British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has said that “of course” he can lead the Tories in the next general election, despite continued questions over his leadership linked to lockdown parties in Downing Street.
The prime minister has been sent a legal questionnaire from Scotland Yard officers to complete, as they investigate whether he broke his own pandemic restrictions.
Revelations about events in Downing Street during coronavirus lockdowns have resulted in Scottish Tory leader Douglas Ross calling for Mr Johnson to quit, claiming his position is no longer tenable.
Despite this, Mr Johnson, who did not meet the Scottish Conservative leader on a trip north of the border on Monday, said Mr Ross was doing a “very good job”.
And he said that they could both still be in post as party leaders at the next general election.
Asked whether he believed they will both lead the Conservatives into the next general election, Mr Johnson said: “Of course.”
His comments came as he again made clear his view that Scottish independence is “just not going to happen”.
The prime minister told The Daily Mail that over the course of the Covid pandemic, “Scotland and the whole of the UK has benefited massively from the might of the UK Exchequer”, highlighting the impact of programmes such as furlough.
“I think most people could see that it would be an economic disaster to split up our country,” he said.
“That is why it is just not going to happen.”
Speaking about the Scottish Tory leader, he insisted that Mr Ross “has done a very good job indeed of leading the Scottish Conservatives”.
In the 2021 Holyrood elections, he said that Mr Ross won “about 100,000 more votes than any previous Scottish Conservative leader” and had also “stopped the Scottish National Party from getting the outright majority that they thought they could get”.
“Every day, Douglas gets up and campaigns for the union of our country in a way that is absolutely passionate and I totally share,” Mr Johnson added.
“All I would say is there is far, far more that brings us together than separates us.”
But Kirsten Oswald MP, the SNP’s deputy Westminster leader, said: “It is utterly absurd that Boris Johnson and Douglas Ross believe that they can both remain in office.
“How can Ross and the Scottish Tories possibly fight an election under a leader they think is unfit for office and should resign — not to forget that their Westminster bosses dismissed their Scottish Tory leader as a ‘lightweight’.
“It’s clear that Boris Johnson and Douglas Ross can’t both remain in post with any credibility.”
“If Boris Johnson refuses to do the right thing and resign, then people will rightly question if they can take Douglas Ross seriously if he continues to limp on.”
Meanwhile, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said: “Boris Johnson is on a delusion tour if he thinks the British public will still want him as prime minister for another week, let alone until the next general election.
“If he had a shred of dignity, he would offer his resignation as soon as he returns to London.”
Instead of focusing on what really matters, Mr Cole-Hamilton said, the prime minister's primary concern is distracting people from the problems within his own party.
“The Conservatives must stop taking the electorate for fools,” he said.
“The public made countless sacrifices and did all that was asked of them, they do not deserve a prime minister that cannot abide by his own laws.”
'Downton Abbey: A New Era'
Director: Simon Curtis
Cast: Hugh Bonneville, Elizabeth McGovern, Maggie Smith, Michelle Dockery, Laura Carmichael, Jim Carter and Phyllis Logan
Rating: 4/5
The permutations for UAE going to the 2018 World Cup finals
To qualify automatically
UAE must beat Iraq.
Australia must lose in Japan and at home to Thailand, with their losing margins and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
To finish third and go into a play-off with the other third-placed AFC side for a chance to reach the inter-confederation play-off match
UAE must beat Iraq.
Saudi Arabia must lose to Japan, with their losing margin and the UAE's winning margin over Iraq being enough to overturn a goal difference gap of eight.
Napoleon
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The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4-cyl, 48V hybrid
Transmission: eight-speed automatic
Power: 325bhp
Torque: 450Nm
Price: Dh359,000
On sale: now
New UK refugee system
- A new “core protection” for refugees moving from permanent to a more basic, temporary protection
- Shortened leave to remain - refugees will receive 30 months instead of five years
- A longer path to settlement with no indefinite settled status until a refugee has spent 20 years in Britain
- To encourage refugees to integrate the government will encourage them to out of the core protection route wherever possible.
- Under core protection there will be no automatic right to family reunion
- Refugees will have a reduced right to public funds
The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass
Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km
AWARDS
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Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3ESplintr%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMay%202019%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMohammad%20AlMheiri%20and%20Badr%20AlBadr%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EDubai%20and%20Riyadh%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Epayments%20%2F%20FinTech%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ESize%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E10%20employees%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eundisclosed%20seven-figure%20sum%20%2F%20pre-seed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EStage%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eseed%3C%2Fp%3E%0A%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3Eangel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
White hydrogen: Naturally occurring hydrogen
Chromite: Hard, metallic mineral containing iron oxide and chromium oxide
Ultramafic rocks: Dark-coloured rocks rich in magnesium or iron with very low silica content
Ophiolite: A section of the earth’s crust, which is oceanic in nature that has since been uplifted and exposed on land
Olivine: A commonly occurring magnesium iron silicate mineral that derives its name for its olive-green yellow-green colour
New schools in Dubai
PAST 10 BRITISH GRAND PRIX WINNERS
2016 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2015 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2014 - Lewis Hamilton (Mercedes-GP)
2013 - Nico Rosberg (Mercedes-GP)
2012 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2011 - Fernando Alonso (Ferrari)
2010 - Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing)
2009 - Sebastian Vettel (Red Bull Racing)
2008 - Lewis Hamilton (McLaren)
2007 - Kimi Raikkonen (Ferrari)
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,600m
Winner: Celtic Prince, David Liska (jockey), Rashed Bouresly (trainer).
7.05pm: Conditions Dh240,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner: Commanding, Richard Mullen, Satish Seemar.
7.40pm: Handicap Dh190,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Grand Argentier, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 2,200m
Winner: Arch Gold, Sam Hitchcott, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: The Entisar Listed Dh265,000 (D) 2,000m
Winner: Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm: The Garhoud Sprint Listed Dh265,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner: Ibn Malik, Dane O’Neill, Musabah Al Muhairi.
10pm: Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m
Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Groom and Two Brides
Director: Elie Semaan
Starring: Abdullah Boushehri, Laila Abdallah, Lulwa Almulla
Rating: 3/5
