6:56 am, July 1, 2022
Johnson faces calls to expel ex-Tory deputy chief whip from the party
Boris Johnson is facing calls to expel the former Tory deputy chief whip from the party after he dramatically quit following a drunken incident.
Chris Pincher, who was responsible for maintaining discipline among Conservative MPs, said he had ’embarrassed myself and other people’ after having had ‘far too much’ to drink.
The Sun reported that he stood down after assaulting two fellow guests at the Carlton Club – a Tory Party private members’ club in London’s Piccadilly – on Wednesday evening. However the paper said he would continue to sit as a Tory MP as he was considered to have done the right thing by admitting wrongdoing and resigning.
PM ‘confident rules will not be changed to give MPs another chance to oust him’
Boris Johnson is confident Tory rules will not be changed to give MPs another chance to oust him within months because doing so would weaken the position of any potential successor, allies said.
The prime minister survived a confidence vote on June 6, but 41 per cent of his own MPs tried to remove him.
The rules of the Tory 1922 Committee mean there cannot be another confidence vote within 12 months, although Johnson’s opponents could attempt to lift that restriction. But allies of the PM said making it easier for backbenchers to get rid of the leader would permanently damage the party.
Truss: UK will continue stand up for the rights of Hong Kong
Foreign secretary Liz Truss has said Britain will continue to support rights of the people of Hong Kong 25 years after it returned the former colony to China.
In a statement to mark the anniversary of the handover on Friday, Truss acknowledged the past two years had seen a ‘steady erosion’ of the rights and freedoms agreed in the Sino-British Joint Declaration.
However she insisted that the UK’s ‘historic commitment’ to the people of the territory still endured. Her statement came as Chinese President Xi Jinping arrived in Hong Kong ahead of a ceremony to celebrate the occasion.
Lewis Hamilton: Bernie Ecclestone’s comments on Putin will ‘put us back decades’
Lewis Hamilton has hit out at former F1 boss Bernie Ecclestone, warning that his praise for Vladimir Putin will ‘put us back decades’.
The racing driver urged broadcasters to shun the 91-year-old and said that someone who supported ‘killing’ people should not be given a platform. Interviewed on ITV’s Good Morning Britain on Thursday, Ecclestone described the Russian president as a ‘first-class person’ and appeared to downplay his invasion of Ukraine.
Hamilton argued that Ecclestone was an ‘older voice’ who no longer represented the sport. He said: ‘We don’t need any more of it, to hear from someone that believes in the war, and the displacement of people and killing of people, and supporting that person (Putin) is beyond me.’
Lexus updates ES saloon with new infotainment and extra connectivity
Lexus has introduced a range of upgrades for its mid-size ES saloon.
Cloud-based navigation has also been included on the updated ES, along with ‘Hey Lexus’ voice assistance and wireless Apple CarPlay and wired Android Auto. The centre console has been redesigned, integrating two cup holders and USB-A and USB-C charging ports.
Lexus says that the upgraded ES will enter production this August, with first customer deliveries expected from October.
Government unveils 22-point plan to tackle flight disruption
A 22-point plan to tackle flight disruption this summer has been unveiled by the Government.
The strategy is aimed at avoiding a repeat of the chaos seen at UK airports during the Easter and Jubilee holidays.
The government’s action plan includes a number of measures previously announced, such as encouraging airlines to make sure their schedule are ‘deliverable’, an amnesty on slot rules and permitting new aviation workers to begin training before passing security checks. A new passenger charter will be published in the coming weeks, providing passengers with a “one-stop guide” informing them of their rights and what they can expect from airports and airlines when flying.
Blood pressure checks in betting shops as a result of NHS shake-up
An NHS shake-up will see patients in some parts of England offered blood pressure checks in betting shops, while mental health staff could be put in GP surgeries to help children in need.
A total of 42 new integrated care systems (ICS) come into force on Friday, bringing together GPs and their teams, hospitals, care services and other local groups.
The aim is to improve care for people in each part of the country, including those with multiple conditions who access a range of health and care services.
Thursday Car Dealer headlines you might have missed
- Revealed: Fastest selling used cars in June dominated by EVs as diesels declined
- UK car production grows for the first time in almost a year but figures still lagging way behind pre-pandemic levels
- Mercedes boss sees no end in sight for semiconductor shortage with crisis set to stretch into next year
- Motors.co.uk partners with Global Media to sponsor some of the country’s biggest radio shows
- Graham Macdonald to step down as Caterham CEO with Bob Laishley confirmed as replacement
- Chorley Group extends sponsorship deal with Chorley FC
Barclays hands 35,000 workers cost-of-living pay rise
More than 35,000 customer-facing and junior employees at banking giant Barclays are to get a £1,200 pay rise to help with the cost-of-living crisis.
The high street lender said the salary hike would take effect from August 1, bringing forward an annual pay review that would normally have taken effect in March next year.
All UK staff across customer-facing roles, in branches and junior workers will benefit from the pay increase.
Badly insulated homes costing poor families extra £250 a year, say councils
Millions of families struggling with the rising cost of living are having to pay an extra £250 a year on fuel bills because of leaky homes, councils have warned.
The analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA) found three million households in fuel poverty in England were paying an extra £250 a year on average as heat is wasted through the walls, roofs and windows of poorly insulated housing.
The LGA, which represents 350 councils in England and Wales, is calling for a redoubling of efforts to insulate all fuel poor homes, which its analysis shows would save millions from energy bills every year.
Weather
A day of patchy cloud, sunny spells and showers for most of the UK, reports BBC Weather. The showers may be thundery at times, while in the north-east there will be heavier rain.
Another band of rain will arrive tonight firstly in the north and west before pushing southwards.
