Politics latest from London: David Davis calls on Boris Johnson to ‘go’ as pressure mounts on PM
ajid Javid holds a press conference to discuss changes to Covid regulations in England announced by Boris Johnson in the Commons earlier.
Mr Javid taking the press conference allows the Prime Minister to avoid further questions from the media amid pressure on him to resign over the Partygate row.
Senior Tory MP and former Brexit secretary David Davis has called on Mr Johnson to step down in a dramatic intervention that will put pressure on the Prime Minister.
Speaking at PMQs in the Commons, Mr Davis said: ‘I expect my leaders to take responsibility for the actions they take.
“Yesterday he did the opposite. I will remind him of a quote from Leo Amery to Neville Chamberlain in 1940: “You have sat there too long for the good you are doing…in the name of God, go.”
It comes as more Tory MPs submitted no-confidence letters to Boris Johnson this morning, according to reports.
Government sources have told Sky News that 12 new letters have been delivered to Sir Graham Brady, the chairman of the 1922 Committee, amid growing anger over Mr Johnson’s explanation of the ‘partygate’ scandal .
Bury South MP Christian Wakeford, who was elected in 2019, crossed the floor of the House of Commons to join Labour. He cited Boris Johnson’s “shameful” conduct as his reason for quitting the Tories.
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Sajid Javid says ‘we’re not at the finish line’ on Covid
The Health Secretary said we are at an important stage but not at the end of the pandemic road.
He said: “We cannot eradicate this virus and its future variants, rather we must learn to live with Covid the same way we learned to live with the flu.”
The government will establish a long-term plan for “living with Covid” this spring.
A pandemic is a marathon “not a sprint”, he said.
Sajid Javid says today ‘marks the start of the next chapter in the country’s fight against Covid-19’
The Health Secretary opened the Downing Street briefing by saying ‘today marks the start of the next chapter’ in the UK‘s fight against Covid.
Flanked by Dr Susan Hopkins, chief medical adviser to the UK Health Security Agency, he said the UK would return to the original Plan A.
He said: “It’s a moment we can all be proud of – the culmination of a brilliant national mission that helped us weather the Omicron wave and bring more freedom to this country.”
He added that as a result the nation is currently “the most open country in Europe” and plans will now go even further.
He said the data shows “Omicron is in retreat.” He points to falls in cases and hospitalizations, adding that the number of people in intensive care beds has returned to levels last seen in July.
Mr Javid will be ready to answer tough questions about when to return to Plan A, which could give Boris Johnson’s popularity a boost.
Sajid Javid will lead the Downing Street press briefing from 5 p.m.
Health Secretary Sajid Javid will hold a press conference shortly.
It comes after the Prime Minister announced that Plan B measures to tackle the spread of Covid-19 were to be scrapped across England.
Daily Covid cases top 100,000
As of 9 a.m. Wednesday, a further 108,069 Covid cases have been recorded in the UK, the government said.
The government also said a further 359 people died within 28 days of testing positive for Covid, bringing the total to 152,872.
Separate figures released by the Office for National Statistics show there have been 177,000 recorded deaths in the UK where Covid-19 was mentioned on the death certificate.
How would a vote of no confidence work?
Despite holding a dominant majority of over 80 seats, Boris Johnson’s future rests in the hands of just 54 Tory MPs.
The figure represents 15 percent of the party’s MPs. There are 360 currently sitting in parliament.
If 54 MPs chose to hand a letter of no confidence to Sir Graham Brady, a vote would be triggered.
A ballot would then be held quickly – likely the same day the threshold is reached or the next day. Only Sir Graham knows how many letters have been submitted and will make an announcement if the number reaches 54.
A vote of confidence in the Prime Minister will take place in secret.
If more than 50% of MPs vote against the Prime Minister, he will be removed from office.
Mr Johnson will also no longer be allowed to stand in subsequent leadership elections. He is expected to resign immediately but would remain in post until a successor is appointed.
Watch: Plan B measures will be dropped across England, says Johnson
Plan B measures will be dropped across England, says Johnson
Yvette Cooper calls PMQ performance ‘chaotic’
Yvette Cooper described Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s appearance at PMQs as ‘chaotic’.
The shadowy interior secretary said: ‘I think it’s just chaotic.
“I think he doesn’t take it seriously. He doesn’t take it seriously.
“I don’t think he takes people’s anger about what happened seriously. You just can’t behave like that.
Lateral flow tests ‘won’t stay free’, says No10
Lateral flow tests will not remain free in the UK, Downing Street has confirmed.
“In our autumn and winter plan that we published last year, we made it clear that at a later stage the government, as our response to the virus evolves, universal free provision of things like lateral flow testing will end and we will update once we are in that position,” a spokesperson said.
“No decision has been made on when that will happen, it will depend on what we see in terms of the epidemiology in this country and we will keep that under review.”
Rayner welcomes Wakeford to work
Deputy Labor Party leader Angela Rayner said she “welcomed” Christian Wakeford’s joining the Labor Party.
Speaking to the media as she left parliament, she said: “I’m looking forward to it, I’m really looking forward to it.”
She did not answer any questions about her previous vote.
PM ‘will fight against any attempt to overthrow him as leader’
The Prime Minister’s press secretary has suggested that Boris Johnson will fight any attempt to unseat him as leader, writes Rachel Burford.
When asked if the Prime Minister would fight a vote of ‘confidence’ by his MPs, his press officer replied: “Yes”.
She added: “Our goal is very clear in terms of delivering the ambitious agenda that we set out, for which we were elected in 2019 and we want to continue to work together as Conservatives to achieve that.”
On the defection of MP Christian Wakeford, she said the party was “obviously sorry to see a colleague who was elected by voters who voted to leave the government led by Boris Johnson and try to put Keir Starmer in the No. 10, which will be a disaster for the country”.