Car crashes into Downing Street gates, driver held
The suspect, who is yet to be identified, was driving a silver hatchback. The police said that there are no reports of any injuries, and inquiries are ongoing…reports Asian Lite News
A car crashed into the gates outside Downing Street, which houses the London residences and offices of the Prime Minister (No. 10) and the Chancellor of the Exchequer (No. 11), on Thursday, and its driver has been arrested, the police said.
“At around 16:20 hrs (local time), a car collided with the gates of Downing Street on Whitehall. Armed officers arrested a man at the scene on suspicion of criminal damage and dangerous driving,” the City of Westminster Police said in a tweet.
The suspect, who is yet to be identified, was driving a silver hatchback. The police said that there are no reports of any injuries, and inquiries are ongoing.
As per reports, Whitehall – the main road running past Downing Street – has been closed by the police as a precautionary measure.
The Prime Minister Rishi Sunak and his wife Akshata Murty buy poppies, and a special 'poppy' dog collar for their pet Labrador Nova, from representatives of the Royal British Legion outside 10 Downing Street. Picture by Simon Walker / No 10 Downing Street
The first British Indian incumbent at the famous address also shared the moment he heard about his predecessor Liz Truss’ hastened exit following a disastrous mini-budget…reports Asian Lite News
Rishi Sunak on Saturday gave an insight into how his Indian wife Akshata Murty and daughters Krishna and Anoushka are settling into life at 10 Downing Street just over a week after he took charge as the British Prime Minister.
The Indian-origin former chancellor has overturned the norm by moving back into the smaller flat above 10 Downing Street, which is usually used as the home of the Chancellor of Exchequer.
In an interview with ‘The Times’, he revealed that Chancellor Jeremy Hunt will be using the larger flat above No. 11 Downing Street as he would appreciate the extra space with three children and also that his daughters loved their old home on the famous street when he was the finance minister.
“We thought it would be nice for him [Hunt] to have that bit of extra space so I thought that was the right thing to do,” Sunak told the newspaper.
“But also, that was our home for two and a half years. It’s nice for us to come back to where we used to be, the kids know it, the kids love it. It was the home Nova [Sunak family labrador] first came to when we picked her up as a family,” he said.
“Everyone’s really excited about it. I met Jeremy’s kids last week. My girls are excited because they know that they’ve got a labrador like us. There’s a lot of kids, a lot of dogs,” he said.
The first British Indian incumbent at the famous address also shared the moment he heard about his predecessor Liz Truss’ hastened exit following a disastrous mini-budget.
He was out having a meal with his daughters at TGI Friday’s in Teesside in northern England when the announcement came and he decided to take the plunge after a call with his wife Akshata.
“I did need to talk to her about it. In one sense I had moved on, I was thinking about what was next for me. I was getting stuck into that,” Sunak told the newspaper.
“I believe very strongly in public service. That’s why I wanted to do the job over the summer. I thought I was the best person to lead our country through what we all acknowledge are going to be some challenging times. Given what happened [with Truss’s premiership], I felt the same,” he said.
At 42, Sunak is the youngest British Prime Minister in 200 years and feels a sense of pride being the first Hindu in the highest office of state – with a Ganesha statue adorning his desk.
“As chancellor I was able to light my Diwali diyas on the steps of Downing Street. It said something wonderful about our country that that was possible, but also that it wasn’t a big deal. It was in a sense gosh, this is great, but also that’s just Britain. That’s what you would expect from Britain. Hopefully it’s a source of collective pride across the country,” he reflected.
With one of the most daunting in-trays of any new Prime Minister facing him given the soaring inflation and a turbulent economy, Sunak struck a note of caution that the government would not be able to fix every problem even as he pledged to restore trust in the governing party.
“I completely acknowledge that trust has been damaged over the past few weeks and months. I realise that trust is not given, trust is earned. My job is to regain people’s trust. That’s what I’m going to set about doing,” he said.
“You have to make sure that as you’re doing things, you’re doing it in a way that’s fair and being honest with people that, of course, no government can fix every problem,” he added.
Johnson is battling damaging allegations that he and staff attended boozy events during Covid restrictions, prompting an investigation by senior civil servant Sue Gray, reports Asian Lite News
Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Tuesday “categorically” denied claims by his former chief aide that he lied to parliament about a Downing Street party held during a strict lockdown.
But appearing in public for the first time after days of Covid self-isolation, Johnson also ducked questions about whether he would resign if an internal inquiry establishes that he did lie.
Johnson is battling damaging allegations that he and staff attended boozy events during Covid restrictions, prompting an investigation by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
The revelations have sparked public fury, leading to a double-digit lead in polls for the main opposition Labour party over Johnson’s Conservatives, and calls from some Tories for him to quit.
Johnson has apologised for a party on May 20, 2020 in the Downing Street garden, telling parliament last week he thought it was a “work event”, despite an aide inviting staff to “bring your own booze”.
But his combative former senior adviser Dominic Cummings, who has been waging a vendetta against Johnson since leaving Downing Street in late 2020, said he warned his then boss about the event at the time.
“I can tell you categorically that nobody told me, nobody said this was something that was against the rules, that it was a breach of the Covid rules, that it was something that wasn’t a work event,” Johnson said.
“Frankly, I can’t imagine why on earth it would have been allowed to go ahead,” he told reporters on a visit to a London hospital.
Hanging his head in remorse, Johnson also renewed his office’s apology to Queen Elizabeth II after it emerged that his staff held leaving parties during national mourning for her husband, Prince Philip, in April 2021.
Johnson’s denials have been carefully worded, appearing to clear him of any personal blame even if there was wrongdoing by staff, and relying on a narrow exemption for work gatherings during lockdowns.
But in the latest of an incendiary series of blog posts, Cummings wrote that he told Johnson that Downing Street was becoming a boozy “madhouse”. The prime minister “waved it aside”, he said.
“The events of 20 May alone, never mind the string of other events, mean the PM lied to Parliament about parties,” said Cummings, adding he was ready to swear to his account “on oath”.
Cummings would give evidence to Gray as part of her inquiry, British media reported.
Six Conservatives have openly called for Johnson’s resignation, although more are reported to have done so in private.
Fifty-four letters from Tory MPs are needed to trigger a no-confidence vote, with indications that constituents have made their feelings about Johnson known to their local representatives over the weekend — and not in a positive way.
Asked if he would step down, Johnson said: “We’ll have to see what she (Gray) says.
“I repeat my deep apologies to people for mistakes that may have been made on my watch,” he said.
Johnson’s senior ministerial colleagues have largely rallied round him, urging the public to wait for the conclusions from Gray’s investigation, which is expected in the coming days.
But Dominic Raab, the deputy premier and justice secretary, conceded that a proven lie by a minister “would normally under the ministerial code, and the governance around parliament, be a resigning matter”.
And in his first on-camera comments on the revelations, powerful finance minister Rishi Sunak said “the ministerial code is clear on these matters”.
“I fully support the prime minister’s request for patience as this inquiry persists,” said Sunak, who is tipped to be a strong contender to take over from Johnson in any leadership contest.
Pressed on whether the prime minister had his unequivocal support, Sunak then broke off the interview and walked off with his microphone still attached.
The opposition Labour party was unequivocal in restating its demands for Johnson to quit following the Cummings blog.
“Boris Johnson clearly knows it’s the end of the road,” Labour deputy leader Angela Rayner said.
