Senior Tory MP says Johnson’s sleaze U-turn causing ‘dissatisfaction’ on backbenches November 17, 2021 A senior Tory has said there is ” dissatisfaction on the backbenches” in the wake of Boris Johnson’s crackdown on MPs having second jobs in response to ongoing sleaze claims. Johnson yesterday proposed new rules that would see MPs banned from holding outside jobs as political consultants, while there will also be a mandate that [...]
Home Secretary’s behaviour faces renewed scrutiny as Priti Patel bullying case reaches London’s High Court November 17, 2021 Senior judges at the High Court will hear today a legal challenge over the Prime Minister’s decision to stand by the Home Secretary following accusations of bullying. The FDA union launched judicial review proceedings in February over Boris Johnson’s decision last year to disregard the findings of his adviser on ministerial standards in order to [...]
Trevelyan unveils roadmap to boost UK exports post-Brexit November 16, 2021 The government will tomorrow publish its 12-point plan to boost UK exports post-Brexit, with a series of initiatives launched to help businesses learn more about sending goods and services overseas. The new Made in the UK, Sold to the World plan will reintroduce an old target, first touted by David Cameron in 2012, to almost [...]
Revealed: £1.7bn worth of Covid-related contracts went to 47 Tory-referred companies November 16, 2021 A leaked list today shows that dozens of firms were given contracts worth a total of £1.7bn after being referred by Tory party insiders, even though the Government has insisted fast-tracked offers to supply PPE went through the same due diligence as any other route. The list shows that former health secretary Matt Hancock referred [...]
No money, no problem: City minister John Glen gives up top-up salary November 16, 2021 Amidst an ongoing lobbying scandal, City minister John Glen is one Tory MP who can’t be accused of lining his pockets: he has given up the salary ‘top up’ that comes with the job. The Economic Secretary to the Treasury, Glen had had his MP’s salary added to with an extra £22,475 since taking the [...]
Boris Johnson set to ban on MPs acting as paid political consultants or lobbyists November 16, 2021 Boris Johnson is set to ban MPs from holding paid consultancy jobs that allow them to act as a “parliamentary strategist, adviser or consultant” in the wake of the Owen Paterson sleaze scandal. The Prime Minister wrote to House of Commons speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle to say he wanted any outside job by MPs to [...]
Reeves says Labour still committed to post-Brexit equivalence for the City November 16, 2021 Labour is still committed to getting a post-Brexit equivalence deal for the UK’s financial services sector if elected, shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has said. Reeves told TheCityUK’s national conference today that, if elected, Labour will “fix some of the holes in the patchwork Brexit deal with the EU”. The UK’s financial services sector has not [...]
Russia hits back at US accusations that it put astronauts at risk with ‘reckless’ missile trial November 16, 2021 Russia has hit back at US accusations that it put astronauts at risk with its “reckless” anti-satellite missile trial, which saw crew onboard the International Space Station (ISS) shelter from orbiting debris. Crew were directed to close some hatches to keep safe. Roscosmos, Russia’s state space agency, said that it was monitoring the debris situation [...]
Jacob Rees-Mogg admits blame in Owen Paterson saga in wake of sleaze scandal November 16, 2021 Jacob Rees-Mogg has admitted he, and not Boris Johnson, was behind the government’s attempt to protect ex-MP Owen Paterson from facing punishment for his breach of Westminster lobbying rules. The leader of the House of Commons today said “I encouraged the Prime Minister to go down this route and I was wrong, I made a [...]
Azeem Rafiq: ‘What’s happened to me has happened, it will never change’ November 16, 2021 Azeem Rafiq has recounted his experiences of racism and bullying this morning before a parliamentary select committee looking into cricket’s racism problem, saying he’s “lost his career because of racism”. Rafiq, a former bowler at Yorkshire County Cricket Club (YCCC) appeared this morning at the Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Select Mommittee in Westminster. Speaking [...]