Rishi Sunak news – live: Met Police open fresh inquiries into two more Partygate allegations

The Metropolitan Police said it has reopened its investigation into potential Covid regulation breaches during an event at Conservative Campaign Headquarters in December 2020 and has launched a new probe into a gathering in Parliament during the same month.

Rishi Sunak said people can spend Government payments designed to help with the cost-of-living crisis on food when challenged over food insecurity.

In a heated exchange during his appearance before the Commons Liaison Committee, Catherine McKinnell, the Labour MP who chairs the Petitions Committee, pointed to figures suggesting one in seven people are cutting back or going without food because of a lack of money.

The Prime Minister noted the support people are receiving with their energy bills and the rise in the national living wage, adding that the most vulnerable households “will receive direct cost-of-living support through the welfare system”.

He continued: “All the money that people are receiving can be used for whatever they deem is most important to them, including food. The cost-of-living payments that are going to people can be spent on food.”

Plymouth Moor View MP Mr Mercer later commented on Twitter after facing social media criticism for his remarks.

“Enjoying the collective bed-wetting on this,” he posted.

“Military personnel should not be using food banks - period. Disagree if you like, but that is true.

“If you are serving personnel and you are using a food bank because you are ‘starving’ please do call me and I will come and see you.”

We know it is possible to make the National Health Service work, because Tony Blair did it, John Rentoul writes.

Some of his advisers were nervous when he said in 2002 that if the NHS was not “basically fixed” by the next election, “I am quite happy to suffer the consequences”, because they worried that it would be a hostage to fortune.

But the NHS was improving fast by the 2005 election, and it was in fact “basically fixed” by the end of the Labour government in 2010. Waiting lists had fallen to such a level that people were barely aware of them. Most targets were being met, allowing the NHS to focus on more difficult challenges, such as the early diagnosis and treatment of cancers. Patient satisfaction was at a record high.

So when Sajid Javid, who was health secretary for a year until a year ago, says that the NHS is “unsustainable” and needs “fundamental change”, the correct response is to point out that this is only true because we have had a Conservative government for 13 years that has systematically “un-fixed” it.

Rishi Sunak has declined to say when he will fulfil his promise of stopping small boat crossings but denied it is on hold while the Rwanda policy is grounded by court challenges.

The Prime Minister also said on Tuesday he is “throwing everything at” tackling inflation, as he struggles to achieve the five priorities on the six-month anniversary of setting them.

Facing questions from senior MPs, Mr Sunak denied he has no plan B if the Supreme Court does not overturn the ruling blocking the forceful removal of asylum seekers to Kigali.

He told the Liaison Committee ministers will challenge the appeals court judgment “confidently and vigorously”.

Home Affairs chairwoman Dame Diana Johnson asked: “So you’re betting everything on the Rwanda policy being upheld in the Supreme Court?”

Mr Sunak replied: “No, that’s not a fair characterisation of what we’re doing.”

Asked if his pledge to “stop the boats” is on hold, he said: “No, and a good example of why it’s not on hold is our deal with Albania.”

But pressed on when he will achieve it, Mr Sunak said: “The court will have to determine its own ruling and that’s outside the Government’s hands.

“But in the meantime we can get on with a range of other things.”

Remarks from eight separate Conservative politicians were named in the Privileges Committee report, which highlighted comments by allies of Boris Johnson said to have put “improper pressure” on MPs investigating the former prime minister.

The committee cited comments by senior MPs including Nadine Dorries, Sir Jacob Rees-Mogg and Dame Priti Patel along with peers including Lord Goldsmith – a serving minister – claiming it was part of a co-ordinated attempt to undermine the panel’s work.

The committee said MPs should consider whether their actions could be considered a contempt of Parliament and what further action to take.

Rishi Sunak was avoided a question at the Liaison Committee on whether the government has a “plan B” if the government’s appeal against a High Court judgement ruling plans to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda are unlawful is unsuccessful.

The prime minister has previously stated that the government will seek permission to appeal against the decision at the Supreme Court as he insisted that Rwanda was a safe country and said that the court had agreed with this.

Appearing before parliament’s Liaison Committe on Tuesday, 4 July, the prime minister did not say whether the government has alternative plans if the scheme is not upheld in the Supreme Court.

Rishi Sunak defended his absence from the vote on whether Boris Johnson lied to Parliament.

The Prime Minister was challenged about his decision to miss the vote to attend a Jewish Care dinner, even though other MPs at the event managed to make it back to the Commons to take part.

He told the Liaison Committee: “I chose to fulfil my obligation to an incredible charity, for whom that is one of their significant fundraising moments of the year.”

Mr Sunak also said he had not fully read a Privileges Committee report on allies of Mr Johnson seeking to undermine the work of the panel during its investigation into the former prime minister.

Tory peer Lord Goldsmith quit as a minister after Mr Sunak asked him to apologise after being named in the report.

The Prime Minister said: “I’ve read the findings of the report, I haven’t read the report yet cover to cover.”

Asked if the Tory MPs named in the report should apologise, Mr Sunak said there was a difference because of Lord Goldsmith’s position as a minister.

Rishi Sunak has admitted he has not read the Privileges Committee report in full, despite being reminded it was only “three pages”.

The confession came as he was challenged for missing a vote on damning conclusions that Boris Johnson repeatedly lied to Parliament over parties in Downing Street.

Tory peer Lord Goldsmith quit as a minister after Mr Sunak asked him to apologise after being named in the report.

The Prime Minister said: “I’ve read the findings of the report, I haven’t read the report yet cover to cover.”

Asked if the Tory MPs named in the report should apologise, Mr Sunak said there was a difference because of Lord Goldsmith’s position as a minister.

The prime minister has been criticised for missing PMQs at a “critical point” in parliament.