Boris Johnson has charged the head of the civil service to look into the nature of donations being used for the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat, MPs have been told.
During a wide-ranging grilling that encompassed the Chatty Rat leak inquiry, allegations made by Dominic Cummings and others, Simon Case said he had been asked to ensure the money used to renovate the Prime Minister's residence was "sound from a propriety point of view".
That would include establishing that donations "aren't being used to seek preferment or any such" and "ensuring that such donations are declared in the proper way", he added, but could not confirm whether they were political donations.
Mr Case was repeatedly unable to give MPs a straight answer, apologising for being "very constrained in what I can say" on leak inquiries and other topics - to the visible frustration of those asking the questions.
But he admitted that the so-called Chatty Rat - the source of the leak about plans for a second lockdown - may never be named.
"What I can say is the investigation is ongoing and this is a clear indication that the source or sources haven't been identified," he added. "In the time that has now passed, I think it is probable that the team will not successfully identify the source or sources but work is ongoing."
Follow the latest updates below.
04:20 PM
Who is Simon Case?
With his neatly trimmed beard, sharp blue suit and impeccable manners, it is little wonder bespectacled Simon Case is described as the “respectable face of No 10”, Camilla Tominey writes.
When the Cambridge-educated former royal adviser was appointed the UK’s most senior servant last September, he was hailed as the only man in Whitehall who could rescue the Government’s erratic handling of the coronavirus crisis.
Initially seconded from Kensington Palace, where he was the Duke of Cambridge’s right-hand-man, the mandarin’s promotion to Cabinet Secretary seven months ago was designed to make Downing Street less contingent on Dominic Cummings.
Brief Case: The Cabinet Secretary dodged many of the MPs' questions this afternoon - TOBY MELVILLE/REUTERS
The questions put to Simon Case, the UK's most senior civil servant, were certainly wide ranging.
But the answers were not.
So much so that a frustrated Labour MP used the Committee's last fifteen minutes to ask Mr Case whether he thought he had been "hung out to dry" by being sent before MPs without any briefing papers on the key issues.
Here is the best of what we learnt:
On Greensill, Mr Case said he did not understand exactly how Lex Greensill and Bill Crothers had been allowed to work for Greensill Capital and the Government's procurement service at the same time. Most of the detail will be handled by Nigel Boardman, the lawyer that Downing Street has instructed to conduct an inquiry into the issue. But Mr Case said he thought the appointment had been overseen by Sir Jeremy Heywood, the late former Cabinet Secretary, and that it did not seem "appropriate".
On the Downing Street refurb, Mr Case said he had been charged by the Prime Minister to investigate the nature of donations being used for the renovations. That investigation will involve "ensuring that such donations are declared in the proper way". There has been concern that Tory donor involvement in the flat's funding could lead to "preferment" - or (in the language of a non-civil servant) straightforward corruption.
On the so-called "Chatty Rat", Mr Case said the source behind the leak of plans to impose a second lockdown will probably never be identified. Mr Case said he was "constrained" by confidentiality but "it is probable that the team will not successfully identify the source or sources".
On mandarins' second jobs, Mr Case said he was aware of fewer than 100 civil servants who had another role, but said they were generally "yoga instructors and sports instructors" rather than high-level business appointments.
03:52 PM
Gove: I never heard PM say he would let bodies pile up
Michael Gove is facing urgent questions in the Commons from MPs - JESSICA TAYLOR/AFP
Michael Gove is facing questions from MPs in the Commons.
On the "bodies pile high" quotation reported in this morning's Daily Mail, Labour's Wes Streeting asked Mr Gove to be "absolutely categorical that he's never heard the Prime Minister say those words, that the Prime Minister didn't say those words and that prior to arriving in the House this afternoon he received assurances from the Prime Minister that he didn't use those words.
"Can he be absolutely clear and straightforward and honest about that?"
Mr Gove replied: "Totally... I made the point that I'd been in a meeting in the Cabinet room with the Prime Minister, I wouldn't ordinarily go into discussions that take place in Cabinet committees for reasons that he would well understand.
"But I never heard the Prime Minister say any such thing. We were all wrestling with an incredibly difficult decision, the decision to lock down necessarily imposes costs in other ways as we're all aware.
"But the Prime Minister not only concluded at the end of the discussion that we had, which was a sober, serious and detailed discussion, that it was necessary to have that second lockdown.
"He also concluded of course that it was necessary sadly to have a third lockdown as well."
Sharp-witted observers will notice that Mr Gove has denied ever hearing Mr Johnson say those words, not that he ever said them.
In answer to an earlier question Mr Gove replied he had ""never heard language of that kind".
03:47 PM
What would happen if the Prime Minister died?
Mr Case is asked whether more work has been completed on what would happen if the Prime Minister was to die.
The Cabinet Secretary alludes to Mr Johnson's illness last year, and suggests that more thinking has been done on the succession plans since then.
He says the Cabinet would meet and attempt to nominate an "interim" Prime Minister within 48 hours.
The Chief Whip and Cabinet Secretary would act as an "honest broker" to mediate discussions on the Prime Minister's successor.
The governing party could then elect a new leader, he says.
03:42 PM
No-comment Case hits back at claim he has been 'hung out to dry'
Mr Russell-Moyle says Mr Case was unable to answer questions on "almost all" topics MPs have wanted to speak about.
"Have you been hung out to dry?" he asks.
Mr Case says he and Mr Tierney have "made clear where the limits of our knowledge are".
Mr Russell-Moyle replies: "At the moment, it feels like you might be verging on saying nothing."
The Cabinet Secretary hits back: "I simply don't accept that".
03:39 PM
Delays and more delays: Why are releases taking so long?
Lloyd Russell Moyle, a Labour MP, points out that a raft of transparency releases have been delayed and says the civil service is "treading water" on cronyism and lobbying.
He asks whether there is an issue with capacity in the Cabinet Office.
Mr Case replies that his team is "hard pressed" and "hard working" but that he is willing to expand its size if necessary.
03:25 PM
Ministerial interests are 'self regulating,' says MP
Jackie Doyle Price, an MP on the committee, says the system of regulating the civil service and ministerial interests is "self regulating".
She says that ministers are scutinised when they are given their roles but afterwards are expected to regulate their own interests and declare them when appropriate.
She points out that Matt Hancock has share interests in a family firm that has done business in the NHS, and shares in other companies are also held by Lord Agnew.
Mr Tierney replies: "The duty is on ministers to keep their conflicts updated if there are any."
03:19 PM
Private sector hires to the civil service need to be taught its 'ethos', says Case
Simon Case says that in light of the Greensill scandal, "mid career arrivals" to the civil service need to be taught the "ethos" of the organisation when they arrive from the private sector.
"When you come in and you grow up through it, and you have training courses and what have you, it can be imbued.
"But the ethos you describe that is underpinned by the principles on public life...as people come in we need to help them better understand the underpinning ethos."
03:13 PM
Government's civil service reformer Lord Maude dragged into questioning
John McDonnell, who sits on the committee, says Lord Maude was involved in Mr Crothers' and Mr Greensill's appointments in the civil service.
Lord Maude has since been taken on as a consultant to help the Government reform the civil service, and has also consulted with Mr Crothers procurement since he left the Government.
Mr Case said Lord Maude's long experience in Government meant that he was an appropriate choice for a review into "functional reform" but that his potential conflicts of interests had been managed by the civil service.
03:10 PM
Bill Crothers' movements on Greensill board was 'deplorable,' says MP
Mr Case says he and Mr Tierney "can't explain may of these things" but that they do not look "appropriate".
Mr Tierney says that Mr Crothers did not seek approval from Acoba when he moved from a role as a board adviser to a board member at Greensill.
David Jones asks: "Don't you agree that that is deplorable?"
Mr Tierney says it was not within the rules.
03:06 PM
Bill Crothers appointment was Jeremy Heywood's decision, says Case
David Jones, a Tory MP, asks Mr Case about the appointment of Bill Crothers, a civil servant, to the board of Greensill at the time he was involved in public sector procurement for the Government.
Mr Case says it "looked like a pretty extraordinary set of circumstances" that Mr Crothers was effectively allowed to work for both sides.
Asked who approved Mr Crothers' two jobs, Mr Case said the decision had been taken by Sir Jeremy Heywood, the former Cabinet Secretary and Jon Manzoni, the former chief executive of the Civil Service.
Mr Tierney and Mr Case said there was no ministerial oversight of that decision.
"I personally have never heard of anything like it before [...] no one else seems to have seen anything quite like it," the Cabinet Secretary adds.
02:58 PM
No 'conflicting' second jobs in civil service - but there are some yoga teachers
Simon Case has confirmed there are no civil servants with outside interests that "conflict with the code" - but admitted there are "some things need to tighten up".
The Cabinet Secretary said there were "fewer than 100" senior officials who hold paid employment, but noted these were "roles like tutoring, yoga instructors and sports instructors".
These roles have been considered by the various permanent secretaries and "there is no conflict under the code".
But Mr Case said he was looking at new structures required to monitor the situation but he is waiting for the Boardman Review to conclude.
02:53 PM
Lack of evidence on Greensill appointment 'doesn't look right', says Cabinet Secretary
Simon Case during the PACAC hearing - PA
Simon Case has admitted there are unexplained issues relating to Greensill Capital and a lack of evidence about Lex Greensill's appointment that "doesn't look right".
The Cabinet Secretary told MPs that he could not "explain" what had happened with the supply chain finance fifirm.
"I don't think it's acceptable, I don't believe it is a common practice, I certainly don't think there is anything happening the moment that is equivalent," he added.
Asked if he thinks predecessors may have acted inappropriately, Mr Case said: "There are things that happened under Greensill that we can't explain, that look like conflicts and we can't explain how they were managed.
"There doesn't appear to have been, certainly from our cursory look... we can't see the evidence that you are looking for.
"That doesn't look right, but equally Mr Boardman will go through this in detail and there may be things he can discover that show those things were there, but we haven't seen them at the moment."
02:36 PM
Sir Jeremy Heywood brought Lex Greensill into Cabinet Office for 'policy issues' advice
Simon Case has said they are "not entirely clear" if Lex Greensill ever worked in Downing Street, although has confirmed he had "access" to the building.
Asked if he was just "popping in for a cup of tea", the Cabinet Secretary says he has "no idea" because it pre-dated him.
Challenged over the "alarming" lack of knowledge Mr Case has about the situation, he says he is also alarmed.
"We are reasonably clear that Sir Jeremy Heywood was seeking to bring Lex Greensill into the Cabinet Office to bring his expertise of supply chain finance to bear, to some policy issues that were around at the time," adds Darren Tierney, director general of propriety and ethics in the Cabinet Office.
02:32 PM
Lex Greensill 'not special adviser' and no contract has been found, MPs told
Lex Greensill was "not employed as a special adviser", Simon Case has confirmed, as MPs questions turn to the revelations around David Cameron and Greensill Capital.
Darren Tierney, the director general of propriety and ethics at the Cabinet Office adds that "his exact status is unclear" and is being looked at as part of the Boardman Review. However he was unpaid and left in 2016.
"His status as an adviser it is unclear what basis that has - that is something we have asked Nigel Boardman to look at.
"We have been unable to find a contract," Mr Tierney adds, noting that an appointment letter containing "some conditions" has been found.
He tells MPs the initial appointment letter was signed by "a director of the efficiency and reform group in the Cabinet Office", and there is some evidence that it was signed off by Ian Whatmore and Francis Maude.
Mr Case agrees to publish the appointment letter.
02:26 PM
Changing Boris Johnson's phone number 'a red herring', says Simon Case
Simon Case has refused to comment on whether he asked Boris Johnson to change his phone number, amid concerns that it was too well-known.
The Cabinet Secretary told MPs that the question of whether ministers should use their personal mobile phones "is a good one", but insisted that they needed to be in touch with "a large number of people".
He added: "The communications security is important - ministers get advice on that and we regularly do sessions at Cabinet on security. The committee will understand, by long-standing convention, I wont go into the detail of advice I have given to the PM, or my predecessors have.
"But changing numbers can be a bit of a red herring if I'm honest.... Most parliamentarians, the reality is your number would become quite widely known because of how you have to do your business."
The processes around lobbying were "well established", as evidenced by Boris Johnson last week, he added.
02:07 PM
New adviser on ministerial interests to be named in 'days rather than weeks'
Simon Case has defended the failure to appoint a new adviser on ministerial interests, despite the previous incumbent resigning five months ago.
The Cabinet Secretary told MPs that the Greensill scandal related to "former ministers" and therefore would not have come the remit of that role.
"Given the scale of issues that have come up through the revelations it certainly would have taken a good deal of our time under any circumstances, but I don't think the independent adviser would have been particularly involved," he adds.
Mr Case said the new appointment would be announced "very shortly," saying Boris Johnson was in the "final stages of discussions with the leading candidate".
Asked if that too would take 'weeks rather than months', he said he hoped "days rather than weeks - but don't hold me to that".
01:59 PM
Cabinet Secretary's probe into cash for Downing Street flat to consider 'propriety' of donations
Simon Case has said his review of any donations used to fund the cost of the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat will include whether they are "sound from a propriety point of view".
That would include establishing that donations "aren't being used to seek preferment or any such" and "ensuring that such donations are declared in the proper way".
The Cabinet Secretary said the Prime Minister was "committed to in his own declaration of interests".
He could not confirm whether they were political donations.
But William Wragg, PACAC chair, said he was surprised at the lack of detail that has been shared with him thus far.
Mr Case says he wants to avoid "misleading the committee by giving you partial insights". He confirms he will come back to the committee with more details, including a timeline for the review.
01:55 PM
Simon Case repeatedly dodges question about donations for Downing Street flat
Two senior Tory MPs pressed the Cabinet Secretary over the use of donations for the Downing Street flat refurb - PA
David Jones has pressed Simon Case on the question of whether any private donations were used to cover the cost of Downing Street - but the Cabinet Secretary has dodged specifics.
"The Prime Minister has asked me to conduct a review into how this has been done and asked that I share the details of those conclusions with the committee," he tells MPs.
William Wragg then interrupts to ask how long it will take given the length of time that other reviews have taken.
Mr Case says it will be "a matter of weeks".
But Mr Jones returns to the original question, leaving the Cabinet Secretary to admit "I do not have all the facts and details at my disposal on this, which is why the Prime Minister has asked me to conduct the review".
01:52 PM
Charitable trust can't be used to pay for Downing Street flat refurb
David Jones, the Conservative MP for Clwyd West, asks if the cost of the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat will be paid for through private donations.
Simon Case says "for decades" there has been an annual allowance of up to £30,000 for the residences but any costs beyond that "are met by prime ministers privately".
He says there has been work going on for more than 12 months on the idea of a charitable trust for the purpose of preserving Downing Street's heritage, noting that similar trusts exist for Chequers and other estates.
He added: "This is a genuinely complicated legal, policy, propriety issue... a charitable trust can't cover private areas of Downing Street, so it's clear it can't be done."
Both William Wragg and Mr Jones try to steer Mr Case back to answering the question, which results in him saying it will be declared "in the usual way".
01:47 PM
Propriety and ethics one of most difficult challenges of Cabinet Secretary, says Simon Case
William Wragg, chair of the public administration and constitutional affairs committee, reveals that he is aware of a leak inquiry dating back to August 2020 and asks if this will ever see the light of day.
Simon Case says he is unaware of this but will look into it.
The Cabinet Secretary then turns to the nature of his job in relation to propriety and ethics.
"Propriety and ethics is actually the responsibility of everybody in public office," he tells MPs, saying it is "as much about culture as it is about observing rules".
Mr Case says he speaks to his predecessors, who note this is "one of the most difficult" parts of the job.
01:41 PM
Chatty Rat may never be named, says Simon Case
Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary and the UK's most senior civil servant, giving evidence - PA
The so-called Chatty Rat, the source behind the leak of plans to impose a second lockdown will probably never be identified, the Cabinet Secretary has admitted.
Simon Case, the UK's most senior official, told MPs he was "very constrained in what I can say given the security classification of the exercise, of the leak inquiry.
"What I can say is the investigation is ongoing and this is a clear indication that the source or sources haven't been identified.
"In the time that has now passed, I think it is probable that the team will not successfully identify the source or sources but work is ongoing."
01:37 PM
Chatty Rat leak never deprioritised, says Simon Case
The UK's most senior official has insisted the Chatty Rat leak inquiry was "at not point deprioritised", stressing it is "in the hands of professional investigators".
Simon Case told MPs he could not detail what techniques were being used, but said such probes were "incredibly complicated", saying it was "painstaking and patient work, done by professional investigators".
The leak has been under investigation since October last year.
This morning Lord Barwell said a leak during Theresa May's tenure, with potential national security implications, had been resolved in a matter of days.
Mr Case acknowledged a "sense of frustration that we are unable to catch more people responsible for leaks".
01:28 PM
Chatty Rat leak not a criminal offence, Cabinet Secretary confirms
Simon Case, Cabinet Secretary walks to Portcullis House to be questioned at a committee - AFP
Simon Case has repeatedly refused to comment on whether he told Dominic Cummings and Lee Cain they had been exonerated in the Chatty Rat leak inquiry.
The top mandarin told MPs he "can't go into these sorts of details relating to an ongoing inquiry.
"It is not out of rudeness or disrespect to the committee, but there are constraints as to what I can say."
He added that Number 10 had taken the "exceptional step" of updating Sir Lindsay Hoyle throughout the process, confirming the Speaker had been given his last update a fortnight ago.
Asked if the Chatty Rat had broken laws or if this was a question of "embarrassment", Mr Case said the leak "did not meet the threshold for offences under the Official Secrets Act or the offence of misconduct in public office".
Challenged as to why he is therefore reticent, the Cabinet Secretary adds: "Just because something isn't a criminal offence doesn't mean there aren't national security issues - or classified issues I should say... that is why I am unable to comment."
01:25 PM
Fewer than 100 officials have second jobs, says top mandarin
Cabinet Secretary Simon Case has said that he is "aware of fewer than 100 senior civil servants who hold paid employment alongside their civil service role" following an investigation.
Mr Case also said he had "not been made aware" of any senior civil servants holding "outside interests which are considered to conflict with their roles" or their obligations under the Civil Service Code.
The UK's most senior civil servant gave the update to William Wragg, chairman of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, before his appearance before the committee.
"I have so far been made aware of fewer than 100 senior civil servants who hold paid employment alongside their civil service role," Mr Case wrote.
"For context, examples of such roles include tutoring or fitness instruction. In each case, the Permanent Secretary has considered the outside role alongside the individual's obligations under the Code, and found there to be no conflict."
01:23 PM
Top mandarin rejects claims that Boris Johnson intervened in Chatty Rat probe
Henry Newman, No.10 aide and friend of Carrie Symonds, was accused by Dominic Cummings of being the 'Chatty Rat' - Jeff Gilbert
The UK's most senior civil servant has rejected Dominic Cummings' claim that Boris Johnson intervened to halt the inquiry into a leak about plans for a second lockdown.
When asked about claims that the Prime Minister had sought to stop the Chatty Rat probe for fear it would implicate a friend of his fiance, Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, told MPs of the public administration and constitutional affairs committee (PACAC) he was "not entirely sure what press report that is - but no."
"In relation to this particular leak or others, the Prime Minister has always been clear that the very determined to see these inquiries complete.
Asked why the probe has taken so long, he added: "These investigations are complex, there are many threats to them, usually range of people to interview, data... the team moves - these are professionals who do this work, they move as fast as they can."
"I am not trying to frustrate you or other members of the committee here but going into details of investigation and who knew what and I am constrained."
01:16 PM
Chatty Rat leak inquiry to conclude in 'weeks not months'
The UK's most senior official has said it will take "weeks rather than months" before the so-called Chatty Rat leak inquiry has been concluded - at which point Boris Johnson will make the findings public.
Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, told MPs that the probe had taken five months and counting because "these investigations are complex", but stressed there was "very legitimate public and parliamentary" interest in the case.
Updates have been passed onto the Speaker Sir Lindsay Hoyle "on privy council terms".
Asked if an outcome was "actually desired" by PACAC chairman William Wragg, Mr Case said: "Yes. This one related to the matter of vital public concern. There was widespread anger, not only in government but beyond at this leak."
However Mr Case has refused to comment on specifics, including whether it was usual for a potential suspect to be told he was out of the frame - something which Dominic Cummings has claimed.
01:10 PM
Boris Johnson has 'degraded the office he holds', says Labour
Boris Johnson has "degraded the office he holds", Labour's deputy leader has said.
Angela Rayner said allegations that the Prime Minister said he would rather 'let the bodies pile high' than impose another lockdown was "disgraceful".
She added: "The Prime Minister has degraded the office he holds with rampant and overwhelming sleaze. But making light of the more than 127,000 deaths that happened on his watch and then trying to cover it up is a new low. This must now end.
"The Prime Minister should apologise to all those who have lost someone during the pandemic."
12:56 PM
Boris Johnson: Public not interested in 'bodies pile high' comment
Boris Johnson has suggested the public were not interested in reports alleging he said let "the bodies pile high" during internal discussions about coronavirus lockdowns.
He said: "I know why you've got to focus on this sort of stuff, but I really think, I really think that that is not where the public are, I'm talking to, today.
"What they want to hear about is our plans for jobs, growth, bouncing back, for delivering on the road map, going from the April the twelfth step to the May the seventeenth step, going through to June the twenty-first, what's the world going to look like on June the twenty-first?
"To what extent are we really going to be powering through this? As things stand I think we've got a very good chance of really opening up totally on June the twenty-first.
"But we've got to be cautious and go on the data not the dates. I think that is what people are interested in. They are interested in that."
12:54 PM
Lord Frost to face grilling over Brexit's 'irreparable damage' to live arts
Lord Frost will go in the hot seat - PA
Boris Johnson's adviser-turned-minister Lord Frost will face a grilling by MPs over what is being done to prevent "irreparable damage" on the performing arts sector, caused by post-Brexit red tape.
The Cabinet Office minister, who has responsibility for EU relations, has agreed to appear before the DCMS committee on 10 June, to answer questions over "the Government's failed negotiations" to secure visa-free travel for British creatives, crews and vehicles working in the EU.
MPs will also be seeking answers on why, as it had been reported, the Government appeared “content to allow this whole sector to suffer when the EU refused to accept the opening offer”.
12:33 PM
Grieving families told there is 'no capacity' for Covid inquiry
The Government has "no capacity" at present to launch a public inquiry into the handling of the coronavirus pandemic, it has told bereaved families.
An inquiry "now is not appropriate" and people who would need to give evidence are "working round the clock" to keep society safe, families were told in a six-page letter from the Government Legal Department.
Members of the Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice group were told that the Government is "focused entirely" on responding to the pandemic, in particular on the vaccination rollout and preparations for a third wave.
The letter, sent on April 1, says the Government's response is at a "critical phase" and all efforts are focused on this "monumental challenge".
It adds that the Prime Minister "has already made clear that there will be an independent inquiry at the appropriate time, which is not now".
It reads: "There is simply no capacity for Government to pause these efforts and divert resources to an intensive independent inquiry.
12:31 PM
Lobby latest: Boris Johnson did not discuss ESL with Man Utd boss
Downing Street said the idea of a European Super League was not discussed when the Prime Minister was introduced to Manchester United executive vice chairman Ed Woodward.
It follows a report suggesting Boris Johnson may have given the impression he would back the proposal just four days before its launch following a meeting between Mr Woodward and the Prime Minister's chief of staff Dan Rosenfield.
On Mr Johnson meeting Mr Woodward during a visit to Downing Street, the Prime Minister's official spokesman added: "There was a very brief introduction to Ed Woodward, I think they crossed paths.
"But the European Super League was not discussed."
Pressed on whether Mr Rosenfield spoke with Mr Woodward about the super league concept, the No 10 spokesman said: "No, that's not correct.
"The meeting was to discuss the safe return of fans and Covid certification as part of the events pilot work."
12:20 PM
Have your say: How damaging will the war with Dominic Cummings be for Boris Johnson?
Boris Johnson is coming under renewed pressure today, amid reports he said he would rather 'bodies pile high' than enter another lockdown.
The Prime Minister has flatly denied it, while ministers have gone so far as to call it a "lie". But opposition MPs have seized on the allegation, saying Mr Johnson must submit to questioning over this and several other claims that have been leaking in recent weeks.
Former No 10 aide Lord (Gavin) Barwell has warned it "has the potential to be extremely destabilising" for the Government, and the threat of further leaks is occupying the minds of many in Westminster, not least coming days before the local elections.
But what do you think? Have your say in the poll below.
12:18 PM
Lobby latest: No 10 deny 'bodies pile high' comment - as further sources emerge
Reports that Boris Johnson said he would rather 'bodies pile high in their thousands' than impose another lockdown are "untrue", Downing Street has said - despite further sources claiming they heard the statement.
ITV's Robert Peston says he has heard from two individuals - both of whom say they are not the Daily Mail's source - backing up the original story.
But the Prime Minister's official spokesman told reporters: "No, this is untrue and, as you say, he has denied that in his clip."
Asked whether anyone else in No 10 made the remark, the spokesman said: "No. All I can confirm is that the Prime Minister did not make that statement. I'm not aware of anyone else making that statement."
Pressed on suggestions that Mr Johnson shouted the comment while in his study and that a number of people overheard it through an open door, the No 10 official added: "We are denying it, that the Prime Minister said that.
"He has made that clear that he did not say it."
12:12 PM
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's extra sentence 'totally inhumane and wholly unjustified', says Raab
The Foreign Secretary has said Iran's decision to impose a further jail term on British-Iranian charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe is "totally inhumane and wholly unjustified".
Mrs Zaghari-Ratcliffe has already completed a five-year sentence on charges levied by Iranian authorities, the last year of which was spent under house arrest due to the pandemic.
Her lawyer Hojjat Kermani said she received the second sentence on a charge of spreading "propaganda against the system" for participating in a protest in front of the Iranian Embassy in London in 2009.
As well as the one-year jail term she has also been banned from leaving the country for a year.
Dominic Raab said: "This is a totally inhumane and wholly unjustified decision.
"We continue to call on Iran to release Nazanin immediately so she can return to her family in the UK. We continue to do all we can to support her."
12:04 PM
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe being 'used as bargaining chip', claims MP
Labour MP Tulip Siddiq has said Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's new jail sentence was a "terrible blow", adding that the mother of one was being "used as a bargaining chip".
The aid worker's constituency MP added: "This is a terrible blow for Nazanin and her family, who have been hoping and praying that she would soon be free to come home.
"It is devastating to see Nazanin once again being abusively used as bargaining chip.
"We've been told the Government has been working behind the scenes to secure Nazanin's release.
"These efforts have clearly failed and we deserve an urgent explanation from minsters about what has happened."
12:00 PM
Boris Johnson must set out 'original arrangements' on Downing Street flat costs, says Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer has told Boris Johnson to set out what the "original arrangement" was for covering the costs of the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat.
Ministers including Ben Wallace and Liz Truss have insisted that the Prime Minister paid for the work "personally" - but today Mr Johnson did not deny discussing using donations to cover the costs.
Asked about Labour's calls for an Electoral Commission investigation into the matter, Sir Keir said "it's very important we have answers".
"It's all very well the Prime Minister saying, now, 'well, I paid for it'," he added. "The critical question was what was the original arrangement - and why is it so complicated?
"If there's a straightforward answer, then give it. If there isn't, then there are very serious questions to be asked."
11:55 AM
Boris Johnson: Government will redouble efforts to secure Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release
Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe, a mother of one, has been sentenced to an additional year in prison in Iran - Shutterstock
The Government will be "working very hard" to secure Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe's release, Boris Johnson has said, after the British-Iranian mother of one was sentenced to an additional year in prison in Iran.
The Prime Minister told reporters during a visit to Wrexham: "Obviously we will have to study the detail of what the Iranian authorities are saying.
"I don't think it is right at all that Nazanin should be sentenced to any more time in jail.
"I think it is wrong that she is there in the first place and we will be working very hard to secure her release from Iran, her ability to return to her family here in the UK, just as we work for all our dual national cases in Iran.
"The Government will not stop, we will redouble our efforts, and we are working with our American friends on this issue as well."
11:52 AM
More sources back up 'bodies pile high' claim
Boris Johnson has given a firm denial that he said he would rather see 'bodies pile high' than impose another lockdown - but that has statement has been questioned before it was even delivered.
Robert Peston, ITV’s political editor, says he has spoken to two sources who heard the Prime Minister make that very claim.
I am told he shouted it in his study just after he agreed to the second lockdown “in a rage”. The doors to the cabinet room and outer office were allegedly open and supposedly a number of people heard.I am bothering to repeat this assertion about what the prime minister said because two eyewitnesses - or perhaps I should say “ear witnesses” - have corroborated the Daily Mail’s account to me.Also these sources insist they did not brief the Mail, so that suggests there are three sources.
11:42 AM
Boris Johnson denies saying he would rather let 'bodies pile high' than impose lockdown
Boris Johnson has denied saying he would rather let 'bodies pile high' than impose another lockdown.
During a visit to Wrexham as part of his May 6 election campaigning, the Prime Minister was asked if he made such a comment.
He responded: "No, but I think the important thing that people want us to get on and do as a Government is to make sure that the lockdowns work, and they have."
But Mr Johnson did not deny discussing using donations to fund the Downing Street flat refurbishment.
Asked if he had ever discussed using donors to fund the work, he said: "If there's anything to be said about that, any declaration to be made, that will, of course, be made in due course."
11:38 AM
Labour leader calls for full investigation into 'pattern of behaviour' at Downing Street
Sir Keir Starmer has called for "a full and transparent investigation into everything that's going on", as Labour applies more pressure over the series of hostile leaks against Downing Street.
Speaking on a visit to the West Midlands, he said: "We've got lots of investigations, but we haven't got anything looking at the pattern of behaviour.
"Day after day there are new allegations of sleaze, of favours, of privileged access.
"We need a full investigation to get to the bottom of that and, most importantly, to make recommendations about changes, because we need to change the rules."
11:29 AM
Sir Keir Starmer: Grieving families deserve response over 'bodies piled high' claim
Labour Party leader Sir Kier Starmer canvasses in Hartlepool ahead of the by-election - Getty
Sir Keir Starmer has said he was "astonished" by the claim that Boris Johnson said he would rather let 'bodies pile high' than impose another lockdown.
Speaking during a visit to the West Midlands, the Labour leader said: "It’s for the Prime Minister, I think now, to make a public statement about that.
"If he did say those things, he’s got to explain it. If he didn’t, go on the record and publicly explain what was said and what wasn’t said because I think everybody will be deeply concerned, not least all those families that have lost someone during this pandemic."
11:24 AM
EU has had 'no contacts' with UK over Covid vaccine passports
The European Commission has said there have been "no contacts" with the UK over mutual recognition of coronavirus passports but that Brussels "would be open towards the UK" on this issue.
Ursula von der Leyen gave an interview to NYTimes suggesting Europe would be open for US tourist business and there have been talks between the US and EU.
Southern European countries such as Greece and Spain have been pushing for a digital vaccine passport in the hope of bolstering their tourism-dependent economies. However others – including France – have argued that it is premature, and have expressed concerns regarding discrimination.
Last month the bloc revealed plans to introduce a Digital Green Certificate to allow 450 million Europeans to travel freely by summer.
11:14 AM
Patrick O'Flynn: The public is far more concerned by the bigger picture than the court politics of No 10
Political journalists were last night excitedly sharing details on social media of a new poll by Opinium that found 37 per cent of voters would describe Boris Johnson as mostly or completely corrupt, writes Patrick O'Flynn.
Given that the same poll showed the Conservatives stretching their lead over Labour to a crushing 11 points, this leaves two distinct possibilities.
First, that the 37 per cent is made up almost exclusively by the third of the electorate which intends to vote Labour, with a few Lib Dems, Greens and Celtic nationalists making up the numbers. This would indicate that Boris Johnson is a particularly triggering figure to left-wing, pro-EU types. I mean, who knew?
The second possibility is that a big chunk of the electorate is so cynical about politics that it simply assumes most politicians are corrupt and therefore focuses on other things when choosing for whom to vote.
Cummings will 'keep this up until Boris is out of No 10', says former adviser
Dominic Cummings will keep applying pressure until Boris Johnson is "out of Number 10", according to a former colleague and adviser.
The source, who spoke to the Telegraph on the basis of anonymity, said while he believed Mr Cummings was "bluffing" about having audio, he had more than enough dirt to maintain the drip-drip of hostile leaks.
"There's been lots of surreptitious briefing since Christmas," he noted, ranging from the "countless Dilyn stories" to the more recent - and rather more serious - briefings that have emerged.
"The 18 months he was in No 10 was like a decade of normal politics. Lots happened, Boris trusted him and he has no compunction to hold back.
"He'll keep this up until Boris is out of No 10."
10:41 AM
Rare sighting of lesser-spotted Rishi Sunak
Rishi Sunak has not been seen in Westminster for several days - Getty
The lesser-spotted Chancellor has temporarily paused his Scarlet Pimpernel act.
Rishi Sunak, who has not appeared in the Commons chamber since March 9, has been seen in Westminster for the first time in many days.
Labour have repeatedly claimed he is "running scared" from allegations of sleaze, after it emerged that he had told David Cameron he would "push" Treasury officials on Greensill.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak leaves 11 Downing Street - Getty
10:28 AM
Michael Gove summoned to answer questions on 'the ministerial code'
Michael Gove is being summoned to the Commons chamber today to answer questions on the "ministerial code", as opposition parties seek to apply further pressure over allegations of sleaze,
Details of the precise question have not been made available yet, but the SNP's Alison Thewliss will be asking the Cabinet Office minister to "update the House on the Ministerial Code" .
He will appear from about 3:35pm - crossing over with the appearance of Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, who is giving evidence to the public administration and constitutional affairs committee (PACAC) from 2:15pm.
Ian Blackford has given a glimpse of the tone of questions we should probably expect.
My SNP colleague @alisonthewliss has been granted an Urgent Question in the House of Commons from 3.35pm amid the growing Tory sleaze scandal.
Boris Johnson cannot sweep this one under the carpet. There must be an independent public inquiry to hold those responsible to account.
Alan Cochrane: Nicola Sturgeon still can't answer the same old questions about Scotland and the EU
Nicola Sturgeon insisted Scotland would seek to negotiate a free trade deal with the rest of the UK after breaking away - PA
It's a very strange party, the SNP, writes Alan Cochrane.
The only issue its activists and members want to talk about all the time is Scottish independence, while the one thing its leader doesn't want to talk about all the time is … yes, Scottish independence.Or at least if she does talk about it, Nicola Sturgeon prefers it to be in the broadest of terms – not too much detail. That was as clear as crystal on Sunday when the First Minister was put on the spot by Andrew Marr about the effects of her plan to put Scotland back into the EU after it gains independence.
Johnny Mercer arrives at Laganside Court in support of two former paratroopers accused of murder - Colm Lenaghan/Pacemaker
Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer said the trial of two former soldiers is "unfair".
Speaking on his way into Belfast Crown Court, the Conservative MP said: "I think in any conflict, it is messy, it is unpleasant, it is a horrible process to go through for both sides. What I don't think is - 50 years later - you get a truly accurate picture of what happened.
"I think it is unfair to try and apply today's standards of operations and retrospectively apply them to that time and try to get justice. I have huge sympathy on all sides but we need to move on in Northern Ireland.
"What is happening today, I don't think is fair and that's why I am here.
"The reality is today, as we stand here, there are two individuals in court for something that happened 50 years ago. They served their country, they did their best. War is messy and we need to find a solution for everybody."
Mr Mercer denied he is "interfering" in the trial, adding he is there to "learn about the process".
09:53 AM
England vs Scotland: Minister wades into row over rule discrepancy
English pubs "didn't go down that road" of allowing people to have non-alcoholic drinks indoors because "it's about ventilation", a minister has said.
Today in Scotland, cafes, restaurants and beer gardens, are now permitted to open; though alcohol may only be served outside and indoor hospitality must close from 8pm.
Essex publican Adam Brooks had tweeted that the new rules suggested it was "safe to go into a pub in Scotland, sit & drink, BUT no Alcohol. So indoor transmission is now ‘not’ a thing... but we still can’t have ordering points inside".
But Paul Scully, the small business minister, replied: "That's why we didn't go down that road in England."
That's why we didn't go down that road in England. It's about ventilation so outdoors first, then indoors and then strip back most if not all distancing measures in a gradual easement, checking the effects on the way.
Scotland reopens to fellow Britons as restrictions ease
Donning the beer coat: alcohol may only be served outside from today - AFP
Scotland has reopened its borders to visitors from the rest of UK today as the country further eases restrictions.
Tourist accommodation, along with cafes, restaurants and beer gardens, are now permitted to open; though alcohol may only be served outside and indoor hospitality must close from 8pm. Non-essential shops and indoor attractions such as galleries, museums and libraries can also reopen.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told MPs hailed the success of the vaccine programme, and is "very hopeful, of seeing sustained progress" which would allow Scotland to move from level 3 to level 2 by May 17 – the date Boris Johnson says will be the earliest that international travel can resume – and level 1 by June 7. She said life should look "much more like normality" by July.
It comes as the UK Government's health secretary Matt Hancock praised "the biggest vaccination programme in NHS history", having delivered 45.5 million doses so far across Britain and stated: "We are on track to offer a jab to all adults by the end of July."
We have reporters stationed in Scotland today as the country takes its biggest step towards freedom in four months. You can get all the latest updates in our dedicated blog here.
09:36 AM
Zac Goldsmith attacks 'unforgiveable lie' about Boris Johnson
It is an "unforgiveable lie" to suggest that Boris Johnson said he would rather the 'bodies pile high' than impose another lockdown, a close ally has said.
Lord (Zac) Goldsmith, the environment minister, said while smears were to be expected by those "at the top of politics", it was entirely wrong to suggest the Prime Minister had ever been "casual about deaths".
At the top of politics you expect to be smeared by opponents or resentful former allies. But anyone who's seen the PM agonising through this grim pandemic knows 100%, without doubt, that he has never been casual about deaths. Suggestions to the contrary are an unforgivable lie
90pc of people self-isolate after contact with Covid-positive case
Nine out of 10 people who were required to self-isolate after being in contact with someone who tested positive for coronavirus said they fully adhered to the rules, new figures have shown.
Experimental data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) found 90 per cent of respondents reported being fully adherent to self-isolation requirements throughout their 10-day self-isolation period.
Of respondents who were not adherent to self-isolation requirements, 78 per cent reported they left the house for non-permitted reasons, the ONS said.
The data - collected between April 1 and April 10 and published on Monday - also found six per cent of all respondents had contact with people outside their household during their isolation period, with 57 per cent allowing visitors into their home and 55 per cent having contact somewhere outdoors.
09:17 AM
ICYMI: Dominic Cummings to accuse Boris Johnson of blocking border closure plan
Dominic Cummings will say that the border plans were overruled by Boris Johnson - PA
Dominic Cummings will accuse Boris Johnson of blocking plans to close Britain's borders and putting lives at risk by failing to prevent the spread of Covid from abroad early in the pandemic.
The Prime Minister's former chief adviser is expected to tell MPs next month that he backed plans by Priti Patel, the Home Secretary, to ban flights from Covid hotspots such as Iran or impose quarantine on passengers.
However, he will say the plans were overruled by Mr Johnson, who his allies say took the "ideological and libertarian" view that he wanted to keep "global Britain's borders open" despite the risks of importing the virus.
Mr Cummings and his allies are said by sources to feel "vindicated" by the Government's subsequent border crackdown, which banned foreign travel from "red list" countries and imposed hotel quarantine on UK residents returning from them to the UK.
09:14 AM
Have your say: How damaging will the war with Dominic Cummings be for Boris Johnson?
Boris Johnson is coming under renewed pressure today, amid reports he said he would rather 'bodies pile high' than enter another lockdown.
Downing Street has denied it, as have ministers such as Ben Wallace and Nadine Dorries - and we will hear from the PM himself later today, who will no doubt also reject such claims.
But opposition MPs have seized on the allegation, saying Mr Johnson must submit to questioning over this and several other claims that have been leaking in recent weeks.
Former No 10 aide Lord (Gavin) Barwell has warned it "has the potential to be extremely destabilising" for the Government, and the threat of further leaks is occupying the minds of many in Westminster, not least coming days before the local elections.
But what do you think? Have your say in the poll below.
09:04 AM
Green's Caroline Lucas: PM should resign if report is true
The Green Party's sole MP Caroline Lucas has said Boris Johnson should resign if the claim that he said would rather see "bodies pile high" than impose another lockdown is found to be true.
Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer arrives in Belfast
Johnny Mercer was forced out of his role amid a row over the treatment of veterans - Geoff Pugh
Former veterans minister Johnny Mercer has arrived at Belfast Crown Court to attend the trial of two former paratroopers charged with the murder of a man almost 50 years ago.
The former Army officer left his ministerial role last week after expressing frustration at a lack of progress on legislation to protect British veterans who served during the Troubles from prosecution.
Mr Mercer was accompanied into court by Northern Ireland Veterans Commissioner Danny Kinahan.
The two soldiers have been charged in relation to the murder of official IRA man Joe McCann, 24, who died after being shot in the Markets area of Belfast in 1972.
They will remain anonymous during the trial, which is expected to last for four weeks at Belfast Crown Court.
08:56 AM
'First of several' deliveries to India sent, says Foreign Secretary
The "first of several urgent deliveries" of medical equipment has been sent to India, as the country grapples with the highest rate of Covid cases in the world.
India recorded another 352,991 new coronavirus cases and 2,812 deaths today, breaking its own global record for the fifth straight day. Worst-hit in the country of 1.3 billion people is the capital New Delhi, with reports of overwhelmed hospitals, severe oxygen and medicine shortages, and patients' families pleading for help on social media.
The UK is supplying oxygen compressors and ventilators, while the US is making vaccine-production material, therapeutics, tests, ventilators and protective equipment available.
"No-one is safe until we are all safe," said Dominic Raab, the Foreign Secretary.
Today we have sent the first of several urgent deliveries of surplus medical equipment to our friends in India to help provide life-saving care for vulnerable Covid patients. No-one is safe until we are all safe. pic.twitter.com/HOudeYv86c
Lord Goldsmith, a close friend of Ms Symonds, said claims she tried to have George Eustice removed over his record on animal rights were "fabrications" borne of "1950s sexism". The Tory peer and junior environment minister said it was "the opposite of the truth".
Caroline Nokes, who chairs Parliament's women and equalities committee, also defended Ms Symonds, saying she had been a victim of "vile spite" and "jealousy" as a "competent, clever, attractive woman".
08:34 AM
SNP joins calls demanding PM face questioning over 'bodies pile high' comment
The SNP is joining forces with Labour to pile pressure on Boris Johnson over the latest hostile leak.
Ian Blackford, the party's Westminster leader, said the allegations that the Prime Minister said he would rather see 'bodies pile high' than impose another lockdown were "abhorrent".
He added: "The Prime Minister must now come to Parliament to give a statement, and face questioning, on these shocking claims and the growing Tory sleaze scandal engulfing Westminster."
These comments are utterly abhorrent. If they are true, @BorisJohnson has a duty to resign.
The Prime Minister must now come to Parliament to give a statement, and face questioning, on these shocking claims and the growing Tory sleaze scandal engulfing Westminster. pic.twitter.com/B7KDPoRuBK
Simon Case, the most senior civil servant in the country, will give evidence today from 2:15pm - NurPhoto
Westminster is bracing itself for yet another day of drama after Number 10 went to war with ousted former adviser Dominic Cummings - here is what to expect today.
From noon: Former Cabinet secretaries Lord Sedwill and Lord O'Donnell will be questioned by the Lords constitution committee.
From 2:15pm: The UK's most senior civil servant Simon Case will be questioned by the public administration and constitutional affairs committee about the so-called "chatty rat" leak of plans for a second lockdown, the extent of second jobs within Whitehall and the Greensill affair.
From 2:30pm: The Commons' main chamber opens with Gavin Williamson answering education questions. That will be followed by any ministerial statements or urgent questions, with Labour likely to be seeking answers on the weekend's allegations about the PM's flat expenses and others.
Boris Johnson is on the campaign trail in Wales today, and we are expecting the Prime Minister to give his customary brief interview.
Sir Keir Starmer is in the West Midlands - and he will presumably also give his thoughts on the row.
08:12 AM
Boris Johnson must respond to 'sickening' allegation as soon as possible, says Labour
It appears to be another salvo in the war of words between Boris Johnson and Dominic Cummings - AFP
Labour has called for Boris Johnson to respond personally "as soon as possible" to the claim that he said he would rather see 'bodies pile high' than enter another lockdown.
The allegation, reported in the Daily Mail this morning, has been rejected by Downing Street while ministers including Nadine Dorries and Ben Wallace have said it is a "lie".
However a spokesperson for the opposition said:“If this report is true, then these are truly shocking and sickening comments from Boris Johnson.
"It is hard to imagine how families who have lost loved ones to Covid will feel reading them. Boris Johnson must make a public statement as soon as possible in his response to this report.”
08:00 AM
Tim Stanley: Cummings, the man who played by his own rules, can't throw stones at Boris
All we have learnt from the silly sleaze stories of the past few days is that David Cameron is a rubbish lobbyist and Carrie Symonds hates John Lewis furniture. The big reveal is yet to come, writes Tim Stanley.
Dominic Cummings, the PM’s former – and now very angry – chief adviser, is expected to use his Commons committee grilling next month to blame the PM personally for failures during the second wave of Covid-19 that potentially cost thousands of lives.
No 10, which seems to have started this row by briefing that Dom is a leaker, is described as being “terrified” of whatever he might have on them. I am told that is a polite paraphrase for an almost total loss of control of both bowel and bladder.
Dom is keen on history. He would like it to read “Dominic Cummings won the Brexit referendum and gave the Tories a majority, but the Johnson government was so stupid and so corrupt that it kicked out the best man it ever had”.
It is an attractive narrative, for obvious reasons, but falls down on the point that Cummings was a mess in No 10, and that the integrity of the anti-Covid effort was dented by his own actions, namely driving his family to Durham, then Barnard Castle, in the middle of lockdown.
War with Dominic Cummings is 'distracting' from priorities, Labour says
The "very troubling allegations" that have been surfacing since Boris Johnson went to war with Dominic Cummings are "distracting" from the Government's real priorities, Labour has said.
Kate Green, the shadow education secretary, told BBC Radio 4's Today: "I'm glad they (the Electoral Commission) are looking into it because clearly these are very troubling allegations and they go to the heart of ethics and integrity in our Government, and transparency.
"It seems to me that as long as there is uncertainty, there is doubt and innuendo and rumour about who is getting contracts, who is paying for the refurbishment of the Downing Street flat, who is in and who is out.
"This is distracting the Government. They are not getting on with the right priorities for the country because they are busy fighting among themselves and seeking to throw up smokescreen."
Ministers had been "fighting like rats in a sack" with Mr Cummings and his allies, she noted.
07:43 AM
Jeremy Corbyn leads calls for Boris Johnson to publish messages with pharma lobbyists
Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn is among several MPs calling for the Prime Minister, ministers, and senior civil servants to publish all email, text, and WhatsApp messages exchanged with pharmaceutical companies and their lobbyists.
Mr Corbyn, who made the supposed 'sale' of the NHS the centrepoint of his failed election campaign in 2019, is joined by former colleagues Diane Abbott, Richard Burgon and Clive Lewis as well as the new Labour MP Zarah Sultana in making the call.
Green MP Caroline Lucas, the SNP's Kenny MacAskill and Baroness Sheehan, the Liberal Democrat International Development spokesperson in the House of Lords, have also signed the statement, as they look to put pressure on the Government to waive IP on the Covid vaccines.
The statement notes that factories capable of producing vaccines are “sitting idle” as intellectual property rules have restricted production of Covid-19 vaccines to the supply chains of patent-holding pharmaceutical companies, restricting production.
07:35 AM
Claim that Boris Johnson said let 'bodies pile high' instead of lockdown is 'outright lie', says Nadine Dorries
Nadine Dorries has hit out at the claims - Andrew Crowley
Health minister Nadine Dorries dismissed claims that Boris Johnson had said he would rather see "bodies pile high in their thousands" than face a third lockdown.
She tweeted: "This is an outright lie. Not one named source or substantiated fact.
"Days before Hartlepool by election and a wide set of local/PCC/Mayoral elections.
"It's mendacious, vexatious co ordinated gossip given in order to negatively influence the outcome," she claimed.
07:32 AM
Claims that Boris Johnson said bodies should 'pile high' are 'deeply unfair', says minister
Ben Wallace said the story was based on 'he said, she said' - Reuters
Claims that Boris Johnson said he would rather have "bodies piled high" than enter another lockdown is "just untrue" and "deeply unfair", a Cabinet minister has said.
Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, told the Today programme: "If you read the front of the newspaper, there is no source.
It's all just 'who said, he said, she said', and there is almost no evidence.
"To keep repeating it is deeply unfair."
07:22 AM
Boris Johnson 'paid personally' for flat refurb, minister insists
A Cabinet minister has insisted that Boris Johnson "paid personally" for the refurbishment of the flat above Downing Street, saying the Prime Minister has "at all stages complied with rules".
Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, said the Government had "engaged with the Electoral Commission" on the matter, and was "subject to all sorts of transparency rules, and will soon will publish transparency reports."
"The action he did was he paid for the money, for the flat, out of his own pocket... he paid out of his own money for the flat."
"Do I think the Prime Minister is sleazy? No, I don't."
Mr Johnson had been an "absolutely first class Prime Minister, who has led the country in a pandemic", he added.
07:19 AM
Cummings' war of words could be 'extremely destablising', says former adviser
Lord (Gavin) Barwell: The Cummings war could be 'extremely destabilising' - Rex
Lord Barwell, who served as Downing Street chief of staff under Theresa May, said the briefing war between No 10 and Dominic Cummings "has the potential to be extremely destabilising".
The former Conservative minister told Times Radio: "I think there will be huge frustration among Conservative MPs, councillors and candidates with the elections approaching in early May that this appears to be an entirely self-inflicted wound, that this story that we're all talking about was prompted by either someone in No 10 - or the Prime Minister himself allegedly - accusing Dominic Cummings of being behind all the recent leaks.
"There are some significant unanswered questions still and we've seen further revelations over the weekend and in this morning's papers - clearly, potentially there is more information that might get released."
Lord Barwell said the inquiry into the so-called "chatty rat" leak regarding last year's November lockdown had taken "a long time", noting that a "very serious leak" during Ms May's tenure was resolved in "a matter of days".
07:16 AM
Johnny Mercer's support of veterans in Belfast trial 'not embarrassing', says minister
The Defence Secretary has said it is "not embarrassing" that Johnny Mercer is in Belfast today, after the former junior minister was recently sacked over the treatment of Northern Ireland veterans.
Two former paratroopers will appear before a court in Belfast later, charged with the murder of a man almost 50 years ago.
Official IRA man Joe McCann, 24, died after being shot in the Markets area of Belfast in 1972. The veterans are referred to in court proceedings as soldiers A and C.
Mr Mercer, who claims to have been sacked by text after he went public with his grievances over the Government's failure to protect ex-soldiers, is attending to support the veterans.
Ben Wallace said he was a "valued colleague", although stressed: "I don't agree with any of his observations about government.
"I don't think it's embarrassing. He is doing the right thing in his eyes, he is doing what all MPs do... he is a very doughty advocate of their cause."
07:11 AM
UK to help "friends" in India from "unbearable pressure" caused by Covid wave
The Government has acted swiftly to help "our friends" in India, a Cabinet minister has insisted, as the UK prepares to send ventilators and oxygen compressors to the Covid-hit country.
Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, told Sky News that the UK was acting because "the pressure is getting unbearable and we are going to do our part to help our friends. It's only right we share and help them in their time of need."
Challenged over the delay, he stressed ministers had been in touch with the Indian government throughout, adding: "It isn’t like we just woke up this morning and thought we would do it."
The equipment will be sent on military planes, or charter flights "if necessary", he added.
07:10 AM
Cabinet minister rubbishes 'comedy chapter' of hostile leaks
A Cabinet minister has said the series of hostile leaks aimed at Boris Johnson has entered the "comedy chapter now".
Ben Wallace, the Defence Secretary, compared the row that has erupted in recent days between the Prime Minister and his former adviser to "the Oscar gossip columns".
He told Sky News: "We are getting into the sort of comedy chapter now of these gossip stories - unnamed sources, by unnamed advisers talking about unnamed events.
"None of this is serious. The Prime Minister has been utterly focused on delivering, alongside Cabinet colleagues, the response to Covid."
He added: "All the 'who said, what said', I'll leave that to the Oscar gossip columns that are now being rolled out today after last night.
"I'll leave that to the Hello magazines of the world but Government is focused on delivering for the citizens on its Covid response."
06:55 AM
Dominic Cummings warned he is not in clear over 'chatty rat' leak
Dominic Cummings has not been cleared in the "chatty rat" leak inquiry, Britain's top civil servant is expected to make clear on Monday as Number 10 fights back against his claims.
Simon Case, the Cabinet Secretary, will be grilled by MPs about a string of allegations made by Mr Cummings, Boris Johnson's former chief adviser, in a blog post.
A Cabinet Office source said that, if asked, Mr Case will undercut two core claims made by Mr Cummings in his 1,000-word blog on Friday night.
Mr Case's office argues that the inquiry into who leaked plans for a second national lockdown in October is ongoing and nobody has been exonerated.
That counters Mr Cummings' claim that he was cleared by Mr Case of being the source – described as the "chatty rat" – who told reporters about the imminent lockdown.
"His position will be that the inquiry is still open. With the inquiry still open, it would be wrong to say that anyone is absolutely in the clear," a Cabinet Office source said.
Jason Fitz and Frank Schwab join forces to recap the draft in the best way they know how: letter grades! Fitz and Frank discuss all 32 teams division by division as they give a snapshot of how fans should be feeling heading into the 2024 season. The duo have key debates on the Dallas Cowboys, New York Giants, New Orleans Saints, Los Angeles Rams, New England Patriots, Las Vegas Raiders and more.
The first electric vehicle I ever drove was a Tesla Roadster in 2011. It was with great anticipation that I slid behind the wheel of the 2025 Acura ZDX Type S. Sure, it's a midsize SUV, but it wears the Type S moniker, a name reserved only for the most fun-to-drive in the Acura stable. On launch, the ZDX will be available in A-Spec and Type S trims -- both of which come equipped with a 102 kWh battery.
The NFL will allow players to wear protective Guardian Caps during games beginning with the 2024 season. The caps were previously mandated for practices.
