Paymaster General Michael Ellis confirming the Cabinet Office will investigate three parties: Cleo Watson’s leaving drinks on November 27^th, Gavin Williamson’s Department for Education party on December 10^th, and the Downing Street staff party on December 18^th. Leaving out the Lee Cain Downing Street leaving drinks – where Boris is alleged to have delivered a speech – on November 13^th…

Guido understands recess is being brought forward by two days, from Thursday to Tuesday next week. While he hears this is being spearheaded by the Speaker, who’s requested a couple of days for a firebreak in Parliament, there’s little incentive for the Government to decline the suggestion. It’ll mean yesterday’s disastrous PMQs was Boris’s last of 2021…

UPDATE: While the house did request the two-day early recess, it now sounds like the government are to reject the request and continue with shutting down on Thursday.

“Prime Minister Boris Johnson and wife Carrie have announced the birth of a healthy baby girl at a London hospital earlier today”. It’s all go today…

It just one thing after another for No. 10 this morning, as the Electoral Commission fines them £17,800 for failing to “accurately report a donation and keep a proper accounting record” in regards to the Downing Street flat refurb:

“The investigation looked at whether any transactions relating to works at 11 Downing Street fell within the regime regulated by the Commission and whether any such funding was reported as required.

The investigation found that the party failed to fully report a donation of £67,801.72 from Huntswood Associates Limited in October 2020. The donation included £52,801.72 connected to the costs of refurbishment to 11 Downing Street. The full value of the donation was not reported as required in the party’s Q4 2020 donation report.

The Commission also concluded that the reference in the party’s financial records to the payment of £52,801.72 made by the party for the refurbishment was not accurate.”

It never rains but it pours…

The reaction to last night’s Plan B announcement went down like a cup of cold sick with many on the Tory benches. Over 30 Conservative MPs have publicly criticised the move – and the potential shift towards mandatory vaccinations – in the last 24 hours. Here’s a flavour of what they’ve, astutely, been saying:

• Alexander Stafford said “he cannot and will not support mandatory vaccinations“, adding that working from home “disproportionately negatively affects younger people and those starting out in their careers”.
• Angela Richardson* called compulsory vaccinations “a step too far“. *Michael Gove’s PPS.
• Ben Bradley called vaccine passports “ineffective and discriminatory”, and said he “[doesn’t] believe the evidence supports Plan B and […] will not vote for it.”
• Brendan Clarke-Smith tweeted a GIF of Simon Cowell shaking his head, captioned with “it’s a no from me“.
• Dehenna Davison this morning said she will vote against vaccine passports, and “the evidence we have been presented with does not justify further restrictions on liberties“.
• Douglas Ross said “There is no evidence that vaccine passports stop the spread of Covid” and that since he didn’t vote for them in Holyrood, he wouldn’t vote for them in Westminster either.
• Graham Brady said in the chamber last night that “it’s deja vu all over again, isn’t it?“
• Mark Harper said “there is no exit strategy”, and asked “why should people at home…do things that people working in Number 10 Downing Street are not prepared to do?” 
• Mark Jenkinson went on a retweet spree in opposition to the plans, including a tweet from Iain Dale calling the announcement “a total overreaction“. Jenkinson’s bio does say that retweets don’t represent endorsements, although Guido was hard-pressed to find anything supportive on his timeline…
• Peter Bone slammed compulsory vaccinations on Newsnight, calling the idea “completely outrageous“, and even saying “I’d be the first to say the PM should go” if they were implemented.
• Simon Jupp said “I don’t support Plan B”, called vaccine passports “divisive & discriminatory”, and made it clear that he “won’t vote for these measures.”
• Stephen McPartland said “Plan B makes little sense” and he doesn’t agree with vaccine passports.
• Steve Baker insisted it is “vital that the maximum number of Conservative MPs vote against Plan B, whatever our useless Opposition do”.

A Commons vote on the plan is scheduled for early next week, though given Labour has already announced they’ll back the move, it’s unlikely to be rejected even with a significant Tory rebellion. Still, Downing Street’s party hangover could have done without the additional headache…

Read the list of rebels in full: 

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