Boris Johnson’s ethics advisor quits
Just as Boris hopped to shrug off the scandal of ‘Partygate’, his ethics advisor Lord Geidt has become the second of his ethics advisors to resign in despair. He had been questioned by a cross party of MPs earlier this week when he conceded that Johnson may have broken the ministerial code (if broken, the convention is for a Minister to resign). He was reportedly ‘frustrated’ at his portrayal as a patsy’ and when appearing before MPs on Tuesday, Geidt said that ‘resignation is one of the rather blunt but few tools available to the adviser.’ Lord Geidt’s predecessor, Alex Allan, quit in November 2020 after Boris Johnson ignored his finding that Priti Patel bullied civil servants. The chief whip of the Liberal Democrat party, Wendy Chamberlain MP, has commented, ‘when both of Boris Johnson’s own ethics advisers have quit, it is obvious that he is the one that needs to go.’
Flight to Rwanda cancelled in a blow to Government’s asylum plan
A flight to Rwanda in which up to seven illegal immigrants to the UK were to be transported has been cancelled, due to the intervention of the European court of Human Rights. This is an embarrassing blow to Boris Johnson and Priti Patel, whose Rwanda Asylum Plan has divided opinion. It aims to discourage asylum seekers crossing the channel to the UK in dangerous and desperate trips, and to reduce the cost of administration for these affairs – up to 1.5 billion a year. But it has been challenged on the grounds that it is a breach of human rights. But Johnson and Patel are apparently undeterred, Patel responding that ‘preparation for the next flight begins now’ and Johnson hinting that the UK could leave the European court: ‘will it be necessary to change some laws to help us as we go along? It may be.’
Russia bans 29 UK journalists
Russia has released a list of 29 UK Journalists banned due to the accusation that they have ‘spread false information about Russia’ in a statement released by the ministry. The list includes journalists working for the BBC, the Sunday Times, Daily Mail, Daily Telegraph, the Independent, Sky News, and others, as well as several figures ‘associated with the defence complex’ such as military figures. This is part of Russia’s crackdown on journalism – US and Canadian journalists and officials have already been banned, and in Russia ‘fake news at variance with government accounts about the military’ can be punished with a prison sentence of up to fifteen years. As a result, Russian people have little access to independent reporting as significant outlets diverging from government policy have been closed. The Russian Foreign Ministry has announced that ‘work on expanding the Russian stop list will continue.’
Train strikes next week, largest scale to date
Train strikes are due to take place next week on the 21, 23 and 25 of June, with 1/5 of services reportedly being left to run. This is expected to carry over to non-strike days too, when 60% of services will be running. Described as the ‘biggest rail strike in modern history’ the strikes are due to Network Rail plans to cut 2500 jobs as part of a 2bn reduction in spending. Job cuts would include workers who maintain tracks, signals and overhead lines. Train operators have also been reportedly subject to pay freezes. Passengers have been encouraged by network rail not to use trains next week, but millions will be affected by the strikes and there are doubts that produce transported by rail to supermarkets will also be compromised.
