Boris Johnson newest information: Mendacity to parliament ‘a resigning matter,’ says Raab

Jeremy Hunt has implied he could nicely put himself within the working to be the subsequent Tory chief, however he provides it might “take lots to influence” him.

The previous well being secretary, who now chairs the well being and social care choose committee, mentioned he had “loved being on the backbenches way more than I assumed”.

Talking to political journal The Home, Hunt mentioned he hoped the federal government may “climate this storm and there isn’t a management election” amid rising hypothesis over Boris Johnson’s future.

Pundits have speculated now could be an particularly exhausting time for a brand new chief to take over, as a result of varied nationwide points – akin to the price of residing disaster – at the moment enjoying out underneath Mr Johnson’s administration.

Hunt, who beforehand ran for celebration chief in 2019 following the resignation of then-PM Theresa Could, is is one among a number of senior Tories thought of to be a powerful contender to switch Johnson. Different names embrace chancellor Rishi Sunak and international secretary Liz Truss.

The Court docket of Enchantment has overturned a ruling {that a} Covid contract given to an organization whose founders have been pals of former Downing Road adviser Dominic Cummings was illegal.

Final yr, the Excessive Court docket dominated that the Cupboard Workplace’s determination to award a £550,000 contract to market analysis agency Public First was illegal because it gave rise to “obvious bias” as a result of different companies weren’t thought of.

However right now’s ruling concluded {that a} “fair-minded and fairly knowledgeable observer” wouldn’t see the choice as biased, with Mr Cummings saying it was “excellent news” the Court docket of Enchantment had “seen sense and mentioned I behaved lawfully”.

Our political editor Andrew Woodcock has the total report:

As our residence affairs editor Lizzie Dearden stories:

Our politics reporter Adam Forrest has the next:

YouTube, Twitter, Instagram and TikTok officers are being grilled about influencer tradition and on-line harms by MPs on Digital, Tradition, Media and Sport Committee this morning.

Committee chair Julian Knight mentioned it appeared YouTube had not finished any “substantial analysis” in methods to enhance “methods to guard youngsters” on the platform.

The senior Tory MP Iain Bundred informed YouTube’s head of public of coverage for the UK Iain Bundred “it sounds such as you do completely nothing about it”.

Bundred mentioned it was “definitely not the case”. He mentioned YouTube’s youngster security insurance policies don’t enable “content material that endangers the emotional and bodily wellbeing of youngsters” – and informed MPs that tens of millions of movies that violated the insurance policies had been eliminated final yr.

SNP MP John Nicholson requested why Instagram had not tackled abuse skilled by influencers on the platform.

Tom Gault, public coverage lead for Instagram, mentioned: “We hearken to our group and the suggestions that they provide us,” including: “Final yr we tightened our insurance policies round stopping extra sorts assaults towards public figures … partially as a result of suggestions we bought.”

Final bit from Dominic Raab’s media spherical this morning. The deputy PM and justice secretary appeared to briefly admit there was a “celebration” in No 10 whereas the remainder of the nation confronted extreme Covid lockdown restrictions – earlier than going again on his remarks.

His feedback got here as he tried to dismiss the explosive claims from Dominic Cummings, the previous chief Downing Road adviser, that Boris Johnson had lied to parliament.

In a clumsy alternate, Raab informed Sky Information: “There was hypothesis that the 20 Could celebration was held in my honour to thank me – it’s simply ridiculous. After all not, ridiculous”. When challenged by presenter Kay Burley, who mentioned “so it was a celebration on 20 Could then”, Raab backtracked, saying: “No, no, no – that is the declare that was made.”

Our political correspondent Ashley Cowburn has extra:

The shadow pensions secretary has accused Dominic Raab of being “totally out of contact with public opinion” after the latter claimed Britons weren’t all that indignant with Boris Johnson over partygate.

“After I’ve been out and out, persons are livid… I’ve been stopped on the street on this. Individuals are livid at Boris Johnson they usually’re sick to demise of his lies,” Labour MP Jonathan Ashworth informed Sky Information.

Sky’s Kay Burley challenged this level, saying Raab had solely moments in the past been on her present to say “that wasn’t what he was listening to on the doorstep”.

Ashworth, who was shadow well being secretary whereas the alleged events befell in No 10, added if MPs “inboxes have been something to go by”, there could be little question if the general public was indignant on the PM.

There’s extra hassle for Boris Johnson’s celebration now, as Tory peer Michelle Mone is being investigated over alleged hyperlinks between her and an organization that was awarded PPE contracts value greater than £200m through a “VIP lane”.

PPE Medpro Restricted was awarded an £80.85m contract in Could 2020 to provide the NHS with masks, and a £122m contract the next month to provide surgical robes, stories Lamiat Sabin. It’s alleged that Girl Mone had advisable the corporate to the Cupboard Workplace in Could 2020.

The Home of Lords commissioner for requirements has now launched an inquiry after a criticism was made by Labour peer George Foulkes on 6 January.

As Byline Occasions’ Adam Bienkov stories: