Latest Politics: Health Minister 'wants to see Boris again' as MP in next parliament; admits that the commitment for new hospitals is being delayed (2023)

"Pragovi za vrata".

This is an often necessary but rarely structured journalistic exercise – locating and asking relevant questions to a reluctant participant who has tried hard to avoid them, he writes.US Sky News Correspondent James Matthews.

Boris Johnson made a long journey across the United States, across Texas to Las Vegas in the west and Washington in the east.

He had dinner with former presidents George W. Bush and Donald Trump.

He gave speeches, at least one for a reported six-figure sum, and spoke on a variety of topics - most notably Ukraine.

Mr. Johnson spoke at some distance and on an important subject.

But he didn't report COVID until we caught him after he went through Dulles Airport in Virginia.

And the former prime minister's "exit" was not orderly, as he was escorted to the check-in counter by colleagues and security guards, who were reluctant to answer questions at first.

Read the full analysis here:

Faye Brown, political journalist

Boris Johnson has insisted that new allegations that he broke quarantine rules are "total nonsense" and that elements of his ministerial diary were "picked out and handed to the police".

The former prime minister faced accusations from Sky News as he passed through Dulles International Airport in Washington after a short tour of the United States.

When asked if he broke the rules, Skyjeva saidAmerican correspondent James Matthews“The whole thing is a load of crap from start to finish.

"I find it funny that items from my diary are selected and handed over to the police, the Privileges Committee, and no one has the sense to even ask me what these notes are about."

The Cabinet Office referred Mr Johnson to police on Wednesday over events at Checkers and Downing Street following a review of his official diary as part of an official investigation into COVID.

Asked if the records showed he was "hanging out with friends," Johnson insisted "that's absolutely not what these diary entries show."

Read his full comment here:

Earlier today, Jonathan Ashworth, the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, told Sky News that his party would not shut down existing oil and gas fields (see message at 9.19am).

He said Labor would focus on renewable energy, particularly nuclear and tidal energy, and said the party would further outline its plans "in the coming weeks".

The Conservative Party has now responded to Mr. Ashworth, accusing Labor of increasing the use of "energy as a weapon" by Russian President Vladimir Putin.

Energy Security Secretary Grant Shapps said: "In the face of high household energy prices, Labour's ideological vendetta against UK energy independence not only threatens hundreds of thousands of jobs, but also supports Putin's campaign to use energy as a weapon against the West. .

"The Conservatives take a pragmatic approach, supporting the industries that have allowed us to end our dependence on Russian oil and gas, while investing in the clean technologies we need for the future."

Tim Baker, political reporter

Health Secretary Steve Barclay had a "constructive" meeting with Pat Cullen, head of the Royal College of Nursing (RCN), but clarified there would be no new pay offer for nurses.

Ms Cullen had previously advised her union members to accept the deal with the government, but members refused.

However, the offer was forced because the majority of the NHS works council body wanted a deal - despite opposition from the RCN.

Speaking to Trevor Phillips, who presented Sophy Ridge on Sky News on Sunday, Mr Barclay was asked about the recent summit with Ms Cullen.

He said they had a "very constructive meeting this week" - but described what was offered before and beforeapproved by the GGD workers' councilas a "full and final" offer.

Read his entire comment here:

Net migration to the UK rose to 606,000 in the 12 months to December 2022, the highest figure ever in a calendar year - despite a 2019 Torah pledge to "reduce the total".

Figures from the Office for National Statistics show that the majority of people who arrived in the UK last year were non-EU nationals.

The body attributed the "exceptional year" of migration to "world events", including the war in Ukraine and unrest in Hong Kong.

Dnevnik W Sky News,Like Niall Patersonshares numbers with Skydata and forensics correspondent Tom Cheshireand makes his way through the precipitation at Westminster withpolitical correspondent Ali Fortescue.

Plus,Madeleine Sumption, director of the Migration Observatoryfrom the University of Oxford explains how what the government says actually affects the number of people coming to the UK.

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Every week there are articles in the newspapers about severance pay that was supposedly expected soon, but has not yet been paid.

If you're not familiar, a resignation honor refers to the tradition of an outgoing prime minister bestowing a peerage, knighthood or other honor on a few individuals.

Nominations are reviewed by the House of Lords Nominations Committee and the Cabinet Office.

Both Boris Johnson and (controversially) Liz Truss have drawn up individual lists which the government can release at any time.

So what do we know about these lists and when they might be released?

Boris Johnson retired cum laude

After he left office in September, it was announced that Boris Johnson had drawn up a list of 50 people who would receive the ranks.

It was previously reported that three Tory MPs were on the list: former culture secretary Nadine Dorries, former minister Nigel Adams and COP26 president Sir Alok Sharma.

These appointments can give Rishi Sunak a huge unwanted headache as you cannot sit in the House of Commons and the House of Lords at the same time.

It has been reported that they cannot delay the appointment of peers until the next general election when they will all have to stand down, meaning it could lead to three by-elections where the current prime minister will be in no mood to fight (and possibly lose). ) are trying to revive the party's position in the polls.

Today's Sunday Times reported that Tees Valley Conservative Mayor Ben Houchen could also be on the list.

The newspaper also reports that a check on Mr Johnson's register has been completed and that Rishi Sunak will have a telephone conversation with his predecessor this week that Mr Johnson wants to apply for a peerage but wants to avoid Mr Sunak.

So while we see the list very much up in the air, another headache looms on the horizon for the prime minister.

Liz Truss graduated with honors

After being Prime Minister for just 49 days, Liz Truss, who made the honors list, is certainly controversial.

Despite this, she has reportedly selected around 12 people to be honoured, including Tory donor Jon Moynihan, councilor Ruth Porter, former Vote Leave member Matthew Elliott and think tank chief Mark Littlewood.

Mr Littlewood is director of the Institute of Economic Affairs, a free-market think tank closely associated with Ms Truss and her economic philosophy.

Mr Elliott helped found the Taxpayers Alliance think-tank and was chief executive of the major Brexit campaign during the 2016 referendum.

Ms Porter managed Ms Truss's Tory election campaign and was briefly deputy chief of staff at No 10.

And Mr Moynihan donated tens of thousands of pounds to Ms Truss's leadership campaign, according to the register of MPs' financial interests.

It is unclear when the list will be published, but while granting Ms Truss peerage is controversial, it is likely to face less opposition from Mr Sunak than Mr Johnson's list due to the lack of sitting MPs.

Downing Street is reportedly working on plans to encourage supermarkets to introduce voluntary price caps on staple foods to help tackle the cost of living crisis.

The scheme would aim to keep retailers from charging as little as possible for certain essential items, such as milk and bread, the Sunday Telegraph reports.

A government source told Sky News that any program "will be voluntary", adding: "The government has no plans to cap food prices.

"We are aware that retailers operate with small margins. But we are fully aware of the cost of living that people are feeling."

A Treasury source told the Sunday Telegraph: "Food inflation is much more resilient and harder to get rid of than we expected."

It is expected that supermarkets will be able to choose the products they restrict and will voluntarily participate in the initiative, modeled on a similar agreement in France, the paper reports.

It comes after Chancellor Jeremy Hunt backed an interest rate hike, even though it threatens to push the UK into recession, in a bid to stem skyrocketing inflation.

Despite the 10.1% drop, the CPI remains high at 8.7% as experts warn that alarmingly expensive food could overtake energy bills as the "epicenter" of the cost-of-living crisis.

Food prices are expected to continue rising by 19.1% since March, putting additional pressure on households.

Growing support for Labor among rural voters could put some ministers at risk of losing their seats at the next general election, a new poll suggests.

Research carried out by Survation on behalf of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) found that support for Starmer Sir Keir's Labor Party has increased by 16 points in the 100 most rural constituencies since 2019, with the party losing just five points. stories.

It would mean more than 20 of the country's Conservatives could lose their seats to opposition parties, including Chancellor Jeremy Hunt, whose constituency will be split in two at the next election.

There are also risks:

• Mel Stride, Minister for Work and Pensions and Member of Parliament for Central Devon;
• Mark Harper, Minister for Transport and Member of Parliament for the Forest of Dean;
• Liam Fox, former Cabinet Minister and Member of Parliament for North Somerset;
• Jacob Rees-Mogg, former Cabinet Minister and MP for North East Somerset.

While all four have majorities of around 15,000, the larger majority in rural areas has recently been ousted.

CLA chairman Mark Tufnell blamed "outdated" timetable restrictions, a lack of infrastructure and the cost of living for falling Tory support, but suggested rural seats could still be won.

The poll found that 34% of people thought the Tories did not understand rural communities, while 31% said the same for Labor and 23% for the Lib Dems.

He said: "I think we've seen that any party, whether Labour, Liberal Democrats or Conservatives, that wants to show an understanding of the countryside can easily hold and win these seats."

Tufnell said he expected the next election to be "fierce", adding that 12 million rural voters "could end up deciding who wins the general election".

Officials working for the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA) have called a 15-day strike in an ongoing pay protest.

Members of the Public and Commercial Services Union (PCS) working for Output Services Group at TY Felin and Morriston in Swansea will be out of work from June 11 to 25.

Among other things, these staff print materials from the DVLA, which creates a backlog of driving licences, while tachographs and BPM reminders are not printed.

This group went on strike in February, and the printing presses were closed and there was no one to manage them.

In a statement, PCS general secretary Mark Serwotka said: "Managers fought last time and will fight this time.

"We are not afraid to put pressure on ministers to meet our reasonable demands - a fair pay rise to help our members weather the cost of living crisis."

A DVLA spokesman said: "The quickest and easiest way to deal with DVLA is through our online services, which together with our contact center are operating as normal during this period of industrial action."

As you might expect, the Tories have not fully endorsed Labour's immigration reform proposals (see 12pm post for more details).

In a rather pointed statement, Tory leader Greg Hands said: "Labour has shown us again this morning that they are all over immigration.

"The fact is that left-wing barrister Keir Starmer has made freedom of movement one of his most important leadership commitments and has previously said that all immigration controls are racist.

"The Conservatives have implemented a points system and reformed student visas, giving us the means to control numbers while delivering on our five priorities."

It should be noted that net migration reached a new calendar year record of 606,000 people in the year to December 2022.

For more Skysdata and forensics correspondent Tom Chesireanalyzes net migration in detail...