Boris Johnson news - live: No 10 accused of blackmail against rebels as MP says defection ‘calmed nerves’

A senior Conservative MP has accused ministers of breaching the ministerial code by making threats to rebel colleagues who are considering trying to topple Boris Johnson.

William Wragg urged the MPs to go the police, saying: “The reports of which I’m aware would seem to constitute blackmail.”

The sensational accusation comes after some MPs considering submitting letters demanding a vote of no confidence in the prime minister reported receiving threats.

Andrew Percy, MP for Brigg and Goole MP, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s kind of made people a bit more relaxed, it’s calmed nerves.

“I think people have recognised that actually this constant navel gazing and internal debating is only to the advantage of our political opponents.

“The prime minister is probably thanking Christian for what he did because it’s made a lot of people think again, think twice.”

Key Points

• Senior Tory launches withering attack on PM

• Boris Johnson’s position safe for now at least

• Tory defection helped prime minister, says Conservative MP

Brexit: UK-Australia trade deal ‘as one-sided as the Ashes’ thrashing, Tory MP tells ministers

11:35 , Matt Mathers

The post-Brexit trade deal Boris Johnson’s government struck with Australia is as “one-sided” as the recent Ashes cricket contest, a Conservative MP has told ministers.

Tory MP Neil Hudson said he was worried that British farmers could be undercut and “undermined” by the import of cheap Australian meat.

“Free trade agreements should be fair to both partners,” he said the Commons. “The Australian FTA, dare I say it – like the Ashes cricket series – is a bit one-sided in favour of Australia.”

Our politics reporter Adam Forrest has more below:

UK-Australia trade deal ‘as one-sided as the Ashes’, says Tory MP

Watch: MP Sir Robert Buckland says that breaking the law is 'a matter for resignation'

11:20 , Matt Mathers

PM’s daughter Romy ‘badly’ hit with Covid at five weeks old

11:05 , Matt Mathers

Boris Johnson’s six-week-old daughter was ‘badly hit’ by Covid-19, a source told the Daily Mail.

Romy Iris Charlotte Johnson, daughter of the Prime Minister and wife Carrie Johnson, is now said to be ‘on the mend’ after contracting the virus at five-weeks-old.

Last Thursday, Downing Street announced a family member of Mr Johnson had tested positive for coronavirus which the Daily Mail said was his newborn daughter, citing sources.

My colleague Furvah Shah has more below:

Boris Johnson’s daughter Romy was ‘badly hit’ with Covid at five-weeks-old

Tory MP: ‘Time has come’ if PM ‘can’t speak from the heart’

10:50 , Matt Mathers

A Tory MP has suggested that Boris Johnson should quit if he is unwilling to come clean on partygate.

Writing in Times Red Box, Mark Logan, the MP for Bolton North, said: "We do not need to wait for a Sue Gray report to tell us if there’s a party, to tell us what is right and what is wrong, to tell us that a culture reset is needed."

He added: "If the prime minister cannot bring himself to speak from the heart, to channel the passion and yearnings of every soul among us, then the time has come."

Blackmail report

10:42 , Matt Mathers

More details on claims by Wragg that No 10 is blackmailing rebels considering triggering a confidence vote in the PM.

He says those involved include "members of staff at 10 Downing Street, special advisers, government ministers and others encouraging the publication of stories in the press seeking to embarrass those they who suspect of lacking confidence in the Prime Minister".

"The intimidation of a Member of Parliament is a serious matter,” he added. “Reports of which I am aware would seem to constitute blackmail," he said at the start of a committee hearing.

"As such it would be my general advice to colleagues to report these matters to the Speaker of the House of Commons and the Commissioner of Metropolitan Police.”

Senior Tory accuses ministers of ‘blackmail’ against rebel MPs plotting to topple Boris Johnson

10:15 , Matt Mathers

A senior Conservative MP has accused ministers of breaching the ministerial code by making threats to rebel colleagues who are considering trying to topple Boris Johnson.

William Wragg urged the MPs to go the police, saying: “The reports of which I’m aware would seem to constitute blackmail.”

We’ll bring you more on this story as we get it:

Senior Tory accuses ministers of ‘blackmail’ against rebel MPs plotting to topple PM

Buckland: PM should resign if he misled parliament or broke the law

10:05 , Matt Mathers

Boris Johnson should resign if he misled parliament over Downing Street parties or broke the law, an ex-Tory justice minister had said.

Robert Buckland said the ministerial code is “very clear”, adding that those who break it should suffer the consequences.

“The prime minister is no exception,” he added.

Heseltine: ‘People are extremely angry’ and ‘something has to be resolved quickly’

09:50 , Matt Mathers

Former deputy prime minister and Tory peer Michael Heseltine has been speaking to Times Radio this morning to give his thoughts on partygate.

He said “people are extremely angry” about the government’s behaviour and “they turn to extremes in those circumstances, we know with horrific consequences in history. So something has to be resolved quickly”.

More comments from Heseltine below:

More support needed for autistic children and adults, ex-justice secretary says

09:35 , Matt Mathers

More support is needed for autistic children and adults, a former justice secretary has said.

Tory MP Robert Buckland said help is needed so autistic people can play a greater role in society.

"In 2022, we shouldn't be accepting the sort of conditions we thought we got rid of a generation ago," he added.

Javid: Downing Street parties ‘damage our democracy'

09:22 , Matt Mathers

Reports of Downing Street parties have undermined trust in government and damaged democracy, Sajid Javid has said.

The health secretary made the comments during an interview with BBC Radio 4’s Today programme on Thursday morning.

“Of course things like this damage our democracy,” he told Mishal Husain when asked what impact the partygate scandal is having.

Commons business for Thursday

09:01 , Matt Mathers

Commons action kicks off at 9.30am with international trade questions. After that, Jacob Rees-Mogg gives his weekly statement to the house. Later, any urgent questions or other statements and the main business will be two back bench debates on China’s treatment of the Uyghur people and the second on lawfare in the court system.

Here are the written ministerial statements due to be made in the Commons on Thursday:

• Secretary of State for Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Affairs: Nato Parliamentary Assembly

• The Chancellor of the Exchequer: Public Service Pension Scheme Indexation and Revaluation 2022

• Secretary of State for Northern Ireland: The Fourth Report on the Use of the Petition of Concern Mechanism in the Northern Ireland Assembly

• Secretary of State for Scotland - Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2020 and Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act 2014 (Consequential Modifications) Order 2022

• Secretary of State for Transport: Publication of 2020-21 Annual Accounts for the Dartford - Thurrock Crossing

Labour welcomes new MP

08:40 , Rory Sullivan

Shadow chancellor Rachel Reeves has praised Christian Wakeford for defecting to Labour from the Conservatives.

The Bury South stepped across the aisle yesterday, shortly before the start of PMQs.

Ms Reeves told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “I’m happy to have him as a Labour MP and I’m looking forward to getting to know him.

“I’m going to be meeting him in Bury in his constituency later today.”

She added: “He has looked at the Conservative Party and sees that they’re no longer fit to lead.”

Davis attack on PM ‘damaging’, admits Javid

08:07 , Rory Sullivan

Senior Tory MP David Davis’ condemnation of Boris Johnson yesterday is “damaging”, Sajid Javid has said.

“It is damaging, of course it is,” the health secretary told Sky News.

He added that the prime minister would have to resign if he was found to have breached the law.

“The Ministerial Code is very clear. If any minister from the prime minister down breaks the law, of course they shouldn’t continue to serve as a minister,” he said.

“What I have just said is a general rule that applies to everyone. There is no exception to that rule.”

Tory defection helped prime minister, says Conservative MP

07:58 , Rory Sullivan

The defection of Bury South MP Christian Wakeford from the Conservatives to Labour is a blessing to the prime minister, a Tory MP has said.

Andrew Percy, MP for Brigg and Goole MP, told BBC Radio 4’s Today programme: “It’s kind of made people a bit more relaxed, it’s calmed nerves.

“I think people have recognised that actually this constant navel gazing and internal debating is only to the advantage of our political opponents.

“The prime minister is probably thanking Christian for what he did because it’s made a lot of people think again, think twice.”

PM safe for now at least

07:53 , Rory Sullivan

The prime minister’s position may be safe until the Whitehall mandarin Sue Gray releases her partygate report, influential Tory MPs have told The Independent.

Although some discontented Tories are understood to have submitted no confidence letters in the prime minister, the threshold of 54 needed to trigger a leadership vote has not been reached.

But anger against Mr Johnson runs deep, with many of his backbenchers ridiculing his excuse that he attended a lockdown party thinking it was a work event.

“It’s like going to a brothel and claiming you didn’t realise that the women there are selling themselves for sex,” one backbencher said.

Stay of execution for Boris Johnson despite defection and assault from former ally

Senior Tory calls for Johnson to go

07:40 , Rory Sullivan

Former minister David Davis launched a withering attack on Boris Johnson yesterday, calling for him to step down as his party slides in the polls amid the ongoing partygate scandal.

Unless the PM is ousted soon, the Conservatives face “a death of 1,000 cuts”, the senior MP and former Johnson ally warned.

“I expect my leaders to shoulder the responsibility for the actions they take,” he said, referring to the lockdown-breaching Downing Street parties.

Tories could ‘die death of 1,000 cuts if Johnson stays on as PM’, David Davis says

Welcome

07:34 , Rory Sullivan

Good morning, and welcome to The Independent’s live politics coverage.

Following a memorable PMQs yesterday, Boris Johnson’s position appears safe - for now at least. We will keep you updated on this and other developments from Westminster.