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Boris Johnson has sworn “hand on heart” he did not lie to MPs about partygate events in Downing Street – and said a gathering where he was pictured holding a glass in the air was “absolutely essential for work purposes”.

The former prime minister also said the size of Number 10 made it difficult to social distance inside with staff following the guidance “to the best of our ability”.

Mr Johnson faced about three hours of questioning by the cross-party Privileges Committee as they determine whether he misled parliament by denying events in Number 10 during the pandemic broke COVID regulations. He could be suspended from the Commons and face a by-election if they find he purposefully misled the House.

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In his opening remarks, Mr Johnson swore “hand on heart, I did not lie to the House” after taking an oath on the King James Bible to tell the truth during the session.

“When this inquiry was set up I was completely confident that you would find nothing to show that I knew or believed anything else, as indeed you have not,” he said.

“I was confident, not because there has been some kind of cover-up. I was confident because I knew that was what I believed and that is why I said it.”

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He added that there is no evidence of officials raising issues about breaking rules “because that never happened” as he accused the committee of not giving people at the events the chance to explain themselves.

But he claimed it had been a mistake to say guidance had been “followed completely at No 10”.

“I was misremembering the line that had already been put out to the media about this even, which was ‘COVID rules were followed at all times’,” he said.

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Boris Johnson swears oath on Bible

Mr Johnson, as he did in his written evidence published on Tuesday, said it was difficult to social distance in No 10 as it is a “cramped, narrow 18th Century town house” and they had no choice but to meet “day in, day out, seven days a week in an unrelenting battle against COVID”.

“I will believe till the day I die that it was my job to thank staff for what they had done, especially during a crisis like COVID, which kept coming back, which seemed to have no end,” he said.

He said the most important point was that the police, in their inquiry, agreed his attendance at the events was not against the rules.

And he mentioned his former chief adviser Dominic Cummings, who he said has no evidence to show he raised concerns and has “every motive to lie” after the pair fell out.

‘Essential for work purposes’

When questioned about a photo of one of the events in November 2020, which shows the former PM appearing to toast staff with a drink at a leaving do for departing communications chief Lee Cain, he said: “I believe it was absolutely essential for work purposes.”

He said the meeting, which happened while social distancing was in place, was “necessary” because two senior members of staff were about to leave “in potentially acrimonious circumstances”.

“I accept that perfect social distancing is not being observed but that does not mean that what we were doing is incompatible with the guidance,” he added.

Boris Johnson
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13 November 2020 gathering

The former PM insisted time and time again during the grilling that his officials assured him no rules were being broken and nobody raised any problems with him.

At one point he got frustrated at being continually asked if anybody had assured him guidance was being followed, and said: “It’s clear from what I’ve said that I was assured repeatedly by different people and on different occasions that the rules have been followed.”

But chair and veteran Labour MP Harriet Harman called his reassurances flimsy.

“Do you actually think we would be entitled to be a bit dismayed about the flimsy nature of this assurance?” she asked.

Ms Harman said it appeared his assurances “did not amount to much at all”.

Mr Johnson acknowledged he could have given a fuller explanation to MPs about his view on following COVID guidance in No 10.

“Perhaps if I had elucidated more clearly what I meant and what I felt and believed about following the guidance, that would have helped,” he said.

Read more:
New evidence published hours before Johnson hearing

What happens if Johnson found to have misled MPs?

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Social distancing ‘imperfectly observed’

Sue Gray crops up several times

Mr Johnson took several aims at former top civil servant Sue Gray, who carried out a partygate inquiry that criticised the leadership in No 10 at the time of the events. She has recently resigned from the civil service to become Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer’s chief of staff.

Committee chair Harriet Harman said in her opening remarks they are not relying on any material from Ms Gray’s report “and nor will we”, adding she is not a witness in their inquiry.

The former PM mentioned her several times in his opening remarks and answers to MPs, saying Ms Gray told him “on a couple of occasions at least” she “did not think the threshold of criminality had been reached”. He also mentioned the Sue Gray report a handful of times.

At times the interactions between committee members and Mr Johnson were terse, with the former PM at one point saying a gathering in the garden of Number 10: “I really must insist this point, people who say that we were partying in lockdown simply do not know what they are talking about.

“People who say that that event was a purely social gathering are quite wrong.”

When asked if Mr Johnson believed exceptions to the workplace rules and social distancing guidelines applied to No 10 but not to hospitals and care homes, he said: “Of course not.”

Boris Johnson
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19 June 2020 event

The committee has been looking into denials made by Mr Johnson in 2021 and 2022 after a deluge of stories in 2021 claimed illegal gatherings were held in No 10 while the public was being told to stay at home.

Mr Johnson was asked about the events time and time again in the Commons, and he repeatedly denied any COVID rules were broken.

But after further articles, police and Cabinet Office investigations, and more than 100 fines, it became clear that was not the case.

MPs from all sides of the Commons questioned whether Mr Johnson had misled the Commons over what he knew – a serious breach of parliamentary rules – and they voted in favour of the privileges committee carrying out an inquiry.

An initial report from the cross-party group of MPs said it would have been “obvious” to the prime minister at the time that rules were being breached, and the Commons may have been misled multiple times.

But while he accepted in his evidence, published ahead of his appearance yesterday, the Commons had been misled, Mr Johnson insisted his statements were made “in good faith” and to the best of his knowledge at the time.

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Man charged with 11 counts of attempted murder over mass train stabbing and another attack at station hours earlier

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Man charged with 11 counts of attempted murder over mass train stabbing and another attack at station hours earlier

A 32-year-old man has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder after a mass stabbing on a high-speed train.

Anthony Williams, 32, from Peterborough, was arrested on Saturday evening following an attack on the Doncaster to London King’s Cross LNER service.

He has been charged with 10 counts of attempted murder, one count of actual bodily harm and one count of possession of a bladed article following a knife attack on a train in Cambridgeshire on Saturday, British Transport Police (BTP) said.

BTP said he has also been charged with another count of attempted murder and possession of a bladed article in connection with an incident on a London train in the early hours of 1 November.

Police said a victim suffered facial injuries after being attacked at 12.46am with a knife on a train at Pontoon Dock station on the Docklands Light Railway (DLR) in east London.

In a statement to Sky News, BTP said the suspect had left the location before police arrived and officers subsequently identified Williams as a suspect.

Williams will appear at Peterborough Magistrates on Monday morning, police said.

Armed police were deployed to Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, where the train was stopped and made the arrest within eight minutes of the first 999 call.

Forensic teams gathering evidence at Huntingdon train station on Sunday, after a mass train stabbing. Pic: PA
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Forensic teams gathering evidence at Huntingdon train station on Sunday, after a mass train stabbing. Pic: PA

Footage of the arrest has emerged, showing a man on the ground surrounded by officers and a barking police dog, with the sound of a Taser being deployed.

Another man, 35, from London, who was also detained, was later released after officers established he was not involved.

On Monday, Transport Secretary Heidi Alexander told Sky News that one man, originally suffering life-threatening injuries, was now in a critical but stable condition in hospital.

She told Mornings with Ridge and Frost programme: “He went in to do his job, and he left work a hero. And there are people who are alive today because of his actions and his bravery.”

On Sunday, British Transport Police (BTP) confirmed he was a member of LNER rail staff who tried to stop the attacker.

“Having viewed the CCTV from the train, the actions of the member of rail staff were nothing short of heroic and undoubtedly saved people’s lives,” said BTP Deputy Chief Constable (DCC) Stuart Cundy.

The train driver, named as Andrew Johnson, has also been hailed as “courageous” for his actions during the stabbings.

Read more from Sky News:
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Following the announcement about the charges on Monday, DCC Cundy warned against anyone interfering with their ongoing investigation.

“Our investigation is also looking at other possible linked offences. Following the charges authorised by the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) I would stress the importance of not saying or publishing anything which might jeopardise or prejudice ongoing criminal proceedings, or the integrity of the investigation.”

Ms Alexander also told Sky News that BTP would be “increasing the visible patrols at stations” over the next few days.

“But generally, our trains are some of the most safest forms of public transport anywhere in the world,” she added.

Armed police officers on patrol at St Pancras International station on Monday morning. Pic: PA
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Armed police officers on patrol at St Pancras International station on Monday morning. Pic: PA

Tracy Easton, chief crown prosecutor for CPS Direct, said: “Our team of out-of-hours prosecutors worked to establish that there is sufficient evidence to bring the case to trial and it is in the public interest to pursue criminal proceedings.

“We worked closely with British Transport Police to review a huge volume of evidence including CCTV. The number of charges will be kept under review as this continues to progress.

“We know the devastating impact the events on Saturday’s train has had and how the incident shocked the entire country. Our thoughts remain with all those affected.”

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Pregnant British teenager held on drugs charges freed from Georgian jail

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Pregnant British teenager held on drugs charges freed from Georgian jail

A pregnant British teenager has been released from jail in Georgia after being held on drug smuggling charges.

Bella May Culley, 19, of Billingham, County Durham, was arrested in May at Tbilisi Airport and accused of attempting to smuggle 12kg of marijuana and 2kg of hashish into the country.

She was found guilty by a Georgian court on Monday and sentenced to five months and 25 days in prison, the total time she had already spent in custody. Her family also paid a 500,000 lari (about £138,000) as part of a plea deal aimed at reducing her sentence.

Culley and her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, both cried as the verdict was read.

Wearing a cream blazer, the teenager looked overwhelmed as she was released from custody on Monday.

Asked how she felt, she said she was “happy” and told reporters she did not expect to be freed.

Bella Culley at an earlier court hearing in May. Pic: RUSTAVI 2/AP
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Bella Culley at an earlier court hearing in May. Pic: RUSTAVI 2/AP

Culley’s mother held her daughter’s hand as she was released.

Georgian prosecutors were considering a two-year sentence, but “decided to consider the time she has already served,” case prosecutor Vakhtang Tsalughelashvili told The Associated Press.

Culley’s lawyer, Malkhaz Salakhaia, said she would be given her passport and would be free to leave the country on Monday.

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Police footage released in May showed Culley in handcuffs as she made an initial court appearance. Pic: AP

The teenager pleaded not guilty to the charges after her arrest, saying she was tortured in Thailand and forced to carry the drugs.

Culley initially pleaded not guilty at a hearing in July to possession and trafficking illegal drugs.

She initially faced a maximum penalty of up to 15 years or life imprisonment, but was in talks with prosecutors about a potential plea bargain.

Bella Culley walks with her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, following her release. Pic: Reuters
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Bella Culley walks with her mother, Lyanne Kennedy, following her release. Pic: Reuters

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In Georgia, a nation of 3.7 million in the South Caucasus, the law allows for financial plea agreements that can be reached to reduce or eliminate a prison sentence in certain cases.

Such plea agreements are often obtained in drug-related cases.

Culley was reported missing in Thailand before her arrest at Tbilisi Airport on May 10.

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Sole survivor of Air India crash tells Sky News the trauma ‘broke’ him

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Only survivor of Air India Flight 171 crash tells Sky News the trauma 'broke' him

The sole survivor of the Air India crash that killed 241 people on board has told Sky News he has been “broke down” by the trauma.

Air India Flight 171 crashed into a building just after take-off in Ahmedabad, Gujarat, on 12 June, with Briton Viswashkumar Ramesh the only passenger who walked away from the wreckage.

In an interview with Sophy Ridge on the new Mornings with Ridge and Frost programme, Mr Ramesh faltered, stumbled and regularly lapsed into long silence as he tried to recall the day.

Warning: This article contains details some may find distressing

Mr Ramesh, 40, was in the now-fabled seat 11a, which was located next to an emergency door that he managed to climb out of after the Boeing 787 Dreamliner crashed.

Smoke rises from the wreckage. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Smoke rises from the wreckage. Pic: Reuters

His younger brother, Ajaykumar, seated in a different row on the plane, could not escape.

Months on, Mr Ramesh wanted to share the impact of that day in an attempt to try to regain control of his life – and to pressure Air India into addressing the catastrophic effect of the crash on him and his family.

But it is clearly traumatic to talk about.

“It’s very painful talking about the plane,” he says softly.

Asked by Ridge if he can speak about what happened on board, he falls silent.

Just after the crash, from his hospital bed, Mr Ramesh told cable news channel DD India “there were bodies all around me” when he stood up after the crash. A further 19 people had been killed on the ground.

In hospital, he was still pleading for help in finding his brother.

“How is your life now?” Ridge asks.

He says the crash has left him feeling “very broke down”, adding it’s much the same for the rest of his family.

He does not leave the house, he says, instead sitting alone in his bedroom, doing “nothing”.

“I just think about my brother,” he adds. “For me, he was everything.”

He says he still cannot believe Ajaykumar is dead – but that’s as much as he can bring himself to say about him.

Ridge acknowledges the contrast between Mr Ramesh’s own survival – “a miracle” – and the “nightmare” of losing his brother.

It echoes the sentiment of Mr Ramesh’s other brother, Nayankumar, who told Sky News in June: “I’ve got no words to describe it. It’s a miracle that he [Viswashkumar] survived – but what about the other miracle for my other brother?”

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Nayankumar speaking to Sky News in June

Mr Ramesh says he is still suffering physical discomfort too, dealing with knee, shoulder and back pain, along with burns to his left arm. His wife, he says, has to help him shower.

He and his wife live in Leicester with their four-year-old son, Divang.

“I have a four-year-old, so I know what four-year-olds are like,” Ridge says. “They’re a handful but they can bring a lot joy as well. How has he been since the tragedy happened?”

Mr Ramesh says Divang is “okay” but, with his eyes lowered, adds: “I’m not talking properly with my son.”

“Does he come to your room?” Ridge asks.

He shakes his head.

Mr Ramesh was joined by Leicester community leader Sanjiv Patel and his adviser and spokesperson Radd Seiger for support as he spoke to Ridge.

“Sophy… this is an important question that you’re asking,” says Mr Seiger.

“You’re a parent, I’m a parent, and we all know that being a parent is a privilege, isn’t it? But it takes a lot of energy… you need to be in a good place to be a good parent, to have that from the moment they wake up to the moment they go to bed.

“You need to be in a good place and we can all see… he’s [Mr Ramesh] been robbed of that and I think it’s just a chore for him to just get through the day, let alone be a husband, be a father.”

What’s next for the crash’s sole survivor?

Mr Seiger and Mr Patel say the list of what he needs to get his life back on track is “endless” but that it starts with “practical things” such as financial support.

Mr Ramesh and Ajaykumar used “all their savings” to set up a fishing business in India, which saw them frequently flying there together from the UK.

The business has stopped running since the crash, meaning Mr Ramesh’s extended family in both the UK and India has no income, according to Mr Patel.

For them, it amounts to an “existential threat”, he adds.

Police officer standing in front of Air India aircraft wreckage after crash near Ahmedabad airport. Pic: Reuters
Image:
Police officer standing in front of Air India aircraft wreckage after crash near Ahmedabad airport. Pic: Reuters

They say Air India has offered Mr Ramesh a flat interim payment of £21,500 – a one-off sum given to a claimant in advance of reaching the end of a personal injury claim.

A spokesperson for Tata Group, Air India’s parent company, told Sky News that Mr Ramesh had accepted the payment and that it had been transferred to him.

But Mr Seiger says the sum “doesn’t even touch the sides” when it comes to everything Mr Ramesh needs while he is unable to work or leave his home – from help with transporting his son to school, to food, to medical and psychiatric support.

They are petitioning for more than just cash payments, which they suggest reduces Mr Ramesh to “a number on a spreadsheet”.

Rather, they want Air India’s chief executive Campbell Wilson to meet with him, his family and the families of other victims in the crash, to hear about their struggles and “talk as humans”.

Mr Patel said: “Meet the people. Understand what they’re going through. Relying on bureaucratic machinery to deal with real lives [of people] who are going through real trauma – the pain of that, the financial consequences – that is the day-to-day – how lives have been destroyed, and not just the immediate family, but extended families too.”

A fire officer stands next to the crashed aircraft. Pic: Reuters
Image:
A fire officer stands next to the crashed aircraft. Pic: Reuters

A spokesperson for Air India told Sky News: “We are deeply conscious of our responsibility to provide Mr Ramesh with support through what must have been an unimaginable period. Care for him – and indeed all families affected by the tragedy – remains our absolute priority.

“Senior leaders from across Tata Group continue to visit families to express their deepest condolences. An offer has been made to Mr Ramesh’s representatives to arrange such a meeting, we will continue to reach out and we very much hope to receive a positive response.

“We are keenly aware this continues to be an incredibly difficult time for all affected and continue to offer the support, compassion, and care we can in the circumstances.”

Mr Patel also claims the UK government took away Mr Ramesh’s family’s Universal Credit after they went to India following the disaster.

Read more:
Families prepared for court fight over disaster which left 260 dead
Plane suffered ‘no mechanical fault’ before crash

According to the government’s website, those receiving Universal Credit can continue to do so if they go abroad for one month. This can be extended to two months if “a close relative dies while you’re abroad and it would not be reasonable for you to come back to the UK”, it states.

They are calling on Prime Minister Keir Starmer to look into the family’s circumstances and pressure Air India into doing more to help.

Mr Patel appeals to him, saying: “Take action today. If this was your family, what would you do? And if you understand that, you’ll know what to do.”

He suggests the UK government can also be doing more directly to help families in Britain who have been “devastated” by the crash.

“So while we wait for Air India to do what’s right, there’s what the UK authorities and the system can do as being right to serve the citizens in support during this tragic time,” he adds.

The Department for Work and Pensions told Sky News: “Our thoughts remain with the loved ones affected by this devastating tragedy.

“Our policy ensures people travelling abroad due to a bereavement can continue receiving Universal Credit for up to two months, rather than the standard one-month limit. Those who are abroad for longer periods would not be able to continue receiving the benefit.

“People can make a new claim once they return to the UK. This approach strikes a balance between our commitment to ensuring people get the support they need and our duty to the taxpayer.”

:: Watch Mornings with Ridge and Frost on weekdays Monday to Thursday, from 7am to 10am on Sky News

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