World

Is Rishi Sunak turning into Boris Johnson?

Published

2 years ago

April 21, 2023

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Is this the week in which it could be claimed that Rishi Sunak has become a prime minister like Boris Johnson?

On Monday, Mr Sunak faced allegations of dodgy declarations of financial interests.

On Wednesday, he hurled Johnson-style insults at Sir Keir Starmer at Prime Minister’s Questions and caved in to right-wing Tory MPs on small boats and migration.

And now, after delaying a decision on the report on bullying allegations against Dominic Raab until a second day, Mr Sunak faces claims that he’s attempting to cling on to a close ally in trouble and defy calls to sack him.

It all sounds a bit familiar.

Mr Sunak’s week began with the re-announcement of a maths policy that was overshadowed by the Commons sleaze watchdog suggesting the PM’s declarations of his wife’s financial interests didn’t add up.

The new Parliamentary Commissioner for Standards, Daniel Greenberg, announced an inquiry into why Mr Sunak failed to mention his wife’s shareholding in a childcare company which could benefit from measures in Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s March Budget.

The omission came when Mr Sunak was quizzed by MPs on the Liaison Committee about Koru Kids and specifically asked by Labour’s Catherine McKinnell if he had anything to declare. He giggled and mumbled: “No, all my disclosures are declared in the normal way.”

It was a very Johnsonian answer. And his interests weren’t declared in the normal way, because the register of ministers’ interests hadn’t been published for over a year. And, don’t forget, Mr Sunak didn’t appoint an ethics adviser for months.

Mr Greenberg pointed out that the MPs’ code of conduct says they “must always be open and frank in declaring any relevant interest in any proceeding of the house or its committees”.

In other words, while speaking in the Commons chamber or in a committee.

And even when Number 10 published the PM’s full list of interests on Wednesday they didn’t include details of the shareholdings held by his heiress wife Akshata Murty.

Mr Johnson regularly clashed with the Standards Commissioner: on earnings, property income and holidays. In one report, he was accused of an “over-careless attitude towards observing the rules of the house”.

At PMQs, meanwhile, Mr Sunak was no more Mr Nice Guy as he unleashed a barrage of Johnson-style attacks on the Labour leader, branding him “Sir Softie” on crime during his time as Director of Prosecutions and denouncing him as a “leftie lawyer”.

Tory MPs loved it, yelping and howling with delight, as Labour MPs sat-grim faced. It was all a reminder of Mr Johnson’s jibes against Sir Keir, when he regularly called him “Captain Hindsight” and “Crasheroonie Snoozefest” at PMQs.

Later, Mr Sunak delighted the Tory right by bowing to their demands for amendments to the Illegal Migration Bill.

Home Secretary Suella Braverman will get new powers to ignore so-called “pyjama injunctions” by judges at the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, blocking migrant deportation flights to Rwanda.

The cave-in followed a bacon sandwiches breakfast in Downing Street for MPs on the Common Sense Group of right-wingers on Tuesday morning. Remember how Mr Johnson regularly used to host the pro-Brexit European Research Group in Number 10?

Then, shortly before the Commons rose for the weekend, it emerged that there would be no Raab decision on Thursday, prompting allegations of “dither and delay” from Labour and the Liberal Democrats.

The word from inside Number 10 was that the PM, however, was taking time to go through Adam Tolley’s report thoroughly and consider it.

And the longer the wait for the PM’s decision on Mr Raab, the more it looks like he’s attempting to save one of his closest allies.

To be fair to Mr Sunak, cabinet ministers Sir Gavin Williamson and Nadhim Zahawi went quickly when they were in trouble. But Mr Raab lives to fight another day.

Mr Johnson was always determined not to hand his opponents a scalp. Is Mr Sunak now doing the same?

World

Joe Biden allows Ukraine to begin firing US rockets deep into Russia – as politician warns it ‘risks World War Three’

Published

3 hours ago

November 18, 2024

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Joe Biden allows Ukraine to begin firing US rockets deep into Russia - as politician warns it 'risks World War Three'

Joe Biden has authorised Ukraine to begin firing US-supplied rockets deep into Russia – as Sir Keir Starmer prepares to push for “further support” for Kyiv at the G20 summit.

Mr Biden’s policy shift means Kyiv will now be able to use Army Tactical Missile Systems (ATACMS) for long-range attacks, two American officials have told Sky News’ US partner network NBC News.

Follow latest: Ukraine war live updates

Ukraine plans to conduct its first such attacks in the coming days, the sources said, without revealing details due to operational security concerns.

The US has eased restrictions on the use of ATACMS, which have a range of up to 190 miles, after Russia began deploying North Korean ground troops to supplement its own forces in the conflict.

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said such a move would deepen America’s involvement in the war.

“It is obvious that the outgoing administration in Washington intends to… continue adding fuel to the fire and provoking further escalation of tensions around this conflict,” Peskov said.

The development was also condemned by Biden officials as a possible expansion of the war.

A Russian politician and the son of President-elect Donald Trump have both likened the move to risking a third world war.

Maria Butina told the Reuters news agency: “These guys, Biden’s administration, is trying to escalate the situation to the maximum while they still have power and are still in office.

“I have a great hope that Trump will overcome this decision if this has been made because they are seriously risking the start of World War Three which is not in anybody’s interest.”

Meanwhile, Donald Trump Jr wrote on X: “The Military Industrial Complex seems to want to make sure they get World War 3 going before my father has a chance to create peace and save lives… Imbeciles!”

The outgoing Biden administration’s move comes as there are concerns about the level of support the Trump White House may be willing to give Ukraine.

Mr Trump has previously vowed to limit US support for Ukraine and end its war with Russia.

In an evening address after Kyiv was given permission to fire deep into Russia, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said: “Today, there’s a lot of talk in the media about us receiving permission for respective actions. But strikes are not carried out with words. Such things are not announced. Missiles will speak for themselves. They certainly will.”

Back in September, Russian President Vladimir Putin said if the US were to lift the ban on long-range missile use it would be seen as NATO’s “direct participation” in the war.

He added: “This, of course, will significantly change the very essence, the very nature of the conflict.”

Meanwhile, the UK prime minister has said he has “no plans” to speak with the Russian president as world leaders gather for the G20 summit in Rio de Janeiro.

Mr Putin will not be attending the two-day summit which starts on Monday after saying in October that his presence would “disrupt the normal work of this forum”. Russia’s foreign minister Sergei Lavrov will be attending instead.

It will take place days after German Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke to Mr Putin on what was the Russian leader’s first publicly announced conversation with the sitting head of a major Western power in nearly two years.

Asked if he had any plans to make a similar call, Sir Keir said: “It’s a matter for Chancellor Scholz who he speaks to. I have no plans to speak to Putin.”

Speaking to reporters while on his way to the summit, he added: “We are coming up to the 1,000th day of this conflict on Tuesday.

“That’s 1,000 days of Russian aggression, 1,000 days of huge impact and sacrifice in relation to the Ukrainian people and recently we’ve seen the addition of North Korean troops working with Russians which does have serious implications.

“I think on one hand it shows the desperation of Russia, but it’s got serious implications for European security […] and for Indo-Pacific security and that’s why I think we need to double down on shoring up our support for Ukraine and that’s top of my agenda for the G20.

“There’s got to be full support as long as it takes and that certainly is top of my agenda, shoring up that further support for Ukraine.”

The latest developments come after Russia launched a large-scale attack on Ukraine on Sunday, with Mr Zelenskyy claiming Moscow had launched a total of 120 missiles and 90 drones.

Two major strikes, which left a total of 18 people dead, hit a residential building in the northeastern city of Sumy as well as energy infrastructure across Ukraine, prompting emergency power cuts.

Hours later, Moscow mayor Sergei Sobyanin said Russia’s air defence units had destroyed a drone heading towards the city.

World

It’s a stunning shift in US policy – but Biden’s announcement will trigger fury and fresh threats from Moscow

Published

3 hours ago

November 18, 2024

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It's a stunning shift in US policy - but Biden's announcement will trigger fury and fresh threats from Moscow

Joe Biden’s belated decision to allow Ukraine to use US-supplied, long-range missiles inside Russia will be cheered by Kyiv and will almost certainly prompt the UK to follow suit.

But the stunning shift in US policy – just weeks before Donald Trump takes over as US president – will also trigger fury and fresh threats from Moscow at a time of increasing uncertainty about the future course of its war.

President Vladimir Putin has warned the West they would be playing with fire if they allowed Ukrainian forces to launch Western-supplied cruise and ballistic missiles at Russia, saying it could even trigger a global conflict.

British and US officials, though, have repeatedly advised their respective capitals not to be intimidated by Moscow’s sabre rattling.

Ukraine war latest: Biden lifts ban on Russia strikes

Yet there has been hesitancy, particularly in Washington, over the unleashing of US Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) ballistic missiles beyond the borders of Ukraine.

However, it seems that a move by North Korea to send thousands of its troops to fight with Russia has changed US calculations.

The New York Times, which was among the US media organisations to break news of the Biden administration’s decision on long-range missiles, reported that the first time the American weapons will be used inside Russia will likely be against Russian and North Korean troops battling a Ukrainian incursion in the Russian region of Kursk.

While a significant step up in support for Ukraine, the ability to use American long-range missiles inside Russia is not a war-winning development.

But it does expand Kyiv’s capacity to hit important military targets deliberately positioned by Russian commanders far back from the frontline. This includes stockpiles of missiles, drones and other ammunition used to strike Ukraine.

Just as important as the military impact, though, is the political signal that the US decision sends to the Kremlin about Washington’s willingness to defy Russian warnings about dire consequences should Mr Biden dare to grant Ukraine the permission it’s so long been seeking.

The dramatic move by the US comes after months of lobbying by Ukraine’s leader, Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

A key thing to watch now will be how Mr Putin reacts the first time an American missile kills Russian soldiers on Russian soil.

Moscow does not want a direct war with the United States and NATO – nuclear-armed forces with far greater combined firepower – but the Kremlin could well ramp up an already heightened campaign of sabotage and other forms of hybrid warfare across Europe.

Another important reaction to track will be how Mr Trump responds to Mr Biden’s move and whether he continues to allow Ukraine this permission once he takes over as the US commander-in-chief.

The president-elect has vowed to end Russia’s war in Ukraine quickly but he has not said how. Yet he has voiced fierce opposition to the continued gifting of vast quantities of American weapons to the Ukrainian military.

It is a reason perhaps for Ukraine to make use of its new freedoms with US missiles as quickly as possible.

World

Vladimir Shklyarov: Russian ballet star dies aged 39 after ‘fall from building’

Published

3 hours ago

November 18, 2024

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Vladimir Shklyarov: Russian ballet star dies aged 39 after 'fall from building'

An acclaimed Russian ballet dancer has died aged 39 after reportedly falling off a balcony.

Vladimir Shklyarov, one of the world’s top male ballet stars, died on Saturday night, according to the Mariinsky Theatre, where he was a principal dancer.

The St Petersburg theatre said: “It is with profound sadness that the Mariinsky Theatre announces the untimely passing of principal dancer Vladimir Shklyarov.

“Shklyarov, a beloved artist and audience favourite, died tragically on 16 November.

“His loss is deeply felt by the entire Mariinsky family and the wider ballet world.”

The Mariinsky Theatre told Sky News Shklyarov had a back injury at the time, and was due to have “complicated spinal surgery” on Monday 18 November. He was “taking serious pain medication”.

A spokesperson for the theatre was reported in Russian media at the weekend as saying he had fallen from the fifth floor of a building.

Dancers have been paying tribute to Shklyarov, who was married to fellow company dancer Maria Shklyarov, with whom he had two children.

Former ballerina Irina Bartnovskaya said Shklyarov had been at home, on pain relief, preparing for foot surgery at the time of his death.

In a post on Telegram, she continued: “He went out onto the balcony to get some air and smoke, lost his balance (a very narrow balcony) and fell down (from the 5th floor).

“Stupid, unbearable accident.”