Politics

Labour has said the prime minister "might have misled" MPs over the Christmas party affair.

'It's time to fess up," Angela Rayner, Labour's deputy leader, said.

The Tory foreign secretary contributed to a warning sent to Putin that there will be "massive consequences" if Russia invades Ukraine.

“Many people would have had similar quiz nights around the country," Nadhim Zahawi said in the prime minister's defence.

“He gives the general impression that he is a buffoon and that he is not taking things seriously; and what people think of that, I am sure, will come out in the election result," a Shropshire councillor and Tory mayor has said.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak and foreign secretary Liz Truss reportedly have donors lined up. Other possible candidates are Michael Gove, Nadhim Zahawi, Jeremy Hunt, Tom Tugendhat and Matt Hancock.

"I guess it’s possible he didn’t know there was a Christmas party in his own house, but the guy sat next to him draped in tinsel must have been a clue", James Felton said.

At the time, non-essential shops, leisure and entertainment venues were closed as well as pubs, bars and restaurants, and people were urged to stay at home except for limited reasons including work if it could not be done from home.

A well-known UK lawyer said the £300-million government strategy which would punish recreational drug users is not "compliant with human rights law".