London politics news LIVE: Boris Johnson backtracks on Savile slur directed at Keir Starmer

Dominic Cummings claims Prime Minister ‘is finished’

The former adviser and now outspoken critic of the Prime Minister has called on further No10 staff members to resign following Munira Mirza’s departure on Thursday.

He said in a tweet: “Pretty soon there will be a mad scramble & ministers will be kicking themselves hitting their heads saying ‘Why didn’t I move faster arghhh’.

“Now’s your moment, find a flicker of moral courage & ‘push what is falling’.”

Boris ‘within single digits’ of notice confidence vote

According to The Daily Telegraph’s Christopher Hope, one MP believes a vote could now be close.

He said: “Is Westminster underestimating letters of no confidence submitted about Boris Johnson?

“One Tory MP told me that MPs close to the 1922 Committee believe they are ‘within single digits’ of the 54 threshold.”

Boris Johnson’s policy chief resigns over Jimmy Saville slur

Munira Mirza, No10’s policy chief has resigned after Mr Johnson claimed the leader of the Opposition had failed to “prosecute Jimmy Saville”.

Although Mr Johnson later admitted Sir Keir was not personally involved in the Saville case, Ms Mirza said it was wrong of the Prime Minister to make the original statement.

As reported by The Spectator, she said: “I believe it was wrong for you to imply this week that Keir Starmer was personally responsible for allowing Jimmy Savile to escape justice.

“There was no fair or reasonable basis for that assertion. This was not the usual cut and thrust of politics; it was an inappropriate and partisan reference to a horrendous case of child sex abuse.

“You tried to clarify your position today but, despite my urging, you did not apologise for the misleading impression you gave.”

Ms Mirza has worked with Mr Johnson for 14 years and had been a key part in his rise from London Mayor to Prime Minister.

Read our story here.

Keir Starmer: UK Government ‘in denial’ over Brexit deal

Sir Keir Starmer has claimed it is essential to maintain the elements agreed in the Northern Ireland protocol.

Sir Keir added, however, that the Government was in denial over the deal agreed with the EU.

He said: “Ideally what I want to see is everybody getting around the table, resolving these outstanding issues and making it easier to trade across the east-west border and the north-south border, of course I do.

“But that has to be done by consensus, by agreement, and we have got a Government that is in denial about the protocol that it negotiated.”

EU should stop treating Northern Ireland like a ‘whipping boy’ – DUP

Sammy Wilson DUP MP for East Antrim called on the EU to drop its hard line stance against the province.

He said in the Commons: “Instead of listening to the EU cheerleaders in the Labour Party, the Alliance Party and the SDLP, who want a full implementation of this damaging Northern Ireland Protocol, would George Eustice agree with me that the real responsibility lies with the EU to stop using Northern Ireland as a whipping boy for the UK leaving the EU and treating us with the respect that we deserve as a part of the United Kingdom?”

This comes as Liz Truss and her EU counterpart, Maros Sefcovic meet to discuss Brexit and the Northern Ireland protocol on Thursday.

Former Northern Ireland Secretary insists UK must adhere to international agreements

Former Northern Ireland Secretary Julian Smith, has warned the UK must adhere to international agreements following the suspension of Brexit checks for goods moving to Northern Ireland from Great Britain.

He said: “I support the Government’s negotiations with the EU on improving the protocol, but would Mr Eustice clarify that for those civil servants in Northern Ireland implementing the current rules, that his letter still stands?

“We cannot be a country that agrees an agreement and then doesn’t stand behind it.

“The British Government has to back this letter of April 1 and support those civil servants in Northern Ireland doing the checks.”

Rishi Sunak refuses to rule out leadership bid

Chancellor Rishi Sunak has refused to rule out a leadership bid if Boris Johnson is forced to resign.

Amid growing pressure on the Prime Minister following Sue Gray’s report, Mr Sunak revealed some of his colleagues would like to see the Chancellor take the reins in No10.

He told the BBC: “Well, that’s very kind of them of them to suggest that, but what I think people want from me is to focus on my job.

“I know a few of my colleagues have said that and they’ll have their reasons for doing that, but I don’t think that’s the situation we’re in.

“The Prime Minister has my full support. And what people want from me is to be getting on with my job, which is what I’m doing.”

George Eustice: Brexit check decision a ‘devolved matter’

George Eustice Environment Secretary, has said checks on produce entering Northern Ireland from Great Britain is a “devolved matter”.

Following the decision to suspend checks by Edwin Poots, Mr Eustice said the responsibility to do so remains with the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in the Northern Ireland executive.

Speaking in the Commons, Mr Eustice said: “Whilst the overarching responsibility for international relations rests with the United Kingdom Government, delivering many of the requirements under the Northern Ireland Protocol, including agri-food checks are a devolved matter and responsibility for doing so falls to the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs in the Northern Ireland executive.

“And this includes checks that take place at Northern Ireland points of entry.”

PM backtracks on Savile slur

Boris Johnson has backtracked after claiming Sir Keir Starmer failed to prosecute Jimmy Savile during his time as Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).

The prime minister said he had not meant to imply that the Labour leader had personally failed to prosecute one of Britain’s most notorious sex offenders.

Mr Johnson’s comments sparked fury on Monday, with a string of Tory MPs urging him to withdraw the slur. Sir Keir described the jibe as a “slur peddled by right wing trolls”.

The prime minister told broadcasters on Thursday: “I want to be very clear about this because a lot of people have got very hot under the collar.

“I’m talking not about the leader of the opposition’s personal record when he was when he was DPP and I totally understand that he had nothing to do personally with those decisions.”