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A bid by left-wing Labour officials to readmit Jeremy Corbyn as an MP has been rejected by the party’s ruling body.
A motion to restore the whip to Corbyn, who currently sits an independent, was defeated by 23 votes to 14 at a meeting of the party’s ruling National Executive Committee.
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Mr Corbyn said he was “very disappointed” by the result.
The motion, proposed by Fire Brigades Union chief Ian Murray, was considered at the “emotional” meeting, with one Corbyn supporter invoking the words of Martin Luther King when making their case.
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Yasmin Dar said: “Darkness cannot drive out darkness; only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate; only love can do that.”
Labour leader Keir Starmer removed the party whip from Corbyn — meaning he cannot sit and vote with the party he once led — following his reaction to the Equality and Human Rights Commission’s report into anti-Semitism in the party.
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The EHRC found the party committed unlawful acts of harassment and discrimination while Corbyn was leader — but the former party leader said allegations about anti-Jewish racism on his watch had been “dramatically overstated” by his political opponents.
In a Facebook post after the report was published, Corbyn said he did not accept all of the EHRC’s conclusions.
“Anyone claiming there is no anti-Semitism in the Labour Party is wrong. Of course there is, as there is throughout society, and sometimes it is voiced by people who think of themselves as on the left,” he said.
“Jewish members of our party and the wider community were right to expect us to deal with it, and I regret that it took longer to deliver that change than it should.
“One anti-Semite is one too many, but the scale of the problem was also dramatically overstated for political reasons by our opponents inside and outside the party, as well as by much of the media.”
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The wording of the NEC motion, seen by HuffPost UK, said that continuing to withhold the whip from Corbyn was a “deeply divisive act by the leadership of the party and the chief whip.”
It claimed that Corbyn — who has been the MP for Islington North for nearly 40 years — had been “disbarred” from party processes to reselect sitting MPs ahead of the next election, “increasing the tension and anger amongst party members and moving us further from the unity that is required to take on this government”.
It continued: “Disbarring the sitting member of parliament from the process is extremely disrespectful to the people of Islington North who have overwhelmingly elected Jeremy Corbyn as their Labour MP for nearly four decades.
“Disbarring Jeremy Corbyn at the next general election brings with it the added danger of local electorate punishing the Labour Party, should they not have the candidate they wish in place, creating a huge media storm in the process.”
Supporters of Starmer hailed the 23-14 NEC vote, with one source telling HuffPost UK: “In NEC terms, that’s a landslide.”
But the leader’s opponents branded it “purely factional and not in the best interests of the party”.
One Labour source said it was “nauseating to see Jeremy Corbyn presented as a victim”, adding: “The only victims in this whole story are Jewish members who suffered anti-Semitism and were afraid of what a Labour government might mean for them.”
They told HuffPost UK: “This was a self inflicted defeat for Jeremy Corbyn supporters. They didn’t need to push a vote on this, but they did so knowing that Starmer has a solid majority on the NEC.
“The chief whip [Alan Campbell] made it very clear to the NEC why Corbyn is outside of the PLP: he needs to apologise for his comments on the day of the EHRC report, remove or edit his post about it and co-operate with the party in implementing the EHRC definition of anti-Semitism.
“He is choosing not to do any of these things and the moment and that is why he does not have the whip.”
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One left wing source hit out at the entire process. They claimed that a bid to request a meeting with key stakeholders after the vote was denied, making it “totally unaccountable”.
They also said the disquiet over the Facebook post was a “red herring”.
“This has become a factional war led by people who can’t bear that Jeremy was ever leader and want him politically dead.”
The NEC vote has reopened questions about Corbyn’s future and whether he can make any comeback in the Labour Party.
There has been speculation that he may choose to stand as an independent at the next election or even form a breakaway party of disaffected Labour MPs and members.
However, one pro-Corbyn source said there there is “hardly anyone who thinks that’s a good idea”.
Responding to the NEC result, Corbyn said: “I am very disappointed at the majority decision of today’s National Executive meeting.
“They had an opportunity to help restore unity in the Labour Party but unfortunately did not take it.
“I am very grateful for the support of 14 members of the NEC and of many, many people in my constituency of Islington North.
“The real issues facing this country are the horrific levels of social injustice, the attacks on our public services by the Government, and the falling living standards of many people. That should be the focus of the Labour Party.
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“I will continue to campaign for social justice in Britain, and peace and human rights around the world.”
A county cricket chief has been accused of generalising in “outdated” stereotypes by suggesting Black players prefer football and rugby and the Asian community prioritise education in the latest racism storm to engulf the sport.
The chairman of Middlesex, Mike O’Farrell, was forced to apologise after a backlash to his comments made to parliament about the cricket’s lack of diversity.
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Azeem Rafiq, the cricketer whose revelations lifted the lid on institutional racism in the sport, said he was staggered by O’Farrell’s views on the reasons why individuals from the Afro-Caribbean and South Asian communities drifted away from the sport, as he suggested counties did not get enough credit for the work they do.
O’Farrell told the digital, culture, media and sport select committee that 57 per cent of players at Middlesex at under-17 level were from culturally diverse backgrounds but that it became “more difficult” to keep that level of representation at older age-groups.
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He said: “The football and rugby world becomes much more attractive to the Afro-Caribbean community, and in terms of the South Asian community…we’re finding that they do not want to commit necessarily the same time that is necessary to go to the next step because they prefer – not always saying they do it – they prefer to go into other educational fields where cricket becomes secondary.”
Ebony Rainford-Brent, a director at Surrey, tweeted: “These outdated views in the game are exactly why we are in this position.
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“Unfortunately the decision-makers hold onto these myths. ‘The Black community only like football, and Asian community only interested in education’. Seriously, the game deserves better.”
Rafiq, who gave harrowing evidence to the same committee in November about the racial abuse he suffered at Yorkshire, said there is “a demographic of county chairs that don’t see the problem” of discrimination within cricket.
He said: “This narrative that we’ve been hearing for a long time that Asian people want to go and study is because we’ve not been made to feel welcome in our workspaces. I think it was incredibly disrespectful, but I think it just shows the wider problem.”
Rafiq also took issue with Hampshire chair Rod Bransgrove’s claim that his county was “overachieving in some areas” on equality, diversity and inclusion.
“It just shows what a long way we’ve got to go,” Rafiq told Sky Sports News.
“These people have come to a select committee and said they think that they’re overachieving, that the counties don’t get enough credit. (I’m) pretty angry.
“I think it shows that maybe the problem lies with the counties a lot more than the ECB (England and Wales Cricket Board). You’ve got a demographic of county chairs that don’t see the problem.
“I found it quite staggering to hear that one of the chairs felt that they were actually overachieving in this space.
“The way (new Yorkshire chair) Lord Patel spoke came from someone who not only has suffered, but gets it, and there’s a massive willingness to confront the issue.
“Whereas what I heard from the other (county chairs) was ‘we’re great, look at us, we do so many things in the community’. And this was exactly the same language that Yorkshire used in their defence with me.”
O’Farrell issued a statement apologising for his remarks, and added: “I was aiming to make the point that as a game, cricket has failed a generation of young cricketers, in systematically failing to provide them with the same opportunities that other sports and sectors so successfully provide.
“Cricket has to take responsibility for these failings and must learn that until we make the game an attractive proposition for youngsters of all backgrounds to continue through the pathway into the professional game, much like other sports and sectors are doing, the game won’t make the progress it needs to.”
He said in a later interview with Sky Sports News that he was not planning to resign, but that he would step down if the Middlesex board or the club’s members wanted him to.
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Sue Gray’s investigation into Partygate could be split in two as a result of the investigation launched by the Metropolitan Police, Downing Street has suggested.
The prime minister’s spokesman said the inquiry’s terms of reference made clear she could not reveal her findings on gatherings subject to a police probe.
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It means the full results of Ms Gray’s investigation may not be known for months.
Met Commissioner Cressida Dick confirmed this morning that detectives will investigate “a number” of parties alleged to have taken place in Downing Street during lockdown.
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In a briefing for journalists, the prime minister’s official spokesman said that effectively meant Gray report will be in two parts.
He said: “As the terms of reference make clear, they won’t publish anything that relates to the work of the police.
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“There are a number of events and allegations that they have looked into that the police said don’t reach their threshold, which they are able to continue looking into. And it is my understanding that they will be able to publish detail about those events rather than ones which the police might be taking forward.
“It’s up to the investigation team when they publish, it’s my understanding they are able to publish the aspects that aren’t a matter for the police.”
Number 10 later denied claims that it was trying to delay the publication of Gray report.
The prime minister’s spokesman said talks were continuing between the police and the inquiry team over how much could be published and when.
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He said: “I have seen reports suggesting that we were seeking to prevent the publication and that is not accurate.
“There are discussions still ongoing between the investigations team and the police.
“That still needs to be worked through both in relation to what may or may not be published and the ongoing work of both the police and the investigation.”
Cressida Dick announced the police investigation at the London Assembly.
She said: “What I can tell you this morning is that as a result of the information provided by the Cabinet Office inquiry team and, secondly, my officers’ own assessment, I can confirm that the Met is now investigating a number of events that took place at Downing Street and Whitehall in the last two years in relation to potential breaches of Covid-19 regulations.”
It has also emerged that Boris Johnson decided not to tell his Cabinet colleagues about the Met probe, despite being told about it before their weekly meeting this morning.
The prime minister’s spokesman said: “It’s important not to pre-empt a police statement on this sort of issue at any point.”
Instead, the spokesman said the prime minister had “alluded” to the ongoing row at the end of Cabinet by “emphasising there was more work to do to deliver for the public and that the government would not be deterred from getting on with the job”.
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Boris Johnson is under fresh pressure to resign following reports he had a “surprise” birthday party at No 10 during the first lockdown in 2020.
ITV News claimed a birthday party inside Downing Street’s Cabinet Room was attended by up to 30 people on the afternoon of June 19. The event is said to have lasted between 20 and 30 minutes.
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Johnson’s wife Carrie and designer Lulu Lytle – who was renovating his Downing Street apartment – led staff in a chorus of happy birthday, the broadcaster alleged.
ITV News said in its report that family friends were later hosted upstairs in the prime minister’s flat.
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Labour leader Keir Starmer hit out at a “chaotic, rudderless government” and repeated his call for Johnson to resign. “He’s got to go,” Starmer said.
But Downing Street disputed the report – saying staff only “gathered briefly” in the Cabinet Room after a meeting.
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A No 10 spokesperson said of the afternoon celebration: “A group of staff working in No 10 that day gathered briefly in the Cabinet Room after a meeting to wish the prime minister a happy birthday. He was there for less than ten minutes.”
Of the evening event claim, they said: “This is totally untrue. In line with the rules at the time, the prime minister hosted a small number of family members outside that evening.”
In March 2020, Johnson tweeted praise for a seven-year-old girl called Josephine who had postponed her birthday party until “we have sent coronavirus packing”.
He wrote: “Together we can beat this. In the meantime let’s all wish her happy birthday (twice) whilst washing our hands. #BeLikeJosephine #StayHomeSaveLives.”
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Starmer told broadcasters: “This is yet more evidence that we have got a prime minister who believes that the rules that he made don’t apply to him.
“And so we have got a prime minister and a government who spend their whole time mopping up sleaze and deceit.
“Meanwhile millions of people are struggling to pay their bills. We cannot afford to go on with this chaotic, rudderless government.
“The prime minister is a national distraction and he’s got to go.”
The PA news agency reported that Lytle briefly attended while undertaking work in Downing Street.
Soane Britain, the luxury designer co-founded by Lytle, said she was “present in Downing Street on June 19 working on the refurbishment”, which has been subject to multiple investigations into its funding.
“Lulu was not invited to any birthday celebrations for the prime minister as a guest,” the spokeswoman said.
“Lulu entered the Cabinet Room briefly as requested, while waiting to speak with the prime minister.”
It came as senior civil servant Sue Gray was working on her inquiry into a series of claims of rule-breaking parties in No 10. It is expected to be published this week.
ITV News said that picnic food from M&S was eaten during the afternoon gathering. Martin Reynolds, Johnson’s under-fire principal private secretary, was also said to have attended.
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Social gatherings indoors were forbidden under lockdown laws at the time, with a relaxation of the regulations permitting gatherings of up to six people to take place outside.
Culture secretary Nadine Dorries, a staunch ally of Johnson, questioned whether the gathering would have broken the rules in place at the time.
“So, when people in an office buy a cake in the middle of the afternoon for someone else they are working in the office with and stop for ten minutes to sing happy birthday and then go back to their desks, this is now called a party?” she tweeted.
Shadow foreign secretary David Lammy tweeted “he needs to go now”.
Lammy wrote: “No more excuses, no more delays, no more waiting for Sue Gray.
“For the sake of all the sacrifices the British people have made, for all the loved ones lost and mourned alone, he needs to go now.”
This is a breaking news story and will be updated. Follow HuffPost UK on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Culture secretary Nadine Dorries has issued a warning about buying tickets from touts – by tweeting a viral photo of former prime minister David Cameron.
The photo quickly became the basis of a meme on social media, with many joking the outfit made Cameron look like the kind of shady character you might find at a pub or car boot sale.
And Cabinet minister Dorries, who once described her one-time party leader as an “arrogant posh boy”, joined in the fun.
She wrote: “Whether it’s a major music festival, sporting event or concert, it’s important that people pay a fair price to see the events they love. Please remain vigilant when considering to buy from ticket touts. Guidance is available if you are unsure.”
Last week, Dorries accused a Tory MP who claims to have faced “intimidation” from their party of “attention-seeking behaviour”.
Many pointed out this was a comment made by the same politician who once appeared on I’m A Celebrity … Get Me Out Of Here and ate ostrich anus on TV.
In any case, Dorries appeared to be going with the consensus in her ribbing.
Last year, Cameron was embroiled in controversy over his intense lobbying for collapsed finance firm Greensill Capital – which was laid bare in 45 emails, texts and WhatsApp messages to ministers and officials.
There is a “very significant” risk that Russia will mount an invasion of Ukraine, deputy prime minister Dominic Raab has warned.
Raab, the former foreign secretary, said the UK would stand “shoulder to shoulder” with Ukraine in the event of a Russian invasion, but said it was “extremely unlikely” the UK would send out troops to assist with any fightback.
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Raab said the UK would instead levy economic and financial sanctions on Moscow as punishment.
“We will support them in defending themselves,” Raab told Sky News’ Trevor Phillips on Sunday.
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“But also, to the international community, to Nato allies in the West, we’re standing shoulder to shoulder saying there will be very serious consequences if Russia takes this move to try and invade and also install a puppet regime.”
Raab, who is also justice secretary, said it was “very clear there is a concerted not just military buildup on the border but a threat to the democracy, the integrity of Ukraine”.
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Asked if the UK would send troops to help in the event of an invasion, Raab said: “It’s extremely unlikely we would do that but what we can say is we’re already willing and engaging in training programmes to support Ukrainians defending themselves, that’s absolutely right.”
Tensions between Russia and Ukraine have been high since Moscow annexed the Ukrainian peninsula of the Crimea in 2014.
There are currently 100,000 Russian troops amassed at the border with Ukraine, a former Soviet state. Moscow claims it has no intentions to invade and that they are there purely for military training purposes — but Ukraine is fearful of an incursion.
Russia has been locked in talks with the US to ease tensions but so far they have not found agreement.
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Vladimir Putin’s list of demands — including a guarantee that Ukraine will never become a member of Nato, that Nato ends its security alliance with Ukraine and that numbers of Nato troops in eastern Europe are reduced — have been rejected as unreasonable by the West.
Asked by the BBC’s Sunday Morning programme if he thought Russia would invade, Raab said: “I think there is a very significant risk of it.”
He added: “The world needs to keep its eye on this and be very clear with President Putin that it would not do this cost-free, that there would be a price.”
In a statement on Saturday, the UK’s Foreign Office said it had “information” to suggest the Kremlin “was looking to install a pro-Russian leader in Kyiv as it considers whether to invade and occupy Ukraine”, citing former Ukrainian MP Yevhen Murayev as a potential candidate.
According to Reuters, the Russian foreign ministry dismissed the claims as “disinformation” and accused Britain and Nato of “escalating tensions” over Ukraine.
Asked by Sky what the UK would do if its fears of a puppet regime in Ukraine materialised, Raab said: “We wouldn’t telegraph all of the measures that we would take, but it’s important that this very clear message not just from the UK, but from all Nato and other interested countries around the world who want to uphold the rule of law, that there’ll be very serious economic consequences.”
Vadym Prystaiko, Ukraine’s ambassador to the UK, said he believed Britain’s accusation that Putin is plotting to install a pro-Moscow leader as head of the government in Ukraine.
He told Sky News: “I do believe that. It’s not the first time they’re trying to do so, historically, and in recent times.”
Asked if he and the Ukrainian government genuinely feared an invasion from Putin, Prystaiko pointed out there has been a Russian presence for almost eight years.
He said the issue was whether thee would be a a “full-scale invasion” or “smaller things just to annoy us and the rest of the world to show his [Putin’s] strength”.
The professional dancer unveiled a new tattoo in celebration of lifting the Glitterball trophy with the EastEnders star last month.
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Giovanni shared picture of his latest inking on Instagram over the weekend, which revealed he has had a mirrorball and stars etched on the inside of his wrist.
It is accompanied by the letters ‘SCD’ and the date of last year’s final, which saw him and Rose triumph over John Whaite and Johannes Radebe.
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The pair are currently back dancing together on this year’s Strictly Come Dancing live tour, which is travelling to various cities across the UK.
Speaking to Birmingham Mail following the tour’s launch last week, Giovanni revealed how he hopes to keep dancing with Rose once it is over.
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“I hope we can find time to dance together away from Strictly. I enjoy spending time with Rose. She is really special,” he said.
“I may be the dance teacher, but I have learnt so much from Rose. Meeting her has changed my life.
“We clicked from the very beginning. We understood each other perfectly. We have such as fantastic connection. She is amazing. So positive and energetic.”
Jacob King via PA Wire/PA Images
Following their win in December, Giovanni revealed his Strictly victory had been every bit worth the wait, after seven years having not previously won the BBC show since joining in 2015.
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A short clip on his Instagram story showed him lying in bed looking longingly while Christina Perri’s romantic ballad A Thousand Years played… only for it to be revealed he had the Glitterball trophy on the pillow next to him.
A former Tory minister who claims she lost her job because of her Muslim faith has been urged to submit a formal complaint.
Dominic Raab, the deputy prime minister, said that while Nusrat Ghani’s allegations were “incredibly serious” the party could not investigate them because she had not entered a formal complaint.
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Ghani, the Conservative MP for Wealden and transport minister until a Cabinet reshuffle in early 2020, claims she had a conversation with a whip in which they said her “Muslimness was raised as an issue” and that her “Muslim woman minister status was making colleagues feel uncomfortable”.
In an unusual move, chief whip Mark Spencer identified himself on Twitter as the colleague in question and said the accusations were “completely false” and “defamatory”.
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A No.10 spokesman said on Sunday that Boris Johnson met with Ghani to discuss her “extremely serious claims” and that he invited her to make a formal complaint, but she did not do so.
“The Conservative Party does not tolerate prejudice or discrimination of any kind,” the spokesman added.
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In response, Ghani hit back, claiming Johnson told her he could not get involved, instead referring her to the Conservative party complaints process.
“When I told the prime minister in June 2020 what had been said to me in the government Whips’ office I urged him to take it seriously as a government matter and instigate an inquiry,” she said.
“He wrote to me that he could not get involved and suggested I use the internal Conservative Party complaint process.
“This, as I had already pointed out, was very clearly not appropriate for something that happened on government business – I do not even know if the words that were conveyed to me about what was said in reshuffle meetings at Downing Street were by members of the Conservative Party.”
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She added: “Not a day has gone by without thinking about what I was told and wondering why I was in politics, while hoping for the government to take this seriously.
“Those that have not had their identity and faith questioned cannot fully appreciate what it does to you.”
A number of Ghani’s colleagues have rallied behind her since the allegations emerged.
Education secretary Nadhim Zahawi said Ghani was a “friend, a colleague and a brilliant parliamentarian” and that her claims had to be “investigated properly and racism routed out”. Caroline Noakes, chair of the women and equalities select committee, said she was “absolutely appalled”.
Asked by Sky News’ Trevor Phillips whether he believed Spencer of Ghani, Raab said: “I think if there’s any claim like this, a formal complaint should be made and as the chief whip has said, Nus was invited to make a formal complaint, she still is able to do so, and she hasn’t yet done so.
“So I’m not going to start getting into impugning anyone’s integrity.”
On the BBC’ Sunday Morning programme, Raab was asked why Ghani would “make up” the accusations.
“I can’t answer that, all I’m trying to give you a very clear account of what the chief whip said in response…I would say if Nus wishes to do so, she should make a formal complaint so it can be properly investigated.”
In her interview with the Sunday Times, Ghani described the impact the alleged interaction had had on her.
“It was like being punched in the stomach,” she said. “I felt humiliated and powerless.”
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Ghani went on to say that she was warned that if she continued to raise the matter she would be “ostracised by colleagues” and her “career and reputation would be destroyed”.
“The feeling of isolation and powerlessness after this episode would not leave me, and I raised it several more times through official party channels and with some colleagues,” she told the newspaper.
“However, after the threats from whips, I was extremely careful to follow procedure, and when the procedure ran out of road I had no choice but to get on with my career and make a difference for my constituents and for the issues I care about from the back benches.”
Ghani’s claims are likely to lead to a further deterioration of relations between some backbenchers and the government following a dramatic week in which the whips were accused of using threatening and intimidating behaviour against MPs who were minded to vote against the government.
Christian Wakeford, the MP for Bury South who defected from the Tories to Labour, claimed he was threatened with having a new secondary school blocked in his constituency if he voted against the government on an issue.
He has since said former chief whip Gavin Williamson was behind the threat.
In response, Williamson has said he does not have “any recollection of the conversation as described but what I do remember is working tirelessly with Christian and others in order to be able to deliver this school, which I did”.
William Wragg, chair of the Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee, is reportedly meeting with the police this week over allegations the whips tried to “blackmail” MPs who have been critical of Johnson’s leadership in the wake of the Downing Street party scandal.
At the beginning of a committee session, Wragg said: “Members of staff at No.10, special advisers, government ministers and others encouraging the publication of stories in the press seeking to embarrass those who they suspect of lacking confidence in the PM is unacceptable.”
Asked about claims earlier this week, Johnson said he had “seen no evidence to support any of those allegations” and Downing Street has said it will not launch an investigation because it had not seen proof.
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This week all eyes will be on a report into the alleged Downing Street parties by senior civil servant Sue Gray.
A number of Conservative MPs have indicated they will wait for the outcome of the report before deciding whether to move against Johnson, making its publication a critical moment for his leadership.
In a further blow to the PM, the Sunday Times reported that Gray will also look at allegations that parties were held in his private Downing Street flat.
