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| Downing Street parties have damaged trust in government - Rishi Sunak | Downing Street parties have damaged trust in government - Rishi Sunak |
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| The chancellor agrees that No 10 party claims have damaged the public’s confidence in the government | |
| Rishi Sunak has said controversy over Downing Street parties has damaged public trust in the government, but Boris Johnson has his "full support". | Rishi Sunak has said controversy over Downing Street parties has damaged public trust in the government, but Boris Johnson has his "full support". |
| The chancellor told the BBC he believed the prime minister had always told the truth about parties in No 10. | The chancellor told the BBC he believed the prime minister had always told the truth about parties in No 10. |
| And he dismissed talk of him replacing Mr Johnson as Tory leader, saying he was focused on his current job. | And he dismissed talk of him replacing Mr Johnson as Tory leader, saying he was focused on his current job. |
| Mr Johnson is facing growing calls to stand down from the opposition and Conservative MPs. | Mr Johnson is facing growing calls to stand down from the opposition and Conservative MPs. |
| The Metropolitan Police is investigating 12 gatherings in Downing Street and other government buildings that took place when the country was in lockdown - including at least three that the PM was at. | The Metropolitan Police is investigating 12 gatherings in Downing Street and other government buildings that took place when the country was in lockdown - including at least three that the PM was at. |
| Mr Sunak, who lives next door to the prime minister in Downing Street, is reported to have attended a surprise birthday party for Mr Johnson in No 10's Cabinet Room in June 2020. | Mr Sunak, who lives next door to the prime minister in Downing Street, is reported to have attended a surprise birthday party for Mr Johnson in No 10's Cabinet Room in June 2020. |
| But, in an interview with BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, he said he had been in that room "100, 200, God knows how many times" for Covid meetings during he pandemic, adding: "You're asking me about something that happened almost two years ago." | But, in an interview with BBC political editor Laura Kuenssberg, he said he had been in that room "100, 200, God knows how many times" for Covid meetings during he pandemic, adding: "You're asking me about something that happened almost two years ago." |
| Asked whether he had been aware of multiple gatherings during lockdown, Mr Sunak, speaking in his office overlooking the Downing Street garden, replied: "People seem to think that I'm spending all my time there staring out of this window behind me... [But] I spent half my time in the Treasury, as well as working here." | |
| On Thursday, the chancellor also announced a package of measures to help households cope with a huge surge in energy bills from April. The rise comes amid a cost-of-living crisis, that also includes tax rises and higher food prices. | |
| Live: Sunak unveils response to energy bill hike | Live: Sunak unveils response to energy bill hike |
| More Tories come out against PM amid parties row | More Tories come out against PM amid parties row |
| PM’s fightback fails to curb growing Tory revolt | PM’s fightback fails to curb growing Tory revolt |
| How long do Tories think Boris Johnson has got? | How long do Tories think Boris Johnson has got? |
| Asked by Laura Kuenssberg if he worried that reporting of Downing Street parties had damaged the public's confidence in the government, Mr Sunak replied: "Yes, I think it has. I can appreciate people's frustration. And I think it's now the job of all of us in government, all politicians, to restore people's trust." | Asked by Laura Kuenssberg if he worried that reporting of Downing Street parties had damaged the public's confidence in the government, Mr Sunak replied: "Yes, I think it has. I can appreciate people's frustration. And I think it's now the job of all of us in government, all politicians, to restore people's trust." |
| And, asked if Mr Johnson always told the truth, Mr Sunak, who has previously made little comment on the Downing Street gatherings, replied: "Yes, of course he does. He's the prime minister of the United Kingdom." | And, asked if Mr Johnson always told the truth, Mr Sunak, who has previously made little comment on the Downing Street gatherings, replied: "Yes, of course he does. He's the prime minister of the United Kingdom." |
| The BBC is aware of 17 Tory MPs who have submitted letters of no confidence in the prime minister to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservatives' 1922 Backbench Committee. | The BBC is aware of 17 Tory MPs who have submitted letters of no confidence in the prime minister to Sir Graham Brady, chairman of the Conservatives' 1922 Backbench Committee. |
| If 54 of them do so, it will trigger a vote on Mr Johnson's future, potentially leading to a leadership contest. | If 54 of them do so, it will trigger a vote on Mr Johnson's future, potentially leading to a leadership contest. |
| Some Tory MPs say Mr Sunak, as one of the most powerful figures in the government, would be a frontrunner to replace the PM, should he go. | Some Tory MPs say Mr Sunak, as one of the most powerful figures in the government, would be a frontrunner to replace the PM, should he go. |
| "Well, that's very kind of them to suggest that," Mr Sunak said. "But what I think people want from me is to focus on my job... | "Well, that's very kind of them to suggest that," Mr Sunak said. "But what I think people want from me is to focus on my job... |
| "I know a few of my colleagues have said that and they'll have their reasons for doing that. But I don't think that's the situation we're in. The prime minister has my full support." | "I know a few of my colleagues have said that and they'll have their reasons for doing that. But I don't think that's the situation we're in. The prime minister has my full support." |
| 'Stressful and tiring' | 'Stressful and tiring' |
| Asked if he would run to be the next Tory leader and prime minister, should there be a vacancy, Mr Sunak said: "No, that's that's not what I'm focused on." | Asked if he would run to be the next Tory leader and prime minister, should there be a vacancy, Mr Sunak said: "No, that's that's not what I'm focused on." |
| The MP for Richmond, North Yorkshire, who has been chancellor since just before the pandemic started, said his job was "stressful and tiring" but an "enormous privilege". | The MP for Richmond, North Yorkshire, who has been chancellor since just before the pandemic started, said his job was "stressful and tiring" but an "enormous privilege". |
| Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP are all calling for the prime minister to resign, accusing him of lying over the gatherings. | Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the SNP are all calling for the prime minister to resign, accusing him of lying over the gatherings. |
| In a speech in central London, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Johnson trying to "to devalue the rules so they don't matter to anyone anymore, so that politics becomes contaminated. | In a speech in central London, Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer accused Mr Johnson trying to "to devalue the rules so they don't matter to anyone anymore, so that politics becomes contaminated. |
| "Cynicism and alienation replace confidence and trust, so that the taunt 'Politicians are just in it for themselves' becomes accepted wisdom." | |
| He added: "We don't have to accept the repeated lies from the dispatch box [of the House of Commons], or the casual devaluing of the office that does so much damage around the world." | He added: "We don't have to accept the repeated lies from the dispatch box [of the House of Commons], or the casual devaluing of the office that does so much damage around the world." |