Members of the Metropolitan Police’s Parliamentary and Diplomatic Protection Command who were on duty when a string of lockdown-breaking gatherings are alleged to have taken place have provided detailed testimonies about what they witnessed
🗣️The statements, described by one source as “extremely damning”, are expected to form a key part of Ms Gray’s report, which is due to be published within days
Sue Gray has also spoken to:
🔴The Prime Minister
🔴Civil servants
🔴Political advisers
And accessed security pass logs and even Boris Johnson’s official diary
Dominic Cummings, Mr Johnson’s former chief aide turned hostile adversary, will be interviewed by Ms Gray on Monday, according to reports.
Downing Street is bracing for the reaction from Tory MPs to the report, amid fears that a torrent of no confidence letters could be submitted if it lays blame at the feet of Mr Johnson
🔴Dame Cressida Dick is expected to confirm that her officers will investigate eight out of 17 events at which coronavirus lockdown rules were allegedly broken.
The Met Police has come under intense pressure to launch a criminal investigation following a wave of allegations of gatherings in Downing Street and Whitehall during lockdown,
🔴 Russia is succeeding in sowing panic in Ukraine, a top security official said, as the Ukrainian president called for calm amid escalating tensions between Russia and the West
➡️Amid growing tension, the Pentagon announced that 8,500 US-based soldiers were on “heightened alert” for deployment in the region after weeks of restraint
🗣️In a video conference call with European leaders, Mr Biden discussed the possible mobilisation of thousands of troops to Nato member states bordering Russia...
...with a further 45,000 on standby if the situation continues to deteriorate
"Yevhen Murayev is supposedly being lined up by Vladimir Putin as the future leader of a pro-Russian government in Ukraine. But in Kyiv, few have even heard of him"
🔴On Sunday night, the US State Department ordered the evacuation of diplomats’ family members from Kyiv as non-essential staff were also given the option of leaving
In a highly unusual move, Liz Truss, the Foreign Secretary, publicly released specially declassified intelligence naming Yevhen Murayev, a former Ukrainian MP, as the Kremlin’s preferred candidate to take over the country following an invasion
➡️Officials also named four former Ukrainian ministers alleged to be colluding with Russian intelligence officers, including spies involved in planning an attack
🔴The Government is no longer asking people to work from home.
“People should speak to their employers about arrangements for returning to the office” Boris Johnson said
😷From tomorrow, face masks will no longer be required in classrooms.
The use of face masks will continue to be suggested in crowded places, but Mr Johnson said the Government "would trust the judgement of the British people"