Inside Politics: Johnson and Biden say ‘crucial window of diplomacy’ remains on Ukraine

Two leaders say western allies must remain united in face of Russian aggression as UK repeats warning that attack is imminent, writes Matt Mathers

(PA)

Boris Johnson was last night forced to cut short a visit to northern England as the Russia-Ukraine crisis deepened. Following a phone call with US president Joe Biden, the PM leads a Cobra meeting today amid increasing fears that an attack by Moscow is imminent. Elsewhere, No 10 has said that the answers the PM gives in a Met Police questionnaire about the partygate scandal will not be made public. Keir Starmer is on his own levelling up tour with a trip to Burnley.

Inside the bubble

Chief politics commentator John Rentoul on what to look out for:

Parliament is in recess, but Eddie Hughes, the minister for rough sleeping, will re-announce money for local councils for safe accommodation. Liz Truss, the foreign secretary, will announce that the UK will co-host a virtual summit next month to raise funds for the growing humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan.

Coming up:

– Foreign secretary Liz Truss on BBC Radio 4 Today at 7.50am

– Shadow minister for employment Alison McGovern on Times Radio Breakfast at 8.35am

Daily Briefing

BIDEN HIS TIME?: Boris Johnson and Joe Biden spoke by phone last night about the ongoing crisis on Ukraine’s border, with both leaders agreeing that there remains a “crucial window for diplomacy” and for Russia to not launch an attack on its neighbour. The PM and US president updated one another on their recent discussions with fellow leaders, saying western allies must remain united in the face of Russian threats. Earlier in the day, Johnson repeated UK warnings that a Moscow offensive could be “imminent” as he called on Russia president Vladimir Putin to step back “from the edge of a precipice”. Later, the PM leads a meeting of the government’s Cobra emergency committee as fears grow that a Kremlin attack is just days away. Kim Sengupta, The Independent’s international editor, is in Kiev and hears from western intelligence officials that multiple Russian offensives are being planned along Ukraine’s border, with the capital the main target if Moscow presses ahead with an attack. Putin continues to deny that he is planning one.

YOU CAN RUN: But you can’t hide? Johnson didn’t manage to get through his Scotland walkabout without the inevitable questions about partygate although, as if often the case, he did a job of not answering them. When asked whether he and his lawyers had responded to a questionnaire from the Met Police, the PM said: “All that process has got to be completed before I can say anything more, but I look forward to telling you a lot more in due course.” No 10 said the answers given in the questionnaire about lockdown-breaching gatherings in Downing Street will not be made public. Meanwhile, Scotland Yard has revealed that it will publish the number of government staff who receive fines for rule-breaking but won’t name those who are punished.

STARMER THREATS: Labour leader Keir Starmer is on a levelling up tour of his own and is due to visit Burnley later, where he says he will back manufacturers to lead Britain’s economic recovery from the Covid pandemic. The party will also publish analysis showing the number of jobs in manufacturing fell by 93,000 between the end of 2009 and the end of 2021, including 16,000 jobs lost in the north of England and 18,500 jobs lost in the midlands. Between 2010 and 2020, Germany added nearly a million manufacturing jobs, the opposition says. Starmer confirmed that he had received deaths threats following the PM’s false claim that he failed to prosecute paedophile Jimmy Savile. Police are investigating the threats and have a number of documents, including a batch of messages from users of the Telegram app who appear to be identifiable. We’ll have live politics updates throughout the day here.

DICK ROW LATEST: It is fair to say that Sadiq Khan is not feeling the love from the Police Federation, who yesterday put out a statement saying it no longer has “faith” in the mayor’s office following the controversial resignation of Met commissioner Dame Cressida Dick. At least Khan now has something in common with his new nemesis Priti Patel, the home secretary, who is reportedly on manoeuvres to prevent him having a say in Dick’s replacement after he very publicly blindsided the Witham MP by calling for the country’s top cop to call it a day. In July last year the PF, which represents rank-and-file officers, said it had “no confidence” in Patel in a row over pay. The PF said the move to criticise Khan “was not a move we take lightly”. Elsewhere Sajid Javid, the health secretary, acknowledged “people who have racist views and are racist” are among the Met’s staff after his brother and deputy assistant commissioner, Bas Javid, said racism is a problem in the country’s biggest force.

AULD ACQUAINTANCE FORGOT? The PM was so desperate to get out of Westminster and away from the partygate scandal that he travelled north of the border to Scotland yesterday, where he is nearly as unpopular as Margaret Thatcher. In a visit that will have absolutely delighted Tory Scotland leader Douglas Ross, the PM pledged a £52 million package to support two new “green freeports” in Scotland, which the government says will boost trade and business. The Scottish Greens, the SNP’s governing partners, criticised the plans as a “corporate giveaway”. Johnson should be applauded for at least trying to win over the unconverted with his Valentine’s Day lovebomb trip to Scotland. But one gets the feeling that he could stand outside No 10 dressed in a kilt singing Auld Lang Syne and the Scots still wouldn’t vote for him or his party. Prior to the trip, the SNP described him as a “walking advert for independence”.

AFGHAN ‘NIGHTMARE’: Thousands of Afghans who fled the Taliban are still living in hotels without proper support, some six months after they were promised a warm welcome in the UK. Charities have accused ministers of giving families the “cold shoulder” as they wait for permanent housing. The Home Office said earlier this month that 4,000 Afghans brought to the UK during and since the mass evacuation last summer had been moved into settled homes – leaving 12,000 still in hotel accommodation. The Independent’s Refugees Welcome campaign is calling for the government to offer sanctuary to as many Afghans as possible, and for local authorities and charities devoted to their welfare to be given the strongest of support.

On the record

“We have let the mayor’s office know in no uncertain terms how our brave and diligent colleagues deserve better. The atmosphere amongst Metropolitan Police officers is horrendous – it’s rock bottom. Officers in London feel saddened and angry that the commissioner Cressida Dick has been pushed out in the way she has. She was reforming. She was changing. The culture is changing. We are deeply disappointed with the actions of the mayor. The Federation will continue to speak up for these courageous colleagues. They are being forgotten about by our elected mayor. Enough is enough. Officers have no faith in Sadiq Khan.”

Ken Marsh, chairman of the Police Federation, says rank and file officers no longer back the mayor.

From the Twitterati

“Scottish Labour leader @AnasSarwar tells @MattChorley @TimesRadio that in the year before he became leader the party in Scotland raised….250 quid, in total.”

Anas Sarwar sets out scale of challenge Labour faces north of the border.

Essential reading

• Adam Forrest, The Independent: Why Keir Starmer and Labour still have a Brexit problem
• Tom Peck, The Independent: If Boris Johnson didn’t understand the Covid rules, he’s the only one
• Andy Beckett, The Guardian: Britain’s long consumer binge is ending – and the political fallout will be huge
• William Hague, The Times: How Ukraine crisis plays out in Putin’s head