Ex-ethics adviser stop over Boris Johnson’s ‘readiness to break law’ – dwell

Labour chief Sir Keir Starmer and deputy chief Angela Rayner have returned questionnaires to police investigating whether or not they broke lockdown laws, a celebration spokesman has mentioned.

Durham Constabulary are trying into whether or not the foundations have been violated after Sir Keir was caught on digicam ingesting a beer in an MP’s workplace after a day of campaigning for the native elections in Durham in April 2021.

Both the Labour chief and Ms Rayner have mentioned they’ll stand down if they’re issued with fixed-penalty notices.

At the time of the gathering, non-essential retail and outside venues together with pub gardens have been open, however social distancing guidelines, which included a ban on indoor mixing between households, remained in place.

But Labour has argued that meals was consumed between work occasions, which means it was inside the guidelines.

Last month, Durham Constabulary introduced they’d reversed an earlier determination that no offence had been dedicated, after receiving “significant new information”.

Julian Assange’s spouse Stella Moris mentioned it’s a “travesty” that an order for his extradition to the US was signed by dwelling secretary Priti Patel.

The spouse of the WikiLeaks founder Mr Assange, who’s at the moment in Belmarsh jail, mentioned: “This was always a possibility that Priti Patel would send Julian to the country that has plotted to assassinate him, to a country that Julian has exposed of crimes.

“We are not at the end of the road here. We are going to fight this. We are going to use every legal avenue and I’m going to spend every waking hour fighting for Julian until he’s free, until justice is served.”

After calling the signing of the order a “travesty”, she mentioned: “I have no words to express what it’s like to see the UK process being used as a way to prolong Julian’s suffering.”

Boris Johnson‘s former ethics adviser Christopher Geidt has said his resignation was prompted by the PM’s willingness to breach worldwide regulation.

In a second letter to clarify his shock determination to stop on Wednesday, Lord Geidt mentioned that the small print of the row over metal tariffs which lastly provoked his departure have been a “distraction” from his actual motivation to depart his place.

He mentioned that he walked out as a result of he was unready to endorse the federal government’s openness to breaking its worldwide obligations.

His feedback counsel he could also be involved over Mr Johnson’s try and override the Northern Ireland Protocol in a manner which can breach the Brexit treaty that he signed lower than three years in the past.

Meanwhile, the federal government has confronted a backlash over stories it won’t appoint a brand new ethics adviser after Lord Geidt’s resignation.

John Penrose, who stop because the anti-corruption tsar earlier this month over the Partygate scandal, mentioned: “You can’t just pretend it doesn’t matter, and that there’s no job to be done.”

Read the total story right here by Andrew Woodcock

Boris Johnson made the shock go to to Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine to supply a serious coaching operation he believes may “change the equation” in opposition to the Russian invasion.

The Prime Minister visited Kyiv to pledge coaching to as much as 10,000 troopers each 120 days, as he vowed “we will be with you until you ultimately prevail”.

Downing Street mentioned the British-led scheme would prepare and drill Ukrainian troops to speed up their deployment, rebuild their forces and enhance their resistance.

Arranged in secret in current days, it was Mr Johnson’s second go to to Kyiv since Russian president Vladimir Putin started his offensive in February.

“My visit today, in the depths of this war, is to send a clear and simple message to the Ukrainian people: the UK is with you, and we will be with you until you ultimately prevail,” Mr Johnson mentioned in a press release.

“As Ukrainian soldiers fire UK missiles in defence of your nation’s sovereignty, they do so also in defence of the very freedoms we take for granted.

“That is why I have offered president Zelensky a major new military training programme that could change the equation of this war – harnessing that most powerful of forces, the Ukrainian determination to win.

“Two months on from my last visit, the Ukrainian grit, determination and resilience is stronger than ever, and I know that unbreakable resolve will long outlive the vain ambitions of president Putin.”

The prices of the brand new operation have been unsure, with Downing Street noting that the coaching programme was simply a proposal for now.

MPs weren’t impressed with the timing of the journey to Kyiv – with one senior Nothern Research Group determine saying that he had proven “total contempt” for colleagues by skipping their convention in Doncaster.

A senior NRG supply advised reporters: “Boris agreed to come and speak to the biggest caucus of Conservatives in the party. This group, who represent his majority, and came through for him in the leadership vote.”

The supply added: “That goodwill is gone. His actions have shown a total contempt for colleagues, contempt for members and contempt for the north.”

A Tory MP has come to Boris Johnson’s defence after he visited Ukraine to fulfill Volodymyr Zelensky in an surprising transfer.

The prime minister has been accused of fleeing to Kyiv to go to his Ukrainian counterpart at instances his popularity takes a success.

Mr Johnson final went to Kyiv in April, two months after Russia invaded Ukraine. He and Mr Zelensky have been involved commonly.

Simon Clarke, chief secretary to the Treasury, mentioned: “He is literally leading high level talks with the President of Ukraine, a nation still fighting for survival in large part thanks to the leadership Boris Johnson has shown.

“I think people seriously need to check their priorities.”

A Labour frontbencher has accused Boris Johnson of “absent leadership” after it was revealed that the PM cancelled conferences to go to Ukraine in the present day.

Shadow well being secretary Wes Streeting mentioned: “Absent leadership pretty much sums up this Government’s approach to the country’s problems.”

PM Mr Johnson is in Kyiv to go to his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky, his second journey there in the course of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

Boris Johnson has pulled out of a digital local weather assembly with 15 different heads of state with the intention to go to Volodymyr Zelensky in Ukraine.

The prime minister, underneath fireplace over the departure of his ethics adviser, is dealing with criticism that he turns to the Ukrainian president at instances his popularity is hit by one other failure or scandal.

Read the total story right here by Rob Merrick

Mr Johnson’s newest journey additionally comes in the future after French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian PM Mario Draghi visited Kyiv.

In order to make his second go to to see Mr Zelensky, Mr Johnson cancelled an look he had scheduled for this afternoon at a convention in Yorkshire held by Conservative MPs within the Northern Research Group.

Boris Johnson, who’s now in Ukraine, has tweeted an image of himself along with his Ukrainian counterpart Volodymyr Zelensky.

He added: “Mr President, Volodymyr, it is good to be in Kyiv again.” 

Mr Johnson is on his second go to to Ukraine for the reason that Russia invasion was launched on 24 February.

His first go to was in April.

It’s now clear why the PM cancelled his journey to Doncaster on Friday afternoon…

Boris Johnson is in Kyiv on an unannounced go to to Ukraine for talks with president Volodymyr Zelensky.

The prime minister’s second journey to the war-torn nation comes a day after a joint go to by French president Emmanuel Macron, German chancellor Olaf Scholz and Italian PM Mario Draghi.