Boris Johnson news – live: MPs backing PM over fine endorsing dishonesty and law breaking, Ed Davey says

Chris Mason has been announced as the new political editor of BBC News

The 41-year-old will take over from Laura Kuenssberg next month after spending more than a decade as political correspondent at the broadcaster.

He said: “What a tremendous privilege to take on what, for me, is the most extraordinary job in British broadcasting and journalism.

“I clamber upon the shoulders of giants like Laura, Nick (Robinson) and Andrew (Marr) with a smattering of trepidation and a shedload of excitement and enthusiasm.

“To lead the best team of journalists in the business on the best news patch of the lot is something I’d never even dared dream of. I can’t wait to get started.”

Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross has said the prime minister is a truthful man, but stressed he must explain the circumstances around his recent police fine to the House of Commons.

Previously one of the leading voices in the Conservative Party calling for Boris Johnson to quit, Mr Ross now says he should statm claiming the situation in Ukraine required a stable government in the UK.

On BBC Radio Scotland on Wednesday, the Scottish leader was asked if he believed the Prime Minister was a truthful man.

“Yes, and he’s dealing with the situation in Ukraine and he’s dealing with the situation at home here,” Mr Ross said.

The daughter of a British-US national detained by Iran has staged a demonstration outside the Foreign Office urging the UK government to bring her father home.

Wildlife conservationist Morad Tahbaz, 66, was returned to custody after being allowed out on furlough last month, on the day charity worker Nazanin Zaghari-Ratcliffe and retired civil engineer Anoosheh Ashoori were freed.

His daughter Roxanne said her family was led to believe that he would be included in any deal negotiated at the time, alongside the two dual nationals.

But she said they felt abandoned by the UK Government, with her father now back in prison.

Ms Tahbaz said her mother had also been placed under a travel ban by the Iranian authorities.

Speaking at her protest outside the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) on Wednesday morning, she told the PA news agency: “We’re here today because it’s been one month since Nazanin and Anoosheh have come home, and my father’s still sitting in prison and my mother’s still on a travel ban.

“So we’re hoping to have the press and the media help us to call on the Government and on the Foreign Secretary (Liz) Truss to keep her promise and bring him home to us, so we can be reunited as a family.”

From the 1701 – 1714 war of Spanish succession to the 2001 – 2021 war in Afghanistan, Britain has changed its leader 18 times. Jon Stone looks at how they all happened:

Priti Patel’s fellow cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg also defended Mr Johnson, telling TalkRadio it was in the “national interest” for him to remain at No 10 and it would be “bad for the world” for him to quit.

“The idea of constant parties at No 10 is simply false,” said Mr Rees-Mogg. “The prime minister was at a few events which have been highlighted – he was not at boozy events.”

He played down the PM’s breach of rules, describing it as “a mistake”, and denied the Tory leader was a “proven liar and hypocrite”.

He accused TalkRadio host Julia Hartley-Brewer, a lockdown sceptic, of wanting Mr Johnson to be replaced because he “did not follow your policy on Covid”.

Rich people may consider financial penalties a minor inconvenience and expense, but many working class people facing fines are severely affected by the emotional distress and financial stress, writes Beth Ashley:

The UK and EU have imposed sanctions on 178 Russian separatists in the Donbas region who backed the illegal invasion of Ukraine – vowing to crack down on those “aiding and abetting” Vladimir Putin’s war machine.

Boris Johnson’s government also announced a series of new sanctions targeting Russian oligarchs’ family members, associates and employees – including Putin’s own assistant.

Our political reporter Adam Forrest has the story:

A Home Office source said Boris Johnson had home secretary Priti Patel’s “full support” after he was fined over lockdown-breaking parties in Downing Street, adding that her support extended to Rishi Sunak.

She was the last cabinet member to express support. The source said it was difficult for Home Office ministers to comment on police investigations.

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has declined to join calls for the prime minister to resign over his fine for a breach of Covid-19 lockdown rules.

Sir Jeffrey said he personally faced difficult times when his father died during the early stages of the pandemic in 2020.

He also welcomed the apology issued by Boris Johnson, which he said went further than former deputy first minister Michelle O’Neill, who attended the funeral of senior republican Bobby Storey during lockdown.

Northern Ireland’s Public Prosecution Service took the decision not to prosecute anyone over attending the Storey funeral.

Sir Jeffrey told media in Bangor, Co Down on Wednesday: “That was a very difficult time for all of us and when I think back to the restrictions that we faced at that time – couldn’t have a wake, only 10 people at the funeral and we obeyed all of the rules.

“Therefore, I understand the anger that people feel about this when those who make the rules are then seen to breach them.”

“I welcome the fact that the Prime Minister has apologised, which I have to say, he’s gone further than for example, our deputy first minister, who said she would not apologise for attending a funeral, which in our opinion, breached many of the rules around the Covid regulations.”

DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson added: “As to the Prime Minister’s future, that is a matter for him and the Conservative Party.

“I’m not going to join in a chorus, because I can’t in the end, influence the decision the Prime Minister has to take.

“He has to take that decision but what we need in the United Kingdom right now is stable government. We need leadership.

Police are investigating an attack on an SDLP election candidate in Belfast as a hate crime.

Elsie Trainor, a candidate in the Belfast South constituency, said she was attacked by two youths who also tried to snatch her mobile phone.

She was pushed against a fence and subjected to sectarian abuse, police said, after she chased the pair who, she said, were removing her election posters.

The Police Service of Northern Ireland have called for information and any potential witnesses to come forward.