

The government has been accused of an "astonishing betrayal" after scrapping its flagship animal welfare bill over fears it would be forced into a vote on hunting.įarming minister Mark Spencer confirmed the long-awaited legislation - aimed at banning live animal exports and introducing powers to tackle puppy smuggling - will not progress through parliament. He said that he has "never seen" the prime ministerial diaries referred to. "I think that it's ridiculous that elements in my diary should be cherry picked and handed over to the police, to the privileges committee without even anybody having the basic common sense to ask me what these entries referred to."

Mr Johnson was speaking to Sky News US correspondent James Matthews, who caught Mr Johnson as he was checking in for a flight at a Washington DC airport.Īsked about the rule-breaking allegations, Mr Johnson said: "This whole thing is a load of nonsense from beginning to end, and we've made that clear in the statements that I have issued. He added: "I can assure you that, and I can assure the public that they're all completely innocent and within the rules." He also said it is "extraordinary" that the Cabinet Office passed these allegations to the Met Police and the privileges committee "without any attempt to establish what these things actually mean with me". Speaking exclusively to Sky News ahead of a flight out from Washington DC, the former prime minister labelled the allegations "a load of nonsense". Boris Johnson has denied fresh allegations that he broke COVID rules by hosting friends at Downing Street and Chequers will restrictions were in place.
