Boris Johnson news: Speaker goes to police over Westminster cocaine use claims amid drugs crackdown

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has said he will call in police over “deeply concerning” allegations of drug use in the Palace of Westminster.

The Speaker said he was treating the matter as a priority and wanted to see “full and effective enforcement of the law” with serious sanctions for those flouting the rules.

Sir Lindsay’s move comes after the Sunday Times reported that an investigation found evidence of cocaine in 11 out of 12 locations tested in the building.

The intervention from the speaker also comes as the Prime Minister will this week launch a 10-year plan to tackle illegal drug-related crime which will include removing passports and driving licences from offenders, it has been reported.

The crackdown will also include football-style travel bans, harsher sentences for drug dealers and measures to break up county lines gangs.

The Sun reported Boris Johnson will outline "record" funding for addiction treatment and recovery services, with more money promised for the 50 local authorities with the worst drug issues including Middlesbrough, Blackpool and Liverpool.

Follow updates below.

Read More

Passports to be taken off illegal drug users in Boris Johnson’s new crackdown

Labour rift deepens as Angela Rayner aide suspended

Tories break ranks on immigration to demand safe routes to UK for asylum seekers

Key Points

• Johnson faces trust crisis as sleaze shatters faith in MPs

• Passports to be taken off illegal drug users in Boris Johnson’s new crackdown

• Tories break ranks on immigration to demand safe routes to UK for asylum seekers

• Dominic Raab has called reports of a Downing Street Christmas party ‘unsubstantiated'

Welcome

09:10 , Thomas Kingsley

Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s politics coverage. Follow us here for the latest updates from Westminster.

Passports to be taken off illegal drug users in Boris Johnson’s new crackdown

09:11 , Thomas Kingsley

The Prime Minister will this week launch a 10-year plan to tackle illegal drug-related crime which will include removing passports and driving licences from offenders, it has been reported.

The crackdown will also include football-style travel bans, harsher sentences for drug dealers and measures to break up County Lines gangs.

The Sun reported Boris Johnson will outline “record” funding for addiction treatment and recovery services, with more money promised for the 50 local authorities with the worst drug issues including Middlesbrough, Blackpool and Liverpool.

More details are in our story below:

Passports to be taken off illegal drug users in Boris Johnson’s new crackdown

Johnson faces trust crisis as sleaze shatters faith in MPs

09:15 , Thomas Kingsley

Trust in politicians to act in the national interest has fallen dramatically since Boris Johnson became Prime Minister, new figures from the Institue of Public Policy Research (IPPR) has revealed.

The polling data from YouGov for IPPR showed that 63 per cent of the public believe politicians were “out merely for themselves” in the wake of the Owen Paterson sleaze scandal. This has increased from 48 per cent in 2014 when David Cameron was Prime Minister.

In the same poll, just 5 per cent of voters thought politicians were in the job primarily for the good of their country.

Tories break ranks on immigration to demand safe routes to UK for asylum seekers

09:17 , Thomas Kingsley

Senior Tories have demanded a radical overhaul of the asylum system to allow migrants to claim refuge at UK embassies anywhere in the world – rather than having to travel to the UK – in a bid to cut the numbers attempting dangerous Channel crossings.

Ex-cabinet members David Davis and Andrew Mitchell are among those calling for the change, which marks a stark challenge to the punitive approach taken by Boris Johnson and Priti Patel, who are demanding tighter controls on French beaches and are threatening to “push back” small boats at sea.

Our political editor Andrew Woodcock and our home affairs and security correspondent Lizzie Deardan have the full story below:

Tories break ranks on immigration to demand safe routes to UK for asylum seekers

Boris Johnson orders review into Arthur Labinjo-Hughes case

09:25 , Thomas Kingsley

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab has said ministers are determined to see what lessons can be learned from the murder of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.

Asked if there would be an inquiry, Mr Raab told Sky News: “The Prime Minister made clear that we want to see how social services liaise with the criminal justice agencies, and what lessons we can learn.”

He added: “It is right that we look at the criminal justice end and in between that I think the job of social workers – particularly those looking at children at particular risk – we need to learn the lessons.”

Our political editor Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:

Boris Johnson orders review into Arthur Labinjo-Hughes case

‘We must take decisive action’ children’s commissioner says in wake of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes case

09:35 , Thomas Kingsley

The children’s commissioner for England, Rachel de Souza, said “decisive action” must be taken to ensure the horrors experienced by Arthur Labinjo-Hughes will not be repeated.

Ms de Souza has called on the social services system to listen to children, telling Andrew Marr that Arthur did raise concerns - as well as his uncle and grandmother - but their voices were not heard.

She added that social services must look at where the best social care is delivered and seek to replicate this.

‘We must not close schools again’ children’s commissioner says

09:39 , Thomas Kingsley

Children’s commissioner Rachel de Souza has said schools must not be closed again following conerns that lockdowns hid horrors of child abuse that the social services system were unable to detect.

“We must not close schools again,” Ms de Souza said.

Amid the spread of the omicron variant, Ms de Souza added that she would urge the Prime Minister not to close schools if infections increased to a dangerous level.

“Children took a huge hit for us, we must not close schools again,” she added.

Government will publish crime “scorecards” to identify where criminal justice is failing, Dominic Raab says

09:57 , Thomas Kingsley

Justice Secretary Dominic Raab said the government will start publishing crime “scorecards” to identify where the criminal justice system is failing.

Mr Raab told Sky News’s Trevor Phillips On Sunday programme: “We are going to be publishing scorecards, both for general crime but also for rape, which means that we can see exactly where the system is working and exactly where it isn’t working, whether it is at the police stage, the prosecution stage.”

Mr Raab said he wanted to drive up prosecutions for rape. Among the measures being considered were methods to get swifter read-outs from the mobile phones of victims so they are not deprived of their phone for an extended period, which he said deters some women from coming forward.

The Justice Secretary also said he wanted to extend the use of pre-recorded testimony in rape cases.“We have been trying this in a number of crown courts. I actually think this is something we need to roll out nationally. I want to look at the right way to do that,” he said.

'If there was a party contrary to the rules ,thats the wrong thing to do’ Dominic Raab says

10:02 , Thomas Kingsley

Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab said that any parties held during tier three restrictions, would be contrary to the rules and “the wrong thing to do.”

Speaking on The Andrew Marr Show, Mr Raab was quizzed on whether Downing Street held a Christmas party last year while the rest of London was under restrictions.

While he called reports of the Christmas party in The Daily Mirror, BBC and Financial Times, “anonymous and unsubstantiated,” he conceded that if a party took place it would be contrary to the rules. He insisted that all rules were followed and that he was not aware of a Christmas party taking place at Downing Street last year.

Boris Johnson faces backbench revolt over military rape trials

10:33 , Thomas Kingsley

Boris Johnson is facing a backbench revolt against the government’s rejection of calls for cases of rape in the armed forces to be taken out of the military courts system, where defendants are five or six times less likely to be found guilty.

Prominent Tory MPs Johnny Mercer - a former Army officer who was in charge of legislation on the issue before resigning as a defence minister earlier this year - and Commons defence committee chair Tobias Ellwood are among those expected to break party ranks in a crunch vote on Monday.

Our political editor Andrew Woodcock has the full report below:

Boris Johnson faces revolt over military rape trials

Dominic Raab scales back Christmas party plans because of omicron

10:44 , Thomas Kingsley

Deputy prime minister Dominic Raab has revealed he has cancelled the Ministry of Justice Christmas party, and will instead be holding “appropriate drinks at a smaller scale” because of the threat of the omicron variant of coronavirus.

Mr Raab is the latest government minister to suggest that party plans for the festive season should be scaled back, after cabinet colleague Therese Coffey said people should avoid kissing under the mistletoe this year.

And UK Health Security Agency chief Jenny Harries, a senior adviser to the prime minister, has said people should not socialise “when we don’t particularly need to”.

Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock has the full story below:

Dominic Raab scales back Christmas party plans because of Omicron

Arthur Labinjo-Hughes: Government confirms review into six-year-old’s murder

11:12 , Thomas Kingsley

The government has announced a major review into the circumstances which led to the murder of six-year-old Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.

It aims to determine what improvements are needed by the agencies that came into contact with Arthur in the months before he was murdered by stepmother Emma Tustin at their home in Solihull.

The National Child Safeguarding Practice Review Panel will lead the review and will provide additional support to Solihull Children's Safeguarding Partnership to "upgrade" the already existing local review which was launched shortly after Arthur's death in June 2020.

The action comes after it emerged in court the boy had been seen by social workers just two months before his death, but they concluded there were “no safeguarding concerns”.

Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi said: "Arthur's murder has shocked and appalled the nation.

“I am deeply distressed by this awful case and the senseless pain inflicted on this poor boy, who has been robbed of the chance to live his life.

“I have taken immediate action and asked for a joint inspection to consider where improvements are needed by all the agencies tasked with protecting children in Solihull, so that we can be assured that we are doing everything in our power to protect other children and prevent such evil crimes.”

Revealed: Royal Mint dropped National Trust coin after charity judged ‘troubled and political’

12:01 , Thomas Kingsley

A plan to issue a commemorative coin marking the 125th anniversary of the National Trust was dropped by the Royal Mint after the conservation charity was judged to be a “troubled and political organisation”, it can be revealed.

Official papers obtained by The Independent using Freedom of Information laws disclose that the Royal Mint ditched the idea in early 2018 following rows over volunteers at the Trust being asked to wear gay pride badges and the word “Easter” being removed from its annual egg hunt.

Our chief reporter Simon Murphy has the full story below:

Royal Mint dropped National Trust coin after charity judged ‘troubled’

Billionaire Tory donor’s firm claimed millions in furlough cash – after making £75m profit

12:30 , Thomas Kingsley

A billionaire Tory donor’s firm continued to claim millions of pounds’ worth of taxpayer-funded furlough money after recording a £75.3m profit, The Independent can reveal.

Malcolm Healey’s company, Wren Kitchens, used public funds to help bankroll its staff costs during the Covid pandemic even though it banked tens of millions of pounds’ worth of pre-tax profits in its 2020 accounts.

It came as Healey personally donated £500,000 to Boris Johnson’s party in December 2020, meaning he has given the Tories over £2.3m since 2017, according to Electoral Commission records.

Our chief reporter, Simon Murphy, has the full story below:

Billionaire Tory donor’s firm claimed millions in furlough cash – after £75m profit

Government legacy plans ‘morally, constitutionally and legally offensive,’ says prominent lawyer

13:00 , Thomas Kingsley

The UK Government's proposals for an end to legal cases relating to Northern Ireland's Troubles are offensive "morally, constitutionally and legally", a prominent lawyer has said.

Kevin Winters, whose legal firm deals with a large number of legacy cases, said that he believed the Government was trying to shut down court examinations of allegations of state collusion with both loyalist and republican paramilitaries.

In July, the Northern Ireland Secretary Brandon Lewis announced plans for a statute of limitations which would end all prosecutions for Troubles incidents up to April 1998 and would apply to military veterans as well as ex-paramilitaries.

The proposals, which Prime Minister Boris Johnson said would allow Northern Ireland to "draw a line under the Troubles", would also end all legacy inquests and civil actions.

The package of measures also included a new truth recovery body and an oral history initiative.

But the move has been condemned by all the main political parties in Northern Ireland as well as the Irish Government and a range of victims' and survivors' groups.

Additional reporting by PA

‘Too late’ to effectively halt the spread of the omicron variant in the UK, warns government science adviser

13:32 , Thomas Kingsley

On Saturday, it was announced all travellers arriving in England will be required to take a covid-19 pre-departure test from Tuesday - while Nigeria is being added to the government's travel red list.

Ministers said the extra test was intended to be a temporary measure following new data showing an increase in the number of cases of the new strain linked to foreign travel.

But Professor Mark Woolhouse, who is a member of the Scientific Pandemic Influenza Group on Modelling (Spi-M) which advises the government, said the measures would not make a "material difference" as the variant is already "spreading pretty rapidly".

He told BBC One's Andrew Marr Show on Sunday: "I think that may be a case of shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted.

"If omicron is here in the UK, and it certainly is, if there's community transmission in the UK, and it certainly looks that way, then it's that community transmission that will drive a next wave.

BREAKING: Commons Speaker goes to police over claims of cocaine use at Westminster

13:42 , Thomas Kingsley

Commons Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle has said he will raise “deeply concerning” allegations of drug use in the Palace of Westminster with police.

More to follow on this developing story.

Commons Speaker goes to police over claims of cocaine use at Westminster

Commons Speaker goes to police over claims of cocaine use at Westminster - further updates

14:19 , Thomas Kingsley

The Speaker said: “The accounts of drug misuse in Parliament given to the Sunday Times are deeply concerning - and I will be raising them as a priority with the Metropolitan Police next week.

“I expect to see full and effective enforcement of the law.”

Sir Lindsay added: “While parliament provides extensive support services for any staff or members who may need help with drug misuse - and I would encourage anyone struggling with such issues to take up such help – for those who choose to flout the law and bring the institution into disrepute the sanctions are serious.”

Our political editor Andrew Woodcock has the full story below:

Commons Speaker goes to police over claims of cocaine use at Westminster

Justice secretary wants to ‘correct’ drift towards privacy rights

14:51 , Thomas Kingsley

Dominic Raab has said he wants to “correct” the drift towards the principle of free speech being outweighed by protection of privacy.

The justice secretary’s intervention comes just days after Meghan Markle, the Duchess of Sussex, won an appeal court battle over a newspaper’s publication of extracts of a letter to her father.

Court of appeal judges ruled that the duchess had a “reasonable expectation of privacy” in the contents of the letter which were “personal, private and not matters of legitimate public interest”.

Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full story below:

Justice secretary wants to ‘correct’ drift towards privacy rights

Campaigners call on Nicola Sturgeon to send ‘clear message’ to PM on vaccine equity

15:33 , Thomas Kingsley

Campaigners are calling on Scotland's first minister to send a "clear, personal message" to Boris Johnson that more needs to be done to increase the number of covid vaccines available in poorer nations.

Nicola Sturgeon is being urged to intervene and tell the Prime Minister that if he fails to act on this issue he will be "standing on the wrong side of history and Scotland will not stand alongside him".

It comes in the wake of SNP Westminster leader Ian Blackford challenging Mr Johnson to "do the right thing" and waive intellectual property rights to vaccine patents - at least temporarily - to allow developing countries to manufacture vaccines for themselves.

Now the People's Vaccine Alliance - whose members in Scotland include Oxfam Scotland, Global Justice Now Scotland and Christian Aid Scotland - is urging rich nations to insist on the open sharing of successful vaccine technology and know-how, and to help fund a huge expansion in vaccine production all over the world.

With the Omicron variant now present in Scotland, the People's Vaccine Alliance warned people here could continue to be at risk from new strains of Covid unless more is done to ensure more people in developing nations can get protected.

Boris Johnson faces backbench revolt over military rape trials

15:51 , Thomas Kingsley

Boris Johnson is facing a backbench revolt against the government’s rejection of calls for cases of rape in the armed forces to be taken out of the military courts system, where defendants are five or six times less likely to be found guilty.

Prominent Tory MPs Johnny Mercer - a former Army officer who was in charge of legislation on the issue before resigning as a defence minister earlier this year - and Commons defence committee chair Tobias Ellwood are among those expected to break party ranks in a crunch vote on Monday.

Our political editor, Andrew Woodcock, has the full report below:

Boris Johnson faces revolt over military rape trials

Goodbye

16:15 , Thomas Kingsley

That concludes our coverage today, thanks for following our politics blog.