Boris Johnson ‘misled parliament’ over Covid contracts, court order shows
Boris Johnson misled parliament over the publication of coronavirus contracts, a court order suggests.
The prime minister had claimed that the contracts, which are subject to a legal challenge and cronyism allegations, were in the public domain.
However, a High Court order on Friday shows that the government had only published “608 out of 708 relevant contracts”.
Gemma Abbott, the legal director of the Good Law Project, said: “Unless contract details are published, they cannot be properly scrutinised — there’s no way of knowing where taxpayers’ money is going and why.”
Elsewhere, the Royal College of Nursing (RCN) has set up a £35 million fund to support frontline nurses if they strike over the government’s “pitiful and bitterly disappointing” 1 per cent pay hike for health workers.
Keir Starmer branded the government’s proposal “insulting”, while shadow health secretary Jonathan Ashworth said it was “cowardly” for Rishi Sunak not to announce the decision in his Budget on Wednesday.
Speaking on Friday, health minister Nadine Dorries defended the government’s proposal by saying that “the 1% offer is the most we think we can afford”.
British public urged to back mass slow handclap over 1% pay rise for NHS staff
The British public is being urged to join a mass slow handclap on Thursday evening in protest against the government’s proposed 1 per cent rise for NHS staff.
Unison has announced the plan to mark opposition to the “insulting” size of the planned increase for health service staff – which sparked furious backlash since it emerged from chancellor Rishi Sunak’s Budget.
The organisation said people should stand on their doorsteps and balconies on 11 March at 8pm to show what they think about the “derisory” wage plan.
My colleague Adam Forrest reports:
Kate Ng5 March 2021 16:17
Crime wave predicted over new £100 contactless payment limit
The new £100 contactless payment limit could lead to a wave of thefts and fraud, senior figures in the finance sector have warned.
Rory Sullivan5 March 2021 15:58
UK government unilaterally eases another Brexit arrangement
In the same week that it unilaterally extended grace periods to ease trade across the Irish Sea, the government has lifted post-Brexit rules relating to soil.
Under the UK’s agreement with Brussels, plants or vegetables potted in British soil cannot be transported from Great Britain to Northern Ireland.
Explaining No 10’s decision to overturn the ban, a government spokesperson said that “some challenges are having a direct, and often disproportionate, impact on lives and livelihoods, including an unacceptable disruption to the flow of critical goods”.
Rory Sullivan5 March 2021 15:44
Frasers Group blasts ‘near-worthless’ Budget relief
The limit to business rates relief outlined in the Budget could lead to the closure of more stores, the Frasers Group has warned.
The group said the chancellors’ plan was “near-worthless” for larger retailers, as the relief is capped at £2m.
Rory Sullivan5 March 2021 15:32
Williamson considers five-term school year in England
Education secretary Gavin Williamson is considering a five-term school year in England to help students catch up on lost learning.
Our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn has the details:
Rory Sullivan5 March 2021 15:11
Welsh health minister says communication from Downing Street has ‘fluctuated’
Welsh health minister Vaughan Gething has accused Downing Street of not holding enough meetings with the UK’s devolved administrations.
Mr Gething said at a news conference on Friday that it would be “better for all of us” if regular meetings were arranged.
Speaking of a “fluctuation” in communications from the UK government, he told reporters: “We haven’t had a regular pattern of the Prime Minister engaging directly with the other national governments of the United Kingdom,”
“What has improved, though, from a long period of radio silence effectively from the UK Government, for a number of months now there have been regular meetings that Michael Gove has chaired, and those have been useful.”
Rory Sullivan5 March 2021 14:52
‘No serious path’ to Sturgeon’s resignation, says former Labour first minister
As noted earlier, former first minister Henry McLeish has advised Nicola Sturgeon and Alex Salmond to stop their heated public row.
The former Labour MP added – in the wake of their separate appearances before a Holyrood inquiry – that he saw “no serious path” leading to Ms Sturgeon’s resignation.
Rory Sullivan5 March 2021 14:32
Starmer blames vaccine rollout for Labour’s dip in polls
Labour leader Keir Starmer has suggested the vaccine rollout is behind Labour’s recent drop in the polls.
He told reporters: “I think during a pandemic like this people want the government to succeed and you see that reflected in the polls.
“Of course we’ve got a lot of work to do – I accept that – but I think in the middle of a pandemic, particularly with the vaccine rollout, people do want the government to succeed.”
His remarks follow a YouGov polls for the Times which says Tory support is up four points to 45 per cent, while Labour support is down four points to 32 per cent.
Rory Sullivan5 March 2021 14:10
Scottish Tories ‘distinct’ from UK Conservatives, says Ross
Douglas Ross, the leader of the Scottish Tories, has said that he – and not Boris Johnson – is in charge of the Conservatives’ Holyrood election campaign.
He said: “I lead the party in Scotland, it is the Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, it is distinct from the UK party.
“I’m the leader, I’m standing for election to Holyrood with my colleagues and it is our manifesto that is agreed in Scotland by me… and my team.”
Rory Sullivan5 March 2021 13:50
PM ‘misled parliament’ over Covid contracts, court order shows
Boris Johnson misled parliament over the publication of coronavirus contracts, a court order appears to show.
The prime minister had claimed that the contracts, which are subject to a legal challenge and cronyism allegations, were “there on the record for everybody to see”.
But a final order handed down by the High Court on Friday says the government had in fact only published “608 out of 708 relevant contracts”.
Jon Stone5 March 2021 13:31
