Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary, has said the "whole nation is distraught" at the "tragic and horrific" death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes as he announced a national investigation into the tragedy.
Speaking in the Commons, he said: "We across this House and across this country find it impossible to imagine how any adult could commit such evil acts against a child."
He added: "I know that colleagues and people outside of this place are seriously troubled that Arthur was subjected to a campaign of appalling cruelty and murdered after concerns had been raised with local services."
The Education Secretary confirmed that a review and "targeted area" inspection would take place to determine why things went "horribly wrong and what more could have been done" to prevent Arthur's murder by his stepmother at their home in Solihull.
It came after it emerged that Arthur had been seen by social workers just two months before his death, but they concluded there were "no safeguarding concerns".
Follow the latest updates below.
05:48 PM
And that's all for today...
Nadhim Zahawi confirmed that a review and targeted inspection will take place in Solihull to assess what could have been done to prevent the death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.
The Education Secretary said that while "no Government anywhere in the world can legislate for evil", more must be done to protect children and he vowed to "take action wherever we can to stop it from happening again".
Beyond Parliament, Boris Johnson vowed to ruin Christmas for county lines gangs, as he unveiled the Government's new 10-year strategy for tackling drugs and related crimes.
Speaking to broadcasters in Merseyside, the Prime Minister said authorities would "come down hard on the gangsters who are making hell of people's lives", alongside a triple-pronged strategy of targeting middle-class "lifestyle" users and getting more "problem drug users" placed into rehab.
The Prime Minister also "welcomed" a ruling by High Court judges that he did not "misdirect" himself over the Ministerial Code in relation to whether Priti Patel's behaviour towards civil servants breached its standards.
Meanwhile, Boris Johnson's official spokesman denied that a party was held in Downing Street last Christmas amid mounting questions over whether a festive bash took place when the UK was in tier three restrictions.
05:30 PM
'Scapegoating' individual social workers will not solve crisis, No 10 warned
"Scapegoating" individual social workers will not improve care for vulnerable children, only fundamental reform of the system will, ministers have been told.
Lucy Allan, the Conservative MP, said: "This horrific case shows that fundamental reform of children's social care is now long overdue. Lessons learned and case reviews are just not enough.
"Does the minister agree that the problems with children's social care are systemic and that the challenges faced are not just about funding? Will he also agree that scapegoating individuals, particularly inexperienced social workers, will not improve the care of these most-vulnerable children?"
Nadhim Zahawi replied: "She is absolutely right to say that we have to make sure we deliver better outcomes... which is why we made it a manifesto pledge that we would have the McAlister review (the independent review of children's social care) which will, I am confident, deliver recommendations that I hope we can be ambitious and deliver rapidly.
"Where she is also right is to say that we can't just continue to have review after review, we have to learn from those and operationally implement the recommendations."
05:27 PM
Labour warned Government that pursuing cuts would 'cost a child's life'
Emma Lewell-Buck, the Labour MP and a former child protection social worker, said that she had warned the Government that pursuing cuts would "cost a child's life".
"It's a matter of record that when the Secretary of State was children's minister and I was his shadow, I repeatedly warned him that pursuing this Government's agenda of cuts, increasing bureaucracy, deregulation and privatisation and child protection would cost a child's life.
"Like his predecessors, he ignored me. However, I know the Secretary of State is a genuinely caring man and I certainly don't have all the answers here, but will he please now meet with me so we can at last work together to make sure that no other precious little life is so brutally taken again?"
Mr Zahawi agreed to meet with Ms Lewell-Buck, although he said her characterisation was "slightly unfair", adding the Government has worked to improve the system.
05:17 PM
The hearts of Solihull are broken, says Julian Knight
Julian Knight said that the hearts of people in Solihull have been broken over the death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.
The Conservative MP for Solihull said: "'No-one loves me, no-one is going to feed me'. Those are the words that broke the hearts of my town and it seems our country as well. A young lad who never had a chance. He experienced unimaginable brutality in his short life."
He urged Nadhim Zahawi to ensure "the investigation focuses on the clear breakdown in partnership between the likes of social services, the police and educators", adding: "Why on earth weren't they talking to each other?
"At the very least, we owe it to Arthur that every lesson from this horrific tragedy is learned and no town has its heart broken like Solihull's heart."
05:06 PM
100,000 'ghost children' have not returned to school, warns Robert Halfon
Robert Halfon, the Conservative MP who chairs the education select committee, warned there are 100,000 "ghost children" who have not returned to school.
Mr Halfon told the Commons that putting aside the 200,000 children who have been been sent home with Covid, "there are another 100,000, what I call the ghost children, who are lost in the system and who haven't returned to school for the most time, who are subject to potentially safeguarding hazards, county lines gangs, online harm and, of course, awful domestic abuse".
Mr Halfon asked the Education Secretary to "proactively" make a "real effort to work with the local authorities, to work with the schools and the regional commissioners to make sure that those 100,000 children who are mostly not in school are returned to school and are being watched by those authorities when they need to be watched".
Nadhim Zahawi replied: "He is absolutely right to raise this issue. It is a concerning issue and it is a focus for my department. I am working closely with other departments and agencies to work through this."
04:59 PM
Government has 'tolerated failure' in children's services, Labour warns
The Government has "tolerated failure" in children's services across the country and this must end, Labour has said.
Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, told the Commons: "Failure should never be an acceptable outcome for any public service. That is especially true when it comes to protecting children.
"For too long this Government has tolerated failing children's services and a failure to protect children.
"Vulnerable children are being failed and that cannot go on. The Secretary of State must now set out how he plans to tackle that culture.
"That is the challenge he faces and that is the standard by which he will be judged."
Nadhim Zahawi replied: "She spoke about a long way to go and I would recognise that there are challenges, but it is also worth praising the team both in the department but also in local government up and down the country."
He made references to the improved Ofsted inspections of local authorities in the last year, rising from 37 per cent of local authorities in England rated good, up to 50 per cent rated good.
04:58 PM
No Government can legislate for evil, but more must be done, says Zahawi
Nadhim Zahawi has said that "no Government anywhere in the world can legislate for evil", but added that "we will take action wherever we can to stop it from happening again because we must do more".
Responding to Mr Zahawi, Bridget Phillipson, the shadow education secretary, said Labour welcomed his "clear determination to get to the bottom of what has happened and his action in ordering a national review and a joint targeted area inspection".
She said: "It is right to put in place enquiries as soon as possible not merely into how individual agencies acted, but how they acted together, and it's vital that whatever lessons can be learned from what has happened and what didn't happen in Solihull are acted on as soon as possible.
"Searching questions must be asked about the way in which services operated locally, but questions must also be asked nationally."
04:47 PM
Review and targeted inspection to take place, Zahawi confirms
Nadhim Zahawi - AFP
Nadhim Zahawi has confirmed that a review and targeted inspection will take place as part of efforts to assess why things went "horrifyingly wrong and what more could be done to prevent abuse such as this happening again".
He told MPs: "Since the horrendous deaths of Peter Connelly, Daniel Pelka and, sadly, others, the Government has established stronger multi-agency working - putting a shared and equal duty on police, councils and health in local areas to work together to safeguard and promote the welfare of children, alongside a role for schools.
"I am sure members across the House will recognise that improvements have been made from previous reviews, but the question now is whether that is enough."
Commenting on the joint targeted area inspection, Mr Zahawi said: "This will mean we can truly look at where improvements are needed by all the agencies tasked with protecting children in the Solihull area, so that we can be assured that we are doing everything in our power to protect other children and prevent such evil crimes."
The inspection will be carried out by Ofsted, the Care Quality Commission, HM Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services and HM Inspectorate of Probation.
04:39 PM
Zahawi: The public deserve answers
Nadhim Zahawi has said that no safeguarding professional should be subject to abuse, but that the public deserves to know what went wrong in the case of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes.
"I am as determined as everybody in this House to get to the truth and expose what went wrong, and take any action necessary to protect children," he said.
Arthur Labinjo-Hughe - PA/Olivia Labinjo-Halcrow
Mr Zahawi has announced a major review into the circumstances which led to Arthur’s murder by his stepmother Emma Tustin at their home in Solihull.
It came after it emerged that Arthur had been seen by social workers just two months before his death, but they concluded there were "no safeguarding concerns".
04:31 PM
We are 'distraught' over death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, says Nadhim Zahawi
Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary, has said that the Government is "distraught" over the death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes and has vowed to take "any action needed to protect children".
Arthur was left with a severe brain injury while in the sole care of his stepmother Emma Tustin, 32, who was jailed for life after being convicted of murder by repeatedly assaulting the defenceless child at her home in Birmingham on June 16, 2020. He died the following day in hospital.
Speaking in Parliament, Mr Zahawi questioned how any adult could commit "such evil acts - especially parents and carers who children look to for love and affection".
"We are seriously troubled Arthur was subjected to a campaign of appalling cruelty after concerns had been raised," he said.
He also pledged to expose the truth about what happened in order to assure the public, and added that "serious questions need to be asked".
03:51 PM
Kwasi Kwarteng accused of being 'totally contemptuous' of Arwen-hit communities
Kwasi Kwarteng speaks to the media about power cuts caused by Storm Arwen - PA
The Business Secretary has been accused of being "totally contemptuous" of the communities who have been left without power by not showing up in the Commons today.
Ed Miliband, the shadow business secretary, slammed Kwasi Kwarteng for having been "available for a photo opportunity yesterday but not available today to come to this House and account for the Government's performance".
He said: "It adds insult to injury for communities who have been let down... by power networks and Government, and its oversight of system."
They were being "treated like second class citizens", Mr Miliband added, asking for minister Greg Hands to "to apologise to communities in the North for Government performance".
But Mr Hands said Mr Kwarteng was on a call with the Prime Minister about the response, adding that it was "most definitely not a photo opportunity".
03:44 PM
Education Secretary vows to do 'everything in my power to keep schools open'
The Education Secretary said he will do "everything in my power to keep schools open" when asked what steps his department plans to take to support schools to open safely after Christmas 2021.
Conservative MP Kate Griffiths (Burton) also pressed the Secretary of State on CO2 monitors as they "can help staff quickly identify where ventilation needs to be increased in classrooms".
Nadhim Zahawi said: "Over 99 per cent of eligible settings have now received a CO2 monitor, with over 320,000 now delivered. Final deliveries will be made before the end of term."
Schools minister Robin Walker also said: "The evidence is that children benefit from face-to-face learning. That's why our priority for schools is to deliver face-to-face education to all pupils.
"Regular attendance at school is vital for children's education, wellbeing and longer-term development."
03:43 PM
Tory councillor defects to Reform UK days before by-election
The deputy mayor joined Richard Tice's Reform UK in what he said was "the most difficult decision I have ever made". - Russell Sach
A councillor and deputy mayor in North Shropshire has defected from the Conservatives 10 days before a by-election in the seat.
Mark Whittle, deputy mayor of Market Drayton, joined Reform UK in what he said was "the most difficult decision I have ever made".
Mr Whittle said he joined the party, which was previously the Brexit Party, after meeting the Tory candidate in the race, Dr Neil Shastri-Hurst.
Mr Whittle said: "As chairman of the Market Drayton Conservative Party and member of Shropshire Conservative executive, this is the most difficult decision I have ever made. Made only after a great deal of soul searching."
He said he could not "possibly back a candidate from Birmingham who has zero knowledge of North Shropshire and the challenges our community faces".
Richard Tice, Reform UK's leader, said: "I am delighted that Mark has joined us, he has a history of 30 years public service and is utterly committed to his town and North Shropshire."
03:37 PM
Minister: It is completely unacceptable that people are still without power
A minister has said it is "completely unacceptable" that several hundred people are still without power after Storm Arwen.
Greg Hands, the energy minister, told MPs it was the worst storm in more than 50 year in terms of damage caused, and some people were still without power for more than a week.
"This has made life incredibly difficult and stressful for many residents, and I want to assure them that help is there," the minister, who has visited some of the affected areas, said.
"I am glad to say that 99.8 per cent of those affected by the storm have had their power restored so far but this is not good enough, It is completely unacceptable that around 1,600 people were still in this situation as oft this morning, but the situation is improving each hour."
Power would be restored to those households "in the next day", he added.
03:33 PM
Troops will continue to support Storm Arwen recovery
Several thousand people in the North East remain without power more than a week after Storm Arwen - Getty
Troops will continue to support the joint response to Storm Arwen in County Durham after the Ministry of Defence agreed to extend its offer of support.
Around 80 Royal Lancers were drafted in on Friday, carrying out welfare checks and delivering emergency supplies to people living in remote Pennine areas. The arrangement will continue until Wednesday after County Durham and Darlington Local Resilience Forum (LRF) submitted a request to extend the arrangement.
John Hewitt, from the LRF, said: "The additional support provided by the military over the weekend has enabled us to strengthen and accelerate the support we are providing to residents.
"With some properties still offline, it is important that we continue to maintain the level of support to residents that we are currently providing.
"For that reason, we submitted a further Military Aid to the Civil Authority (MACA) request to the Ministry of Defence and they have approved it."
03:31 PM
Parliament's newest MP takes seat in the Commons
Louie French won the Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election last week - Jeff Gilbert
Parliament's newest member has taken his seat in the House of Commons.
Louie French, the Conservative MP for Old Bexley and Sidcup, swore the oath of allegiance to the Queen as he appeared in the chamber ahead of education questions. His arrival was cheered by Tory colleagues.
Mr French won the by-election triggered by the death of former Cabinet minister James Brokenshire.
Education Secretary Nadhim Zahawi gave Mr French a welcoming tap on the arm as he walked past.
Sir Lindsay Hoyle also jokingly advised him to join the all-party parliamentary rugby league group - a sport the Speaker is particularly fond of.
03:21 PM
Fury grows within travel industry after U-turn on pre-departure tests
Travel industry bosses have blasted the Government’s reintroduction of pre-departure tests for fully vaccinated travellers returning to the UK.
The measure, which was announced over the weekend and comes into force at 4am on Tuesday, comes despite Transport Secretary Grant Shapps telling The Telegraph just a few days earlier that such a move could “kill off the travel sector again”.
Alistair Rowland, chief executive of tour operator Blue Bay Travel, said: “Saturday’s news has come as a blow to the travel industry and to those holidaymakers who are abroad right now enjoying some much-needed winter sun and who didn’t factor into their plans, or budget, the requirement for a Covid-19 test before they fly home.”
Julia Lo Bue-Said, CEO of Advantage Travel Partnership, added: “Once again we are at the mercy of a Government who can’t communicate with each other”. She called the measure “a fatal bullet for many travel agents.”
Lobby latest: Boris Johnson not looking to overrule judges, says No 10
Downing Street has played down reports that Boris Johnson want to curtail the ability of judges to review ministers' decisions in the courts.
Asked whether there were plans to bring in a so-called interpretation bill, to strike out findings from judicial reviews with which the government does not agree, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "That's not an accurate characterisation of the action we are taking."
He added: "What we are doing is, through our Judicial Review and Courts Bill, is to defend the judiciary from being drawn into political questions and preserve the integrity of judicial review for its intended purpose, which is to hold the Government to account, apply the intent of Parliament and protect individuals.
"This is what we are focused on and that's the action that the Government is looking to take. We think this is striking the right balance. We fully respect the constitutional position of judges and the judiciary, and it is part of the Government's role to protect that position."
See 11:31am for more
02:57 PM
'Deep-seated social norms' holding back Britain's gender pay gap
Britain's gender pay gap remains wide and has barely narrowed over the last 25 years, because of "deep-seated social norms", a report by the Institute for Fiscal Studies has found.
The average working-age woman in the UK earned 40 per cent less than her male counterpart in 2019.
However this was about 13 points lower than in the mid-1990s, coinciding with "the rapid increase in women's educational attainment", suggesting "it is only because of the increase in women's educational attainment that there has been any meaningful progress in closing the gender earnings gap."
Using the typical measure for gender pay gaps - average hourly wages - women earn 19 per cent less than men, having barely shifted since 2005.
"Gender gaps in paid and unpaid work seem to be driven by deep-seated social norms and expectations," the IFS report stated. Other countries showed that "progress is possible" though a range of policies which "consistently point in the same direction towards less radically different gender roles".
02:41 PM
Norman Tebbit: Boris mustn't underestimate the challenge from Reform UK
There was no realistic expectation of a Labour victory in the Old Bexley and Sidcup by-election, where the Tories had a majority of about 19,000 from the last General Election, writes Baron Tebbit.
Still, the Tory candidate Louie French won well enough on his own merits, earning a majority of almost 4,500 over the Labour candidate.
The reality is that most electors simply could not be bothered to turn out. Those inclined to the Conservative cause are far from enthusiastic about Prime Minister Boris Johnson. Amongst the Tory grassroots the regard for him has taken a terrible tumble down into negative territory, whilst Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has consolidated her place at the top of the scale.
The minds of the staff at Conservative headquarters will now have turned to the impending by-election in North Shropshire, brought about by the resignation of Owen Paterson. Despite Paterson’s majority of almost 23,000 it will not be an easy election for the Tories to win, for there are too many things going awry for the Government.
Read more here
02:34 PM
Delayed white paper gives ministers - and London arts institutions - breathing time
It seems the Government's levelling up white paper has been delayed until the new year, having originally been earmarked for a week on Thursday.
It might be held back so that ministers can pitch-roll the plans among recalcitrant MPs - but it also buys London-based arts institutions some breathing time.
Michael Gove, the Levelling Up Secretary, held talks last Monday with Nadine Dorries, the Culture Secretary, about why so much Arts Council funding is concentrated in the south-east of England.
He said he wanted to make sure that "more of the Arts Council funding that is currently spent in London and the south-east is spent in the Midlands and the North."
Mr Gove hinted that one idea might be to move arts institutions north away from London homes, saying: "Our acting and performing talent is spread equally across this country, but funding and institutions are not. We must do more."
Scotland has recorded 23 new cases of the omicron coronavirus variant in the past 24 hours, taking the overall number to 71.
The figures published by the Scottish Government show there were 3,894 total coronavirus cases recorded and no deaths in the past 24 hours.
The Covid death toll in Scotland under the daily measure - of people who first tested positive for the virus within the previous 28 days - remains at 9,649.
The daily test positivity rate was 12.8 per cent, up from 9.6 per cent the previous day.
02:09 PM
Authorities have been going after drugs gangs 'for years', says Dame Carol Black
Dame Carol Black, who conducted an independent review of drugs for the Government, has bemoaned the continued focus on tackling criminal activity, saying greater change would be achieved investing in recovery.
Dame Carol told BBC Radio 4's World At One programme: "As long as there's demand, you will have supply.
"Drug dealers are very, very good at just moving their operation, of doing different things, they're good businessmen. So I think if you really want to get to grips with drugs and crime, you've got to be able to offer people high quality treatment and recovery.
"We know from research that that stops criminal activity. We know that if it's high quality treatment, people stay in it and do better. And we have at the moment a broken service."
Although she welcomed "activity by the Home Office", Dame Carol noted: "We've been doing that for years. And we've been doing rather inadequate treatment and recovery now for many years. In some places, extremely poor, then at least they deserve 50-50."
01:56 PM
Crossbench peer claims people in Parliament are taking crack 'because that is what middle class people do'
A crossbench peer has said the drugs being taken in Parliament are "probably crack, because that is what middle class people do".
Baroness Meacher of Spitalfields, told Sky News she was "just a little bit surprised" by the revelations in The Sunday Times that drug usage was widespread.
She added: "It is very very embarrassing for the Government if we have people taking drugs, probably crack, because that is what middle class people do, in Parliament."
Pressed on her claims, she said: "My understanding is bankers do a lot of it because it keeps them awake when they have to do a lot work... and you might need something a bit stronger than coffee to keep you going."
01:42 PM
Lobby latest: No 10 checking 'incredibly regularly' to ensure power restored after Storm Arwen
Energy companies have given assurances they were taking "every step possible" to reconnect those still suffering the affect of Storm Arwen, No 10 has said.
As of 8am today, there were 1,600 homes without power in the North East.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "It is worth remembering that 99.8 per cent of households have power.... so there have been significant improvements, but we recognise that for those homes still left without power, they will expect, rightly, more to be done.
"We continue to check in incredibly regularly with the power companies to make sure they have all the support needed, and we are assured they are taking every step possible.
"Obviously there are significant challenges following the storm, which was unusually strong and caused damage in particularly remote areas."
01:26 PM
Boris Johnson vows to ruin Christmas for county lines gangs
Boris Johnson has vowed to ruin Christmas for county lines gangs, as he unveils the Government's new 10-year strategy for tackling drugs and related crimes.
Speaking to broadcasters in Merseyside, the Prime Minister said authorities would "come down hard on the gangsters who are making hell of people's lives", alongside a triple-pronged strategy of targeting middle-class "lifestyle" users and getting more "problem drug users" placed into rehab.
Mr Johnson said: "You've got to be tougher on the county lines gangs, you've got to be tougher on the criminals who are doing it, but you've also got to make sure that you find those 300,000 [addicts] and you help them.
"You can't simply arrest them time after time and put them back into prison again and again - you've got to do rehab as well."
Stressing that any approach must be "humane" and "compassionate", the Prime Minister said the strategy would undercut the "disgusting trade" managed by county lines gangs.
Asked about the prospects of Christmas restrictions in light of the omicron variant, he said this Christmas will be "considerably better than last Christmas - with the possible exception of county lines drugs gangs".
01:11 PM
Lobby latest: 'There was not a party', claims Downing Street
Boris Johnson's official spokesman has denied there was a party held in Downing Street last Christmas, in the strongest stance taken since the story broke a week ago.
After being pressed by journalists during today's lobby briefing, he said: "As the press secretary set out on a number of occasions when questioned about this originally, there was not a party and Covid rules have been followed at all times."
Previously, although ministers including the Prime Minister have said no rules were broken, they have skirted commenting on whether a gathering of some kind took place.
01:09 PM
Lobby latest: Boris Johnson welcomes ruling on Priti Patel
The Prime Minister "welcomes" a ruling by High Court judges that he did not "misdirect" himself over the Ministerial Code in relation to whether the Home Secretary's behaviour towards civil servants breached its standards.
Boris Johnson's official spokesman said: "We welcome the fact the court has dismissed the case. It supports our long-standing position that the PM is the arbiter of the code, and ministers must retain the confidence of the Prime Minister to maintain in office.
"The court found he did not misdirect himself in law. As the ultimate arbiter in this case, the PM considered Sir Alex's (Allan) advice, he'd weighed up all factors to draw his own conclusions.
"The judgment affirms that appointment and dismissal of ministers is not judiciable and that questions of interpretation of the code, which are inextricably linked with that, may not be judiciable either. The judgment accepts that most of the code would not be judiciable."
01:09 PM
Lobby latest: Firms profiteering from Covid test requirements 'unacceptable', says No 10
Downing Street has said it is "unacceptable" for firms to "take advantage" of people who have to take pre- and post-flight tests in the wake of the omicron variant.
From Tuesday all travellers arriving in England will be required to take a Covid pre-departure test.
A requirement for people entering the UK to self-isolate until they receive a negative result from a post-arrival PCR test - even if they are fully vaccinated - was introduced last week.
In response to concerns that test providers listed on the Government's website were continuing to advertise misleading prices, the Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We will continue to monitor the actions that the companies are taking.
"It's clearly unacceptable for any private testing company to take advantage of holidaymakers, and the average price of a day-two test is now under £45."
12:59 PM
Shadow minister erupts over prosecution for Christmas party on same day as No 10's bash
A shadow minister has hit out at the Government, after it emerged that people in his constituency were being prosecuted for holding a Christmas party on the same day as the reported festive bash in Downing Street.
The Met Police are prosecuting a "gathering of two or more people" in a private dwelling in Ilford, which on Dec 18 was subject to tier three restrictions.
Wes Streeting claimed they were being punished "for doing something that the Prime Minister appears to have done - ON THE EXACT SAME DAY - without any consequences for him."
Downing Street continues to stress that no rules were broken.
So people in Ilford are being prosecuted for doing something that the Prime Minister appears to have done - ON THE EXACT SAME DAY - without any consequences for him.
It really is one rule for them and another for everyone else with the Tories. https://t.co/kYH0OAd3qD
Sajid Javid to give new Covid update after pre-departure tests introduced
Sajid Javid will update MPs on the latest Covid developments on Monday afternoon, it has been confirmed.
It follows decisions over the weekend to require pre-departure tests for people travelling to the UK as part of the effort to contain the omicron variant.
Before that, Kevan Jones has been granted an urgent question for Kwasi Kwarteng, the Business Secretary, on the present situation of power outages caused by Storm Arwen.
Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary, will also make a statement on child safeguarding and the death of Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, followed by Kit Malthouse's statement on the new drugs strategy.
12:45 PM
Lobby latest: No 10 is planning Christmas party for staff this year
Downing Street has said it intends to hold a Christmas party for staff this year, as questions continue to linger over whether a festive bash was held last year when London was in tier three restrictions.
The Prime Minister's official spokesman said: "We haven't confirmed any dates at the moment. I think there is an intention to have a Christmas party this year."
This morning Kit Malthouse, the policing minister, said he had received assurances that "no rules were broken" last year but when challenged, he said: "I wasn't there, I don't know".
He told the BBC: "I am not an investigator, My job is to seek reassurance because I thought I would get this question, and that's what I've done."
Mr Malthouse also revealed he was planning a small meal with five staff to mark Christmas this year.
See 8:33am and 8:04am for more.
12:40 PM
French prosecutors plan to investigate violence at Zemmour rally
French prosecutors have said they will investigate violent incidents at a campaign rally by far-Right pundit Eric Zemmour, who was assaulted as he attempted to take the stage.
Fighting also broke out shortly after the presidential candidate began speaking Sunday night at a venue outside Paris, as supporters tackled protesters who stood up wearing T-shirts saying "No to Racism."
Several people were detained by police during the rally, including a man who grabbed Mr Zemmour violently and injured his wrist, according to his campaign team.
Security guards were able to remove the protesters and restore calm after around 10 minutes.
See 11:07am for more
12:25 PM
NHS boss says 'pandemic isn't over' as she urges people to get their Covid booster
The chief executive of the NHS has urged people to get their Covid booster vaccine as she joined more than 17 million people in England who have had their third jab.
Amanda Pritchard got a needle in each arm as she also received the flu vaccine from Bhaveen, a pharmacist at the Junction Pharmacy in Brixton, this morning.
She said: “It is almost one year to the day since the NHS delivered the first Covid vaccination in the world, to Maggie Keenan in Coventry - that moment was watched around the globe, a moment of hope after months of fear.
“Thanks to the incredible efforts of NHS staff and volunteers, we have now delivered almost 100 million vaccinations, including over 17 million booster vaccines. I am delighted to join them and get my booster at the Junction pharmacy in Brixton this morning."
She added: “The pandemic, sadly, isn’t over and the new omicron variant must act as a call to arms for those who haven’t yet had their jab. When it’s your turn, please come forward."
12:10 PM
Matt Hancock: My breach of guidelines was 'failure of leadership'
Matt Hancock told the BBC: "There is a lot you can do for the people you serve from the back benches." - PA
Matt Hancock's breaking of social distancing guidance, which led to his resignation, was "a failure of leadership", the former health secretary has said.
The West Suffolk MP stood down after pictures were published showing him in an embrace with a colleague.
Speaking to the BBC at a mass vaccination event at Newmarket Racecourse, he said he was "sorry for all the people I let down". He added: "People have been forgiving which I'm grateful for."
The 43-year-old, who is facing cronyism claims after a neighbour was awarded an NHS contract, also insisted "everything has been above board" over government contracts for PPE and medical equipment.
He said he was "absolutely certain" that the forthcoming Covid inquiry would find "that a whole load of people were working incredibly hard in unprecedented circumstances to do their best to save lives, and that's what we were doing".
11:49 AM
Roger Bootle: Forget being Singapore-on-Thames, we look more like Scunthorpe-on-Thames
The Government has embarked on a course that involves substantial increases in expenditure and large tax rises, writes Roger Bootle.
What’s more, not least because of the prospect of considerable ageing and therefore increased demands on the NHS and social services, it is frequently argued that even larger increases in expenditure and taxes are inevitable before long. Is this right?
Inevitable is a word that I don’t like. It covers up a lack of imagination and critical thought. But it is true, I think, that further big increases in expenditure and taxes are just about inevitable if radical policy changes aren’t made. Yet this is a critically different way of looking at the matter. It focuses attention on the policy choices that could make things turn out differently.
During the Brexit disputes and afterwards, continuing sotto voce until the present, it was widely argued by Brexit supporters that the UK could become a sort of Singapore-on-Thames – that is to say: a strong and vibrant competitor in world markets, based on a small state with low taxes and a pro-business culture.
But as far as the achievement is concerned, so far we look more like Scunthorpe-on-Thames.
We already know that policing minister Kit Malthouse will give a statement to the Commons on Monday outlining the Government's 10-year drugs strategy - but here is what else is coming up today.
The omicron variant is “spreading rapidly” in the UK and could soon become the dominant Covid-19 strain, experts have warned, after case numbers surged by more than 50 per cent in a day.
The number of confirmed cases in Britain rose to 246 on Sunday, the UK Health Security Agency confirmed, a rise of 86 in 24 hours, while “hundreds” more are likely to be circulating undetected.
There were 18 new cases in Scotland, with a rapidly escalating outbreak in the west of the country and the first confirmed case in the Edinburgh area, while the remaining 68 new infections were recorded in England.
Professor Mark Woolhouse, a government scientific adviser, told the BBC: "If those trends continue then, over the course of the coming weeks and months, omicron could come to replace delta entirely, right around the world.”
Prof Woolhouse said he expected the confirmed UK figures were likely to be an underestimate, as genetic sequencing appeared to show the number of cases with S gene dropouts - a trait likely to signal omicron - were also "increasing quite fast".
11:33 AM
Bullying ruling 'will bring some comfort' to officials, says union boss
The head of a union that sought a judicial review into Boris Johnson's handling of the bullying allegations against Priti Patel has said today's ruling "will bring some comfort" to officials, despite being dismissed.
FDA general secretary Dave Penman said the judgment was an "important step forward in the battle to ensure that ministers are held to account for their behaviour in the workplace".
He said: "The court has determined that the Prime Minister did not acquit the Home Secretary of bullying, and that he did not reject the findings of Sir Alex Allan that her conduct amounted to bullying.
"This will bring some comfort to those civil servants who were brave enough to come forward and give evidence to the investigation about the Home Secretary's conduct.
"While the court decided that the Prime Minister was entitled not to dismiss the Home Secretary, the case has important implications for the protection of civil servants in the future."
11:31 AM
Labour attacks Boris Johnson for 'Henry VIII fantasises' of powers over courts
Labour has attacked reports suggesting that the Prime Minister is planning to weaken the power of courts to overrule decisions by ministers through the process of judicial review.
According to The Times Boris Johnson has tasked Dominic Raab, his deputy and the Justice Secretary, to strengthen plans to reform judge’s powers to rule on the legality of ministerial decisions, enabling ministers to effectively throw out any legal rulings they do not agree with. He is said to be unhappy with the Judicial Review and Courts Bill currently going through Parliament.
But in a joint statement, Steve Reed MP, Labour’s shadow justice secretary and Emily Thornberry, shadow attorney general, condemned such a move.
“After a week when No10 has behaved as though they are above the law when it comes to Covid regulations, we are now told they want to grant themselves the right to ignore the courts altogether," they said.
“This is nothing to do with the sovereignty of Parliament, but all about the Henry VIII fantasies of a Prime Minister who thinks none of the rules the rest of us have to live by should ever be applied to him.”
11:07 AM
Eric Zemmour is put in headlock as violence erupts at his first political rally
French hard-Right presidential candidate Eric Zemmour suffered a wrist injury after he was put in a headlock by a protester as violence erupted at his first political rally on Sunday.
The 63-year-old author and television commentator suffered the injury when a man grabbed him violently as he made his way towards the stage at a giant exhibition centre northeast of Paris, an aide told AFP.
It came as Mr Zemmour's supporters clashed with anti-racism activists who had come to disrupt the event.
In an hour-and-a-half-long speech to an estimated crowd of 10,000, Mr Zemmour promised to “reconquer” France and set out his vision of “zero immigration” as he launched salvos against the Left and mainstream media.
10:58 AM
Boris Johnson did not 'misdirect himself' on Priti Patel decision, judge rules
Lord Justice Lewis concluded in a ruling at the High Court on Monday that Boris Johnson had not misdirected himself as to the provisions of the ministerial code when reaching his decision.
The judge, sitting with Mrs Justice Steyn, said: "The question for this court is whether the Prime Minister proceeded on the basis that conduct would not fall within the description of bullying within paragraph 1.2 of the Ministerial Code if the person concerned was unaware of, or did not intend, the harm or offence caused.
"Reading the statement (made by Mr Johnson) as a whole, and in context, we do not consider that the Prime Minister misdirected himself in that way."
10:49 AM
Union loses High Court challenge over Priti Patel
At the time Boris Johnson urged Tory MPs to 'Stick with Prit' - Getty
The FDA union has lost a High Court challenge over Prime Minister Boris Johnson's decision to back Priti Patel following accusations of bullying.
The union had brought a judicial review after the Prime Minister's went against the findings of his then adviser on ministerial standards in order to back the Home Secretary, saying that her behaviour was unintentional and he therefore concluded that she had not breached the code.
Sir Alex Allan, whose report concluded that she had bullied civil servants, including incidents of shouting and swearing at them, subsequently resigned.
10:45 AM
Government must bring price of pre-departure Covid tests down, says Sir Keir Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer urged the Government to do "whatever it can" to lower the price of pre-departure tests for travellers, as they become mandatory from tomorrow.
The Labour leader said: "I would have liked to see the Government act more quickly. As ever, they are behind the curve. As soon as we saw the scientific evidence saying that (there) should be pre-departure tests, we called on the Government to do this last week. The Government delayed, as they always do.
"They've done it now, that's a good thing. But the Government needs to get ahead instead of being behind."
He added: "I also want to see the Government doing whatever it can to bring the price of these tests down because lots of people... (are) getting really hammered by prices that can't be justified."
10:43 AM
No whining, just dining: Ministers hit the restaurants for Christmas
It seems as though Christmas dinners - rather than all-out parties - are the order of the day for ministers this year.
After Kit Malthouse, the policing minister, this morning revealed he plans to take five members of his team out for a festive meal next week, one of his colleagues appears to have done likewise.
Taking out my parliamentary staff team last night, including those who left during lockdown gave me a chance to thank them for keeping the office going for constituents. Thanks for a great meal, @Lobster_Grill, a great local biz always trying to keep fresh (stock photo) pic.twitter.com/l0zfISDggJ
Ministers appear to be reacting to some of the concern sparked by comments last week after Dr Jenny Harries suggested people should not socialise unnecessarily amid the spread of the omicron variant, which has caused a "domino effect" of cancellations.
George Freeman, the science minister who revealed he had cancelled his team's Christmas party in favour of a Zoom bash, might want to take note.
See 8:04am for more
10:25 AM
'Think of others' and get your booster jab, says Sir Keir Starmer
Sir Keir Starmer holds up his vaccination card after receiving his Covid booste - PA
Sir Keir Starmer has urged people not to allow "misinformation" to put them off getting their Covid-19 vaccinations, after he received his booster jab.
Speaking at the Macey Chemist vaccination centre in London on Monday, the Labour leader said: "I would encourage absolutely everyone who is eligible to come forward and have their booster. Don't be taken in by the misinformation.
"Come forward, have your booster, think of yourself, think of others, think of your communities. Places like this are open. It's quick, it's easy. Please do it."
10:12 AM
Liam Halligan: The public has turned against the excesses of the lockdown fanatics
This time last year, Professor Neil Ferguson observed how China’s draconian anti-Covid restrictions had influenced the response to the virus across the Western world – not least the UK, writes Liam Halligan.
“We couldn’t get away with it in Europe, we thought,” said the epidemiologist, dubbed Professor Lockdown. But after Italy shut down “we realised we could”.
Controlling where people go and who they meet was seen as a non-starter in a liberal democracy. How wrong that turned out to be. Not only did people accept the lockdowns, but there was a level of enthusiasm for them – and a level of derision for those who questioned them – that astonished those of us who had thought that the UK was a nation committed to liberty.
It is not clear, yet, that we are heading back to the dark days of truly draconian anti-Covid measures. But the early signs aren’t good.
Policing minister 'surprised' if there weren't illegal drug users in Parliament
The policing minister has said he would be "surprised" if people weren't using illegal drugs on the parliamentary estate, after traces of cocaine were found on multiple toilets and cannabis use reported.
Touting his new 10-year drugs strategy to cut down on middle class usage, Kit Malthouse told Sky News: "There are obviously several thousand people who work on the estate and I would be surprised if there weren't some lifestyle users of drugs amongst them, I have to say."
Mr Malthouse told Times Radio: "There is no reason why shouldn't have that dog outside Westminster station or Sloane Square... to throw that net wide."
He told BBC Breakfast that police "had a duty to investigate" such allegations.
Yvette Cooper, the shadow home secretary, also backed an investigation, telling Sky News: "It's not something I've ever seen but I think the Speaker of the House of Commons is absolutely right to say this has to be referred to the Metropolitan Police."
09:37 AM
Sir Keir Starmer takes aim at Boris Johnson's drug strategy
Keir Starmer receives his Covid-19 booster jab - Getty
Sir Keir Starmer has received his Covid booster jab - and taken aim at Boris Johnson's plans to deal with the rise in drug-related crime.
As part of a 10-year drugs strategy, police are being handed £145 million to try to "wipe out" county lines gangs, an expansion of drug testing to anyone arrested or serving community sentences and an increase of £550 million for community drug treatment services.
But the Labour leader said he would challenge the Prime Minister " not just over the plans today but the money they have taken out of the system - millions and millions of pounds - over the years."
He added: "The Prime Minister should take responsibility for the money that has been taken out of criminal justice, that has caused many of these problems."
09:32 AM
Foreign Secretary attacks 'appalling' prison sentence for Aung San Suu Kyi
Aung San Suu Kyi's prison sentence was "another appalling attempt... to stifle opposition and suppress freedom and democracy". - AP
The Foreign Secretary has attacked Myanmar's generals after the country's UK-educated ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi was jailed for four years for incitement against the military.
The sentence is the first verdict in multiple charges that could put the Nobel Peace Prize winner behind bars for the rest of her life.
Liz Truss said the prison sentence was "another appalling attempt by Myanmar's military regime to stifle opposition and suppress freedom and democracy".
"The United Kingdom calls on the regime to release political prisoners, engage in dialogue and allow a return to democracy. The arbitrary detention of elected politicians only risks further unrest," she added.
Ms Suu Kyi, 76, was detained and put under house arrest by the junta when it seized power in a February coup and has since been hit with 11 charges that have combined maximum sentences of more than 100 years.
09:11 AM
This Christmas will be better for everyone - except county lines gangs, says Boris Johnson
Boris Johnson attends a pre raid briefing at Merseyside Police HQ as part of 'Operation Toxic' to infiltrate county lines gangs - Getty
Boris Johnson has said this Christmas will be "considerably better than last Christmas - with the possible exception of county lines drugs gangs".
The Government is planning to "come down hard" on those pushing unlawful narcotics, the Prime Minister told reporters this morning.
09:09 AM
Boris Johnson vows to tackle middle-class drug users 'who don't think they are part of the problem'
Boris Johnson has said he will not "stand idly by" and allow lifestyle drugs users to continue, as he vowed to get "very tough" on both sides of the problem.
The Prime Minister, speaking to broadcasters in Merseyside, said: "You've also got to come down hard on the gangsters who are making hell of people's lives... You've got to be tougher on the county lines gangs, you've got to be tougher on the criminals who are doing it, but you've also got to make sure that you find those 300,000 people and you help them."
Challenged about plans to tackle middle-class users, he added: "We are looking at doing things to tackle those so -called lifestyle users who don't think they are part of the problem.
"All of the demand is helping to create the problem."
09:04 AM
Boris Johnson vows to 'ramp up campaign against county lines' as part of drugs strategy
The Prime Minister said the Government's 10-year drugs strategy, due to be published on Monday, will see "problem drug users" placed into rehab.
Speaking to broadcasters in Merseyside, Boris Johnson said: "What's new is that we are putting a lot more investment, number one, into tackling the 300,000 problem drug users who drive about half the acquisitive crime and about half of the homicides in this country.
"Crime has been coming down overall over the past couple of years, but we are seeing a lot of problems caused by this 300,000 problem drugs users," he added. "So what we're doing is we are ramping up our campaign against the county lines networks that are preying on these users.
"You've got to invest in rehabilitation; everyone who knows about drugs crime will tell you that (these) 300,000 people, their lives, they are chaotic. They need to be taken off drugs, they need to be put into rehab, so you've got to invest in rehab."
09:02 AM
Omicron restrictions not 'shutting stable door after horse has bolted', Boris Johnson insists
Boris Johnson talks to police officers and police dog Ozzy as part of 'Operation Toxic' to infiltrate county lines gangs - Getty
Boris Johnson has denied scientists' allegations that introducing travel restrictions to slow the spread of omicron is like "shutting the stable door after the horse has bolted".
Visiting police in Merseyside, the Prime Minister told reporters: "No, I think what we're doing is responding to the pandemic.
"We were the first country in the world to take decisive measures to tackle omicron. We put about 10 countries automatically, immediately, on to the red list and we said that anybody coming from any country in the world would have to quarantine for a couple of days.
"We're now going further and toughening those measures up as we see the spread of omicron around the world.
"I don't think we need to change the overall guidance and advice we're giving about omicron in this country. We're still waiting to see exactly how dangerous it is, what sort of effect it has in terms of deaths and hospitalisations."
08:56 AM
Stay at home if you have a 'sniffle', says epidemiologist
People with "sniffles" should work from home and avoid Christmas parties in a bid to stem the spread of coronavirus, according to Tim Spector, from the Covid Zoe app.
The professor of genetic epidemiology at King's College London said the UK should be "much more open-minded about who we are testing" and "get more people to isolate at least for a few days with cold-like symptoms".
"At the moment, we're estimating that somewhere between one and three and one in four colds are actually due to Covid," he told Times Radio. "That's quite a high rate of people that are currently not even bothered to get a lateral flow test, or getting a PCR test, going to parties and spreading it around.
"So if that transfers to omicron then we're going to be compiling that problem much faster than we would need to."
He added: "We want to tell people that if you don't feel well that day, don't go out, don't go to work, work from home, because the start of that sniffle, the start of that sore throat, that headache could be a mild dose of Covid that is just breaking through your vaccine."
08:54 AM
Health and social care levy will ‘only go up’, warns Jeremy Hunt
Boris Johnson's health and social care levy will "only go up" because of the growing costs associated with Britain's ageing population, Jeremy Hunt has said.
Mr Hunt, a former health secretary, said the Government needed to admit to the public that the 1.25 percentage point hike in National Insurance would increase further in the future.
He said the levy was the "most transparent" way of funding health and social care in a democracy, arguing that the extent of any increase could then be debated at every election.
"I think we need to be honest with people. I'm afraid it's only going to go up in the future – that's because of the pressures of demography," he told Times Radio.
08:48 AM
Next pandemic could be 'more lethal', warns scientist behind the Oxford jab
Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert, one of the creators of the Oxford/AstraZeneca vaccine, who has warned that another pandemic will threaten human lives - PA
A future pandemic could be "more contagious" and "more lethal" than Covid-19, Professor Dame Sarah Gilbert has warned, urging against complacency when preparing for new disease threats.
Delivering the 44th Richard Dimbleby Lecture Dame Sarah, the co-creator of the Oxford-AstraZeneca coronavirus vaccine, said the scientific advances made in research against fighting deadly viruses "must not be lost".
"This will not be the last time a virus threatens our lives and our livelihoods," Dame Sarah said. "The truth is, the next one could be worse. It could be more contagious, or more lethal, or both."
She went on to add: "We cannot allow a situation where we have gone through all we have gone through, and then find that the enormous economic losses we have sustained mean that there is still no funding for pandemic preparedness. The advances we have made, and the knowledge we have gained, must not be lost."
So far the coronavirus has killed more than five million people and infected at least 265 million. But Dame Sarah warned that "this pandemic is not done with us" yet, amid mounting fears of the threat posed by the omicron variant - which has now been detected in more than 30 countries across the globe.
08:33 AM
'I am not an investigator': Minister challenged over Christmas party assurances
A minister has declined to comment on how he could be reassured that no rules were broken last year, when there have been no denials that a Christmas party took place on December 18.
Asked if a similar gathering - with "drinks, nibbles and party games involving several dozen people" - could have taken place at the BBC within the rules, Kit Malthouse told the Today programme: "You are asking me a hypothetical question... You would have had to abide by the restrictions."
The policing minister said he had received assurances that "no rules were broken", but when challenged, he said: "I wasn't there, I don't know".
Asked how the description of what happened could square with following the rules at the time, he said: "It doesn't mean that is actually what took place...
"I have asked whether regulations were complied with as part of my briefing for this interview, and I was reassured that all the regulations were complied with," he said. "I am not an investigator, My job is to seek reassurance because I thought I would get this question, and that's what I've done.
08:24 AM
Calling travels restrictions 'apartheid' is 'very unfortunate language', says minister
A minister has criticised the UN secretary-general's description of travel restrictions imposed on the southern African nations that first detected the omicron variant as "apartheid".
Kit Malthouse, the policing minister, told BBC Radio 4's Today programme Antonio Guterres's choice of phrase was "very unfortunate language".
He added: "I understand the difficulties, but we are trying to buy a little it of time so our scientists at Porton Down can... assess how difficult t is going to be as a country to deal with....
"We have to think about the safety of the British people first," he added. "I think that language is a bit unfortunate, but I understand the disappointment."
However the Nigerian high commissioner to London, Sarafa Tunji Isola, said he agrees with the term.
He told the same programme: "Nigeria is actually aligned with the position of the UN secretary-general that the travel ban is apartheid, in the sense that we're not dealing with an endemic situation, we are dealing with a pandemic situation and what is expected is a global approach, not selective."
08:18 AM
Christmas Day not 'under threat' - but people might want to 'think twice' about festive parties
Christmas Day and Boxing Day are not "under threat" from Covid because there tends to be less widespread mixing on those days, but people may want to "think twice" about joining parties beforehand, an expert has said.
Professor Paul Hunter, from the school of medicine at the University of East Anglia, said there were probably more than 1,000 cases in the UK at the moment.
But he told BBC Breakfast: "The thing about Christmas Day itself is that when we meet with our families, we actually interact with fewer people over the Christmas break than we do in our normal working week.
"Often respiratory viruses like Covid spread less rapidly through society while we're on our Christmas break than they do at other times... So personally, I don't think the primary focus of the Christmas break where you meet with your family on Christmas Day, Boxing Day is under threat.
"Clearly if you're a vulnerable person, and if you've not been vaccinated or you've not had your booster then think twice about maybe going to the office party, that sort of thing, but in terms of the Christmas Day and surrounding days, I don't think that is really under threat."
08:13 AM
Senior Labour MP vows to 'look into' lack of investigation into No 10 Christmas party
Yvette Cooper has said she will "look into" what communication there was with the Metropolitan Police about allegations a party took place in No 10 Downing Street during coronavirus restrictions last year.
Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick said on Friday morning that she was not aware of any complaints being received on the issue at that stage. Subsequently, several Labour MPs have written to the force, calling for an investigation to begin.
The shadow home secretary told Sky News: "We may need to follow up on this but I just don't understand that response because you know, I understand that other MPs have raised it directly with her and also that it has been in the newspapers repeatedly.
"So I just simply don't understand this idea of them not being aware of it."
Pressed on the issue, the Labour MP said: "I wanted to find out what's happened because my understanding is that this has actually been raised with her and she has been sent questions about this by other MPs, by other London MPs. So I will look into what has happened here."
08:12 AM
Arthur Labinjo-Hughes's father and stepmother should get whole-life sentences, says minister
The policing minister has said he would like to see Arthur Labinjo-Hughes's father and stepmother given whole-life sentences.
"Yes I would. I was surprised that they didn't," Kit Malthouse said when asked on Times Radio.
Emma Tustin was ordered to serve a minimum of 29 years for killing Arthur Labinjo-Hughes, while the boy's father Thomas Hughes was given 21 years in prison for manslaughter.
Nadhim Zahawi, the Education Secretary, is expected to give a statement to the House later today about plans for a national review into "the circumstances leading up to his tragic death to determine what improvements are needed by the agencies that came into contact with him".
08:08 AM
Shadow home secretary hits out Parliament's hypocritical 'law-breaking' behaviour
Yvette Cooper has hit out at the hypocrisy of drug taking in Westminster, as she backed a possible police investigation after traces of cocaine were found in numerous site in Parliament.
Asked how surprised she would be if there were drug users in the House of Commons, the shadow home secretary told Sky News: "It's not something I've ever seen but I think the Speaker of the House of Commons is absolutely right to say this has to be referred to the Metropolitan Police.
"You can't have an institution that's supposed to be law-making and in fact have within it so much law-breaking, so I think it's absolutely right that this is properly investigated."
08:04 AM
Minister to mask up and take test before rule-of-six Christmas party
The policing minister will be "masked up" and take a Covid test before joining a staff Christmas party with just five colleagues, he revealed this morning.
Kit Malthouse told Sky News: "I will be taking my team for Christmas dinner next week out in the west end to support that industry.
"We will be masked up where appropriate and taking a lateral flow test before going, as I did this morning."
Asked how many people will take part, he added: "There will be six of us."
Although there is no rule of six, his comments hark back to previous restrictions on the size that a group could meet, and come after colleagues suggested people restrain their behaviour in the festive period.
Last week Therese Coffee, the Work and Pensions Secretary, urged people not to "snog" under the mistletoe, while George Freeman, the science minister, revealed he had cancelled his team's Christmas party in favour of a Zoom bash.
08:01 AM
Christmas party claims should be investigated, says policing minister
Police should investigate claims that a Christmas party was held at Downing Street last year, when London was in tier three restrictions, a minister has said.
Kit Malthouse, the policing minister, insisted that he knew nothing about "this supposed event", but acknowledged that some Labour MPs had raised it as a complaint and that "where a crime has been reported, the police should investigate".
It was a matter for the police whether they did so, he stressed, however.
He added: ""No 10 are reassuring everybody that all rules were complied with during that period and I take that reassurance at face value but no doubt if the police are alerted they will have a look and they will form a view and we'll learn more about it in the days to come.
"The police should be investigating anything that is a historic crime to them.
"If reports are made then inquiries should follow and let's see where it goes after that."
07:47 AM
No 10 party would have broken Covid rules, says Raab
Dominic Raab has acknowledged that a “formal party” in Downing Street last Christmas would have breached Covid-19 guidance but insisted the allegations were “unsubstantiated”.
The Justice Secretary on Sunday became the first Cabinet minister to concede that if reports of two crowded gatherings in Number 10 were accurate, they would have run “clearly contrary to the guidance”.
However, he continued to maintain the Government’s line that the rules had been followed at all times, adding that the onus was on the complainants to come forward and provide evidence.
It follows reports last week that a party was held in Number on December 18 last year when London was under Tier 3 restrictions and the rules explicitly banned work Christmas lunches and parties.
A second leaving do was also reportedly held the previous month for a senior aide, when the country was in the grip of a second lockdown.
07:47 AM
Good Morning
It is a busy day in Westminster, with the clock ticking for the Government on Christmas - but it comes as The Telegraph reveals a fundamental flaw in the key booster programme.
Nearly two-thirds of housebound people are yet to receive Covid booster vaccines after many GPs opted out of delivering top-up jabs.
Ministers were accused of ignoring those at greatest risk from the virus as internal Whitehall data revealed at least 300,000 people unable to travel for jabs have not had a booster.
