Babak Belurs

Sabtu, 15 Januari 2022

COVID-19: Boris Johnson has 'lost moral authority to lead' and he should 'do the honourable thing' and resign, says Andrew Bridgen - Sky News

One of a number of Conservative MPs calling for Boris Johnson to step down has told Sky News he has "lost his moral authority to lead" amid allegations of numerous Downing Street parties during lockdown.

Andrew Bridgen, who represents North West Leicestershire, said the wave of accusations against the PM and his Number 10 staff have "made his position untenable".

He claimed to have received more than 300 emails from constituents infuriated by the party allegations in one day on Friday.

PM launches 'Operation Save Big Dog'; follow live coronavirus updates

"We had about 150 emails regarding the prime minister's position. We cleared them down and responded to them all by midday, and then by 3.30pm there were another 168," he said.

"It's not just one mistake by Boris Johnson and those at Number 10. It's a pattern of behaviour.

"It indicates to me that they think that they can do what they want and that's not acceptable to me, my constituents, and I don't think it's acceptable behaviour for someone leading the country.

'Do the honourable thing and call it a day'

"He needs to take responsibility and do the honourable thing and call it a day - for the country, the government and the Conservative Party."

Fellow Tory MP Andrew Percy, who represents Brigg and Goole, said he and his constituents are "frustrated and irritated".

"Getting drunk in the basement, I know the prime minister wasn't there, of Downing Street, the night before the Duke of Edinburgh's funeral, clearly you should have known that's not acceptable behaviour," he told Sky News.

Calls for the PM's resignation come amid new reports that around 50 Downing Street staff had "wine-time Fridays" scheduled into their e-calendars during various lockdown restrictions.

The Daily Mirror has published a photo of a £142 drinks fridge on 11 December 2020 - while London was in 'Tier 2' restrictions and indoor socialising was banned - that was allegedly used by staff for weekly drinks between 4pm and 7pm.

Number 10 has not denied the accusations, instead pointing to Sue Gray's inquiry that is looking into the matter, and has been forced to apologise to Buckingham Palace over two parties held inside Number 10 on the eve of Prince Philip's funeral.

Asked if Mr Johnson has the "moral compass" to resign, Mr Bridgen, an ardent Brexiteer who backed the PM for Tory leadership in 2019, suggested he does not.

"That's the evidence I'm seeing from these revelations that are continuing to come out," he said.

What parties are alleged to have happened in Downing Street during lockdown?

"It's not just him, it's the culture of those at Number 10 who appear to have been doing as they please while restricting our freedoms for a long time. That's no way to go on."

Although reports suggest Mr Johnson could be lifting 'Plan B' COVID measures at the end of this month, Mr Bridgen said that if there was "another national emergency", Mr Johnson would not have the "moral authority" to ask the public to abide by restrictions.

'PM has lost moral authority to lead'

"The PM has lost his moral authority to lead and it's not going to come back anytime soon," he said. "I don't think the revelations are going to end."

Mr Bridgen is one of three Conservative MPs who have publicly confirmed to have submitted a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson to the Conservative 1922 committee.

He, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross and Sir Roger Gale have all said they have written no confidence letters, but they are handed in confidentially so there is no accurate tally of how many MPs have done so.

Follow the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Under Conservative rules, 54 MPs must submit no confidence letters to the committee chair Sir Graham Brady in order for a vote to be held on the PM's leadership.

Mr Johnson would then need the support of 181 MPs to survive - giving him immunity from another leadership bid for a year.

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2022-01-15 15:22:38Z
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COVID-19: Boris Johnson has 'lost moral authority to lead' and he should 'do the honourable thing' and resign, says Andrew Bridgen - Sky News

Andrew Bridgen, who represents North West Leicestershire, said the wave of accusations against the PM and his Number 10 staff have "made his position untenable".

He claimed to have received more than 300 emails from constituents infuriated by the party allegations in one day on Friday.

PM launches 'Operation Save Big Dog'; follow live coronavirus updates

"We had about 150 emails regarding the prime minister's position. We cleared them down and responded to them all by midday, and then by 3.30pm there were another 168," he said.

"It's not just one mistake by Boris Johnson and those at Number 10. It's a pattern of behaviour.

"It indicates to me that they think that they can do what they want and that's not acceptable to me, my constituents, and I don't think it's acceptable behaviour for someone leading the country.

'Do the honourable thing and call it a day'

"He needs to take responsibility and do the honourable thing and call it a day - for the country, the government and the Conservative Party."

Calls for the PM's resignation come amid new reports that around 50 Downing Street staff had "wine-time Fridays" scheduled into their e-calendars during various lockdown restrictions.

Asked if Mr Johnson has the "moral compass" to resign, Mr Bridgen, an ardent Brexiteer who backed the PM for Tory leadership in 2019, suggested he does not.

"That's the evidence I'm seeing from these revelations that are continuing to come out," he said.

What parties are alleged to have happened in Downing Street during lockdown?

"It's not just him, it's the culture of those at Number 10 who appear to have been doing as they please while restricting our freedoms for a long time. That's no way to go on."

'PM has lost moral authority to lead'

"The PM has lost his moral authority to lead and it's not going to come back anytime soon," he said. "I don't think the revelations are going to end."

Mr Bridgen is one of five Conservative MPs who have publicly submitted a letter of no confidence in Mr Johnson to the Conservative 1922 committee.

He, Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross, Sir Roger Gale, William Wragg and Caroline Nokes have all called for a party leadership contest.

Follow the Daily podcast on Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, Spreaker

Under Conservative rules, 54 MPs must submit no confidence letters to the committee chair Sir Graham Brady in order for a vote to be held on the PM's leadership.

Mr Johnson would then need the support of 181 MPs to survive - giving him immunity from another leadership bid for a year.

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Jumat, 14 Januari 2022

Downing Street parties: You're in the last chance saloon, Boris Johnson is warned - The Times

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

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2022-01-15 00:00:00Z
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Boris Johnson party row: What do people in Harlow think? - BBC News

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?

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."

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."

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."

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."

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."

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."

Downing Street party row

ANALYSIS: What was really going on in No 10 during lockdown?
REALITY CHECK: What rules did Downing Street party break?
PROFILE: Party investigator Sue Gray
TIMELINE: Alleged government lockdown gatherings
IAIN WATSON: Will two tribes go to war with PM?

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."

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

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2022-01-14 14:51:20Z
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Kamis, 13 Januari 2022

MI5 warns Chinese government 'agent' has been 'active' in UK parliament, MPs told - Sky News

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.

Christine Lee 'involved in political interference in UK'

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."

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".

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".

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2022-01-13 15:33:45Z
1253644156

Covid isolation cut to five days with negative tests, Sajid Javid confirms - The Times

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

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2022-01-13 16:15:00Z
1249429159

Rabu, 12 Januari 2022

Prince Andrew: Judge refuses to throw out Virginia Giuffre's sexual assault lawsuit against royal - Sky News

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.

Follow live updates: Civil trial likely this year as judge issues 46-page document rejecting Prince Andrew's arguments

She alleges that she was trafficked by Jeffrey Epstein, the late disgraced financier, to have sex with Andrew when she was aged 17.

The duke's lawyers had asked for the civil lawsuit in New York to be dismissed after arguing Ms Giuffre waived her right to sue him when she signed a $500,000 dollar settlement agreement with Epstein.

What has Prince Andrew been accused of?

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.

Who's who in the Jeffrey Epstein scandal?

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.

Read full analysis here

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."

Could Prince Andrew be stripped of his royal and military titles?

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 after Ghislaine 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.

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2022-01-12 14:29:35Z
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Sabtu, 15 Januari 2022

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Analysis: Enormous blow for Prince Andrew