Boris Johnson latest news: PM ‘must be questioned’ in Ghani probe

Boris Johnson has refused to say whether the chief whip Mark Spencer will keep his job amid claims a minister was sacked in 2020 because of her “Muslimness”.

When asked about Mr Spencer’s future, the prime minister said: “This is something I take personally extremely seriously….we must wait and see what the investigation produces.”

Boris Johnson has spoken out for the first time about claims made by one of his MPs about Islamophobia at the top of the party.

Speaking to reporters on a visit today to Milton Keynes University Hospital, Mr Johnson insisted he was taking Nusrat Ghani’s claims “extremely seriously”.

“I took them very seriously when they were raised with me 18 months ago … very glad there’s an investigation taking place now,” he said, adding: “I can’t say more, really, about it.”

Asked if chief whip Mark Spencer could stay in post while the investigation was conducted, the PM dodged the question, saying: “This is something I take personally extremely seriously, I took it very seriously 18 months ago, we must wait and see what the investigation produces.”

Bookmakers have shortened the odds on Boris Johnson being replaced as prime minister following outrage over his attendance at a “bring your own booze” event at the height of lockdown.

Several Tory MPs have broken rank to say the No 10 garden gathering on 20 May 2020 may be resigning matter – warning that Mr Johnson’s position could soon be “untenable” — his position made ever-more perilous by the steady stream of damaging allegations continuing to come forward in the press.

Mr Johnson is now odds-on to be replaced in 2022, according to one leading betting firm. “Our betting indicates the PM is unlikely to see out the year in No 10,” said Coral’s John Hill. Chancellor Rishi Sunak is the favourite to replace Mr Johnson if there is a leadership contest, narrowly ahead of foreign secretary Liz Truss.

Who else is in the running? Adam Forrest takes a closer look.

Labour’s deputy leader has written to Lord Geidt, the PM’s independent ethics adviser, saying he should be leading the Nusrat Ghani inquiry.

In an exclusive story by The Times, it is reported Ms Rayner wrote in the letter that Mark Spencer, the chief whip, could have broken the ministerial code.

Appearing to confirm the news, Ms Rayner said: “The ministerial code is crystal clear that discrimination will not be tolerated and it is the job of the adviser on ministerial interests to investigate. It’s very simple.”

Some expert commentary on the Nusrat Ghani sacking inquiry now.

The 1928 Institute, a British-Indian think-tank backed by the University of Oxford, said in a statement:

“We welcome the inquiry into the circumstances surrounding Nusrat Ghani’s firing, and are pleased to see the PM taking steps to tackle any form of discrimination.

“Our research found that this is unfortunately not an isolated incident, with 80 per cent of British Indians facing discrimination due to their identity.

“Many explained this discrimination occurs in the workplace and perpetuates the unequal access to resources faced by ethnic minorities.”

Dr Nikita Ved, co-founder of the institute, added: “We look forward to seeing the outcome of this investigation and hope it contributes to the critical issue of addressing discrimination in the workplace.”

Over to Liz Truss, the foreign secretary who is rumoured to be top of the list to replace Boris Johnson if he resigns as PM. She is calling for “practical solutions” to resolve the deadlock with the EU over the Northern Ireland Protocol, as officials continue to attempt to solve post-Brexit issues.

Ms Truss is travelling to Brussels for her second meeting with European Commission VP Maros Sefcovic since taking over responsibility for the talks following the resignation of Brexit minister Lord Frost.

It is expected that Ms Truss and Mr Sefcovic will hold a “closed” session with just the two principals present before opening up the discussions to include senior UK and EU officials.

In a statement ahead of the talks, Ms Truss said: “Fundamentally this is about peace and stability in Northern Ireland … Rather than re-running past arguments, we need to focus on delivering for the people of Northern Ireland, finding practical solutions to problems on the ground and maintaining the integrity of the United Kingdom.”

The government is seeking substantial changes to the measure, arguing it is hampering the free movement of goods between Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK.

Promises made at the Cop26 summit to prevent the climate emergency are at risk without urgent action, its president Alok Sharma is warning.

Just three months after the landmark summit, there is a danger that the vital pledges made will “wither on the vine”, the cabinet minister will say in a major speech, reports our deputy political editor Rob Merrick.

Cop26 saw the world’s wealthiest countries fail to make commitments to keep global heating to 1.5C – above which scientists warn runaway climate change is inevitable.

Layla Moran, the party’s spokesperson for foreign affairs and international development, released this statement on the issue this morning:

An update on the Ukraine crisis now. Ireland’s foreign affairs minister says plans by Russia to hold military exercises off the coast of Ireland is “not welcome”.

Simon Coveney said the exercises are to take place 240km (150 miles) off the southwest Irish coast.

Mr Coveney said it will take place in international waters but also within Ireland’s exclusive economic zone.

“We don’t have a power to prevent this from happening,” he told reporters ahead of a meeting of EU foreign ministers. “But I have made it clear to the Russian ambassador in Ireland that it’s not welcome.”

Mr Coveney added: “This is not a time to increase military activity and tension in the context of what is happening with and in Ukraine at the moment.”

Let’s hear some more from Nadhim Zahawi now, this time on changing Covid rules in schools.

The education secretary said it was the “right decision” to remove the guideline for pupils in England to wear face coverings in classrooms.

Speaking on BBC Breakfast, he said he trusted headteachers “to do the right thing”.

“I work very closely with them and I’m proud of that – I work very closely with directors of public health. Headteachers and teachers will agree that wearing masks in classrooms actually causes a communication challenge and a learning challenge, which is why I didn’t want them to be in the classroom a day longer than necessary,” Mr Zahawi said.

“When the scientists told us that the peak had been reached on Omicron – and we are seeing a plateauing and a real reduction, for example, in ICU numbers – then it is the right decision we made to take that guideline away.”

Asked whether there would be any sanctions for headteachers who continue to mandate mask-wearing in classrooms, he replied: “No, I will work with headteachers to support them where we can.”