Category Archives: boris johnson

Ministers Are ‘Not Nazis’ Says Labour’s Wes Streeting In Extraordinary Take Down

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Labour’s Wes Streeting took down rebellious Tory backbenchers today, telling them government ministers are “not Nazis”.

The shadow health secretary opened his speech in the Commons with an unusual defence of Conservative ministers who have come under fire from their own backbenchers.

Streeting highlighted comments by Tory MP Marcus Fysh who compared Covid health passes – aimed at limiting the spread of Omicron – to atrocities in Nazi Germany.

Streeting told the Commons: “It should not be for me as the shadow secretary of state to point out that we’re not living in the 1930s and the secretary of state and his team are not Nazis.

“On their shoulders rests the health of our nation and the responsibility to protect our NHS. Indeed, it’s a responsibility we all share.

“They need our support and they are owed better treatment than they’ve received from some on their own side in recent days and even this afternoon.”

Mr Streeting said Labour will “act in the national interest” by supporting the motions under consideration in the Commons.

He made the comments on Tuesday before MPs vote on Boris Johnson’s new Covid-19 restrictions to curb the spread of the Omicron variant.

They include working from home when you can, face masks in certain settings and what is being dubbed “vaccine passports” for large gatherings.

However, Tory MPs have been in open revolt with some touring the airwaves and writing columns on why they will be voting against the measures.

Fysh argued that the passes, which include being fully vaccinated or receiving a negative lateral flow test, would be “segregating society based on an unacceptable thing”.

“We are not a ‘papers please’ society. This is not Nazi Germany,” the MP told BBC Radio 5 Live.

The Board of Deputies of British Jews called his remarks “completely unacceptable” and he was criticised by a fellow Conservative rebel.

Tory MP Christian Wakeford, who plans to vote against the government alongside Fysh, responded: “Whilst I will be in the same lobby as Marcus, these types of comments are untrue, unhelpful, and truly deeply offensive to the Jewish community.

“Covid restrictions should never be compared to the darkest period in human history.”

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Covid Jabs To Be Available On Christmas Day Amid Booster Chaos

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Covid jabs will be made available on Christmas Day, Downing Street said today amid chaotic scenes as Brits rush to get their boosters.

The booster programme will run right through the festive period in a bid to meet the government’s new deadline of jabbing everyone over 18 by the new year.

It comes as Downing Street revealed that 110,000 people booked a booster jab before 9am on Monday.

Boris Johnson announced the speed-up in an address to the nation last night, citing fears of a “tidal wave of Omicron” that could cause “very many deaths”.

He said every adult over 18 in England who has had a second dose of a vaccine at least three months ago would be able to have their booster from Monday morning.

However, the announcement sparked a rush on vaccine centres with some people saying they have had to queue for more than three hours to get jabbed.

Asked if vaccines were going to be offered on Christmas Day and Boxing Day, the prime minister’s spokesman said: “Vaccinations will continue to be offered throughout the Christmas period.

“If there is demand on Christmas Day, then we’re confident the NHS will find a way to match it.”

Pressed on whether people would be able to book slots on the website for Christmas Day, he replied: “My understanding is that there will be appointments available on Christmas Day and obviously the NHS will monitor what the demand is.”

He pointed out that the NHS was available for vaccinations last Christmas, but added: “We didn’t see a huge demand on Christmas Day, I think it’s fair to say, NHS can confirm that.

“Should individuals wish come forward we will make sure there is capacity.”

Meanwhile, stocks of lateral flow tests ran out today, with a message on the government website saying there were “no more home test kits available right now” and people should “try again later”.

From tomorrow, vaccinated people who are close contacts of a Covid case will be asked to swab themselves once a day and from Wednesday those attending nightclubs and large events will have to show a negative result if they are not double-jabbed.

Vaccine centres are already warning they are low on doses and at one point the NHS booking system crashed as thousands tried to secure their boosters.

The army and thousands of volunteers are being drafted in to achieve the target of dishing out a million doses a day.

Downing Street insisted there would be enough supplies of the vaccines to speed up the booster jab delivery.

The prime minister’s spokesman also clarified that if those eligible booked in time, it was the actual jab – not just an appointment – that would be met by the end of December.

He added: “We absolutely aim to meet this commitment. It is vitally important. I think we can see the strong response from the public.”

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The Met Confirmed It Won’t Be Investigating No.10’s Alleged Party And People Were Outraged

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The Metropolitan Police announced that it would not be investigating Downing Street’s alleged Christmas party last year – even though it would have breached lockdown rules – and people aren’t happy.

In a statement released on Wednesday, the Met admitted they “received a significant amount of correspondence relating to allegations reported in the media” about a breach of lockdown rules at No.10 in both November and December last year.

Referring to ITV’s leaked video of Boris Johnson’s former adviser Allegra Stratton laughing over having a party while the rest of the country was in lockdown, the statement continued: “All the correspondence has been considered by detectives in detail, as well as footage published by ITV News.”

The Met added: “The correspondence and footage does not provide evidence of a breach fo the Health Protection Regulations, but restates allegations made in the media.

“Based on the absence of evidence and in line with our policy not to investigate retrospective breaches of such regulations, the Met will not commence an investigation at this time.”

The Met said it had also spoken to the Cabinet Office about a government inquiry into the party, and added: “If any evidence is found as a result of that investigation, it will be passed to the Met for further consideration.”

It’s worth noting that the policing minister Kit Malthouse was not even able to say whether or not the Met should investigate the alleged party on Monday as well.

There has been a public outcry since the reports about a No.10 party first came to light last week – so this news from the Met did not exactly soothe people.

Some people hit out by claiming the Met investigate other people who breached lockdown rules, so why not Downing Street?

Others wondered what kind of evidence the Met wanted before they felt they could conduct an investigation.

And a handful of Twitter accounts questioned the rules around policing itself…

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Allegra Stratton Is Still In Post Despite Boris Johnson’s ‘Fury’ At Leaked Party Video

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Downing Street is standing by Allegra Stratton despite Boris Johnson’s claim he was furious at leaked footage that shows her laughing about a No.10 staff Christmas party with colleagues.

No.10 today confirmed that Stratton was still employed by government and that the prime minister had full confidence in her, despite her role in an exchange that showed staff making light of lockdown rules the public was asked to follow.

Johnson told an angry and hostile House of Commons he had ordered an investigation in light of the video, which he said had made him personally “furious”.

He told MPs he had asked Cabinet Secretary Simon Case “to establish all the facts and to report back as soon as possible – and it goes without saying that if those rules were broken then there will be disciplinary action for all those involved”.

However, he insisted he had been “repeatedly assured” since the allegations emerged that there was “no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.

The government has been engulfed in a scandal overnight by the emergence of the video, which has strengthened allegations that aides flouted lockdown rules by attending a Christmas party on December 18 during last year’s lockdown.

The leaked footage shows senior members of staff joking about whether the event broke lockdown rules at the time.

Labour leader Keir Starmer said Johnson’s apology “raises more questions than answers”.

“The prime minister, the government, spent the week telling the British public there was no party. All guidance was followed completely.

“Millions of people now think the prime minister was taking them for fools, that they were lied to. They are right aren’t they?”

Johnson repeated his apology, adding that he was “sickened”.

Downing Street said it hoped the cabinet secretary’s investigation would be finalised “as soon as possible” but is facing questions over whether the public can have any confidence in the probe.

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Boris Johnson Apologises For Video Of Aides Joking About Lockdown Christmas Party

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Boris Johnson has apologised for a video in which aides appeared to joke about a Christmas party during lockdown.

Announcing an investigation into the incident, the prime minister told the Commons he was “furious” to see the footage of his former press secretary.

He said: “I understand and share the anger up and down the country at seeing No10 staff seeming to make light of lockdown measures.

“I can understand how infuriating it must be to think that people who have been setting the rules have not been following the rules because I was also furious to see that clip.

“I apologise unreservedly for the offence that it has caused up and down the country and I apologise for the impression that it gives.”

However, the prime minister insisted he had been “repeatedly assured” since the allegations emerged that there was “no party and that no Covid rules were broken”.

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It comes as the government was engulfed in a scandal over allegations that aides flouted lockdown rules by attending a Christmas party during last year’s lockdown.

The PM said he had asked the cabinet secretary Simon Case to “establish all the facts” and to report back “as soon as possible”.

Johnson said that if rules were broken: “There will be disciplinary action for all those involved.”

Labour leader Keir Starmer hit back saying Johnson’s apology “raises more questions than answers”.

The Labour leader said: “The prime minister, the government, spent the week telling the British public there was no party. All guidance was followed completely.

“Millions of people now think the prime minister was taking them for fools, that they were lied to. They are right aren’t they?”

Johnson repeated his apology, adding that he was “sickened”.

When Starmer pointed out the leadership of the Queen during the pandemic – who had to sit alone at her husband’s funeral – Johnson claimed Labour was “playing politics”.

The PM accused Starmer of trying to “muddy the waters” over pandemic guidance. But the Labour leader hit back, saying: “That’s so desperate and even his own side can see it.”

The scandal has left the prime minister facing serious questions over his own comments about the incident.

Over the past week, Johnson has insisted that Covid rules were followed “at all times” in No10. However, he repeatedly dodged questions about whether or not a party took place.

The huge row derailed this morning’s media round and even saw TV’s Ant and Dec mock the prime minister on last night’s I’m A Celebrity.

The saga all centres on an alleged Christmas party in No10 in December 2020 – when social mixing indoors was banned in London under Tier 3 restrictions.

The controversy reached new heights last night when bombshell footage emerged of senior aides joking about a “fictional” party just four days after the gathering.

The video was revealed by ITV following an exposé in the Mirror last week that claimed there was a party in Downing Street on December 18.

In the footage, the prime minister’s then press secretary is seen answering questions at a mock press conference on December 22.

Allegra Stratton is asked by colleagues about reports of a party the previous Friday and in jokey exchanges, she says: “This fictional party was a business meeting and it was not socially distanced.”

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