From canine airlifts to Christmas parties in No 10, the prime minister’s pants are well and truly on fire

From a correspondent:

Owl should be wary of Jupp showing any independence of thought in forthcoming important votes in Parliament.  

Remember Jupp’s last job before he became an MP was as a “SPAD” (Special Political Adviser) to current Deputy Prime Minister and Justice Secretary, Dominic Raab – the Cabinet Minister currently tasked with ensuring that any laws the Government disagrees with can be overturned by the PM and also attempting to remove or water down the judicial review system.

It may also be worth checking out the promises Japp made to East Devonians while canvassing: 

“The 34-year-old says he will be working hard for the constituency, aiming to attract more GPs to the area, protect the area’s healthcare services, and even, if it is possible, reopening a railway station.

Issues he would like to address include public transport, cycling routes, electric charging points, neighbourhood parking and broadband.

Mr Jupp pointed to his previous professional involvement in negotiations for funding to reopen the Portishead to Bristol line. Asked about Sidmouth, he said that ‘if there is any way we could reopen the train line to Sidmouth we should’.”

https://www.sidmouthherald.co.uk/news/general-election-2019-conservative-simon-jupp-s-east-devon-priorities-6166560

Covid: Plan B vote to be split into three amid Tory rebellion

A vote to pass new Covid measures into law this week is expected to be split, as Boris Johnson faces a rebellion from about 60 Conservative MPs.

Sophie Gallagher www.bbc.co.uk

Government sources suggested the introduction of Plan B measures for England will be divided into three separate votes on Tuesday.

There will be a distinct vote for plans to introduce Covid passes in some venues, opposed by some Tories.

But Plan B is expected to become law as Labour is backing the government.

The BBC estimates that about 60 Tory MPs have said they will oppose the introduction of Covid passes – requiring proof of double jab or negative test – to access certain venues like nightclubs.

If replicated in the Commons on Tuesday, it would be the largest rebellion of his MPs that Mr Johnson has seen yet.

As a result, it is expected MPs will be asked to vote on this separately to other parts of the plan, our political correspondent Chris Mason reports.

1. There is likely to be one vote on the new facemask rules.

2. Another vote on whether a daily negative test result should allow those exposed to a positive case to avoid self-isolation.

3. And the third on Covid status certification, described by some as vaccine passports, but which can be obtained through a negative lateral flow test.

Ministers will hate relying on Labour

It’s important to untangle the real world consequences of the votes over measures to limit the spread of Omicron, coming on Tuesday, from the political consequences.

I’m told there will be three votes on introducing Plan B for England and one on making it compulsory for front line NHS staff in England to be fully jabbed.

Let’s be clear: it looks like all will pass easily, because Labour will back the government.

Three of the four votes will pass with minimal opposition. It’s the one on so-called Covid passports that will encounter a blast of turbulence.

About 60 Conservative MPs don’t like the idea.

That number of rebels would normally be enough to beat the current government with its big majority.

But with Sir Keir Starmer propping him up, Boris Johnson can still win.

So Covid passports are still likely to happen.

But governments hate relying on the opposition in order to win votes, because it leaves them looking feeble.

In addition there is also expected to be a vote this week on mandatory vaccination for front line NHS staff in England.

Despite having previously been against it, the BBC understands that Labour will back the government’s plan to make jabs compulsory.

As recently as October, the Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said he was opposed to the idea but it is understood the party has changed its mind after briefings from government scientific advisers.

That vote could come before Parliament as soon as Tuesday.

Earlier, Tory MP Steve Baker criticised the Department of Health and Social Care for promoting the new rules around Covid passes on Twitter before a vote had taken place.

Health Secretary Sajid Javid responded, saying: “No law is decided until Parliament votes on it. I’ve asked for this graphic to be deleted for implying otherwise.”

Although Plan B has not yet passed, there is already talk that the government might need to bring further measures in England as Omicron cases rise.

On Saturday, a further 633 Omicron cases were reported – although the real number is estimated to be much higher. Overall, a further 54,073 daily cases were recorded across the UK.

Meanwhile, a report by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has suggested the UK will face a substantial wave of Omicron infections in January without further restrictions, beyond Plan B.

It also said the number of deaths could range from 25,000 to 75,000 between now and April.

Boris Johnson took part in a Christmas quiz sitting between two colleagues in No 10 last year – while indoor household mixing was banned in London.

By Dulcie Lee www.bbc.co.uk

Image source, The Sunday Mirror

The Sunday Mirror has published a picture of Mr Johnson at the event, which it said was on 15 December.

Downing Street said the prime minister “briefly took part virtually in a quiz” to thank staff for their hard work during the pandemic.

Labour’s Angela Rayner said Mr Johnson was “unfit to lead this country”.

It comes after the government launched an investigation into three allegations of gatherings last Christmas – including two in Downing Street – despite Covid rules banning them.

In the photo, Mr Johnson is sitting in the No 10 library between a colleague wearing a tinsel scarf and another apparently in a Santa hat.

London was under Tier Two restrictions at the time, which banned mixing of households indoors – apart from support bubbles – and allowed a maximum of six people to meet outside.

Official guidance said: “Although there are exemptions for work purposes, you must not have a work Christmas lunch or party, where that is a primarily social activity and is not otherwise permitted by the rules in your tier.”

Responding to the photo, a No10 spokesperson said: “This was a virtual quiz. Downing Street staff were often required to be in the office to work on the pandemic response so those who were in the office for work may have attended virtually from their desks.”

A Downing Street source told the BBC the two people in the picture with Mr Johnson were members of his closer staff who had come in to help him with the technology.

But Labour’s deputy leader Ms Rayner said: “Boris Johnson really believes it’s one rule for him, another for everyone else.

“Despite repeated denials of parties in No 10, it now transpires that there were numerous parties, gatherings and the prime minister even took part in a festive quiz,” she said.

The Department for Work and Pensions has confirmed some of its staff drank alcohol and ate takeaways “late into the evening” on several occasions while Covid restrictions were in place.

On Friday 10 Downing Street cancelled its 2021 Christmas party amid growing anger over a different gathering on 18 December last year, after London had been put under Tier 3 restrictions banning gatherings of two or more people indoors unless it was “reasonably necessary” for work.

After criticism from opposition parties, the media and his own MPs, the prime minister asked Cabinet Secretary Simon Case to carry out an investigation into the 18 December party earlier this week.

The inquiry will also include finding out what happened at another Downing Street gathering on 27 November last year, and another at the Department for Education on 10 December.

Allegra Stratton quit her post as a government spokesperson on Wednesday after a backlash over a video she appeared in from last December, in which she joked about a Christmas party.

The row over Christmas parties continued to escalate as the government announced new rules in England to tackle the spread of Omicron.

Mr Johnson faces a rebellion from about 60 Conservative MPs when the measures are put to a vote in the Commons next week.

Government sources suggested the introduction of Plan B measures for England will be divided into three separate votes on Tuesday, including one on Covid passes which are opposed by some Tories.

But the measures are expected to become law as Labour is backing the government.

On Saturday, a further 633 Omicron cases were reported – although the real number is estimated to be much higher. Overall, a further 54,073 daily cases were recorded across the UK.

Meanwhile, a report by the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine has suggested the UK will face a substantial wave of Omicron infections in January without further restrictions, beyond Plan B.

It also said the number of deaths could range from 25,000 to 75,000 between now and April.

Boris Johnson’s former senior adviser Dominic Cummings has claimed there are photos of the festive parties held at Downing Street in the run-up to Christmas last year.

www.independent.co.uk

Pressure on the prime minister over the parties has stepped up after it emerged that his top communications adviser Jack Doyle handed out awards to staff at a gathering on 18 December.

Mr Cummings claimed Mr Johnson was “lying” about the gatherings and said photo evidence of the events – as well as invitations sent to people who do not work at No 10 – would soon be revealed.

“There’s lots of pictures of the parties which will inevitably get out. And invite lists beyond No 10, to other departments,” he tweeted on Friday.

The former strategist also said he thought Mr Johnson probably knew about the 18 December event at the centre of the scandal, and predicted the PM would “be gone before the next election … probably summer”.

In a question and answer event for subscribers to his blog, Mr Cummings also suggested that Mr Doyle would become the fall guy for the party scandal – claiming the press chief is a “gonner” (sic).

He claimed Mr Johnson “will be thinking ‘not now, gotta keep him as the sacrifice for Case’s inquiry then – I’m shocked, shocked I tell you to discover there was a party and I was misled’.”

Mr Cummings also suggested the PM – facing accusations that he lied to his own ethics adviser about donations spent on Downing Street flat redecorations – would “do a deal with Jack to keep all the wallpaper horror buried”.

Referring to the events of 18 December, Mr Cummings also suggested Mr Johnson may have known about the gathering of staff. “He knew but I think did not attend, though remember the geography – to get upstairs he has to walk past that area where he could see it – if he was not [at] Chequers.”

Mr Cummings also alleged that Mr Johnson, whom he refers to as the “trolley”, had been “lying” when answering questions about the alleged parties in recent days.

He claimed: “There were invites sent across Whitehall, it was an organised party. The trolley knows this and tried to lie his way out but was fck [sic] by the video.”

The former No 10 strategist also denied claims he was the source of the leaked video which showed adviser Allegra Stratton, who has since resigned, joking about a festive party. Asked if he obtained the clip and shared with ITV News, he replied: “No.”

Asked by subscribers how and when the Tories might replace Mr Johnson, Mr Cummings said: “The polls will lead it, plus his inevitable continued flat spin, plus officials kicking him off the ice, plus rivals strategically intervening.”

“He’s done, gone by this time next year, probably summer,” he said of Mr Johnson’s leadership – warning the 2019 intake of so-called red wall Tory MPs that they would be “toast” unless they replace him.

But Mr Cummings would not be drawn on who would be the next PM. “Don’t want to get into personalities now – [Liz] Truss and [Sajid] Javid are not solutions.” Asked if his former Vote Leave campaign ally Michael Gove was the answer, he said: “No.”

It comes as Tory peer Gavin Barwell said the party’s MPs are “definitely” having conversations on how to replace Mr Johnson. “His position depends on being seen as an electoral asset, and if over a period of time that goes then he really is in trouble.”

Mr Johnson’s troubles were made worse on Friday when it emerged that his ethics adviser Lord Geidt has restarted an investigation into the funding of the lavish flat refurb.

Lord Geidt contacted No 10 after Thursday’s Electoral Commission report appeared to show the prime minister “misled” the adviser on when exactly he knew about funding arrangements.

Local author Philip Algar  15^th book has just been published. It is a collection of short stories which, hopefully, can remind readers what our world and lives used to be before the damaging and cruel challenges of Covid.

He has ignored Covid-related restrictions to travel back in time and abroad to write a collection of short stories. He reveals what happens to a cabinet minister to whom truth is an alien concept. How did three schoolboys play a surprising role in the Second World War? What happened to the young man and the girl with a suede coat? How did following his newspaper’s advice change a sausage maker’s life and what did an employee tell senior management at his retirement function?

Some tales poke fun at big business, the media and politics and all offer an imaginative escape from today’s news.

The book is available from The Curious Otter Bookshop in Mill Street, Ottery and from Amazon.

Contact: Philip Algar on 01404 814157 or philipalgar@btinternet.com

Javid advised to take ‘stringent’ Covid measures within a week, leak reveals

Britain’s top public health officials have advised ministers that “stringent national measures” need to be imposed by 18 December to avoid Covid hospitalisations surpassing last winter’s peak, according to documents leaked to the Guardian.

Rowena Mason www.theguardian.com 

Sajid Javid, the health secretary, received a presentation from the UK Health and Security Agency (UKHSA) on Tuesday warning that even if the new Omicron variant leads to less serious disease than Delta, it risks overwhelming the NHS with 5,000 people admitted to hospital a day.

In an interview with the Guardian, the epidemiologist Prof Neil Ferguson said the total could be double that number.

No 10 insisted there were no imminent plans to bring in more measures after plan B measures were announced for England this week but cabinet minister Michael Gove, who chaired a Cobra meeting on Friday, said the government had been presented with some “very challenging information” about the speed of the spread.

The Guardian has seen leaked advice from UKHSA for Javid marked “official, sensitive” saying: “The key point is that under a range of plausible scenarios, stringent action is needed on or before 18 December 2021 if doubling times stay at 2.5 days. Even if doubling times rise to around 5 days, stringent action is likely still needed in December.”

It adds: “The rapid spread of Omicron means that action to limit pressures on the health system might have to come earlier than intuition suggests.” Its calculations suggest that even if Omicron causes a less severe hospitalisation rate of 1% or 0.5% compared with Delta’s 1.5%, then “stringent national measures’” would be needed by 18 December at the latest.

On the current trajectory of 2.5 days doubling time, and without any further restrictions, the document warns that Omicron cases could be at 248,000 cases a day by 19 December. It also stresses that the figures are not a projection but an estimate of Omicron prevalence and doubling times seen in the UK so far.

The document does not detail what the necessary curbs would be but defines “stringent national measures” as those that bring the R (reproduction) number below 1.

Boris Johnson triggered plan B this week including more wide-ranging mask mandates, asking people to work from home and Covid passports for big venues but a senior Whitehall source said few inside UKHSA believe this will have much effect on slowing the spread of the variant.

Further measures, now being referred to as plan C, could include stricter isolation requirements for contacts of Covid cases, masks in pubs, shutting hospitality entirely, more restrictions on visitors to care homes and hospitals or even the return of curbs on social contact.

As the ministers convened a Cobra meeting to discuss Omicron, the level of concern about the variant is rising among its scientific and public health advisers. There were more than 58,000 new confirmed UK daily cases of Covid on Friday – the highest level since January – with 120 deaths within 28 days of a positive test.

Cobra, which involved the four nations of the UK, was chaired by Gove, the levelling up secretary, as Johnson spent time with his family after the birth of his second child with his wife, Carrie Johnson.

He warned that evidence suggests Omicron is “more likely” than past Covid-19 variants to “potentially” lead to hospital admissions among the fully vaccinated.

Sturgeon warned of a “potential tsunami” of Omicron infections as the new variant brings “the fastest exponential growth we have seen in this pandemic so far”. At an unscheduled televised Covid update on Friday, the first minister said that “frankness” with the public was necessary, as the Scottish government published an evidence paper suggesting Omicron is “rising exponentially”.

It came as the Welsh government hinted at new restrictions on visiting people in care homes and hospitals to counter the impact of Omicron. The first minister, Mark Drakeford, also suggested it would be wise for businesses and public sector leaders to plan for the possibility of further clampdowns and even a new lockdown.

He said: “We will be issuing new guidance for visiting in care homes and hospitals. We want to do all we can to support visiting where it is safe to do so but, if we see a new wave of cases, some strengthened measures to protect patients and residents may be needed.”

A government spokesperson said: “There are no plans for further restrictions. Plan B is the proportionate approach given what we know at this stage about the Omicron variant.

“The government will continue to look closely at all the emerging data and we’ll keep our measures under review as we learn more about this variant.”

Conservative councillors just sitting on their bums, doing nothing? – Owl

Councillors should be paid less because they’re working from home, an East Devon District Councillor has claimed, leading to condemnation from his colleagues.

Joe Ives, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk

‘We’re working harder than ever’ other councillors claim

Councillor Colin Brown (Dunkeswell and Otterhead) leader of the Conservative Group at East Devon District Council (EDDC), told a full council meeting that councillors are “taking taxpayers money for sitting at home rather than being held to account in public.”

He argued that councillors’ allowances should be cut, and that special responsibility allowances, an extra sum paid to senior councillors who have more work, be entirely withdrawn.

The comments, during a debate over continuing with virtual council meetings, drew the ire of many of his colleagues who say they have been working long hours throughout the pandemic. 

Councillor Geoff Jung said that it was a “no brainer” to continue to meet virtually, adding he was very upset “by the grotesque insinuation” that members were not earning their allowances simply because they were working from home.

He explained: “The covid emergency has meant that I and all cabinet members’ workload has actually increased dramatically.”

Cllr Jung told councillors he had been working six days a week with no holiday for two years. He added: “Rather than handing back any money I think we deserve a thank you from members of the public and other councillors.”

Councillor Jack Rowland (Independent East Devon Alliance, Democratic Alliance Group, Seaton) described Cllr Brown’s proposal to remove special responsibility allowances as “utter garbage” because, he said, the members receiving them are continuing to do extra hours, despite not meeting in person. 

Councillor Sarah Jackson (Independent East Devon Alliance, Democratic Alliance Group, Axminster) also criticised the Tory councillor’s arguments. “The implication of what he says seems to be that those members are not doing additional work above that of a basic level of councillor and that simply untrue,” she said.

“Meetings have continued and work has continued to go on by members of the cabinet, chairs of committees and officers. I don’t think what’s suggested [by Cllr Brown] is fair, reasonable or transparent because it gives the wrong impression of the work that councillors are doing.” 

Cllr Jackson said virtual meetings allow some members who are suffering from  long covid to carry out their council roles where they might otherwise have been unable to do so if obliged to meet in person.

All East Devon council meetings are currently streamed live on YouTube, arguably making meetings more accessible and thus easier for residents to scrutinise elected local politicians.

Cllr Jack Rowland said: “I actually think our democracy has been improved by what we’ve been doing because we’ve got a greater attendance through Zoom meetings. 

“It doesn’t detract from the public getting involved at all. In fact, I understand the public viewings of recordings of council meetings are higher than if we had face-to-face meetings in Blackdown House with the public attending.

Councillors did express an interest in creating hybrid meetings, where councillors can choose to meet in person or virtually. Plans for this are expected to be developed in the coming months. 

Councillor Steve Gazzard (Liberal Democrats, Democratic Alliance Group, Exmouth Withycombe Raleigh) said that although he had wished the council would meet in person again, it had to continue to prioritise safety. 

He said: “Not only must we think of ourselves. We’ve got to think of our families, our loved ones – and we have to think of all the staff that we employ. 

“It’s still a very dangerous situation that we find ourselves in at the moment.” 

in the face of rising covid cases and concerns over the Omicron variant, the councillors did eventually agree to continue with virtual meetings until at least 10 May next year. 

The decision was passed with 32 votes in favour, one against and seven abstentions.

Following a High Court ruling, most local councils have been meeting in person since 7 May. 

However, following an ‘extraordinary’ council meeting in July, East Devon councillors agreed to ‘consultative’ meetings until at least 17 January 2022 because of the pandemic.

This format will continue, with the council holding virtual meetings over Zoom that reach ‘indicative decisions’ which are then rubber-stamped by the chief executive or senior officers.

The only exception is the budget meeting in February 2022, for which EDDC is legally obliged to meet in person.

Dear Simon, 

Throughout the pandemic Boris Johnson’s boosterish approach can be characterised as either doing too little too late, as with the original lockdown, or doing too much too soon, as when he let the cork out of the bottle on  “freedom day”. “Eat out to help out” supercharged last autumn’s infection wave.

An approach Dominic Cummings described as like a ‘shopping trolley smashing between aisles’.

The public knows this and, from the start, have anticipated events, taking matters into their own hands. Many were locking down in early March 2020 before the official start date. Reports of cancellation of Christmas parties this year started well before the latest announcement about Plan B.

We also know from the experience of the last two years that action taken too late leads to the need to act more severely later on.

A very high proportion of your constituents feel vulnerable to this infection. Confidence in the way the pandemic is being handled is an essential prerequisite if the general population is to feel secure to venture out. It is lack of confidence that costs jobs.

Owl

Utterly appalling – Owl

‘Intimidation and threats’ says man assaulted by councillor

Joe Ives, local democracy reporter www.radioexe.co.uk 

A man who was sexually assaulted as a child by a former East Devon District councillor says “there are still so many questions to be answered” after addressing a full council meeting about “decades of pain and trauma” made worse, he alleges, by police inaction, intimidation – and even threats to his friends and family by police officers. 

John Humphreys, a former Conservative councillor and mayor of Exmouth, is serving 21 years in prison for sexual assaulting two boys 10 years apart. He had been arrested in May 2016 and was under investigation for over five years before going to court. The judge at his trial said six of his offences should be assessed against the modern guidelines for rape.

One unnamed victim, an Exmouth resident, wrote a letter to Councillor Eileen Wragg (Liberal Democrats, Democratic Alliance Group) which was read out at full council meeting this week. 

In the letter, the victim questioned why Mr Humphreys was allowed to carry on as councillor whilst he was being investigated, a process which began in May 2016. He also asked how no one knew Mr Humphreys was under police investigation when he was offered the honorary title of alderman in 2019.

The award is made by many councils, including East Devon, to former councillors who may then continue to represent the local authority at some functions.

In his letter read to councillors, the man wrote: “I am one of many victims of John Humphreys crimes and I want members and officers of this council and the public to hear of what I have had to endure for the last 22 years.”

He explained that he was sent from school as a 14-year-old for work experience at Humphreys’ gardening business where he endured multiple sexual assaults between 1999 and 2001. He told the council that he had made a statement to police in 2004 but that the case was dropped the following year. He alleges that besides making no progress on the case, the police harassed him.

When the revelations about Jimmie Saville came out after his death in 2011, the victim decided to try again. He told the council: “I met my partner and when we found out she was pregnant I thought ‘let’s do something about it now I’m bringing a child into the world.’ 

“I rang up to get the case reopened again in 2012. All I got was a threatening phone call from a Tiverton officer. His near exact words were ‘Humphreys is now mayor. He’s getting on with his life. If you do anything or proceed with this in court, we will come for your friends and family.’

“I made an official complaint about the threats and was asked into Sidmouth police station. They said an apology will be read out.

“It was handwritten and wasn’t even an apology. I wasn’t given anything in writing that I could take away. When Humphreys’ case came to court this year, not being able to talk about how the police had treated me was my biggest concern. ‘Don’t open this can of worms right now,’ was all that was said to me.

“I just felt like blurting it out, stood in the box, once all the lies were being thrown at me.

“In 2015, after many more years of mental stress, a knock came on the door of my mum’s house. It was a female police officer. Someone else had come forward. I couldn’t believe it.

“I’d not been believed twice – but the other victim was a lot older than me and maybe more credible, and there was a third and fourth victim, too. But it still took another six years for justice to be done.”

Humphreys was originally arrested in May 2016 but it took over five years for the case to come to court.  The victim says that Humphreys knew that the case was live during the period of 2016 to 2021 – during which time he served as a councillor before standing down and subsequently being awarded the ‘alderman’ title for his services to the district. 

“This leaves me wondering,” read the letter, “‘who else knew and how was he allowed to carry on as usual being a councillor at Exmouth and East Devon?’

The victim said he had a psychological fear of Mr Humphreys because of his standing and influence in the community. He said: “I still feel that Humphreys has been favoured because of his connections, his apparent good character and social standing as a councillor.”

“In my mind, he has been a monster to me. He took away my teenage years and this has gone into my adulthood. I should have retained that innocence – but that choice was taken away from me by this man. 

“There are still so many questions to be answered. After the verdict, I was still ignored. I’d like to be heard. It is important to me that the council hears me, hears my statement. What difference it makes I don’t know. Maybe a few people will be sat there worried. It will be nice to be heard.”

Councillor Eileen Wragg, who was visibly upset after reading the statement, praised the bravery of the victim and his mother. She told the council that she met the victim earlier this month. She said: “He’s entirely credible. He’s obviously been deeply affected.

“The worrying aspect of this for me was there was no criminal record. A DBS check wouldn’t have picked that up. The worrying thing is that children were being sent from the school straight to a paedophile for work experience. That is so worrying. There is a lot more that needs to be investigated here.”

Leader of the council Paul Arnott (Democratic Alliance Group, Coly Valley) said the victim is “one of the bravest people who has ever lived in East Devon.”

He added: “I think that’s really important. Not only has he seen this through to a prosecution, he has brought forward this statement tonight through Councillor Wragg.”

Councillor Ben Ingham (Conservative, Woodbury and Lympstone) thanked Cllr Wragg for reading the statement and the victim for writing the letter. He said: “I believe we all needed to hear that.”  

Cllr Arnott told the council that would be writing to the chief constable of Devon and Cornwall Police, Shawn Sawyer, asking him to “refer his force” to the Independent Office for Police Conduct to look at how the case was handled in earlier years. 

He will alo be writing to East Devon Conservatives asking if an inquiry has taken place into Humphreys and to share its conclusions if such an inquiry has taken place.

Cllr Arnott also said at full council that he believes some members of the council must have known that Humphreys was under investigation. The Conservative dismiss this claim, saying they did not know: “For the simple reason it would have been wholly inappropriate for the police to share details of a live investigation with those not connected with the case.”

In response to allegations about the conduct of police officers, a statement from Devon and Cornwall Police said: “We are aware of an East Devon District Council meeting that was held online yesterday (Wednesday 8 December), which included a statement that was read out on behalf of a victim of John Humphreys, the former mayor of Exmouth who was jailed in August for 21 years after being found guilty of historic sex offences against two boys.

“This case was a long and protracted investigation involving historic sexual offences that dated back more than 30 years to the early and late 1990s; the conviction was only possible due to the tenacity, patience and strength of the victims who put their trust in our officers who investigating these matters.

 “Whilst we sincerely hoped that the guilty verdict and strong sentence would allow our victims to move on with their lives, last night’s statement does show that more still needs to be done.

“Therefore, officers will be reaching out to the victims in this case to offer them further support, and if requested, to assist with commencing a formal complaint into how this case was initially handled.”

Read the letter in full here: https://bit.ly/3lRKcA5 

Boris Johnson was accused of misleading his own ethics adviser last night, exposing the prime minister to a potential suspension from the House of Commons, as MPs demanded a fresh probe into his personal donors.

Jessica Elgot www.theguardian.com 

With pressure mounting after a disastrous series of mistakes and scandals, Johnson’s integrity was once again under the spotlight after an official report suggested he gave differing accounts to investigators looking into the redecoration of his Downing Street flat.

Their calls were provoked by a report published yesterday by the Electoral Commission, which had spent eight months investigating the funding of the costly redecoration. The commission fined the Conservative party £17,800 for serious donation reporting failures relating to the work.

But documents released by the commission also revealed Johnson sent a WhatsApp message to the Tory donor Lord Brownlow in November last year seeking more money for the costly makeover.

In an earlier inquiry into the matter, Johnson had assured Lord Geidt, the independent adviser on ministers’ interests, that he did not know who had given money for the work until it was revealed by the media in February this year.

Though Downing Street denied there was any inconsistency, Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said Johnson “must now explain why he lied to the British public”. She said the prime minister was taking people for fools.

The Labour MP Margaret Hodge has written to the parliamentary standards commissioner, Kathryn Stone, urging her to investigate whether Johnson misledLord Geidt, who had cleared him of breaching the ministerial code.

In a letter seen by the Guardian, Hodge said it “appears that the prime minister may have lied” to Geidt’s inquiry about when Johnson became aware of the donations. “If these allegations are true, then this would be an egregious case of dishonesty and a breach of the Nolan principles.”

Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, said the discrepancy in accounts was “extremely serious”. “How do standards function if PM doesn’t tell truth to Geidt?” she tweeted.

Geidt is said to be expecting an explanation from Johnson about the potential discrepancy between what he was told and what the Electoral Commission report found.

Should Stone launch an investigation, it would set Conservative MPs up for another clash over the regulation of MPs, with many Tories still wounded from an attempt to change the rules over sanctions for the Tory MP Owen Paterson, who was found to have breached lobbying rules.

Though it would be politically unprecedented, the commissioner’s powers do include recommending the suspension of an MP and – depending on the length of the suspension – a recall petition in their constituency. If 10% of voters there are in favour of a byelection, the MP must face the voters again

The furore over the flat refurbishment has dogged Johnson for months. The money for the work came from the Tory peer, David Brownlow, via his company Huntswood Associates Ltd. It was used to cover the costs of extensive and costly refurbishment changes to the flat above No 11 Downing Street, where Johnson, his wife, Carrie, and their children live.

The commission’s report sets out previously unreported details that suggest Johnson knew about the donation from Brownlow earlier than he had previously told Geidt. In his report, Geidt said the prime minister insisted “he knew nothing about such payments until immediately prior to media reports in February 2021”.

Nevertheless, the commission’s report makes clear that on 23 June 2020, Johnson offered Brownlow the role of chair of the Downing Street Trust role, and on 29 November messaged Brownlow on WhatsApp asking him to authorise further refurbishment works on the flat.

Downing Street claimed there was no inconsistency between the Geidt and Electoral Commission reports, as Johnson only knew that Brownlow was organising donations to pay for the refurbishment works, not that Brownlow was himself “the underlying donor”. Brownlow had “behaved in a confidential manner” after being appointed to head the blind trust in June 2020, Johnson’s spokesperson said.

“Despite the prime minister and Lord Brownlow having some limited contact during the following three months, the record shows no evidence that the prime minister had been informed by Lord Brownlow that he had personally settled the total cost,” he said.

The spokesperson declined to explain why some payments for the flat, including one of £59,000, were cited in the new report but had not seemingly been declared by Johnson, saying this was “in the most part a matter for” Conservative HQ. They added: “The prime minister has acted in accordance with the rules at all times. He has made any requisite declarations.”

Saying Johnson had full confidence in Geidt, the spokesperson declined to say whether Geidt had seen the messages to Brownlow before writing his report.

In total, Johnson repaid more than £110,000 for flat refurbishments, reported to have included wallpaper costing £840 a roll. Carrie Johnson is reported to have enlisted the sought-after interior designer Lulu Lyttle for the works.

Brownlow was approached to chair the Downing Street Trust, a trust to pay for works to Downing Street using anonymous donations. By June, when lockdown began to ease, the refurbishment was under way.

The Cabinet Office agreed to pay the extra costs from three invoices totalling £52,801, then be reimbursed by the Conservatives on the basis that a trust would be set up later.

Around a month later, on 6 August, the party reimbursed the government. In September, the supplier then invoiced the Cabinet Office for a further £12,967, which was forwarded first to Brownlow and then to Conservative central headquarters (CCHQ).

The following month, Brownlow confirmed in a crucial paper trail email that he would be making a £15,000 donation and “£52,801.72 to cover payments the party has made on behalf of the soon-to-be-formed ‘Downing Street Trust’ of which I am chairman”. On the same day, 19 October, he paid £12,967 to the supplier for the invoice received in September.

When a junior party staffer raised questions about the £52,801 which was treated as “funds for reimbursement” rather than a donation, they were told by a senior fundraising officer: “Don’t worry.”

Brownlow made two more payments directly to the supplier, bringing the total sum to £112,549. The following month, Johnson paid back the cash to the supplier, which then returned the funds it had received from Brownlow and the Cabinet Office.

How Johnson footed the bill remains unknown. The commission said: “Any payments between the prime minister and the supplier are outside the scope of our investigation.”

And from today’s Telegraph:

Boris Johnson’s standards adviser on brink of quitting over Downing Street flat

Lord Geidt considering his position after Prime Minister allegedly misled him over refurbishment

The PM’s press chief addressed staff and gave out awards at a Downing Street party last Christmas that is now under investigation, it is understood.

www.bbc.co.uk

Jack Doyle, then deputy director of communications, gave a speech to 20-30 people at the gathering on 18 December.

A source has told the BBC there were food, drinks and games at the event.

Downing Street said: “There is an ongoing review, and we won’t be commenting further while that is the case.”

This event is one of three government staff gatherings from last year now being investigated by the UK’s top civil servant, Simon Case.

Labour’s deputy leader Angela Rayner said news of Mr Doyle’s attendance had “exposed” Mr Case’s inquiry as a “sham”.

Mr Doyle was also attending Covid meetings in No 10 that night, which went on until late in the evening, the BBC has been told.

It is understood every Friday Mr Doyle would thank staff for working hard and give out an award.

ITV News, which first reported that Mr Doyle was present at this event on 18 December, said he had also handed out award certificates to staff on this occasion.

The event took place two days after London went into Tier 3 lockdown restrictions, meaning people were told not to mix indoors with anyone outside their household or support bubble.

No 10 has refused to explain how the party complied with Covid restrictions in force at the time, despite a deepening row and days of questioning by reporters.

Sources in Westminster are questioning whether it’s possible for Jack Doyle to stay in his job. In part that’s because one of the problems this week for No 10 has been their efforts to deny and explain what did or didn’t happen.

Ministers, and the prime minister himself, have been stuck in the Kafka-esque position of saying that they are sure no rules were broken, but they also don’t know what went on.

If they don’t know what happened, how can they be sure that nothing went wrong?

And if multiple sources have said there was a gathering of several dozen people, and people who were not on the Downing Street payroll had been invited, how can that have been just a few work drinks at the desk in a Covid-secure office?

Mr Doyle, well-liked by his colleagues, is – as director of communications – in charge of the government’s messaging. This week the message has misfired, which makes his confirmed attendance a very big problem.

And for government spinners over the years have often found, there is one fundamental error they cannot make. That’s to become part of the story themselves, an uncomfortable position that Boris Johnson’s press chief now finds himself in.

Headline from Daily Telegraph www.telegraph.co.uk

Boris Johnson told millions of people to begin working from home next week, but said that they should still attend office Christmas parties with their colleagues.

Watch the loophole – Owl

Nothing to see here, please move along! – Owl

Exmouth, Sidmouth, Honiton and Ottery St. Mary – have you missed a trick? – Owl

Casey Magloire, news reporter news.sky.com

The small Cornish town of Marazion has bid to be officially recognised as a city for the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations, which would make it the tiniest one in the country.

With a population of around 1,400, Marazion faces tough competition from the likes of Reading, Bournemouth and Middlesborough, which are all vying to become the UK’s next city.

The competition has been arranged by the government to celebrate Her Majesty‘s 70 years on the throne.

‘Size isn’t important’

Local councillor Richard Stokoe said that the town is home to big supporters of the Queen and planned celebrations alongside the city bid.

If the bid is successful next year, the town would be the smallest city and – at just 15 miles from Land’s End – it would also become the most southern.

“Size isn’t important,” said Cllr Stokoe. “Marazion deserves to be celebrated and given city Despite its size, the historic town – about 26 miles west of Cornwall’s only city, Truro – is packed full of heritage and overlooks the picturesque St Michael’s Mount.

Cllr Stokoe admitted that the bid has received mixed reception from the close-knit residents and split the council, but supporters are focused on the economic boost that would come with becoming a city.

Why bid to become a city?

Research produced by the University of Reading showed that a city bid alone can boost an economy and stimulate inward investment.

“It costs nothing,” Cllr Stokoe said. “Achieving city status would further raise the profile of Marazion, stimulate local businesses and prosper the community.

“It’s a magical, magical, magical place. This could put us on the map.”

Paul Elliott, the chair of Marazion’s Chamber of Commerce, added: “More than anything, the people of Marazion are excited to share their beautiful town with the world and attract more visitors.”

As an investigation is launched into a party held in No 10, other alleged gatherings are under the spotlight amid allegations that some in Downing Street may have contravened Covid rules.

Aubrey Allegretti www.theguardian.com 

An inquiry announced by the prime minister, however, is focused on facts surrounding what happened on 18 December 2020.

18 December 2020 – Downing Street Christmas party

A party was held in No 10 when London was in tier 3 restrictions, which banned social events, according to multiple sources after the Daily Mirror first broke the story last week. Several dozen people – a mix of civil service and political staff – reportedly attended and were told to bring “secret Santa” presents, with cheese and wine laid on.

While Boris Johnson’s spokesperson insisted no rules had been broken and then denied any party took place, a video filmed four days after the event was published by ITV.

The leaked footage showed Allegra Stratton, the prime minister’s then aide, rehearsing for televised press conferences and laughing and joking with aides about a party on 18 December. Stratton all but confirmed the event took place by laughing it off as a “business meeting” but added: “It was not socially distanced.” Cabinet secretary Simon Case will investigate what rules may have been broken.

10 December – Gavin Williamson’s staff party

Earlier in the month, when London was in tier 2, which only allowed socialising in groups of six outside, then-education secretary Gavin Williamson threw a party in his Whitehall department.

The most senior civil servant in the department, Susan Acland-Hood, attended and admitted that there was a “work-related” gathering hosted in the canteen. She did not dispute people were drinking wine, and blamed Williamson for instigating the event.

She recalled he wanted to “say a few words” to thank staff after a difficult year. Acland-Hood confirmed Case would also consider the Department for Education event as part of his investigation into Westminster parties.

Unspecified date in December – a festive No 10 quiz

On an unspecified date also in December, a Christmas quiz was organised for No 10 staff, the BBC said, with invites emailed to everyone who worked in the building.

Some guests were said to have dialled in by Zoom but others apparently attended in-person and sat in groups of six, some wearing Christmas jumpers. Downing Street was contacted for comment.

27 November – Downing Street leaving do

While England was still in the grip of its second national lockdown, a leaving do was organised in No 10 – said to have been for Cleo Watson, a former aide to Johnson’s chief adviser Dominic Cummings.

A source told the Guardian that Johnson personally attended and gave a speech, remarking on how full with people the room was, before leaving to continue working.

At the time, socialising in groups from different households was completely banned and people were ordered to work from home, though key workers could continue going into the office.

13 November – Boris and Carrie Johnson flat party

The latest alleged party to emerge dates to around midway through England’s second lockdown and relates to the Downing Street flat where Johnson and his wife live.

The accusation came from Cummings and the event was said to have taken place on the same evening he left Downing Street for good. After Case’s review into the 18 December party was announced, Cummings urged the cabinet secretary to also investigate a party in the Johnsons’ flat.

He alleged there had been “other flat parties” and suggested the pair’s “bubble” policy should be investigated. Asked this week if a party went ahead in his flat on 13 November, Johnson said “no”.

The prime minister’s “bubble” has come under scrutiny before, after his spokesperson did not deny that a close friend of Carrie Johnson – Nimco Ali – stayed with them last Christmas. One of the explanations offered was that Ali was considered part of the Johnsons’ childcare support bubble.

Dominic Cummings has claimed that there was yet another party in Downing Street during lockdown last year.

Jen Mills metro.co.uk 

It comes after the prime minister was forced to defend himself in the Commons this afternoon over allegations there was a secret party for staff on December 18, when London was under Tier three restrictions.

Video of his then press secretary appearing to laugh about it with colleagues sparked anger last night, with Boris saying he is ‘furious’ after seeing the footage and will call for an investigation.

As PMQs went on, former top government aide Mr Cummings decided to add some more fuel to the fire by tweeting: ‘Will the CABSEC also be asked to investigate the *flat* party on Fri 13 Nov, the other flat parties, & the flat’s ‘bubble’ policy…?’

November 13 is the same day that Mr Cummings left government, following reports of bitter in-fighting.

After he made the allegations, Labour MP Catherine West asked during PMQs if he could confirm whether there was a part in Downing Street that day.

He replied ‘no’ and added: ‘I’m sure that whatever happened the guidance was followed and the rules were followed at all times.’

Mr Johnson insisted he had been repeatedly assured ‘there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken’.

It comes after The Department for Education admitted it held a social gathering of staff on December 10 last year in contravention to coronavirus social distancing rules as London was under Tier two restrictions at the time.

A spokeswoman for the department said: ‘‘Drinks and snacks were brought by those attending and no outside guests or supporting staff were invited or present.

‘While this was work-related, looking back we accept it would have been better not to have gathered in this way at that particular time.’

During the Commons session today, Labour’s Dr Rosena Allin-Khan questioned how Boris Johnson slept at night as she recalled weeping behind her mask while working in intensive care.

The MP for Tooting said the country is ‘angry’ before adding: ‘Last Christmas while we were in lockdown, millions of people were unable to be with their families, thousands of people waved through their care home windows at loved ones wishing them a merry Christmas from the side of the road, people died without that last touch from their daughters, their sons, their wives.

‘Working in intensive care I wept behind my mask as three children talking to their dying mother on an iPad begged her to wake up. Countless children now growing up without parents while parties were held at No 10.

‘This is disgraceful, this is an insult to everyone who followed the rules, it is an insult to everyone who wasn’t allowed to say their final goodbye. This happened on the Prime Minister’s watch so my question is very simple: How does the Prime Minister sleep at night?’

Mr Johnson thanked Dr Rosena for her service, adding: ‘If you ask me how I sleep at night, the answer is of course I take full responsibility and personal responsibility for everything that this Government has done, but I must say the way forward for this country now is to focus on the position we are in and above all to get our vaccinations as we fast as we possibly can.’

The Metropolitan Police said it is reviewing footage of Downing Street staff discussing the Christmas party at a press conference rehearsal.

It comes as thousands of people have signed a Change.org petition calling on the IOPC, the police watchdog, to investigate the Metropolitan Police’s response to the alleged incident.

Is the search now on for the mole who leaked the video, and which will attract more effort: mole or the party? – Owl 

The Metropolitan Police has said it will not be opening an investigation into allegations Downing Street staff broke coronavirus rules with a Christmas party last year, as Boris Johnson apologised and a senior aide was forced to quit over the scandal.

Sam Corbishley metro.co.uk

Scotland Yard said officers will not ‘commence an investigation at this time’ in line with its ‘policy not to investigate retrospective breaches’ of coronavirus rules despite reviewing the allegations and leaked footage showing senior No 10 staff joking about a party.

But the force added that it was open to considering any further evidence unearthed in an internal investigation the Prime Minister was forced to task Cabinet Secretary Simon Case with undertaking as he claimed to be ‘furious’ about the video.

Amid mounting public anger Allegra Stratton, who was the Prime Minister’s spokeswoman, resigned as a Government adviser after video emerged of her and other aides ‘seeming to make light of lockdown measures’ just days after the gathering in No 10.

A Met statement acknowledged it had received ‘a significant amount of correspondence’ relating to the alleged breaches in the run up to Christmas last year but said they do not ‘provide evidence of a breach’ of Covid rules.

It added: ‘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 has had discussions with the Cabinet Office in relation to the investigation by the Cabinet Secretary. If any evidence is found as a result of that investigation, it will be passed to the Met for further consideration.’

Mr Johnson has repeatedly insisted that rules were followed in Downing Street since the claims first emerged about the December 18 party.

However, at Prime Minister’s Questions, he told the Commons he based that position on assurances from junior staff as he offered an apology.

He asked Mr 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’.

His decision to launch an investigation followed a week of official denials that the party took place when London was under Tier 3 restrictions – despite reports staff drank alcohol and exchanged Secret Santa gifts.

Downing Street’s official line has now shifted with the announcement of the Case inquiry, with the Prime Minister’s press secretary declining to repeat the statement that ‘there was no party’.

She said ‘it wouldn’t be right to comment further’ while Mr Case was investigating.

Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer said the Prime Minister’s apology ‘raises more questions than answers’ as he had been ‘caught red-handed’.

He asked Mr Johnson: ‘Millions of people now think the Prime Minister was taking them for fools, that they were lied to. They are right aren’t they?’

In response to questioning from Sir Keir, the Prime Minister agreed that any evidence uncovered by the Cabinet Secretary about parties in Downing Street would be handed over to police.

Boris Johnson came to the House of Commons today [Wednesday] armed with nothing better than a non-apology apology, a promise to get to the bottom of any mistakes that were made, and an insistence that if any of these events actually happened a year ago they were nothing to do with him.

www.independent.co.uk 

Keir Starmer was almost regretful, as if he had hoped that the prime minister would put up more of a fight: “That’s so desperate, and even his own side can see it.”

The prime minister tried to take the question of the Downing Street Christmas party head on, before it was asked, and to absorb public anger by saying he shared it. He sounded like a disappointed parent, saying he was “furious” when he saw the video of his staff “seeming to make light of lockdown rules”.

But the effect was immediately spoiled by an insincere apology for the “offence” that the video “has caused”, and “for the impression that it gives”. In plain English, he was saddened, as a mere observer, that offence had been caused – as fine an example as one will find in British politics of what Colin Powell, the US secretary of state, once called the “third person passive once removed”. And after all, he was sorry only for the “impression” the video gave, he said, implying that the impression was not accurate.

Keir Starmer questions Boris Johnson’s moral authority to lead

He had no idea what an accurate impression would be, of course, so he said he had asked Simon Case, the cabinet secretary, to establish the facts, apparently having failed to establish them himself since the Christmas party was first reported by the Daily Mirror more than a week ago. “I have been assured repeatedly that there was no party and that no Covid rules were broken,” he said. In other words, I was only following orders given to me by my subordinates.

Finally he said that if anything bad had happened, despite his knowing nothing about it – that is, “if”, and there is probably a Latin phrase for the exculpatory conditional – heads would roll. But not his, obviously.

Then he put his head down and tried to get through the rest of the session of Prime Minister’s Questions by alternately sounding sad and defiant. He sounded mournful and sympathetic when Starmer raised the case of Trisha Greenhalgh, the professor of primary care, whose mother died alone last Christmas because the family kept to the rules and didn’t visit.

But in the next sentence he said it was a “great mistake” of Starmer’s to “play politics” with the issue. “I don’t think the public do want to see confidence in these measures undermined,” he said. Starmer seemed so surprised at being accused of what he was accusing Johnson of that he almost lost his thread.

Boris Johnson agrees to hand over information about No 10 Christmas parties to police

Starmer made his case, but failed to connect, because the prime minister and his officials had already so comprehensively made the case against themselves. The Labour leader managed to mention that he had been head of the Crown Prosecution Service, and so could say that Dominic Raab had been talking “total nonsense” when he said that the police don’t normally investigate crimes from a year ago. But as everyone, including the deputy prime minister, already knows it is nonsense, this seemed a feeble condemnation.

Starmer secured a commitment from the prime minister to hand over everything to the Metropolitan Police if they asked for it, but otherwise was best advised to ask bland questions and to allow Johnson to condemn himself.

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Johnson obliged, accusing Starmer again of muddying the waters and playing politics and switching in his answer to Starmer’s sixth and last question to saying that “the party opposite wants to decriminalise drugs”. He then repeated the line about muddying waters and playing politics in answer to Ian Blackford of the Scottish National Party, who he said was playing politics with “events or non-events from a year ago”.

It was an unedifying performance by a prime minister in trouble, whose staff had patently failed to supply him with the lines he needed – which rather suggests that there is no defence available. He got through it, partly because expectations are always too high of the leader of the opposition in such a situation – Starmer’s own MPs must have imagined that they really had trapped the prime minister this time, only for him to fail to put up his hands and resign on the spot.

And so Johnson scuttled out of the chamber as fast as he could the moment the session was over, with the question asked in the video of her mock press conference by Allegra Stratton, his former spokesperson, hanging over him. “What’s the answer?”