Boris Johnson news: PM referred to police regulator over claims of potential misconduct
Downing Street sources accuse City Hall of political move after Greater London Authority decision
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Your support makes all the difference.The prime minister has been referred to the independent police watchdog over claims of potential “misconduct” while he was London mayor.
The Greater London Authority (GLA) has asked the Independent Office for Police Conduct to assess whether Boris Johnson should be formally investigated over his relationship with the US tech entrepreneur and former model.
It wants the probe to explore whether Ms Arcuri was allowed to join trade missions, and received large grants, “when she and her companies could not have expected otherwise to receive those benefits”.
The referral does not mean or imply he is guilty, but is a request for an investigation. While London mayor, he was also a police and crime commissioner, which is why the police regulator is now involved.
The prime minister denies any impropriety but the announcement comes at the end of a tumultuous week for Mr Johnson.
His right-hand man Dominic Cummings has continued No 10’s ‘people versus parliament’ rhetoric by saying the anger of Leave voters was “not surprising”.
The controversial aide told Labour MP Karl Turner to “get Brexit done”, after the MP said he had received death threats overnight.
Elsewhere in Westminster the SNP said it could support Jeremy Corbyn’s bid for prime minister, in order to stop a no-deal Brexit.
“Nothing is risk free but leaving Johnson in post to force through no deal – or even a bad deal – seems like a terrible idea to me,” party leader Nicola Sturgeon said on Twitter.
An SNP spokesperson said the party was committed to stopping a no-deal Brexit and removing “this dangerous and undemocratic prime minister as soon as possible”.
If you would like to see how the days events unfolded, please see what was our live coverage below
Amber Rudd has accused Boris Johnson of dangerous rhetoric that “does incite violence”.
The former cabinet minister – expelled for voting against Johnson’s government – has condemned No 10’s “casual approach to the safety of MPs and their staff” in an interview the Evening Standard.
She said she was “disappointed and stunned” when Johnson dismissed the “genuine fear that a lot of women have” after the murder of Labour MP Jo Cox.
Rudd said: “The sort of language I’m afraid we’ve seen more and more of coming out from Number 10 does incite violence. It’s the sort of language people think legitimises a more aggressive approach and sometimes violence.”
The MP said she was “looking around” for a constituency to stand in at the next election, if she does need to stand as an “independent Conservative”.
Amber Rudd could stand as independent Conservative (Reuters)
Without any formal recess for the Conservative party conference, MPs and Tory officials will need to shuttle between Westminster and the Manchester Central Convention Complex.
The Independent has produced this handy guide to the various transport options.
More on the ongoing row over BBC Breakfast presenter Naga Munchetty’s remarks about Donald Trump.
Labour MP Clive Lewis has now tabled an early day motion in support Munchetty – and rejecting the BBC’s decision to censure its presenter over critical comments she made about Trump’s infamous “go back” taunts.
The BBC’s director of editorial policy said this morning that while it’s acceptable to characterise racist comments made by public figures as such, staff are not allowed to then imply the person who said them is themselves a racist.
Scottish Tory MP Kirstene Hair said Nicola Sturgeon’s latest remarks – supporting the idea of the Labour leader becoming a caretaker PM – were proof that “SNP MPs will happily prop up Jeremy Corbyn in Number 10”.
The Angus MP also warned it would pave the way for a second independence referendum in Scotland.
Asked about the Benn Act, Dominic Cummings has claimed there are “obviously loopholes in it because the main lawyers are all babbling away on Twitter about the loopholes”.
He added: “They’ve said themselves there are loopholes,” he told Sky News.
Asked if he would exploit the potential loopholes, Cummings replied: “I didn’t say that, did I?”
A veteran Tory MP has hinted that he wore blackface, while describing the practice widely criticised as a racist caricature as an “entirely acceptable bit of fun”.
Sir Desmond Swayne made the comment as he sought to defend Canadian PM Justin Trudeau, whose re-election campaign was near-derailed by disclosures that he had darkened his skin.
The former minister suggested he was “authentic” when posing as soul singer James Brown.
He wrote in a blog post this week: “I once went to a Blues Brothers themed fancy-dress party as James Brown. I went to some trouble to be as authentic as possible. I can assure readers of this column that I have no intention of apologising.”
The BBC’s live political programme editor has defended Politics Live after guest Brendan O’Neill said there “should” be riots over Brexit.
DUP leader Arlene Foster has called for the result of the Brexit referendum to be respected, adding that the UK should leave the EU sensibly.
She told members of the business community in north Belfast on Friday that the fundamental issues of the Withdrawal Agreement “have not changed”.
“The prime minister wants to secure a deal before the UK leaves the European Union,” Foster added.
“We will give every assistance in trying to secure a deal. That has always been our position.
“We want an agreement that works for Northern Ireland and for our neighbours in the Republic of Ireland.
“That agreement must be one which can be supported by both unionists and nationalists however. Not one single unionist MLA supports the Withdrawal Agreement which is one reason why it has floundered.”
Serious and organised crime is increasing but the government does not know why, according to a report.
This type of crime is increasing, with at least 4,500 organised criminal groups active in the UK, costing the economy at least £37 billion a year, the Public Accounts Committee said.
In a report published on Friday it said: "Serious and organised crime is increasing but government does not know why.
“The increase is in part due to a lack of police resourcing; technology enabling crime to move online; and globalisation making it easier to commit crimes in other countries.
“But the department does not know how much of the increase is due to better recording of data or more willingness to report crime.”
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