Government watchdog calls for review of foreign CCTV technology in Whitehall after Matt Hancock leak

Government watchdog calls for review of the use of foreign CCTV technology in Whitehall after a video of Matt Hancock clinch with Gina Coladangelo was leaked Requested in letter from the Biometrics and Surveillance Camera Commissioner Fraser Sampson said ‘risks and considerations are complex and multi-faceted’ False claims blamed leak of Hancock clip on hostile … Read more

Government ‘spent taxpayers’ money on conducting political polling’

Government ‘spent taxpayers’ money on political polling on opposition leaders after Dominic Cummings ordered surveys to gauge public attitudes on initial coronavirus crisis’, new emails published by Good Law Project suggest Emails unearthed as part of an ongoing legal challenge against Government They appear to show consultancy firm was instructed to conduct political polling Emails … Read more

BBC’s Andrew Marr warns of ‘danger’ of having too many former journalists in corridors of power

BBC’s Andrew Marr warns of ‘danger’ of having too many former journalists in corridors of power Marr said ex-reporters like Gove and Johnson have a tendancy to ‘exaggerate’ He added that we need more ministers who better understand technical details  He emphasised need for broadcasters and the Press to counteract falsehoods By Richard Marsden for … Read more

UK farmers blast trade deal with Australia over cheap import fears

UK farmers have blasted Britain’s new trade deal with Australia as they warned they will be unable to compete with cheap lamb and beef imports.  Boris Johnson and Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison agreed the broad terms of the pact last night with the full agreement expected to be published in the coming days.  The … Read more

David Cameron’s 62 messages to former colleagues pleading for help for Lex Greensill

David Cameron texted ministers and officials 62 times as he desperately lobbied for Greensill Capital, it was revealed yesterday. The former prime minister also made 11 phone calls and sent 12 emails to some of the most senior figures in the Government and the Bank of England during the four-month bombardment. He even turned to … Read more

Keir Starmer’s relaunch descends into shambles amid Rayner row

Keir Starmer‘s attempted relaunch after Labour’s election disaster fell flat today after he blinked first in a standoff with Angela Rayner. The leader has suffered another major blow to his authority amid claims he wanted to shift his deputy into the health brief after stripping her of responsibility for campaigns – but she refused. In … Read more

Don’t hug too much, keep them short and wear a MASK, cautious SAGE scientist warns

Don’t hug too often, keep embraces short and avoid face-to-face contact, is the message from No10’s cautious scientific advisers ahead of the next major relaxation of Covid rules.   Boris Johnson will announce England’s next steps out of lockdown at a 5pm Downing Street press conference today, where he is expected to confirm that friends and … Read more

Lonely losing battle of PM who’d resisted the clamour for lockdowns writes ANDREW PIERCE 

As No10 officials and senior ministers joined Boris Johnson in the Cabinet Room the mood was bleak. For weeks the Prime Minister had been rejecting calls to impose a second lockdown, not just from Cabinet colleagues but also from the scientists. But, with the number of Covid infections and deaths on an obstinately upward curve, … Read more