Politics

Boris Johnson has said he will have the final say on any investigation into ministerial misconduct after appointing an independent adviser to look at how his Downing Street flat refurbishment was paid for. Christopher Geidt, the Queen’s former private secretary, was appointed on Wednesday and launched an investigation straight away, but questions have been asked

A formal investigation has been launched into Boris Johnson’s refurbishment of his Downing Street flat after a watchdog found “reasonable grounds to suspect that an offence or offences may have occurred”. An Electoral Commission spokesperson said: “We have been in contact with the Conservative Party since late March and have conducted an assessment of the

Arlene Foster has told Sky News she will step down as DUP leader and Northern Ireland’s first minister, following calls within the party for a leadership contest. In a statement, Mrs Foster said: “It is important to give space over the next few weeks for the Party Officers to make arrangements for the election of

Unions are adding their voices to the call for a start date to be set for an inquiry into COVID-19. The TUC say a public consultation should also contribute to what an inquiry will cover, as workers and the families of those who caught the virus at work will be key to what went wrong.

Arlene Foster is facing a battle to remain leader of the Democratic Unionist Party. Sky News understands 75% of the Democratic Unionist Party’s Northern Ireland Assembly members have signed a letter demanding a leadership contest. The challenge, first reported by the Belfast News Letter, could signal the end of Arlene’s Foster’s tenure as Northern Ireland’s

The refurbishment of Boris Johnson’s Downing Street flat will be reviewed by the UK’s top civil servant as suggestions the Conservative Party made an initial payment for the extensive work come under scrutiny. Cabinet Secretary Simon Case said the prime minister asked him to look into the matter, after former aide Dominic Cummings claimed Mr

The UK’s top civil servant has denied a “chatty rat” inquiry into government leaking has been de-prioritised – despite the probe lasting more than five months – but admitted the culprit may never be found. Cabinet Secretary Simon Case left MPs frustrated about the progress of the investigation, which has been ongoing since the end

Labour is calling on Boris Johnson’s government to publish all communications between ministers and their contacts in business who won contracts during the coronavirus pandemic. The opposition wants messages made in connection to emergency procurement measures which led to deals being struck to be put into the public domain, following concerns over lobbying and unequal

A Cabinet minister has dismissed claims the prime minister tried to block a Downing Street leak inquiry to protect a friend of his fiancee as “tittle-tattle”. Labour have called for an independent inquiry following a series of astonishing allegations from Boris Johnson’s former chief adviser, Dominic Cummings. Sir Keir Starmer’s party will also attempt to

Boris Johnson did not need to pick today’s fight with his mercurial former advisor. He is at least 10 points ahead of Labour in the polls, likely to score successes in the May elections and for once there is no pressing crisis at the top of his government’s agenda. That was before the prime minister

An investigation is being demanded into how Boris Johnson funded the refurbishment of his Downing Street flat following incendiary claims by his former chief adviser Dominic Cummings. In a bombshell blog post, Mr Cummings accused his former boss of plotting an “unethical, foolish, possibly illegal” plan to get Tory donors to secretly bankroll the work.

Boris Johnson’s former aide Dominic Cummings has denied being the source of the prime minister’s leaked text communications with businessman Sir James Dyson. Several newspapers quoted unnamed Downing Street sources as claiming Mr Cummings had leaked the text messages, first reported by the BBC. In a blog post, Mr Cummings said: “I do have some

The prime minister has said “you’re out of your mind” if you think there is “something dodgy” about his texts with billionaire Sir James Dyson. Boris Johnson renewed his defence of his communications with the entrepreneur over securing ventilators during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic. The BBC reported earlier this week that the

In a House of Commons debate last week on the Greensill lobbying scandal, several Labour MPs referred to former prime minister David Cameron as “Dodgy Dave”. It was an insult first hurled at Mr Cameron across the Commons chamber by Labour’s Dennis Skinner in 2016 and earned the “Beast of Bolsover” a red card from

David Cameron lobbied the Treasury’s top civil servant on behalf of a financial services firm that later collapsed. Sir Tom Scholar told a committee of MPs that the former prime minister called him on his work mobile and sent him text messages in March and April 2020 in a bid to get Greensill Capital involved

MPs have accused the government of a “missed opportunity” in failing to give more detailed plans on how Britons might be able to enjoy foreign holidays this summer. Under Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s roadmap for lifting lockdown restrictions, international travel won’t be allowed any earlier than 17 May. In a report earlier this month, the