Boris Johnson news – live: Sturgeon says ‘overpowering stench of sleaze’ as PM deemed ‘integrity vacuum’

Chief political commentator John Rentoul isn’t that impressed with Dominic Cummings’ allegations.

He writes: “The most serious charge that Cummings can level against his former boss is that he thought about doing something unethical but didn’t.

“Coming from someone who advised the prime minister to suspend parliament to try to stop it blocking Brexit, and who gleefully allowed journalists to think that the prime minister might break the law that did temporarily block Brexit, I would go for a Scottish legal verdict and say of Cummings’s charges: ‘Not proven.’”

The government is still hunting for the “chatty rat” who leaked plans for the second coronavirus lockdown - according to Whitehall sources who denied claims that Boris Johnson had shut down the investigation.

Press Association reports: “Sources familiar with the inquiry - conducted by the Cabinet Secretary Simon Case - have indicated that it is still ongoing. It was said that it would be “wrong” to assume that it had landed on any one individual - or had completely exonerated anyone.”

It comes after No10 suggested - via briefings to newspapers - that Dominic Cummings was responsible for the leak.

Mr Cummings responded by accusing Boris Johnson of trying to shut down the investigation to prevent fingers being pointed at Henry Newman, then a special adviser in the Cabinet Office and a close friend of the prime minister’s fiancee Carrie Symonds.

Mr Johnson has denied the allegations. Here’s our report on Mr Cummings’ claims yesterday:

Boris Johnson is under pressure to explain how the lavish refurbishment of his Downing Street flat was paid for as the furore around cronyism and conflicts of interest in government grows.

Opposition parties have written to the prime minister demanding a formal investigation into the £200,000 refurb “given the gravity of the new accusations” against the PM.

Here’s policy correspondent Jon Stone with a roundup of how things stand this afternoon:

Back on the campaign trail, and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar is trying to win votes with his dance moves.

He appears to be very familiar with the routine...

Dominic Cummings may use his extensive knowledge of the inner-working of Boris Johnson’s government to damaging effect at his next appearance before Parliament’s Covid committee, according to a report in The Times.

The prime minister’s former top aide is due to give evidence to MPs investigating the government’s handling of the coronavirus pandemic next month. In a blog post last night he said the prime minister had blocked an inquiry into the leak of a decision over the second lockdown after he was told a friend of his fiancee Carrie Symonds would be implicated.

“Dom knows everything,” The Times reported a government source as saying. “It is not going to end well.”

“At the last [select committee appearance] Dom was pretty well behaved. He took a swipe at Hancock but it could have been a hell of a lot worse.

“Boris has made it much more likely that Dom’s evidence will be more forthright than it otherwise would have been.”

Another source reportedly said: “He’s going to be forensic. He’s going to say things that are verifiable, that are backed up by documents and emails. He will be laser-like about it.”

In his blog post last night, Mr Cummings gave his blessing for the government to publish every email he sent during his time in No 10.

Simon Case, the cabinet secretary who Mr Cummings said was the one to tell the prime minister that Ms Symonds’s friend Henry Newman was likely behind the leak, is due to appear before MPs on Monday.

Businesspeople working in coveted Whitehall jobs were offered a meeting with David Cameron as a reward for holding talks with the financier Lex Greensill, a major Tory donor has claimed.

The offer came from Bill Crothers, the former head of government procurement who worked for Greensill capital at the same time as he was a civil servant.

But, according to one Crown Representative, Daniel Green, who says he was offered a meeting with David Cameron, his initial interaction with “shiny-suited salesman” Greensill left him puzzled and unconvinced the financier’s ideas were “a good idea for any government or anybody else.”

The revelation threatens to deepen the scandal that has seen Boris Johnson’s government face allegations Tory sleaze is back and “bigger than ever”.

Whitehall Editor Kate Devlin has the exclusive:

The Scottish Greens will voice support for small renewable energy projects to be owned by the public or local communities during a campaign event in Edinburgh.

Co-leader Lorna Slater will join fellow Lothian candidate Alison Johnstone at Saughton Park to see the “Archimedes Screw” hydro turbine powered by the Water of Leith.

The 39kw turbine powers two ground-source heat pumps and generates power for buildings and lighting in the public park, making it the UK’s first to be powered solely by renewable energy.

Speaking ahead of Saturday’s visit, Ms Slater said: “Local, democratic ownership is at the heart of our plans for a green recovery.

“We think councils should be able to have stakes in local energy companies and we want to increase support for local communities to have ownership of their own local renewable energy projects.

“Local solar, hydro or wind projects can play a big role in cutting Scotland’s emissions as we face up to the climate emergency with the urgency it needs.

“With only nine years left to show leadership on the climate crisis, we need to be empowering our communities to act now. Our future depends on it.”

PA

Sir Keir Starmer has called out the government on BBC News, reiterating Labour’s call for an inquiry into lobbying and cronyism.

“It matters. It is about integrity, it is about taxpayers’ money. Every day there is more evidence of this sleaze. Frankly, it stinks,” the Labour leader said.

“If there is nothing to see here, whether it is the refurb of No 10, whether it is the dodgy contracts, whether it is the privileged access, if there is nothing to see, publish everything, have a full inquiry.

“Sunlight is the best disinfectant.”

Nicola Sturgeon has called for the government to be subject to a 'sleaze' inquiry looking at allegations of "contracts for cronies, donations for decorating and text messages for tax breaks".

Ms Sturgeon said in a statement issued on Saturday: "The stench of sleaze that is surrounding this UK Tory Government is becoming quite overpowering.

"There are very serious allegations being levelled at Boris Johnson and his Government, including by people who worked closely inside it.

"As someone who has recently been subject to far reaching inquiries and scrutiny, a thorough investigation is needed here given the range and seriousness of the allegations.

"The SNP has led calls for a full comprehensive public inquiry and that must happen immediately."