's a different criteria."
Outlining his reasons for denying the duke's motion to dismiss the civil case against him, Judge Kaplan said the agreement between Esptein and Ms Giuffre "cannot be said" to benefit the royal.
Analysis: Enormous blow for Prince Andrew
Davos, January 2015, and in front of a room of businesspeople at the World Economic Forum, Prince Andrew for the first time had to publicly deny the sex abuse allegations made against him.
And yet since then, for seven years, the claims have continued to haunt him and the rest of the Royal Family, fuelled by the determination of his accuser Virginia Giuffre and the huge international interest in this case.
There is no doubt the decision by the judge to allow this civil case to proceed, ramping up the possibility of a trial later this year, will come as an enormous blow to the Duke of York.
In his ruling, the judge said: "The 2009 agreement cannot be said to demonstrate, clearly and unambiguously, the parties intended the instrument 'directly,' 'primarily,' or 'substantially,' to benefit Prince Andrew."
He added: "Ms (Virginia) Giuffre's complaint is neither 'unintelligible' nor 'vague' nor 'ambiguous'.
"It alleges discrete incidents of sexual abuse in particular circumstances at three identifiable locations. It identifies to whom it attributes that sexual abuse."
Buckingham Palace declined to comment on the development, saying: "We would not comment on what is an ongoing legal matter."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
1:08
'Prince Andrew should settle to avoid bigger damage'
Ms Giuffre is seeking unspecified damages, but there is speculation the sum could be in the millions of dollars.
Andrew, who has not been charged with any criminal offences, vehemently denies the allegations against him.
The civil trial is expected to be held between September and December.
Judge Kaplan had previously rejected a request to halt the civil lawsuit against Andrew over matters of jurisdiction after the duke's lawyers argued Ms Giuffre lived in Australia and not the US, where the case is being heard.
The ruling comes afterGhislaine Maxwell was last month found guilty of recruiting underage girls to be sexually abused by her ex-boyfriend Epstein, who killed himself in 2019 while awaiting trial on sex-trafficking charges.
Roads and a primary school are closed while armed officers remain in a stand-off with a man in a Coventry house.
The 41-year-old, who has with him his eight-year-old son, has been refusing to leave the house since the early hours of Sunday, police say.
Initially called to carry out a welfare check, officers are concerned for the pair's safety, adds the West Midlands force.
Police have advised people to avoid the area where possible.
Officers were called to the property on Earlsdon Avenue North at about 00:20 GMT on Sunday.
A stretch of the street between Kensington Road and the Earlsdon roundabout remains closed in addition to the adjoining Newcombe Road. Earlsdon Primary School, which stands within the cordon, was closed to pupils on Monday.
"Several officers, including armed police and other specially trained officers, are at the scene to bring the incident to a safe conclusion," said police.
A resident living within the cordoned-off area said he had watched as the amount of emergency services outside the property increased on Sunday.
"At one point there were more than 10 armed officers, along with four ambulances," he said.
Those numbers had decreased overnight, he explained, but on Monday morning the amount of armed police had "started to gear up again".
Kate, a mother who lives on Newcombe Road, said she had been told by officers not to leave her house "unless we're escorted down and up the street".
"We talk to [officers] as and when we can," she said. "Then we're just keeping an eye on the news to see what's going on."
She described the heavy police presence as "unsettling, especially when you've got two kids in the house".
Earlsdon Primary School was shut "in order to keep everybody safe", said deputy head teacher Rebecca Bollands.
"This is a really tough day and we're hoping that we can reopen to children as soon as we can," she added.
An information and rest centre for residents affected by the closures has been set up in the nearby Earlsdon Community Library.
Temporary accommodation would also be arranged for anyone unable to enter their homes because of the police cordon, said Coventry City Council.
A spokesperson for West Midlands Police said: "Unfortunately, residents, businesses, a school and travel are severely disrupted by the cordon. We're sorry for the inconvenience, but our priority is the safety of those involved."
Jason Evans/@JasonEvansF8
Earlsdon Avenue North is closed at the junction of Kensington Road and Highland Road, including the top of Westwood Road, and the junction with Newcombe Road, which is itself shut. Also closed is the junction of Poplar road with Newcombe Road.
Laura Dear
Are you in the area? Is there any information you'd like to share? Contact us by emailing haveyoursay@bbc.co.uk.
Please include a contact number if you are willing to speak to a BBC journalist. You can also get in touch in the following ways:
If you are reading this page and can't see the form you will need to visit the mobile version of the BBC website to submit your question or comment or you can email us at HaveYourSay@bbc.co.uk. Please include your name, age and location with any submission.
"This agreement demonstrates the collaboration across our health care services to create an additional safeguard that ensures people can continue to get the care they need from our world-leading NHS, whenever they need it," said Health Secretary Sajid Javid.
More than 470,000 NHS day cases, around 2.8 million surgical procedures and in excess of 500,000 tests have been carried out in the private sector in the last year, according to NHS England.
More on Covid-19
Related Topics:
But the Health Service Journal said about two-thirds of the private sector capacity purchased by the NHS was unused between June and the end of September 2020.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
2:19
Moment doctor challenges Javid over jabs
NHS Providers chief executive Chris Hopson said: "The NHS is working beyond full stretch, so it makes sense, when required, to draw on additional capacity from the independent sector.
"However, the supply of staff is finite, and it is important that this deal does not exacerbate existing severe staffing pressures for trusts.
"It should be seen alongside other steps to prepare for the impact of Omicron at a time when the NHS is also dealing with so many other pressures.
"The priority for trusts is to minimise delays and maintain the quality of care for NHS patients.
"This has required increased collaboration and support with partners including the independent sector, exactly as we saw earlier in the pandemic."
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
5:07
Inside struggling Barnet Hospital
Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, added: "This deal - on top of the NHS building extra capacity and assistance we have seen from the military - means there is some further support if it is necessary over the coming months.
"These emergency measures will not be a silver bullet, and they should not mask the longer term issues facing the NHS, such as huge staff vacancies."
The agreement runs until 22 March and includes the following providers: Practice Plus Group, Spire Healthcare, Nuffield Health, Circle Health Group, Ramsay Health Care UK, Healthcare Management Trust, One Healthcare, Horder Healthcare, Aspen Healthcare and KIMS Hospital.
