|
|
| PM promises to publish updated Sue Gray report amid backlash |
| |
| | | "Sorry", said the prime minister. "I get it and I will fix it". These were the words Boris Johnson used in his speech in response to the long-awaited Sue Gray report, which was finally published yesterday - albeit not in full. The senior civil servant’s findings into lockdown parties at Downing Street included a "failure of leadership". Her conclusions - which are limited due to a Met Police investigation into 12 of the 16 separate gatherings - were met with a furious backlash from opposition politicians, bereaved families who are "appalled" and some of Mr Johnson’s own Tory MPs. While some rallied round Mr Johnson, his predecessor Theresa May asked whether he had "read the rules", and fellow ex-cabinet minister Andrew Mitchell made it clear to the prime minister in the Commons "he no longer enjoys my support". Mr Johnson has promised a shake-up of the way Downing Street is run and vowed that an updated report will be published by Ms Gray once the police inquiry ends. Mr Johnson initially declined to answer whether the 12-page report would be published in full during a session in the House of Commons. But this soon changed, with many Conservative MPs saying they are now waiting for the full report to decide the prime minister’s fate. There needs to be at least 54 letters of no confidence to the 1922 Committee - which represents backbench Tory MPs - to trigger a leadership challenge. Mr Johnson met the committee last night and, despite the turbulent day, the "mood was positive", says cabinet minister Jacob Rees-Mogg. There is support for Mr Johnson, adds Peterborough MP Paul Bristow. For now, it seems the prime minister has survived the day, says our political editor Laura Kuenssberg. Yet in time, his MPs will judge whether just getting through is enough. | |
| |
|
|
| PM to visit Ukraine amid Russian invasion fears |
| |
| |
| As the fallout from the domestic political situation continues, Prime Minister Boris Johnson will travel to Ukraine later amid fears of an invasion. Western nations are involved in the Ukraine crisis as Russian troops - estimated at 100,000 - have gathered at the Eastern European country’s borders. While President Vladimir Putin denies any plans of an attack, countries including the UK are working with Ukraine to reach a resolution. Mr Johnson is holding talks with President Volodymyr Zelensky in a bid to find a diplomatic solution and "avoid further bloodshed". Foreign Secretary Liz Truss had also been due to meet with the president but it’s emerged she has contracted Covid and is self-isolating. Mr Johnson hopes to speak to Mr Putin about the tensions later this week. | |
| |
|
|
| Measles warning as child vaccination drops |
| |
| |
| Measles is highly contagious - even more than coronavirus - and can cause serious illness including pneumonia and brain inflammation. Uptake of the MMR vaccination, that helps protect against measles, mumps and rubella, is the lowest for a decade - almost 10% below the target recommended to stop a resurgence. That means more than one in 10 school entry-age children in England are at risk. And nine in every 10 people who haven’t had the jab and have been exposed can catch measles. The UK Health Security Agency’s worried it could make a comeback in the unvaccinated when restrictions are fully lifted. Read more here. | |
| |
|
|
| | | | | A new law comes into force in Austria on Tuesday that makes vaccination against Covid-19 compulsory for anyone over-18. Several countries have introduced mandates for the elderly or medical staff, but this is the first nation in Europe to adopt such sweeping measures. LOu Moser, a ceramic artist who lives south of Vienna, is not vaccinated against Covid-19 and neither is her husband, Gus. They strongly disagree with Austria's new vaccine mandate. Vaccination, she says, should be a personal choice. "I've had Covid-19. And so I actually don't see the point of being jabbed when I've got sufficient antibodies," LOu tells me. "And so I chose not to get vaccinated. And it's not for any authority to tell me what to put into my body." Austria's government says vaccinations are effective at combating severe disease, and that the law is needed to prevent future lockdowns. Karoline Edtstadler, minister for the EU and Constitution, says the government is "very aware that it is really a strong step and really hard measure". But, she says, it is necessary. | |
|
|
| |
| | Bethany Bell | BBC News, Vienna | |
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| | | | The prime minister faced a "wall of anger" from Tory MPs in the Commons, says the Guardian as it, along with the other papers this morning, focuses on the aftermath of the Sue Gray report. Following the findings - which the Metro reports revealed "a failure of leadership" - Boris Johnson rejects calls to quit, says the Financial Times. He "pleads for his job", reports the i. Meanwhile, the Daily Mirror writes there’s "zero shame" over the lockdown parties held in Downing Street. The Daily Mail covers the "national clamour" for the full report by saying: "Now publish the whole damn thing." Read the newspaper review in full here. | |
| |
|
|
| | | | | Covid Ministers plan to scrap mandatory jabs for NHS staff |
| | | | | | Wordle New York Times buys popular word game |
| |
| |
|
|
| If you watch one thing today |
| | | |
| |
|
|
| If you listen to one thing today |
| | | |
| |
|
|
| If you read one thing today |
| | | |
| |
|
|
| Need something different? |
| |
| |
| To most people the way cow number 2073 walks out of the milking shed appears normal, but is it? There’s a camera on the way out and there, it spots something. The cow’s trying to hide a slight unevenness in her walk, which could be a sign something's wrong. This artificial intelligence technology, which is as good as humans - if not better, is being used on farms to detect issues like this. Find out more here. Now, some might say this human is a machine because of his footballing brilliance. World Cup winner Roberto Carlos may have given us one of the most memorable goals in history but he’s dropping down a few leagues - to play for a pub team. The retired Brazil legend is set to appear as a substitute in a Sunday league match in Shropshire following a £5 dream transfer raffle on eBay. Here’s the full story. And finally, sticking with sport, it looks like a boxing ring but the gloves are off and pillows are out. Pillow fighting’s been turned into a professional combat sport - yes, really - and here are some athletes competing in the ring. Take a look. | |
| |
|
|
| | | | 1984 Britain's least-loved currency, the halfpenny coin, leaves the nation's purses after 13 years of almost universal unpopularity. Here's the story of how the tiny coin was abolished. |
| | |
| |
|
|
|
| Let us know what you think of this newsletter by emailing bbcnewsdaily@bbc.co.uk. If you’d like to recommend it to a friend, forward this email. New subscribers can sign up here. | |
| |
|