Minister mocked for comparing Boris Johnson’s Partygate fine to a speeding ticket: UK politics live | Politics

Ed Davey, the Lib Dem chief, has referred to as Brandon Lewis’s feedback this morning (see 9.34am) “an insult to bereaved households”. He mentioned in an announcement:

The justifications of Conservative ministers are getting extra pathetic by the day. There’s a large distinction between getting a parking high quality and Boris Johnson breaking his personal lockdown guidelines.

It’s an insult to bereaved households and all those that made enormous sacrifices whereas Johnson partied in Quantity 10. Conservative MPs want to find their ethical spine and sack Johnson as an alternative of defending the indefensible.

Good morning. It was mentioned that Boris Johnson was a politician who at all times refused to apologise for something. Whereas in some respects true (though most politicians are loth to situation an apology), it’s not a helpful statement to make about Johnson as a result of he has now established fairly a considerable again catalogue of Partygate apologies. We’ll get one other addition to the gathering immediately.

At the moment’s is prone to be modelled on the assertion he made on digicam at Chequers every week in the past immediately which began:

At the moment I’ve obtained a fixed-penalty discover from the Metropolitan police referring to an occasion in Downing Avenue on 19 June 2020, and let me say instantly that I’ve paid the high quality and I as soon as once more provide a full apology.

And in a spirit of openness and humility, I wish to be fully clear about what occurred on that date.

During the last week a few of Johnson’s aides and allies have been briefing journalists, with out attribution, that the high quality doesn’t matter a lot as a result of it’s akin to a parking ticket, or a dashing offence. This morning. Brandon Lewis, the Northern Eire secretary, tried deploying this argument on the report. He advised Sky Information:

I believe we do see constantly, whether or not it’s by parking fines or dashing fines, ministers of each events over time have been in that place. We’ve had prime ministers previously who’ve obtained penalty notices, from what I can see, and likewise frontbench ministers.

I noticed there was a parking discover that Tony Blair had as soon as. We’ve seen frontbench Labour ministers and, let’s be frank, authorities ministers as nicely.

You’ve requested me, can somebody who units the legal guidelines and the foundations, can in addition they be somebody who breaks the foundations. That clearly has occurred with various ministers over time.

It was not clear what Lewis was referring to – Blair by no means drove a automobile when he was PM, so parking tickets had been a matter for his driver – however the folly of creating the parking/dashing ticket comparability had been highlighted when Lewis tried it once more an hour or so afterward the At the moment programme. He mentioned there had been circumstances previously the place Labour or Conservative ministers got dashing fines (no point out of Blair and a parking ticket this time). When the presenter, Mishal Husain, requested him to make clear this, Lewis mentioned:

As I say, if any person will get a dashing ticket – and I’m not in any method attempting to equate a dashing ticket that any person has had with the scenario of the sacrifices individuals made by Covid, I’ll be actually clear about that …

Husain interrupted, telling Lewis: “You’ve really actually simply performed that.” Later she advised him:

These had been guidelines that we had been advised we couldn’t even flex as a result of lives are at stake. This was a second of nationwide disaster wherein all our lives modified. And you’re primarily downplaying that by bringing in some spurious experiences that you just’ve heard with out even backing.

At this level Lewis retreated, falling again on his level that when Johnson advised MPs that the foundations had been following in No 10, he was saying what he believed to be true on the time.

Opposition get together MPs have ridiculed Lewis for his feedback. That is from the Inexperienced MP Caroline Lucas.

And that is from the Plaid Cymru MP Hwyel Williams.

Right here is my colleague Aubrey Allegretti’s overnight preview story. Though there shall be curiosity within the precise nature of Johnson’s newest apology, and the Tory response to it, the primary information immediately is prone to come when Sir Lindsay Hoyle, the Speaker, broadcasts how he’ll reply to opposition requires a debate on a movement about claims Johnson intentionally misled MPs. It appears we’re prone to have a vote later this week on some type of contempt movement, both calling for an inquiry, or declaring outright that Johnson did deliberately mislead MPs. Given the scale of the Tory majority, Johnson is sort of sure to win, however the opposition events wish to disgrace the MPs who must defend him.

Right here is the agenda for the day.

10.30am: Vitality corporations give proof to the Commons enterprise committee about power costs.

11.30am: Downing Avenue holds a foyer briefing.

After 3.30pm: Boris Johnson is because of make an announcement to MPs, overlaying Ukraine and his high quality for attending a shock birthday celebration in No 10 in breach of lockdown guidelines.

Early night: Johnson is because of deal with a non-public assembly of Conservative MPs.

I attempt to monitor the feedback under the road (BTL) however it’s unattainable to learn all of them. When you’ve got a direct query, do embody “Andrew” in it someplace and I’m extra prone to discover it. I do attempt to reply questions, and if they’re of basic curiosity, I’ll put up the query and reply above the road (ATL), though I can’t promise to do that for everybody.

If you wish to entice my consideration shortly, it’s in all probability higher to make use of Twitter. I’m on @AndrewSparrow.

Alternatively, you possibly can e mail me at andrew.sparrow@theguardian.com.