Boris Johnson news – live: No 10 denies PM intervened in Afghan animal evacuation amid airlift chaos claims
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Boris Johnson is urging Vladimir Putin to deescalate tensions with Ukraine amid fears that Russia is planning to invade its neighbour.
The prime minister was among several Western leaders – including US President Joe Biden – who last night backed Kyiv against Moscow as Russia builds up troops on the border.
The UK, US, France, Germany and Italy all agreed to use “all the tools at their disposal” to tackle aggression by the Kremlin.
Elsewhere Dominic Raab, the former foreign secretary, rejected claims by a whistleblower that the UK’s chaotic evacuation of Afghanistan earlier this year led to a failure to allocate resources and critical delays that ultimately resulted in death.
Read More
‘Very unwise for No 10 to lie’ about lockdown Christmas party, says Dominic Cummings
Key Points
Raab rejects claims of chaotic Afghan evacuation from ‘junior desk officer’ and insists it was success
PM calls on Russia to cool Ukraine tensions
Whistleblower left to process thousands of pleas for help sheds light on chaos of UK’s Afghan evacuation
Cummings: ‘Very unwise for No 10 to lie’ about lockdown Christmas party
Good morning
09:20 , Matt Mathers
Good morning and welcome to The Independent’s live politics coverage.
We’ll be bringing you live updates from Westminster and elsewhere as the day progresses.
Whistleblower left to process thousands of pleas for help sheds light on chaos of UK’s Afghan evacuation
09:23 , Matt Mathers
Former foreign secretary Dominic Raab has been out on the broadcast round this morning defending claims by a whisteblower about the chaotic nature of the UK’s evacuation of Afghanistan.
Kim Sengupta, our diplomatic editor, has the full report on what has been alleged here:
Revealed: how chaos of UK’s Kabul evacuation left Afghans to die
Dominic Raab rejects claims of chaotic Afghan evacuation from ‘junior desk officer’ and insists it was success
09:32 , Matt Mathers
Dominic Raab has dismissed a whistleblower’s revelations about the chaotic Afghan evacuation as coming from a “junior desk officer” and insisted it was a success.
Our deputy politics editor Rob Merrick reports:
Dominic Raab rejects claims of chaotic Afghan evacuation from ‘junior desk officer’
Johnson joins Western leaders in calling for Russia to cool Russia tensions
09:38 , Matt Mathers
A Whitehouse readout of last night’s call said: “The leaders discussed their shared concern about the Russian military build-up on Ukraine’s borders and Russia’s increasingly harsh rhetoric … They called on Russia to de-escalate tensions and agreed that diplomacy, especially through the Normandy Format, is the only way forward to resolve the conflict in Donbas through the implementation of the Minsk Agreements … They agreed that their teams will stay in close touch, including in consultation with NATO allies and EU partners, on a coordinated and comprehensive approach.”
‘Very unwise for No 10 to lie’ about lockdown Christmas party, says Dominic Cummings
09:40 , Matt Mathers
Dominic Cummings has implied that Downing Street is covering up Christmas parties during lockdown last year, saying it is “very unwise for No 10 to lie” after the prime minister’s spokesperson explicitly told reporters “there was not a party”.
My colleague Celine Wadhera has more details below:
‘Very unwise for No 10 to lie’ about lockdown Christmas parties, says Cummings
Government’s plan to cut crime with prisons drugs crackdown branded ‘simplistic and short-sighted’
10:04 , Matt Mathers
The government has announced a £100m crackdown on drugs in prisons which it says will “tackle the scourge of reoffending and cut crime” – but the plan has been branded “simplistic and short-sighted”.
Our social affairs correspondent May Bulman reports:
Government’s plan to cut crime with prisons drugs crackdown branded ‘short-sighted’
Veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman to stand down at next election
10:15 , Matt Mathers
Labour MP and former minister Harriet Harman has announced that she will stand down at the next general election.
She confirmed the news on Tuesday morning by publishing her email to Camberwell and Peckham Labour Party members on social media. In it, she wrote that it had been an “overwhelming honour” to be an MP “representing and working for the people of Camberwell and Peckham for nearly 40 years”.
My colleague Holly Bancroft has more details below:
Veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman to stand down at next election
Misogyny should not be made a hate crime, official review finds
10:35 , Matt Mathers
An official review has stopped short of calling for misogyny to be made a hate crime, despite mounting calls for change following the murder of Sarah Everard.
Our home affairs and security correspondent Lizzie Dearden has the story:
Misogyny should not be made a hate crime, official review finds
‘We’ve got a prime minister who thinks he’s Julius Caesar'
10:45 , Matt Mathers
Members of Boris Johnson's government believe the rules don't apply to them, Emily Thornberry has claimed.
The Labour MP and shadow attorney general was responding to a move by Downing Street to give ministers more power to ignore court decisions.
Appearing on LBC radio, Mr Thornberry said "we've got a prime minister who thinks he's Julius Caesar and can do whatever he wants!"
More comments below:
'We've got a Prime Minister who thinks he's Julius Caesar and can do whatever he wants!'
Shadow Attorney General Emily Thornberry hits out at Boris Johnson amid reports he is planning reforms that would let ministers overrule decisions made by judges. pic.twitter.com/scRcRpbUys— LBC (@LBC) December 7, 2021
Ofsted to lead inspection of all child protection services in Solihull in wake of Arthur murder
11:00 , Matt Mathers
Education watchdog Ofsted has been asked to lead an inspection into all child protection services in Solihull, Birmingham after the murder of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.
Amanda Spielman, Ofsted chief inspector, said the probe would take in everything from education and health to police and probation services.
Ms Spielman said the investigation will not specifically address the case of Arthur but will be “looking at how these services deal jointly with child protection”.
"We've been asked to lead a joint targeted area inspection"
Amanda Spielman, Chief Inspector of Ofsted, says they will look into all services involved with child protection in Solihull following the death of Arthur Labinjo-Hugheshttps://t.co/AQrIemA2eL #R4Today pic.twitter.com/YDJXJxID9W— BBC Radio 4 Today (@BBCr4today) December 7, 2021
Lib Dem by-election candidate apologises after ‘comparing Priti Patel to Goebbels’
11:15 , Matt Mathers
The Liberal Democrat candidate for the upcoming by-election in North Shropshire has apologised after comparing tactics used by home secretary Priti Patel to Nazi propaganda chief Joseph Goebbels.
My colleague Adam Forrest reports:
Lib Dem by-election candidate apologises after ‘comparing Priti Patel to Goebbels’
Raab ‘doesn’t accept’ that a Covid lockdown party took place in No 10
11:30 , Matt Mathers
Dominic Raab has rejected multiple reports that a Christmas party took place in No 10 Downing Street last year during a Covid lockdown.
“I’m sorry I don’t accept that,” Raab said when it was put to him by talkRADIO’s Julia Hartley-Brewer that multiple sources have confirmed that a gathering of dozens of people took place on 18 December.
“No 10 have been very clear. There was no party and Covid rules were respected throughout”.
More below:
Deputy Prime Minister Dominic Raab has denied No 10 held a Christmas party last year whilst the rest of the country had to follow Covid restrictions.
Julia: "People are absolutely furious about this. Do you understand why people are angry?"@JuliaHB1 | @DominicRaab pic.twitter.com/iwduuCGljj— talkRADIO (@talkRADIO) December 7, 2021
Keir Starmer leads tributes to retiring MP Harriet Harman
11:51 , Matt Mathers
Sir Keir Starmer has praised Labour veteran Harriet Harman as a “champion for women and social justice” who “paved the way for future generations” after she decided to stand down at the next general election.
The Labour leader said: “Harriet, your commitment to Labour and Camberwell and Peckham for almost 40 years is phenomenal.
“A champion for women and social justice - you’ve paved the way for future generations.
“It’s been a privilege to work with you, I look forward to continuing to do so for a while yet.”
Thank you @HarrietHarman for everything you have done for so many women in Parliament and across our country.
We all owe you so much.
A true champion of social justice, you have worked so hard to bring greater rights and representation to so many. https://t.co/3m1DJJJNng— Rachel Reeves (@RachelReevesMP) December 7, 2021
Harriet smashed through ceiling after ceiling for women.
The first ever Minister for Women and the force behind massive improvements in women’s safety and economic empowerment (& of course, serving as Labour leader).
Thank you Harriet, for all you’ve done. https://t.co/DwFpqf6SDH— Anneliese Dodds 💙 (@AnnelieseDodds) December 7, 2021
Several other Labour frontbenchers sent their best wishes to Ms Harman, who has decided not to stand at the next election.
“Thank you @HarrietHarman for everything you have done for so many women in Parliament and across our country,” said shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves. “We all owe you so much. A true champion of social justice, you have worked so hard to bring greater rights and representation to so many.”
Anneliese Dodds, shadow secretary of state for women, said: “Harriet smashed through ceiling after ceiling for women. The first ever Minister for Women and the force behind massive improvements in women’s safety and economic empowerment (& of course, serving as Labour leader). Thank you Harriet, for all you’ve done.”
The so-called ‘war on drugs’ at Westminster is a massive distraction
12:05 , Matt Mathers
There are many problems with people’s behaviour in parliament – sexual harassment, bullying, alcohol problems, often a mix of the three, writes Marie Le Conte, but rampant drug-taking is almost certainly not one of them.
Read Marie’s full piece below:
The so-called ‘war on drugs’ at Westminster is a massive distraction | Marie Le Conte
Conservatism has wrecked this country – just as it was designed to
12:20 , Matt Mathers
We have reached the moment the safety nets are usually built for, and conservatism is completely unprepared for it, writes Ryan Coogan.
Read Ryan’s full article below:
Opinion: Conservatism has wrecked this country – just as it was designed to
Drug use is as much a health issue as a criminal one
12:40 , Matt Mathers
We should have a world where people understand the risks of drugs through evidence-based prevention and education, not through repression and fear, writes Helen Clark.
Read Helen’s piece in full below:
Drug use is as much a health issue as a criminal one
Ministers urged to stop jailing of pregnant women under amendment to policing bill
13:05 , Matt Mathers
The majority of pregnant women and mothers with dependent children would be released on bail after arrest rather than being imprisoned under newly proposed measures.
An amendment to the government’s controversial policing bill, due to be debated in the House of Lords on Tuesday, would create a statutory requirement for judges to consider whether imprisoning women on remand was in the best interests of the child or the pregnancy.
Our women’s correspondent Maya Oppenheim reports:
Ministers urged to end jailing of pregnant women under amendment to policing bill
