Russian state TV presenter says Boris Johnson is ‘chubby’
Boris Johnson must come clean about “who knew what and when” about the allegations against suspended MP Chris Pincher, Labor has said.
Tamworth MP Mr Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip on Thursday after being accused of drunkenly driving two men at a private club for Tory members in London the night before.
He was suspended from the party on Friday.
The prime minister is under pressure to explain why he appointed Mr Pincher to the post, despite him resigning over a similar allegation, which he denies, in 2017.
“We want to know who knew what and when and why these decisions were made the way they were,” Baroness Jenny Chapman told BBC Breakfast on Monday morning.
“I don’t think anyone in Westminster believes that Boris Johnson was unaware of the allegations about Mr Pincher,” she added.
Elsewhere, Mr Johnson and Chancellor Rishi Sunak pledged what they called the “biggest single tax cut for a decade” of up to £6 billion to tackle the cost of living crisis.
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Boris Johnson has ‘taken no action’ on allegations of sexual misconduct, Tory officials say
Tory parliamentary staff have criticized Boris Johnson for “inaction” over allegations of sexual misconduct, as the prime minister faces growing calls to explain what he knows about the allegations against Chris Pincher.
Our political correspondent Adam Forrest reports:
Matt Matters July 4, 2022 9:45 am
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The minister did not ask No 10 about Cummings’ claims before the broadcast round
Will Quince admitted that before appearing in the media on Monday morning he did not ask Downing Street about Dominic Cummings’ claims that Boris Johnson had called Chris Pincher “Pincher by name, Pincher by nature”.
The former number 10 adviser claims that the Prime Minister approached the MP in this way long before appointing him in February.
The children’s minister also denied on ITV’s Good Morning Britain that Downing Street’s handling of the allegations was sending a bad message to young people in his portfolio.
He said any type of unacceptable behavior should be reported to the police and all relevant authorities.
Matt Mathers July 4, 2022 9:32 am
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Labor: Tell us ‘who knew what and when’ about Pincher’s allegations
Boris Johnson must come clean about “who knew what and when” about the allegations against suspended MP Chris Pincher, Labor has said.
Tamworth MP Mr Pincher resigned as deputy chief whip on Thursday after being accused of drunkenly driving two men at a private club for Tory members in London the night before.
He was suspended from the party on Friday.
The prime minister is under pressure to explain why he appointed Mr Pincher to the post, despite him resigning over a similar allegation, which he denies, in 2017.
“We want to know who knew what and when and why these decisions were made the way they were,” Baroness Jenny Chapman told BBC Breakfast on Monday morning.
“I don’t think anyone in Westminster believes that Boris Johnson was unaware of the allegations about Mr Pincher,” she added.
Matt Mathers July 4, 2022 9:04 am
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Queens denies junior ministers are allowed to defend the prime minister
Will Quince also denied reports that junior ministers were being sent on air to defend the prime minister in the row, instead of reluctant cabinet ministers.
He said: “I will certainly not be defending the former deputy chief whip.
“The allegations are incredibly serious and I am appalled by them. But today is not the case because I was booked four days ago, actually five days ago, I think it was to talk about a very important childcare announcement.
He said the allegations were “indefensible”.
Katie Clifton July 4, 2022 8:45 am
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Asked if the allegations against Chris Pincher were serious enough for the police to intervene if an incident was reported to them, Will Quince said: “I think that’s a matter for the police.
“I think the key thing is that we create an environment where everyone feels that if they witness or if they are a victim of sexual assault or predatory behavior of this nature consistent with these allegations, that they feel able to go to the police and the authorities , because that’s how investigations can follow and due process can continue.”
The junior minister also refused to say whether his party colleague would have to resign if the allegations against him were proven.
He said: “This is a matter for Parliament and we have clear processes and procedures around recall.”
Katie Clifton July 4, 2022 8:15 am
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“You Can’t Act on Rumors”
Junior Minister Will Quince was questioned on Sky News about why the Prime Minister gave former Deputy Chief Whip Chris Pincher the job in the first place.
The Tory MP insisted Boris Johnson was not aware of any specific allegations against Mr Pincher and said he had spoken to Number 10 to get assurances on the matter.
“I have received categorical assurances that the prime minister was not aware of any serious specific allegations regarding the former deputy chief whip,” he said.
He continued: “I think these cases are difficult because like any professional organization you cannot operate on hearsay or gossip. As you know, there is a lot of rumor and gossip in Westminster.
“That is why it is also so important that when people witness something that is clearly appalling, well below the standard behavior that we should rightly expect from Members of Parliament and those who work in the Parliament Estate, that it is reported, and we encourage everyone to come forward, whether it’s the police or parliamentary authorities, so that action can be taken, as it was in this case.
Katie Clifton July 4, 2022 8:00 am
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Labour: Tory response to Brexit ‘irresponsible’
Baroness Jenny Chapman has denied Labor has plans to “undo” Brexit.
Labor leader Sir Keir Starmer will later today promise not to bring the UK back into the single market or restore freedom of movement as he sets out his plan to “make Brexit work”.
He will use a speech to say a government under his leadership will not join a customs union with the EU to preserve the hard Brexit deal brokered by Boris Johnson.
“I think that would be the last thing the country wants to see,” the Labor politician told BBC Breakfast. “We’ve had so much division since 2016. I think the last thing Keir Starmer certainly wants to do is revisit any of that.
“But we think that the Conservatives, because they have this way of dealing with issues, which is everything, if we have to create a fight to win some political support in our party, we will.
“They are taking this approach to issues like Northern Ireland and we think that is irresponsible and we want to see those issues resolved.”
Katie Clifton July 4, 2022 7:45 am
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“We want to know who knew what”
Labor said Boris Johnson still had questions to answer over the controversy with Chris Pincher.
“We want to know who knew what and when and why these decisions were made in the way they were,” Baroness Jenny Chapman, shadow cabinet minister of state, told BBC Breakfast.
“I don’t think anyone in Westminster believes that Boris Johnson was unaware of the allegations about Mr Pincher.
Katie Clifton July 4, 2022 7:30 am
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New ‘bill of rights’ exempts government from protecting free speech
A new “bill of rights” exempts the government itself from complying with its new free speech protections, legal experts have warned.
Justice Minister Dominic Raab said last week that the new charter would prevent freedom of speech from being “diminished” by “indolence and political correctness”.
But clauses included in the bill specifically exempt laws made by ministers from the new free speech test, meaning it will not protect people from “the various threats to free speech made by the government”.
Alisha Rahaman Sarkar July 4, 2022 7:12 am
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Chris Pincher ‘seeks medical attention’
Chris Pincher, the former deputy chief whip who resigned after being accused of groping two men, said he was seeking “professional medical help”.
In a statement, he said: “I respect the Prime Minister’s decision to suspend the whip pending an investigation and I will co-operate fully.
“As I told the Prime Minister, I had too much to drink on Wednesday night, embarrassing myself and others, and I am truly sorry for the upset I caused.
“The stress of the past few days, on top of that of the past few months, has made me accept that I would benefit from professional medical attention.
“I am currently in the process of looking into this and hope to be able to return to my constituency duties as soon as possible.”
Alicia Rahaman Sarkar July 4, 2022 6:57 am
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