Boris Johnson news - live: PM ‘misled public’, says Starmer as ethics chief apologises for Partygate fine
Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer says prime minister presided over ‘widespread criminality’
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A former government ethics chief has said she is “sorry for the error of judgement I have shown” after being fined as part of a police investigation into No 10 parties.
Helen MacNamara said she has paid the fine she was handed reportedly in connection with a leaving do held in the Cabinet Office on June 18 2020 to mark the departure of a private secretary.
Downing Street has confirmed that Boris Johnson has not yet been informed whether he is to be fined over lockdown-breaking parties he allegedly attended.
Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer said Boris Johnson has “misled the public” and presided over “widespread criminality” at No 10 – saying again that PM is “unfit for office”.
He also called for the names of all senior officials fined for Downing Street parties to be made public.
However, Downing Street continues to refuse to accept the law had been broken, despite the Met issuing 20 FPNs.
Shapps: Energy will not be rationed in the UK
Grant Shapps has said energy will not be rationed in the UK, after the shadow business secretary suggested ministers should prepare for the possibility of doing so.
Labour’s Jonathan Reynolds told the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme that the government should be considering plans to ration energy supplies.
But the Transport Secretary said rationing will not happen in the UK. Asked if it is a “good idea” for the UK to look into the idea, he told the same programme: “No, I don’t.”
Pressed on whether he can “completely” rule out energy rationing in the UK, he said: “Yes, I can. It’s not the route that we want to go down.”
PA
Labour party and Tory government differ in opinions regarding rationing energy supplies
As European countries, such as Germany, Austria and the Netherlands consider restricting their supplies due to their heavy dependence on Russian energy, the Labour party is urging the government to consider the same.
Transport Secretary, Grant Shapps, however, insists that rationing will not be needed.
Rob Merrick has more here:
Shadow business secretary seems to have U-turned on potential energy rationing
Jonathan Reynolds appears to have U-turned on his initial opinion for energy rationing, telling Times Radio it would be a “disaster for households and businesses”.
Appearing on the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme earlier in the day, he said that the government should be considering plans to ration supplies.
But when asked later on whether the UK should be rationing energy, he told Times Radio: “No, that would be a disaster for households and for businesses. But the fact you’re even asking the question is an indictment of Conservative energy policy for the last decade.
“We still haven’t had a plan from the Government even though they said it was to them a priority and an emergency.
“If they were to follow what we’ve put forward - so a focus on energy efficiency, on expanding and changing the onshore wind in terms of the ban that they’ve got in place, further work on solar, tidal, offshore wind and new nuclear – that would be a comprehensive plan for the future.
“At the same time, if they followed our plans for a windfall tax, that would give households and businesses the real support they need in the short term too.”
Grant Shapps said the “logical place” to expand wind energy production is off shore
Asked if the Government’s upcoming energy security strategy will see the UK build more wind turbines onshore, the Transport Secretary told Times Radio: “I think that in terms of very large expansion – we already actually do the most offshore wind in the world – but in terms of large expansion I would look to see more of it offshore.
“I think that’s the logical place to do it, both in terms of the amount of wind and where the investment can go and where you can build it at very large scale.
“I’m not saying there can be no more onshore wind. There may be places where that’s appropriate.
“But do I think that we should have… vast fields, as we do offshore, of wind farms? No, I don’t think that’s what you’re going to see in the plan this week, for very good reason. It doesn’t work as well and of course environmentally it also creates all sort of problems.”
Jonathan Reynolds said the government is “making a huge mistake” by not lifting the onshore wind ban
The shadow business secretary told Times Radio: “I really think the Government are really making a mistake if they believe that onshore wind, which is the cheapest form of new electricity generation, isn’t going to be part of the solution to this.
“You need secure supplies that are renewable and that meet our net-zero objectives, but also which are delivered at a cost that means that the burden on consumers and households is as light as it can possibly be.
“Onshore wind and offshore wind are a huge part of that because they’re not just renewable but at the cheapest price.
“I think onshore wind – the public supports the arguments around there and the Government is making a huge mistake if they still can’t make their minds up about that.”
PA
Labour proposes a package of “emergency” measures to help ease rising costs on businesses
In an effort to ease the burden of rising costs on businesses, Labour has proposed a package of “emergency measures” – including an immediate tax cut.
Alongside the tax cut, Labour’s proposals include an energy support fund, a “green steel” fund and the scrapping of the scheduled hike in national insurance
Under the proposed plans, a pub would be £2,600 better off, while for the average cafe or restaurant, it would be £2,700.
Jonathan Reynolds, shadow business secretary, said businesses are facing a “tidal wave of extra costs” and so are being “held back” under the Tory government.
Amy Gibbons has more:
Facts need to be established amid allegations against MP David Warburton, says minister
Allegations about the conduct of David Warburton should be investigated and the facts established, said transport secretary Grant Shapps.
Mr Shapps made the comments when asked about the backbench MP having the Tory whip withdrawn pending an investigation into claims about his conduct.
The allegations, relating to sexual misconduct and a claim he had taken cocaine, are being examined by Parliament’s Independent Complaints and Grievance Scheme (ICGS).
Amy Gibbons has more:
We’re pausing on live updates for today. Thank you for following.
Former Whitehall ethics chief ‘fined' over partygate
A former government ethics chief has been reportedly fined in connection with a party held during the lockdown.
Helen MacNamara, an ex-deputy cabinet secretary, is said to be among the first wave of people to be dealt a fixed-penalty notice (FPN) by the Metropolitan Police as part of its investigation into the Partygate scandal.
Ms MacNamara received a £50 fine on Friday in relation to a leaving party at the Cabinet Office on 18 June 2020 to mark the departure of a private secretary, according to The Daily Telegraph.
Emily Atkinson reports.
Former Whitehall ethics chief ‘fined over Cabinet Office leaving party’
Reports suggest fines also issued over party night before Prince Philip’s funeral
PM not to be interviewed by police over lockdown parties: report
Prime minister Boris Johnson will not be interviewed by the Metropolitan Police as part of their investigation into alleged lockdown-breaching parties amid the pandemic.
This is because the force is not interviewing those who have received questionnaires as part of the inquiries, and could potentially be fined, according to ITV News.
The Met is investigating 12 events, including as many as six Mr Johnson is said to have attended, and has sent out more than 100 questionnaires.
Amy Gibbons has more.
Police ‘will not interview’ Boris Johnson over alleged parties
The Metropolitan Police are not interviewing those who have received ‘partygate’ questionnaires, reports suggest.
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