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UK to suppy Stormer anti-aircraft missile launchers to Ukraine
The UK will ship armoured anti-aircraft automobiles to Ukraine to assist Kyiv’s forces as they face a Russian onslaught within the nation’s east, PA Media reviews. PA says:
The Stormer car launches Starstreak anti-aircraft missiles which can be utilized to focus on planes and helicopters.
Boris Johnson is predicted to talk to allies together with US President Joe Biden in the present day to debate Western assist for Ukraine as Russian forces centered on capturing the Donbas area.
The provision of the Stormer to Ukraine comes after the UK invited Ukrainian generals to Salisbury Plain earlier this month to see the army package which may very well be obtainable to them, together with armoured automobiles.
The supply of Stormers – reported by the Solar – has not but been formally confirmed, however defence secretary Ben Wallace is predicted to replace MPs this week.
A defence supply mentioned: “It’s no secret that the UK has dedicated to serving to Ukraine with its anti-air capabilities. The defence secretary will probably be making a press release to parliament this week.”
Labour has mentioned it will insulate 2m homes inside a yr to slash payments and cut back reliance on Russian fuel, accusing Boris Johnson of a “shameful” failure to cease Britain’s properties leaking warmth, my colleague Rob Davies reviews.
And listed below are some extra traces from the Keir Starmer’s interview with ITV’s Lorraine.
- Starmer mentioned it was “offensive” for No 10 to make use of the Ukraine struggle as a cause to argue Boris Johnson needed to stay in workplace. He mentioned:
I don’t actually purchase into this concept, by the best way, that Johnson is the one particular person of any significance within the Ukraine disaster … He’s utilizing that, actually, as a defend and I believe that’s fairly offensive.
- He mentioned Tory MPs have been making a “enormous mistake” in the event that they thought the general public would simply overlook about Partygate. “I believe individuals nonetheless speak about this, they actually harm about it,” he mentioned.
- He mentioned he believed Johnson had lied to parliament about it.
Starmer says Tory MPs needs to be ashamed of defending PM over breaking lockdown guidelines
Keir Starmer has additionally ridiculed the declare that Boris Johnson’s superb for breaking lockdown guidelines was like a rushing ticket. In an interview on ITV’s Lorraine this morning, he mentioned:
I’ve by no means had anyone break down in entrance of me as a result of they couldn’t drive at 35mph in a 30mph zone; I’ve had no finish of individuals in tears – in actual bits – about complying with guidelines that actually, actually harm them.
In a reference to ministers like Brandon Lewis, Starmer mentioned there had been a “pathetic show of Tory MPs going out to defend the indefensible” and it was “one thing all of them should be ashamed of”.
In his in a single day story my colleague Aubrey Allegretti confirms that the native elections have turn into the brand new Sue Grey report – the occasion being cited by Tory MPs because the second when they might take a call about eradicating Boris Johnson. (“Now” by no means appears to be the correct time.)
In an interview on the In the present day programme, Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, treasurer of the Conservative 1922 Committee, mentioned that his colleagues weren’t calling for the prime minister to go for the time being as a result of “they’re withholding their judgment and ready to see what occurs”.
He mentioned he needed to see “all of the proof” which would come with whether or not extra fines are issued, what Sue Grey has to say when she publishes her last, full report into Partygate, and what the decision of the British individuals is within the native authorities elections.
Triggering a management contest now can be a mistake, he mentioned. He defined:
At a time when hundreds of our constituents are dealing with the most important squeeze of their value of residing for a technology, when we face a bloody struggle in Europe the like of which we haven’t seen because the second world struggle, once we are seeing a slowdown of the world financial system due to all of that – to pressure the prime minister out and have instability on the prime of presidency for a minimum of two months, as I do know as treasurer of the 1922 once we re-selected a successor to Theresa Could, I believe can be not within the nation’s pursuits.
Evaluating PM’s lockdown superb to parking ticket ‘insult to bereaved households’, says Ed Davey
Ed Davey, the Lib Dem chief, has known as Brandon Lewis’s feedback this morning (see 9.34am) “an insult to bereaved households”. He mentioned in a press release:
The reasons of Conservative ministers are getting extra pathetic by the day. There’s a huge distinction between getting a parking superb and Boris Johnson breaking his personal lockdown guidelines.
It’s an insult to bereaved households and all those that made enormous sacrifices whereas Johnson partied in Quantity 10. Conservative MPs want to find their ethical spine and sack Johnson as a substitute of defending the indefensible.
Brandon Lewis mocked for evaluating Johnson’s Partygate superb to a rushing ticket:
Good morning. It was mentioned that Boris Johnson was a politician who at all times refused to apologise for something. Whereas in some respects true (though most politicians are loth to difficulty an apology), it’s now not a helpful remark to make about Johnson as a result of he has now established fairly a considerable again catalogue of Partygate apologies. We’ll get one other addition to the gathering in the present day.
In the present day’s is prone to be modelled on the assertion he made on digicam at Chequers per week in the past in the present day which began:
In the present day I’ve obtained a fixed-penalty discover from the Metropolitan police referring to an occasion in Downing Road on 19 June 2020, and let me say instantly that I’ve paid the superb and I as soon as once more provide a full apology.
And in a spirit of openness and humility, I wish to be utterly clear about what occurred on that date.
During the last week a few of Johnson’s aides and allies have been briefing journalists, with out attribution, that the superb doesn’t matter a lot as a result of it’s akin to a parking ticket, or a rushing offence. This morning. Brandon Lewis, the Northern Eire secretary, tried deploying this argument on the report. He advised Sky Information:
I believe we do see persistently, whether or not it’s via parking fines or rushing fines, ministers of each events through the years have been in that place. We’ve had prime ministers up to now who’ve obtained penalty notices, from what I can see, and likewise frontbench ministers.
I noticed there was a parking discover that Tony Blair had as soon as. We’ve seen frontbench Labour ministers and, let’s be frank, authorities ministers as nicely.
You’ve requested me, can somebody who units the legal guidelines and the principles, can additionally they be somebody who breaks the principles. That clearly has occurred with a variety of ministers through the years.
It was not clear what Lewis was referring to – Blair by no means drove a automobile when he was PM, so parking tickets have been a matter for his driver – however the folly of creating the parking/rushing ticket comparability have been highlighted when Lewis tried it once more an hour or so afterward the In the present day programme. He mentioned there had been circumstances up to now the place Labour or Conservative ministers got rushing fines (no point out of Blair and a parking ticket this time). When the presenter, Mishal Husain, requested him to make clear this, Lewis mentioned:
As I say, if someone will get a rushing ticket – and I’m not in any approach making an attempt to equate a rushing ticket that someone has had with the state of affairs of the sacrifices individuals made via Covid, I’ll be actually clear about that …
Husain interrupted, telling Lewis: “You’ve truly actually simply performed that.” Later she advised him:
These have been guidelines that we have been advised we couldn’t even flex as a result of lives are at stake. This was a second of nationwide disaster wherein all our lives modified. And you might be primarily downplaying that by bringing in some spurious reviews that you just’ve heard with out even backing.
At this level Lewis retreated, falling again on his level that when Johnson advised MPs that the principles had been following in No 10, he was saying what he believed to be true on the time.
Opposition celebration MPs have ridiculed Lewis for his feedback. That is from the Inexperienced MP Caroline Lucas.
And that is from the Plaid Cymru MP Hwyel Williams.
Right here is my colleague Aubrey Allegretti’s in a single day preview story. Though there will probably be curiosity within the precise nature of Johnson’s newest apology, and the Tory response to it, the primary information in the present day is prone to come when Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, proclaims how he’ll reply to opposition requires a debate on a movement about claims Johnson intentionally misled MPs. It appears we’re prone to have a vote later this week on some type of contempt movement, both calling for an inquiry, or declaring outright that Johnson did deliberately mislead MPs. Given the dimensions of the Tory majority, Johnson is sort of sure to win, however the opposition events wish to disgrace the MPs who must defend him.
Right here is the agenda for the day.
10.30am: Power firms give proof to the Commons enterprise committee about power costs.
11.30am: Downing Road holds a foyer briefing.
After 3.30pm: Boris Johnson is because of make a press release to MPs, protecting Ukraine and his superb for attending a shock celebration in No 10 in breach of lockdown guidelines.
Early night: Johnson is because of handle a non-public assembly of Conservative MPs.
I attempt to monitor the feedback under the road (BTL) however it’s unattainable to learn all of them. In case you have a direct query, do embody “Andrew” in it someplace and I’m extra prone to discover it. I do attempt to reply questions, and if they’re of basic curiosity, I’ll publish the query and reply above the road (ATL), though I can’t promise to do that for everybody.
If you wish to appeal to my consideration rapidly, it’s in all probability higher to make use of Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow.
Alternatively, you possibly can e mail me at andrew.sparrow@theguardian.com.
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